China receives data from newly launched ecosystem monitoring satellite Xinhua) 10:02, August 07, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China has received data from its newly launched terrestrial ecosystem carbon monitoring satellite, scientists in charge of receiving the satellite data said. The satellite was carried into space on Thursday by a Long March-4B rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province. Since Thursday night, ground stations located in Beijing and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have tracked and received the data from the satellite in three tasks, which lasted 25 minutes with a total size of 306 GB, said the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Tasked with obtaining information on forest carbon sinks, the satellite will boost China's carbon peaking and neutrality efforts, offering support and services in fields such as forestry, grasslands and the ecological environment. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) CAIRO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 9 million international migrants from about 130 countries live in Egypt, according to figures released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday. In a statement, IOM said the number of international migrants residing in Egypt is 9,012,582, which constitutes 8.7 percent of the Egyptian population. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of international migrants since 2019, because the prolonged instability in Egypt's neighboring countries prompted Sudanese, South Sudanese, Syrians, Ethiopians, Iraqis and Yemenis to seek refuge in the North African country, according to the statement. Among the international migrants are 4 million Sudanese, 1.5 million Syrians, 1 million Yemenis and 1 million Libyans. Migrants from the four countries account for about 80 percent of the migrants residing in Egypt. International migrants have contributed positively to local labor market and the growth of the Egyptian economy, the IOM noted. Egypt has been generous in enrolling migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in its national education and health systems on an equal basis with Egyptians, despite challenges in the two sectors and the heavy economic costs, the IOM said. Photo: The Canadian Press Five provinces across central and eastern Canada continued to swelter in unseasonably hot conditions on Sunday, Environment Canada said as it extended a widespread heat warning into a second day. The warning from the national weather agency covered broad swaths of southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Monica Vaswani, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the size of the heat wave, while notable, is not unprecedented. "When we do get heat events its basically due to warm air advections, or essentially an area of warm or hot air that's moving up from the south into northern parts -- the Canadian provinces," she said in a telephone interview. "It's not uncommon to see large swaths of that hot, moist air mass." Environment Canada says maximum temperatures are expected to reach or surpass 30 C and hit the low forties when combined with humidity. Humid conditions are expected to be even more prevalent in the Atlantic provinces, Vaswani said. "It would definitely be more humid in the maritime provinces because of the additional moisture provided by the ocean," she said. Sunday's forecast from Environment Canada called for overnight temperatures in the low to mid-twenties, offering little relief from the daytime heat. Cooler temperatures are forecast for Monday, although parts of Nova Scotia could continue to feel the overwhelming heat well into the day. On the other side of the country, part of the British Columbia interior is also in the midst of a hot stretch that is expected to last until Tuesday. A heat warning is currently in place for the Fraser Canyon and Central Coast regions. And this is likely not the last of the heat events, at least not for Ontario, Vaswani noted. "Some indications are suggesting that temperatures throughout the remainder of the month of August, aside from the coming week, may be slightly above normal, so that would indicate the potential for additional heat events to occur before the summers over," she said. During these extremely hot and humid periods, residents are advised to watch for signs of heat illness such as swelling, cramps and fainting, and to drink plenty of water, stay in a cool place and check on older family, friends and neighbours. Summer-like conditions will likely linger into the fall season, Vaswani said. "Given the trend that weve seen over the last couple of years, it does seem that our summers are generally starting a little bit later and lingering into at least September, even mid- to late-September, so I wouldnt be surprised if we see something similar this year," she said. One of Tennessees most distinguished lawmen has died. Former TBI director Larry Wallace died at his Athens, Tn., home on Saturday after a short bout with cancer. He was 77. The Athens native was head of the TBI from 1992 to 2003. He also headed the Tennessee Highway Patrol and later provided help to the Chattanooga and Cleveland Police Departments. Smith Funeral Home at Athens, Tn., is in charge of arrangements. Former Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland said, We say goodbye today to a dear friend of over 50 years. Former TBI Director Larry Wallace died peacefully today at his home. This photo says it all. Taken Nov 19, 2021 when we were both in good health and enjoying time with friends . It reminds us to cherish each day because we dont know what tomorrow holds but we do know who holds tomorrow. See you in heaven. Rest in peace dear friend. A Distinguished Career 1964 Started at the Athens Police Department 1967 Appointed as a State Trooper 1973 Promoted to Special Agent with the TBI 1976 Took a leave of absence from the TBI to return home to Athens, after which he was twice elected Sheriff of McMinn County 1979 Named Sheriff of the Year by the Tennessee Sheriffs Association 1980 Returned to the TBI 1984 Promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Division 1987 Appointed as Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol 1988 Named Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety 1992 Governor Ned Ray McWherter appointed Dr. Wallace to a six-year term as Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, making him the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the state 1994 Led the TBI to become the third state criminal investigative agency in the U.S. to receive international accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors 1998 Governor Don Sundquist reappointed Dr. Wallace to a second six-year term as Director of the TBI 2003 Retired as the TBI Director during Governor Phil Bredesens administration 2004 Hired as a TWU faculty member to develop and teach the Criminal Justice program. He was hired by then Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker as a consultant. He was later offered the chief position, but in the end, the job went to Steve Parks. 2005 Joined the University leadership team as the Vice President for External Affairs 2007 Transitioned to the Vice President for Administration 2010 Promoted to Senior Vice President for Administration 2014 - Present Judicially appointed as the foreman of the McMinn County Grand Jury 2015 Retired from TWU; hired as a special consultant to the Cleveland City Council 2016 Became an independent law enforcement consultant; awarded his honorary doctorate from Tenn. Wesleyan University 2017 - Present Became a member of the TWU Board of Trustees; accepted a job as an agency staff member at Athens Insurance Athens and Tennessee lost a great friend and a long-time public servant when Larry Wallace passed away Saturday afternoon. The 1962 McMinn County High School graduate started his lifetime law enforcement career with the Athens Police Department in 1964. He joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1967 and was appointed as a special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in 1973. He took some time off from the TBI in 1976, returning to Athens where he served two terms as McMinn County sheriff. He returned to the TBI in 1980 and in 1984 was appointed Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Division. In 1987 Larry was appointed as Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a year later was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety. Larry became the states highest ranking law enforcement officer in 1992 when Governor Ned Ray McWherter appointed him to a six-year term as Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Governor Don Sundquist appointed him to a second six-year term in 1998. Larry retired as TBI director in 2003, returning to Athens to develop and teach the Criminal Justice department at Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he remained until 2015, also serving as Vice President for External Affairs, Vice President for Administration and Senior Vice President for Administration. TWU awarded Larry an honorary doctorate degree in 2016, a year later made him a member of the board of trustees. Larry also served as consultants to the Cleveland and Chattanooga police departments in their searches for police chiefs. Bob Corker, who was mayor of Chattanooga in 2004, wanted to hire Wallace as chief, but Larry withdrew his name from consideration. Larry, who never smoked, had been battling lung cancer and Parkinsons disease. He died at his home. Personally, Larry and I had been friends since the 60s. I can honestly say I never knew a nicer, more professionally honest man. A true giant and a life well lived. Rest in peace, Larry Wallace. 10-7. End of watch. Darrell Patterson, retired WTVC TV sportscaster Parks, especially large-scale multi-purpose parks, are economic engines. Using the former school property on Red Banks Dayton Boulevard for an epic park would pay huge dividends for the community. It would provide tangible environmental, aesthetic and recreation benefits to our city. But such a park would also be a source of positive economic benefits. Studies have confirmed that proximity to a park setting is connected to increased economic benefits. These include: Enhanced property values, not only for the immediate vicinity but for all of Red Bank. Higher property values translate into increased municipal revenue. A 12-acre park would certainly attract new homebuyers who are interested in a family-friendly community with an excellent quality of life. One study determined that 60 percent of home purchasers would choose a home close to parks and open space over one that was not. Our epic park would position Red Bank to gain from the ongoing retirement migration." Seniors will soon represent one in four Americans, and they want communities that provide leisure and recreation amenities. One study showed that the decision to relocate was driven by scenic beauty, recreational opportunities and mild climate. In short, parks are a good financial investment for a community. Understanding the economic impacts of this park (as well as other Red Bank Parks and recreational facilities) will guide our community through a community planning process that will help decision makers better evaluate the creation and maintenance of all our parks. When our neighboring city of Chattanooga committed to enhancing the overall quality of life by investing in parks, recreational areas, and greenspace, property values increased 127.5 percent from 1980 to 2002. Quality-of-life improvements in Chattanooga resulted in an increase in annual combined city and county property tax revenues of $592,000 from 1988 to 1996, an increase of 99 percent. (American Planning Association, City Parks Forum Briefing Paper). As we move forward with a comprehensive planning process that will include parks, recreation, and greenspace, I will passionately advocate that parks are proven to be powerful tools for urban communities and local economies like Red Bank. As an early proponent of the movement that became known as Save Red Bank Central Park, I am committed to the full 12-acre parcel on Dayton Boulevard as a publicly-owned park and not be sold in a commercial transaction. Its value to Red Bank is greatest as an epic park with multiple uses for health, recreation and the enjoyment of nature. Lawrence Miller Gaither Leon Bilbrey was born on February, 27, 1937, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to loving parents, Louise and Hollis Bilbrey. First raised in St. Elmo and then on Signal Mountain, he lost his father to illness when he was 10 years old. Louise later married Holliss brother Benton Bilbrey and the family moved to Tyner where Gaither attended Bess T. Shepherd Elementary School and graduated from Tyner High School in 1955. As a young man, he served in the U.S. Army and drove for commanding General Adams and his family at Mannheim, Germany. He would continue his service in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. During his time as a reservist in Chattanooga, he met Pikeville native, Shirley Bickford at church and the couple were married several years later in 1967. They recently celebrated 55 years of marriage. Shirley and Gaither took many trips, were known for their picnic lunches, and loved antique stores. They were endlessly amused by their succession of cats. Mr. Bilbrey was a lifelong learner. By the late 1970s he had established himself as a national broker for fertilizer components, busily running his company Service Chemicals. He created real friendships nationwide and enjoyed his greatest professional success during the period. Tyner Church of Christ was his home church for a remarkable seven decades. For many years he proudly served as the regular song leader for the congregation and at different times supported and served on the boards of the Martin-Boyd Christian Home and the Greater Chattanooga Christian Services childrens home, all affiliated with local Churches of Christ. Mr. Bilbrey was a car enthusiast from the youngest age, an accomplished mechanic and- it would please him to be said- both a gifted driver and patient teacher of others in the same principles. Spanning decades he owned many elegant and interesting antique cars, yet won only a handful of awards by pure accident; most often he would arrive at a show prepared with a sign that his cars not be judged or create a simple message to that effect on the spot. He was simply interested in seeing what other people had to display and looked forward to good conversation with his customary enthusiasm. Gaither Bilbrey passed from us peacefully during the morning of Aug. 6. In addition to the early loss of his father, this passing was preceded by his stepfather, Benton Bilbrey in 1991 and his much-beloved mother, Louise Bilbrey in 2012. During his later years he also lost siblings, Monty Bilbrey, Joan Roberts, and Benton Bilbrey, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Shirley Bilbrey; brother, Kenneth Bilbrey; sister-in-law, Kelly (Benton) Bilbrey; and nephews, Jeremy and Benton (Julie) Bilbrey all of Chattanooga. The family will receive friends at Tyner Church of Christ at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11. The memorial service will follow at noon with John A. Cupp, Jr. and George Cupp officiating. The family will be encouraged by all those who can come together to celebrate his life. Donations in his memory may be made to Tyner Church of Christ or the charity of your choice. Final remains will be interred at the Chattanooga National Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Covenant Funeral & Crematory, Crox family owned and operated, www.CovenantFuneral.com. Chattanooga City Court Judge Russell Bean will leave the bench at the end of the month. Judge Bean recently had lunch with several close friends including his court officers. The Bean family dates back to the earliest days of Tennessee. His father, Crawford Bean, was a well-known Chattanooga lawyer. A brother, Martin Bean, was also a local attorney. The longtime Chattanooga attorney and judge said, I'm thankful for the support of elected officials, staff and citizens; Ive tried to be fair to those who have come before me. Judge Bean said hes especially proud of the dozens of young people that hes helped get their lives back together. The lifelong resident of Hamilton County graduated from Red Bank High School and the University of Tennessee College of Law. The judge began his Chattanooga law practice in 1969. He has served the city since 2000. His last day on the bench is Aug. 31. Then there will be only one division of City Court remaining with Sherry Paty as the sole judge. History channel buffs continue to watch Mike Wolfe and Robbie Wolfe co-host the reality series American Pickers. The brothers currently lead the show, but it wasnt always this way. Previously, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz co-hosted, but Fritz was relieved from his duties and never invited back. So, who is Robbie Wolfe, and what do fans have to say about him? Heres what to know. Why is Frank Fritz not on American Pickers anymore? Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz | Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic Frank Fritz is no longer co-hosting American Pickers with Mike Wolfe. So, what happened to the duo? Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz starred in 21 seasons of the show together, but midway through season 21, Fritz was missing. The network and Mike didnt address his absence. It turns out Fritz had to get back surgery, and when he recovered, History never invited him to reprise his role. I would like to come back to the show, but we will see, Fritz told The Sun. I was doing it for 11 years, but there is a lot of controversy going on right now. Its up to the network whether I come back on the show. It aint gonna affect me one bit. I didnt leave the show. I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came. Mike and Fritz were also feuding, which may have led to Fritz not getting the callback. Robbie Wolfe, Mikes brother, took over as co-host. Who is Robbie Wolfe? Mike Wolfes brother replaced Frank Fritz on American Pickers Robbie Wolfe puts the pedal to the metal ? Don't slow down now there are just two more days until it's the weekend! #AmericanPickers pic.twitter.com/sEF7uyV7qK American Pickers (@americanpickers) March 31, 2021 So, who is Robbie Wolfe? Hes Mike Wolfes older brother who now co-hosts American Pickers. The Sun reports Robbie has owned the landscaping business, RJ Wolfe & Sons, in Davenport, Iowa, for over 20 years. He also pursued a career in music, though now, it seems American Pickers is one of his main gigs. Hes appeared in over 55 episodes of the show. The Sun reports Robbie also has an antique store worth $225,000. He bought the store in Iowa in 2021 and sells vintage cars, signs, and memorabilia. Robbie originally bought the space for $200,000 and renovated the roof for nearly $25,000 and redid the plumbing and electricity. Garage door makes it all come together, Robbie posted to Instagram. Love the History of this building built in 1939 as an automotive building in downtown Davenport. It will live on. Robbies Instagram also contains photos of the vintage finds hes selling. Robbie Wolfe was slammed for partying after Frank Fritzs stroke 'American Pickers' Frank Fritz's co-star shares health update after stroke https://t.co/q8XNHnilEa pic.twitter.com/mJ7ZdAFt5v New York Post (@nypost) July 27, 2022 Both Robbie Wolfe and Mike Wolfe posted to Instagram about Frank Fritzs stroke. Fritz is currently hospitalized for the stroke, though he reportedly remains in stable condition. Frank is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, hes improving every day, Robbie posted on July 22, 2022. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he goes down the road to recovery. However, Robbie took some heat for allegedly partying after the news of Fritzs hospitalization. According to The Sun, Robbie partied with Elvis impersonators at the Bix 7 Road Race in Davenport, Iowa, just two weeks after news of Fritzs stroke. This rubbed some American Pickers fans the wrong way, as they thought he should be more sensitive to whats going on. Some fans even went so far as to suggest they plan on boycotting the show if Robbie stays and Fritz never returns. Unless Frank is in the new episode, it wont be worth watching! a fan wrote. Robbie is a disaster, but Mike wont admit it! Man, I used to love this show, but its gone way downhill since Frank left, another fan echoed. The chemistry he and Mike had on the show was great. Mikes brother is awful. American Pickers airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on History. For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel. RELATED: American Pickers: The 1 Vintage Item Mike Wolfe Regretted Selling SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 deaths have been reported out of over 18,000 infections in the outbreak of cholera since mid-June in Afghanistan's northern Jawzjan province, provincial health official said Sunday. "A total of 18,000 people have been affected by cholera due to using polluted water and poor access to health services," Abdul Ghani Samim, acting director of the provincial public health department, told reporters. Local authorities with the financial support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have established five response teams in dealing with the public health emergency situation in the province, the official added. Big Brother 24 Houseguest Matt Turner ate Jasmine Davis muffin, annoying her and starting Muffingate. He has continued messing with his Festie Bestie, this time by having fun with her baggie of cookies. Matt Turner ate Jasmine Davis muffin During Week 4, Festie Bestie pair Jasmine Davis and Matt Turner were Have-Nots. Once they could eat real food, Florida-based chef Nicole Layog made muffins to celebrate the end of their Have-Not period. After selecting the two muffins she wanted, Jasmine went to take a shower. During her absence, someone ate half of one of her desserts, upsetting the Atlanta-based entrepreneur who eagerly awaited eating the treats. Were all smiles because the first #BB24 Sunday episode of the season is only 30 minutes away!? See you there!? #BBJasmine pic.twitter.com/FYW1kst9V4 Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) July 10, 2022 RELATED: Big Brother 24: Many Fans Are Shipping Taylor and Joseph: The Showmance We Want Jasmine asked several Houseguests who denied being the culprit and attempted to get it out of the producers in the Diary Room. According to Jasmine, they also refused to tell her, noting its against the rules. However, Turner admitted to his part in it to Leftover allies Joseph Abdin and Taylor Hale. The group thought Jasmine might be playing them, notably by milking her ankle injury, which seemed to be Turners reasoning as he responded, thats why I ate her muffin. Turner then messed with Jasmines cookies Later that night, Joseph encouraged Turner to take the snack again as Jasmine laid out a trap, and he agreed, eventually sneaking into the kitchen to eat a little more. She realized it in the morning, angering her more. Terrance Higgins, one of Josephs Festie Besties, revealed Turners identity to Jasmine due to his annoyance with the former HOH, putting an end to her search. A new HOH means a new HOH basket and goodies!? Let's take a glimpse and see what #BBTurner got from home!?? #BB24 pic.twitter.com/viRA7WJ5My Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) July 26, 2022 However, he has continued to mess with Jasmine, this time by getting into a bag of her cookies. After taking a couple out, Turner poured water into the Ziploc, much to the delight of Michael Bruner, who watched the action from the Head of Household room. He then gave a thumbs-up following the deed before disappearing into his room for the night. She hasnt yet discovered it. Turner is ready for the departure of his Festie Bestie and has pitched for her eviction. The Leftovers think Jasmine is milking her ankle injury Jasmine became the second HOH of Big Brother 24 but injured her ankle when doing so. She had a scooter, similar to the one Christmas Abbott used in BB19, and has since gone to a boot. The other Houseguests have helped her, but many, namely Turner, are getting over the act and believe she might be milking the injury. In one conversation, he pointed out that broken ankles are usually healed by now. Additionally, Turner and other Leftover members, including Brittany Hoopes and Michael, have called her out for seemingly making her accent thicker when on camera. Not trusting Jasmine and her status on the other side of the house has caused the Mississippi native to become a bigger target. However, its unclear how soon shell go as it seems the Leftovers have prioritized others, including Daniel Durston and Alyssa Snider. Big Brother 24 airs Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays on CBS. RELATED: Big Brother 24 Week 5 Spoilers: Are the Leftovers Still in Power? Kavan Smith Says His New Hallmark Movie Big Sky River Is About Broken People Trying to Get a Second Shot TL;DR: Kavan Smith and Emmanuelle Vaugier star in the new Hallmark movie Big Sky River. Smith says the movie is about broken people getting a second shot. Its based on a book by Linda Lael Miller and premieres August 7. Kavan Smith and Emmanuelle Vaugier in Big Sky River | 2022 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allister Foster Hallmarks newest movie isnt your conventional love story. Big Sky River, which premieres August 7, is about two people who find happiness together despite their difficult pasts. Thats what drew actor Kavan Smith to the story, which he described as more than just a boy-meets-girl romance. Kavan Smith and Emmanuelle Vaugier star in Big Sky River In Big Sky River, which will air on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Smith plays a man named Boone Taylor. Boones wife has died, and hes raising his two sons while also working as a sheriff in the small town of Parable, Montana. Emmanuelle Vaugier plays a woman named Tara Kendall. Looking to put some distance between herself and her ex-husband, Tara decides to take a break from New York City and books a summer rental in Parable, where she used to spend time as a girl. Taras new neighbor in Parable is Boone, and the two soon develop a connection. But when Taras stepdaughter reaches out, the painful realities of everyday life threaten to intrude on her dreams of life in the country. Smith explains what drew him to the Hallmark movie RELATED: Hallmark Channels August 2022 Schedule Includes 4 All-New Movies, Plus the Return of Chesapeake Shores In a chat with Vaugier and Linda Lael Miller (who wrote the book on which the movie is based), Smith explained what drew him to the project. Its not just about two people getting a second shot Its really about sort of broken relationships, he said (via YouTube). For me, it was less about boy meets girl and more about broken family meets other broken family and we try to make it together as a new family. And thats really what spoke to me. Big Sky River is about broken people trying to get a second shot, the When Calls the Heart actor added. People can relate to that all over the world. Big Sky River author says her story is about hope and second chances Words out, there might be a new couple in town! ?? Grab your girls and watch this western love story with a twist on August 7 at 9/8c. #BigSkyRiver pic.twitter.com/wxtTuhCdp6 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (@hallmarkmovie) August 3, 2022 Best-selling author Miller says her story is about being open to connection. Most of my characters are terrified of falling in love again because theyve been burned in some way, she added. In Big Sky River, both Boone and Tara must work through the personal issues that are keeping them from taking new risks in their lives. Eventually, both realize that whatever has happened in the past, they deserve a second chance. I want people to know that, Miller said. There are a lot of second chances. Theres always hope. Big Sky River airs Sunday, August 7 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Movie & Mysteries. For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel. RELATED: Alexa and Carlos PenaVegas New Hallmark Movie Love in the Limelight Is Based on a True Story Craig Conover from Southern Charm loves a good treasure hunt, and finding that diamond in the rough is especially exciting. So when his company Sewing Down South partnered with national home furnishing store Home Goods, Conover and his team sprung into action. Conover appreciated being able to expand Sewing Down Souths reach beyond online sales and his flagship store on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Shopping at Home Goods is this fun treasure hunt, and a lot of people love the store, Conover told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. I think its a great opportunity for more people to own [Sewing Down South] pillows, so when they see one at Home Goods, thats what excites me. It gives people a chance to have a piece of Sewing Down South. The treasure hunt to find Craig Conover pillows starts at Home Goods Conover is having a blast seeing photos from customers who have found a Sewing Down South pillow at Home Goods. But he admitted that the Home Goods treasure hunt has been a little more challenging for consumers. During the launch, They sold out really quickly, he said. So we know the response was really good. Craig Conover | Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank Like many high-end products sold at Home Goods, Sewing Down South pillows will likely always be a treasure hunt. But Conover wants to make sure the hunt is a little easier for customers and hopes to ramp up production so more are readily available. Craig Conover says Home Goods pillows are the same Sewing Down South signature quality Beyond the Southern Charm fandom, Sewing Down South customers have consistently expressed enthusiasm for the companys quality and designs. Conover said the pillows sold at Home Goods are the exact same quality, just designs that are unique to Home Goods. Sewing Down South Home Goods pillows | Sewing Down South This is an original line to Home Goods, he explained, emphasizing that the pillow quality is the same as what is online and in the store. So the pillows are being designed and made just for Home Goods. Youre not going to find these pillows anywhere else. Fans have shared photos of their Sewing Down South finds on social media. The adorable bumble bee pattern seems to be a favorite for many customers. Plus, customers can find other Sewing Down South designs like a sea turtle and coral pattern at Home Goods. Sewing Down South merchandise will also be available nationwide. So fans in just about every state could possibly find Conovers pillows at Home Goods. Home Goods partnership gives everyone a chance to own a piece of Sewing Down South Conover hopes the Home Goods partnership turns new consumers into Sewing Down South fans. Also, It gives avid collectors of Sewing Down South a chance to add to their collection with the unique patterns we designed for Home Goods, he said. Bumble bee pillow | Sewing Down South He said the partnership is a dream come true. Its the same feeling I had when HSN called, he recalled. That was such a badge of honor. But also the fact that only a couple of years ago, I was walking into crafting stores to buy supplies to sew the pillows. Now I can walk into the store and see our pillows. Its a pretty crazy transformation. I love being tagged in the pillows people find at Home Goods, he added. And its only growing and only getting bigger. Beyond Home Goods, his retail and online location, Conover said fans can also stop by the Sewing Down South booth to pick up merchandise during BravoCon 2022. RELATED: Craig Conovers Pillows and Beer Podcast and Book Tour Were Excited about It Exclusive Details Food Network stars Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis are two of the most well-known chefs on TV. Theyve known each other for nearly two decades, and theyve collaborated numerous times. Their on-screen chemistry is hard to ignore, leading many fans to believe the two have hooked up. Have Flay and De Laurentiis ever dated? Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay | Sam Bolton/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis met in 2004 Flay was a well-established chef starring on Boy Meets Grill when he met De Laurentiis at a food expo in Philadelphia back in 2004. She had just started hosting her first Food Network series Everyday Italian, and the pair instantly hit it off. Theyve been close friends ever since. De Laurentiis describes Flay as a loyal friend who has your back forever and someone who will stand up for you. Hes one of those guys you can call in a pinch and he will get you out of it. Hes special in that sense, De Laurentiis said, per Suggest. Not long after they met, Flay and De Laurentiis started teaming up on screen. They competed against Mario Batali and Rachael Ray on Iron Chef America. Then, they co-hosted 14 seasons of Food Network Star together. Last year, the pair went on a month-long tour of Tuscany and Rome eating their way through Italy together for their Discovery+ series Bobby and Giada in Italy. Why Food Network fans think they hooked up Rumors started swirling in 2015 that Flay and De Laurentiis were dating when they both went through divorces around the same time. Flay split from his second wife, Stephanie March, not long after De Laurentiis marriage to fashion designer Todd Thomas ended. Just days before she announced the end of her 11-year marriage, De Laurentiis was spotted having drinks and partying with Flay at the the private Soho Beach House in Miami. They were in town working an event together. But Flay and De Laurentiis were never romantically involved, despite the internet frenzy they caused. He dated actress Helene Yorke for three years starting in 2016. Not long after their breakup, Flay began a relationship with writer Christina Perez. Theyve been together ever since. As for De Laurentiis, she started dating TV producer Shane Farley about a year after her marriage ended and they are still in a relationship today. The couple met when Farley was hired to produce a show for Flay and De Laurentiis that never made it to air. Food Network fans are still shipping Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis Despite the fact that Flay and De Laurentiis are both in long-term relationships with other people, many Food Network fans still ship the duo online especially after watching them tour Italy together last year. The romantic rumors continue to follow them, too, because they are such good friends and spend a lot of time together both on and off camera. Theyve even been spotted holding hands. But fans shouldnt read too much into that. De Laurentiis has repeatedly denied these rumors. And she even told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live why hooking up with Flay would never happen. We do get together on Food Network Star. Well, were really good friends. Weve worked for many years together, but I dont think thats ever going to happen because Im smarter than that, she said. Beat Bobby Flay and Simply Giada air weekly on the Food Network. RELATED: How Bobby Flay Reacted When He First Saw Giada De Laurentiis Elvis Presley is the name on everyones lips, as the all-new biopic has returned the legendary rocker to the spotlight. Many fans are discovering Presleys music for the first time and diving deep to learn everything they can about his life. For many fans, his relationship with Priscilla Presley is of particular interest. In a recent Vogue video profile, Priscilla sat down to discuss her life in looks. At one point, she talked about the early days of her relationship with the King of Rock and Roll, revealing why she dreaded the day Elvis Presley left his military duties in Germany and returned to the U.S. When did Elvis and Priscilla Presley first meet? How Priscilla Presley went from rock n roll queen to bohemian belle https://t.co/X9kudYRSmL pic.twitter.com/GY8AF6aE6G Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) July 14, 2022 Elvis Presley first met Priscilla Presley (then Priscilla Beaulieu) in 1959, while he served in the Army. Stationed in West Germany, Elvis met the young woman at a house party close to the area where her father, a U.S. Air Force officer, was stationed. According to Distractify, the two instantly developed a connection. Despite the 10-year age difference, they pursued a romantic relationship. With Priscilla being only 14 years old, her parents initially forbade her from seeing the much-older Elvis. Eventually, however, they relented and allowed the couple to spend time together over the following months. In March 1960, Elvis received orders to head back to the U.S. When she found out, his young girlfriend was devastated. Priscilla Presley dreaded the day Elvis Presley left Germany Left: Elvis after completing his military service in Germany; right: Priscilla Presley greets him | ullstein bild via Getty Images In a recent Vogue video essay, Priscilla opened up about the day Elvis flew back to America, admitting she struggled with a lot of complex emotions. This is an important day, Priscilla said, pointing to a picture of her taken when she went to see her boyfriend off at the airport. Yes, this was the day that Elvis was going back to the United States. We had just finished his duties in Germany. She described, I dreaded this day very much because I didnt know, actually, if I was ever going to see him again. One request that he asked, that I not be teary-eyed so you see me smiling here. There are other pictures where I am down and looking away and knowing that I may never see him again. Elvis and Priscilla Presley went on to become one of pop cultures legendary couples Rare Vintage Photos of Priscilla Presley Through the Years https://t.co/fFjZQUaUrR pic.twitter.com/baezjjnXqr ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) July 16, 2022 Priscilla claimed that after Elvis left Germany, she went into a period of deep mourning, unable to eat or sleep. Eventually, the rock star started calling her in Germany. They maintained a sporadic relationship even as he pursued a career in Hollywood movies. In 1963, three years after Elvis Presley left Germany, he arranged to have his much-younger girlfriend flown to his home in Memphis, Tennessee. While Priscilla struggled to keep up with Presleys fast-paced lifestyle, the two remained inseparable for the next few years. Eventually, in 1967, they tied the knot in a whirlwind Las Vegas wedding ceremony, welcoming their only child just nine months after the wedding. Although the Presleys divorced after just six years of marriage, their union has gone down in rock history as one of the most significant and interesting. To this day, Priscilla is the standard-bearer for her ex-husband, defending and maintaining his legacy and often speaking out about his life. RELATED: Elvis Presley Broke a Promise to Priscillas Parents That Could Have Ruined Their Relationship Yellowstone Is Not the Only Western Kevin Costner Has on the Horizon Yellowstone star Kevin Costner (John Dutton) has been busy filming season 5 in Montana with the rest of the cast. But Taylor Sheridans neo-western isnt the only project that Costner has on his schedule this year. The two-time Oscar winner has another western on the Horizon, and it will put Costner back in the directors chair. Kevin Costner | Richard Bord/Getty Images for Cannes Lions John Dutton has to do something in Yellowstone Season 5 The Duttons have been fighting to save their beloved Yellowstone Ranch during the first four seasons of the hit Paramount Network drama. And in season 5, their numerous adversaries are closing in. The conflict is only going to get worse in the upcoming season, according to Costner. And its up to the family patriarch to keep the land in the family. Its been set up in a sense that theres so much pressure on whats coming for his land that hes going to have to do something. Were going to see what he did and does to stay ahead of it and I think thats what John Dutton has to do, Costner told Variety. But the pressures about the land have been, always for this family, [that theyve] got to hold on to it with a level of violence The walls pressing on [John] are environmentalists, the Native American issues, politicians, the public outcry for more land. So, hes dealing with really modern problems. Kevin Costner is directing an epic western titled Horizon In late August, Costner will be back in the directors chair for the first time since 2003 when he helmed the critically acclaimed western Open Range. His new film Horizon is a longtime passion project that has the sweep of his 1990 epic Dances With Wolves. But, this project is bigger than just one movie. Costner has plans to split the western epic into four different movies that will be released about every three months. Theyre all different films that all connect, so youre watching a saga of these storylines that are happening, Costner explained. Casting is already underway for the projects 170 speaking roles, and production for Horizon is scheduled to begin on August 29 in Utah. Costner will be the director, producer, and star. He will also finance the movies through his Territory Pictures production company. The Yellowstone star says his latest project highlights really strong women Similar to the Yellowstone prequel 1883, Horizon is set in Americas Western frontier during the 19th century and will focus on both settlers and Indigenous groups over the span of 15 years. Its a really beautiful story; its a hard story. It really involves a lot of women, to be honest. There are a lot of men in it, too, but the women are really strong in Horizon. Its just them trying to get by every day in a world that was impossibly tough, Costner explained. They were often [dragged] out to these places because thats where the men wanted to go; women were following their men. They didnt ask to be in these territories that were unsettled and dangerous, and life wasnt easy. Costner says he wants to make it obvious in the films that life wasnt easy on the frontier, and that people were extremely vulnerable during that time. The first Horizon film will shoot this fall, while the other three films will go into production at the same time in April 2023. A release date has not yet been revealed. Yellowstone Season 5 premieres Sunday, November 13 on the Paramount Network. RELATED: Yellowstone: Cole Hauser on His Relationship With Kevin Costner I Dont Know That I Would Ever Call Him Kev You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Fears of Bible shortage in Hong Kong sparked by Chinese Communist Partys crackdown on religion As the Chinese Communist Party imposes restrictions on religious content in Hong Kong, a shortage of Bibles is being reported in the city where its high degree of autonomy was ended two years ago with the enactment of the National Security Law. The Catholic religious order of Franciscans, which runs the biblical research institute Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Hong Kong, has found that printing companies fear that printing the Bibles without government approval might lead to trouble with authorities, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. Studium Biblicum Franciscanum has been unable to find a suitable printing house for the Catholic Chinese Bibles and therefore has not been able to print the new Catholic Chinese Bibles, the U.S.-based watchdog group ChinaAid quoted Franciscan Friar Raymond Mary Yeung, a member of the SBF, as saying. At present, all of the Societys stock of Catholic Chinese Bibles have been sold to bookstores, and if the printing problem is not resolved in the near future, there will be a shortage, he added. The Chinese government recently declared that Christians must first register and gain approval by the State to post religious content online, ICC said, adding that the regulation is aimed at controlling and aligning religion with the partys political ideology and goals, a process often referred to as Sinicization. ICC clarified that Christian groups, apart from SBF, remain unaffected, as of now. Hong Kongs National Security Law, which ended Hong Kongs autonomy following the 1997 British handover, can restrict fundamental freedoms and has four categories of crimes: succession, subversion of state power, local terrorist activities and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security. The law also positions Beijing as over the Hong Kong judicial system in cases deemed related to national security, China Aid previously reported. This means that the judges in these cases must be Beijing-approved. Hong Kong residents can now also be taken to China, where they will face a courtroom with allegiance to the government. Last month, editors of The Wall Street Journal warned that the end of the freedom of speech, assembly and the press in Hong Kong means theres good reason to fear religious liberty will be the next target. The Communist Party has installed Xia Baolongwho presided over a crackdown on Catholic and Protestant churches in Zhejiang Provinceas the head of its Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, they noted. Communist Party chief Xi Jinping has tightened control over religion in China to a degree not seen since Mao. Also last month, the Vaticans unofficial representative in Hong Kong was reported to have warned Catholic missions in the city that tough days were ahead for them as China was increasingly restricting religious freedom. Change is coming, and youd better be prepared, Mexico-born Monsignor Javier Herrera Corona, a bishop who served in the city for six years before his term ended in March, told the citys Catholic missions in June, Reuters reported at the time. Hong Kong is not the great Catholic beachhead it was. In May, Chinese officials arrested 90-year-old former archbishop of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen on charges related to Hong Kong's National Security Law. He was arrested with trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, who backed protesters in the 2019 pro-democracy protests. Earlier this year, a Chinese state-owned newspaper accused churches and Cardinal Zen of inciting Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests and called for greater control over Hong Kong by the Chinese Communist Party. In late June, the Rev. Jonathan Aitken, an Anglican priest, former U.K. cabinet minister and member of Parliament, also warned about restrictions as Chinese President Xi Jinping marked the 25th anniversary of the citys handover from Britain to China. The skies are darkening for religious freedom in Hong Kong, Aitken said during a speech at the National Club in London on June 29, UCA News reported. There are increasingly ominous signs that religious freedom in Hong Kong is next on the hit list by the destructive forces of Xis regime. China has often been accused of rights abuses against religious minorities, including Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghur Muslims. Riding the waves of the Holy Spirit Kelly Slater is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time, having been crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater said, Your surfing can get better on every turn, on every wave you catch. Learn to read the ocean better. A big part of my success has been wave knowledge. Something similar occurs in the spiritual realm as well, where wave knowledge is crucial. While most Christians will never ride a surfboard in the ocean, millions of believers engage in spiritual surfing every day as we ride the waves of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him (John 7:38). The Day of Pentecost produced a spiritual tsunami 2000 years ago and Acts 2:4 tells us that all of those in attendance were filled with the Holy Spirit. This caused Christianity to surge onto the scene. Here are 3 important reasons to ride the spiritual waves God sends your way: 1. Ride the waves to be saved, redeemed, justified, born again, and forgiven. No one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:7). God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:5-6). No one enters Gods family without riding the waves of the Holy Spirit. Repentance and faith in Jesus are produced by the Holy Spirit working through the Word. Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). 2. Ride the waves to be sanctified in your Christian life. New Christians quickly discover that sin and temptation remain an ever-present danger. While a believer's justification is complete at conversion, sanctification is a lifelong process of growing more consistent in holy living. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11,12). As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy. (1 Peter 1:14,15) The third Person of the Trinity is not called The Above-Average Spirit. The Holy Spirit is absolutely perfect in every way! When believers are riding the waves of the Holy Spirit, we are being sanctified and becoming more Christlike in our attitudes, words, and behavior. Any true holiness within a believer is Gods work in us as we ride the waves he provides (Philippians 2:13). One of the many blessings of sanctification is the fruit God produces in our life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). Our hearts and minds need the Word of God every day. In the midst of our daily spiritual battles, the Bible is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). The Holy Spirit works through his Word to keep us strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). Persistence in prayer is another essential aspect of a Spirit-filled life. Believers are instructed to: pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (Ephesians 6:18). The Holy Spirit directs and empowers our prayer life. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26). Gods Word declares: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32) Whenever we grieve the Holy Spirit through our thoughts, words, or actions, the peace and power of God are greatly diminished in our hearts and minds. 3. Ride the waves to be empowered to witness for Jesus. Pentecost empowered the disciples to spread the Gospel. Jesus said, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Peter denied the Lord three times. (Luke 22:54-62) Those denials of course took place prior to Pentecost. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, it was a completely different story as Peter began riding the waves of the Holy Spirit. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). Peter and John said, For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20). Riding the waves of the Holy Spirit makes you courageous and loving in your witness for Jesus. We are unable to produce these waves, but we can sure ride them to the glory of God! A wonderful promise in Luke 11 inspires believers to continually ask God for more waves. Jesus said, If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13) This simple prayer may help: Father in Heaven. Please empty me of anything that is grieving the Holy Spirit. Wash me with the precious blood of Jesus, and fill me with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. Amen." (You might also be interested in this CP op-ed I wrote 10 years ago: How to Be a Spirit-Filled Christian.) PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of 26 drug addicts have rejoined their families after treatment in a rehabilitation center in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, head of the province's counter-narcotics department, Mawlawi Mohammad Nabi, said Sunday. The former addicts were brought together at the provincial capital city Pul-e-Khumri before being hospitalized and achieving a recovery within 45 days, the official said. Former addict Mohammad Asif, a student of political science in the northern Takhar province with a six-year heroin smoking history, expressed happiness over his recovery and called on the authorities to provide job opportunities for people like him. Provincial police spokesperson Mawlawi Shir Ahmad Burhani told reporters that police will continue to round up addicts and send them to rehabilitation centers. Currently there are reportedly more than 3 million drug addicts in the country. The Taliban-run administration banned the cultivation of opium poppy, processing into drugs and trade of opium, in April. UMC to contribute $30M to Boy Scout abuse survivor fund The United Methodist Church will contribute $30 million to a fund created for the benefit of those abused while participating in the Boy Scouts of America. Last Friday, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein approved initial settlements of approximately $2.3 billion to abuse survivors, including a $30 million contribution to the survivors' fund the UMC proposed last year. The UMC has a history with the BSA that goes back nearly a century through its predecessor denominations. Thousands of methodist congregations have chartered scouting troops. In recent years, tens of thousands of alleged abuse victims have come forward to make claims against the BSA. This strong connection to the BSA raised some questions as to what extent the UMC was liable for the sex abuse scandal within the prominent youth organization. Bishop John Schol, who chaired the team created to support the UMC chartering associations, told The Christian Post that the denomination "voluntarily participated in the mediation sessions for the BSA reorganization plan." "Our commitment was to put the survivors and their needs first," Schol said. "The United Methodists offered, and it was accepted by the lawyers representing the survivors and more than 85% of the survivors who voted on the reorganization plan." Schol said the money has been committed, but they are waiting until the plan has final approval as the judge rejected some other elements of the BSA bankruptcy plan. "We have three years to make our full payment," Schol said. UMC also agreed to have leaders hear the experiences of survivors, publish a series of articles on scouting group abuse and steps to prevent future abuse, and review their youth protection policies to ensure they are being adequately implemented. "Our settlement is an acknowledgement that scouts who were part of United Methodist troops were harmed. We are sorry, saddened and angered by what occurred to young people over the last 80 years," said Schol. "We prayerfully hope this acknowledgment and financial support will aid in the healing of survivors. We are committed to ... prevention of abuse as we go forward." In February 2020, BSA announced it filed bankruptcy to help afford the compensation expected to be paid to people abused in scouting. Last August, the UMC Office of Public Information released a statement expressing concern that legal developments were not addressing chartered organizations. "[T]he ad hoc committee is disappointed and very concerned that the BSA did not include its sponsoring organizations, charter groups, in the agreement with the claimants," the UMC said at the time. "Charter organizations were promised by the BSA to be covered by their insurance, but at this time, it is not clear to what extent United Methodist congregations will be covered." As a result, the UMC committee recommended that congregations with scout troops consider ending or altering their agreements with BSA last year. In February, the UMC announced an agreement with the BSA to extend existing charters with congregations until, at the very least, the end of June. Churches with scouting troops did not need to take action on the issue of charter renewal. However, they were encouraged "to move forward with the annual membership renewal process for all youth and adults who participate in Scouting programs." "Charter renewal and membership renewal are distinct processes. Charter renewal focuses on the organization-to-organization relationship, while membership renewal involves the relationship between individual Scouts and volunteers and the BSA," the UMC stated in February. "Annual membership renewal is a vital step in allowing Scouting to continue, as maintaining active membership registrations for all Scouts and volunteers is critical to ensuring that Scouts and volunteers are covered by BSA's insurance, that volunteers meet training and safety standards, and that both youth and volunteers continue to receive communications." Steven Scheid, director of the Center for Scouting Ministries of the General Commission on United Methodist Men, told CP that they recommended charter organizations "vote against the plan because as of the time of the voting, we did not have a settlement." "The voting was extended and we negotiated our settlement. Our voting charters then voted to pass the plan," Scheid explained. Scheid said although "there has been a reduction in Scouting because of the pandemic," membership in the troops increased 4% "year over year," and "congregations continue to support Scouting ministry." He fought until the end: Archie Battersbees mom grieves loss; friend calls hospitals actions barbaric The mother of the 12-year-old Archie Battersbee announced her son's death on Saturday after his life support was withdrawn due to a High Court ruling, saying he fought right until the very end, but a family friend called the process barbaric. Archie, who had been hospitalized on life support at Royal London Hospital since his mother found him unconscious with a ligature around his neck at her home in Essex in April, died at 12:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, The Telegraph reported. His mother, Hollie Dance, announced her sons death as she walked out of the hospital in Whitechapel. It is with my deepest sympathy and sadness to tell you all that Archie passed today, she was quoted as saying. I would just like to say I am the proudest mom in the world. He was such a beautiful little boy. He fought right until the very end, and I am so proud to be his mom. By Friday, the boys parents had exhausted all legal options in their fight to keep him alive or moved to a hospice. The High Court ruled Friday that his parents could not move him from the hospital to a hospice center, saying it was not in Archies best interest. After Archies parents were denied permission to appeal the High Courts decision by the Court of Appeal, they applied to the European Court of Human Rights on Friday, but the ECHR said it would not intervene in the case. A family friend, Ella Carter, who supported Dance throughout the familys legal battles over Archies medical care, said the process was barbaric. He was taken off all medication at 10 a.m. and his life stats remained completely stable for two hours until they removed all ventilation and he went completely blue, The Times quoted her as saying. There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate. No family should have to go through what weve been through its barbaric. Dance earlier said she believed her sons condition was the result of a TikTok challenge. While doctors diagnosed Archie as brain-stem dead, his parents insisted that was not so. Dance elaborated on her belief in a video released earlier by the Christian Legal Centre, which represented the parents in litigation. Hes held my hand. Ive got video of him gripping two fingers, she said at the time. If Archie is denied oxygen if and when life-support is removed I will continue to give him oxygen, Dance said in a statement to Christian Concern last week. If they refuse permission for us to take him to a hospice and for him to receive palliative oxygen it will simply be inhumane and nothing about Archies dignity. In an interview with Times Radio on Thursday, Dance said she wanted Archie to spend his last moments with his family in private away from the noise and disturbances at the hospital. We cant even have the chance to be in a room together as a family without nurses, she told Times Radio. Theres absolutely no privacy, which is why, again, the courts keep going on about this dignified death why arent we allowed to take our child to a hospice and spend his last moments, his last days together privately? Why is the hospital obstructing it? Article 10 of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities declares: States Parties reaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life and shall take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. According to Article 12, persons with disabilities have the right to recognition everywhere as persons before the law. Article 6 of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Children states that States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life and that States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child. For its part, the U.K. government has maintained that the U.N. injunction was not binding. Pastor, author Stuart Briscoe dies at 91 Stuart Briscoe, author of over 40 books and former Wisconsin megachurch pastor who was known for his telling the Truth radio ministry, has died from natural causes unexpectedly at the age of 91, according to his family. It is with deep sadness we inform you that Stuart Briscoe died of natural causes unexpectedly during the evening of Aug. 3rd. For many of you he was preacher, pastor, mentor or friend. To us, he was Stu, Dad and Poppa and we already miss him achingly, Telling the Truth ministry said on social media. A memorial service for Briscoe was yet to be announced by the church, as of early Sunday. Stuart dedicated his life to sharing Gods Word with the world, the ministry says on its website. And were so thankful to have learned from his steady fortitude to follow Jesus and his faithful commitment to love and serve people. The British-born Briscoe immigrated to the United States in 1970 to serve as a senior pastor at Elmbrook Church in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield. He retired in 2000 but remained active in the ministry with his wife, Jill. Briscoe had earlier left his career in banking to serve at the Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers and became a popular conference speaker in the U.S. by the 1960s. Telling the Truth, whichbegan airing on Londons Premier Christian Radio station, now airs online and on SiriusXM in the U.S. The books authored by Briscoe include Brave Enough to Follow, A Countercultural Life, and Hes Still on the Throne. Eight years ago, he wrote a letter, saying it was to be read by his colleagues when I have departed this earthly scene and have gone to my eternal destiny! Over the intervening years there have been many changes in society as a whole, many new ideas about ministry, many theories about how to do church, and even not a few ventures into developing new theologies. But Telling the Truths original intent has not changedwe simply want to release the Word of God in the hearing of as many people as possible and to apply it to as many situations as we are enabled, he wrote. With untold gratitude to the Lord for allowing us to do what has been done and utter confidence that this ministry will carry on doing things Gods way as He continues to bring about surprise after surprise, I move on and look forward to you eventually catching up with me. And if we have timein eternity!!you can bring me up to date on what happened when I had left you to Keep calm and carry on. Briscoe is survived by his wife, three children and 13 grandchildren. Youth advocacy group denounces gov't plan to cut abstinence-only sex education An organization that teaches youth to avoid unsafe sexual behaviors has denounced a recent decision to eliminate federal funding for abstinence-only sex education programs. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced the release of the proposed Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2023. The proposed appropriations act eliminates funding for Sexual Risk Avoidance education (SRA), which promotes abstinence until marriage, for the 2023 fiscal year. The explanatory statement summarizing the budget argues that SRA is ineffective and withholds pertinent information about sexual health from teenagers. Mary Anne Mosack, president and CEO of Ascend, an organization that advocates for SRA training to help youth form healthy relationships, argues that the program should be funded. In a Monday statement to The Christian Post, Mosack said parents should be given a choice regarding their childs sex education. Teaching clarity over confusion in a culture of sexual accommodation demands that we are clear, intentional and sufficiently loud enough for youth to hear over the noise of chaotic, disoriented messages about sex, relationships and marriage, she said. How adolescents learn and process this important part of their natural development is key to their healthy decision-making skills. Mosack contended that adolescents need to know the biological facts concerning puberty, reproduction and disease transmission and that youth should understand the benefits of delaying sex until marriage. They need to know the red flags of sexual coercion and dating violence, the SRA proponent said. They need to know the risks of teen sex, not just to physical health but to mental, emotional and spiritual and ethical health. SRAs holistic approach puts sex education into a context that goes beyond the mere mechanics of sex to the development of protective factors that help move adolescents along a positive continuum as they journey toward adulthood." Mosack added that sex education is about more than just not getting pregnant or contracting an STD" and that students "need to hear the message that sex is always about more than sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which was released in 2016, reported that about 41.2% of high school students in the U.S. admitted to having sexual intercourse, a decrease of 5.6% compared to its 2013 survey. Despite former President Barack Obamas administration funding Comprehensive Sex Education programs over SRA, the CDC report found an increase from 2009-2015 in the number of sexually active students who did not use contraceptives during sexual intercourse. "Policy makers must place an emphasis on SRA education, rather than an approach that normalizes teen sex," Valerie Huber, then-CEO of Ascend, told The Christian Post in 2016 in response to the CDC report. "Parents should be encouraged to set the high expectation that their children reserve sex for marriage. School sex education classes should reinforce the healthy behaviors being made by more and more teens. And churches, local agencies and every other entity that has an influence over America's youth should rethink the message they are sending to teens about sex. Are these messages normalizing teen sex or normalizing waiting?" "If youth can make increasingly healthy decisions about sex without the reinforcement and support of adults and mentoring organizations, think of what it might look like if those influencers stepped up to the plate and promoted the healthiest choices for teens and their sexual health?" Huber continued. Freedom must be valued by all Americans As Democrats are slowly coming to terms with the opinion polls (showing their radical progressive policies are in opposition with most Americans), re-branding is becoming their new priority. As part of an attempted re-brand, they are now trying to turn from the blue state lockdowns and mandates, censorship of conservative speech, and the Biden administrations hyper-regulations. They are now claiming the freedom mantel from Republicans. This is clearly not a change of heart, but pure electoral politics. From The Washington Post: Anat Shenker-Osoria, a liberal communications consultant, said Democrats cant politically afford to give away the concept (of freedom). In her research, shes found that freedom is the top value Americans associate with this country across race, gender, and geographical lines. While its heartening to see the Democrats wake up to this reality, their understanding of freedom is not what most middle-class Americans would recognize. Let me explain. First, it is critical to understand the importance of freedom as the unifier of Americans as a distinct people. We are a nation of immigrants, without the same kind of ethnic and racial unifying characteristics as most countries throughout the world. Freedom has held Americans together from the foundation of the nation, as we proclaimed freedom as our top value in the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evidence, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those rights are life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The primary job of the government is to protect our freedom. When I was deployed overseas, my personal motivation to put my life on the line was for the protection of freedom. As a general told a group of us going to Afghanistan, man has a duty to die free. Such a true statement! Freedom is worth fighting for and dying for as life means nothing without it. The Republican Creed concludes with I am a free America. While the Democratic leadership can attempt to pivot to this new branding, they just dont get what freedom means. Former White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer provided Democrat leaders with a freedom policy plan called American Freedom Agenda. Pfeiffer noted internal party polls showing freedom is a powerfully persuasive message and so they must adapt to survive. Unfortunately, many of the so-called freedoms Pfeiffer advocates are anything but freedom. According to Pfeiffer, a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave, immigration reform, and spending to stop climate change are alleged American freedoms. Further, enhanced background checks and an assault weapons ban becomes personal freedom, according to Democratic elites. Pfeiffer even goes so far as to claim DC Statehood and Democrat Voting rights legislation are freedom. Of course, we all know government flexing its coercive power in regulations is the antithesis of freedom. Certainly, infringing on the right to bear arms (in direct opposition to the Second Amendment) is the opposite of freedom. The creation of dependency on government programs may feel good for a time, but its like calling a prison a model of freedom because it provides free food and shelter. George Orwells 1984 and Animal Farm dont hold a candle to this kind of political spin. The bottom line is that Democrats are just repackaging their political big government and progressive social policy under the word freedom because they learned most Americans love freedom. Ironically, of all the freedoms under attack in America, the greatest danger comes with the ongoing attack against freedom of speech. The recent growing progressive attempts to censor free speech among conservatives are most disturbing. The epitome of this came with the recent attempt to create the Homeland Security Disinformation Board. Also, think of the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal story by big tech and media. The suppression of conservative speech on university campuses, the increasing attacks on the freedom of religion, and particularly orthodox Christianity, are just a few examples of this troubling trend. None of this is part of the Democrats' plans for freedom. Its a ruse, and they know it. As the Democratic leadership realizes, Americans do hold freedom as a top American value. Repackaging Democrat big government progressive ideology under the word freedom doesnt make it true. Americans are not stupid. Without agreement and unity on the concept of freedom, America ceases to be a nation in the truest sense of the word. The home at 8 Tiel Way in River Oaks is both a slice of Houston history and a mid-century modern masterpiece. Famed architect Karl Kamrath built the house to serve as his personal residence in 1953. Kamrath was a titan in design with his creations scattered throughout the city, including St. John the Divine Church and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. Kamrath's work was heavily influenced by his friendship with Frank Lloyd Wright, according to HoustonMod, especially Wright's desire to create organic spaces that flow and work in tandem with the outdoor elements. This organic architecture is evident at Kamrath's home, where it seems as if it was discovered in a forest, growing alongside the surrounding trees and bushes. The property slopes gently downward toward the Buffalo Bayou. Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Step inside this rambling home and the mid-century elements are immediately evident. Large window panes draw the eye to the lushness of the outdoors. The angled ceilings, horizontal lines, prairie stained glass window panes and open living spaces will bring joy to any enthusiast of the mid-century aesthetic. The 4,691-square-foot house sits on 1.58 acres in the River Oaks neighborhood. Unlike some older homes, this five bedrooms, five-and-one-half bathrooms dwelling has enough space to spread out. The primary suite has a fireplace and two full bathrooms attached. The home's large kitchen looks out to the jungle outdoors with a large island serving as its anchor. Both a breakfast nook and a formal dining room offer options for entertaining. The sunken living room is modern and cozy thanks to the natural elements and horizontal fireplace. Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images The homeowners have consciously preserved the architecture of the home while adding updates such as the four-foot-deep saltwater pool. A solarium has a drain in the floor so that it could also be used as a greenhouseevery plant lover's dream. The first floor of the home is an open, spacious room that has served previous owners as a game room, theater room, storage room and wine cellar. An expansive flagstone patio is located directly off the first-floor flex space. Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Anyone who considers themselves a fan of Houston history or architecture will want to see Kamrath's home before the next buyer snatches it up. Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Courtesy of TK Images Mariam Zuhaib/AP WASHINGTON (AP) The first African American four-star general in Marine Corps history, Gen. Michael E. Langley, credited his father with telling him to aim high and predicted that his promotion on Saturday would have an impact on younger people. Langley was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and grew up at military bases as his father served in the Air Force. A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marines in 1985. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HAVANA (AP) Cuban firefighters were joined by special teams sent by Mexico and Venezuela on Sunday as they battled for a second day to control a fire blazing at a big oil tank farm in the western province of Matanzas. The blaze began Friday night when lightning struck a storage tank during a thunder storm, and the fire spread to a second tank early Saturday, triggering a series of explosions, officials have said. The mission of the day is to keep the third tank cold, in hopes of preventing the flames from spreading into more of the site, provincial Gov. Mario Sabines said. Most of the fuel held in the tank where the fire initially started was believed to have been consumed, officials said. Authorities said a body found at the site Saturday had been identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60. Officials previously said a group of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to quell flames, but there was no word if he was one of those. Conditions were still too dangerous to mount a search for the missing firefighters, officials said. A total of 122 people were treated for injuries, including five that officials said were in critical condition. The governor said 4,946 people had been evacuated, mostly from the Dubrocq neighborhood, which is next to the Matanzas Supertanker Base in Matanzas city. The facility's eight huge storage tanks hold oil used to fuel electricity generation. Dense black smoke billowed up from the tank farm and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said Sunday that the cloud contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. The disaster comes as Cuba struggles with a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent power blackouts hitting during a torrid summer. It was unknown how much fuel had been lost to the flames. Cuba's government had appealed for help Saturday from oil nations, and specialized firefighting teams began arriving with their equipment from Mexico and Venezuela late Saturday. They brought helicopters and specialized chemicals for fighting oil fire. The support (is) in the prevention of risks and also help to quell the fire by means of cooling based on water and foam, Mexican Brig. Gen. Juan Bravo said upon arrival. We hope that more support will arrive soon, such as chemical material. President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with the heads of the teams from Mexico and Venezuela to coordinate efforts for controlling the blaze. He later told Cuban media he appreciated the help, since Cuba doesn't have experience or resources for dealing with fires of such magnitude. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Saturday evening that the U.S. government had offered technical help. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. Minutes later, the president thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP Americans have always loved their vices and a hundred years ago, a favorite bad habit was smoking cigars. There was plenty of demand in Jacksonville. In 1905, the city was home to 13 cigar factories, which cranked out 200,000 cigars a week. At the turn of the 20th century, tobacco use in the United States was largely from cigars and chewing tobacco. Unlike today, few worried about the health risks, and cigars were a status symbol to some. Among the most famous celebrity smokers was Ulysses S. Grant, who reportedly went through 20 cigars a day. His vice may have proved fatal, as Grant died of throat cancer in 1885. Grant was hardly alone in his addiction. Nationwide in 1860, there were 2,000 cigar factories, which employed 25,000 workers. Those numbers would increase six-fold in the next 30 years. Illinoisans loved to light up as well. In 1860, Chicago was home to 224 cigar factories, which served the citys population of 109,260. Bloomington was home to 15 cigar producers in the mid-1870s. In 1880, Illinois factories produced 132.5 million cigars, compared to only 2 million cigarettes. In Jacksonville, the first cigar factory was established in 1843 by Benjamin Pyatt, a Pennsylvania native who was 58 years old, far past the life expectancy of the time. Pyatts operation became known for its Lady Clare brand, a fixture among smokers in the region. Other top cigar producers in Jacksonville included the L.S. Kent-McCarthy factory, Knollenberg Cigars and the Cassell Brothers operation. Most small towns had at least one cigar store or manufacturer. In 1904, Virden and Carlinville were both home to two cigar stores. There were five in Carrollton that year alone. One of the most popular cigar outlets in Springfield was the Allen Cigar Store, which was founded in 1908 to wholesale and retail cigars, tobacco, and smokers articles, and to conduct billiard and pool rooms. A soda fountain was also a feature of the store, which was badly damaged in an explosion in 1929. Cigars kept rolling into the new century, as over 20,000 factories dotted the nation in 1900. In succeeding years, however, cigars and chewing tobacco were replaced in popularity by cigarettes, which were cheaper. As more Americans reached for cigarettes, the number of smokers rose dramatically in the twentieth century. Cigarettes composed 51% of all taxes from tobacco in 1920, up from just 2% 40 years earlier. In 1970, cigarettes made up 97% of all tobacco taxes. One study showed that American adults, on a per-capita basis, consumed an average of 747 cigarettes each year in 1920. That number continued to jump until 1963, when adults used an eye-popping average of 4,345 cigarettes per capita each year. In that era, around 40% of American adults were smokers. By 2005, that number had dropped to 20.9%, and continued sliding to 12.5% in 2020. That year, only 3.5% of American adults were classified as cigar smokers. OSTEGO, Minn. (AP) Authorities say sheriff's deputies shot and killed a man who threatened them with a knife early Sunday in Ostego, which is about 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis. The Wright County Sheriff's office said the man had threatened to harm his family and himself before deputies arrived at a home shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday. Initially the man agreed to go the hospital, but before an ambulance arrived he grabbed a knife and fled into the neighborhood. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 7, 2022. (Xinhua) DHAKA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met here Sunday with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with both sides vowing to strengthen partnership and deepen bilateral cooperation. Wang said China and Bangladesh enjoy a strong friendship forged by the older generation of the leaders of the two countries, which features a deep historical, social foundation and profound public support, and both sides have always trusted, respected, supported and helped each other. China has always been a reliable strategic partner of Bangladesh, and will continue to firmly support the South Asian country in safeguarding its national independence and dignity, adhering to a development path suitable to its own national conditions, and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, Wang said. He noted that China is willing to enhance the dovetailing of the Belt and Road Initiative with Bangladesh's Vision 2041, share development experiences and advanced technologies, and deepen cooperation in infrastructure, digital economy, green development and clean energy. For her part, Hasina said Bangladesh pursues a foreign policy of "friendship for all, no enemy for all," values its traditional friendship with China, and regards China as an important partner in maintaining peace and seeking common development. Bangladesh looks forward to deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides, and would like to learn from China's successful experiences in poverty reduction and alleviation, she said. She pledged Bangladesh's firm commitment to the one-China policy, saying Bangladesh disapproves of the provocative acts of certain countries, and hopes to jointly maintain a peaceful and stable environment for development. China appreciates the vast majority of developing countries including Bangladesh for having openly stood up and voiced their support for the one-China principle and China's legitimate position, Wang said. Wang stressed that the U.S. action seriously infringed on China's sovereignty, acutely interfered in China's internal affairs and severely violated the basic norms governing international relations. China's countermeasures are aimed at defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity and truly maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, in Asia and the world at large, he noted. Wang stressed that the 21st century is an era of revitalization for developing countries, and developing countries' jointly striding toward modernization is huge progress of human civilization. "We should continue to support each other, remove disturbances, focus on development and stride forward with confidence towards the stated goal of achieving the revitalization of our respective nations," he said. The two sides also exchanged views on the issue of people seeking shelter in the border areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Wang said China welcomes the consensus that Bangladesh and Myanmar have achieved in their recent consultations and supports the early start of the first batch of repatriation, and stands ready to continue to play a constructive role to this end. During his visit, Wang also met with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen and the two witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on infrastructure, disaster prevention and mitigation, culture and tourism, and maritime affairs. BIG RAPIDS Manna Pantry in Big Rapids is known for its assistance to families facing food insecurity in Mecosta County and the surrounding area, but food is not the only service they provide. Director Bonnie Clerk recently told the Pioneer that the pantry has been working with local students with special needs to assist them in learning social skills and job skills through volunteering. Volunteers are an essential part of any nonprofit, and Manna Pantry is no exception, Clark said. The pantry has enlisted the help of several students with disabilities. Not only do these students provide services needed for the pantry, the pantry provides these students with valuable soft job skills. Many youth lack opportunities for job experience, especially when they have a disability, she added. Volunteering is a wonderful way to gain this experience. They may already have the trade skills for a job, but it is the interpersonal and social skills needed to effectively work with others that is lacking. Clark said the collaboration began when Lisa Nielsen, a high school teacher of students with moderately cognitive impairments, reached out. Through the schools Community Based Instruction Program, Nielsen began bringing one or two students to the pantry twice a week with a staff member to oversee training. The students learned how to restock shelves and assisted in repackaging foods, enabling the regular volunteers to focus their attention on direct service to clients. Unfortunately, the CBI program was stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. In August 2021, one of Manna Pantrys regular volunteers began bringing one of her clients from Michigan Rehabilitation Services to the pantry during her shift. Sean is a high school graduate with Aspergers, who completed the Mecosta County Career Center two-year automotive program, Clark said. He had one job shadow experience, which was over-stimulating for him. He needed a smaller space. While at the Pantry, Sean was given tasks such as cleaning, vacuuming and repacking pet food, which he was able to perform with little difficulty, Clark said. It was his interpersonal skills, those soft job skills, that he was desperately lacking, she said. He talked very loudly, and a lot. He would talk on and on about video games, and I finally had to tell him I really didnt know what he was talking about. I would have to remind him to get back to work. The team discussed accommodations that they thought would help Sean be more successful. Because he became upset at not finishing a task, would stand and talk instead of picking up additional tasks, and was easily distracted, he was given a list of tasks to be completed, which were very specific. Regular volunteers were given information about Seans goals and how they could help him. He was able to follow all the procedures, until a change was made, Clark said. Sean could not accept correction and would often blow up and have to leave the work area to calm down. If he saw that one of the regular volunteers was not following a procedure, he would correct them. Efforts were put in place to help improve Seans active listening skills so that he would not interrupt others or get upset when being told something different. Through volunteering at the Pantry, Sean was learning and adjusting his employment skills. When mistakes were made, he was given feedback to improve without the risk of being let go. Now Sean is an important part of Manna Pantrys volunteer team, Clark said. He has improved so much that he is now a regular volunteer. Sean is a shopper, pulling items from the shelves to fill clients orders. He still uses a list of tasks to do when there is down time, and he can make comments appropriately and even makes great suggestions. 'WORKING TOGETHER' Another success story, pantry volunteer Zach, is attributed to Nielsen, who saw the potential in her student, Clark said. I reached out to Lisa because I needed assistance with behind the scenes tasks that I knew some of her students could do, Clark said. That is how Zach started coming to the pantry twice a week in the afternoons. But Zach didnt come just to perform pantry tasks, he also had communication skills to work on. Clark explained that Zach is quiet and well mannered, and he needed to work on speaking louder and more clearly when communicating with others. His first task, upon arrival at the pantry, is to call MOTA to make sure his mom had arranged his ride home. We started out practicing what to say and talking louder on the phone, Clark said. At first, we would have to prompt him, but now he does it all by himself. I credit the MOTA staff for their patience with Zach during these calls. It is all about working together. Zach has received training in tasks such as taping labels on bags used to repackage foods, which he was able to pick up on quickly, she said. Soon, he advanced to assisting in repackaging the food after he labeled the bags, following all the required preparation. We are required to label repackaged food, and it takes a lot of time, she said. During a shift of serving our clients, if the regular volunteers have the time to repackage, having the bags already labeled makes the job go much quicker. "In time, Zach was repackaging the items by himself. I am amazed at how well he picked up on repacking. He is at the point now where all we have to do is give him a list or make a request and he does it all. Along with completing tasks, Zachs communication skills have come a long way, as well, Clark said. After explaining to the volunteers what Zachs goals were, they would encourage him to speak louder and more clearly. Zach has begun to initiate conversation with the volunteers, instead of waiting to be noticed, Clarks said. He has also started telling me things about his day without my asking. I am so impressed with Zachs progress. Clark said when she learned that Zach would be coming to the pantry all summer, she decided to work with him on becoming a shopper, which is one of the regular volunteer jobs. He started out slow, having to read the item then determine the number the family should receive, but the more he does the shopping, the faster he is becoming, she said. Zachs mom, Amy, an active supporter of his volunteering at the pantry, said Zach doing volunteer work at the pantry has been great. He loves doing the work, and he has made so much progress with his speech and ability to cope around people, she said. Students from the Mecosta Osceola Intermediate School Districts Transition Center have also been part of the pantrys volunteer service. Three students and one staff member come to the pantry once a week to bag donated pet food, Clark said. Each student that comes finds which task they enjoy and are good at. They learn where to get the materials and the pet food, how to set up their work site, and how to clean up. Through this they have also learned how to communicate with volunteers, ask appropriate questions and work efficiently. I just love it when a different paraprofessional comes with the MOISD students and they show the para how they package the pet food, Clark said. The pride that it brings them is wonderful. We have depended on these students bagging the pet food, which relieves the regular volunteers from taking time away from serving clients, she continued. We look forward to continuing this partnership with the MOISD Transition Center in the new school year. Clark attributes the success of all the students with disabilities to the teamwork of all those involved. Her background in special education enabled her to come up with ways to accommodate the students needs, she said, and educating the regular volunteers on how to help the students was an important factor. Knowing that Zach was working on communication skills, they were able to encourage him to ask questions, she said. And knowing that Sean needed structure and consistency to reduce confusion allowed them to work with him more effectively. The collaboration between Manna Pantry and students with disabilities continues to grow. The regular volunteers are role models in a working environment for the students and provide them with the interpersonal skills they need. At first, some of the volunteers were hesitant, but once they started working with these students, they discovered how enjoyable the students are and what valuable services they provide, Clark said. DAYTON, Ohio (AP) A suspect wanted in Ohio in the shooting deaths of four people, including a teenage girl, has been arrested in Kansas, authorities said. Police in Montgomery Countys Butler Township said late Saturday night that 39-year-old Stephen Marlow was taken into custody by local police in Lawrence, Kansas. Chief John Porter said Marlow will be extradited to Ohio to face charges in the slayings. Court documents dont list an attorney representing Marlow; a message seeking comment was left Saturday at a number listed in his name. Officers were called to the Ohio neighborhood shortly before noon Friday on a report of shots fired and found four victims with gunshot wounds at multiple crime scenes, police said. The Dayton Daily News reported that the victims were found in two separate homes where they lived, near the home owned by Marlow's parents. The Montgomery County coroners office on Saturday identified the victims as 82-year-old Clyde Knox, 78-year-old Eva Knox, 41-year-old Sarah Anderson and a 15-year-old girl whose name wasnt released. All were pronounced dead at the scene. Police had warned anyone seeing Marlow, who had fled, to "not approach him as he is still likely to be armed and dangerous. Lawrence police said they had reason to believe" Marlow might be in the city and began searching for him. An officer spotted his vehicle, and after it turned into a parking lot and the suspect emerged he was safely taken into custody" just before 9 p.m. Saturday, police said. Porter called the shootings the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory" and said investigators were trying to determine a motive and whether mental illness played any role. He expressed gratitude to residents for their support and tips and also thanked other law enforcement agencies involved in the case. The Dayton Daily News reported that Marlow had gotten off probation in February on aggravated burglary and aggravated menacing charges stemming from a July 2019 incident in the Dayton suburb of Vandalia, according to Montgomery County court records. Vandalia closed a number of public areas Saturday as a precaution. Vandalia school superintendent Robert OLeary said the district provided counselors and therapists for students and their families following the teenagers death and would continue to do so through the following week. He called her a ray of light who was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. MIDLAND H.H. Dow High School graduate Emma Schultz recently received a $2,500 scholarship from The Spherion Staffing and Recruiting franchise community. Highly involved with her local church and the Girl Scouts of America, Schultz was awarded the scholarship for her philanthropic efforts and impressive academic achievements. In the fall, she plans to pursue a degree in international business and marketing at Central Michigan University. "College is just so expensive, there's a lot of things that I need to pay for for the future," she told the Daily News. "This scholarship will really help me going forward." Along with maintaining a near-perfect academic record, Schultz contributed 984 hours of community service throughout her high school career. Through Schultz's Girl Scout troop, which she has been involved with since 2013, she has volunteered with a number of local organizations, including the Humane Society. She is also dedicated to making the Midland community more inclusive through educational events with the Midland County Inclusion Alliance. She has been a student leader in the Christian Celebration Center Childrens Ministry since 2017, where she works with children from different backgrounds to provide a safe, warm space for them to learn. Emma has demonstrated that she is a vital member of our community here in Midland by making a positive difference through her many philanthropic efforts, said Kathy Weaver, franchise owner of Spherion Midland. She is incredibly deserving of this recognition. I have full confidence that shell continue to make the world a better place as she pursues continued education. The scholarship, created in honor of former Spherion President Sandy Mazur, highlights the contributions made during her distinguished 18-year career at Spherion. The annual Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship honors graduating high school students who best represent the qualities of excellence, leadership and passion that Mazur put forth daily during her tenure at Spherion. Throughout my time at Spherion, I made a point to set an example for our franchise community by paying it forward any time I had the opportunity, Mazur said. It is clear that Emma shares that same quality, and I am hopeful that this contribution towards her future will help her continue that mission. Schultz's willingness to go the extra mile for others has inspired Spherions franchise owners to donate funds in her name and celebrate graduates aspiring to further their education with college, technical or skilled training. Schultz's mother, Stacy, said the volunteer commitment speaks to her daughter's kind heart. "It's just natural for her to want to volunteer," Stacy said. "It's not something she ever feels like she has to do. She just has a passion for it." The Spherion franchise community, led by franchisees Michael Chalmers and Beth DeLaney, coordinated with nonprofit The Richland County Foundation which disburses grants for charitable organizations to review hundreds of applicants and choose the finalists. From there, a group of franchise community representatives, including Chalmers, DeLaney and Mazur chose the winners. With the names and locations removed, the group of five reviewed the applicants and, solely based on her merits, selected Schultz as one of three 2022 scholarship recipients. More information About Spherion With more than 75 years of staffing and recruiting experience, Spherion stands out as a leader in the industry, leveraging the power of local to support its vast network of independent franchisees. True to its tagline, Let's Get to Work, Spherion provides workforce solutions to more than 4,000 businesses nationwide across its more than 200 offices. With recent awards, including recognition on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list, Spherion has a proven ability to cater to the ever-changing demands of America's workforce. Backed by the global leader in human resources, Spherion is prepared to provide workforce solutions through its General Staffing franchise model and newly launched Professional IT model to even more job seekers and organizations. For more information on the Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship, visit spherion.com/scholarship. About the Richland County Foundation The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County (Ohio) and its residents. The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts for charity wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county's citizens. Working together with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future. For more information about the Richland County Foundation, please visit www.richlandcountyfoundation.org/. See More Collapse In addition to Schultz, Jacob Reeder, a graduating senior from Clear Creek High School in League City, Texas and Elizabeth Wunderlich, a graduating senior from Owatonna High School in Owatonna, Minnesota, were also honored with scholarships. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) Drivers are being warned to expect traffic delays when a major construction project to completely rebuild the driving surface of the Delaware Memorial Bridge begins next month. The News Journal reports that the project will remove the top two inches of the northbound (New Jersey-bound) side of the bridge deck and replace it with an ultra high-performance concrete, according to the Delaware River and Bay Authority. WASHINGTON In the military, there have been countless promotion ceremonies this year, held on army bases, aircraft carriers and even, in one case, an escarpment overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. But on Saturday, there was one for the history books. Gen. Michael E. Langley, 60, became the first Black Marine to receive a fourth star on his shoulder a landmark achievement in the Corps 246-year history. With that star, he becomes one of only three four-star generals serving in the Marine Corps the services senior leadership. In an emotional ceremony at the Marine Barracks in Washington, Langley, whose next assignment will be to lead U.S. Africa Command, acknowledged the weight of his promotion. Before Saturday, the Marine Corps had never given four stars to anyone who was not a white man. Referring to Franklin D. Roosevelts order that desegregated the Marine Corps during World War II, Langley listed pioneering Black Marines who went before him. They included Frank E. Petersen Jr., the first Black man to become a Marine Corps general, and Ronald L. Bailey, the first Black man to command the 1st Marine Division. Both men topped out at lieutenant general. Langleys promotion has electrified Black Marines. On Thursday, a slew of them ambushed him when he appeared at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to get new uniforms to take with him to Stuttgart, Germany, where Africa Command is based. Wait a minute, wait a minute, sir, Langley recalled one star-stuck Black major saying. I just want to shake your hand. Soon, more Marines Black and white, men and women were asking to take pictures with the new four-star general. At Saturdays ceremony, five officers sat in a row watching the proceedings. They were part of an expeditionary warfare training class at Quantico that the Marine commandant, Gen. David H. Berger, visited Wednesday. Around 45 minutes into Bergers talk to the class, Capt. Rousseau Saintilfort, 34, raised his hand. How can I be there Saturday? he asked. It didnt click on me at first because everyone was asking questions about amphibious stuff and tactics, and he asked me about Saturday, Berger said at the ceremony, to laughter. Capt. Ibrahim Diallo, 31, who came up from Quantico with Saintilfort, said, All these friends started messaging me, saying, Youre going to be next. I dont know if Im going to stick around that long, he said, but just the fact that junior Marines can see this, they will see that no matter what background you come from, you can achieve in the Marine Corps as long as you perform. For the Marine Corps, the promotion of Langley is a step that has been a long time coming. Since the corps began admitting African American troops in 1942, the last military service to do so, fewer than 30 have obtained the rank of general. Not one had made it to the top four-star rank, an honor the Marines have bestowed on 73 white men. Seven African Americans reached lieutenant general, or three stars. The rest have received one or two stars, a majority in areas from which the Marine Corps does not choose its senior leadership, like logistics, aviation and transport. Langley, who oversaw Marine forces on the East Coast in his last posting, has commanded at every level, from platoon to regiment, during his 37-year career. He served in Afghanistan, Somalia and Okinawa, and he has also had several senior staff jobs at the Pentagon and at the militarys Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East. After a New York Times article in 2020 about the dearth of Black Marine generals, Berger was asked why the corps had not promoted an African American to its top ranks in its entire history. The reality of it is: Everybody is really, really, really good, Berger said in an interview with Defense One. For every 10 we pick, every 12, we could pick 30 more every bit as good. Langleys promotion is particularly poignant given that his great-uncle was one of the Montford Point Marines, who were the first Black recruits to join the Marine Corps after it began admitting African Americans in 1942. They trained at Montford Point in North Carolina, which was separate from Camp Lejeune, where white recruits trained. It had taken Roosevelts executive order to force the commandant of the Marine Corps at the time, Thomas Holcomb, to open the service to Black men. If it were a question of having a Marine Corps of 5,000 whites or 250,000 Negroes, the Marine commandant once said, I would rather have the whites. Now, one of the corps three senior leaders says things have changed. Mentally we have learned that theres greater value in the collective than just the monolithic perception of what the makeup of the Marine Corps is, Langley said. He said that his hope was that Black Marines would view the corps as a place where they would not be hampered by a glass ceiling. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Space: It's not for amateurs. At least not in the International Space Station. If you want to visit the orbiting laboratory, NASA now says you must be escorted by a former NASA astronaut, someone who can guide you through the dizzying, disorienting wonders of weightlessness and make sure your presence at the station isn't a burden. The move comes as a number of private citizens are flying to space, changing the definition of what an astronaut is and who gets to be one. Private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX have sent crews comprised entirely of private citizens to space. (Blue Origin is owned by Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post.) And NASA has sought to capitalize on the growth of the commercial space sector, announcing in 2019 that it would finally allow private citizens to visit, something Russia had been doing for years. The new rules come a few months after the first private astronaut mission to the ISS from the United States in a flight arranged by Axiom Space, a Houston-based company that is working to build a space station of its own. Three paying customers flew in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut who now is an executive at the company. Axiom is planning another mission, which will also have a former NASA veteran onboard, Peggy Whitson. The company had been planning on future missions to fly crews without a guide. But in a notice this week, first reported by SpaceNews, the space agency said that "a former NASA astronaut provides experienced guidance for the private astronauts during preflight preparation through mission execution," as well as acting as a liaison between the private crew and the professionals onboard the station. Having a former NASA astronaut along "reduces risk to ISS operations," the space agency said. In an interview, Lopez-Alegria said he agrees with the changes. "It's a good idea," he said, adding that it was "a fundamentally sound policy." But he said he hopes that over time NASA will allow civilians to fly unaccompanied, as training improves and more people visit the station. "I do think that there is a possibility that should be considered - that at some point we can wean ourselves from this after we have enough experience," he said. "It's no secret that the more seats we sell, the more revenue we get. So it shouldn't surprise anybody that at some point we'd like to transition to a model where we don't have a previously flown astronaut." The mission pilot, Larry Connor, the founder and managing partner of the Connor Group, a real estate investment firm based in Ohio, agreed. Because the visitors spent a lot of time conducting research and were the first all-private crew to call on the station, "I think having a proven NASA commander like Mike L.A. was really key," he said. "We were the first ones. We had to get it right. We had to meet or exceed all of the appropriate NASA standards, which we did." During the Axiom flight, Lopez-Alegria was busy, he said, making sure the visitors got the most out of their experience. While they prepared diligently for the flight, training for hundreds of hours at SpaceX outside Los Angeles and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, arriving in space still required a significant adjustment. Many astronauts get sick when in space, a condition known as space adaptation syndrome. Some find that with no up or down in a weightless environment, they get nauseous, like a heavy car sickness. Lopez-Alegria said the three he traveled with did not suffer any illness: "It was remarkable how well we all felt." Connor said that as soon as he floated into the space station, "I'm like, 'When do we eat?' By day two or three I was super comfortable in zero-G floating around sleeping. Like so many things it comes down to the individual." Still, learning how to move in a weightless environment can be jarring. Rookie astronauts bang their heads, crash into walls or instrumentation. They have difficulty finding toeholds to keep them in place. Anything not tethered down floats away. "The problem is when you get to the space station everything becomes more difficult," said Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut who helped prepare one of the crew members, Eytan Stibbe, for the flight. "Simple daily tasks like brushing your teeth become complicated. . . . Everything takes a lot longer than you anticipate, and I'm not even going to get into bathroom operations. That's the worst of all." The Axiom-1 crew included Connor, Stibbe, a businessman and former Israeli Air Force fighter pilot, and Mark Pathy, the chief executive of Mavrik Corp., a Canadian investment firm. Instead of going on a pure joyride, they conducted research and science experiments in space, and were a bit too ambitious with the amount of work they set out to accomplish, Lopez-Alegria said. "We got up there and, boy, we were overwhelmed," he said during a conference last week. "Getting used to zero gravity is not an overnight thing." For the next private astronaut flight, he said in the interview, "the timelines will be more relaxed. We will have more free time. And we will give ourselves ample time to acclimate to the zero-G environment." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form MADRID, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Over 4,000 hectares of land have been destroyed in seven wildfires that are still burning in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain, according to local firefighting services on Sunday. At least 2,000 hectares have so far been ravaged by the largest fire close to the city of A Coruna. There have not been any casualties, but the flames have forced the evacuation of 700 people from a campsite in the A Pobra do Caraminal. The fire in the province of Ourense has burned 600 hectares after starting simultaneously in 10 different places, but has been brought under control. Most of the fires were thought to be started intentionally, according to local media reports. The leader of the main opposition party (PP) Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who is also the former president of the Regional Government of Galicia, called for the "full weight of the law" to be brought on those responsible for the fires. According to data collected by the Copernicus satellite on Saturday, around 230,000 hectares of land have been burned in wildfires in the driest summer on record in Spain this year. The central government on Monday approved a new law to help prevent future fires, which includes measures such as increasing all-year-round vigilance and removing undergrowth to prevent flames to spread rapidly. TEHRAN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- While the ongoing negotiations in Vienna are aimed at the removal of anti-Iran sanctions, the United States keeps sanctioning as leverage to pressure the Islamic republic, an Iranian spokesperson told official IRNA news agency on Sunday. "Although we emphasize that the sanctions are oppressive and against the rights of our people and should be removed, and we are negotiating in Vienna to remove these sanctions, the other side (U.S.) is trying to use sanctions and the increase in the number of sanctioned companies as a pressure leverage and influence in the negotiation process," said Abolfazl Amoui, spokesperson of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian parliament. His remarks were a reference to Iran's informal negotiations with the European Union over the past weeks to thaw the ice in the Vienna process, while the United States imposed a series of new sanctions against entities related to Iran's petrochemical exports recently. Emphasizing that sanctions against Iran should not go unanswered, Amoui noted that "the decision of the Islamic republic is a logical decision which shows that it has the capability to increase the capacity of uranium enrichment." Therefore, the opposite party must have accurate calculations in applying pressure against Iran, and that action against Iran does not go without reaction, the Iranian lawmaker stressed. Regarding the recent injection of gas into the advanced centrifuges in Iran, he said that Iran has acquired "good capabilities in the nuclear industry and centrifuge production, including the production of advanced generation or IR6 centrifuges, which can accelerate the process of enriched uranium." The new round of talks to revive the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), began in Vienna on Thursday after a five-month hiatus. Iran signed the nuclear deal 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 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. The talks on reviving the JCPOA began in April 2021 in the Austrian capital but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD Lauren Seeliger was a typical teenager going to high school, working as a lifeguard and babysitter and hanging out with friends. Then she started experiencing symptoms of what was eventually diagnosed as a rare brain tumor that were making it difficult to maintain her normal life. I noticed I was losing hearing in my left ear in the fall of 2020, she said. My hearing just slowly started to decline. Seeliger, 16, said her friends and mom teased her about it, saying she needed to get her ears checked. But last November, other symptoms started to appear. I noticed my balance was progressively getting worse. I had Bells palsy in November, she said, noting the facial weakness only lasted a few weeks. November is when things started to pile up a little bit more. In April of 2022, I felt like I was losing peripheral vision in my left eye. Seeliger said her balance got so bad she could barely walk in a straight line or go up the stairs without gripping the railing. She also noted that she had been experiencing hip pain. Seeliger said she was on the rowing team up until last fall, but was getting so fatigued that she would come home after practice and fall right asleep. She was so low energy that she would fall asleep in school sometimes, which was not normal for her. I definitely noticed my energy levels were off, she said. I had a hard time focusing in school. Seeliger said tried to live with her issues, assuming they would go away. It was not until her vision started to go that she knew something was really wrong. After many trips to different doctors, it was discovered that she had a large tumor on her brainstem, as well as tumors on her spine, which were causing her symptoms. After a stint in St. Vincents Medical Center, she was admitted to Yale New Haven Hospital, where she had surgery to remove the brain tumor on May 27. Dr. Jennifer Moliterno, the Yale Medicine neurosurgeon who performed the operation, said the large tumor on Seeligers brainstem was dangerous and causing a build-up of spinal fluid. She noted that type of tumor is more commonly found in adults. Its incredibly rare in this age group, she said. Of course, weve seen it, because we see everything here. Surgery Seeliger said one of the doctors at St. Vincents Medical Center who read her MRI told her they needed to make a plan right away for the brain tumor. She added they did not know about the other tumors on her spine until she had a full body MRI in New Haven in May. The doctors at Yale were incredible, Seeliger said, and made sure she understood what was happening without overwhelming her with too much information at once. She said her parents were also very helpful, noting she had a great support system. While she did not feel scared the night before the surgery, Seeliger said, she remembers feeling scared as they brought her in for the operation. There were so many people around me, she said. That was a little bit scary. I had never seen so many doctors in one place all focusing on me at the same time. Moliterno said the surgery removed that tumor and alleviated the back-up of fluid, noting a shunt was later put in to allow the fluid to drain. She said there are a number of risks involved in dissecting a tumor on such a critical area of the body, but that the surgery went well. She said Seeliger brought a really beautiful attitude into the situation. On our end it was about experience, she said. But on her end, we had a really great, motivated patient. Shes a really sweet girl. Recovery Moliterno noted that Seeliger still has facial weakness that will take a longer time to recover than other parts of her body. Seeliger said she and her doctors have not yet come to a conclusion on how they will address the other tumors. She said she will have frequent MRIs to monitor them for growth and check for new ones. Theres, of course, chances, for more brain tumors to grow, she said. Seeliger lost hearing in her left ear permanently, but said it is not that bad and she is learning to live with it. I dont know what exactly fully recovered means, but I consider myself fully recovered, she said. I am back to doing my normal activities now. I am doing a lot better than I was a year before surgery. This experience changed her perspective on life in several ways, Seeliger said, noting first that she had a lot more appreciation for doctors. But, she said, it also changed the way she thinks about how the world works. There are so many people going through things that you wont even recognize, she said. I dont know how long the tumor was growing inside of me, but you would have never known. Seeliger said she also appreciates the basic things she can do again that the brain tumor was impacting like walking, hearing, working out or hanging with friends without falling asleep. Little things that you take for granted, but Im more appreciative now of everything that I can do, she said. Im almost like a little kid just happy to be exploring the world again. joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com EASTON Contaminated fill spread out near wetlands has residents asking questions, but officials say the problem has been resolved. The fill came from the Easton Village Store, which is owned by Marcel Hurbel. In February, Hurbel removed two gas tanks from in front of the store, along with the fill around it. The contamination comes from leaks from previous tanks that were removed about 25 years ago, according to Hurbel and town officials. That dirt was held on a tarp on the Easton Village Store parking lot for months, until a separate contractor, who did not know it was contaminated, spread it on the back of the property - and possibly also placed some of it onto the adjacent property, although it depends on who you ask. That adjacent property owner was Steve Montgomery, a member on the Conservation Commission. He did not respond to requests for comment. Knowing that a permit is required to spread fill near wetlands, which are just a couple hundred feet away from the area, Montgomery brought the issue to the full commission, according to Chair Dori Wollen. If you drove by, you could see the soil, she said. But nobody ever thought anything about it because we didnt know it was contaminated. Wollen said the town reached out to Hurbel, who had the soil removed, but some of it it was later found spread again. She said DEEP came out to test the soil, and it was found to be contaminated. In a statement, DEEP communication manager Paul Copleman said the agency was notified of the underground storage tank removal and the accompanying soil contamination in February, and then were also notified in July about the stockpiled soil initially removed from the site being spread on the site. We have been in direct contact with the owner and their consultant as we seek additional work on the site, including additional surveys, and proper disposal of the contaminated soils, he said, adding DEEP is in the process of expanding public documentation access, so reports and follow-up work regarding DEEP-regulated underground tanks on cases like these will be more searchable and readily available to the public on CT DEEP Document eSearch. First Selectman David Bindelglass said the main reason this issue took so long to get on the towns radar is because municipalities do not have jurisdiction over commercial tank removals, only DEEP does. He said the town plans to take the steps it can to ensure something like this does not happen again. Meanwhile, residents are concerned that the soil, which has since been removed, may have contaminated the wetlands, the wells of nearby residents and even the Easton Reservoir. Bindelglass and Hurbel say that DEEP told them those concerns are mostly unwarranted. DEEP is convinced theres no damage or potential damage to the reservoirs and stuff, Bindelglass said. Whether theres any threat to the neighbors wells, there probably should be some testing. The soil Bindelglass said the only town official Hurbel notified bout the tank removal was the fire marshal, as that is all that is required by state law. He said it has become a he said, she said situation between all the parties in town The neighbor (Montgomery) takes the position that If I hadnt done anything, nobody would have done anything, he said. Bindelglass said he has looked into everybodys role in the situation, and that nobody really did the wrong thing other than Hurbel not getting a permit to spread the soil. At which point, someone would have said, Wait a minute, wheres your soil coming from? he said. Hurbel, and town officials, said the contamination dates back 25 years to a previous owner. He said he had the pit that contained the tanks dug up and cleaned out. The soil was in the parking lot for a while, so there was some drifting from that, Hurbel said. But that has all been removed and cleaned. Everything has tested negative. Theres no further contamination. Hurbel said none of the soil was spread onto the adjacent property when it was there, disputing claims from Wollen that it went onto Montgomerys land. He said only a small portion of the dirt was ever used on the back of the property, but it and more has been removed. Hurbel said he will continue to follow what regulators recommend. He said one of the reasons it took so long to get the fill off the property is because Connecticuts contaminated fill processing center was closed at the time. Therefore, Hurbel said, he had to coordinate to get the fill shipped to a processing place in New Jersey, which took some time. It was finally moved away in the beginning of July. Wollen acknowledged the majority of the issue has been solved, but said the Conservation Commission has issued Hurbel several violations for moving soil around near wetlands, which requires a permit to do. She said he needs to apply for a retroactive permit for each violation with a doubled fee, costing several hundred dollars. He has to come to our next meeting, which is at the end of August, she said. Bindelglass said Hurbel had hired an environmental consultant, who recommended monitoring the property and the wells of adjacent properties. But that has not been done yet to his knowledge, he said. Overall though, Bindelglass said environmental officials are not largely concerned. He said his focus now is preventing it from happening in the future. Residents concerns and officials taking preventative actions Bindelglass said most of the planned changes are procedural. One change, he said, would be ensuring that there is always communication between the fire marshal and the building inspector when a project like this is taking place. Were going to make it a procedural thing so that theres more sets of eyes on this, he said. Bindelglass said the town will also ask for soil test results for every commercial or residential tank removal. While officials cannot enforce that, they hope it will allow the building inspector to pay attention to its disposal, he said. On the Conservation Commission side, Bindelglass said he wants to make sure the commission gets involved with issues like this even if the dirt in question is more than 100 feet away from the wetlands the distance at which the commission has oversight. In a Board of Selectmen meeting Thursday night where the soil issue was discussed, one resident, June Logie, called the incident a failure of the water protections system. Everybody thought somebody else was watching, she said. Have we examined how this happened? Have we determined a process by which this is going to be remediated? Logie asked if there were reports about how much contaminated soil there was, where it is now and what needs to be done at the Easton Village Store, as well as if Aquarion Water Co. had been looped into it. How are we fixing it? she said. What entities are going to be involved? Bindelglass said a report from DEEP should be finished soon that would answer most of her questions, reiterating that the state department has signaled that there is not much cause for concern. That doesnt mean that its pristine. It is to DEEPs satisfaction, he said. joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com BRIDGEPORT Two companies pleaded guilty Thursday for their roles in an effort to rig contracts for installing insulation across Connecticut for nearly seven years, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. BC Flynn Contracting Corp. and Axion Specialty Contracting LLC both face fines of up to $100 million, officials said. According to charging documents, representatives of BC Flynn and Axion, along with other co-conspirators, met to determine bids and prices for insulation contracts for various places in Connecticut and beyond for years. For BC Flynn, the activity spanned between June 2011 and March 2018, the documents stated. Axion entered the arrangement in October 2012, the documents stated. Among other aspects, officials involved in the conspiracy shared proposals, estimates and other information, used apps to conceal their communications, agreed to submit inflated bids to create the appearance of competition and provided services at collusive and noncompetitive prices, officials said in the charging documents. The plea agreements detail how the perpetrators submitted collusive bids and shared bid numbers with their competitors in an illegal effort to improve their companies bottom lines, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said. I commend the FBI and DCIS for investigating this scheme that victimized hospitals, universities and businesses throughout Connecticut. The case has been investigated by the Antitrust Divisions New York Office, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut, the FBIs New Haven Division and the DCISs New Haven Resident Agency, officials noted. Four individuals and another company have also pleaded guilty in connection with the conspiracy, officials said. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com NORWALK U.S. Navy corpsman Will Angione was about to close the sailing school at Calf Pasture Beach last Sunday when he heard the commotion near the partially submerged sandbar that extends into Long Island Sound. Angione, 27, was among four bystanders who swam Martha Rodas and her husband Mauricio Rodas-Garcia to shore after the couple waded too far out into the sandbar. We heard people screaming and yelling in the water, and at first we thought it was people goofing around, but it was enough to trigger our attention, that we should look at that, he said. Me and my instructors went down there. We split up. I had them go after the husband and I went after the wife. Rodas-Garcia went to help his wife, who fell into the water and had difficulty regaining her balance, when he was pulled under water, city officials said. Despite the efforts of the bystanders who tried to save Rodas-Garcia from the area that is not monitored by lifeguards, the 60-year-old Colombia native died. Angione speaks a little Spanish and understood Martha Rodas was shouting for her husband as he swam her to shore. At first, she was frantic, but drowning victims will do anything to stay above water. Then she calmed down and laid there for a while. It took me forever to swim in because of the current, Angione said. She was saying, my husband, my husband. Angione, a supervisor at the Norwalk Sailing School, said the couple was separated by about 30 feet and in total between 20 and 30 feet offshore. They were looking for the husband. I grabbed the wife pretty quickly, but she was almost under as well, Angione said. We noticed it within 40 seconds and started running down the beach. Bringing them back to shore was harder. The current was strong. As Angione went to rescue Martha Rodas, his two sailing school instructors, siblings Nicolas and Jacqueline Suarez, tried to save her husband. The Suarez siblings, who grew up in Norwalk before moving to Westport about four years ago, received their lifeguard certifications through a course at Staples High School, but had never conducted a rescue. I had a head start and went out to the guy and Will said hed go to the woman. I sprinted out. I used to swim but its been a while. When I got out to where I generally thought he was, I was pretty exhausted, said Nick Suarez, 18, who will be a sophomore at Cornell University where he is studying applied economics and management. I couldnt find him at first, but it was hard to see him because he was mostly submerged. Once I got over to the general direction, I saw his hat and it was only hit hat, he wasnt there with him. A few moments later, Nick Suarez located Rodas-Garcia and swam to him. However, by that point, Rodas-Garcia had already become cyanotic. I did what we were taught to do. I got my arms under his shoulders and his head out of the water. I got underneath him and had him on my chest with his head on my shoulder, Nick Suarez said. Once we got to shallow water, others helped out and administered CPR thankfully, but I couldnt. I was shot. Once I got out, before I found him, it was stressful because I knew how time sensitive it was and when I couldnt find him immediately, I was really worried if I wouldnt be able to find him in the next minute or so he would be fully submerged and wouldnt find him at all. Jacqueline Suarez, 17, who will be a senior at Staples High School, was about 10 feet behind and directed her brother to Rodas-Garcias location in the water. You were carrying him but then I got up to you and helped to look for a pulse, but we couldnt find one, she said to her brother. Then we tried to get him to the sandbar and shallow water, but that was what took the longest time. Once the Suarez siblings had Rodas-Garcia, Norwalk resident Maya Santangelo swam out to help bring him back to shore. Santangelo, who lives down the road from Calf Pasture, often goes to the sandbar area, engages in open-water swimming and had her swimming fins with her at the time. The three of us were holding him up, his head out of the water, and swam to shore like that, taking turns holding parts of him up so, if he was able to, he could breathe, Santangelo said. As we were rushing him to shore, I started yelling, Does anybody know CPR? and the crowd on the beach pointed toward the entrance and there was a woman waiting for us there. Jennifer Gonzalez wasnt supposed to be at the beach Sunday, but her son, who was paddleboarding with friends, forgot swim trunks. At home studying for her nursing license exam, Gonzalez took a break to drive down the road to deliver the swimsuit. A registered nurse with nearly a decade of experience in caring for infants and babies, Gonzalez has performed CPR, but never on an adult. I was quickly swinging by the beach to drop off the trunks and he waved me down and told me I was needed down at the beach. I went and saw there were people screaming for CPR. The people on the beach were pointing where to go. I had no idea where I was running to, I just ran, Gonzalez said. Thats when I got to shore and saw they were swimming in. I wasnt supposed to be there. I was frustrated with my son, but it was fate. Everything happens for a reason. Gonzalez attended Rodas-Garcias wake last week and gathered Friday with the other rescuers with the exception of Angione, who was out of state, at the beach where the drowning occurred. As they reconnected and reflected on the incident, they said they feel the city needs to take measures to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future. They suggested adding lifeguards to the area and installing signs in multiple languages warning of the sandbars deepness. Some residents have also reached out about preventative measures, city spokesperson Michelle Woods Matthews said. Interestingly, the city is in the process of developing a new unified signage plan as part of our Recreation and Park's master plan planning process. The master plan will address signage related to wayfinding, parking, safety and park rules, and it includes an evaluation of bilingual signage, Woods Matthews said. Our intention is to utilize our signage to ensure residents know where to go, know where to park and are clearly aware of beach and park rules. Resident's convenience, safety and well-being remain among our top concerns. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Members of the City Council have questions about a personnel reorganization the mayor abruptly unveiled last month that eliminated a potential political rivals high-profile job and created two new top positions. I just find the timing interesting, Councilman Tyler Mack said Thursday. If they were thinking about doing this, why didnt the council know during budget season? Why is it now? Mack is a member of the councils budget committee. That group at its Monday meeting plans to discuss the pending changes to the economic development and chief administrative offices Mayor Joe Ganim unveiled July 14 with the heads of those respective departments. Normally Assistant Chief Administrative Officer John Gomes might be included in such a discussion. But Gomes, a rumored challenger to Mayor Joe Ganim in next years election, no longer works for the administration. After six-and-a-half years under Ganim, Gomes, a non-union appointee, was terminated July 14 as part of the limited staffing overhaul that will see the creation of two new roles: a deputy chief administrative officer for planning, permitting, licensing and code enforcement and a business and community development liaison in the economic development department. So far neither job opening has been advertised. Those changes were announced just hours after Hearst Connecticut Media reported on a new political action committee formed by some of Gomes allies that is seeking a candidate to oust Ganim in 2023. Gomes, who has not publicly commented on the possibility of a mayoral bid, has since accused Ganim of retaliating against him over the rumors he wants to replace him. But it was not just the timing of Gomes firing that raised questions. The personnel shake-up was also announced weeks after the conclusion of the spring municipal budget season, during which Ganim and his staff could have but, according to Mack and others did not share their plans with the legislative body. None of that has happened, to my knowledge, said Councilwoman Jeanette Herron, who also sits on the budget committee and is the councils majority leader. All 20 council members are, like Ganim, Democrats. And Council President Aidee Nieves, who in Ganims July 14 press release was quoted as stating, It is my expectation that this reorganization will lead to tangible outcomes for our residents, on Thursday confirmed she only learned of the changes that same day. People think I knew about it. I didnt, Nieves said, adding of the budget committees upcoming meeting, I am supportive of the fact they want to know the who, the what, the where, the why? The budget committee is invoking a City Council rule that states it can interview any department head seeking creation of any new position or increase in salary for any position. So were just doing what our rules and responsibilities are (to) ask questions and find out whats going on, said Councilman Ernie Newton, a budget committee co-chair. Councilman Scott Burns, the other budget committee co-chair, said he wants the administration to explain where the funds are coming from to pay for the two new jobs. I think its fair for us to ask that, Burns said. Each spring Bridgeports mayor presents a proposed fiscal plan, which is supposed to include any desired changes in staffing, to the council. The budget committee spends weeks reviewing the mayors vision and makes its own alterations. Typically a mayor and council reach a budget deal in May, the document is voted on by the council and takes effect July 1. But this year Ganim successfully blocked a council vote on its budget because it eliminated a handful of jobs held by some of his political supporters totaling around $500,000. Those council cuts included one of the two assistant chief administrative officers, which would have left it up to Ganim to decide between Gomes and his colleague, the Rev. Herron Gaston. Gaston is also a Democrat and currently running for state Senate. Burns Thursday said perhaps the just-announced reorganization stemmed in part from some of the discussions that occurred during the budget season. We do talk a lot about how things are working and functioning, Burns said. They (the Ganim administration) may have got some feedback from us, from our constituents, that we can do things differently. Maybe this is an effort in that direction. But Mack is skeptical. He noted Ganim, elected in 2015, was reelected in 2019 and has had ample time to implement internal reforms. Then boom, its happening now, Mack said. I hope this isnt a political game. I absolutely think if they had a reorganization plan in place that should have been discussed with at least the (council) leadership so we could be informed and work on a clearer budget, Herron said. We could have started (budget negotiations) at that point (and) could have allotted that money where it needed to be. Ganims office did not return a request for comment and has not responded to Gomes allegations of retaliation. During the budget season Gaston had accused Newton of threatening to eliminate his job because Newton wanted to instead run for state Senate. Newton has continually denied the allegation. But Ganim and some of his aides used the situation to raise questions about council members motivations to cut $500,000 worth of the mayors aides and whether such action penalizing a municipal worker for their political ambitions would put the city in legal jeopardy. Newton on Thursday said Ganim has the right to hire and fire non-union employees like Gomes. But he also acknowledged the mayor now faces similar scrutiny over his motivations as the administration applied to Newton over Gastons claims. Its just interesting, Newton said. Everybody was up in arms (about) Mr. Gaston, but nobody said a thing about Mr. Gomes. Meanwhile Gomes in an interview Thursday said he continues to weigh legal action. He also said he thinks the Ganim administration needs to justify its changes to the budget committee and taxpayers. There needs to be some type of data presented to the committee to show why it wasnt working and how its going to work better, Gomes said. Everything has to be metric and data-oriented to say it makes sense or not. (And) why wasnt it part of the presentation made during the budget (season)? Contributed / Getty FAIRFIELD Two people were seriously injured Saturday in a crash involving a motorcycle and a van near Interstate 95, according to Fairfield police. Police said the collision took place at about 5:43 p.m. at the intersection of Commerce Drive and Coolidge Street, near an exit ramp for the interstate. NEWTOWN A Connecticut man was able to sell a lakefront property he didnt own to an unsuspecting buyer because his name was strikingly similar to the rightful owners, investigators said in an arrest warrant. In a court filing, Newtown police allege that Edwin Robert Lewis III sold the Bankside Trail property in July 2021 to a Southbury resident for $65,000. The property was appraised at close to $260,000, according to town records referenced in the filing. Last week, Lewis, 61, was charged with second-degree money laundering, first-degree identity theft, first-degree larceny, criminal impersonation and second-degree forgery, Newtown police said. Reached by phone Thursday, Lewis referred questions to his attorney. The Willington mans attorney, Christopher Cerami, said Lewis plans to plead not guilty to the charges and we intend to present evidence in the appropriate forum to confirm his not guilty plea. Newtown investigators were alerted to the alleged fraudulent sale on Aug. 24, 2021, when the legitimate owner of the property reported a potential identity theft, according to the warrant for Lewis arrest. The owner, a man in his 60s who lives in Massachusetts, told police the lakeside property was an investment containing a home that was uninhabitable. The owner said he considered selling the property in the past, but never listed or offered it for sale, the warrant stated. However, the owner told police he heard from neighbors in Newtown that a man had been visiting the property and introducing himself as the new owner, the warrant stated. An attorney for the property owner who represented him in a civil proceeding over the sale could not immediately be reached for comment. Land records showed the property had been sold in July 2021 to a Southbury man for $65,000, the warrant stated. The Southbury man in his 30s, told investigators he was an entrepreneur who wanted to purchase land on Lake Zoar, according to the warrant. He told police he found the Bankside Trail home that appeared vacant and abandoned, and talked to neighbors who told him the owner considered selling the property, but it was not on the market, the warrant stated. The buyer told police he contacted a real estate agent, who gave him paperwork that listed several telephone numbers for the owner of the Bankside Trail home, the warrant stated. The buyer called the first number listed, which was for Lewis, and said he was looking to purchase the property, the warrant stated. Lewis identified himself as the propertys owner and agreed to sell it for $65,000, the warrant stated. The propertys actual appraised value, according to Newtown land records, was $258,537, the warrant stated. Police believe Lewis obtained a notarized deed from a bank in South Windsor on July 21, 2021, according to the warrant. It is believed that since the fraudulent seller ... and actual property owner ... have such similar names, the notary believed Lewis was the person listed on the property deed, the warrant stated. A sale and wire transfer for the property was completed on July 27, 2021, the warrant stated. The owner of the property filed a lawsuit against Lewis and the buyer in state Superior Court, requesting a judge to issue decrees naming him the rightful property owner and the buyers claim to the property null and void. He also asked for unspecified damages. The owner later removed the buyer from the suit. The court also issued a default judgment against Lewis on April 14 for failure to appear, civil court filings show. Police allege that the more than $62,000 Lewis received from the sale was funneled through an intermediary account controlled by another person before he deposited the proceeds under a different final amount in his personal bank account, according to the warrant. That was done to obfuscate the source of the fraudulent proceeds, the warrant stated. Lewis was released on $150,000 bond. Hes due to appear in court on Aug. 11. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the sale and wire transfer for the property was completed on July 27, 2021. SUMTER, S.C. (AP) The parents of a newborn have been charged with neglect in connection with the infant's July death, South Carolina authorities said. Melissa Bautch, 21, of Sumter, called police on July 31, saying she had delivered a baby a few months prematurely about two days earlier, Sumter police said in a news release Friday. The infant was unresponsive at the time of birth, she claimed. Nothing offends the British notion of fair play more grievously than kicking a man when he is down. Yet that is exactly what the seven MPs who make up the Commons privileges committee propose to do to the Prime Minister. Ignoring the fact that Boris Johnson has already been forced to resign by his own party, these MPs are about to conduct yet another inquiry into Partygate despite the fact Sue Gray and the Metropolitan Police have already investigated Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street. Following Miss Grays report, Boris apologised to the House for inadvertently misleading MPs. He also paid a fine for attending a birthday party during lockdown. That should have been the end of the matter. But the Boris-haters refuse to end their vendetta. Not content with forcing him out of No10, they are determined to drive him out of the Commons too. 'Boris Johnson himself must expect to be grilled by the committee, not only about the parties (most of which he did not attend), but about anything the probe may turn up. By then no longer PM, he would face this ordeal alone, without officials or counsel to advise him' The committee was supposed to establish whether or not the PM committed a contempt of Parliament by intentionally misleading the House. It now claims that it could potentially find him guilty of contempt even if there was no intention to mislead. In other words, the panel has moved the goalposts. There is a world of difference between an innocent mistake and a deliberate lie. Even more worrying is the composition of the committee. It is supposed to be impartial, but is packed with the PMs enemies. Quite apart from the three members drawn from the Opposition benches two Labour and one SNP three of the four Conservative MPs are longstanding Boris critics. The committees original chairman, Labour MP Chris Bryant, had been so vociferous in his condemnation of Boris that he rightly recused himself rather than give the appearance of pre-judging the verdict. But his replacement, Harriet Harman, is no less prejudiced against the PM. The Mother of the House so-called because she is the longest-serving female MP retweeted claims that he lied repeatedly, knowingly lied and misled the House. As an ex-barrister, Miss Harman ought to know that in a court of law such partisan conduct would instantly disqualify her from sitting in judgment. Yet this so-called inquiry has no intention of giving Boris Johnson a fair trial. It has more in common with the witch-hunts of Salem or the show trials of Stalins Soviet Union. The committee is already demanding unprecedented access to Downing Street and its records, the PMs diaries, WhatsApp messages and any other evidence that it deems relevant. Such an open-ended investigation looks suspiciously like a fishing expedition. Boris Johnson himself must expect to be grilled by the committee, not only about the parties (most of which he did not attend), but about anything the probe may turn up. By then no longer PM, he would face this ordeal alone, without officials or counsel to advise him. 'The committees original chairman, Labour MP Chris Bryant, had been so vociferous in his condemnation of Boris that he rightly recused himself' Given that Boris has already apologised to the Commons, the result would be a foregone conclusion: he would be found guilty of misleading the House and therefore of contempt of Parliament. The only outstanding issue would be the severity of the punishment. Given the hostility of its membership, the committee could be expected to impose a suspension from the House of at least ten days. That sentence would mean a recall petition in Mr Johnsons constituency. If more than 10 per cent of eligible registered voters signed the petition, they would trigger a by-election. By the autumn, with a cost of living crunch and an impending recession, even Boris would struggle to hold his marginal seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. This is hardly a scenario that Liz Truss, or Rishi Sunak, would relish confronting so soon after taking over at No10. Such a defeat would not only be the ultimate humiliation for Boris, but a nightmare for his successor. I cannot recall a precedent for hounding a former prime minister in the manner now proposed by the privileges committee. Not even Lloyd George, whose personal conduct makes Boris Johnson look like Mother Teresa, was pursued after leaving office. Boris Johnson may be beset by foes in Westminster and the media, but he is still popular in the Conservative Party and the country. Voters will be unforgiving if ministers throw the leader to whom they owe so much under a bus. Fair play and common sense may yet prevail. Elder statesmen, such as Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have tabled a Commons motion calling for the inquiry to be discontinued. If the senior Tory on the committee, Sir Bernard Jenkin, joined them, it would surely pull the plug on this flagrant abuse of parliamentary procedure. I know Sir Bernard to be a decent man. He must now do the right thing. Above all, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak should speak up too. Whether or not you think as I do that Boris deserves the nations gratitude, he has done nothing to warrant this shameful stitch-up. A grieving father has recalled the heartbreaking moment doctors asked him to choose between the life of his fiancee and his unborn baby, revealing how his 'heart froze' at having to make the decision. Michael Gerry Fotheringham McConnell, 33, from Falkirk, Scotland, who already has five children, Keira, Rebecca, Lacey, Winter and Thomas with his fiancee Stephanie Brown, was overjoyed to learn they were expecting a sixth last year. However at 18 weeks pregnant, Stephanie, 29, started leaking amniotic fluid, a yellow liquid which surrounds the foetus, before the umbilical cord collapsed. Michael recalled: 'The doctor that would deliver took me to one side and asked, "if push comes to shove, who survives? Mother or baby"?' But despite the risks, the couple decided they would move forward with the birth, and welcomed Mickey Robert Gerry Fotheringham McConnell, weighing only one pound and three ounces, less than a bag of sugar, in November last year. He spent three months of his life in hospital before he went on to develop methaemoglobinaemia, and doctors said his lungs could no longer support his growing body. After eight months in hospital, he tragically passed away on 24 July - before the parents could even bring him home. Michael paid an emotional tribute to his son calling him his 'wee warrior', adding: 'He's the brightest star I've ever known.' Michael Gerry Fotheringham McConnell, 33 and Stephanie Brown, from Falkirk, Scotland, with Mickey, who tragically never made it home Mickey, who was born at 1lb 3oz, less than a bag of sugar, needed special equipment to breathe and was described as a 'wee warrior' by doting father Michael The couple are no strangers to heartbreak on their journey to becoming parents, after also suffering a miscarriage a few years ago. However when they learned they were pregnant with a sixth baby, they were over the moon. At 18 weeks pregnant, Stephanie began leaking ambiotic fluid, and upon arriving at the hospital, medics told the couple their baby's heart was 'too big'. The mother-to-be was referred to a heart specialist. However, a further scan revealed the true issue was that baby Mickey's lungs were too small for his body and not in proportion to the rest of his organs. After eight months in hospital, he tragically passed away on 24 July - before the parents could even bring him home (pictured, Michael and Steph with their children Mickey, Winter, Lacey, Rebecca, Thomas and Keira) Michael and Stephanie were then given the tragic news that their son, who they hadn't named at the time, would not make it to full-term. In a bid to save their baby, Stephanie was asked to carry her pregnancy for a further six weeks, before being transferred to Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire to give birth. But shortly after Stephanie went into hospital to give birth, doctors discovered a serious complication when the umbilical cord collapsed. Michael said: 'The room was full of midwives and doctors, who revealed the umbilical cord had collapsed, creating a dangerous situation. 'I was terrified when I saw all these people and the looks on their faces told me the severity of Stephanie's condition. After Stephanie suffered a number of complications when she was pregnant with Mickey, he ended up being born a tiny 1lb 3oz and three months prematurely The couple welcomed their son in November last year three months prematurely, and Michael described his relief when he first heard Mickey cry in the operating theatre 'When I learned my fiancee's life was in danger, my heart froze all I cared about in that moment was her being OK.' The complications with baby Mickey brought back the traumatic memories of their former loss. But despite this, and the fact medics advised them Mickey might not make it, the couple decided that they wanted to deliver their baby boy. Michael said: 'Everyone was skeptical about his survival. What is Methemoglobinemia, although known as blue baby syndrome? Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which too little oxygen is delivered to your cells. Oxygen is carried through your bloodstream by hemoglobin, which normally then releases that oxygen to cells throughout your body. However a specific type of hemoglobin known as methemoglobin carries oxygen through your blood but doesnt release it to the cells. If your body produces too much of this, it can begin to replace your normal hemoglobin. This can lead to there not being enough oxygen getting to cells. Advertisement 'I've been by [Stephanie's] side through the worst and scariest times in my life. 'With her losing fluid, having to hold Mickey in her body for six weeks it was exhausting, physically and mentally. 'There was a good chance that the placenta had stuck on Steph's stomach and bladder, a c-section was their answer to prevent this being a danger.' The couple welcomed their son in November last year three months prematurely, and Michael described his relief when he first heard Mickey cry in the operating theatre. He said: 'There were so many people in the theatre and my heart was in my mouth the whole time. 'They took my boy away from the operating table and everything was quiet all I remember is the first time he used his voice. 'We were in awe, it was so clear and loud. In that moment, the relief was massive.' Mickey spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Wishaw General Hospital where he started to show improvement and was later moved to a hospital closer to home. However, just as the family prepared for Mickey to come home, his condition started to deteriorate rapidly. Michael said: 'The doctors in the hospital were calling it 'blue turns' and were saying that he might not make it.' 'Blue turns', or blue baby syndrome, is a condition called methaemoglobinaemia, which, when present in newborn infants, means there are decreased levels of hemoglobin in the baby's blood. During his short life, baby Mickey spent time with his other siblings and had specialist breathing apparatus to help his lungs function. However, he never left the hospital or was taken home. As he continued to grow, but his organs did not catch up, doctors declared Mickey to be on end-of-life care when his body became too big for his lungs. Mickey spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Wishaw General Hospital where he started to show improvement and was later moved to a hospital closer to home (pictured with older sister Rebecca) Michael said his son had been a 'wee warrior' during the first few months of his life when he was staying in intensive care The couple's other children came into hospital to meet with their new baby brother, including Thomas (left) and Winter (right) During his short life, baby Mickey spent time with his other siblings and had specialist breathing apparatus to help his lungs function (pictured with Winter) After months in one hospital, as the family prepared to take their son home, his condition began to rapidly deteriorate (left and right) After a long and tough fight, Mickey passed away peacefully on 24 July in his mother's arms. He said: 'My son, Mickey Robert Gerry Fotheringham McConnell has passed away. 'He fought a long and complicated fight, he died peacefully and painless in his mother's arms. 'He was the brightest star I've ever known, I'll never forget the impact my boy made on this earth, he truly was a warrior. 'He was suffering, now he's at peace, shine bright my wee warrior. 'Rest in peace our beautiful son.' As he continued to grow, but his organs did not catch up, doctors declared Mickey to be on end-of-life care when his body became too big for his lungs (pictured) Mickey defied doctors expectations by surviving - but as he grew, he needed more help to breathe But the father said he feels 'let down' by the hospital, claiming: 'During his stay there, there was a lack of communication and we felt severely let down by the care he received at this time. To this day, we still don't know the reason for his deterioration.' Meanwhile he applauded his fiancee Stephanie for her determination and strength throughout the difficult time calling her an 'inspiration.' During the ordeal, the parents had to contend with staying at hospital by Mickey's side and looking after their five other children - something Michael says was a testament to Stephanie's 'strength' as she managed to somehow juggle both. He said: 'Since having Mickey, she's been amazing and has given that little boy so much of her love and time, all while having our home life to deal with she's truly inspirational. Mickey pictured in June, one month before his death on July 24. While his weight was healthy, his lungs didn't grow in proportion with the rest of his body and doctors declared he was on end of life care After a long and tough fight, Mickey passed away peacefully on 24 July in his mother's arms (pictured, Steph and Mickey) 'She hasn't stopped with her efforts, but I try my very best to make her life as easy as it can be in these traumatic times. 'This has been physically, mentally and emotionally draining, as we've had sleepless nights and traumatic days but we have been there for each other. 'The support we've received has been nothing short of amazing and we're totally overwhelmed. 'I am organising a number of fundraising events to help raise money and awareness for families in situations likes ours.' During the ordeal, the parents had to contend with staying at hospital by Mickey's side and looking after their five other children Stephanie and Michael have continued to try to support their other children while going through Mickey's medical issues (pictured, at the beach with Keira and Thomas) Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has since been set up by a family member to help support the family during this tough time. The page, set up by Stella Bauros says: 'Your donations could help towards funeral costs and help ease the cost of living, for eight months having a child fight for his life, left Micheal unable to work much throughout. 'This funding will help them massively, the last thing you should have to worry about during a time ridden with grief is finances. 'This money can also help them to give little Mickey the send off he deserves.' So far, the page has managed to raise 3,000. Michael said: 'I want to thank everyone who has supported my family and donated to the page.' Michael revealed how his children have continued to be their for one another, despite the health challenges their younger brother has faced (left, Rebecca, and right, Lacey during a day at the beach) Melanie Leschallas, 55, has no memories of her father. All she can do is conjure them from pictures. I have a photo of him holding me as a baby. I feel the touch of his tweed jacket, his arms cradling me, the quality of his smile, a sense that all was right with the world. A test pilot for the Royal Navy, he went missing in a plane crash in 1967, at the height of the Cold War, when she was 14 months old. Despite or maybe because of his abrupt disappearance, he has always been a glamorous and enigmatic presence in her life. A presence she has spent over 50 years trying to make peace with. His body was never found and the subject was taboo in my family as I was growing up. What she does know is this: her father, Lieutenant Commander David Barry Knowles, aged 35, and his co-pilot were lost in an air accident over the Irish Sea when their Sea Vixen plane crashed. The plane wreckage was later recovered seven miles off the Copeland Islands. As no bodies were found and because of conflicting eyewitness stories plus reports about the private lives of the dead men, the story quickly becomes murky. There is a rumour that a parachute was found. Melanie has always wondered if this means her father managed to eject from the plane. Then there is the revelation that her father had a mistress. My father and his co-pilot were rumoured to be having affairs so some people thought they had faked their own deaths. ILLUSTRATION: Edward Tuckwell. Melanie Leschallas, 55, reveals that she has no memories of her father. A test pilot for the Royal Navy, he went missing in a plane crash in 1967 The rumour and doubt were enough to make Melanie grow up believing her father could walk through the door any day. As a child she overheard whispered snippets. I imagined my father on a picture-book desert island with a palm tree, or as a dark shape appearing behind the cracked stained-glass door of the flat wed moved to in Croydon so my mum could find a job. Melanies story has eerie parallels with that of actress Kristin Scott Thomas, whose father was also killed in an accident just a year earlier when his Sea Vixen plane crashed into the sea off the Dorset coast. His death was similarly shrouded in secrecy for years. The Sea Vixen was in the vanguard of a new generation of high-speed jets. The elite fighter pilots who flew them were considered the Top Guns of their time. They were rock stars, says Melanie. Melanies father David as a young naval college graduate in 1954. As no bodies were found and because of conflicting eyewitness stories plus reports about the private lives of the dead men, the story quickly becomes murky But the Sea Vixen also has a notorious history. Of the 145 built, 54 were lost in accidents and 55 crew members were killed during the planes 13 years of frontline service with the Fleet Air Arm from 1959 to 1972. Scott Thomas, who was five when it happened, has said poignantly: I can still remember him. Its like having a little film playing in your head. I can still remember his smell; its really weird. The thing that breaks my heart is the smell of engine oil. For Melanie, however, there are no memories or sensory triggers and that has made it hard to mourn. Because there was no body, we could never gather around a grave and let go of him. To add to the pain of her fathers disappearance, Melanies mother (27 at the time of the accident) refused to discuss it. When she received the telegram telling her that her husband was missing, presumed dead, she was staying with her parents in Hampshire. Because of Davids infidelity, she had already separated from him, taking baby Melanie and her brother Alastair, three, with her. She was incredibly strong and brought up two children on her own. My father taught me: Life is a grand adventure or nothing at all Melanies parents had once been a real love match. Mum met him when she was 19 and Dad was married with a daughter. Her own father was a submarine captain in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, and Dad flew for the Fleet Air Arm under him. To break up their relationship, my grandparents sent Mum to South Africa. But she came back and married him. Then, when she was pregnant with me, he was sent off for a tour of duty in the Far East and thats when he started his next affair. After that, Melanies mother edited him out of her story. My brother and I knew not to speak about him. In stark contrast, however, Melanies grandmother (her fathers mother) never accepted her son had died. She thought hed been taken by the Russians. Everyone was paranoid because it was the Cold War. There was a story that shed received a strange long-distance phone call, and heard him breathing before the phone went dead. As a teenager, Melanie suffered recurrent nightmares about dying. I would try to imagine my way into my dads final moments. And I feared my mum might die so I had to keep an eye on her. Melanies parents on their wedding day, 1964. Melanie's mother's parents had been unhappy at the match and had sent their daughter to South Africa to stop them marrying She clung to her first boyfriend, who she was with from 16 to 29, even though she knew the relationship wasnt right. He was like this tree I was leaning against. After studying French and Italian at Bristol University (my father spoke fluent French), she tried to carve out a career as a performer. I didnt have the resilience because of what had happened with my dad. By now Melanie was drinking heavily and messing her boyfriend around. He was lovely but I was a bitch to him. I behaved like my father. Its amazing what we do subconsciously to get in touch with our parents. She went backpacking and was involved in a ferry accident in Malaysia where three people died. I jumped into the water. I had my fathers survival instinct. But I definitely experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. My anxiety got worse and I couldnt hold down a job after the accident. I got depressed and spent a lot of time hanging around the flat I shared with my boyfriend in Notting Hill in my dressing gown feeling utterly lost, lonely and empty. Melanie with her elder brother Alastair and their father shortly before his disappearance in 1967 When we split up a few years later, the image of a drowned woman being brought into the police station in Malaysia, wrapped in newspaper, her rings being pulled off her swollen fingers and given to her husband, had always haunted me and it began to precipitate panic attacks. The shock of her boyfriend then meeting someone else, she says, opened the floodgates to all the feelings Id hidden away since childhood. Aged 29, Melanie had a nervous breakdown. I wanted to die. My mother took care of me. We didnt talk much but we went for long walks in the hills. The dam broke. I pieced myself back together with yoga, writing and therapy. Later Melanie took an MA in drama and movement therapy and set up a training company (clients included EasyJet and the NHS). Her mother never remarried. I think she felt men werent worth bothering with. Shed made this bold move, striking out with my father, and that was enough for her. Melanie assumed she would stay single, too. But she met her husband Craig, who was running an events company, on a holiday in Egypt in 1999. At the time Id just been sacked and decided to spend my 500 pay-off on a yoga retreat. I should have saved it. But I thought: What would my dad do? Hed go on the retreat. Today the couple have a son, 19, and daughter, 18, both wonderful young people. And because Craig and I come from broken families, were determined to stay together. However, theres still a bit of daredevil in Melanie. In 2008, during the financial crash, both their businesses (Melanies training company and Craigs events company) went under. We were in massive financial trouble and had to sell our house in Brighton, she says. It left them just enough money to buy a finca in Spains Malaga mountains, from which they now host wellness and writing retreats. I see it as my base camp. Like my dad, I like to explore. Her first novel has just been published and she lives more fiercely and takes risks because her father did. Its given me more bandwidth to be who I want to be. My father taught me: Life is a grand adventure or nothing at all. In 2017, around the 50th anniversary of her dads death, Melanie began digging for clues in earnest. When I was younger, I thought he was a cad. It was my mothers version of the story, but as Ive grown older, Ive realised he lived his life fully. She put a message on the Lost at Sea website. An engineer who had worked on his plane got in contact. He told me Dad had been a daredevil whod already had a near-miss while in service in Malaysia from flying too close to the water. He thought my dad had indeed perished. In a final twist to the story, in 2019 Melanie was sent a recording made by the general manager of the naval aircraft repair facility in Belfast employed at the time her dad disappeared. His daughter had kept it for 20 years. In the tape the man expresses his unease about the disappearance of the plane. There are details about losing radio contact, the plane being spotted in a place it couldnt possibly be by the co-pilots wife while she was hanging out the washing, the time on the clock being out of sync with what was written in the final report. At the end of the recording, he says: I hope that one day someone will lay the Vixen ghost to rest. Shocked, Melanie posted a message on an online noticeboard for ex-Navy staff. I received messages from people singing my fathers praises but no extra information. A few months ago, she wrote to the person in charge of the Fleet Air Arm church in Yeovilton, Somerset, requesting a plaque to be put up in honour of her dad and his co-pilot. Im also planning a trip to Yeovilton to see what else I can discover in their museum. However, Melanie now realises that closure wont come with new evidence, but through celebration of the spirit of adventure that her glamorous, enigmatic father left her This week, Jessica Carroll asks the question: How sustainable is Nobody's Child's dress WHAT'S THE STORY? Sustainable and affordable, London-based label Nobodys Child was founded in 2015 by equity trader Andrew Xeni to tackle this elusive (and often ignored) gap in the market. It originally positioned itself as the go-to for summer dresses, but has recently added suiting and knits to its offerings. This week, Jessica Carroll asks the question: How sustainable is Nobody's Child's dress. It is made from 100 per cent organic cotton, meaning it's biodegradable WHY SHOULD I BUY THIS DRESS? Its made from 100 per cent organic cotton, meaning its biodegradable, easy to recycle and grown without harmful chemicals. EXTRA MILE Do brands care what happens to their clothes once youre done with them? Nobodys Child does. To help extend the life of its clothes (and reduce their carbon footprint) it has partnered with resale platform Re-Fashion (re-fashion.co.uk) to encourage customers to donate old clothing using the free postage bags. WHAT'S THE AIM? Fabric makes up 80 per cent of a garments social and environmental footprint, and Nobodys Child is leaning into improving this. Its goal is to make all its clothing from responsible fabric its currently at 93 per cent. WHY SHOULDN'T I BUY THIS DRESS? The factory where it was made is easy to trace, thanks to the brand publicly naming all its factories. However, it was made in Pakistan. Thats a long way to travel to get to the UK. We cant help but think of all those avoidable emissions. VERDICT Nobodys Child works hard to make affordable clothes that are responsibly sourced and thoughtfully designed. Moving factories closer to the UK would improve its final score, but thanks to a transparent supply chain and commitment to reducing carbon emissions, its a great choice for those looking to embrace d sustainable fashion on a budget. OUR RATING Rating: Do young people still do holiday and weekend jobs? I first went to work, at 15, as a sweets girl, making puddings such as knickerbocker glories, at a restaurant. My intention had been to save up to go Interrailing, but on a starting salary that I recall as 1.13, raised to 1.76 an hour, I was barely going to be able to reach the next town. Later, I had better-paid Saturday shop jobs, and would do (badly) silver service waitressing gigs. My university holiday jobs included waitressing, bar work, switchboard operating, teaching English as a foreign language to Italian and Greek schoolchildren. And, most bizarrely, dental nursing. British author Patricia Nicol has rounded up a selection of the best books on holiday jobs including Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen and The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent I learned a good deal from these jobs: that education is not the same as intelligence; that, in any workplace, there will always be some kind people determined to see a young person succeed, and some who need to be (or will never be) won over. In and out of kitchens, pulling pints, carrying serving platters, smiling welcomingly at a companys reception desk, I also learned a wearisome amount about the kind of male predatory behaviour that in the 1980s and 1990s felt endemic. Nina Stibbes most recent novel, One Day I Shall Astonish The World brought that era back to me vividly. It starts in the summer of 1990. Protagonist Susan is a student with a holiday job in a haberdashery shop that accidental pregnancy makes a permanent role. Another darkly comic novel, Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen, is also set over a 1990s summer. While awaiting their A-level results, Northern Irish Catholics Maeve, Caroline and Aoife, get work in a shirt-making factory. For working-class protagonist Maeve, the role is a stepping-stone to a uni place in London. But that holiday job, amid a sectarian workforce, is also an education. The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent, is a fresh romcom set at a posh hotel in Scotland. Birdy tells a white lie to escape it all to a dream job. But the truth always outs, doesnt it? After the biopsy, the wait was 12 days. Twelve endless days of not knowing. Twelve terrifying, sleepless nights of fearing the worst. I decided not to tell my daughters, then aged 24 and 22, until I knew for sure. There was no lump, after all. No pain. If it had not been for a routine mammogram, my life would still be sailing along nicely I had a memoir coming out, a holiday in Italy to look forward to. But then Id recall the consultants grim expression as she took the sample of breast tissue and go cold from head to foot. I forced myself to keep busy: folding washing, cooking, shopping, menial tasks to distract me from the terror that descended cell by cell throughout my body, chilled my skin, tightened my stomach. At the results appointment with a different doctor, I remember little except the confirmation of cancer. My mind snagged on the word and I stopped taking in much else. At the age of 54 Catherine Simpson (pictured) was told that she had to stop taking her HRT. The UK-based writer was diagnosed with breast cancer that thrived on oestrogen Later, Lizzie the breast care nurse appeared with a booklet and explained that my cancer was ER positive, which meant it thrived on oestrogen. Which also meant I had to stop taking my hormone replacement therapy. Immediately, she said: the HRT was feeding my tumour. It felt like a second blow. Back home, I took the tablets from the kitchen shelf, but could not bring myself to throw them away. I knew I could never take another, but I could not bear to let them go either. I was 54, and HRT had made me feel normal again. Id been on tablets for ten years after an early menopause at the age of 42, and they had taken away the hot flushes, the anxiety, the brain fog. They had stopped the panic attacks and the palpitations that interfered with my ability to look after the children. I had vowed that if any medic ever tried to take my HRT away from me, I would source it on the internet, go abroad, find the money to pay for it; I would beg, steal or borrow to get my hands on it. Back in 2008, when I was first prescribed HRT, early menopause still felt like a taboo subject. It felt shameful, as though I had failed at something fundamental. I felt awkward in the waiting room of Edinburghs Womens Health Clinic, too young to be there for this, like someone had pressed the fast-forward button on my life. One 2019 study in the Lancet reported a risk twice as high as previously thought, suggesting about 5 per cent of all cases of breast cancer in the UK are due to HRT So it was a relief to be offered such a simple-seeming solution. I was seen by an older, female doctor who told me in no uncertain terms that taking HRT at my age was no different from a diabetic taking insulin. She said she would expect my body to be producing these hormones still, but as it wasnt, it made sense to take them in tablet form. I was aware of the research linking HRT to breast cancer, but I knew this research was controversial and I found this experienced, confident, nononsense doctor reassuring. She was emphatic about the benefits of HRT. There was something about her wiry hair and scrubbed face that made her words seem truer, more trustworthy. She was also telling me what I wanted to hear that a tablet could stop these ghastly symptoms and protect my bones, too, which Id already been told were thinning with osteoporosis. On that day, the thought of breast cancer was not mentioned. I left the clinic with my first box of HRT and had been taking it ever since. NAVIGATING THE HRT MINEFIELD How will taking HRT affect your risk of developing breast cancer? The answer is still far from clearcut. Here we bring together the latest medical findings... Conflicting findings in recent studies have caused confusion among those wanting to accurately assess their risk. One 2019 study in the Lancet reported a risk twice as high as previously thought, suggesting about 5 per cent of all cases of breast cancer in the UK are due to HRT. The Oxford University research, now used as the basis of advice by the Governments Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, found an extra 20 cases of breast cancer per 1,000 women, aged 50 to 69, who took the most common form of HRT oestrogen combined with daily progestogen for five years. The figure doubled for women who took that regime for ten years. This dropped, however, to an extra 14 per 1,000 among those who took sequential HRT for five years, with a weeks break per month of progesterone. In conclusion, the study also found some risk continued for more than ten years after HRT was stopped; and the means by which HRT was delivered via pills or transdermally as a gel, patch or cream made no difference to risk. A 2020 study in the British Medical Journal was more reassuring, finding that for every 10,000 women on HRT, about 26 are likely to develop breast cancer as a result of the medication, and the risks fell quickly after ceasing it. So whats the consensus? Theres no doubt that HRT increases your risk of breast cancer, says Professor Kefah Mokbel, lead breast surgeon at The London Breast Institute of the Princess Grace Hospital and consultant breast surgeon at St Georges Hospital in London. But that risk isnt very big and depends upon many factors, including the type of HRT taken. Its widely acknowledged the safest form consists of estradiol taken transdermally, together with a natural micronized progesterone in an intermittent dosage. Taken like that over five years, one in 70 women will get breast cancer as a result.' Advertisement Ten years later, I sat yet again face-to-face with a medic, this time the surgeon who had cut out the tumour from my breast and sent lymph nodes for testing to see whether the cancer had started to spread. Following a cancer diagnosis, it is difficult to absorb information; appointments are short, medics are busy, questions are tricky; you dont know what you dont know. So this time Id written questions down, in a ridiculous tiny notebook with a holographic cover that I had won in a cracker. I have no idea what possessed me to use that. Id psyched myself up for bad news, but in the end it was good; the lymph nodes were clear and there would be no chemotherapy. My treatment would involve three weeks of radiotherapy and the anti-oestrogen drug tamoxifen, which I would take for ten years. The surgeon printed a prescription for me to take to the hospital pharmacy, and as he tapped on his keyboard, I deciphered a word in my shiny cracker notebook. It said: Why? Why did I get this? I asked him. He grimaced to indicate there was no straightforward answer, then said, Statistically speaking (he enunciated each syllable) it was the HRT that caused it, but we could never prove it. I learned later there is a name for this sort of thing: iatrogenic illness. An illness caused by medical intervention, because I believed he was right; it was the HRT. After all, there was no family history of breast cancer and I had been taking the drug for ten years; a lengthy period which increases the risks. I left the consultants office with an anti-climactic mix of numbness and shock. I felt punch-drunk. As I waited for the tamoxifen, I bought a coffee and posted on Facebook: No need for chemo and the radiotherapy should be done by Christmas. Bloody marvellous. Celebrating in the cafe... Marvellous? Celebrating? What whopping lies we tell on social media. At home, I reached to the top shelf in the kitchen and found the pack of HRT that I couldnt bear to throw away. This was the drug that probably gave me cancer. I fished out the information leaflet, a tissue-thin strip of paper that, when straightened out, was more than 3ft long. As usual, there was an all-encompassing list of possible side effects: ovarian cancer, cancer of the lining of the womb, blood clots, heart disease, stroke, but heading the list was breast cancer. Evidence suggests that taking combined oestrogen-progestogen and possibly also oestrogen-only HRT increases the risk of breast cancer. The extra risk depends on how long you take HRT. The additional risk becomes clear within a few years. There was a shaded box entitled Compare, which said: Women aged 50 to 79 who are not taking HRT, on average nine to 17 in 1,000 will be diagnosed with breast cancer over a five-year period. For women aged 50 to 79 who are taking oestrogen-progestogen HRT over five years, there will be 13 to 23 cases in 1,000 users (ie an extra four to six cases). I had never read this leaflet before. Who expects to be one of the extra four to six cases in 1,000? Who expects to be so unlucky? Clearly not me; especially as I was only 44 when I started taking HRT, and yet it is obvious that somebody must be that unlucky. And if not me, then who? As soon as I stopped taking the HRT, the hot flushes returned, but they were only one or two a day and bearable. But then I started tamoxifen, which forced my oestrogen levels to extinction, and it was a different story. Women aged 50 to 79 who are not taking HRT, on average nine to 17 in 1,000 will be diagnosed with breast cancer over a five-year period The flushes became fierce and almost constant. They began as a sensation in the sinuses, a pressure in the head, a shifting and prickling around the eyes, a throbbing in the roof of my mouth, all of which quickly became dizzying in intensity. The burning heat crawling over my body was overwhelming and in an enclosed space a theatre seat or on the bus the smothering sensation would threaten a panic attack. I searched online for advice about hot flushes: Go to sleep in a damp shirt (a cure surely as bad as the illness), dont fan or take off layers. And the most consistent advice? Take HRT. One year after my cancer diagnosis, in the summer of 2019, I went to see Kylie Minogue playing against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. She stepped onto the stage, a fizzing bundle of energy and charisma, and she sang and danced for an hour-and-a-half: all the hits, five costume changes and no let-up in pace. This was a 51-year-old woman whod been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and had also taken tamoxifen. Yet she glowed and laughed, and did the whole thing in 5in gold stilettos. I wondered how many other women in the crowd had experienced breast cancer and were there to watch Kylie like a talisman, like a singing, dancing charm bringing us all good luck. I wanted the Kylie concert to be a happy ending, but it wasnt to be. The side effects of tamoxifen were still hellish and I was becoming more depressed. At the end of my tether, I went to the GP, who said the kind thing to do was to put me on a low dose of antidepressants. I was so overwhelmed by his understanding that I started crying. Antidepressants have been good to me. I am not antimedication despite HRT being the probable cause of my cancer. Within a fortnight of taking them, the violent temperature changes, the endless circling anxiety, the sleeplessness, had all gone. I had been released from the tamoxifen prison. Being diagnosed with cancer at first made me feel diminished, but today I am everything I was before. When I was told to come off the HRT, I felt bereft, as though my clinging fingers were being prised from the edge of a life raft. But I am remade; grateful for the chance to rethink my body and my life, to keep living, to keep learning. All year we look forward to those two weeks hitting the beach with the family, lying on a sun lounger with your favourite book...and filling your boots at the buffet. Holidays are the opportunity to let our hair down, relax and treat ourselves. But we all know that three-course breakfasts, endless baguettes, daily ice-cream treats and an earlier-than-ever wine o'clock can take its toll on our waistlines. So what if you don't want to come home with excess bodily baggage? We asked Harley Street nutritionist Kim Pearson, who specialises in weight loss and maintenance, how to have a fabulous break, tuck into some tempting treats and feel just as good on the flight home as you did on the one out. Harley Street nutritionist Kim Pearson, (pictured) who specialises in weight loss and maintenance, advises on to have a fabulous break and tuck into some tempting treats Holidays are the opportunity to let our hair down, relax and treat ourselves. But we all know that daily ice-cream treats can take its toll on our waistlines Here are her top tips to help you avoid gaining that dreaded holiday half stone . . . PASS ON THE PLANE FOOD 'My budget airline in-flight meal was delicious,' said no one ever. Unless you're lucky enough to travel first class, airline catering is unlikely to be any tastier than the little plastic tray it comes on. Being at altitude on a flight affects our ability to taste sweet and salty food, meaning airline meals often contain higher levels of salt and sugar than food at ground level, making them very unhealthy. What I always advise my clients is to pause and consider 'is it really worth it?' before eating something that isn't nutritionally optimal. Are you honestly going to get any enjoyment from that salty, soggy lasagne and rock-hard bread roll? If it's a short flight, then you may not need to eat at all. If it's a longer flight, then I suggest nipping into a Pret, Itsu or Boots at the airport and picking up something tastier and healthier a salad, some unroasted nuts or even a bar of dark (minimum 70 per cent cocoa) chocolate. Focus on that first, blissful glass of chilled wine or bubbly that you're going to enjoy when you arrive at your destination, instead. BEWARE THE BREAKFAST BUFFET Stretching the length of the dining room and groaning with everything from waffles and pastries to sausage and bacon, going overboard at a hotel's breakfast buffet is easily done. If your willpower isn't great, why put yourself through it? If room service is on offer, it might be worth eating breakfast in your room and ordering just one dish to avoid the temptation of making multiple trips to the buffet. And definitely try to swerve it if you're suffering a hangover you'll be more likely to overeat, send your blood sugar through the roof and a couple of hours later you'll be peckish again and reaching for those Danish pastries you pocketed. Kim says that if room service is on offer, it might be worth eating breakfast in your room and ordering just one dish If you do go to the dining room, make sure you start with protein such as an omelette. This will fill you up and stop you over-indulging. If you start your breakfast with a refined carbohydrate such as toast, or fruit juice, your blood sugar will spike, making your body less efficient at burning fat so save the fruit plate for the end of the meal, if you need it at all. There's no need for a three-course breakfast remember you've got a fortnight to try all the different choices. A good tip is to save the indulgent dish the waffles and pancakes, perhaps for the last morning. It will be a great last breakfast and you won't be able to repeat it the next day! MAKE YOUR ICE CREAM EXTRA CREAMY Who doesn't enjoy some delicious ice cream on holiday? But if you're someone who always opts for sorbet instead, then think again it's not the healthier option you imagine. Sorbet is pure sugar. If you want ice cream then have the real thing, which will contain fat and some protein that will slow the release of the sugar. Have it in a cup, not a cone and if you choose one really delicious flavour then you won't need to add any extras, such as sugary sprinkles and syrups, either. Incorporate it with a walk your muscles will utilise the sugar for immediate energy, rather than storing it as fat. BREAK OUT THE BUBBLY Kim advises that Brut Nature is the driest Champagne you can get, followed by Extra Brut the drier it is, the lower the sugar content It's a given that most of us will drink more alcohol on holiday than we usually do. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to stick to sparkling water, but I do advise setting yourself a drink deadline. For example, some of my clients decide they won't have their first drink until 5pm. Breaks abroad are special occasions, so why not celebrate with some Champagne or a crisp dry white wine? Any wine that's classed as 'dry' has to have a maximum of five grams of sugar per litre, which means less than a teaspoon per bottle. Brut Nature is the driest Champagne you can get, followed by Extra Brut the drier it is, the lower the sugar content. And if you're a glugger, try this trick: order a glass of water and, if you're right-handed, place the water on your right side and the alcohol on your left. It will slow down your drinking as you'll naturally reach for your glass of water more often. Kim says: 'Sorbet is pure sugar. If you want ice cream then have the real thing, which will contain fat and some protein that will slow the release of the sugar...' REFUSE NIBBLES TO AVOID SNACK ATTACK When was the last time you ate one crisp? How about a single, salted peanut? One paltry pretzel? It doesn't happen, does it? If you're staying in a smart hotel or visiting an upmarket bar, then you may well receive a tray of nibbles when you order a drink. Once they're there in front of you, chances are you'll just mindlessly keep dipping into the salted snacks and won't even register that you're eating them. So, do yourself a favour and ask your waiter to take the tray away. On the other hand, if olives are on offer, help yourself! They're high in good fats but don't have the moreish factor of crisps or salted nuts, meaning you won't eat dozens of them. DAILY DELIGHT TO TREAT THE TASTEBUDS No ONE wants to feel deprived on holiday but, equally, no one wants to return home a dress size larger. Giving yourself a daily treat is something you may want to try. The simple act of choosing something and giving yourself permission to enjoy it will give you the opportunity to relish your treat without guilt. Often when we have an unplanned treat it can lead to feelings of guilt followed by a 'to hell with it' attitude and before you know it you're eating too many of the wrong things with abandon. Settle on something you're going to love savour every mouthful and stop eating as soon as you start to feel full. Avoid eating to the point where you're ready to be rolled out of the restaurant. MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR BARMAN If sipping cocktails by the pool is your holiday plan, then befriending the barman is a good idea. 'Mixologists love a challenge, and you'll be surprised at how easy it is to enjoy a refreshing cocktail that isn't loaded with sugar,' Kim says Some classic cocktails, such as pina colada, can contain more sugar and fat than a slice of chocolate cake. Instead, ask your bartender if he or she can make something without sugar, juice or syrup. Once, my holiday hotel barman hollowed out a coconut, blended some of the flesh with coconut water and added a shot of Malibu and Bacardi. It was so delicious they added it to the menu. Mixologists love a challenge, and you'll be surprised at how easy it is to enjoy a refreshing cocktail that isn't loaded with sugar. TAKE CONTROL OF THE ALL-INCLUSIVE If you're heading off on an all-inclusive holiday or cruise, where food and drink are part of the package, then the temptation is to 'get your money's worth' by eating and drinking everything in sight. Rather than heading blindly to a restaurant, study the menu beforehand, choose what you'll eat and stick to it. This will save you from feeling overwhelmed by choice. Before having a snack or drink, pause for a moment to see if you're really hungry or just eating out of habit. Mindless grazing is nowhere near as enjoyable as savouring food when your body needs it. Kim says: 'Don't jump on the scales as soon as you return. Flying can cause us to retain water, meaning you may be carrying water weight rather than fat...' Instead of thinking, 'I've paid a premium, so I'm going to eat everything', think, 'I've paid a premium, so I'm going to ask the chef to make something just for me'. Ordering off menu will make you feel like a VIP, and you'll be able to eat something delicious and healthy a steak and salad perhaps made just for you. DON'T BRING BAD HABITS HOME The holiday is over but don't be tempted to stay in holiday mode. Often, we'll arrive home to an empty fridge and order a take-away or carry on having wine with every meal. Draw a line in the sand and settle on a day to get back to normal eating and drinking. If you arrive home on a Friday, end those holiday habits on Monday. WAIT A WEEK BEFORE YOU WEIGH IN Don't jump on the scales as soon as you return. Flying can cause us to retain water, meaning you may be carrying water weight rather than fat. Many of us also suffer holiday constipation, often as a result of dehydration. Instead, wait five to seven days for a more accurate reading. kim-pearson.com One of the things that has annoyed me most throughout my career is patients not turning up for appointments. Im thoroughly sick of it and I know many of my colleagues feel the same. Its hard to describe the frustration of sitting in a clinic, waiting for a patient whos failed to turn up, and not being able to get on with other work because they might suddenly appear, and all along knowing there are dozens of other patients whod give their eye teeth for that appointment. So youd think Id welcome Rishi Sunaks plans to fine those people who dont attend NHS appointments 10. It sounds, on the surface, like a good idea. Missed appointments cost the NHS huge sums of money each year. About 220 million is wasted through missed GP appointments and a total of about 1billion when hospital appointments are included. About 220 million is wasted through missed GP appointments and a total of about 1billion when hospital appointments are included Think how else that money could have been spent! A few years ago, I became so annoyed by this that I started calling patients to ask why they hadnt turned up and was incensed by the kinds of replies I got. There was a fair share of people whod forgotten, but also shocking number who simply couldnt be bothered, and werent ashamed to admit that they thought they had better things to be doing. One woman snapped at me that she hadnt come because Selfridges had a sale day offering 20 per cent off and shed wanted to go Christmas shopping. I was left slack-jawed at that one. You wont be surprised to hear that Im interested in the psychology of this behaviour. I think a part of the reason it happens is that people no longer see the connection between what we pay in taxes and what we get from the Health Service, and so they dont value it. People think the NHS is free, when in reality it is simply free to access we still have to pay for it! Dr Max Pemberton (pictured) says he started calling patients to ask why they didn't show. One woman snapped at him saying that Selfridges had a 20 per cent off sale Psychology studies have shown that the intrinsic value of something isnt as important as how we view its value. In other words, the higher the price of something, the more its perceived value and people value things they pay for over what is free. So, if medical appointments are seen as free, theyre not important. But while this probably accounts for the shameless types whod rather go shopping than show up, I also found that there were a number of people who had genuine reasons. Whats more, there were plenty of instances where it wasnt the patient but the admin staff who had messed up. And this is partly why Im against Rishis idea. Its so difficult to know when someone should be punished and when they shouldnt. What if people simply claim they didnt receive their appointment letter? Or what if there really has been an admin mix-up? The unwieldy bureaucracy of the NHS means it will be almost impossible to know for sure. Well get bogged down with refusals to pay and then what will we do? It will just create more work for an already overburdened workforce and well end up spending more money on chasing fines then we could ever hope to make from them. There must be a simpler solution. Id rather go for a nudge approach a way of using psychology to encourage people either to attend or to cancel in a timely fashion. In one mental health clinic I ran that was beset by nonattenders, we took to writing to every patient telling them how much money was wasted by people missing their appointments and what this money could have been spent on extra nurses, a refurbished day centre etc. We were honest about the impact people not attending appointments was having on our service and how it was wasting precious resources. Every appointment letter had details of the appointment and also information about the cost of that appointment to the NHS and taxpayers. We also made it very easy for patients to cancel they could email or text if they didnt want the appointment and we encouraged them to do so if they werent sure. We then invested in a simple IT system that would text patients as the appointment approached, with another reminder of the cost of missed appointments, and asked them to text back if they were unable to attend. We saw non-attendance fall from 30 per cent to single digits. Its not headline-grabbing but its better and cheaper than implementing unworkable fines. Family matters for Rod Rod Stewart with his daughters Ruby (left), Renee and Kimberly enjoying a summer holiday in Italy All credit to Rod Stewart, 77, who has been enjoying a summer holiday in Italy with seven of his eight children, aged 42 to 11. He posed with them on the quayside in Portofino last week: Kimberly and Sean, whom he shares with ex-wife Alana Stewart; Ruby, whose mother is Kelly Emberg; Renee and Liam, whom he shares with Rachel Hunter; and Alistair and Aiden, his children with wife Penny Lancaster. They all appeared to be having a whale of a time. Far too many men and Im afraid it is mainly men allow their families to drift apart when they set up home with someone new. They cut their own children adrift or give them only fleeting attention. Rod is pictured here with his 'blended family'. He has eight children, aged 42 to 11 and manages to maintain close contact with them all, while also remaining on good terms with his exes Research shows that the sense of rejection this inflicts triples the risk of emotional problems in children. Regular readers will know I worry about the impact that divorce and separation have on youngsters, but it seems Sir Rod has managed to negotiate this minefield as deftly as possible. He appears to have successfully blended his family and maintained close contact with his children, while also remaining on good terms with his exes. If only other men would follow his example. Sir Patrick Vallance, who taught me at medical school, has announced hes stepping down as the Governments chief scientific adviser. During the dark days of the pandemic, I felt safe knowing he was guiding our response. Hes served us all admirably and I hope he now enjoys a well-deserved rest. DR MAX PRESCRIBES... COLD WATER BOTTLE Dr Max Pemberton suggests using a water bottle to cool down during the heatwaves. He suggests popping it in the freezer before bed With another heatwave predicted for this week, anything that can help keep us cool at night has to be welcomed. So I suggest you dig out your hot water bottle. Yes, you read that right! But instead of filling it from the kettle, fill it with cold water and pop it in the freezer before you take it to bed. Its the perfect antidote to hot, muggy nights. Aussie travellers looking for a summer fix in the middle of winter are venturing to a gorge 'in the middle of nowhere' with turquoise waterways and lush forestry. Boodjamulla National Park in Queensland is one of the state's most scenic natural sites with spectacular watering holes, sandstone ranges and world heritage fossils. Located 340km north-west of Mount Isa it's no mean feat to reach the gorge but for those who have dared detour and find it there have been no regrets. 'We almost didn't visit this place due to it being soooo far to get to. Nonetheless the massive detour and truly horrific road to get into it was worth every second,' one traveller wrote on Instagram. Boodjamulla National Park in Queensland is one of the state's most scenic natural sites with spectacular watering holes, sandstone ranges and world heritage fossils Located 340km north-west of Mount Isa it's no mean feat to reach the gorge but for those who have dared detour and find it there have been no regrets 'Kayaking down this gorge was one of those "wow" moments. Do not skip this park!! We only spent two nights here but could've stayed doubled that.' The limestone water source colours the water with minerals that create a stunning aqua blue and green tint, and warm, tropical temperatures are easy to come by. The magnitude of the sandstone cliffs lining the gorge, its emerald waters and lush vegetation make it a visual splendour. The Waanyi Aboriginal people have strong cultural ties with the park while pastoralists of European descent have more recent historical connections. Boodjamulla National Park lies on ancient sandstone of the Constance Range, between the Barkly Tablelands to the south-west and the black soils of the Gulf Savanna Plains to the east. The limestone water source colours the water with minerals that create a stunning aqua blue and green tint, and warm, tropical temperatures are easy to come by The Waanyi Aboriginal people have strong cultural ties with the park while pastoralists of European descent have more recent historical connections Lawn Hill Creek and the Gregory and O'Shanassy rivers flow all year round, providing a stark contrast to the dry, parched landscape during the dry season. There are several hiking trails to explore in the national park itself including the 6.9km Upper Gorge Circuit, the 3.2km Constance Range Walk and the 2.4km Duwadarri Lookout. Another traveller wrote online: 'The walking tracks were unreal making you want to take pictures at every turn. The second day we explored the gorge by kayak looking up at the massive red cliffs and paddling past freshwater crocodiles.' The managers of investment trust Bellevue Healthcare are confident the future of the global healthcare industry is a bright one. Ageing populations across the world and the exponential growth in chronic illnesses mean demand for healthcare services is here to stay, irrespective of any economic downturn. So confident are the management team that since the start of the year, they have used 80million of low-cost borrowings to increase the trust's holdings in equity markets. The two individuals overseeing the 1billion portfolio Paul Major and Brett Darke have also been busy buying more personal shares in the trust, a sure-fire sign that they believe the outlook is more positive than negative. 'Of course, as an investor in equities, you can't dismiss the Putin factor,' says Major, 'Or for that matter, geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea. ''It explains why we have kept some powder dry just in case something happens which causes share prices to plunge sharply and suddenly. If that happened, we would use the borrowings we have yet to employ to buy even more shares in the companies we own. 'The fact remains that many of the companies we invest in are super-resilient businesses that will keep on growing. They provide a degree of certainty in an uncertain world. The trust is invested in 29 healthcare stocks, most listed in the United States. 'We keep an eye on some 250 companies,' says Major. 'Most are small to medium-sized businesses doing extraordinary things in the healthcare sector. But their share prices have been hit by the general slide in US equity values over the past nine months.' Bellevue's numbers confirm this. Over the past year, the trust has recorded losses of nearly 9 per cent. This compares with five-year gains of 73 per cent. 'Our job is to find companies that can deliver healthcare solutions, whether it is in disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment or recovery,' says Major. Among the trust's top 10 holdings is CareDx, a US company that provides at-home testing kits to people who have had a major organ transplant. 'The tests help reduce the risk of organ rejection,' says Major. 'They are able to identify any adverse impact on the replacement organ as a result of the drugs being used and any weakening of the immune system that could trigger other conditions.' The investment trust has had a holding in CareDx on and off over the years, but reinvested in the company in September last year. Another big fund stake is in Axonics, a business that has developed a small electronic implant that helps people who suffer from involuntary leakage of the bladder or bowel. The implant sends out a current that stimulates nerves that control the bladder and bowel, stopping leakage. When someone wants to use the toilet, they deactivate the implant through a hand-held switch. Quarterly financial results for Axonics, released last week, showed a 50 per cent increase in company revenues, compared to the same period last year. The trust has a stock market identification code of BZCNLL9 and a ticker of BBH. Annual charges total 1.1 per cent. Given its specialist nature, it is a fund that should only form a small part of an investor's portfolio. One attractive feature is that it pays a regular dividend, equivalent to around 3.5 per cent per annum. The latest interim dividend of 3.235pence compares to last year's payment of 3.015pence and a share price of 1.74. Rival trusts include Polar Capital Global Healthcare and Worldwide Healthcare. Celebrity appeal: Taylor Swift is a Cambridge Satchel fan Boasting a Hollywood profile and a roll call of clients that includes Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, The Cambridge Satchel Company has been credited with creating the 'British It Bag'. But the iconic fashion brand now appears to have been sold to a French company textiles giant Chargeurs. The revelation has been made in company documents that show Chargeurs has taken a stake of at least 75 per cent in Cambridge Satchel. At the same time, after years of the label racking up losses, three directors have resigned. Two senior executives from Chargeurs have been appointed in their place alongside Cambridge Satchel founder Julie Deane, who remains a director. Launched in 2008, the company became a social media phenomenon among fashion bloggers, as a series of high-profile celebrity fans pictured with its products helped it gain a global profile. But Cambridge Satchel has not made a profit since 2014 and last year it was revealed to have lost nearly 2million. At the time, Deane vowed to stick to her guns despite a series of share issues diluting her control and two private equity companies taking significant stakes. Chargeurs operates in around 90 countries with more than 2,000 people employed across textile technology, fashion and healthcare. In 2020, the group generated revenue of nearly 700million and has made a series of acquisitions in recent years. The French satellite company set to merge with Britain's OneWeb has been forced to stop broadcasting a Russian TV channel that compared Ukrainians with the Nazis. A damning ruling by France's regulator said Eutelsat must cut ties with NTV Mir within 48 hours. The Russian news channel broadcast programmes that likened President Volodymyr Zelensky to Adolf Hitler, the regulator found. Criticism: Paris-based Eutelsat agreed a deal to merge with UK taxpayer-backed OneWeb late last month International campaign group Reporters Without Borders criticised Eutelsat for its Russian TV transmissions earlier this year. It also claimed that Russia was Eutelsat's second biggest client in 2021. Paris-based Eutelsat agreed a deal to merge with UK taxpayer-backed OneWeb late last month. OneWeb a pioneer of communications networks through lower Earth orbit satellites was bailed out by Boris Johnson's Government in 2020, but is regarded as a shining light in the UK's technology and communications strategy. Senior UK figures raised concerns about the merger after an investigation in The Mail on Sunday last weekend into Eutelsat's links with China. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said the Government will have to stop OneWeb's sale for national security reasons. The MoS revealed that Eutelsat has handed 150million in dividends to the Chinese state in the past decade. Darren Jones MP, chair of the Commons' Business Committee, has written to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng about the company's Chinese links as well as Eutelsat's Russian TV broadcasts. France's media regulator Arcom cited a series of NTV Mir episodes transmitted by Eutelsat that spread Kremlin propaganda, including repeated comparisons between Ukraine and the Third Reich, and claims that the country's citizens adhered to Nazi ideology. The programmes, aired in the spring, also tried to legitimise the use of violence against Ukrainians. Eutelsat has also faced criticism after broadcasting Chinese TV channels that aired forced confessions from dissidents. A Eutelsat spokesman said it has already removed Russian TV channels from its services, including Russia Today, while also claiming it has never fallen short of EU sanctions or regulators' decisions on Russia'. Chinese, Iranian FMs discuss bilateral ties, Taiwan question over phone Xinhua) 10:07, August 07, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Noting that the presidents of the two countries spoke on the phone just a few days ago, Amir-Abdollahian said the Iranian side is willing to earnestly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, and advance the comprehensive cooperation plan between the two countries to achieve new results in bilateral relations. The Iranian foreign minister stressed that his country firmly adheres to the one-China policy and strongly condemns the U.S. senseless moves over the Taiwan question. The one-China principle is a prerequisite for ensuring regional peace and security, and the historical context and legal facts of the Taiwan question are crystal clear, said Amir-Abdollahian, adding that he himself and the Iranian foreign ministry have made their stance open and clear that Iran will continue to firmly support China's legitimate position. Wang said the phone conversation between the two heads of state not long ago provided important strategic guidance for the next-stage development of relations between the two countries, adding that China is willing to work with the Iranian side to deliver more solid outcomes of the comprehensive cooperation plan between the two countries. Wang said China highly appreciates that Iran promptly voiced its support for China on the Taiwan question and reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China principle as well as to the implementation of one-China policy, which fully reflects the high level of the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership. In like manner, China stands firm in supporting Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty, as well as dignity, legitimate rights and interests of its nation, and opposes any hegemonic acts of bully that interfere in Iran's internal affairs, Wang said. Wang stressed that the visit by the speaker of the U.S. house of representatives to China's Taiwan region violated China's sovereignty, and the international community has said "no" to such a bullying act. To the surprise of the U.S. side, more than 160 countries have in recent days voiced support for China's legitimate position in different ways, Wang said. This further consolidates and strengthens the consensus of the international community on the one-China principle, forming the voice of justice of all countries that opposes interference in internal affairs and safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity. Wang noted that China is ready to work with the Iranian side to safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, and join hands to oppose unilateralism and bullying practices and to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Amir-Abdollahian expressed his full support for that. The Iranian foreign minister gave an update on the progress in negotiations of resuming compliance with the Iranian nuclear deal, vowing to strive for a powerful and stable agreement. Wang said that the Iranian nuclear issue has once again come to a critical point, and that China appreciates Iran's sincerity in pushing for the resumption of the talks in Vienna, which serves the interests of the Iranian side and meets the expectations of the international community. China welcomes Iran's continued positive gestures, supports Tehran's legitimate demands, and will continue to play a constructive role in its own way, Wang said, adding that China is willing to maintain communication with the Iranian side. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) The serene Oak Flat upland lies in the heart of Arizona. With its beautiful peaks and forest, it is a beloved spot for campers, hikers and rock climbers. Above all, it is the centre of the San Carlos Apache tribe's religion, a place of devotion where their gods dwell and they still perform traditional ceremonies. But it is now at the centre of a dispute between the tribe and FTSE 100 giant Rio Tinto. It is also shaping up to be an acid test of the mining group's claims that it is determined to respect sacred sites. Wendsler Nosie Sr of the Apache Stronghold a coalition of Apaches and non-Apache supporters that is bringing the case describes it as the 'most sacred site where we connect with our creator, our faith, our families and our land'. Clash: Wendsler Nosie of the Apache Stronghold is fighting Rio Tinto and BHP He says: 'It is a place of healing that has been sacred to us since long before Europeans arrived on this continent.' Members of the tribe, which was famously guided by Geronimo in the 19th Century, have referred to it as their equivalent to Mount Sinai and describe rock paintings and carvings as the footprints and spirit of their ancestors. In 1955 President Eisenhower signed an order declaring Oak Flat, which is in the Tonto National Forest 60 miles from state capital Phoenix, off-limits for mining. But since 2004 there has been a bitter struggle by Rio Tinto and fellow mining group BHP through their Resolution Copper joint venture to access the metal lying under Oak Flat, in opposition to locals. The project is now set to be at the centre of a Supreme Court battle that threatens to tarnish Rio's already damaged reputation. The company was the target of global outrage after it blew up two 46,000-year-old sacred Aboriginal caves in Western Australia two years ago to expand a lucrative iron ore mine, despite knowing their archaeological and religious value. The destruction resulted in an Australian parliamentary inquiry, a re-evaluation of heritage laws and a boardroom clearout which included then-chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques. Paying tribute: The Apache tribe was guided by Geronimo in the 19th Century Chairman Simon Thompson promised that the company would 'never again' destroy sacred sites, and new boss Jakob Stausholm has made a point of investigating toxic culture and practices. But the plight of the Apache tribe seems in direct contradiction to these aims. Resolution Copper, by its own admission, says the type of mining it plans to use could result in an almost two-mile-wide crater in Oak Flat, destroying the land. Roger Featherstone, director of campaign group the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, says: 'One cannot forget Rio Tinto and BHP both promised the world they would never again allow the destruction of an indigenous sacred place after Rio Tinto blew up sacred rock shelters in Australia for a mine expansion the Resolution Copper mining plan would do exactly that.' Locals also insist the huge amount of waste created and water required for the project could imperil the state's resources. Featherstone adds: 'With Arizona in the middle of the worst drought we've faced in 1,200 years, there is not enough water for this project unless farmers, communities, our public lands, and other industry give up water to allow it.' Resolution Copper's attempt to get hold of the land has involved a complicated legal process hinging on a land swap with the National Forestry Service. That was waived through in January 2021 under the Trump administration. The Apache tribe immediately filed an injunction to halt the project altogether on the grounds that it would harm their religious freedom. In June, a federal court rejected this injunction in a 2-1 ruling with the dissenting judge Marsha Berzon calling the conclusion 'absurd'. However, the controversial land swap is on pause and still the subject of a federal investigation. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court appeal, expected to be lodged next month, will again make the case that the Apaches' religious freedom will be crushed by the mining plans. The case is between the Apache Stronghold and the US government but Rio could be called in as a witness. Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at the Apaches' legal group Becket Law, said: 'In law, principle and common sense this is one of the most straightforward cases I've ever worked on. 'Legally, for the Apaches themselves, this is a matter of life and death, it is about whether their tribe as a people could continue to exist for centuries.' A Rio spokesman said the company has already scaled back its plans and excluded some sensitive areas. Rio added: 'We respect the sovereignty of tribal communities. Resolution Copper is committed to preserving Native American cultural heritage while developing partnerships and bringing lasting benefits to our communities.' Confronted with someone else's wallet, most would like to think they'd drop it off to the nearest police station with the money and cards left inside. But for one woman, the temptation of a wild night out on the town, an all-expenses-paid trip to a sex shop and pricey Qantas flights proved too strong. Kirsten McNeice revealed her credit card was stolen and used for an extraordinary range of purchases, including bras, booze, food and sex toys. Ms McNeice wasn't aware of the woman's weekend of paywaving until she looked at her bank statement earlier this week - something she now urges everyone to do more often. The unknown woman spent more than $3,000 dollars on Ms McNeice's card, according bank statements seen by Daily Mail Australia. She appeared to have made multiple trips to a popular Wollongong club, splashing cash around each time. The woman had multiple innings' at Mr Crown (pictured) in Wollongong and spent nearly $400 at the venue The thief's daytime trips to Mr Crown, a public bar and nightclub, were broken up with visits to a Shellharbour bra and lingerie store and a $200 manicure. She also ensured she would have a quick getaway when her hijinks outgrew the small industrial city - spending $876 on a Qantas ticket. An $876 ticket would enable her to go to almost anywhere within southeast Asia and the Pacific, according to Qantas' current offers. The unknown woman went on a shopping spree around the retail district of Wollongong (pictured) Ms McNeigh posted the bank records (pictured) on social media to the excitement of many University of Wollongong students The unknown thief then partied at Mr Crown again, appearing to have ordered generously at the bar. After leaving the pub, the woman bought a dinner at a local kebab shop with the $27 card swipe suggesting she opted for multiple kebabs or 'snack packs', perhaps to share with her friends. The woman, at some point, retreated home for the evening, reloading for a Tuesday morning visit to the shops. The mystery shopper made two matching purchases at Myer, a quick trip to Chemist Warehouse, and dropped a cool $80 at pyjama store Peter Alexander. The Wollongong grifter made an online fruit purchase before trundling down to a local Boost Juice, perhaps still craving a fruity hangover fix. She then trekked to a quieter part of Wollongong, spending more than $400 at a discreet sex store, the Adult Warehouse, in the west of the city. After that, her spending spree appeared to come to an abrupt stop. Ms McNeice is already on track to receive her money back she said, but the culprit is still on the run. 'Now it's just a matter of finding her,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'Thirteen rounds of drinks for your girlfriends at Mr Crown followed by a snack pack at King Kebabs? Respect.' Ms McNeice said she believes she already had the name of the woman behind the in-and-out spree after asking a few of the businesses where the cash was spent. Purchases made at a discreetly named company were actually for this Adult Warehouse store in the industrial area of Wollongong Ms McNeice has left a statement with the police as they try to find the culprit. Students in a local University of Wollongong Facebook group have followed developments in the case with interest, with one joking the episode needed to be a true crime podcast. Ms McNeice had posted the expenses sheets originally to the group, allowing the others to follow the inglorious money trail for themselves. A later post in the group spurred a flurry of messages guessing at where the mystery woman would be by then. 'Shes either at Mr Crown or Bras and Things, or on her way back to Mr Crown from Bras and Things,' joked another. 'Damn, did she get around... she wouldn't have gotten that far on my bank card that's for sure.' An Australian mining company has been forced to pay a worker $300,000 after his foot became caught in an industrial conveyor belt causing significant injuries. The worker was installing the energised scraper conveyor at the Appin below ground mine - owned by Endeavour Coal, a subsidiary of the BHP-founded South32 - southwest of Sydney, on June 8, 2019. The labour-hire worker's foot became stuck and he managed to pull himself free but only after his right foot was crushed, his toes were amputated and he suffered a large gash its underside, court documents seen by The Illawarra Mercury said. The worker told the court he had lost his job as a result of the injury and was permanently unable to work. Pictures of the conveyor belt in which the worker's foot became lodged show a large boot-sized gap (pictured) The NSW Resources Regulator investigated the incident and Endeavour Coal pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 in the NSW District Court on July 27. The mining giant was convicted of failing to ensure the health and safety of workers and was fined $300,000 - reduced by 25 per cent to reflect the early guilty plea - and ordered to pay prosecutors' court fees. Peter Day, executive director at the Resources Regulator, said the decision highlighted the need for mining companies to ensure the safety of workers. He said Endeavour Coal did not adhere to documented systems designed to prevent such an incident and new team members were not adequately brought up to speed when brought onto site. The new boss of Australia's feared Comanchero bikies, Allan Meehan, has shown off his style in a designer Versace dressing gown, posing at home in his kitchen with his wife Elise. Mrs Meehan is seen wearing slightly more humble sleepwear than her husband's $867 'I Love Baroque' robe, donning a $55 set of Peter Alexander Winnie the Pooh pyjamas - but both leisure wear outfits are made from fabric patterned in the Comanchero bikie gang colours of red, black and gold. Posting the photo of himself and his wife on his Instagram page, Meehan added the comment 'new robe same love' with a yellow heart emoji. The Meehans have lived in their four bedroom Yerrinbool home, in the Southern Highlands of NSW, that they are pictured in, for four years, and have a teenage daughter together. The bikie boss's new designer robe and his Instagram comment may be a reference to the grey, slightly daggy bath robe he was captured in on police video when they paid him a visit to the home in early July. NSW Police released video and still images which were published nationally showing officers handing Meehan a notice informing him they intended to go to the Supreme Court and take out a serious crime prevention order against him. New boss of the feared Comanchero bikie gang Allen Meehan poses in an $867 Versace bath robe with wife Elise in $55 Peter Alexander pyjamas in their Yerrinbool kitchen Allen Meehan in the aggier grey bathrobe he had on when police came knocking to serve him with a crime order two days after he had taken over as the Comanchero' s new national president It was a show of authority by the state's Strike Force Raptor which proactively targets Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCG) activity. Just two days earlier, Meehan had announced his elevation to gang national president with an Instagram post showing a patch on his leather vest which revealed his new title and the caption: 'U cant see the eyes of the demon, until him come a callin.' Puffing on a cigarette, Meehan stood on his front verandah reading the order which would allow police to stop him from associating with other bikies in NSW, or use phones or bank accounts not approved by them and which included a firearms prohibition. With his bare, heavily tattooed legs thrust into brown slippers, and wearing a dark grey jumper beneath the shapeless grey robe, the new Comanchero boss wasn't exactly the picture of sartorial elegance. Allan Meehan drapes a black red and gold Comanchero jerkin over his arm while posing with the former national gang president Mark Buddle several years ago Allan Meehan's Versace 'I Love Baroque' bath robe markets for $867, while his wife Elise's Peter Alexander Winnie the Pooh PJs in the same colours go for just $55 In the wake of the visit, Meehan may have felt he needed to look the part for the big job ahead of him. He has taken over a feared organisation that is nevertheless facing major internal and external challenges. His immediate predecessor is in jail charged with murder, and another of the men who previously held his position was shot dead four years ago. Meehan's ultimate boss, Mark Buddle, who was the club's self-declared 'commander of the world', was on the run overseas until this week. Buddle is now under heavy protection in custody after being extradited from Turkey and flown to Victoria to face charges of allegedly smuggling $40 million worth of cocaine. Allan Meehan posted this image on Instagram of himself photographed with his wife, Elise (left) and another woman, commenting 'What's life good for is you don't go thru it as a man's man!' The new Comanchero bikie boss also posted this throwback photo of himself and two other children, possibly his siblings, commenting on his 'humble beginnings' and 'many lessons learned' Since becoming national president of the feared Comanchero bikie gang, Allen Meehan has made a philosophical comment on Instagram crediting the people in his life for giving him their love and friendship Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor of the NSW Criminal Groups Squad has warned that Meehan will continue to be targeted like other bikie leaders who came before him. But Meehan appears to be taking a philosophical approach while taking control of the Comanchero. Before posting the latest photo of himself in his wife in their new bikie club coloured sleepwear, Meehan had earlier posted a photo of himself as a young boy, with the statement 'Humble beginnings. Many lessons learnt. Life has been my greatest teacher. 'Along with some great people along the way who blessed me with their love and loyal friendship'. Meehan grew up in public housing at Liverpool in Sydney's south-west and joined the Rebels when he was just 18, rising to president of that club's Cronulla chapter. He was reportedly lured to patch over to the Comanchero by Mark Buddle, who reportedly gave him his blessing for the top job. Police handed Meehan a notice informing him they intended to go to the Supreme Court and take out a serious crime prevention order against him New Comanchero national president Allan Meehan, 35, (pictured) has his work cut out for him taking over the country's most powerful outlaw bikie gang. The 35-year-old Meehan took over the Comanchero national presidency in early July from 44-year-old Mick Murray, who was arrested in by Victoria Police in April over the 2019 killing of Mitat Rasimi, an associate of high-profile drug lord Tony Mokbel. After Murray stood down and following a gang member's funeral, Meehan's appointment was made at a meeting of senior Comanchero leadership in Melbourne. Since taking over, Meehan scored a coup by convincing Jesse Vella to patch over from the rival Rebels to the Comanchero, effectively stealing a member of that gang's 'royal family' and potentially sparking pay back violence. Murray had run the gang from the Victorian capital but Meehan is expected to base himself in New South Wales where the Comanchero was founded. Meehan is also seen as the rightful restorer of the Comanchero to the gang's roots. Since its inception on the NSW Central Coast the 'Condor Empire' - named for the bird of prey on the Comanchero colours - has started up chapters in Russia, Bosnia, Spain and New Zealand. A Catholic who regularly attends Mass, Meehan is known for his devotion to his family as well as to being a bikie. The order would allow police to stop Meehan from associating with other bikies in NSW or use phones or bank accounts that aren't approved by them The former national president and self-declared Comanchero 'commander of the world' Mark Buddle is taken under heavy police guard on his way back to a Victorian prison after extradition from Turkey Meehan was reportedly lured to patch over from the Rebels to the Comanchero by onetime national president Mark Buddle, pictured with his partner Mel Ter Wisscha, who is in a detention centre in Istanbul 'He's spent his entire adult life in bikie gangs. He doesn't know any other life.' a source told the Herald Sun which reported that he is well respected among the Comanchero's remaining old guard as well as new recruits. Shortly before Meehan's elevation Detective Inspector Graham Banks from Victoria Police's anti-bikie Echo Taskforce said the 'Comos' were struggling to maintain an effective leadership structure. The gang had been run by Beirut-born Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi who later left the Comanchero only to be shot dead outside a Rockdale gym in Sydney's south in February 2018. That killing followed the shooting of senior Comanchero Tarek Zahed, 41, and his brother Omar, 39, as they were ambushed by two gunmen while leaving an Auburn gym in the city's south-west on May 10. Tarek survived but his brother Omar died at the scene. After patching over from the Rebels to the Comanchero, when Allen Meehan (left) became national president he lured Rebel 'royalty' Jesse Vella (right) over to the club in July Meehan (above) grew up in public housing at Liverpool in Sydney's south-west and joined the Rebels when he was just 18, rising to president of that club's Cronulla chapter Dozens of Comanchero have been arrested in federal police raids as part of Operation Ironside, one of the most significant crackdowns on Australian organised crime. Det. Supt Grant Taylor said Meehan's takeover of the Comanchero in NSW had focused police attention on him for the foreseeable future. 'Whenever you're involving yourself in the hierarchical structure of an outlaw motorcycle gang... and you want to publicly declare that you're in charge of that outlaw motorcycle gang in a particular area or state of Australia, well you can expect to get a lot of attention from law enforcement,' he said. Israel on Sunday agreed to an Egyptian-proposed truce with Palestinian militants in Gaza after three days of intense conflict, an Egyptian source said. Islamic Jihad confirmed that talks toward a ceasefire were underway, but stopped short of saying an agreement had been reached. The negotiations raise hopes that Egypt could help broker a deal to end the worst fighting in Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the impoverished coastal territory, home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. At least 31 Palestinians have been killed including six children, and 275 people have been wounded since Friday, health authorities said. Since Friday, Israel has carried out heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of Islamic Jihad positions in Gaza, with the militants firing hundreds of rockets in retaliation. Islamic Jihad is the smaller of the two main Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, and is vastly outnumbered by Hamas, which controls the enclave. Hamas's response to the violence remains critical, with spokesman Fawzi Barhoum offering the group's support to Islamic Jihad on Sunday, but stopping short of saying they would take part. 'The resistance in all its military wings and factions are united in this battle,' Barhoum said. Islamic Jihad is aligned with Hamas but often acts independently. Hamas has fought four wars with Israel since seizing control of Gaza in 2007, including the conflict last May. Smoke is seen rising from Gaza City following an Israeli air strike on Friday A Palestinian woman weeps amid the rubble of her destroyed home on Sunday Paramedics rush to the scene of an Israeli air strike in Gaza City A Palestinian man walks on Sunday amid the rubble of his home following Israeli air strikes in Gaza City Gaza, home to some 2.3 million Palestinians, is controlled by Hamas, with the smaller Islamic Jihad also active Several building in the enclave were reduced to rubble. Two Israelis have been wounded by shrapnel, and others forced to shelter from a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, said officials were talking with both sides 'around the clock' to ease the violence. A security source in Cairo told AFP that Israel 'has accepted' a ceasefire, adding that Cairo was waiting for the Palestinian response. A source from Islamic Jihad said that 'discussions are underway at the highest levels towards calm'. But they warned that 'the resistance will not stop if the occupation's (Israel) aggression and crimes do not stop'. On Sunday, Islamic Jihad - an Iran-backed group designated as a terrorist organization by several Western nations - extended their barrage to fire two rockets targeting Jerusalem. They were shot down by the army. The Israeli army has said the entire 'senior leadership of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza has been neutralized'. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director general of the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, said medics were treating wounded people in a 'very bad condition', warning of dire shortages of drugs and fuel to run power generators. 'Every minute we receive injured people,' he said on Sunday. The friend of a young Palestinian killed during the night in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip is pictured on Sunday during his funeral Palestinians inspect a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah town, Gaza Strip, on Sunday In Gaza, run by the Islamist group Hamas, the health ministry said 31 people had been killed. But Israel said it had 'irrefutable' evidence that a stray rocket fired by Islamic Jihad was responsible for the deaths of several children in Gaza's northern Jabalia area on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how many children were killed there, but an AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at the local hospital including three minors. 'We came running to the place and found body parts lying on the ground... they were torn-apart children,' said Muhammad Abu Sadaa, describing the devastation in Jabalia. In this file photo taken on April 17, 2022 members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group take part in a demonstration in the southern Gaza strip The army said it had struck 139 Islamic Jihad positions, with the militants firing over 600 rockets and mortars, but with more than a hundred of those projectiles falling short inside Gaza. Amid the high tensions, Jews in Israel-annexed east Jerusalem marked the Tisha Be'av fasting day Sunday at the Al Aqsa mosque compound, known in Judaism as the Temple Mount. Some Palestinians shouted 'God is greatest' in response, and an AFP photographer was briefly detained by Israeli police, but commemorations passed off without major incident. Israel has said it was necessary to launch a 'pre-emptive' operation on Friday against Islamic Jihad, which it said was planning an imminent attack. The army has killed senior leaders of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, including Taysir al-Jabari in Gaza City and Khaled Mansour in Rafah in the south. Israel's Lapid called the killing of Mansour an 'extraordinary achievement'. People ride a quad bike past an Israeli Iron Dome air defense system on the outskirts of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Sunday Daily life in the Gaza Strip has come to a standstill, with the sole power station shut down due to a lack of fuel after Israel closed its border crossings. The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA has warned of the 'severe risk' to the 'continuation of basic essential services'. 'Each day we wake up to child and women martyrs... there is killing and wounding and people displaced,' said Gaza City resident Abu Mohammed al-Madhoun, 56. 'We hope that Israeli aggression will end'. In southern and central Israel, civilians were forced into air raid shelters. Two people were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds and 13 others lightly hurt while running for safety, the Magen David Adom emergency service said. 'It's tense, it's frightening,' said Beverly Jamil, a resident of Ashkelon, close to Gaza. 'Ashkelon's a ghost town - it's a holiday, kids should be out playing.' Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell has made clear his thoughts on working from home, outlining his belief that the trend is 'hurting society' and that any future recession will likely force employees back into the office. But Gladwell, who has written six bestsellers, has long spoken of his own personal work-from-home routine - and for more than a decade has been seen out and about working remotely in New York cafes and restaurants. Nevertheless, the best-selling author and host of the podcast Revisionist History, which has millions of subscribers shared his views during an interview with The Diary Of A CEO podcast. 'It's very hard to feel necessary when you're physically disconnected,' Gladwell said during an emotional, 90 minute long chat. 'As we face the battle that all organizations are facing now in getting people back into the office, it's really hard to explain this core psychological truth, which is we want you to have a feeling of belonging and to feel necessary. 'And we want you to join our team. And if you're not here it's really hard to do that,' Gladwell explained. Gladwell, however, has a history of frank discussions about his own long-running avoidance of The New Yorker's office - where he is a staff writer. He has instead made a habit of working from his swanky West Village home or neighborhood coffeeshops - even before the pandemic ravaged New York City's commercial office market. The bestselling author revealed in a 2008 interview with New York Magazine that he refused to trek even a few miles to the magazine's upscale office, then based in Midtown - citing his 'aversion' to the neighborhood. Gladwell says that a recession will likely drive employees who are 'sitting in their pajamas' back into the office Gladwell is happy to encourage others to return to the office but has spoken frequently in the past of his love to work from coffee shops and from home In September 2020 Gladwell tweeted how he had set up an office for him to work from home Indeed, the article also chronicled the lengths the New Yorker went to accommodate their all-star writer - going so far as to send couriers to his home to pick up fact-checking materials. Years earlier, in 2005, Gladwell gave an interview to The Guardian at length in which he professed how he 'hates desks'. 'I hate desks. Desks are now banished. I work better when I'm comfortable,' Gladwell said. 'I refer to my writing as 'rotating'. I always say 'I'm going to rotate' because I have a series of spots that I rotate.' At the time Gladwell shared how he had a number of cafes and restaurants that he flipped between. The sheer hypocrisy of Gladwell opining about the lack of enthusiasm of returning to an office while hardly frequenting one himself was not lost on social media users. 'The waiters are all Australian and they play The Smiths all day long which I find so fabulous. I always go there on the weekends. Then there are restaurants in Little Italy that I go to. I often go to these places in the middle of the afternoon, when they'll let me linger. 'They have these huge windows and they open them out so that people on the street are walking right by you. You feel the traffic; you feel in the middle of things and paradoxically I find it very calming,' he added. Instagram users were unhappy with Gladwell's photo of him sitting at his desk working from home Despite having written a book called Tipping Point, one Twitter user noted how the author would sit in a West Village cafe where he worked and never left gratuities. 'Malcolm Gladwell was a regular at the cafe I used to work at and he never tipped,' wrote Devin McGee. He was also regularly spotted by another coffee shop aficionado. 'When I lived in NYC and was working for TechCrunch (in the Y2ks) we didn't have a lot of desks locally. I mostly worked from home and cafes. Guess who I saw - and not infrequently - writing and taking meetings in this one W. village cafe I loved? LOL!' tweeted Lora Kolodny. In 2010, writing in the Wall Street Journal, Gladwell also spoke of his love of working in coffee shops, while simultaneously hating those who did likewise. 'The problem with writing in coffee shops is that everyone hates the kind of people who write in coffee shopsespecially the kind of people who write in coffee shops. You see the guy in the corner hunched over his laptop and you think (forgetting, for the moment, that you are also hunched over a laptop): "For chrissake, get an office." As someone who writes in coffee shops for a living, I have wrestled with this paradox for much of my adult life.' Gladwell then went on to list his favorite places to work from while suggesting others should not follow his example. 'If I'm working there, the last thing I want is to see you hunched, pathetically, over your computer.' Of course, Gladwell may well have been working remotely many years before it was commonplace and popular, but the very fact it was becoming more so in 2010 irked him tremendously. 'The coffee-shop writer needs to be, as the sociologists would say, an outlier and not a pioneer. You don't want to be the laptop cowboy who signals to other laptop cowboys that this is the place to be. You want the club that won't have you as a member,' he wrote in the Journal. The sheer hypocrisy of Gladwell opining about the lack of enthusiasm of returning to an office while hardly frequenting one himself was not lost on social media users. 'God I cannot stand these damn hypocrites. Gladwell was a, well, outlier of working remotely - guess thats only ok for bestselling authors but not the rest of us plebes,' wrote Julie S. 'I have never felt "part of something" or a "sense of belonging' "working in a corporate office. Working from home and getting distance from that toxic environment is a blessing. Malcolm Gladwell can go f**k himself - especially since he also works from home. A**clown,' tweeted Theodorable. 'Presumably it was a different Malcolm Gladwell (twin brother?) who wrote enthusiastically and often about working from coffee shops,' wrote Martin Robbins. Gladwell, who has written six bestsellers and is the host of the podcast Revisionist History which has millions of subscribers, made the comments during an interview with The Diary Of A CEO podcast, hosted by Steven Bartlett, right In San Francisco only two-thirds of the city's' workforce has returned to their desks. New York's office occupancy remains even lower with an estimated 36% having returned Who is Malcolm Gladwell? Malcolm Gladwell, is a Canadian journalist, author and public speaker. Born in Hampshire, in England, Gladwell has published seven books. The first five, which included The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference and Outliers: The Story of Success; were on the New York Times bestseller list. Gladwell also presents the popular podcast Revisionist History. The author is known for distilling published academic research into a popular format to reveal unexpected findings. Advertisement But when it comes to the rest of the population, Gladwell offered a different approach. The author or Blink and Outliers said he believed that workers need to return to the office in order to regain a 'sense of belonging' and feel part of something larger than themselves. 'It's not in your best interest to work at home,' he concludes. 'I know it's a hassle to come into the office, but if you're just sitting in your pajamas in your bedroom, is that the work life you want to live?' Gladwell says that a recession will likely drive employees who are 'sitting in their pajamas' back into the office. 'Don't you want to feel part of something?' he asked. 'I'm really getting very frustrated with the inability of people in positions of leadership to explain this effectively to their employees. 'If we don't feel like we're part of something important, what's the point? If it's just a paycheck, then it's like what have you reduced your life to?' Gladwell's remarks will likely be well received by the mayors of the nation's biggest cities who are struggling to drive workers back to the office. New York Mayor Eric Adams and San Francisco Mayor London Breed have urged workers in sectors of tech and finance to return to the office with their presence helping other small businesses that in turn rely on office foot traffic. 'It's not in your best interest to work at home. I know it's a hassle to come into the office, but if you're just sitting in your pajamas in your bedroom, is that the work life you want to live?' Gladwell asks In San Francisco only two-thirds of the city's' workforce has returned to their desks. New York's office occupancy remains even lower with an estimated 36% having returned. City officials say that the continuation of remote work led to a shortfall in $400 million in tax revenues in 2021. Fast food chain, Shake Shack, revealed that it had missed its sales forecasts because office workers have been returning to their office cubicles far slower than predicted. Security company, Kastle Systems, calculated office occupancy in 10 major US metro areas is averaging 44% in the week ending July 27, according to Bloomberg News. San Francisco City officials said that remote work cost it $400 million in tax revenues last year. But financial and technology companies are in a difficult position fearing mass resignations should they force workers back into the office. New York Mayor Eric Adams and San Francisco Mayor London Breed have urged workers in sectors of tech and finance to return to the office A prominent GOP donor who gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Donald Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns says he does not believe the former president will run for the White House again in 2024. Instead, Dallas businessman Doug Deason said he could see Trump anointing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to take on the national MAGA torch. He spoke to DailyMail.com in the offices of his financial empire shortly before the former president arrived to address conservatives in Dallas. Once again, Trump delighted the crowd by trailing the idea of a 2024 run without confirming that he would definitely stand. Deason said Trump had a lot to lose by running. 'I think Donald Trump is enjoying life,' he said. 'And I think that he is in a position as the power broker. 'He's the kingmaker and why would he want to go back and get the crap beat out of him all the time, and have all the responsibility and not be building his empire? 'He's had to go back and help rebuild it and you know, why let it deteriorate? 'Why would it fall apart again? Because he's just gonna get attacked just like he was. 'And he can be the kingmaker without being the king.' Top Republican donor Doug Deason said he did not believe Donald Trump will run in 2024. Although he would win the party primary he would likely lose in the general election, he said Trump appeared before the conservative faithful in Dallas on Saturday night, close to where Deason runs his financial office. Deason has supported Trump and the GOP with hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years but thinks Trump has a lot to lose by running again Deason said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would do a wonderful job in the White House. And he said voters would be getting a 'twofer' with his wife Casey who is closely involved in her husband's campaign and acts as a powerful advocate for his policies Trump retains a strong hold on the grassroots of the Republican Party. So Deason's comments will be seen as a hint to the former president that powerful party backers would rather see him step aside rather than risk defeat. Deason was a key player in helping Trump secure Texas. He was co-chair of the state's Trump Victory fund in 2020 and in 2016 he and his father Darwin Deason donated more than $900,000 to help elect Trump and other Republicans. This time around, he said he was not turning his back on Trump, who he said would still likely win the Republican nomination if he decided to run. But he talked up the appeal of DeSantis and his wife Casey. 'I think Ron DeSantis would be Donald Trump without all the baggage. 'I mean Donald J. Trump had the best policies of any president in my lifetime, including President Reagan. 'But you know he could be petty about things, and he wouldn't let things go. And you know, you love it and hate it.' Deason has held fundraisers for DeSantis as he campaigns for another term as Florida governor. 43-year-old DeSantis's emergence on the national scene has triggered talk that he could represent a changing of the generational guard. His efforts to keep Florida open through the pandemic and his leading role in the nation's culture wars have kept him in the headlines. Deason (centre) campaigns on criminal justice reform, and advised President Trump on the issue. He was co-chair of the Texas Trump Victory campaign in 2020 and is a friend of Don Jr Trump retains a hold on the base of the party. And merchandise bearing his name or likeness dominated the exhibitor stands at the CPAC Texas conference in Dallas Trump cutouts are used to sell conservative cellphone plans at CPAC Texas in Dallas As a result, polls consistently place him second to Trump (albeit a distant one) when Republicans are asked who they want as their nominee in 2024. Deason, who advised Trump on criminal justice reform, said DeSantis would be a more inclusive leader. 'He'll sit and listen and let people engage, and he won't dominate a conversation,' he said, contrasting that approach with Trump. 'I think Ron would be a wonderful president.' And he comes as part of a package, he said. 'I think Melania was a wonderful first lady but she didn't get the respect that she deserved. 'Casey DeSantis is classy. She's a beautiful spokesperson for him. She's intimately involved in his campaigns. 'You're getting a twofer is what you're getting with them.' If Trump runs, continued Deason, he would win the primary but his risks losing the general election because of his continuing claims that the 2020 ballot was rigged. 'You know, it doesn't even matter. It's totally irrelevant,' he said. 'If it was stolen there's no remedy. There never was a repair to fix that. 'And so whether it's stolen or not, whatever you believe, it's doesn't matter. He's just got to stop talking about it.' On Saturday, Trump received a boost from attendees at CPAC Texas in Dallas. An unscientific straw poll of grassroots conservatives found that he remains the most popular candidate. In fact the result showed that he had increased his lead over DeSantis from a straw poll conducted in February in Florida (DeSantis' home ground). Conservatives release the results of their straw poll at CPAC Texas on Saturday. If Trump does not run, DeSantis would be their overwhelming choice The results show Trump strengthening his grip on the conservative grass roots. He increased his lead over second place DeSantis to 45 points since the last poll was done in February 'So you know how the mainstream media has been telling us his you know, influence in the party is waning,' said pollster Jim McLaughlin as he unveiled the results. 'Not at all. 'As a matter of fact, what's happening is he's more popular than ever.' However, other recent polls - of a broader slice of the party - suggests about half of Republicans are ready to move on and pick another candidate. And Trump showed no signs of giving up his election fraud claims during his speech to the conference. He again claimed he had won the 2020 election while teasing a possible 2024 run. I ran twice. I won twice and did much better the second time than I did the first getting millions and millions of more votes than in 2016 and likewise getting more votes than any sitting president in the history of our country by far,' he said to wild applause. 'And now we may have to do it again.' Eli Lilly and Company, which employs more than 10,000 people in the Hoosier state, says it'll 'be forced to plan for more employment growth outside of our home state.' The Indiana-based pharmaceutical giant made the revelation in a statement on Saturday following the passing of a near-total ban on abortion in the state. Eli Lilly is the manufacturer of drugs such as Prozac and Cymbalta. On Friday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 1 into law making his state the first to institute an abortion ban since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ban, which comes into effect on September 15, allows for abortions in the case of rape, incest, if the mother's life is in danger or if 'the fetus is diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly.' Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said after signing the abortion ban: 'I am personally most proud of each Hoosier who came forward to courageously share their views in a debate that is unlikely to cease any time soon' Eli Lilly's headquarters are located in Indianapolis. 'Lilly recognizes that abortion is a divisive and deeply personal issue with no clear consensus among the citizens of Indiana,' according to a press release. 'Despite this lack of agreement, Indiana has opted to quickly adopt one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the United States.' There are more than 37,00 Eli Lilly employees worldwide. In the second quarter, the company recorded revenues of $6.5 billion The company argued that the new ban will hinder their attempts to bring in 'diverse scientific, engineering and business talent from around the world.' 'While we have expanded our employee health plan coverage to include travel for reproductive services unavailable locally, that may not be enough for some current and potential employees,' Eli Lilly said in a statement. 'As a global company headquartered in Indianapolis for more than 145 years, we work hard to retain and attract thousands of people who are important drivers of our state's economy. 'Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state.' There are more than 37,00 Eli Lilly employees worldwide. In the second quarter, the company recorded revenues of $6.5 billion. Eli Lilly has a market capitalization of $292 billion. Following Saturday's statement, Politico's Adam Wren tweeted: 'Lilly consistently declined to comment on the legislation until the bill was signed.' In July, WTHR reported that Eli Lilly refused to comment publicly on the possibility of an abortion ban being passed in the state. The specific question was regarding whether or not the ban would impact their ability to attract new staff. Also in July, the ACLU released a letter opposing the potential ban that was signed by more than 200 Indiana businesses. Notable by their absence as a signatory was Eli Lilly, reported the Indianapolis Star. Another major employer in Indiana that didn't sign the letter, engine manufacturer Cummins, released a statement in Saturday that read: 'The right to make decisions regarding reproductive health ensures that women have the same opportunity as others to participate fully in our workforce and that our workforce is diverse.' The bill has also been opposed by Indiana's Chamber of Commerce. In May, Eli Lilly announced that the company would invest more than $2 billion in two new factories in Indiana. The new plans would employ create 500 new jobs at the company and 1,500 construction jobs. Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks, pictured here, said in an April speech: 'Health, life and inclusion, overall, I think, conditions rank poorly nationally in our state' Ricks has not personally commented on the abortion ban following his company's statement on Saturday However in April, Eli Lilly's CEO David Ricks, alluded to the state's political climate in a speech at the The Economic Club of Indiana: 'Our education attainment in the state is not good. The ability to reskill the workforce, I think, could improve. Health, life and inclusion, overall, I think, conditions rank poorly nationally in our state.' He concluded: 'And also workforce preparedness, also related to reskilling, is a liability for us,' reports WISH-TV. The company told the Financial Times that despite Saturday's press release, they would honor their 'current commitments' to Indiana. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said of Indiana's new law: 'Its another radical step by Republican legislators to take away womens reproductive rights and freedom' David Hoppe, the president of Gen Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the US said in a press conference on Wednesday that the possible abortion ban would effect the convention committing to staying in Indiana. The convention is taking place in Indianapolis this weekend. While the Indiana Hospital Association said that Indiana Republicans were 'creating an atmosphere that will be perceived as antagonistic to physicians.' Across the country, various businesses have threatened retaliation if state's pass abortion bans. In Pennsylvania, Duolingo, the education technology company, said they would move their headquarters from Pittsburgh if an abortion ban was passed in Pennsylvania. Companies such as Apple, Kroger, Amazon, Bumble Inc., Citigroup Inc., and Levi's have announced that they will offer employees resources for reproductive care such as paying for travel costs. On Tuesday, voters in Kansas rejected a ballot that would have given state lawmakers the power to enforce a total ban on abortion in the state. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said of Indiana's new law: 'Its another radical step by Republican legislators to take away womens reproductive rights and freedom, and put personal health-care decisions in the hands of politicians rather than women and their doctors.' Governor Holcomb said of the bill: 'I am personally most proud of each Hoosier who came forward to courageously share their views in a debate that is unlikely to cease any time soon.' Transgender prisoners who are biologically male are to be blocked from serving time in womens jails, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Following high-profile sex scandals involving trans prisoners, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab plans to implement a new policy whereby Ministers have to sign off any move to a womens prison of a male-bodied inmate who self identifies as a woman. The Government would also have the power to order the removal of transgender prisoners from jails. Sources said Mr Raab has adopted the tough stance following an alarming incident earlier this year involving a transgender prisoner serving time for murder at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey. Transgender prisoners who are biologically male are to be blocked from serving time in womens jails. Pictured: Convicted sex offender Karen White, formerly known as Stephen Wood, who sexually assaulted two women while on remand at New Hall jail in Wakefield The killer, who has male genitalia, was caught having consensual sex with another inmate after consuming illegally brewed alcohol. There was also an allegation that the same inmate committed a sexual assault against a second female prisoner, but last night the Ministry of Justice said they had no record of a complaint. A whistleblower at Bronzefield said female inmates were extremely uncomfortable by the transgender prisoners presence but felt unable to complain. The insider said the killer had allegedly been overheard saying, Im going to f*** you to one prisoner, and, on another occasion, said: I love p**** why would I want to be in a mans prison? Last year it was revealed there were 40 transgender prisoners in womens prisons in England and Wales. Almost all were born male. Officials confirmed there have been seven sex attacks of female prisoners by transgender inmates in recent years. They include convicted sex offender Karen White, who sexually assaulted two women while on remand at New Hall jail in Wakefield. White, who was formerly known as Stephen Wood, was described by a judge as a predator who was a danger to women and children. A whistleblower at Bronzefield, the UKs largest womens prison, said a transgender male to female with a male organ prisoner makes the female prisoners feel 'uncomfortable and upset' That case saw the prison service open a dedicated transgender wing at HMP Downview in Surrey, but the problem persists. The whistleblower at Bronzefield, the UKs largest womens prison with 527 inmates, said: Every time there is a transgender male to female with a male organ brought into the prison, the female prisoners are extremely uncomfortable and upset. 'But the women prisoners dont feel they can complain because they think nothing will be done. A Government source said Mr Raabs policy which is likely to face legal challenges from protrans campaigners and human rights lawyers will have to be signed off by the Cabinet once a new Prime Minister is installed. If Dominic Raab's proposal gets the green light an inmate in a mens prison will be allowed to switch to a womens jail only if a Minister authorises it (file photo) However, if it gets the green light an inmate in a mens prison will be allowed to switch to a womens jail only if a Minister authorises it. A Whitehall source said the current policy of allowing male-bodied prisoners to self-identify as women and switch jails was putting vulnerable women at risk. The source added: The current approach is not safe. The next Justice Secretary needs to get an urgent grip and protect female prisoners from potential male-bodied predators. 'If we cannot protect women in the most tightly controlled environment in the country, where can we protect single-sex spaces? A Ministry of Justice spokesman last night confirmed that Mr Raab plans to change the rules. They added: Having reviewed the arrangements in July, the Justice Secretary directed changes so transgender prisoners with male genitalia are not housed with other biologically born women in the female prison estate, unless specifically signed off by a Minister. 'Once confirmed by the new Government in September, it would be implemented as soon as possible. A spokeswoman for HMP Bronzefield said last night: We do not comment on individuals. Thousands of Victorians whom Daniel Andrews locked out of their own state for months by Covid will receive no compensation. Residents were left effectively homeless or without any income after the NSW-Victoria border was slammed shut last July. They were given just 12 hours to cross the border before it was closed on July 20 as the Delta variant outbreak began in Sydney. The Andrews Government rejected the ombudsman's recommendation to publicly apologise and compensate Victorians affected by the decision. Dozens of Victorians were left effectively homeless after the NSW-Victoria border was slammed shut last July (pictured, police at the border in December, 2020) Ombudsman Deborah Glass (pictured in 2018) described the management of the NSW-Victorian border as inhumane and unjust when making her recommendations Ombudsman Deborah Glass described the management of the NSW-Victorian border as inhumane and unjust when making her recommendations last December. The Victorian Government is yet to deliver a pubic apology and will not reimburse those stranded by the snap-closure of the border. The ombudsman tasked the government with reporting the steps taken to enforce the recommendations with a response published two months later. The response was uploaded to a Health Department webpage and detailed how Victorians in 'extreme risk zones' were unable to return home without an exemption. The exemptions were notoriously difficult to obtain and residents trapped in NSW complained of the 'confusing' process, The Age reported. Travellers were asked to provide a date they expected to cross the border - which would often pass before their application was processed, rendering it useless. 'These significant border restrictions were put in place because of the elevated risk to the public health of Victorians from interstate travellers,' the response read. 'In particular, there were several active outbreaks in NSW linked to the Delta variant of Covid19 which presented an ongoing significant risk of incursion into Victoria. The Victorian government is yet to deliver a pubic apology to impacted Victorians and has decided not to reimburse those left stranded by the snap-closure of the border The Victorian government has said residents interstate were 'strongly and repeatedly' encouraged to return four weeks before NSW was declared an 'extreme risk zone' on July 23 (pictured, police check permits as Victorians rush to beat the border closures) 'The restrictions were also necessary given the low vaccination rates in Victoria at the time which meant there was insufficient coverage of the population to protect against outbreaks and resultant community transmission.' The response stated residents interstate were 'strongly and repeatedly' encouraged to return four weeks before NSW was declared an 'extreme risk zone' on July 23. It was announced three days earlier that residents entering Victoria would need to apply for a compassionate exemption. 'While the Victorian Government is not considering making ex gratia payments for those Victorians who were unable to travel home during this period, it does acknowledge the distress and disruption that the border restrictions generally created,' the response read. 'It also acknowledges the frustration and challenges that people experienced when attempting to obtain an exemption in these difficult circumstances when the risks presented to the public health of Victorians by Covid-19 was constantly evolving.' Residents were given just 12 hours to cross the border before it was closed amid rising concerns over the Delta variant outbreak in Sydney (pictured, police in January, 2021) The Victorian government has decided not to reimburse those affected by snap-border closures during the Delta outbreak last July (pictured, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews) The ombudsman will consider the government's response to her recommendations over a two-year period, which will then be tabled in parliament. In a previous report, Ms Glass described the exemptions system as limited with shadow health minister Georgie Crozier going even further. Ms Crozier on Saturday described the hard border closures as the 'most cruel and inept of many knee-jerk decisions' that had caused unnecessary suffering. Greens spokesman for health Dr Tim Read said residents did not need to be locked out of Victoria after infections matched those recorded in NSW. 'An apology and compensation, particularly for those on low incomes who were paying rent in two states, would be the least the government could do,' he said. The next Prime Minister will come under intense pressure over a 'rigged' investigation into Boris Johnson's actions over Partygate, that could potentially lead to him being stripped of his right to sit in the Commons. Allies of Mr Johnson describe themselves as 'incandescent' about the Commons privileges committee probe into whether he misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street. The committee will start its work in September when MPs return from their summer recess and as Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak enters No 10. The Johnson allies dismiss the investigation as a 'witch hunt' and a 'constitutional travesty', pointing out the history of anti-Boris remarks by the seven members of the committee and arguing that it 'moved the goalposts'. Former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman (pictured), tweeted in April that Mr Johnson and then Chancellor Rishi Sunak 'misled' the Commons by accepting a fine for breaching Covid regulations Allies of Boris Johnson (pictured) describe themselves as 'incandescent' about the Commons privileges committee probe into whether he misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street The next Prime Minister will come under intense pressure over a 'rigged' investigation into Boris Johnson's actions over Partygate. The committee will start its work in September when MPs return from their summer recess and as Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak enters No 10 The issue is likely to prove a headache for Ms Truss if the polls are correct and she becomes the next Prime Minister: despite being a Boris loyalist, she will be reluctant to stir up old divisions during her first days in power by being seen to attempt to intervene in the process. Mr Johnson will be summoned by the panel to give evidence about his knowledge of staff gatherings that took place in Downing Street during lockdown and it will examine a number of events some of which the Prime Minister did not even attend. He initially told the Commons no rules had been broken, but corrected the record after the publication of the Sue Gray report detailing the No 10 breaches. Despite Mr Johnson's resignation as PM, the committee vowed to continue its work, saying: 'The House charged the committee with this task and we are obliged to continue with it. Unlike other committees, we do not set our own agenda.' Earlier this year, Labour MP Chris Bryant, who was chairman of the committee, recused himself from the investigation after his 'vocal criticism' of the Prime Minister over lockdown breaches. Tory MP Sir Bill Cash (pictured) has put forward a motion calling for the scrapping of the inquiry, on the grounds that it had been rendered 'unnecessary' by Mr Johnson's resignation as Prime Minister However, other members of the panel have also made critical comments about the events that appear to pre-judge the conclusion of the report, including the new committee chairman, former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman, who tweeted in April that Mr Johnson and then Chancellor Rishi Sunak 'misled' the Commons by accepting a fine for breaching Covid regulations. Mr Johnson's allies are particularly irate about the role of the four Conservative MPs on the committee, including Warrington South's Andy Carter, who said Mr Johnson's resignation was 'in the nation's best interests' and was 'the right thing to do', and South Leicestershire's Alberto Costa, who said there had been a 'breakdown in good governance' under Mr Johnson. Newbury's Laura Farris is a supporter of Mr Sunak who voted against Mr Johnson in the Commons confidence vote, after accusing the Prime Minister of presiding over a culture that facilitated 'unethical and disastrous parties'. The fourth Tory MP on the panel, Sir Bernard Jenkin, visited Mr Johnson in Downing Street before the Prime Minister's resignation and told him: 'It's over.' He urged him to 'leave with dignity' rather than being 'forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power'. Tory MP Sir Bill Cash has put forward a motion calling for the scrapping of the inquiry, on the grounds that it had been rendered 'unnecessary' by Mr Johnson's resignation as Prime Minister. The motion, which is backed by MPs including former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, argues that the resolution to investigate the matter was 'now unnecessary and should be rescinded'. An ally of Mr Johnson said: 'This is a rigged investigation by a vengeful committee, which is dressing up a witch hunt in the clothes of a reputable inquiry. Calling it a stitch-up underplays it.' The ally added: 'Boris has already been investigated by the police and Sue Gray and apologised for inadvertently misleading Parliament. It would have been nuts for him to have done so knowingly, and he has already apologised to the House.' A spokesperson for the Committee said: 'There has been no change to the rules or to terms of reference. The initial report published by the Committee is about process. The background paper on contempt was prepared by a senior Clerk of the House of Commons. 'All Clerks are strictly politically impartial. The report also publishes the advice from distinguished former Court of Appeal Judge Sir Ernest Ryder. The Committee has published this material as part of its commitment to transparency.' Rishi Sunak lacked serious judgment in allowing billions of pounds in taxpayer cash to be lost to fraud during the Covid pandemic, his former Treasury Minister has said. Lord Agnew, who resigned in disgust at Rishi Sunak's 'spray and pay' approach to coronavirus handouts, has said the next Prime Minister must urgently fix the Covid black hole he left behind. As much as a tenth of the 376 billion Covid bill was squandered by the Treasury to fraud, waste or loss potentially costing each Briton 559. This included loans worth up to 17 billion granted under the bounce-back loan scheme which will never be repaid. Of this, 4 billion was lost to organised criminals, fraudsters and error, according to the latest estimates. Another 4 billion was expected to be lost to fraudsters from the furlough scheme and the Eat Out To Help Out restaurant subsidy. Lord Agnew, pictured, who resigned in disgust at Rishi Sunak's 'spray and pay' approach to coronavirus handouts, has said the next Prime Minister must urgently fix the Covid black hole he left behind Last night Lord Agnew, former Minister of State for Efficiency and Transformation said he had concluded only Liz Truss could change the Treasury's fortunes. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'Our next Prime Minister must be willing to tackle this. To be able to wrestle the Government machine against entrenched internal resistance from officials and Ministers alike takes courage, ability, stamina and determination. Liz Truss has the talent and drive to do this. Not many Prime Ministers are elected to power with quite as much experience as she has eight years in Cabinet, serving in six departments.' He said that much of Mr Sunak's Covid work, such as the furlough scheme, was a success, but added: 'There is a serious error of judgment on Rishi's record. This is unfolding as an anticipated 4 billion of money lost to fraud through Covid bounce-back loans.' Lord Agnew said he quit because the Government seemed reluctant to claw it back. He added: 'Billions of pounds of taxpayers' hard-earned money had been dished out to companies who weren't trading before the pandemic or who took funds for personal use. I seemed to be the only person in the Treasury who wanted to do anything about it.' The peer said in February 2021 he asked Mr Sunak for more resources to counter fraud, but was turned down. He said: 'A combination of arrogance, indolence, and ignorance within the Treasury led to a frankly lamentable response.' Speaking of Ms Truss, he added: 'Under her premiership, we would not see the same wanton disregard for taxpayers' money. She would give the Government's efficiency agenda the backing needed. It is the huge prize that Rishi never bothered to collect.' Last night, the Tory donor who hosted Boris and Carrie Johnson's wedding party also backed Ms Truss. Lord Bamford, chairman of the construction firm JCB, said she would 'reward British people for working hard'. Advertisement Troubled actress Anne Heche's life has been beset with pain and heartache, even before her fiery car crash in California on Friday. On August 5, Heche was involved in multiple car crashes, first slamming into a garage at an apartment building, then careering into a home in her blue Mini Cooper leaving her 'severely burned' and 'intubated' in a Los Angeles hospital. Before the star was born, her sister, Cynthia, died from a heart defect at two months old. Things steadily went from bad to worse. Her family constantly moved as their father struggled to provide for the family. Born in Ohio, Heche and her transient family would move to southern New Jersey, back to Ohio and finally to Chicago during her adolescence. In 1983, her father, Donald, became one of the first people in the United States to be diagnosed with AIDS, which was how his family came to learn that the Baptist minister and choir director had been living a secret homosexual life. According to Heche, her father never admitted to being gay. He died from the disease at the age of 45. That same year, Heche's 18-year-old brother, Nathan, crashed his car into a tree and was killed. That's just scratching the surface of the actress's tragic life. The Heche family, left to right, Nancy, Abigail, Nathan, Donald and Anne Heche In her 2001 memoir, 'Call Me Crazy,' Heche disclosed that her father was a closeted homosexual who sexually molested her and gave her genital herpes. 'He raped me... he fondled me, he put me on all fours and had sex with me,' she wrote. Heche also said that she feared for her life as she was worried that he transmitted the disease to her. 'I think my father was a sexual addict. I think he saw everybody as a sexual being. But I think at that time he was living a very flamboyant homosexual lifestyle,' she told Larry King in a 2001 interview. 'You know, at that time there were bath houses where the whole trick was how many can you do a night. You know, there is no question of what he was doing at that time.' Anne Heche says her relationship with her mother was strained even before the actress went public about her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres Heche pictured attempting to escape a gurney as firefighters bring her to safety following her fiery crash on August 5 Three months after her father died, Heche's brother, Nathan, was killed in a car crash after apparently falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a tree. He was 18. Heche has said she believes he committed suicide. The Camden Courier-Post reported that Nathan was traveling along on a wet road when he careered into a tree. Following her brother and father's death, her mother moved the family to Chicago. In an appearance on 'Hollywood Medium,' Heche said: 'His death is the reason I moved from New Jersey to Chicago.' Medium Tyler Henry claimed to have connected with Nathan saying: 'He's proud that you've been able to talk about these things and discuss these things, because you're doing it for him too. And he appreciates that.' Her sister, Susan Bergman, published her own memoir about their childhood in 1994 titled 'Anonymity.' Bergman died in 2006 at the age of 48 following a battle with brain cancer. In the 1990s, even prior to her sister's fame, Susan Bergman, the eldest of the Heche family, wrote a book about their father's secret life as a homosexual In her book, Bergman spoke about her father's clandestine life, saying the family found out he was a homosexual the same year he died. Bergman also said he was a talented musician but was 'detached from reality,' according to the Chicago Tribune. Bergman was a well-known writer who lectured at New York University, Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame. She told the Tribune that her father was constantly chasing major business deals that often left the family destitute. 'I think I, and my sisters, started looking around for a real father in some ways,' she said. Heche said in her book that during her 20s, she had romantic affairs with much older men such as comedian Steve Martin and Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsay Buckingham. In her book, Heche wrote about her thoughts of Martin saying: 'Why couldn't my father have been more like him?' In 2019, Bergman's widower, Jud Bergman, was killed at 62 alongside his second wife, Mary Miller-Bergman, when the taxi they were traveling in was hit by a drunk driver. During the crash, Bergman was thrown from the car and died instantly. Heche's has expanded on her sister's portrait of their family life in interviews over the years. In a 1998 interview, Heche told the Tampa Bay Times: 'We never told the truth in our family - never told the truth about one thing.' She went on: 'We were poor, but we said we were rich. We were falling apart, but we said we were good Christians. We had a father who lived a double life, but we pretended that we were absolutely fine. We lived on the streets but said we didn't. Everything we did was a lie. Denial, denial, denial.' Speaking about her life in Chicago, Heche said: 'My days were spent in school, my afternoons were spent working at Haagen-Dazs and other places and my evenings were spent holding my mother, who kept crying.' She continued: 'We lived in a one-room apartment. My mom tried to keep it together, but at night she would break down. I didn't cry about their deaths until five years later when I moved out.' Heche told the Advocate in a November 2001 interview saying: 'My father was a schizophrenic. He lived two complete lives, one as a heterosexual man who directed the choir and had a family and one who went away. We didn't know what he did until years later.' Susan Bergam pictured on her sister's Instagram page. Bergam died following a battle with brain cancer in 2005 Heche's other sister, Abigail. She's an Illinois-based jewelry designer. Heche said in an interview that she had rebuilt her relationship with her sister following a years long absence from each other's lives In a 1998 interview with Allure, Heche said her father lived as a strict religious choir leader while cruising gay bars at night. She continued: 'My father was doing things that are attributed to schizophrenia - big [business] deals, delusions of grandeur. Which I also had, so I know there's a lot of connections with the insanity that I had with my father.' Following an arrest in Fresno, California, when she was taken into custody for wandering on to private property in her underwear and began talking to children about taking them to heaven in a space ship, Heche described it as a 'psychotic break'. She told the Advocate: 'I knew that I was sane. But I needed to go to a psychiatrist and a doctor and make my friends feel safe that I was sane.' In response to Heche's autobiography, her mother, Nancy, said: 'I am trying to find a place for myself in this writing, a place where I as Anne's mother do not feel violated or scandalized.' Her sister, Susan, said she objected to not being consulted by Heche about her book. Abigail Heche, a jewelry designer, said: 'It is my opinion that my sister Anne truly believes, at this moment, what she has asserted about our father's past behavior ... [but] based on my experience and her own expressed doubts, I believe that her memories regarding our father are untrue.' In order to cope with her alleged abuse, Heche said that she developed an alter-ego named Celestia. She told Barbara Walters in an interview about the persona saying: 'I believed that I was from another planet. I think I was insane.' Thanks to a role in a 2004 TV movie named 'Gracie's Choice,' where Heche played an abusive alcoholic mother, she told the Los Angeles Times that she came to terms with the idea that her mother didn't love her. Heche's mother, Nancy, lectured for years on the 'evils' of homosexuality following her husband's death in 1983 Nancy Heche pictured with her daughter, Abigail. In addition to her mother, Heche said her sister remained distant from her relationship with Ellen was made public Speaking about how her mother seemingly ignored the abuse she faced from her father, Heche said: 'I always wondered if my mother was conscious - if you can treat children that way and still love them.' She said that she did not feel that it was possible to still love your children and to allow them to suffer. Heche added: 'It was a relief to me to finally come to terms with this question.' In preparation for her role in the psychological thriller The Vanished, Heche said that she also used her real-life trauma as motivation: 'The thing about mourning and loss is that you dont have to do much research if youve experienced it on different levels, and I think we all have on different levels. This character, who loses her child, required a deep dive into the sorrow that Ive been through in my life.' She continued: 'Unfortunately, there have been multiple deaths in my family. So in order to pull off playing this role, I couldnt hold back how deep that loss goes.' Heche has long claimed that she was black listed in the early 2000s in the fallout from her public lesbian romance with Elle DeGeneres. She told the Guardian in 2000 about their relationship's effect on her family life saying: 'I was naive, hugely naive. I fell in love and I didn't believe people would care. The Hollywood community and friends and family backed away.' In the same interview, Heche said that her religious mother did not speak to her after the actress came out. She also said that the her two sisters remained distant from her. In 1998, Heche told the Tampa Bay Times that her mother believed that her lesbian relationship was a 'sin.' While Nancy Heche told the Christian Broadcasting Network that she felt her daughter's relationship with Ellen DeGeneres was 'Like a betrayal of an unspoken vow: We will never have anything to do with homosexuals.' In a separate interview, Nancy told AL.com in a 2009 that she felt as though she didn't handle her daughter coming out in 1997 well. She said: 'I'm sorry I didn't know how to deal with it well. God was giving me an opportunity. We had good moments of trying to connect. All of us were learning how to handle it. We loved each other; how do you live out that when you disagree?' It took firefighters more than hour to put out the blaze caused by Heche crashing into the home in the Mar Vista section of Los Angeles on Friday During the interview, Nancy said that she was an 'advocate' for 'showing love and respect to the gay community.' In the same year as the interview, Nancy was speaking at multiple homophobic conferences across the country. Nancy also said that she found out her husband was a homosexual from his doctor. She said: 'We fail. We betray each other. It's a sad story. God had to teach me a lot. We're to act out of our healing, not out of our woundedness. I was hurt and felt betrayed.' She also downplayed any tension between her and her daughter saying that they have a 'typical mother-daughter relationship.' She said: 'We connect and we don't connect. That's pretty typical. I have a growing relationship, a loving relationship with her. I love her.' Heche admitted in a 2011 interview with the Daily Telegraph that she had recently begun to rebuild her relationship with her sister following a 20-year feud. The 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' star said: 'She came out to visit last week, and were having a wonderful time in our friendship as weve gotten closer. Weve both put our stuff behind us. In that interview, Heche said that she was still estranged from her mother. Heche said that when she called her mother to confront her once, she hung up after her mother said: 'Jesus loves you, Anne.' Heche said: 'Forgiveness is a funny word for me. Im OK with my mother living her life the way she wants to live it, and Im OK with her not participating in my life the way I want to live it.' In 2015, Nancy Heche conceded: '[Anne has] stopped talking to me. She made the decision to cut off communication.' A small Alabama town is disbanding its police department after the city's assistant police chief sent racist text messages to fellow officers. The inappropriate message, which outraged the community, allegedly called a pregnant slave a 'buy one, get one' deal. Vincent Mayor James Latimore on Thursday confirmed that Police Chief James Srygley and Assistant Chief John L. Goss had been dismissed. The only remaining officer employed at three-person police department resigned later that night. Vincent residents, who say they were 'hurt and embarrassed' by the display of racism, saying the officer's behavior was like 'going back to the 1930s and 40s.' The disbanding of the force comes just weeks after the entire staff of a small North Carolina police department suddenly resigned, citing a 'hostile' work environment created by the towns newly elected manager. A small Alabama town is disbanding its police department after the city's assistant police chief sent racist text messages to fellow officers. Police Chief James Srygley (left) and Assistant Chief John L. Goss (right) had been dismissed The racist text message recently surfaced on social media, however it is unclear exactly when it was sent or by whom. Someone identified as '752' texted: 'What do y'all call a pregnant slave?' An unidentified recipient responds twice: '?' and '??' '752 answers: 'BOGO Buy one, get one free' The Shelby County Sheriff's Office on Friday condemned the two officers' actions and said it stands with the city 'in providing emergency law enforcement related service to the citizens of Vincent at this time.' 'This has torn this community apart. It doesn't matter what color we are as long as we do right by people,' City Councilman Corey Abrams said during Thursday's council meeting. The Vincent, Alabama police department (pictured) was disbanded in wake of the text message. City leaders are currently working on a contract with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office who will provide a full time deputy to patrol the community During the meeting, Latimore also announced he had suspended the chief and assistant chief, and the council voted to end the agency. Latimer said Officer Lee Carden turned in his resignation via text message just hours after the city council voted to dissolve the department. The councilman previously said on Tuesday that 'appropriate action has been taken' against the officer alleged to have sent the text, though at the time he would not name the person or anyone involved. The city's website lists three people in its department: Srygley, Goss and Carden. WBRC reported that Goss is believed to be responsible for sending the text. Meanwhile, residents say they are shocked by the display of racism in their community. 'It knocked me off my feet because one of the police officers, the chief I always thought so highly of him,' lifelong Vincent resident Lois Garrett told the TV station. 'To me that was a punch in the gut. Like going back to the 1930s and 40s and I often forget that we are still not there. It hurt.' She also shared the message to Facebook for the community to see. It is unclear how she initially obtained a copy of the message. Garrett added: 'I was hurt and embarrassed because I thought we were better than that.' City council voted to dissolve the department during a council meeting on Thursday Located in central Alabama, southeast of Birmingham, Vincent has a population of just under 2,000 people. It's located in Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega counties. City leaders are currently working on a contract with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office who will provide a full time deputy to patrol the community. However resident Robert Franklin is critical of the idea. 'People tend to care more if they know you and that's one of the things that concerning to the people in this area,' Franklin explained. 'We would like to have our own officers that we know that care about our town and not just the job because they work for the county.' More than 800 fax machines are still being used by the NHS almost four years after the Government vowed to phase them out. About one in six NHS trusts across England are still using the outdated machines, Labour found, with three having more than 100 of them. In December 2018, Matt Hancock, who was then Health Secretary, promised to phase out the 'archaic machines', saying 'everywhere else got rid of them years ago'. Mr Hancock instigated an immediate ban on the NHS buying more, and ordered their use to be phased out by April 2020. The Department of Health and Social Care said at the time: 'NHS organisations will be monitored on a quarterly basis until they declare themselves 'fax free'.' An earlier survey by the Royal College of Surgeons in July 2018 found almost 9,000 in use. About one in six NHS trusts across England are still using the outdated machines, Labour found, with three having more than 100 of them But now, Freedom of Information requests to 199 NHS trusts, running both hospitals and community health services, has found 837 still in operation among the 144 that responded. Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust each have more than 100 fax machines in use. In June, Sajid Javid made a speech stressing how important it was that the NHS made use of modern technology, and promising 'a more digitised, more efficient' health service. In December 2018, Matt Hancock, who was then Health Secretary, promised to phase out the 'archaic machines', saying 'everywhere else got rid of them years ago' Mr Javid succeeded Matt Hancock as Health Secretary in June 2021. He then resigned a month ago in order to help push out Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Labour MP Wes Streeting, the Shadow Health Secretary, said Ministers had once again 'over-promised and under-delivered on the NHS'. He added: 'Time and again they've promised a digital revolution but they can't even axe the fax. 'NHS staff are working flat out to bring record waiting lists down they shouldn't have to do it using antique technology.' A Health Department spokeswoman said last night: 'Trusts can no longer buy fax machines they have been removed from NHS buying catalogues and all NHS organisations continue to replace them at pace.' Amber Heard was spotted walking around Israel and dining at a central Tel Aviv cafe on Monday with her friend, Eve Barlow, the controversial journalist who got herself banned from the Johnny Depp defamation trial. Heard was out and about wearing a black dress, flip-flops and a blue cap. While in Tel Aviv, she was also spotted browsing bookstores and enjoying lunch with Barlow, who stood by her during the trial and was prevented from observing proceedings in April, after she was caught texting and tweeting from the front row of the courtroom, which is generally reserved for legal counsel. Amber Heard seen while on vacation in Tel Aviv, Israel Amber Heard has reportedly been spotted in Tel Aviv with her friend Eve Barlow... pic.twitter.com/szoxfxZbvf Amy Spiro (@AmySpiro) August 1, 2022 Heard was out and about in Israel in a black dress, flip flops and a blue cap Fresh off her defamation lawsuit with ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard was spotted in Tel Aviv earlier this week She also reportedly tried to provide legal counsel to Heard's team by showing them social media posts of a Depp witness, which she alleged were compromising. Depp's lawyers successfully filed a motion to have Barlow permanently barred from the courtroom. After gaining backlash online for her fervent support of Heard, Barlow claimed that the negative comments against her were fueled by misogyny and anti-Semitism. The journalist (right) was kicked out of court for repeatedly taking her cellphone out Barlow (right), the former deputy editor of the music bible NME and contributor for New York Magazine, remained by Heard's (left) side over the past year J.C. Halper, owner of Halper's Book Store in the Israeli city, said he was surprised to see Heard walking through his aisles on Tuesday as she purchased his book detailing his adventures at the store. 'Say what you want about Amber Heard, (and what little I knew about her was negatively influenced by the media as well), the person who browsed my store last Tuesday for almost an hour, with her toddler baby girl and a couple of friends, was a modest, polite, friendly, inquisitive self-effacing customer with high literary tastes,' Halper wrote. Heard was also spotted earlier this week visiting a bookstore in Tel Aviv (pictured) 'In fact, I had no idea that it was her until she presented her credit card. She is also now the proud owner of my book The Bibliomaniacs and promised to send me feedback on it.' The bookstore trip came a day after Heard was seen eating with Barlow, the former deputy editor of the music bible NME and contributor for New York Magazine. Heard's outing in Israel comes as both she and Depp filed appeals on the verdict the jury reached in their heated defamation case, which awarded Depp $10.35 million and Heard only $2 million. She was ordered to pay Depp a total of $8.3 million after being found guilty of defamation, but says she doesn't have enough cash to do so. Depp and his legal counsel filed for Barlow to be permanently barred from the trial after she reportedly tried to provide advice to Heard's team Ironically, The Daily Beast reported that attorneys for the actress were begging her to pursue what they felt were 'tens of million of dollars' she was entitled to through Depp's 'Pirates of the Caribbean' profits prior to their trial. They alleged that because Depp made Pirates of the Caribbean 5 during the marriage, it was 'community property' and an asset Heard was entitled to half of. Heard would not allow them to chase that money, with her lawyers saying via email that she was being 'true to your word' that it wasn't about cash. A civil servant accused of leaking explosive diplomatic cables last night told how he was left 'traumatised' after being arrested by 14 armed police officers and investigated for almost two years under the Official Secrets Act. The official, known by the pseudonym 'Robert' to protect his identity, was left living in a homeless shelter with heroin addicts after he was targeted by Operation Asperite the Metropolitan Police's investigation into the leak of the so-called Washington files to The Mail on Sunday. This newspaper disclosed a string of bombshell cables and memos written by former US ambassador Lord Darroch. In them, he described then US President Donald Trump as 'inept', 'insecure' and 'incompetent'. The story made headlines around the world and provoked Mr Trump to describe Lord Darroch, then Sir Kim, as a 'pompous fool' and 'stupid guy'. The official, known by the pseudonym 'Robert' to protect his identity, was left living in a homeless shelter with heroin addicts after he was targeted by Operation Asperite the Metropolitan Police's investigation into the leak of the so-called Washington files to The Mail on Sunday. A file photo is used above Lord Darroch, who quit his post after a series of explosive memos revealed that he had President Donald Trump as 'inept', 'insecure' and 'incompetent' Robert, who worked for the Department for International Trade (DIT), denies leaking the documents and was never charged. On July 22, he was informed by the Met that no further action will be taken against him amid a lack of evidence, but the ordeal has taken an immense toll on him. Counter-terror police stormed his flat just before dawn on October 13, 2020 more than a year after our expose while he was recovering from cancer surgery. 'It was highly traumatising as it was obviously meant to be,' he said. 'I recall being woken by a violent crash as the door and frame of the door were broken through... 'I have been in psychotherapy over the past year and a half as a result [of] trying to process the trauma that started on that day.' At the time, Robert had opted out of NHS care and was receiving cancer treatment in the US. This proved impossible because of his strict bail conditions and for a period of five months he did not receive treatment. This newspaper disclosed a string of bombshell cables and memos written by former US ambassador Lord Darroch. In them, he described then US President Donald Trump as 'inept', 'insecure' and 'incompetent' 'I missed these appointments and the cancer was coming back because I was not finishing my treatment. They actually seriously damaged my health. The problem was I wasn't in the NHS system. I said to them, 'If you don't let me go, I will die,' ' Robert said that police contacted his landlord after the raid and he was forced to move out of his flat, leaving him being cared for by a homeless charity. In desperation, he tried to fly to the US in January 2021 but was arrested at the border. Robert is planning to launch a civil case against the Government and the Met. The Met said: 'From the outset, officers have been open-minded about the circumstances and sought to follow the evidence wherever it has led. In October 2020, a man was arrested in London on suspicion of offences under the Official Secrets Act and Misconduct in Public Office. That man was further arrested in January 2021 on suspicion of breaching bail conditions. He has since been released with no further action.' It said an internal investigation found 'there was no misuse of powers by officers, or breaches of standards of professional behaviour'. Lord Darroch resigned three days after The Mail on Sunday published its story about the cables in July 2019. We published further explosive claims that Mr Trump had abandoned the nuclear deal with Iran to spite Barack Obama. A DIT spokesman said: 'We don't comment on security matters.' A grandmother claims workers at a McDonald's bullied and refused to serve her - with her granddaughter now too scared to return. Tracey Lintern said she visited the Ormeau fast food outlet on the Gold Coast more than a month ago, asking staff to keep her fries warm while she ordered other food. She then attended the same restaurant last Saturday, and claimed staff mocked and belittled her, before refusing to serve her food. A grandmother says the treatment of workers at a Gold Coast McDonald's bullied and refused to serve her - with her special needs granddaughter now too scared to return Ms Lintern was with her granddaughter at the time, who has anxiety and PTSD, who started to cry after the alleged treatment. 'She's crying saying "Grandma what's going on",' the grandmother told the Gold Coast Bulletin. 'No one served me, so I just walked out.' Ms Linter picked up an order of a single hot fries for a friend the first time she visited the McDonald's. She had recently moved into the area and was 'so excited' there was a McDonald's nearby. After arriving she decided to order more food, asking servers to keep the food warm. When the chips were given to her, Ms Linter said they were cold and asked for a new order, which staff did. The grandmother then turned up last Saturday, where she claims staff immediately treated her poorly. 'I was buying dinner for all the family so I decided to go inside with such a large order,' she said. 'The same [worker] was on. As soon as she saw me she started to talk about me to other staff members. 'I wasn't even at the counter yet, then they all turned around at me to see who she was talking about.' Ms Linter said the staff mocked her before refusing to take her order - humiliating her and her granddaughter (stock image) Ms Lintern said a worker alerted other staff, who turned and laughed at the grandmother. After walking to the counter to complain about the treatment, a female employee said she wouldn't serve her because 'last time you came in you were rude'. The employee then allegedly threatened to call security, prompting Ms Linter's granddaughter to burst into tears. 'I was so excited when I moved here that McDonald's was so close, as I would normally go twice a day, but now I can't bring myself to go,' Ms Linter said. 'Why would you want to go back for that treatment, all over wanting hot chips?' McDonald's said it was investigating Ms Linter's complaint. 'We do not tolerate anti-social behaviour and won't accept abuse, intimidation, threats or violence towards our employees,' it said. 'Our employees have the right to be treated with respect and feel safe in their workplace. 'We have received the customer's complaint and it is being reviewed by our team.' How can we explain the continuing determination of MPs to go ahead with a tribunal empowered to humiliate and damage Boris Johnson for misdeeds to which he has already confessed and for which he has suffered the great penalty of being forced from the highest office in Government? The Commons Committee of Privileges has extraordinary powers to grill Mr Johnson in public and even (incredibly and amazingly) to force him to quit as an MP. It is due to open its proceedings in early September when Parliament returns. The official explanation is that the Committee is investigating the broad question of whether the House of Commons was misled. They say that what they call 'political developments' are 'of no relevance to that'. The 'developments' they brush aside so lightly are a semi-revolution including the spectacular resignation of the Head of Government and the current Tory leadership election. The Commons Committee of Privileges has extraordinary powers to grill Mr Johnson in public and even (incredibly and amazingly) to force him to quit as an MP. It is due to open its proceedings in early September when Parliament returns But the Committee insist woodenly that this is of no matter, saying: 'The House charged the Committee with this task and we are obliged to continue with it. Unlike other Committees, we do not set our own agenda.' Perhaps. But viewed from outside, it is a bit like the purser of the Titanic continuing an inquiry into a lost set of keys to the captain's drinks cupboard long after everyone involved, and the ship itself, have plunged to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The Committee seem also to have forgotten the normal rules of due process. When they say they will seek to establish whether the Prime Minister 'misled the House', they are making a profound change in their remit. They were originally set to investigate whether Mr Johnson knowingly misled the Commons, a much more serious and wholly distinct charge. All adults (and most children) know perfectly well the huge difference between inadvertently misleading someone without meaning to, and doing it knowingly and deliberately. The two offences are as far from each other as the east is from the west. There is even more to worry the fair-minded citizen. The Mail on Sunday reports today that the Committee which will judge the PM contains several MPs who have clearly identified with Mr Johnson's critics, some very strongly indeed. Would this not rightfully rule them out of such a probe? In a fascinating and creditable contrast, the Labour MP Chris Bryant stepped aside as the Committee's chairman because he had made strong public criticisms of Mr Johnson and, as he put it, it was 'important that the House be seen to proceed fairly without any imputation of unfairness and that the whole House have confidence in the Committee of Privileges' proceedings'. How right he was. What a pity it is that others have not followed his example. The Mail on Sunday thinks the removal of Boris Johnson was an act of epic folly and self-harm by the Tory Party. But that is now a closed issue. We urge MPs, and especially Tories who have even more reason to know better, to step down from this futile, misconceived tribunal and so bring it to an end You might have thought that the Prime Minister's enemies would have been content to have driven him from Downing Street in spite of his huge electoral mandate, his great popularity and his long list of solid achievements in office. You might have thought that his clear admission of wrongdoing and his acceptance of legal penalties would be sufficient to satisfy any reasonable thirst for justice. Those enemies, seemingly obsessed with kicking Boris Johnson when he is down, might do well to remind themselves of the maxim set out by that greatest of all Parliamentarians, Sir Winston Churchill: 'In victory, magnanimity.' This pursuit looks much more like vengeful spite than magnanimity. The Mail on Sunday thinks the removal of Boris Johnson was an act of epic folly and self-harm by the Tory Party. But that is now a closed issue. We urge MPs, and especially Tories who have even more reason to know better, to step down from this futile, misconceived tribunal and so bring it to an end. Sarah Everard's murderer broke down in tears and apologised after a visit from his wife when she went to see him in prison. Wayne Couzens' wife was visiting for the first time in HMP Frankland in County Durham after he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order on 30 September 2021. The UK court sentenced the former police officer after he handcuffed and arrested Sarah in a fake Covid patrol before he raped and murdered her. Sarah Everard's murderer broke down in tears and apologised after a visit from his wife when she went to see him in prison HMP Frankland, where Couzens is imprisoned, is pictured. He was given a whole-life sentence The former officer was handed a whole life term for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard, pictured His Ukrainian wife, Olena, decided to visit him in prison the day after he failed to get a reduction in his whole-life sentence. Sources told The Sun he fears never seeing her again after his conviction. In May, senior judges heard challenges or appeals to the prison sentences of five convicted killers, including the whole-life term of Couzens. But the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and four other judges refused to lower Couzens' sentence. Last year, the former officer was handed a whole life term for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah, the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack. The depraved killer used Covid powers to conduct a fake arrest of the marketing executive as she walked home from a friend's house in March 2021 before raping and murdering her. The 48-year-old, who used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime, had been planning for at least a month before abducting Ms Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south London. The 48-year-old, who used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime, had been planning for at least a month before abducting Ms Everard (pictured) Appealing against the whole-life term, Couzens' lawyers argued he deserved 'decades in jail' but said a whole-life term was excessive. However, in a summary read out in court, Lord Burnett said that the sentencing judge was entitled to impose a whole life order due to the facts of Couzens' case. Other inmates in Frankland include Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, moved there from the Hague after he was sentenced to 50 years for war crimes and crimes against humanity. His wife previously complained that Taylor was being kept with common British prisoners, asking that the convicted war lord who backing rebels responsible for killing tens of thousands of people be moved to better conditions. The Queen plans to interrupt her Scottish holiday to travel to England and invite her 15th Prime Minister to form a government, The Mail on Sunday understands. Boris Johnson has announced he will step down on September 6, when he will formally tender his resignation to the Queen. The Monarch will then invite the winning Tory candidate to become Prime Minister and announce their name. The Queen, pictured on a visit to Edinburgh in June, is understood to be returning early from her annual Balmoral holiday to England in order to see in the new Prime Minister They are expected to meet the Queen to officially accept the invitation. The Queen does not usually return from her Balmoral break until early October but is believed to have told aides she will make an exception this year and travel to London. A source said: Her Majesty does not expect the new Prime Minister to travel to Scotland, so the plan is that the Queen will travel down to see them. The appointment of Prime Minister is one of the few personal prerogatives of the Queen and, sources say, a duty she intends to fulfil in person. Buckingham Palace is seen as the official venue to host the appointments but, given the refurbishment works there, it may change to Windsor Castle. The Queens visit to welcome the new Prime Minister is expected to be brief and she will return to Balmoral to continue her holiday. The Queen does not usually return from her Balmoral break until early October but is believed to have told aides she will make an exception this year and travel to London Other aspects of her annual break have been scaled back this year, for example the cancellation of a public appearance and inspection of the guard before she takes residence in Balmoral. A coroner will deny the family of a young woman murdered by her bikie boyfriend an inquest into her death despite her daughter's pleas for justice. Tina Greer, 32, dropped her daughter Lili at a friend's place before continuing on to see her on-and-off boyfriend Les 'Grumpy' Sharman in January of 2012. She was due back on the Gold Coast the following day to pick up her now 23-year-old daughter but failed to turn up and hasn't been seen for over a decade. Ms Greer's car was found three days after she disappeared at the end of a dirt track near the Moogerah dam with all of her personal belongings inside. A coroner earlier this year concluded she died at the hands of Mr Sharman on or about January 18, somewhere in Clumber in Queensland's Scenic Rim region. However, coroner Christine Roney has rejected her daughter's request that an inquest be launched into her death after more than 10 years of mystery. Tina Greer, 32, (left) dropped her daughter Lili (right) at a friend's place before continuing on to see her on-and-off boyfriend Les 'Grumpy' Sharman in January of 2012 Lili Greer (pictured) is on a mission to prove to the coroner's court that there is public interest into her mother's death through an online petition Ms Roney ruled there would be 'no public benefit' and there wasn't enough evidence that Ms Greer's death could have been prevented. She acknowledged the mother-of-one was not adequately supported by authorities as a known domestic violence victim but said even if she had been provided 'more support' she wouldn't have stopped seeing Sharman. 'I am always obliged to consider the public benefit of an inquest proceeding and I am unable to see one here based upon the current state of the evidence,' Ms Roney wrote in a letter to Lili. Her daughter argues that by examining the ways her mother was failed by others, the deaths of other domestic violence victims could be prevented. 'It's in everyone's interest to try to prevent domestic violence,' she told Nine. 'There's a lot of issues that could be brought to light with this case... there's so many things that could change. 'We need an inquest to help guide the police and other authorities on how they can prevent future deaths in similar circumstances.' Tina Greer (pictured) was due back on the Gold Coast to pick up her now 23-year-old daughter but failed to turn up and hasn't been seen for over 10 years Lili recalls seeing Sharman drag her mother down a hallway and the black eyes she sported following suspected beatings from her on-and-off boyfriend Lili recalls seeing Sharman drag her mother down a hallway and the black eyes she sported following suspected beatings from her on-and-off boyfriend. About 17 months before her mother's death, police responded to a witness report that Sharman tried to run her over with his ute. Three months later, officers responded to another report Ms Greer was running down a street screaming and bleeding. However, when questioned by police, Ms Greer denied Sharman assaulted her and said her bruised and swollen face was from a lawn-mowing accident. The report also noted Sharman threatened to kill her if she tried to leave him. In her letter to Lili, Ms Roney wrote that even if 'more support' had been provided to her mother she may not have left Sharman and his abuse. 'While it might seem logical to have done so, matters of emotion and attachment are rarely rational,' she wrote. Ms Greer's car (pictured) was found three days after she disappeared at the end of a dirt track near the Moogerah dam with all of her personal belongings inside Sharman (pictured) was a patched Finks bikie member and has always been considered a person of interest but was never arrested and died in a car crash in 2018 However, Lili refused to give up hope and launched a petition with over 18,000 signatures to help secure her family 'the justice we deserve'. 'I was only 13 when I lost my mother and Ive been looking for answers for a decade now. We need an inquest to explain the cause of death and throw light on the unresolved suspicious circumstances,' she wrote. 'It is no secret that Australia is facing a domestic violence crisis. The institutions that are meant to protect us are unable to ensure our safety. 'The Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and Advisory Board had found that a key issue with the police response was the lack of a thorough investigation and lack of initiative to take additional steps to protect my mother even though the officer had assessed she would likely experience violence in the relationship. 'Not only could holding an inquest for Tina help prevent future deaths from occurring, but it can also raise awareness and educate the public and the coroner's oourt about the complexities of domestic violence. 'Without coronial support, the state sets a poor precedent for past, present and future victims of domestic violence.' Lili has refused to give up hope and has launched a petition with over 18,000 signatures in order to secure her family 'the justice we deserve' (pictured, Tina Greer) In January 2020, a $250,000 reward was announced for anyone who had information that could lead to a conviction of a person for her mother's murder Sharman was a patched Finks bikie member and always considered a person of interest but was never arrested and died in a car crash in 2018. Lili said she cried when she heard of his death because Sharman was the last person to see her mother alive. 'I cried but not for him. I was angry. I just wanted to know what happened to my mum,' she said in January 2020. In the same month, a $250,000 reward was announced for anyone who had information that could lead to a conviction of a person for her mother's murder. Homicide squad detectives searched a property on the Gold Coast hinterland in August 2020 with cadaver dogs and State Emergency Service volunteers. However, no trace of the young mother was found. In August 2020, homicide squad detectives searched a property on the Gold Coast hinterland with cadaver dogs and State Emergency Service volunteers Earlier this year, Ms Roney found there were 'shortcomings' in the police response to the reports of domestic violence by Mr Sharman against Ms Greer. The police reward for information about Greer's disappearance is still active. The $250,000 reward has been widened to include any information which could assist in locating her remains or which leads to the conviction of a person or persons who acted as an accessory to her murder. Violence broke out on the West Bank for a second day as Israel and Gaza fired scores of rockets in the worst conflict escalation for more than a year. At least 15 people were killed and 125 injured in the bombardment, including a five-year-old Palestinian girl and a senior commander of an Islamic militant group. Israel said it had arrested 19 members of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad in a series of raids after militants fired almost 200 rockets on Friday night. Most had been intercepted by Israels Iron Dome aerial defence system with no Israeli deaths, but 13 people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The Israeli military has warned that the latest conflict codenamed Operation Breaking Dawn could be lengthy and last for a week or more. Rockets are fired by Palestinian militants into Israel on Friday night, amid the worst conflict in the area for more than a year The violence is the most serious flare-up between Israel and Gaza since May last year when 256 people in Gaza and 14 people in Israel were killed over 11 days. Israel said it launched its operation to eliminate a concrete threat against its citizens and to target terrorists and their sponsors. Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that the bombardment had amounted to a declaration of war and added that the group would respond forcefully. The violence follows days of tension sparked by the arrest last Monday of Bassem al-Saadi, said to be Islamic Jihads commander in the occupied West Bank. At least 15 people have been killed in the violence, including a five-year-old Palestinian girl. Pictured is a house in Gaza City destroyed by an Israeli air strike The group is one of the strongest in Gaza, responsible for dozens of attacks against Israel. Hamas, the biggest militant group with a similar ideology to Islamic Jihad, said resistance groups were united and indicated it may respond to Israeli air strikes. If it does launch attacks the situation could escalate. A match between and Juventus and Atletico Madrid in Tel Aviv was cancelled in light of the current security situation. Vulnerable Ukrainian women and children are likely being trafficked into sex slavery and domestic servitude in the United Arab Emirates, defence experts have warned. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the war-torn country since Russia began its brutal advance in February, leading to increased concerns about refugees being susceptible to trafficking. Some are reported to have been targeted at Polish refugee camps, but experts believe a large proportion who have been forcibly removed to Russia are also being approached. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fears that some 200,000 children have gone missing since the invasion five months ago. Local residents rush to board an evacuation train driving to the west of Ukraine on February 26 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) fears that some 200,000 children have gone missing since the invasion five months ago Now a new report from the Washington Institute For Defence And Security and the New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs has revealed that some of those 'lost' women and children may be being trafficked to the UAE. Researchers have said that many Russian oligarchs have sought refuge in the Gulf state to avoid international sanctions and are in need of Russian-speaking staff. Although the issue of trafficking to the UAE is not in itself new, the report says it is set to be turbocharged due to the exodus of refugees from Ukraine. Last night Florian Schmitz, one of the report's authors, called on the West to hold those responsible to account, and pleaded with developed nations not to turn a blind eye. He said: 'Given the large-scale movement of vulnerable women and children from Ukraine into Russia since the beginning of the war, sometimes under duress, it seems highly likely that a number of them will end up being trafficked to the UAE and other countries. 'The international community cannot and must not turn a blind eye to this problem and must hold those responsible to account. Yet there is little evidence that vulnerable people are being protected.' The United Nations reported that more than 1.5 million refugees had crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in the first ten days after the war began. Charities were quick to warn that sex traffickers were targeting Ukrainian women and children who had fled Vladimir Putin's bombs at Polish refugee camps. Earlier this year, a Mail on Sunday investigation exposed how the issue was so bad that a group of British Army veterans were working on the Polish border to protect those at risk of coercion. This latest report, called Modern Slavery In Dubai, says that some victims could be going into sex work and domestic servitude. People wait for a train to Poland at the railway station of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on February 26 It reads: 'This report aims to shed light on modern slavery and the abuse of migrant workers, with both a focus on the UAE and the role of Eastern European countries as highly efficient hubs of human trafficking. 'This is a problem that will have worsened since the start of the war, as large numbers of women and children are forced to flee their homes in pursuit of safety. Traumatised and vulnerable, they will be prime targets for traffickers. 'This, coupled with the requirement of Russian oligarchs who have decamped to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to escape Western sanctions to have Russian-speaking staff, is likely to be creating the perfect conditions for women and children to be forced into the sex industry or domestic servitude.' The document also condemns what it calls 'propaganda' about the idyllic lifestyle of the rich and powerful in places such as Dubai. Mr Schmitz said: 'The report's authors have been extremely disappointed to see a number of programmes concentrating on the cosseted and comfortable lifestyles of the uber-rich who live a carefree existence in places like Dubai, which has been built on the backs of poorly paid, badly treated migrant workers.' A spokesperson for the UAE National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking said: 'The UAE categorically rejects the allegations made in the Daily Mail article published on 7 August 2022 regarding alleged human trafficking cases of Ukrainian women and children to the UAE. The article is misleading, inaccurate and false. 'Human trafficking, in all its forms, is completely illegal under UAE law (Federal Law 51 - 2006, and its amendments), and the fight to combat this global issue is an ongoing national priority. 'The UAE Government established the 'National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking' (NCCHT) in 2007 and it has proved to be an effective coordinating body for anti-human trafficking efforts at all levels in the country and crucially, with international partners too. 'The UAE continues to align its national legislation and policies with the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), and is committed to protecting the rights of victims while identifying and prosecuting those involved in human trafficking crimes. 'Further information on the UAE's coordinated strategy to combat human trafficking can be found online here.' A woman was allegedly raped by a fly-in, fly-out worker from Melbourne while on her morning jog in Western Australia. The woman, aged in her 40s, was running on a track along Gubinge Road in Broome, at 5.20am on Friday. She was then allegedly approached by fly-in, fly-out electrical mining worker Dean Osborne, 52, and sexually assaulted. The woman, aged in her 40s, had been running on a track along Gubinge Road in Broome, Western Australia, on Friday She was then allegedly approached by fly-in, fly-out electrical mining worker Dean Osborne, 52, and sexually assaulted Osborne allegedly made verbal threats to passersby who tried to intervene after the woman screamed for help. Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Beck said Osborne then fled the scene. 'There was no physical altercation, but the man made verbal threats to the members of the public who tried to intervene before he ran away,' he said. Police arrested the man after issuing a search warrant at a Cable Beach hotel on Saturday. He has been charged with three counts of aggravated rape, The West Australian reported. Osborne appeared at Northbridge Magistrates Court via video link from Broome police station on Sunday. Osborne appeared at Northbridge Magistrates Court via video link from Broome police station on Sunday He made a post on his Facebook on July 24 showing that he was waiting in the Virgin Australia Lounge at Perth Airport to before travelling to Broome. 'Chillen (sic) on free s*** before I fly to work,' he wrote. Osborne will appear in Broome Magistrates Court again on Monday. China has lashed out at Penny Wong after she condemned the Communist regime for firing 11 ballistic missiles over Taiwan. The aggressive military exercises were part of a dummy spit response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which China claims jurisdiction over. Foreign Minister Wong said China's sabre rattling, which also included launching missiles near Japan, were 'disproportionate and destabilising'. 'We are seriously concerned and strongly discontent with the remarks on the situation across the Taiwan Strait by the foreign ministers of Australia, Japan and the Secretary of State of the US,' China's Embassy in Canberra said in response. China has slammed Australia's Foreign Affairs minister Penny Wong (pictured) for daring to criticise it for firing ballistic missiles over Taiwan. 'It is absolutely unacceptable for the finger-pointing on China's justified actions to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity. 'We firmly oppose and sternly condemn this.' The embassy also brought up 60-year-old history between Australia and Japan to argue Senator Wong should not take its side. 'Australia was also the victim of Japan's fascists in World War II,' it said. 'Japan is the only country that launched a military attack on the Australian mainland.' Australia and Japan have become close strategic partners in the past two decades, and cooperate to counter China's aggression in the region. Senator Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on the sidelines of an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Cambodia this week. 'The Secretary and the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,' Australia, Japan and US's most senior diplomats said in a joint statement. 'They appreciated ASEAN's statement about the importance of de-escalating tension in the Taiwan Strait. 'They condemned the People's Republic of China's launch of ballistic missiles, five of which the Japanese government reported landed in its exclusive economic zones, raising tension and destabilising the region. 'The secretary and the foreign ministers urged the PRC to immediately cease the military exercises.' Chinese anti-aircraft batteries take part in military drills aimed at intimidating Taiwan, which it claims belongs to it Beijing's threatening stance over Taiwan and Japan is Australia's biggest diplomatic dispute since Labor won power at the Federal Election on May 21. China's military tantrum was after Ms Pelosi, 82, visited Taiwan for an overnight trip, making her the highest ranking American official to do so in decades. Her visit showed the US was 'the biggest saboteur and destabiliser of peace in the Taiwan Strait and the biggest troublemaker to regional stability,' a Chinese diplomat claimed. 'It is the US that should be condemned. China is the victim of political provocation from the US,' China's Canberra embassy added. Cabinet minister Chris Bowen backed up Senator Wong after China's stern response, saying Australia would remain clear and calm in its interactions with China but not shy away from calling the nation out. 'China's reaction to (Ms Pelosi's visit) is over the top... obviously it is a time for clear and calm heads,' the climate change minister told 9 News on Sunday. 'We're going to act in Australia's national interests and in accordance with our values... we will say what we believe should happen in the region and we will make statements even if other nations don't agree with those.' Poll Should Australia fight on behalf of Taiwan? Yes, it's the right thing to do No, it's not our problem I'm not sure, it's complicated Should Australia fight on behalf of Taiwan? Yes, it's the right thing to do 385 votes No, it's not our problem 221 votes I'm not sure, it's complicated 121 votes Now share your opinion Australia's relationship with China became very strained in recent years as the Communist power retaliated with trade tariffs after Australia called for an investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hoped relations would improve with the change of government. 'What we're preparing for is strengthening our alliances,' he said on Monday, before Ms Pelosi visited Taiwan. 'We want to have good relationships with China and cooperate where we can, but we'll stand up for Australian values where we must. 'That is my approach to the relationship with China. Clearly it's changed in recent years. 'Under [President] Xi, China has become more forward leaning, more aggressive in the region. We have strategic competition,' Mr Albanese said. Any hopes of quick reset in Australia-China diplomatic relations have been dealt a severe blow in recent days, with five ballistic missiles landing in waters near Japan. China also flew drones around Japan's Sakishima Islands and fighter jets close to Taiwan's main island. Mr Albanese dodged a question about whether Australia would defend Taiwan if it was attacked by China. A Chinese Xian H-6 bomber is pictured in the skies over the Taiwan Strait, amid huge military drills effectively blockading the island He said although Australia supports a 'One China' policy - under which China claims Taiwan is part of the country and not a separate state - 'we also support the status quo when it comes to the issue of Taiwan, that people respect the existing structures that are there'. 'I believe that clearly is in the interests of all parties, and I have taken the view as well that it is not in the interests of peace and security to talk up those issues of potential conflict,' he told CNN. On Sunday morning, opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said Australia will be 'in the gun' in any conflict over Taiwan. He said Australia must work faster on missiles, nuclear submarines, fuel and ammunition stocks. 'The point is that if there was a conflict around Taiwan, whether we're involved directly or indirectly on the periphery we would certainly be in the gun,' he told the ABC. 'And that's why we need to build our deterrent strength, that's why we need to exercise exceptional political leadership, diplomatic leadership.' Yet Mr Hastie supported Senator Wong's diplomatic engagement with China and Taiwan. 'Miscommunication, miscalculation, is at the highest risk and allowing a little bit of space for... all parties involved to give each other the benefit of the doubt is really important,' he said. 'Things are a little bit tense at the moment... in the end we need to continue to engage with China and Taiwan.' A Qantas plane has been forced to abandon takeoff after terrified passengers reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the engine. Over a hundred passengers were removed from the QF91 aircraft due to fly from Sydney to New Caledonia following reports of an engine fire on Sunday. Sydney Airport's air traffic control tower notified the pilot of the issue with the starboard engine, who then shut down the engine as a precaution. The plane was escorted from the runway back to the terminal to allow passengers to disembark and engineers to assess the aircraft. Over one hundred passengers were removed from the QF91 aircraft (pictured) due to fly from Sydney to New Caledonia following reports of an engine fire on Sunday morning An alert issued by the aircraft's pilot asked for assistance from aviation fire and rescue crews with a number of firetrucks later escorting the plane back to the terminal Passengers scheduled to take-off from Sydney about 7.40am on Sunday were put on another flight to Noumea. Qantas said the aircraft has since been cleared to fly and that there was no sign of fire when the engine was shut down. 'The pilots followed procedure and shut down the engine as a precaution after being alerted by the control tower while taxiing,' the airline said. 'There was no warning light in the cockpit and no sign of fire when the engine was shut down. Engineers have inspected the aircraft and cleared it to return to service. Passengers have been re-accommodated on to another flight this morning. 'We thank passengers for their patience and understanding.' The pilot is understood to have sent a 'pan-pan' alert - a low-level risk alert not posing an immediate danger to life - to the air traffic control tower. The alert asked for assistance from aviation fire and rescue crews with a number of firetrucks later escorting the plane back to the terminal. It's understood at least 147 passengers were delayed in the latest issue to hit Qantas off the back of a tough year for the beleaguered airline. It's understood at least 147 passengers were impacted in the latest saga to hit Qantas off the back of a tough year for the beleaguered airline (pictured, queues at Sydney Airport) A Qantas spokesperson said the aircraft has since been cleared to fly and that there was no sign of fire when the engine was shut down (pictured, Qantas staff in April, 2021) Traveller have reported long delays, lost luggage and problems with customer service - with the airline last week suffering a computer glitch that grounded several flights and throw the travel plans of hundreds into disarray. Hundreds were left waiting onboard packed planes on runways across the country last Sunday night after an IT glitch delayed up to a dozen domestic flights. Qantas said the issue was discovered at about 4:30pm on Sunday and had impacted 12 domestic flights with some grounded for nearly two hours. The glitch was fixed at about 6pm but caused flow-on delays throughout the evening. Furious travellers keen to get home in time for the start of the working week took to social media to vent about the delays. 'Any update on your international computer outage impacting every single flight from departing???? Sitting on fully packed plane on tarmac for 90mins for 2hr is pretty ridiculous!' one grounded traveller fumed on Twitter. The computer glitch has also affected Qantas flights across the Tasman trying to take off in New Zealand. 'Still waiting at 7pm to leave on my Qantas plane from Auckland that was meant to leave at 5.40. Paperwork still has to be signed off,' one traveller wrote. Wet weather as well as a surge in flu and Covid cases for airline staff has been blamed for the pattern of delays and cancellations in Sydney and Melbourne. Qantas has cut more flights from its schedule as the airline is plagued with industrial disputes, understaffing, poor organisation, cancellations and delays as furious passengers share their horror experiences of travelling with the national carrier. The airline has also came under fire over a recent price hike of domestic airfares. Domestic airfares have soared so high in recent weeks that it's cheaper to book an overseas trip than travel to some of Australia's best destinations. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce (pictured) and other airline bosses have come under fire over flight cancellations and delays, queues and baggage losses Qantas and other airline carriers have up hiked prices since May as tourism operators crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic try to recover. The price hikes come as Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, and airline bosses have come under fire over flight cancellations and delays, queues and baggage losses. The average return economy domestic airfare currently costs $409, an increase of about 24 per cent from May, according to travel deals website Kayak. Several routes have seen an increase of as much as 85 to 96 per cent. Gold Coast residents have been slugged with the highest airfare prices in the country, where return economy fares to Melbourne and Sydney are up 96 per cent and 91 per cent, respectively, new data shows. Passengers flying from Cairns to Brisbane have seen a 90 per cent price hike in the last two months, while the price of a return ticket from Brisbane to Alice Springs has risen by 24 per cent to $1058. Domestic airfares have soared so high in recent weeks that it's cheaper to book an overseas trip than travel to some of Australia's best destinations (pictured, queues at Sydney airport) It's $100 cheaper for Brisbane travellers to book a return airfare to Fiji with Qantas. Qantas says it needs to 'rebalance capacity and fares' to combat rising fuel costs. 'The cuts to domestic flying levels for July and August are being deepened with capacity moving from 107 per cent of pre-COVID levels to 103 per cent,' a recent statement read. 'These additional reductions will progressively flow into industry booking and reservation systems in the coming days. The Group will continue to monitor market conditions and adjust capacity as needed.' The national carrier estimates its fuel bill this financial year to be $1.7 billion more than it was pre-pandemic. Police made arrested pro-choice demonstrators who harangued churchgoers outside a famed Catholic church in New York City. Video shows the protesters berating parishioners outside The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in lower Manhattan on Saturday. The activists confronted the Catholics at the church gates, banging on the bars and screaming: 'Tell those Nazis to come out' from the church gates. They also shouted at parishioners trying to enter the church. NYPD said it could not immediately confirm the number of individuals arrested, but Fox News reported at least five were taken into custody. It is unclear what they were charged with. St. Patrick's has been home to several demonstrations in recent months as frustrated Americans respond to the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had federally protected abortion rights in the US. Pro-choice and anti-abortion protesters clashed outside a famed Catholic church in New York City on Saturday, resulting in several arrests The demonstrators were taken into custody Saturday outside The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in lower Manhattan Footage shows the pro-choice protesters screaming 'tell those Nazis to come out' the church gates. They also shouted at parishioners trying to enter the church Pro-abortion rights protesters demonstrate outside of a Catholic church in downtown Manhattan on Saturday People enter St. Patrick's Old Cathedral as abortion rights activists march outside on Saturday Video provided to DailyMail.com by the New York Young Republican Club Catholic Caucus shows the pro-choice demonstrators cursing out the the church goers. 'Tell that Nazi to come out,' one protester yelled while pounding on the church gates. 'Come the f**k outside,' echoed another as the first protester screamed again: 'You killing Nazis? You killing Nazis?' A member of the church congregation instructs his group to 'go inside' as he the footage shows him waving his fellow Catholics away from the gates. Outside the church gates, the demonstrators chanted at lines of parishioners as they tried to go into the building. Outside the church gates, the demonstrators chanted at lines of parishioners as they tried to go into the building Pro-choice demonstrators shout at the anti-abortion activists Saturday as they pray the rosary outside a Planned Parenthood clinic near St. Patrick's Old Cathedral Anti-abortion activists confront a gathering of abortion-rights demonstrators outside of a Catholic church in downtown Manhattan on Saturday NYPD said it could not immediately confirm the number of individuals arrested, but Fox News reported at least five were taken into custody. It is unclear what they were charged with Pro-abortion rights protesters demonstrate outside of a Catholic church in downtown Manhattan on Saturday Catholics typically gather at the Cathedral on the first Saturday of every month to protest abortion. They march from the church to the nearby Planned Parenthood location where they hold their demonstration. This Saturday, the group prayed the rosary outside the clinic while pro-choice protesters shouted at them. The NYYRC Catholic Caucus told DailMail.com it 'denounced the violence' directed at St. Patrick's parishioners and applauded its members for attending their 'rosary rally.' 'Open witness to Christ in New York City is a dangerous act; history will look fondly on those who stood nonetheless. Growing forces in this city want to stop anyone from standing for Christ. If so, we will kneel for him,' the group said in a statement. 'The NYYRC Catholic Caucus denounces the violence once again directed at parishioners of Old St. Patrick's this morning, another effort to terrorize Catholics, and we applaud any members of our group who attended their rosary rally.' A group of demonstrators assembled outside the Planned Parenthood clinic and office in downtown Manhattan on Saturday holding a sign that reads: 'Your body, your choice' New York Police Department officers arrest a pro-abortion rights protester outside of a Catholic church in downtown Manhattan on Saturday A protester is taken into NYPS custody during an abortion rally outside St. Patrick's Cathedral A pro-choice activist holds a sign reading 'I dissent' during the demonstration outside the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Saturday An abortion rights activist writes with chalk on a wall outside of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City on Saturday Pro-choice activists march outside St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City on Saturday Anti-abortion activists, right, confront a woman, center, entering the Planned Parenthood clinic and office in downtown Manhattan on Saturday St. Patrick's made headlines back in May when pro-choice demonstrators rallied outside the building as part of a nationwide protest targeting Catholic churches. NYC-based performance artist Crackhead Barney, sporting a one-piece bathing suit, screamed 'I'm killing the babies' as she led a march to the church. 'God killed his son, why can't I?' the protester repeatedly screamed as she dangled a baby doll during a Saturday morning demonstration outside the cathedral. A smaller group of pro-life activists assembled on the steps of the iconic Manhattan church, facing the abortion advocates, and prayed the rosary. They also sang the hymn Ave Maria. Just as they did Saturday, the NYYRC applauded the members of its Catholic Caucus in May for 'standing up for their beliefs and for the fundamental rights of all unborn Americans.' Performance artist Crackhead Barney dangles a a baby doll during a May 7 demonstration outside the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City Standing in a one-piece bathing suit, Crackhead Barney screamed: 'I'm killing the babies' and 'God killed his son, why can't I?' Abortion-rights activists gather outside the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in downtown Manhattan on May 7 to voice their support for a woman's right to choose Saturday's demonstration came just one day after Indiana on Friday became the first state since the Supreme Court in June struck down Roe to pass a near-total abortion ban. Both houses of the Republican-dominated Indiana legislature passed the abortion measure on Friday after weeks of bitter debate, and Governor Eric Holcomb, a Republican, quickly signed it. When the measure takes effect Sept. 15, it will allow abortions only in cases of rape, incest, lethal fetal abnormality or when a pregnant woman faces the risk of death or severe health problems. The White House on Saturday assailed Indiana lawmakers for passing sweeping curbs on abortion access, calling it 'devastating' step for the Midwestern state. 'The Indiana legislature took a devastating step as a result of the Supreme Court's extreme decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate women's constitutionally-protected right to abortion,' said a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 'It's another radical step by Republican legislators to take away women's reproductive rights and freedom, and put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians rather than women and their doctors.' Warnings have been raised the construction industry could be about to go bust following a long boom in the industry. The Reserve Bank of Australia warned in October 2019 the construction industry was going to experience a downturn. The warning came after the industry enjoyed a massive boom between April 2012 and November 2017. Home building approvals rose by 119 per cent with more being constructed than ever before. Warnings have been raised the construction industry could be about to go bust following a long boom in the industry (stock image) The Reserve Bank of Australia warned in October 2019 the construction industry was going to experience a downturn (stock image) The industry began to slow down and decline with approvals dropping by 41.5 per cent between November 2017 and January 2020. The RBA prediction that the industry was about to take a hit appeared accurate. Then construction picked up again when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived. Demand for renovations skyrocketed while the federal government poured billions of dollars worth of grants into the industry. The federal government launched the HomeBuilder program in June 2020 - allowing residents to access $25,000 to build a new home or renovate an existing one. More than 137,000 applications for the grant were submitted with $2.1 billion funnelled into the scheme as of March 2022. Lockdowns also prompted homeowners to turn their attention to their existing homes and renovate them. The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Australians spent $12.3 billion on renovations in 2021, a 33 per cent jump on the amount spent in 2020. The RBA warning came after the construction industry enjoyed a massive boom between April 2012 and November 2017 Dwelling commencements are also down 27.5 per cent since their peak in June 2021 (stock image) The pace has slowed drastically with home building approvals falling 29 per cent since reaching their peak in March 2021. Building commencements are also down 27.5 per cent since their peak in June 2021. More than a dozen construction companies have collapsed over the past year. Builders Privium and BA Murphy were both liquidated late last year, while major construction companies Condev and Probuild also went broke earlier this year. Inside Out Construction, Dyldam Developments, Home Innovation Builders, ABG Group, New Sensation Homes, Next, Pindan, ABD Group, Pivotal Homes, Solido Builders and Snowdon Developments are some of the other companies in the sector to go under. Skyrocketing material costs, choked supply chains, fuel and vehicle price hikes, difficulty finding staff, and high wages are all combining to destroy the viability of businesses. The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Australians spent $12.3billion on renovations during 2021 (stock image) Staffing costs also soared with some in-demand tradies and specialists being headhunted by rivals for twice their previous salary. The industry was also hit with delays caused by Covid shutdowns and then the La Nina deluges stopping work on sites across the eastern half of the country for weeks on end. Now companies up and down the country are committed to fixed cost contracts which are losing them money hand over fist. The worst affected are the bigger companies with sales teams who booked in record amounts of business at prices they can't sustain, with profits smashed by the rising costs. Nancy Pelosi said she has always felt 'connected' to China because she was told as a child that if she dug a hole deep enough she would reach the Asian country on the other side of the world. 'When I was a little girl, I was told when at the beach, that if I dug a hole deep enough we would reach China,' the House Speaker said Friday. 'So, we've always felt a connection there,' Pelosi added during a press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. The comment came in response to a very serious question about whether Pelosi thinks the U.S.-Chinese relationship will be affected by the days of intense military drills in the region following her trip to Taiwan. It is not immediately clear whether Pelosi was joking in the clip that circulated on social media over the weekend. Pelosi was standing beside other Democratic representatives part of the delegation visiting Asia, which included a stop in Taiwan to the ire of China, when she made the comments. The phrase 'dig a hole to China' is a joke said by many American parents to kids digging at the beach or in sand boxes. It's used to say that they are digging so much that the child will reach the other side of the Earth if they keep going. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that she always felt 'a connection' to Beijing because she was told as a child: 'If I dug a hole deep enough we would reach China' Pelosi (center) speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday alongside members of the Democratic delegation, including Gregory Meeks (right) and Suzan DelBene (left) In order to actually 'dig a hole to China', however, the child would need to start their journey in Chile or Argentina, which is the location of the opposite point on the Earth from the large Asian nation. While the antipode or opposite location geographically from D.C. is the ocean, the closest city is Augusta, Western Australia, Australia. And the closest antipode city from San Francisco is Port-aux-Francais, Kerguelen, French Southern Territories. China suggested Sunday that the U.S. is trying to claim Taiwan as Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted the self-governed island nation is still part of Chinese territory. Wang said during a trip to Bangladesh that Taiwan is not part of the United States in the latest diplomatic escalation following Pelosi's visit. He added that the U.S. is engaged in 'sophistry', or fallacious and deceiving arguments, when it comes to intentions regarding Taiwan. Wang insisted that China's actions when it comes to the island are appropriate and legal and made in attempts to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Beijing raged at Pelosi's Tuesday trip to Taiwan, ripping up a series of talks and cooperation agreements with Washington, most notably on climate change and defense. On Friday, China also imposed sanctions on the California Democrat following her visit to Taiwan. 'In disregard of China's grave concerns and firm opposition, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region. This constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs. It gravely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,' a China foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. It added: 'In response to Pelosi's egregious provocation, China decides to adopt sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws of the People's Republic of China.' Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday after days of speculation about whether she would make the trip and potentially intensify tensions with China, which views Taiwan as a territory that will eventually be reunified with the mainland. With the visit last week, Pelosi became the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit Taiwan in decades. The visit sparked China to launch its largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan, which drew to a close on Sunday following Pelosi's controversial visit to the self-ruled island. Beijing also deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles around Taiwan in what analysts have described as practice for a blockade and ultimate invasion of the island. Those exercises were set to end Sunday, though Beijing has not confirmed their conclusion. Despite the fallout, Democrats and Republicans with the exception of Donald Trump are defending Pelosi's stop in Taiwan. 'She should've gone. I'm glad she went,' Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday morning. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said Sunday morning that the trip was worth the fallout. 'What President Xi decided to do was manufacture a crisis,' the Senate Foreign Relations Committee member told NBC's Meet the Press program. He added: 'This is saber rattling, and chest-thumping.' Ahead of Pelosi's trip, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the U.S. would face the wrath of Beijing if she went to Taiwan. Chinese state media released some excerpts from a two-hour call between Xi and Biden last month where the Chinese leader was quoted as saying: 'Those who play with fire will only get burnt. Hope the U.S. side can see this clearly.' Taiwan's transport ministry said six of the seven 'temporary danger zones' China had warned airlines to avoid ceased to be in effect as of noon on Sunday, signaling a partial drawdown of the drills. China launched four days of its largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan following Pelosi's visit to the self-governed island. Pictured: A Chinese J-11 military fighter jet flies above the Taiwan Strait near Pingtan, the closest land of mainland China to the island of Taiwan, in Pingtan in southeastern China's Fujian Province on Friday It said the seventh zone, in waters east of Taiwan, would remain in effect until 10 a.m. local time on Monday. 'Relevant flights and sailings can gradually resume,' the ministry said in a statement. Taipei said some routes were still affected in the seventh area, and authorities would continue to monitor ship movements there. Beijing has also announced fresh drills in the Yellow Sea -- located between China and the Korean peninsula -- to take place until August 15. Earlier on Sunday, Beijing conducted 'exercises in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan Island as planned', the Chinese military's Eastern Command said. Taipei's defense ministry confirmed China had dispatched 'planes, vessels and drones... simulating attacks on Taiwan's main island and on ships in our waters'. Beijing also sent drones over Taiwan's outlying islands, it added. In response, Taiwan said it had mobilized a 'joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance system to closely monitor the enemy situation' as well as sending planes and vessels. Su Tseng-chang, Taiwan's premier, said China is 'barbarously using military action' to disturb peace in the Taiwan Strait. 'We call on the Chinese government not to go around wielding its military power, showing its muscles everywhere and jeopardizing the peace of the region,' he told reporters Sunday. China says it is canceling or suspending dialogue with the U.S. on issues from climate change to military relations and anti-drug efforts in retaliation for Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. In response to the Chinese drills, Taiwan's military mobilized air and land patrols and deployed land-based missile systems China-Taiwan military balance Taipei's foreign ministry said the drills threatened 'the region and even the world'. An anonymously authored opinion piece published Sunday by state broadcaster CCTV said that after these exercises, China's military would be able to stage 'regular' training drills east of the median line. That line is an unofficial demarcation in the Taiwan Strait that Beijing does not recognise. To show how close it has got to Taiwan's shores, the Chinese military released a video of an air force pilot filming the island's coastline and mountains from his cockpit. The Eastern Command also shared a photo it said was of a warship on patrol with Taiwan's shoreline visible in the background. Ballistic missiles were also fired over Taiwan's capital during the drills, according to Chinese state media. Taiwan has remained defiant throughout China's saber-rattling, insisting it will not be cowed by its 'evil neighbor'. But experts have warned the drills have revealed an increasingly emboldened Chinese military capable of carrying out a grueling blockade of the island as well as obstructing US forces from coming to its aid. 'In some areas, the PLA might even surpass US capabilities,' Grant Newsham, a researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies and a former US Navy officer, told AFP, referring to China's military by its official name. 'If the battle is confined to the area right around Taiwan, today's Chinese navy is a dangerous opponent -- and if the Americans and Japanese do not intervene for some reason, things would be difficult for Taiwan.' The scale and intensity of China's drills -- as well as Beijing's withdrawal from key talks on climate and defense -- have triggered outrage in the United States and other democracies. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was 'determined to act responsibly' to avoid a major global crisis. China should not hold talks on issues of global concern such as climate change 'hostage', Blinken said, as it 'doesn't punish the United States, it punishes the world'. Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has urged the government to stay close to China to have any chance at influencing the superpower's behaviour. Mr Key preached engagement with Beijing in a long interview to TVNZ's Q+A program on Sunday, a rarity since standing down in 2016 after eight years in office. He lamented US-China relations had 'deteriorated considerably' since his time in office, and dismissed Australia's tough talking approach to China under Scott Morrison as counterproductive. Mr Key also lashed US House speaker Nancy Pelosi over her visit to Taiwan this week, suggesting it was selfish and high-risk. 'It was reckless, if you want to be kind. It was provocative and it was actually dangerous,' he said. Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has urged the government to stay close to China to have any chance at influencing the superpower's behaviour (pictured with wife Bronagh) 'Everyone knows that the third-most important elected official in the United States turning up on Taiwanese territory, that is poking the bear.' Amid growing tensions between China and the US over Taiwan, Mr Key said he wanted 'everyone to take a calm, deep breath'. 'Literally tens, hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders' jobs and incomes rest on the fact that our largest trading partner is China,' he said. 'We sell a lot of goods there. There's a lot of investment there. There's a lot of trade. 'To have that potentially disrupted - let's be blunt - in a very fragile world ... is this another dimension that we want to add?' Mr Key also declined repeated invitations to describe President Xi Jinping an authoritarian leader. Mr Key urged PM Jacinda Ardern to strengthen relations with China to improve trade prospects and maintain Pacific peace His intervention comes at a potential pivot point in New Zealand's foreign outlook. Unlike Australia, New Zealand is not a defence ally of the United States and has maintained stronger ties with Beijing under its much-trumpeted independent foreign policy. Analysts sensed a change in the air this year when China's tacit support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed Wellington closer to Joe Biden's administration. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has deployed military assets and made financial contributions to the defence of Ukraine, without direct involvement on the ground. Australia and New Zealand have also buddied up in the Pacific, supporting a push against Chinese militarisation of the region. Probed on China's human rights abuses in the Xinjiang province, the rollback of democracy in Hong Kong and assertiveness in the Pacific, Mr Key didn't deny their seriousness. 'If you build a better relationship through trade, does it give you an increased and better platform to present change going forward and to have influence? I personally think you do,' he said. 'Do you want to start calling names and increasing the rhetoric? Australia has done that and has a far more aggressive relationship with China. 'Really, is that the smartest thing to do? You either do it from inside the tent where you can have a respectful relationship or you do it from outside. I just don't see what a country the size of New Zealand gets from being outside.' Mr Key preached engagement with Beijing in a long interview to TVNZ's Q+A program on Sunday, with China increasing its war activity near Taiwan after the US visit The interview came after a speech from Ms Ardern to the China Business Summit last Monday which was seen as conciliatory towards China. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta also met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi this week at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, their first in-person meeting. Mr Wang issued a glowing endorsement of the relationship after the meeting, saying he believes New Zealand views 'China and China's development objectively and positively, and handles bilateral relations in a rational and wise manner'. Mr Wang also issued an invitation to meet in Beijing when COVID-19 restrictions are lessened, which Ms Ardern has hinted at accepting. Aboriginal senator Jacinta Price has accused supporters of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament of buying into 'racial stereotypes'. The Country Liberal Party's new Northern Territory senator is a staunch opponent of the proposed advisory body, unlike the other 10 indigenous MPs. Senator Price used her maiden speech to parliament on July 27 to rail against the concept and a proposed referendum to enshrine it in the constitution. The broad bipartisan support for the Voice is a result of too many Australians 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and not listening to a silent majority of Aboriginals. Aboriginal senator Jacinta Price has accused supporters of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament of buying into 'racial stereotypes' Instead of being a unifying voice to promote Indigenous issues, Senator Price claimed it would be just another layer of bureaucracy that would divide her people from white Australia and assume they would always be 'victims'. Senator Price even defended the Voice's other bitter critic, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, as someone who 'cares deeply for Indigenous Australians'. This was despite Senator Hanson storming out of the upper house rather than sit through an acknowledgement to country and calling the Voice 'apartheid'. Senator Price defended both their positions in a no-hold-barred debate with author Peter FitzSimons in his Sydney Morning Herald column. She said travelling around the world with her teacher parents - Indigenous mother and white father - when she was 13 opened her eyes 'to how we're all human'. Senator Price said she was too busy for politics when she was young as she had her first baby when she 17 and two more by the time she was 21. But she later became politically active when she observed 'narratives about Indigenous Australians' she didn't agree with. Senator Price said she became politically active when she observed 'narratives about Indigenous Australians' she didn't agree with Though she acknowledged the difficulties faced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, she believed an Indigenous Voice to Parliament was not needed. 'Colonisation and subsequent laws had a lot to do with some of the critical issues. I'm not denying that,' she told FitzSimons. 'But I know full well, that another part of it is we accept violence within our culture. It's a patriarchal culture and meantime, the Voice to Parliament like this one, it doesn't actually detail how it's supposed to help.' The former deputy mayor of Alice Springs said it 'feels like just another bureaucracy' and she didn't know why it needed to be enshrined in Australia's Constitution. In her maiden speech to Parliament on July 27, she outlined her opposition to an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. 'Perhaps a word of advice, since that is what you are seeking: listen to everyone, not just those who support your virtue-signalling agenda but also those you contradict,' she said. 'I personally have had more than my fill of being symbolically recognised.' Senator Price defended One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) saying she is not racist and in fact 'cares deeply for Indigenous Australians' FitzSimons said he was astonished she supported keeping Australia Day on January 26, the anniversary of white settlement. Senator Price replied that for her, 'it's not about the impact of colonisation on us black fellas. It's about how we've since come together as people from all different backgrounds'. She said that you could pick any day of the year where you'd find that something horrible happened on that day in Australian history. FitzSimons also put it to Ms Price that in many people's view it is 'time to recognise the shocking past... and do everything possible to fix the future', but she has been 'a very prominent voice howling us down'. Senator Price said that view was just a narrative created to suggest most Aboriginal people felt that way. Australian Parliament's 11 Indigenous MPs JACINTA PRICE: Nationals senator for the Northern Territory MARION SCRYMGOUR: Labor member for Lingiari JANA STEWART: Labor senator for Victoria LIDIA THORPE: Greens senator for Victoria LINDA BURNEY: Labor Minister for Indigenous Australians PAT DODSON: Labor senator for Western Australia MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Labor Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians GORDON REID: Labor member for Robertson DORINDA COX: Greens senator for Western Australia KERRYNNE LIDDLE: Liberal senator for South Australia JACQUI LAMBIE: Independent senator for Tasmania Advertisement She said many Indigenous people didn't view themselves as victims of history on Australia Day, instead seeing themselves 'as proud Australians'. FitzSimons asked Ms Price if it ever bothered her that among her supporters were 'people with little to no respect for the Aboriginal people' such as Pauline Hanson. She replied that she didn't think Ms Hanson was racist and in fact 'cares deeply for Indigenous Australians' and her concern was about 'taking more practical approaches towards solving some of our problems'. Senator Price added that it was a pity that more concerned Indigenous Australians didn't speak up about domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and alcoholism in their communities. 'They're more concerned about how the wider public view them as opposed to actually solving some of these issues, so they remain silent,' she said. Ms Price, who is one of 11 Indigenous senators and MPs, said the the reason First Nations people 'have failed so much' was because they were always regarded as a separate entity. She said she 'can't support this idea... We are all just Australian citizens, and we should be treated as such'. A Voice to Parliament, if it was enshrined in the constitution would mean Indigenous people would be see as victims forever when they should instead stand on their 'own two bloody feet', Senator Price said. She claimed having a 'bureaucracy based on race' placed into the constitution would drive a wedge between black and white Australia and that she has no desire for the constitution to treat her differently. Advertisement Anne Heche's eldest son, Homer Laffoon, spent his Saturday in the company of two young women. Laffoon, 20, is the son of the troubled actress and her former husband, Coleman 'Coley' Laffoon. The couple were married in September 2001 and split in February 2007. In exclusive DailyMail.com photos, Laffoon is seen shirtless showing his two female friends to the door. His two dressed-up friends leave his home in Los Angeles, Calif. It's unclear if Laffoon is in a relationship with either of his female friends. The star's son makes no reference to a girlfriend on his various social media accounts. Her second son, Atlas, was born to Heche and actor James Tupper in 2009. He was born just days after her marriage to Laffoon's father officially ended. Heche and Tupper split in 2018. Following Heche's car crash on Friday, in which she first slammed into a garage at an apartment building, then careered into a home in her blue Mini Cooper leaving her 'severely burned' and 'intubated' in a Los Angeles hospital, Tupper posted a photo of his former partner and wrote on Instagram: 'Thoughts and prayers for this lovely woman, actress and mother tonight anneheche. We love you.' On his Instagram page, Laffoon takes his mother's name going by Homer Heche. In exclusive DailyMail.com photos, Laffoon is seen shirtless showing his two female friends to the door. His two dressed up friends leave his home in Los Angeles, looking as though the trio pulled an all-nighter It's unclear if Laffoon is in a relationship with either of his female friends. The star's son makes no reference to a girlfriend on his various social media accounts Laffoon, 20, is the son of the troubled actress and her former husband, Coleman 'Coley' Laffoon On his Instagram page, Laffoon takes his mother's name, going by Homer Heche Laffoon graduated from high school in the summer of 2020, according to Heche. The ceremony was held in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles Anne Heche, pictured here with her ex-husband Coley Laffoon in 2002, was involved in multiple car crashes on Friday in which she first slammed into a garage at an apartment building, then careered into a home in her blue Mini Cooper leaving her 'severely burned' and 'intubated' in a Los Angeles hospital Laffoon graduated from high school in the summer of 2020, according to Heche. The ceremony was held in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl stadium in Los Angeles. In an interview, the Donnie Brasco star took the opportunity to rail against Covid-19 protocols in California. His famous mother told Page Six: 'Hes 18. Excitedly looking forward to this major event in his life. So where was it held? In a parking lot. The Rose Bowl parking lot in LA.' 'We had to enter wearing masks. Cars were spaced far apart. Nobody allowed outside their vehicle. The graduates onstage were masked and allowed only one second to remove that and mumble thank you. It was surreal. Bizarre.' She concluded: 'Your pass was preprinted out. You were allowed one car per family. No extra guests. Allowed photos were without the graduates face being visible. The security stationed around all wore black masks. Everything else nearby was boarded up, locked up, chained up. It was watching California disintegrate.' Since birth, Heche has said that her two sons share a close and intimate bond. She told People Magazine in 2011 when Laffoon was nine and Atlas was two: 'The two are having an incredible bond right now. They already look out for each other.' Despite splitting in 2007, as recently as 2017 Heche and Coleman Laffoon had to renegotiate their child support and custody arrangements. Anne Heche is said to be in stable condition in a hospital in Los Angeles. According to the LA Times, Heche was inebriated at the time of her crash Following her divorce from Coley Laffoon, the pair became embroiled in a bitter custody dispute that took ten years to resolve The pair agreed at the time to share custody of then-14-year-old Homer Laffoon. Back in 2014, Heche lost primary custody of her son. Heche and Laffoon's divorce was finalized in March 2009, and according to court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, the actress had to cough up $3,700 a month in child support as well as a $500,000 lump sum. She also had to pay 75 percent of Homer's private school tuition. Heche disclosed in a 2007 interview on The View that her son, then seven, flew to be with her twice a month from his home in Los Angeles to Vancouver were she was shooting her show, Men in Trees. She told the hosts: 'Homer flies a lot twice a month to see me. It's hard. You've to got to open up your heart as if he's right in front of you.' During their custody dispute, Heche was accused of cursing in front of her son and berating his father in front of him, she was also accused of not caring for her son when he visited on set, instead leaving him with aides and of showering with her son and new then-new boyfriend, James Tupper, while wearing bathing suits. In retaliation Heche said that Coley Laffoon would regularly watch pornography and gamble while he was supposed to be looking after their son. During an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Heche called her ex as 'lazy a**.' Following the end of Heche's relationship with James Tupper, she became involved in an equally fiery custody fight. Colombia's first leftist president will be sworn into office later today, heralding a turning point in the history of a country haunted by a long war between the government and guerrilla groups. Sen. Gustavo Petro, himself a former member of Colombia's M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties off the back of a campaign which promised to fight inequality. Petro is part of a growing group of leftist politicians and political outsiders who have been winning elections in Latin America since the pandemic broke out and hurt incumbents who struggled with its economic aftershocks. The ex-rebel's victory was also exceptional for Colombia, where voters had been historically reluctant to back leftist politicians who were often accused of being soft on crime or allied with guerrillas. A 2016 peace deal between Colombia's government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia turned much of the focus of voters away from the violent conflicts playing out in rural areas and gave prominence to problems like poverty and corruption, fueling the popularity of leftist parties in national elections. Petro, 62, has promised to tackle Colombia's social and economic inequalities by boosting spending on anti-poverty programmes and increasing investment in rural areas. He has described U.S.-led anti-narcotics policies, such as the forced eradication of illegal coca crops, as a 'big failure.' But he has said he would like to work with Washington 'as equals,' building schemes to combat climate change or bring infrastructure to rural areas where many farmers say coca leaves are the only viable crop. Sen. Gustavo Petro, himself a former member of Colombia's M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties off the back of a campaign which promised to fight inequality Supporters of the Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro celebrate before his inauguration ceremony at the Bolivar square in Bogota, on August 7, 2022 People gather for the swearing-in ceremony of Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro at Plaza Bolivar, in Bogota, Colombia August 7, 2022 A handout photo made available by the Spanish Royal House shows Spanish King Felipe VI (R) greeting Ecuador's president Guillermo Lasso (L) before their official meeting in Bogota, Colombia, 07 August 2022. King Felipe VI is in Colombia to attend to swear of Gustavo Petro as new Colombian president Police officers search people in the area near the square where Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro will be sworn-in, in Bogota, Colombia August 7, 2022 Petro also formed alliances with environmentalists during his presidential campaign and has promised to turn Colombia into a 'global powerhouse for life' by slowing deforestation and taking steps to reduce the countrys reliance on fossil fuels. The incoming president has said Colombia will stop granting new licences for oil exploration and will ban fracking projects, even though the oil industry makes up almost 50 per cent of the nation's legal exports. He plans to finance social spending with a $10 billion a year tax reform that would boost taxes on the rich and do away with corporate tax breaks. Petro has also said he wants to start peace talks with remaining rebel groups that are currently fighting over drug routes, gold mines and other resources abandoned by the FARC after their peace deal with the government. He will hope his status as a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group will serve him well in negotiations from the other side of the table. 'He's got a very ambitious agenda,' said Yan Basset, a political scientist at Bogota's Rosario University. 'But he will have to prioritise. The risk Petro faces is that he goes after too many reforms at once and gets nothing' through Colombia's congress. People react as they wait for the swearing-in ceremony of Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro, at Plaza de Bolivar, in Bogota, Colombia August 7, 2022 People wait for the swearing-in ceremony of Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro, in Bogota, Colombia August 7, 2022 A stage is set up for the upcoming presidential inauguration ceremony in Bogota, Colombia A worker cleans the sidewalk outside the Cathedral ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony in Bogota, Colombia At least 10 heads of state are expected to attend Petro's inauguration, which will take place at a large colonial-era square in front of Colombia's Congress. Stages with live music and big screens will also be placed in parks across Bogota's city centre so that tens of thousands of citizens without invitations to the main event can also join in the festivities. The move represents a big change for Colombia where previous presidential inaugurations were more sombre events limited to a few hundred VIP guests. 'We want the Colombian people to be the protagonists,' Petro's press chief, Marisol Rojas, said in a statement. 'This inauguration will be the first taste of a new form of governing, where all forms of life are respected, and where everyone fits in.' The director of The City University of New York's program aimed at exposing young students to college courses denied he's the pants-less man in a tweet he posted on social media. J. Michael Steele, 52, who serves with CUNY's Early College Initiative, posted a photo of a man walking around a classroom without pants, only wearing a striped shirt, black sneakers and a COVID mask. Providing as little context as possible, Steele used the image to poke fun at the 90 degree temperature in New York. 'When it's hot outside and inside. It's Pom Pom shorts time,' Steele tweeted on Thursday. 'No kids were present for this blackmail photo.' He told the New York Post that he was not the man in the picture, but would not say who the inappropriately dressed man was. The man in the picture, however, does have a tattoo on his left arm similar to the one Steele has. J. Michael Steele, 52, of the City University of New York, posted a photo of a man walking around a classroom without pants on Thursday Steele (above) serves with CUNY's Early College Initiative, which provides students in grades six through 12 the chance to take on university-prep courses. He has since taken the picture down and denied that he is the pants-less man CUNY has apologized for the educator's post and said appropriate action is now being taken The post led to outrage online, causing CUNY to intervene and apologize for the incident. 'This post was brought to our attention, subsequently removed and appropriate action is now being taken,' the university said in a statement. 'CUNY is committed to providing an appropriate learning environment for all its students.' Steele, a former teacher and principal in Massachusetts and Detroit, has worked for 10 years with students in grades six through 12, helping them take on university-prep courses that earn them college credit. Following the backlash, Steele has since deleted the post and made his Twitter account private. CUNY officials said the university does not comment on personnel matters as it addresses Steele's post. While the original post no longer exists, it has been retweeted, with many taking to social media to further ridicule the pantless man, while others vented their frustration over the partial nudity at a public school. Twitter user Tess T. Eccles-Brown poked fun at the man in a sarcastic tweet applauding him for his commitment to stay comfortable over creating a proper teaching environment. 'I wish all of the teachers were as comfortable with themselves as this guy,' she wrote. 'Imagine how free he feels. A great environment for learning!' Many took to social media to express their outrage and mock they pants-less man Another Twitter user with the handle, Noctis Draven, appeared dumbfounded by the photo, writing: 'Seems like a legit place to take a photo like that... People willingly send their kids to these places??? [Like], really???' A Twitter user going by Ben was much more critical, tweeting: 'A legitimate psych eval would be a nice addition to the screening process for these people.' Another person with handle The Dunadan on Twitter couldn't help but join in the scores of sarcastic comments about the pants-less man. 'I'm deeply envious of his high level of professionalism,' they wrote. Twitter user Maze, however, took a direct jab at the man in the photo, tweeting: 'It takes a lot of balls to do something this stupid. On second glance, no it doesn't.' Two young bushwalkers were airlifted to safety after becoming trapped on a trail in the Blue Mountains and spending the night shivering in near-freezing temperatures. A rescue operation begun just after 6pm on Saturday after reports a 25-year-old man and 18-year-old woman got into trouble canyoning. The pair activated an emergency beacon and paramedics and special operations teams rushed to the Claustral Canyon Trail near Mount Tomah. Two young bushwalkers were airlifted to safety after becoming trapped on a popular trail in the Blue Mountains A rescue helicoper spotted the hikers at the base of a waterfall and emergency services trekked from just after 10pm to attempt to reach them. They were assisted by the a police helicopter and the Toll Rescue helicopter, but it was soon suspended after due to treacherous conditions and poor visiblity. On Sunday morning, the young bushwalkers were safely winched out of the area before being treated by paramedics. They did not suffer any major injuries but were showing signs of hypothermia. They did not require hospitalisation. A rescue operation begun just after 6pm on Saturday evening after reports a 25-year-old man and 18-year-old woman got into trouble canyoning The young hikers had been exploring the popular area west of Sydney on Saturday NSW Ambulance Inspector Greg Marshall praised the young hikers for taking a distress becon with them - a decision that likely saved their lives. 'This couple were very cold when we got to them and temperatures close to zero degrees made it an uncomfortable night,' he said. 'They did the right thing in taking an EPIRB distress beacon with them, and activating it when they got into trouble. 'The coordinates we received helped our aeromedical team locate them and get assistance to them. 'It's an important lesson for everybody who goes out into the bush take an EPIRB with you. It can be a life-saving device. 'This was a tricky and prolonged rescue operation with all agencies involved working well together for a good outcome.' A toddler is fighting for life after he was found motionless in a Victorian lake by horrified locals. The boy, 3, was discovered floating in Lake Neangar in the Bendigo suburb of Eaglehawk on Sunday morning before the group pulled him from the water. It is understood one of his rescuers desperately performed CPR on the child while they waited for paramedics to arrive. A three-year-old boy was found unresponsive by locals in Lake Neangar (pictured) in the Victorian suburb of Eaglehawk on Sunday A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that emergency services arrived at the scene around 11:50am. Ambulance Victoria revealed the boy was airlifted to the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne. He is in a critical condition. More to come Doctors have called on MPs to decriminalise abortion as two women face life in prison for charges under archaic Victorian laws dating back to the 1860s. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists today urged the government to change the law, arguing women should not face criminal charges for having abortions without the certification of two medics. President Dr Edward Morris said women should be free to have an abortion without fear of prosecution. This comes as a woman today revealed how she suffers flashbacks after spending two years in jail for taking abortion pills at home. Two British women also face jail under an obscure 160-year-old law, accused of taking legal prescription drugs to 'procure a miscarriage'. The 1967 Abortion Act legalises terminations in England, Wales and Scotland up to 23 weeks. But the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 remain in place - meaning women who have unregulated abortions or try to terminate their pregnancy without medical supervision can be charged with child destruction and face up to life imprisonment. Stock Image: Women who do not get an abortion through medical professionals or outside of the legal time limit can still be prosecuted in England, Wales and Scotland - unlike in Northern Ireland What are the UK's laws on abortion? Abortion Act 1967 Women are permitted to have an abortion up to 14 weeks where two doctors agree there is a risk to the mother's or existing children's mental or physical health. In new legislation brought in in April 2020, women can now have a postal abortion at home up to 10 weeks. Women who have abortions outside of these rules can still be prosecuted and sent to jail for life. Where a woman's life is at risk or the baby has a severe disability, there is no time limit on access to abortion. Offences Against the Person Act 1861 Attempts to procure abortion are covered in the 1861 Act under two categories: 1. Administering drugs or using instruments to procure abortion 2. Procuring drugs to cause abortion However, the 1967 Abortion Act made abortions legal if performed by a doctor, authorised by two doctors acting in good faith, and met at least one qualifying factor. But it does not apply to Northern Ireland. Until 2019, anyone carrying out an abortion in Northern Ireland, except under highly limited circumstances, could be jailed for life under the 1861 Act. It was legalised under Section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019. Infant Life (Preservation) Act This act states that any person who destroys the life of a child capable of being born alive with intent can be subjected to conviction. Under the Abortion Act 1967, abortion is legal when carried out in accordance with regulations including being carried out by registered practitioners and through medical practices such as those carried out by the NHS. Advertisement Dr Edward Morris told The Telegraph: 'Women who may face charges are often in desperate or vulnerable situations, and the current legislation may further deter them from seeking the support and aftercare they need. 'It is our belief that prosecuting a woman for ending their pregnancy will never be in the public interest. 'To ensure that all women and girls are provided with support without fear of prosecution, abortion must be decriminalised, while remaining subject to the regulatory and professional standards of all other medical procedures,' he told The Telegraph. Other leading medical bodies such as the British Medical Association and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) have also called for abortion to be decriminalised. Such changes would ensure women who had suffered a miscarriage could not be investigated for criminal activity, he added. The government introduced the 'Pills by Post' legislation during the Covid pandemic, which allowed women up to ten weeks' pregnant to receive aborting pills in the post to take at home following a remote consultation. The at-home provisions became permanent in March after MPs voted to support an amendment to the Health and Care Bill. If there is a fatal risk to mother or baby women in the UK can have an abortion up to full term. Cases of illegal abortion in the UK generally are brought against women whose miscarriage but them in medical danger - for example if they are admitted to hospital and tell staff they have taken abortion pills. In Northern Ireland, abortion was decriminalised in 2019, and was also permitted in Ireland after a historic referendum in 2020. But provision in both is still patchy, with hundreds of women still having to make the journey to Britain since. It comes as a woman who was jailed in the UK for having an abortion spoke out about her ordeal after she said she was threatened with a life sentence by the CPS. Laura, 20, whose name has been changed, described taking pills which would initiate a miscarriage when she thought she was eight to ten weeks pregnant - but she didn't see a doctor out of terror of her abusive boyfriend. She said her irregular periods meant she did not know that she had actually been pregnant for 30 weeks. After taking the pills Laura had to be taken to hospital after losing large amounts of blood due to the pregnancy being much farther along than she realised. She told The Sunday Times: 'I almost died. I remember the bath being filled with at least an inch of blood. 'I wanted to die. Honestly, I just felt like the whole world had just ended in front of my eyes.' Laura did not tell police or hospital staff about her boyfriend's abuse because she was too frightened after he threatened to kill her in hospital. She was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to having an illegal abortion in court. Laura's case is by no means unique - at least two other women in England are set to appear in court on this charge, and face hefty prison sentences if convicted. A 25-year-old woman pleaded not guilty at Oxford Crown Court this year to administering Misoprostol, a drug used in abortions, with intent to procure a miscarriage. She was told via interpreter that she will stand trial in February next year. She allegedly took the drug, which is one of two pills routinely prescribed by doctors to abort a pregnancy, in January last year. The crime falls under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and carries a life sentence in prison. Another woman is due to appear before Staffordshire Magistrates Court charged with child destruction under the Infant Life (Preservation) Act, which dates back to 1929. The unnamed woman obtained pills from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) during the coronavirus lockdown under legislation introduced during the pandemic. It allowed women up to ten weeks' pregnant to receive aborting pills in the post to take at home following a remote consultation. After the woman took the pills, she delivered a 28-week foetus and was reported to the police. She also faces a life sentence if convicted. There are also fears amongst some doctors that women who have a natural miscarriage or still-birth face investigations because they previously considered a termination. MPs such as Labour's Jess Phillips have already called for urgent changes. Ms Phillips, who previously spoke about her experience of having an abortion in the House of Commons, has called UK laws 'backwards and draconian'. Polling by YouGov shows that only one in four people in the UK can accurately pick, from a range of options, what the UK's abortion laws are. Senior UK doctors have said continued prosecutions may deter women experiencing miscarriages and incomplete abortions from seeking treatment when needed. Medics, lawyers and charity workers earlier this month signed a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Max Hill QC, urging him to stop taking women to court for ending their pregnancies. The letter calls for all current proceedings to be stopped and that no future charges are brought against women or girls who end a pregnancy or experience pregnancy loss. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service shared the letter on their social media, which read: 'We believe that, in 2022, it is never in the public interest to charge women who end their own pregnancy, and that no woman should face investigation or prosecution for ending a pregnancy or experiencing unexpected or unexplained pregnancy loss.' In a tweet, they added: 'When we say that womens reproductive rights are under threat this is what we mean. Its not abstract, its not hysteria, its not even #RoeVWade. Its women being hauled in front of British courts to face the harshest penalty for abortion in the world life in prison. 'Were horrified by these developments. It is never right, it is never in the public interest, and we will never stop advocating until abortion is removed from the criminal law and treated like the healthcare it is. No woman deserves this.' A doctor was thrown out of a medical conference after filming himself berating attendees for endorsing vaccine mandates to combat Covid-19. Dr William Bay, who heads the anti-mandate group Queensland People's Protest, live-streamed his extraordinary tirade at an Australian Medical Association conference in Sydney last month and it was posted online on Sunday. Dr Bay stunned his colleagues by interrupting the meeting by haranguing Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and accusing him of 'lying'. 'I am here today to ask you to join with the people of Australia and stop forcing these vaccines on people who are getting killed by them,' Dr Bay shouts. 'Professor Paul Kelly is liar and is gaslighting all of you.' His claims are at odds with much of Australia and the world's medical authorities who say Covid vaccines are the best protection against serious symptoms of the virus. Dr William Bay live-streamed his extraordinary outburst against vaccines and Australia chief medical officer Paul Kelly during a medical conference in Sydney Footage shows many attendees at the conference got up from their seats and began leaving as Dr Bay began shouting even louder. 'All GPs, all doctors of Australia you are on notice by the people of Queensland,' he yells. 'This is the Queensland People's Protest and you have been warned.' As he is escorted outside, Dr Bay begins chanting. 'One shot, two shots, three shots four, how many shots until you hit the floor?' he shouts. At a protest later that day, Dr Bay is filmed theatrically throwing his medical licence away. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency then issued Dr Bay a notice threatening to suspend his licence. NCA NewsWire reports that AHPRA's suspension notice states the Medical Board believes Dr Bay's conduct 'poses a serious risk to persons' and requires 'immediate action' to protect public health. The board said Dr Bay's public 'mistrust of vaccinations' had the potential to 'undermine public health directives and positions'. Dr Bay interrupted an Australian Medical Association in Sydney to launch a tirade against vaccines Dr Bay claims are at odds with the global scientific consensus that Covid vaccines are the safest way to protect against the deadly virus which has killed 6.4 million people The notice states Dr Bay 'may have behaved in a manner that demonstrates a general absence of qualities essential for a medical practitioner'. '(These include) the ethical exercise of judgment and integrity and respect for public health directives.' In subsequent social media posts Dr Bay, who is second year GP registrar, accused AHPRA of trying to silence him. 'What is on trial here is my ability to think and speak so that that has got to be stopped, that imposition on human rights,' he said. 'It is the ability of doctors to treat their patients as they see fit.' Dr Kelly, appearing here at a demonstration, heads the anti-vaccine mandate group Queensland Peoples' Protest Dr Bay In his podcast claimed some of his patients had complained of chest pains and an inability to walk which he attributed as a 'side effect' to the vaccines. He claimed another had been 'ejaculating blood'. AHPRA in a statement said they could not comment on ongoing matters related to any complaints about Dr Bay's patients. 'The Medical Boards' expectations of doctors about vaccination and public health predate the COVID-19 pandemic. Our code of conduct sets out the professional standards we expect,' the AHPRA spokeswoman told news.com.au. 'When providing information or advice, we expect practitioners to exercise their professional judgment and ensure their advice is evidence-based and in line with the latest health advice.' Australia's chief health officer Professor Paul Kelly was at the conference where Dr Kay stood up and accused him of being 'liar' Dr Bay has started a petition urging supporters to 'save' his medical registration and has urged supporters to protest outside his tribunal hearing on August 16, which he asked to be delayed as he not heard from his defence lawyers yet. While Dr Bay expressed some regret over his outburst at the medical conference he said it needed to be done. 'It was an opportunity to get the message out there that my patients are demanding I get to other doctors around Australia,' he said. 'I am sorry it went out a little less professionally then I hope for but it was a message that needed to be broadcast to the doctors of Australia.' A man is in serious condition after he was stabbed on a quiet suburban Sydney street in broad daylight. Emergency crews swarmed to the corner of Pitt Street and Sheffield Street at Merrylands in the city's west about 3.30pm on Sunday. Pictures show the 31-year-old man sitting up on the asphalt next to a pool of blood before he is treated by paramedics and bundled into the back of an ambulance to be rushed to hospital. Plain clothes and uniformed officers quickly cordoned off the entire street and swept the area for evidence. The man attempts to sit up as paramedics rush to the scene after he was stabbed on a western Sydney street (pictured) Fire crews, police and paramedics rushed to the scene on Sunday afternoon (pictured) Following inquiries, officers attended a nearby residence shortly after and arrested a 30-year-old man. He's been taken to Granville Police Station. It is understood the attack was targeted. The injured man was transported to Westmead Hospital where he is in a critical condition. Anyone with information is urged to contact police. More to follow. A team of paramedics bundle the man into an ambulance (pictured) The man was stabbed on the corner of Pitt Street and Sheffield Street at Merrylands (pictured) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The parents who tortured their baby so severely he lost both his legs are set to be released in a matter of days after serving only half of their prison sentence. Tony Hudgell's birth parents, Jody Simpson, 24, and Anthony Smith, 47, were sentenced to ten years in prison in February 2018. But the pair have served only five years are are now set to be free in days, with Simpson due to be released next week, and Smith at the end of August. Tony, now seven, suffered from broken fingers and toes, torn ligaments and contracted sepsis after his birth parents left him to suffer for ten days before taking him to hospital. The boy's adoptive mother, Paula Hudgell, 54, who has spent years campaigning for tougher punishments for child abusers, described the news as 'sickening' and said it feels 'like a blow to the stomach'. Tony Hudgell (pictured), who was abused so severely by his birth parents that both of his legs needed to be amputated, is 'angry' that his birth parents will soon be free Anthony Smith (left) and Jody Simpson (right) were both found guilty of attacking Tony when he was just 41-days-old. They were sentenced to ten years in prison but will soon be released after serving only five The infant was on the verge of death when medics first saw him, and due to the extreme level of abuse he suffered, both of his legs needed to be amputated. She said: 'These monsters have spent just five years behind bars while Tony faces a lifetime of challenges as a result of their wickedness. 'There is absolutely nothing I can do about it as their release is automatic 'They don't go before the parole board or have to show any remorse to walk free. 'But even though I have always known this day would come, it doesn't make it any easier. 'The fact Simpson is being freed just a few days after the anniversary of the truly horrific death of little Peter Connelly in August 2007 makes it even more difficult to bare. 'It's like a blow to the stomach and makes me feel sick knowing those who abuse babies and children are walking free in a few years. 'These monsters could be living in your street and you wouldn't have a clue.' Simpson and Smith get automatically released halfway through their sentences, which at the time was the harshest sentence they could receive, less time they spent on remand. According to Mrs Hudgell, Tony is 'angry' that they will soon be free and wants to join the police force when he is older to re-arrest them. She said: 'Tony obviously knows they did bad things to him and went to prison so was cross when I told him they wouldn't be in jail for much longer. 'He has previously said he wants to be a policeman when he is older but told me "I have to join now so I can re-arrest them". 'It's ironic too that, having won Prime Minister's Points of Light award during lockdown in 2020, Tony has been invited to a reception on August 9 - a date on which Simpson could walk out of jail.' Tony, who was only a baby when the attack happened (pictured), suffered from broken bones, torn ligaments and sepsis before medics made the choice to amputate his severely injured legs Paula Hudgell (pictured with Tony) campaigned for Tony's law, which is named after her adoptive son. The law increased the sentences that child abusers receive Because Paula and 57-year-old husband Mark's adoption of Tony was open and went ahead before Simpson and Smith, from Whitstable, Kent, were charged with any offences, the couple were unable to keep their address private or even change his first name. But the Hudgells have been told that conditions believed to include not to contact the family and excluding them from Kent will be attached to their release. Simpson and Smith were only prosecuted after Mrs Hudgell and MP Tom Tugendhat campaigned. Mrs Hudgell successfully campaigned for Tony's law in order to increase sentences for those found guilty causing 'serious harm' to a child from ten to 14 years. Those found guilty of causing a child's death also now receive 14 years to life in prison. Mrs Hudgell said: 'The fights for Tony's law came about because I was shocked that his abusers could only be given a 10-year maximum sentence. 'Now it is in place after four years of campaigning, I want the authorities to be able to keep checks on such monsters. 'The duty of keeping tabs on Simpson and Smith falls on the probation service but that only lasts until the end of their five-year licence period. 'My biggest fear is that those who physically abuse babies and children are then free to carry on their lives with no one keeping a watchful eye on them. That desperately needs to change.' The seven-year-old has won a Pride of Britain award for raising 1.7million for the hospital which started treating him when he was just 41-days-old. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'The treatment of Tony at the hands of his parents defies comprehension and is exactly why we have changed the law so those who seriously hurt children face the tough sentences they deserve. 'Any person who causes or allows the death of a child now faces up to life behind bars.' Drivers on country roads near London will have to cut their speed by up to two-thirds under a new plan to reduce accidents on rural thoroughfares. A pilot scheme in the leafy Surrey Hills will see limits on winding roads slashed from 60mph to 20 or 30mph, the county's council announced. The low-limit zone will apply on country roads across roughly 80 square miles south of the A25 from Guildford to Dorking, where the national speed limit applies. Abinger Road, a country lane at Coldharbour near Leath Hill in picturesque Surrey, currently has a speed limit of 60mph. It could be just 20mph by the autumn under the council's plans Leafy village Coldharbour in Surrey is popular with London day-trippers who from autumn will have to slash their speeds as they reach the town. Currently the national speed limit applies The safe zone south of the A25 between Guildford and Dorking will see speed limits slashed It was prompted by an increase in joyriders on cheap motorbikes and bangers zooming late at night near picturesque Coldharbour, The Sunday Times reported. In 2011, more than half of all road deaths occurred on single rural carriageway roads with 60mph limits, DfT says Nearby Capel parish councillor Stuart McLachlan told the newspaper: 'We also get joyriders in 4x4s coming at midnight, charging up and down the byways. 'They come in the winter, when it's all muddy, and after dark. They buy an old banger for 50, run it into the ground and just set fire to it.' West Sussex council has also expressed an interest in the scheme and counties are thought to be mulling their own plans, Surrey official Duncan Knox said. The majority (57 per cent) of deaths on British roads occur in rural areas, despite country roads accounting for just 43 per cent of traffic, according to the Department for Transport. An estimated 1,560 people were killed on UK roads in 2021, down 12 per cent from the 2017 to 2019 average of 1,774. In 2011, two-thirds of British road deaths took place on rural thoroughfares. Just over half of all road deaths occurred on single rural carriageway roads with 60mph limits. The scheme will apply over 80sq miles south of the A25 from Guildford to Dorking (pictured) Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) director David Davies said: 'It is increasingly anomalous that speeds have been reduced to 20mph in urban areas, yet on country lanes it is extremely dangerous.' Surrey and Sussex police are said to be in favour of the scheme, but said it relied on drivers complying. According to the Department for Transport, councils must take into account whether 'local needs and conditions suggest a speed limit which is different from the respective national speed limit'. The Vatican is to face trial in English Courts for the first time in its 2,000 year history after it failed to prevent UK judges from probing a 124 million investment property deal it made with a British financier. He is accused by the Vatican of 10 criminal charges, including fraud, embezzlement and abuse of office dating back to 2014. The Vatican state alleged he inflated the price of a property, 60 Sloane Avenue, when his companies sold it to the Vatican in 2018. The property was sold by the Vatican on July 1 for 186 million, which represents a loss for them of around 140 million, insiders say. But Mr Minicione denies the allegations and stands by the property valuation which he says was provided by independent experts. He also says the Vatican has provided no evidence of his alleged wrongdoings or of its monetary loss. Mr Minicione wants to bring civil action in the UK in order to counter publicity and protect his reputation, court documents show. Vatican lawyers argued that any UK hearing could interfere with criminal proceedings and 'legitimate acts of a foreign state'. But Mr Minicione has now won a significant victory in the Court of Appeal, which has agreed that English courts have the right to examine a property transaction and rule whether he and his company, WRM, acted in good faith. Raffaele Minicione (pictured in 2017), holds both British and Swiss citizenship. 60 Sloane Avenue in London, which is the focus of the English court battle brought by Mr Minicione The Court of Appeal heard the case after the High Court previously granted a stay on the case, and reached its judgement on July 26. Representatives for the Vatican began criminal proceedings against Mr Mincione after buying the property, as it claimed that 'corruption' of officials led to the state paying 'a substantial overpayment' in its purchase of the building. They added that the surplus money was 'diverted to the personal use of Mr Minicione and his associates.' In February of this year he and 10 others were indicted on charges by the Vatican's legal system. Pope Francis is said to have been personally involved in the investigation, even permitting secret bugs to be placed in officials' offices and phones, The Telegraph reports. The Vatican indicted 11 people on charges ranging from fraud and embezzlement to abuse of office in February of this year During its investigation, the state has conducted a search of the Secretariat's offices in 2019, as well as sacking senior officials. The Court of Appeal found that any English civil case would not interfere with criminal proceedings in Vatican City. The judgment, handed down by Lord Justice Jackson, Lord Justice Males and Lord Justice Birss, recognised that Mr Mincione had a 'genuine wish to obtain public vindication' and agreed that he had a 'justiciable' claim in the UK courts. It is thought the case marks the first time the Vatican will appear before the UK courts. The Catholic enclave, which spans 121 acres in the centre of Rome, often avoids legal action in foreign jurisdictions by claiming state immunity. It is unknown who will appear in court for the Vatican, but it is likely to involve senior officials. More than 18,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, Ministry of Defence figures revealed today. On Saturday, 337 people reached the UK in 10 small boats, bringing the total number of people brought this year to 18,108. The milestone was broken just five days after 696 people were rescued by Border Force and brought to shore on Monday, the busiest day for Channel crossings so far this year. Analysis of the MoD's provisional figures shows 1,709 people have been brought to the UK so far in August. That is more than half of the 3,053 people rescued in August 2021. Border Force escorted 25 migrants back to Dover yesterday morning after they were picked up in the English Channel On Saturday, 337 people reached the UK in 10 small boats, bringing the total number of people brought this year to 18,108 A Border Force Volunteer rescue boat returning from the English Channel The vast majority were brought to shore in Dover, however many were taken to the Port of Ramsgate due to concerns about congestion around the Dover port caused by freight and holidaymaker traffic. The busiest week for crossings so far in 2022 was the week to April 19 when 2,076 people made the dangerous journey across the Channel. Four in 10 Channel migrants are from ALBANIA - not a country devastated by war of famine - secret military file reveals By MARK HOOKHAM FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Four in ten migrants crossing the Channel in small boats are from peaceful Albania where there has not been a war for 25 years, a secret military intelligence report leaked to The Mail on Sunday reveals. The explosive document marked 'Official Sensitive' shows that almost three times as many migrants arriving on the UK's shores from France come from the Balkans country compared with anywhere else. It is the first time that an official report has exposed how the largest proportion of those making illegal crossings appear to be economic migrants abusing Britain's generous asylum system. The report, exclusively revealed today by The Mail on Sunday, follows a surveillance operation by the Royal Navy and defence intelligence experts of nine criminal gangs believed to be masterminding the majority of crossings. Advertisement However, it is likely crossings will continue into next week, with the Met Office confirming that warm weather and calm winds are set to continue in the south east of England. Figures show that 12,840 people have made the crossing since Priti Patel announced the Rwanda deal on April 14. The news comes after a report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the British Red Cross, published on Wednesday, found that critical gaps in the UK asylum system mean people seeking safety, including those fleeing modern slavery, may be at risk of potential exploitation. The research found that inadequate support is exposing people in need of protection to potential harm. It cites examples of vulnerable asylum seekers forced into modern slavery, including domestic servitude, sexual and labour exploitation and forced criminality. The report concludes: 'Straightforward changes to the asylum process would reduce these risks of exploitation by putting safety at the heart of the asylum system.' The Home Office said it is considering the findings of the report. A spokesman said: 'We take the safety and wellbeing of thousands of people in asylum accommodation support extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring that individuals are protected from the heinous crime of modern slavery. 'Where we suspect an asylum seeker is in danger or at risk of exploitation, we will take the appropriate action, such as working with the police or supporting someone through the national referral mechanism. 'We would urge any asylum seeker who may be in trouble to report it immediately. 'Our new plan for immigration will fix the broken asylum system, enabling us to grant protection to those entitled to it and to remove those with no right to be here more quickly.' Figures show that 12,840 people have made the crossing since Priti Patel announced the Rwanda deal on April 14 'Ask an Albanian schoolboy about his future and he'll draw a boat heading to the UK': Shocking revelation from a reporter in Albania, where one town dubbed 'Little London' is filled with British cars and almost every family has links to Britain By Mark Hookham For The Mail On Sunday Wearing bright orange life jackets, a long line of migrants, all young men in their 20s and 30s, strode up a gangway at Dover yesterday and possibly into a new life in Britain. They had just been rescued from an inflatable boat drifting in the English Channel one of at least eight vessels carrying around 250 asylum seekers that made the perilous 20-mile journey across the Strait of Dover. The men were the latest to reach the UK as part of a criminal enterprise in which people smuggling gangs cram migrants on to overloaded boats before launching them into the worlds busiest shipping lane. The scene unfolded as a secret military intelligence report, leaked to The Mail on Sunday, exposes in extraordinary detail how the gangs masterminding this trafficking are operating this summer and crucially the nationality of those paying up to 5,500 for a place on a boat. Using satellites and a fleet of drones, analysts based at an operations centre in Portsmouth tracked 70 boats that made the crossing over a six-week period in June and July and mapped the beaches where they were launched from. They revealed how the ruthless gangs are operating from a 90-mile stretch of the French coastline from Fort-Mahon-Plage near the town of Berck to Bray-Dunes near Dunkirk. A Royal Navy intelligence unit examined inflatable boats seized after landing on beaches on the English south coast or towed ashore by the Border Force for further clues about the criminal gangs. About 40 migrants carry an inflatable boat towards the water before they attempt to cross the Channel to Britain According to the astonishing dossier handed to The Mail on Sunday, defence chiefs now believe nine competing Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) are targeting Britain as part of a sophisticated international criminal web. The groups collectively smuggled 2,862 migrants across the Channel between June 1 and July 12, with many obtaining their inflatable boats from manufacturers in China. The file marked official sensitive reveals that the largest proportion of those making the illegal crossings appear to be economic migrants and not refugees. A total of 1,075 of those who made the crossing were from Albania an impoverished but peaceful country where there has been no war since 1997, when an economic crisis sparked an outbreak of violence. A World Bank report states that after strong GDP growth last year, the proportion of the population living in poverty in Albania dropped significantly from 31 per cent to 22 per cent in 2021. Unemployment, however, remains high in the north of the country, where many of those who arrive in the UK come from. If you go to a secondary school in northern Albania and children are asked to describe how they see their future, all the boys draw a lorry or a boat with an Albanian flag going to the UK, said Muhamed Veliu, a political correspondent with Top Channel TV in Albania. The town of Kukes, near the border with Kosovo, is known as Little London and its streets are full of cars bought in the UK. Nearly every family is believed to have links to Britain. Mr Veliu said: They know how well their relatives are doing they get employment in the UK and are settled. They think, Why should we waste our time in northern Albania not doing anything? Lets go to the UK, work and come back with a flashy car like others who went before us. This map shows sites on the French coast where boats have been launched by one of the gangs trafficking migrants The revelation about the number of Albanians crossing the Channel is a boost for Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has argued most people who travel to the UK in small boats are not genuine asylum seekers. After hearing about the leaked report, Natalie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover, said last night: Everyone knows Albanians are not fleeing from war or persecution. This is plainly illegal economic migration organised by criminal people smuggling gangs. Each OCG has been assigned a codename many taken from Greek mythology. The most prolific group dubbed Dragon transported 887 migrants, including 278 from Albania, with an average of 52 people crammed on to each boat. The document reveals how two of the gangs Dragon and Lotus have boats made to order by factories in China with extra tube sections inserted to lengthen them and increase the number of people who can be loaded on board. The report says: It is likely that OCGs using Chinese inflatable boats have altered the stock models to leave off unnecessary features in order to lower the cost and speed up manufacturing time. It has now emerged that an international police operation on July 5 smashed one of the gangs under surveillance by the military team. Detectives seized 1,200 life jackets, 150 rubber boats, almost 50 engines, firearms, drugs and 33,753 in cash after raids against the Dragon network. A total of 39 people were arrested, including six in the UK. A statement by Europol after the raids highlighted the violent nature of the vile trade. It said: The competition for control of the lucrative migrant smuggling business and for launch sites for the boats regularly resulted in acts of serious violence inside the criminal network, including two attempted murders in France and Germany. The dossier also said gangs named Colossus and Behemoth operate the biggest inflatable boats and collectively smuggled 546 people over the six weeks. A huge sandy beach at the sleepy holiday resort of Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, is used as a launch site by five of the gangs, the report reveals. On July 11 a large group of almost exclusively male migrants was pictured carrying an inflatable boat through the waves and launching it off the beach. The leaked report indicates that the crossing was arranged by either the Lotus, Colossus or Hydra gangs. Hours later large numbers of migrants were brought ashore by the Border Force at Dover in Kent. Despite the beach being pinpointed as an epicentre of people smuggling, The Mail on Sunday did not see any patrols by French police when a reporter visited yesterday. Elia Carpentier, 20, who works in the Gravelines tourist office on the beachfront, told how she had seen a boat full of migrants leave the beach at 7pm on Friday. I was really surprised because normally they leave when the sun goes down or at dawn, she said. The boat waited for them at the edge of the water. Im not sure how many got on but there were men, women and children in the group. TikTok videos show dozens of Albanian migrants making the crossing, with this group unfurling the nation's flag on the boat Miss Carpentier added that she had seen more than 100 migrants walking through Gravelines on Friday at lunchtime as she made her way to work. It was probably the biggest group Ive seen, she said. They dont hide themselves. The police let them go. Before, they would arrest them to keep them safe, but now theres too many of them so they let them be. She added that it was an open secret where the migrants hid before boarding dinghies. They come from Dunkirk by bus because its free, she explained. When they arrive they walk through the centre of Gravelines down to the beach. You know them when you see them as they tend to stay in groups. At the far end of the beach there is a campsite and beyond that is a forest. They set up camp there for one or two nights before waiting for a boat. Until recent years the preferred method for smuggling people across the Channel was in the back of a lorry. But improved security at French and UK ports has increased the risk of detection and the price people smugglers charge. They are now believed to charge 22,000 to smuggle someone in a lorry, compared with 5,500 to make the crossing on an inflatable boat. Albanian gangsters often act as middlemen in the cross-Channel people smuggling operations and then force some of those they have helped traffic to work as slaves in their empires in the UK or recruit others as willing foot soldiers. After seizing control of almost the entire UK cocaine market, Albanian organised crime has now begun to dominate the illegal cultivation of cannabis in Britain. The criminals often flaunt their wealth on Facebook and TikTok posing with piles of cash and luxury cars in a bid to attract even more young people to leave Albania and attempt the Channel crossing. Human traffickers also advertise their services on TikTok, with dozens of videos showing Albanians making the crossing. In one video posted last month, a large group of Albanian men unfurled their national flag as their boat headed towards the English coastline. The Mail on Sunday understands that Gledis Nano, general director of the Albanian State Police, last month met police chiefs at the National Crime Agency in London to discuss people smuggling and how to crack down on Albanian organised crime. A UK Government spokesman said: The Nationality and Borders Act makes it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK illegally and we have introduced life sentences for those who facilitate illegal entry into the country. Since the introduction of the act, 26 people have been arrested. How many become foot soldiers for crime gang bosses here? RICHARD TICE asks, as shock figures reveal around 40 per cent of migrants arriving by boat to the UK are from war-free Albania ByRichard Tice, Leader Of The Reform Party Nobody likes being taken for a fool but that is the way voters have been treated over migrant crossings. It is bad enough that Home Secretary Priti Patel has been unable to stop ever larger groups of individuals coming to the UK by this perilous and illegal route. Worse, we now know that we have been duped. All this time, an army of well-intentioned but misguided Left-wing politicians, lawyers and do-gooders have been spinning the line that the vast majority of people who make these dangerous journeys are desperately fleeing war, persecution and terror. Its a narrative that suits the Government, playing into the generosity and compassion of the British people who believe that this country should offer refuge to innocent foreign nationals fleeing bullets and bombs. Unfortunately, all too often its rubbish. The public have been 'duped' when it comes to migrants crossing the Channel, writes Richard Tice. Pictured: A group of migrants brought into Dover on a Border Force vessel on Thursday For the first time ever thanks to a leak voters can see exactly where passengers on these inflatable boats have come from. The uncomfortable truth? Almost 40 per cent hail from Albania. Yes, 13 per cent come from Afghanistan and six per cent from Syria. They may well be in genuine need of refuge. But they are a minority. Others come from stable regimes including Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam and even India. Why has the Government hidden this information? After all, it changes everything. If these people are not genuinely fleeing for their lives, then it is not up to the British taxpayer to support them. Both Tory leadership candidates are standing on platforms of trust and integrity. Both have pledged to tackle the illegal crossings. Dont get me wrong Albania is no land of luxury. Many live below the poverty line and corruption is rife. Nonetheless, it is a peaceful place with a rapidly growing economy. It is also a member of Nato and applying to join the EU. Albanians who make the long journey across Europe to the French coast are not therefore running for their lives. They have other agendas. Why dont they just apply for a 180-day visa to visit? Is it a coincidence that Albanian criminal gangs are now among the biggest and most notorious in the UK? Is it possible that many of these Albanians migrants are in fact foot soldiers for criminal gangs, replacing those who have been locked up? What if they are being trapped in modern-day slavery in black market businesses operated by Albanian gangs? Richard Tice (pictured), leader of the Reform Party, says: 'The country of origin of migrants should be published monthly so nobody is under any illusions' We deserve answers to these critical questions. The crisis costs British taxpayers billions of pounds every year at a time when Rishi Sunak says we cannot afford tax cuts to grow the economy and when millions are petrified about how to pay their food and heating bills. The Government knows within days which countries Channel migrants are from. The military know exactly where they are setting off from on the French coast. They even know who supplies the boats. So why are these individuals still staggering on to our beaches? It is now time for the Government to tell the real story. The country of origin of migrants should be published monthly so nobody is under any illusions. We must immediately share information about launch points with the French police and that data should also be published. Information is power. Thirdly, Border Force must stop accepting migrants from the French navy at the half-way point and instead implement a new pick-up-and-take-back policy for all migrants, returning them to France under the existing 1974 Safety of Life at Sea laws. This would stop this vile trade in its tracks and restore the confidence of the majority of British people that we have taken back control of our borders. Advertisement A rhino and zebra have struck up an unlikely friendship after being rescued as orphans in the wild. Adorable pictures show the 'live-saving' friendship of seven-month-old rhino Daisy and zebra Modjadji who were both rescued by an orphan animal sanctuary in South Africa. Daisy and Modjadji, whose name means 'rain queen', were both nurtured back to health at Care For Wild animal sanctuary in the Barberton Nature Reserve near South Africa's border with Eswatini. The sanctuary has shared regular picture and video updates of the pair's recovery and budding friendship on their Instagram page. The inseparable friends were often photographed cuddling up with each other during their long period in ICU, while videos show them sharing walks and dinner-time together. Modjadji's love and cuddles have been described as 'life-saving' for little Daisy, who arrived at the sanctuary in a very bad way. Baby zebra Modjaji, herself only a few weeks old, stayed by Daisy's side during her long recovery in the ICU at Care For Wild animal sanctuary. Pictured here in January Care For Wild animal sanctuary in the Barberton Nature Reserve near South Africa's border with Eswatini shares regular updates of Daisy (left) and Modjadji's (right) friendship. This Instagram post from June was captioned: 'Why do these two always look like they are up to no good!' The post celebrated both animals being released from ICU after six months An appreciation post for Modjaji in January read: 'This little orphan zebra has been a life saver, always there for her rhino friend. 'Modjadji is still a baby herself. Just over eight weeks old, she is also drinking milk every three hours around the clock. 'Found alone and barely alive after heavy rains and storms, Modjadji was brought to ICU. 'Extremely compromised and with a severe anaemia, she received a blood transfusion from another zebra which saved her life. 'Now a lot stronger, Modjadji watches over our littlest rhino orphan and we love her so much!' The pair have been 'inseparable' since they were introduced to each other last December, going on walks, drinking their milk together and snuggling up at bed time Daisy and Modjadji (pictured in January) will eventually be reunited with their own species but 'their unique friendship will always be a vital part of their rehabilitation journey', the sanctuary said. Care For Wild said both Daisy and Modjadji 'simply adore their milk' which they are fed every two to three hours throughout the day and night Found less than a month after her companion Modjadji, Daisy was rescued during a routine operation in the Kruger National Park in early December. Just 12 hours old, she was still wet from the womb and her umbilical cord was still attached. Daisy was unable to stand, had a 'nasty umbilical infection' and was extremely weak and vulnerable. The baby rhino received a plasma transfusion to boost her immune system and was getting round-the-clock care in the Intensive Care Unit for several months. Daisy was rescued when she was just 12 hours old during a routine operation in the Kruger National Park in early December. Pictured here at seven days old being fed her bi-hourly milk bottle When Daisy turned seven months old on July 9, the sanctuary shared the following post on their Instagram: 'On this date 7 months ago, the tiniest of rhinos calves landed at Care For Wild's helipad. 'She took her first steps in the ICU. The months that followed would be some of the toughest and most challenging we have yet experienced. 'Daisy took us and the vets on a learning curve like never before. 'Despite being sample sized, she climbed into the hearts of thousands all over the world with her dinosaur ears, droopy lips and resilience to survive. 'She has increased awareness for the plight of rhinos internationally and will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Modjadji, who herself had a difficult start to her life, took Daisy under her wing in the ICU. Pictured: Modjadji in June, enjoying the last warm rays of winter sun before the cold night ahead 'One day she will be old enough and strong enough to enter the rewilding and release programme. For now she has a long road ahead but she is most definitely galloping in the right direction!' Care For Wild said that while Daisy and Modjadji remain very close, the long term goal 'is a successful release back into their natural ecosystems with their own species.' The sanctuary said: 'Whilst Daisy will eventually join the other orphaned rhinos and Modjadji will return to a herd of zebras, their unique friendship will always be a vital part of their rehabilitation journey.' Advertisement James Bond's gadgets including the spy's iconic speedboat are set to go under the hammer for the first time. Christie's 60 years of Bond sale, which has an estimated total of 5million, will see gadgets which have been kept hidden in storage by Bond producers Eon up for auction. Items include the 6,000 bionic eye from No Time To Die, a 7,000 set of bow ties that Daniel Craig wore during his time as Bond, and a 10,000 tuxedo worn by Timothy Dalton in A License To Kill. The speedboat has been in storage for the last 20 years after being featured in The World Is Not Enough, with Pierce Brosnan as 007. The speedboat (pictured), which was featured in The World Is Not Enough with Pierce Brosnan as 007, will be featured at the auction and will go to the highest bidder James Bond's suits are also featured in the auction, including ones designed by Tom Ford and worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die (pictured) for an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 This Aston Martin V8 featured in No Time To Die is being auctioned for an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 The 'Alexandra' gown (pictured) worn by Ana de Armas in No Time to Die is available to be bid on between an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 Adrian Hume-Sayer, head of sale and director of iconic collections at Christie's, told The Telegraph: 'It was essentially taken out of the Thames after filming, and has been in storage ever since. It hasn't been used. 'It is complete, with an engine and so on. It is a stunt boat, but, in theory, it would still run . 'Of course, there would have to be various safety tests and modifications to make sure it was 'seaworthy'. But if money is no object, a fan could take it out on the water.' The online sale starts September 15 and finishes on James Bond Day, October 5. Proceeds from the sale will be going to charitable causes, including the British Red Cross, The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and The Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service. Another Aston Martin from No Time To Die is available for James Bond fans to bid on, with this replica DB5 stunt car being auctioned for an estimated 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 This Omega Seamaster (right) up for bidding between 15,000 to 20,000. The watch featured in the No Time To Die film and was worn by Daniel Craig (left) The bionic eye (right) worn by Spectre Agent Primo (left) is estimated to be sold for 4,000 to 6,000 Another iconic film prop, the Swarvoski egg (left) from Octopussy is available to bid on between 6,000 to 10,000 The No Time To Die motorcycle is featured in the auction and is expected to be sold for an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 By Rory Tingle and James Robinson for MailOnline It has been more than two decades since Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein first crossed paths. That meeting would set in motion years of damaging allegations, embarrassing interviews and eventually a US lawsuit against the Queen's third son. Over the next 23 years, Epstein would go on to abuse and sex traffic young girls across the world on his private jet with his madame Ghislaine Maxwell - the woman who would introduce the financier to Prince Andrew - by his side. Though he would go on to take his own life in prison while awaiting trial for his sex trafficking crimes, and ultimately robbing his victims of justice, the fallout would continue for those around him. Maxwell would end up in a US prison, herself found guilty of sex trafficking for Epstein, while Prince Andrew would face accusations of sexual assault by one Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre. Determined to clear his name, Prince Andrew would agree to a toe-curling BBC in which he claimed he couldn't have had sex with Ms Giuffre, because he was at Pizza Express at the time. But Giuffre would continue to pursue the royal, eventually launching a US civil case against him - which has now ended in a settlement. Here MailOnline takes a look at the sordid saga, from start to finish: 1999: Andrew first meets Epstein, reportedly introduced through his friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. Andrew welcomes Epstein to the Queen's private Scottish retreat in Aberdeenshire. Andrew later says he sees Epstein 'infrequently', adding 'probably no more than only once or twice a year'. 2000: Andrew and Ms Maxwell are seen on holiday with Epstein at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Epstein and Ms Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen to mark Andrew's 40th birthday, the Princess Royal's 50th, the Queen Mother's 100th and Princess Margaret's 70th. 2001: Virginia Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse after they met at the Tramp nightclub on March 10. Recalling the alleged meeting, Andrew was said to be 'sweating profusely'. Virginia Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse after they met at the Tramp nightclub on March 10. Recalling the alleged meeting, Andrew was said to be 'sweating profusely' The Duke would later claim in his infamous BBC interview that this could have never happened because he was at a children's party at a branch of Pizza Express in Woking. In the same interview he says he has a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War that left him 'unable to sweat' because Ms Roberts, who was 17 at the time, claimed that they danced together and he had been 'sweating profusely' Ms Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew on two more occasions, at Epstein's New York home and at an 'orgy' on his private island in the Caribbean. 2008: Epstein admits prostituting minors and is sentenced to 18 months in prison. 2010: Epstein is released from jail. Andrew is photographed with the disgraced Epstein in New York's Central Park. Footage emerges years later, reportedly shot on December 6 2010, showing him inside Epstein's Manhattan mansion, from where he is seen looking out from a large door of the property waving a woman goodbye after Epstein leaves to get into a chauffeur-driven car. 2011: The duke quits his role as UK trade envoy after the fallout from the Central Park photos. 2015: Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he is named in US court documents related to Epstein. A woman, later named in reports as Ms Roberts, alleges in papers filed in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andrew, in his first public engagement since he was embroiled in the allegations, responds, saying: 'Firstly I think I must, and want, for the record, to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks. I just wish to reiterate, and to reaffirm, the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace.' In April the claims against Andrew are struck from US civil court records following a federal judge's ruling. Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claims Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace denies the allegations 2019: Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claims Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace says the allegations are 'categorically untrue'. Epstein is found dead in his jail cell on August 10, having killed himself after being charged with sex trafficking. Later that month a pilot on Epstein's private jet claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with the financier and Ms Roberts. The Sun newspaper reported that David Rodgers said in a testimony released in August that Epstein, Andrew and the-then 17-year-old travelled to the US Virgin Islands on April 11 2001. Buckingham Palace describes the evidence statement as having 'a number of inconsistencies' and said that Andrew was on a different continent in some cases. Following Epstein's death, a statement from the palace says that Andrew is 'appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes'. Breaking his silence on the issue for the first time since 2015, Andrew then releases a statement on August 24 saying: 'At no stage during the limited time I spent with him (Epstein) did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.' On November 16, the prince gives a 'disastrous' BBC interview in which he speaks about his friendship with Epstein and addresses allegations of his own sexual conduct. On November 16, the prince gives a 'disastrous' BBC interview in which he speaks about his friendship with Epstein and addresses allegations of his own sexual conduct He faced a barrage of criticism following his television appearance, with the royal accused of a lack of empathy with Epstein's victims. During the interview, Andrew, questioned by Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, twice stated his relationship with Epstein, who died in jail while facing sex trafficking charges, had some 'seriously beneficial outcomes', giving him the opportunity to meet people and prepare for a future role as a trade envoy. The royal maintained he did not recall meeting Ms Roberts and did not spend time with her at Tramp Nightclub in London on March 10 in 2001 after which she claims the pair first had sex. The duke denies sleeping with her on three separate occasions, saying the encounter in 2001 did not happen as he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party, and they spent the rest of the day together. The duke denies sleeping with her on three separate occasions, saying the encounter in 2001 did not happen as he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party, and they spent the rest of the day together. He also said a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him 'unable to sweat' because Ms Roberts, who was 17 at the time, claimed that they danced together and he had been 'sweating profusely'. The Duke of York said: 'I was with the children and I'd taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at I suppose sort of 4 or 5 in the afternoon. 'And then because the Duchess was away, we have a simple rule in the family that when one is away the other one is there. 'I was on terminal leave at the time from the Royal Navy so therefore I was at home.' However he continues to strongly deny any wrongdoing and claims he has never even met Ms Roberts, now a mother-of-three living in Australia who goes by her married name, Virginia Giuffre. Following the disastrous interview, which is widely panned, Prince Andrew announces in November that he will step back from frontline royal duties for the 'foreseeable future'. A number of companies with association to the prince step back. He says at the time he deeply sympathises with sex offender Epstein's victims and everyone who 'wants some form of closure'. 2020: With the Covid pandemic occupying much of the news and the minds of the British public, Prince Andrew has the chance to lie low, which he does, in Windsor Castle. Andrew hires Gary Bloxsome, a UK criminal defence solicitor, early in the year, just weeks after his car-crash Newsnight interview. Despite him lying low, talk continues to flow in newspapers like The Telegraph and The Times that he is planning a 'rebranding' and hopes to one day return to frontline royal duties. He is praised by one senior palace aide for not appearing in official wedding photographs at the marriage of his daughter Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. One said it shows a 'level of maturity' from Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew is praised by one senior palace aide for not appearing in official wedding photographs at the marriage of his daughter Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. One said it shows a 'level of maturity' from Prince Andrew However, despite attempting to keep a low-profile, the headlines continue for Prince Andrew. In February the US attorney for the Southern District of New York claims prosecutors and the FBI had repeatedly contacted the Duke of York's lawyers to follow up on his previous pledge that he was 'willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency'. In November, Lisa Bloom, who represents six of Epstein's alleged victims, calls on Andrew to submit to an interview with the FBI in their investigation into Ghislaine Maxwell. Sources close to Andrew say he is willing to speak to the FBI. 2021: In August, Virginia Giuffre files a lawsuit in the US against Andrew accusing him of sexual assault. In the civil case she alleges she had sex with Andrew and he was aware of her age. She also claims hat she was a victim of sex trafficking when she was forced to have sex with him in 2001. 'I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions,' she said in a statement via her lawyers in August that year. Andrew continues to vehemently denies the claim. He hires US defence attorney Andrew Brettler to represent him. He describes the lawsuit as 'baseless, non-viable, and possibly unlawful.' Initially there is some debate over whether Prince Andrew has received the lawsuit. His lawyers claim the royal has not been properly served. Giuffre's lawyers claim the legal papers were handed over to a Metropolitan police officer on duty at the main gates of Andrew's Windsor Great Park home on 27 August. David Boies, representing Giuffre, said the complaint had been 'delivered to the last known address of the defendant'. He added that the documents had also been sent 'by Royal Mail'. David Boies, representing Giuffre, said the complaint had been 'delivered to the last known address of the defendant'. He added that the documents had also been sent 'by Royal Mail' A previously secret 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein is raised. Prince Andrew's lawyers claim the settlement protects the royal from Giuffre lawsuit. The judge agrees to unseal the agreement. Lawyers for the Duke of York also file a motion claiming Giuffre currently lives in Australia and so the court does not have jurisdiction to hold the lawsuit. But her lawyers argue the civil case was properly filed in Manhattan federal court because she is a citizen of Colorado and some of the sexual misconduct she alleges took place in the state of New York. Meanwhile, a jury in New York finds Epstein's former madame Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of sex-trafficking. The British socialite is also found guilty of conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; transportation of an individual under the age of 17 with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18. A jury in New York finds Epstein's former madame Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured in a court sketch) guilty of sex-trafficking. On December 30, Giuffre hits back. Her legal team ask the prince's lawyers to prove he cannot sweat in a court filing. The request is made in relation to Prince Andrew's claims in his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview. In the filing, it says: 'If Prince Andrew truly has no documents concerning his communications with Maxwell or Epstein, his travel to Florida, New York, or various locations in London, his alleged medical inability to sweat, or anything that would support the alibis he gave during his BBC interview, then continuing with discovery will not be burdensome to him at all'. 2022: The 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Epstein is unsealed. It shows Giuffre settled with Epstein for $500,000. In the settlement, Giuffre is show to agree not to go after 'other potential defendants,' defined as 'second parties'. But it does not specifically name Prince Andrew. His legal team say he is included under 'other potential defendants' and ask the judge to throw out the case. Alongside attempting to use the Epstein agreement to shield Prince Andrew, his legal team claim Giuffre hadn't sufficiently alleged any violations of the New York Penal Code. They also argued that Giuffre's allegations would have been time-barred by the statute of limitations if not for the 2019 New York Child Victims Act, which they labeled 'unconstitutional' and that Giuffre's allegations in her complaint were not sufficiently detailed. But in a major blow to Prince Andrew case, a New York judge throws out his legal challenge to dismiss the lawsuit and rules it can go ahead. A day later, the Queen strips Andrew of a range of military affiliations and royal patronages after more than 150 veterans write to describe their 'upset and anger'. Advertisement Freight ships carrying almost 170,000 tonnes of grain and other products set sail from Ukraine's Black Sea ports this morning as part of a U.N.-brokered deal to protect the export of vital foodstuffs from the nation amid war with Russia. Foreign-flagged ships yesterday docked at a Ukrainian port for the first time since Russia's invasion began on February 24, according to infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov. Four bulk carriers were then loaded to the brim with corn, oil and other sorely needed products, Ukraine's sea ports authority said on Facebook, and were able to leave the southern ports safely. The operation was overseen by a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul where Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. personnel are working to kickstart grain shipments from Ukraine. 'We are gradually moving on to larger volumes of work. We plan to ensure the ability of the ports to handle at least 100 vessels per month in the near future,' Kubrakov said on Facebook on Sunday. He said Ukraine soon planned to involve Pivdennyi port in implementation of the grain export initiative and expected that as a result Ukraine will be able to ship up to at least 3 million tonnes of goods per month. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the two nations together accounted for nearly a third of global wheat exports, but the conflict disrupted months of harvesting, processing and exporting operations and threatened to exacerbate a global food crisis. Ukrainian authorities say Russian missile attacks have devastated wheat fields and grain storage warehouses, while Russia's ships blockaded southern ports, preventing ships from entering or leaving. Russia meanwhile accused Ukraine of placing mines along its southern shores and said it had hamstrung its own export operations. The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Glory leaves the sea port in Chornomorsk after restarting grain export, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, Ukraine August 7, 2022 The bulk carrier ship 'Glory' leaves Chornomorsk port as part of a recent grain export deal signed between Turkey, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, in Odessa, Ukraine on August 7, 2022 Four bulk carriers were loaded to the brim with corn, oil and other sorely needed products, Ukraine's sea ports authority said on Facebook, and were able to leave the southern ports safely this morning (Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Helena is seen at the sea port in Chornomorsk) Ukraine is usually one of the world's largest grain exporters, but the Russian invasion and naval blockade has trapped millions of metric tons of grains here, raising fears of a global food crisis A wheat field burns after Russian shelling in a few kilometres from Ukrainian-Russian border in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022 Wheat grains are seen inside a storage damaged by a Russian missile strike, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia Region, Ukraine August 5, 2022 The JCC said late on Saturday it had authorised the departure of a total of five new vessels through the Black Sea corridor: four vessels outbound from Chornomorsk and Odesa carrying 161,084 metric tonnes of foodstuffs, and one inbound. The ships that have left Ukrainian ports included the Marshall Islands-flagged Glory, with a cargo of 66,000 tonnes of corn bound for Istanbul, and Riva Wind, loaded with 44,000 tonnes of corn, heading for Turkey's Iskenderun, the Turkish defence ministry said. It said the other two vessels to have left Ukraine were Star Helena, with a cargo of 45,000 tonnes of meal to China, and Mustafa Necati, carrying 6,000 tonnes of sunflower oil to Italy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the resumption of exports, though he said risks remained. 'The threat of Russian provocations and terrorist acts remains. Everyone should be aware of this,' he said. 'But if our partners fulfil their part of the commitment and guarantee the security of supplies, this will really solve the global food crisis.' Despite agreeing to cease its blockade on Ukraine's ports, Russia has continued to attack dozens of southeastern Ukrainian towns, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raised grave concern about the shelling of Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. 'I'm extremely concerned by shelling at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster,' IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement yesterday Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what President Vladimir Putin termed a 'special military operation', the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought largely in Ukraine's east and south. But the fighting over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, captured by Russian forces in the opening stage of the war but still run by Ukrainian technicians, has raised the prospect of a wider disaster. Shells hit a high-voltage power line at the facility on Friday, forcing its operators to disconnect a reactor to prevent the possibility of radiation leaks. Another bout of shelling yesterday hit a storage facility at the plant said to contain nuclear waste and injured one worker. No radiation leaks have been reported, though Ukrainian's state nuclear energy agency Energoatom warned damaged sensors made it impossible to provide an accurate reading. 'Timely detection and response in the event of a deterioration in the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from containers of spent nuclear fuel are not yet possible,' it said. 'I'm extremely concerned by the shelling at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster,' IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement yesterday. Ukraine's state nuclear power company Energoatom blamed Russia for the damage while Russia's defence ministry accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the plant. The United States has accused Russia of using the facility as a 'nuclear shield' by moving large amounts of troops, ammunition and military equipment to the area, in the knowledge that Ukraine's armed forces are highly unlikely to launch an attack on its own power plant, particularly with the looming threat of nuclear disaster. Grossi, who leads the United Nation's nuclear watchdog, urged all sides to exercise the 'utmost restraint'. The premises of an agriculture processing facility are seen damaged after a Russian missile attack, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine A high voltage power line was destroyed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (pictured) on Friday, forcing its operators to disconnect a reactor to prevent the possibility of radiation leaks A serviceman with a Russian flag on his uniform stands guard near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 4, 2022 Women walk along a street past a billboard displaying pro-Russian slogans in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the Russian-controlled city of Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 3, 2022. A billboard reads: 'We are the one people. We are together with Russia' Russia is trying to gain control of the largely Russian-speaking Donbas region in the east, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, where pro-Moscow separatists seized territory after the Kremlin annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukraine's military said late on Saturday that Russian forces had shelled dozens of front-line towns and were trying to attack in six different areas in the Donetsk region, though had struggled to gain any ground. Zelensky said that over the past week his forces had 'achieved powerful results' in destroying Russia's logistics supplies and rear bases. 'Every strike on the enemy's ammunition depots, on their command posts, and on accumulations of Russian equipment saves the lives of all of us, the lives of Ukrainian military and civilians,' he said in a late-night video address. British military intelligence said earlier that Russian forces were almost certainly amassing in the south, anticipating a counter-offensive or in preparation for an assault, and the war was about to enter a new phase, with most fighting shifting to a nearly 220 miles-long front from near Zaporizhzhia to Kherson, parallel to the Dnieper River. Ukraine's forces were focusing on hitting bridges, ammunition depots, and rail links with growing frequency in its southern regions, including the strategically important railroad spur that links Kherson to Russian-occupied Crimea, it said. The enduring bond between Aussie and US firefighters will again be on display as Australia sends a water bomber and crews to combat fires raging across America's west. The sole 737 Large Air Tanker belonging to the NSW Rural Fire Service will take off on its long trip to the US in the early hours of Monday morning. Daily Mail Australia understands teams of Aussie firefighters are also being assembled to fly out and assist their American counterparts. The show of solidarity comes just two years after three Americans lost their lives battling Australia's Black Summer bushfires when their C-130 Hercules exploded into a fireball after it went down near Peak View in New South Wales. NSW RFS is sending its 37 Large Air Tanker 'Marie Bashir' to help combat huge fires ravaging America's west The water bomber 'Marie Bashir' and its two pilots will make stops in America Samoa, Hawaii and Southern California before arriving at its operational base in the city of Boise located in the northwestern state of Idaho. From there it will be up to American firefighters to decide where the aircraft will be best deployed with more than 60 out of control fires raging across various states. 'We wish our crew all the best and our thoughts are with our US colleagues and the communities affected by these fires,' the NSW RFS posted on social media. The NSW RFS said the plane was being sent after a request by the Americans. The NSW RFW water bomber Marie Bashir will be based in the city of Boise in the northwestern US state of Idaho 'When that request comes through we take a look at all the options and the situation and the availability of our aircraft and personnel for that matter and if we are able to we certainly will look at those requests positively,' a NSW RFS spokesperson said. 'With the warmer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere being at opposite ends it does allow us to have that shared resource. The Marie Bashir, which has been operational in Australia since 2019 has seen action in the US and Canada during their previous fire seasons. Flames consume a forest in Northern California with the fire having claimed at least four lives The modified 747, which has all its passenger seats removed, can dump 15,100 litres of water, gel or fire retardant on a blaze in 2.2 seconds. On the ground it can be refilled for action in 10 minutes. Water bombing, which sometimes occurs at only 45 metres above the ground, can be very dangerous especially in the unpredictable currents a fire generates. This was underlined by the tragic deaths of Captain Ian McBeth, from Montana, First Officer Paul Hudson, from Arizona, and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr, from Florida, during the Australian bushfire crisis in January 2020. Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr, a father-of-two from Florida, was one of the three American crew who died when their C-130 Hercules water bomber crashed fighting fires in Australia during the January summer of 2020 Gratitude for American help and sacrifice loomed large with those commenting on social media about the NSW RFS aircraft being sent to the US. 'It's nice to be able to give back after all the assistance we get from our American friends,' one commentator wrote. Another said it was 'great to see the NSWRFS reciprocate and help their colleagues overseas in battling these fires. The NSW RFS spokesperson said that the Australian crew were well prepared for their task. Firefighters work to contain the wildfire in Mariposa County in central California as the US faces a nightmare summer of drought and scorching temperatures 'Generally speaking firefighting can be a dangerous operation but all our firefighters obviously go through a lot of training, whether they are on the fireground or for those who operated aircraft or heavy machinery,' the spokesperson said. 'Certainly there is risk but our firefighters are very well trained in the operations that they undertake.' Drought and scorching summer heat have created a nightmare summer in the US with more than 60 huge blazes burning across 14 US states stretching US firefighters to the limit. At least four people have died in a forest fire that has ravaged California's north leaving 22,702ha of scorched earth. A huge fire also threatened 2700 buildings near Yosemite National Park in central California Fires in Alaska have consumed unprecedented vast swathes of land, while massive blazes have also broken out in Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Washington state, Arizona and Idaho. But some MPs have blamed the working practices for poor quality of services They also work 37.5 per week - five hours less than the national average Jacob Rees-Mogg has vowed to crack down on 'flexitime' working arrangements allowing civil servants to work around five hours less than the national weekly average, often remotely and with full-time pay. The minister for government efficiency demanded an official Whitehall-wide review of the arrangement, which he said is likely wasting taxpayers' money. Flexitime allows civil servants to dictate their own start and end times, provided they are working across core hours in the middle of the day and completing 37.5 hours of work per week, and entitles them to considerable overtime pay. An average work week in the UK stands at 42.5 hours, according to a report by the European Union's statistical office, Eurostat. However, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has previously questioned the figures, pointing out that countries using the 'direct' method of collecting data taking the numbers reported by workers - have a tendency to over-estimate hours worked. Therefore, it is not the best metric for comparing different countries' working hours with each other, the OECD added. Some workers have spoken of the benefits of the system which they say helps them to achieve a better work-life balance. But MPs have accused flexitime workers of shirking responsibilities, resulting in 'poor end products' for people who rely on government services. Rees-Mogg also said there is 'a culture of wastefulness' in Whitehall and woke indoctrination that is 'designed to pit people against each other or talk the country down'. A full-time job is considered to be made up of working over 35 hours a week. The minister for government efficiency demanded an official Whitehall-wide review of the arrangement, which he said is likely wasting taxpayers' money Rees-Mogg said there is 'a culture of wastefulness' in Whitehall and woke indoctrination that is 'designed to pit people against each other or talk the country down' The minister for government efficiency demanded an official Whitehall-wide review of the arrangement, which he said is likely wasting taxpayers' money 'Working around others is good for everyone and will mean more job satisfaction for civil servants,' Rees-Mogg told The Telegraph yesterday. 'That is why I am asking the Cabinet Office to report on the extent of flexitime and asking secretaries of state to do the same in their departments.' He also told The Sun: 'I work with some excellent civil servants who are cost-conscious but I see the widespread evidence of a culture of wastefulness. 'Whitehall has not taken efficiency seriously enough. I always knew there was a problem with waste but I soon saw how badly money can be spent, having taken up my post as minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency at the beginning of the year. 'Unfortunately, it is not just that money is wasted, but what it is wasted on that is so harmful to our country: increasingly, this means divisive woke agendas designed to pit people against each other or talk the country down.' Conservative MP Philip Davies meanwhile spoke of backlogs in key government departments and pointed the finger at flexitime work. 'Whether it's passports, driving licences, visas, the whole thing has been pretty poor... we can't have these kinds of working practices when the end product for so many people who rely on them is so poor,' he said. The Cabinet Office said: 'While the vast majority of civil servants do not have flexitime working agreements, such arrangements allow the Civil Service to attract a range of talented and capable people who may have caring responsibilities or disabilities. 'These arrangements always go through strict approval processes.' It comes as the Daily Mail revealed that hundreds of civil servants will never have to return to the office after being allowed to work from home permanently. Official figures show the number of Government employees on special 'home-working' contracts has almost tripled since the pandemic, and in the Cabinet Office which is meant to lead the drive for civil servants to get back to their desks it doubled from 30 to 62. Elliot Keck, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, who obtained the data under the Freedom of Information Act, said last night: 'Taxpayers are sick of the double standards in the civil service. 'Central London real estate lies empty and public sector pay outstrips private sector pay, yet the number of Whitehall home workers soars. If mandarins insist on going remote long term, officials must make savings.' The latest figures show that in the last week of July, only the Ministry of Defence's HQ was more than two thirds full, with 71 per cent of its staff in the office. The Scotland Office was the emptiest, with 27 per cent occupancy. Rees-Mogg's decision to launch a probe into flexitime working in the civil service comes as the Daily Mail revealed that hundreds of civil servants will never have to return to the office after being allowed to work from home permanently A long queue of desperate holidaymakers stand outside the passport office in London Victoria on July 26 Rees-Mogg has led the crusade against WFH by leaving notes on empty Whitehall desks and urging ministers to order civil servants back to the office. The Cabinet Office said most civil servants are office based. Those who want to work from home permanently must apply to their line manager to change their contract and it will be approved only under certain conditions. Staff who need to carry out work such as handling sensitive documents cannot work from home permanently, for example. Those allowed to become contractual home workers must undergo a six-month trial and have a designated room as their office. Flexitime working arrangements and WFH contracts which became popular amid the Covid-19 pandemic are cited by some as the catalysts for considerable backlogs, as the number of passports lost by the Home Office almost tripled last year. A total of 312 passports were 'confirmed lost' between January 1 and October 31 in 2021 while during the whole of 2020 this number was just 111. The total for last year will be confirmed next month but losses are still reported as higher than the 168 lost passports in 2019, before Covid hit. It is thought that low staff numbers at the Passport Office are the reason it is in 'disarray' and causing 'misery' to holidaymakers, according to the Telegraph. People are continuing to report lengthy delays to get their documentation to travel which have left many families' trips in tatters. A French socialite and property owner who was owed millions by the Duke of York has been left furious after discovering Sarah Ferguson bought a 5million house in Mayfair. Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, was owed 6.8million from the sale of a Swiss chalet back in 2014 - but agreed to receive only half of the sum as she believed the Yorks were struggling financially. Prince Andrew and his ex-wife bought Ms de Rouvre's chalet in Verbier for 18million, but only paid her 13million upfront. Ms de Rouvre sold to them directly rather than place it on the market after the royals rented it from her during the early 2010s. The remaining 5million were to be paid in instalments with interest, and by 2021, this had still not been paid and the family owed a total of 6.8million. Ms de Rouvre reportedly settled for just 3.4million, in part because she believed both the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson were short of money. But today the socialite revealed her outrage after it was revealed Fergie had bought a 5m Mayfair property, said to be a 'long-term investment' for her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Ms de Rouvre branded the news, 'incredible and unbelievable' saying she believed Fergie 'didn't have a penny'. Today, it also emerged that the Prince's payout to sexual abuse accuser Virginia Guiffre could have been as little as 3million. Pictured: Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, was owed 6.8million from the sale of a Swiss chalet back in 2014 The chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, is still owned by the Yorks - Prince Andrew has been trying to sell it but old debts mean it has previously been frozen as an asset Despite saying in 2010 that she is constantly on the edge of bankruptcy, Sarah Ferguson has splashed out 5million on the Mayfair property Sarah Ferguson (pictured with ex-husband Prince Andrew in 2019), 62, is said to have purchased the home from her friend the Duke of Westminster, 31, who became one of the wealthiest men in the country when he inherited his father's 10billion fortune in 2016 The French socialite told The Telegraph: 'I understood they didn't have the money and believed he would be going to prison in America so I thought it best to get what I could. 'I am outraged that I am now told she has spent millions on another property. It is just incredible and the whole story unbelievable. 'It is a dirty story as far as I am concerned. I thought they didn't have a penny'. Ms Ferguson, who described herself as 'constantly on the edge of bankruptcy' in 2010, bought the 5million house in central London just a few minutes walk from where Ghislaine Maxwell used to reside. The property is split into two flats and is nestled on a quiet cobbled street home to an eatery popular with The Beatles in the 1960s and more recently Prince Harry, Rihanna and stars of reality series Made In Chelsea. A spokesperson for Prince Andrew said he had no involvement in the purchase of the property. Sources say Fergie and Andrew have no plans to leave their grace and favour 30-room Windsor mansion, seeing the London property as an investment for daughters Eugenie and Beatrice. Fergie has a history of financial woes, losing more than 3.2million in the collapse of Hartmoor, her US 'lifestyle and wellness' company, and was later caught in a tabloid sting offering access to Prince Andrew for 500,000. Although questions are being asked about her ability to afford the property, sources close to the 62-year-old claim her financial status improved after she launched a writing career that secured various book deals. Most recently, this included a 22-book deal to include at least three novels of young adult fiction. In 2011 she accepted 15,000 from Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier who introduced Prince Andrew to Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, to help her avoid bankruptcy. The large open plan kitchen features a black marble island and worktops with a sky light and large windows to ensure maximum light The second floor compromises of a principal bedroom suite with a walk-in wardrobe, a second bedroom suite as well as a private roof terrace Pictured: The property offers a stunning reception room with a cast-iron fireplace, large window and two floor to ceiling bookcases Fergie is said to have purchased the home from her friend the Duke of Westminster, 31, who became one of Britain's wealthiest people when he inherited his father's 10billion fortune and the Grosvenor property empire in 2016. People on the street said the Duchess had been spotted viewing the house in the late spring and seen running into a waiting vehicle. They admitted they were happy to have yet another famous neighbour. The Duke of York meanwhile has put the Swiss chalet up for sale, but he has been dealt multiple blows in trying to find a buyer after debts led to the chalet being frozen as an asset several times. Ms de Rouvre branded the prince a 'fool' after the chalet was again frozen in June of this year, after a couple claimed he owed them 1.6 million. The Duke and Duchess of York with their daughters Beatrice (left) and Eugenie (right) in Verbier, Switzerland She previously said she pities the couple, whose identity is being kept secret, knowing the stress she experienced trying to recoup the money owed to her after she sold Chalet Helora to Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 2014. She said: 'It was a horrible experience. I do not understand how he operates and I feel very sorry for people who are involved with him in business. 'It's really rather unbelievable. He caused me such stress and now it's claimed other people are owed money too. 'They [Andrew and Sarah] are so crazy. He [Andrew] is an absolute fool and I just cannot understand how he goes about his life.' Ms de Rouvre's latest comments come as it emerged the Prince's payout to Virginia Guiffre, a sex trafficking victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, could gave been as little as 3million. Ms Guiffre reached an out-of-court settlement with the Duke of York this year, which could amount to 12 million when her costs and a donation to a charity of her choosing have been taken into account. Were you at the Liquid Leisure water park in Windsor yesterday? If so, email: Stewart.Carr@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement Police are investigating the death of an 11-year-old girl during her friend's birthday party at a Berkshire water park yesterday. The child drowned after being lost for an hour at Liquid Leisure near Datchet yesterday afternoon, with two helicopters rushing to the scene. Tearful lifeguards laid wreaths at Liquid Leisure this morning as the site remained closed. Desperate onlookers shouted the child's name and dived into a lake by the park in an effort to find her, as guards pleaded for guests' goggles to search underwater. One guest, who preferred to remain anonymous, said lifeguards rushed in to the changing rooms when they realised not everyone had returned at the end of the session. She told MailOnline: 'We saw them frantically flipping over inflatables and dismantling the ninja course, but at that point we were not told what was happening which aroused confusion for pretty much everyone there. 'Then suddenly police arrived at the scene along with firefighters and paramedics.' Thames Valley Police were called at around 3.55pm, with the child finally found at 5.10pm. Flowers were left outside Liquid Leisure, which remained closed, by members of the public Tearful lifeguards also set down their own wreaths after working hard to try to save the girl One eyewitness, who had been in the same session as the child at Liquid Leisure yesterday, said lifeguards rushed in to the changing rooms to ask for goggles before 'frantically flipping inflatables' in search of her. She submitted video of long queues at the exit due to the presence of emergency vehicles (left), as well as the arrival of a police helicopter (right) around 4.30pm She was rushed to Wexham Park hospital, but tragically died. Her death is being treated as unexplained, with a police probe now underway. The girl's family has been informed. Thames Valley Police told MailOnline there was no update to the investigation just before midday. The child's identity will be revealed at the inquest, the date of which has not yet been confirmed, Berkshire Coroners' Office stated. A pair of security officials man the gates at Liquid Leisure, which remained closed on Sunday The identity of the child will not be formally revealed until the inquest into her death, Berkshire Coroners' Office confirmed today. Pictured: flowers outside the gates of closed Liquid Leisure The gates to the leisure park were shut this morning, with numerous 'CLOSED' signs placed The aqua park this morning was shut after the tragic fatal accident yesterday afternoon The 11-year-old girl got into difficulty at Liquid Leisure in Datchet (site pictured this morning) An investigation into how the child tragically died yesterday were still ongoing this morning Local policing area commander for Windsor and Maidenhead, Superintendent Michael Greenwood, said last night: 'My thoughts are with the family and friends of the girl who has died as a result of this tragic incident. 'We are in the early stages of investigating this incident to understand the full circumstances. 'This has been an extremely traumatic and upsetting incident for all involved. 'I am aware that several members of the public entered the lake shortly after the girl got into difficultly, but were unable to locate her. 'I would like to commend them for their courage and bravery.' One eyewitness said the child was at Liquid Leisure with a group of friends for a birthday party when she went under the surface. She told Sky News she saw the child going under the water and 'didn't come back up', at which point lifeguards rushed over. The tragic incident too place at the lake by Liquid Leisure in Windsor A witness said the girl was seen going under the water and said that she 'didn't come back up...At that point, the lifeguards came running.' Lifeguards were reportedly running all over the obstacles and looking under them One eyewitness said the child was at Liquid Leisure with a group of friends for a birthday party when she went under the surface The mum, who did not wish to be named, said: 'At that point, the lifeguards came running. 'She was with a group of friends for a girl's birthday. My daughter spoke to the birthday group.' Sarah Wooster's child was in the water at the time of the incident, she told the MailOnline: 'My children and I were at Liquid Leisure today at the time of the incident. My child was in the water when it happened. 'I'm feeling really shaken.' Members of the public were asked to call the girl's name by the beach in case she'd left the water, but they got no response. The waterpark is around 20 miles from central London and is located just 10 minutes from Heathrow airport. Liquid Leisure released a statement yesterday on both Facebook and Instagram in regards to the incident. It said: 'On Saturday 6th August, there was a very unfortunate and tragic incident at Liquid Leisure Windsor. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and all those effected by this desperately tragic and upsetting incident. 'As Thames Valley Police are in the early stages of an investigation it would not be right for us to add further comment, but we will continue to fully support and assist them throughout the process. 'Speculation is not going to be helpful to anyone involved in this tragic incident, so please keep any comments on any social media posts thoughtful and mindful of anyone affected by this. 'Liquid Leisure Windsor will be closed on Sunday 7th August, and we will provide further updates soon. 'We are receiving an overwhelming number of communications, so please bear with us as we try to respond to everyone individually.' An eight-year-old girl has been killed at a rally in Madeira. The youngster is said to have been hit by a car travelling at high speed as she crossed the road to join up with two older children, including her sister. Local reports said she had mistakenly believed the last vehicle had already gone by when she decided to run onto the rally circuit. She was rushed to hospital following the accident on Saturday afternoon but died shortly after arrival at Dr Nelio Mendonca Hospital in the island capital Funchal. The tragedy occurred during the 63rd edition of the Madeira Wine Rally, the most prestigious and historic motor racing event in Madeira. Local reports said she had mistakenly believed the last vehicle had already gone by when she decided to run onto the rally circuit TV footage showed the moment the car that hit the girl came to a stop in a cloud of white smoke after the accident as shocked onlookers moved towards the crash scene to assist, although the images of the collision itself were pixelated TV footage showed the moment the car that hit the girl came to a stop in a cloud of white smoke after the accident as shocked onlookers moved towards the crash scene to assist, although the images of the collision itself were pixelated. The girl, who has not been named, received prompt medical attention in the Encumeada area of Madeira where the drama occurred before her hospital transfer. Witnesses said the older girl and another youngster thought to be a friend had just crossed the road without incident when the eight-year-old attempted the same crossing and was hit. One said: 'I'm sure she didn't see the car coming. It was going very fast.' The tragedy occurred during the 63rd edition of the Madeira Wine Rally, the most prestigious and historic motor racing event in Madeira. Pictured: Belgian Driver Freddy Loix in a Skoda Fabia S2000 during the 2010 rally Portugal's president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said: 'I send my condolences to the family and friends that are grieving' Rally organisers said in a statement: 'We regrettably confirm the youngster involved in an accident was not able to survive the injuries she suffered. 'In this painful moment we would like to send our condolences to her family and friends.' Portugal's president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said: 'I send my condolences to the family and friends that are grieving.'The FIA joins the organisers & participants of Rali Vinho da Madeira in Portugal, round 3 of the FIA Iberian Rally Trophy, in sending its most sincere condolences to the family of the young female spectator who passed away as a result of an incident that occurred during Stage 17.' A statement released by the FIA, the Governing Body for world motorsport, said: The Madeira Wine Rally brings thousands of spectators out onto the roads to watch drivers compete through the island's hilly terrain and natural landscapes. It is traditionally held in the late summer, in August or late July. The first edition took place in 1959. A fifth man has now been arrested for kidnap as police continue to probe the disappearance of student nurse Owami Davies. The Met police have revealed that yesterday they arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of kidnap. Owami, 24, of Grays, Essex, was last seen 'in a vulnerable state' just after midnight in Derby Road, West Croydon, South London, on Thursday July 7 - three days after leaving her family home. Officers have now arrested two people on suspicion of murder and three on suspicion of kidnap. Student nurse Owami Davies, 24, from Grays, Essex, was last seen in a 'vulnerable state' just after midnight on Derby Road, west Croydon, on July 7, after leaving her family home three days earlier Owami pictured on CCTV in a shop the same night she disappeared. Police have renewed their appeal for people with information 'no matter how small' to come forward Four of those arrested have since been released on bail. Police are also probing a second, unconfirmed, sighting of Owami on at 7.00am July 7 on Clarendon Road, Croydon. Owami's mother Nicol Davies has made public appeals through the police for help finding her daughter. She said: 'This is such a terrible time for all those who love Owami and I am pleading for anyone who can help find her to contact police. 'Every day we hope to hear the news that Owami is coming back to us, your help might make it so.' Detectives investigating the disappearance of the student nurse have also renewed appealed for information a month on from the last confirmed sighting of her. The Metropolitan Police said she had left her family home in Grays three days earlier on Monday July 4. Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney, who is leading the investigation, said: 'This is a complex ongoing investigation involving a significant number of officers. Owami's mother, Nicol Davies, has appealed to the public for help, saying 'it is obvious that someone out there has seen something, someone out there knows something, someone out there has heard something' A timeline of events from the moment Owami left her family home in Grays, Essex, to the point where two men were arrested on Monday in the Croydon area 'We are working tirelessly to follow every line of inquiry, including extensive CCTV trawls, as we continue to search for Owami. 'We are now a month on from the last confirmed sighting of her. I cannot imagine what that time has been like for her family. We continue to provide them with whatever support we can. 'I am grateful for the help we have received from the public so far, but I must again appeal for anyone who has information - however insignificant they believe it might be - to get in touch.' Investigators have previously appealed for the driver of a white van that was parked in Derby Road when Owami was last seen to come forward. She and a man crossed the road just as the van pulled out. The police have previously appealed for the driver of a white van that was parked in Derby Road when Owami was last seen to come forward. She and a man crossed the road just as the van pulled out Owami was nearing the end of her studies and had secured a job with Guy's and St Thomas' health trust, her mother said. She had worked in A&E during the Covid-19 pandemic and was interested in doing research on diseases. Owami, who is nicknamed Princess due to her love of Disney, had family holidays planned to Spain and Disneyland Paris. Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4622. Police said information provided will be handled sensitively and anyone who comes forward to assist officers will be given every support. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Alec Baldwin is among stars who've been condemned for supporting Anne Heche after the actress crashed into a house after a 100mph joyride, allegedly while drunk. In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, Baldwin called Heche 'an amazingly talented woman' as he asked his fans to send their 'support and love' to the 53-year-old actress who is currently in stable condition at a local hospital. 'Hey, I just want to send out my best wishes and all my love to Anne Heche,' said Baldwin, who is continuing to face scrutiny over his fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film last year. 'Anne is an old pal of mine,' Baldwin said, adding: 'There's not a lot of women I've worked with that are brave in the way that Anne is brave.' He then recalled how they both performed in Twentieth Century, a Broadway play for which Heche was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play. They also co-starred in the 1996 legal thriller The Juror. 'She is an amazingly talented woman,' Baldwin, 64, said of Heche. 'I love you Anne, I love you and I think you are such a talented person. I hope everything is OK, I hope you come through this. My heart goes out to you. 'I'm sorry you had this tragic thing happen to you, and I'm sending you all my love,' he continued. 'Everyone please join me please in sending their support and love to the wonderful Anne Heche. Thanks.' But many took Baldwin to task over his support, with Instagram user LisaDoo50 among those who replied: 'What about the people she almost killed? Is she more important?' In a video posted to Instagram, Baldwin described Heche 'an amazingly talented woman' as he asked his fans to send their 'support and love' to her Embattled actor Alec Baldwin, 64, shared a tribute to Anne Heche on Saturday following her fiery crash in Los Angeles the day before. The pair are pictured together in NYC in 2019 Instagram user LisaDoo50 was among those who took Baldwin to task for his gushing tribute to Heche, by reminding Baldwin of the people she'd almost killed Peter Facinelli, Heche's costar in 2021's 13 Minutes, also shared a picture of the two of them on his Instagram Story captioned: 'Praying for you and your beautiful family' Big Little Lies actor James Tupper, who dated Heche for 10 years and shares a 13-year-old son with, posted about the accident on Instagram with a picture of her and their son, saying the family was hoping for a speedy recovery Actress Rosanna Arquette also asked for prayers for Heche as she remains in the hospital Peter Facinelli, Heche's costar in 2021's 13 Minutes, also shared a picture of the two of them on his Instagram Story captioned: 'Praying for you and your beautiful family.' And actress Rosanna Arquette tweeted: 'Anne Heche is in the hospital severely burned from a car accident. 'This is really tragic,' Arquette wrote. 'Pray for her.' Heche's ex, Big Little Lies actor James Tupper, who dated her for 10 years and shares a 13-year-old son with, also posted about the accident on Instagram, saying he and their son were hoping for a speedy recovery. 'Thoughts and prayers for this lovely woman, actress and mother tonight,' he wrote. 'we love you.' But others online slammed Heche for smashing her car into a Mar Vista home at 90mph, causing the home to burn down. She had earlier been pictured with what appeared to be a bottle of vodka in the cupholder of her Mini Clubman, and had spoken about drinking vodka with wine chasers in an episode of her podcast that was released hours before the crash. 'She was drinking and driving,' said Dennis Depew, an actor who has appeared in Live Free or Die Hard, 'and considering that woman killed all those people yesterday on the corner of La Brea and Slauson for the same thing, drinking and driving. 'Anne Heche needs to go to rehab ASAP,' he said, suggesting: 'She'll probably get arrested and charged once they release her from the ER.' Nathan Schneider, a political consultant, also tweeted: 'She could have killed somebody. 'Heche needs some serious mental health counseling before she hurts someone.' Prior to the crash on Friday, Heche had been pictured with what appeared to be a vodka bottle in the cupholder of her Mini Clubman Twitter users slammed the celebrities for sending Heche their support when she was apparently drinking and driving Heche had been driving her blue Mini Clubman in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles when she careered into a garage of an apartment complex, after possibly hitting a curb. Locals rushed to help the stricken actress with one man demanding she get out of the car. She ignored the advice and restarted the ignition, slammed her car into reverse and sped off down the road at speed. Pictures and video showed her looking dazed at the wheel after the first crash, with a witness capturing her with a bottle with a red top on it in her car. She later quickly veered off the road again, smashed through a hedge and and rammed into a nearby home in the 1800 block of South Walgrove Avenue at 90mph. The blue Mini Cooper plowed 30 feet into the residence, but the homeowner was able to escape without injury. She ran to a neighbor's house for safety immediately following the crash, and spent the rest of the day there. 'Luckily she didn't get hurt and neither did her two dogs,' neighbor Roy Morgen told ABC 7. 'She happened to be sitting with them. 'She was just in the house with us to tell us that the dogs were sitting with her when the car came flying through, and the car stopped like two feet away from where she was sitting.' Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said her house is now left 'uninhabitable,' explaining that the impact of the vehicle caused 'structural compromise' and started a 'heavy fire.' Heche rammed her car 30 feet into a Mar Vista home on Friday at around 11am The impact from the crash started a large fire, and caused structural weakness to the home Despite the speed of the smash and the intensity of the ensuing blaze, Heche was still conscious and able to speak as she was pulled from the wreckage, Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Erik Scott told ABC 7 in the aftermath. 'When we arrived on the scene, we had a solo vehicle that appeared to be driving at a high rate of speed on a perpendicular street and launched through the front yard into the home,' Scott said Heche, a mom-of-two, was trapped in her car as the flames began to spread, but noted: 'She was talking to us at the time that we were able to pull her out, so that's a good sign.' Authorities had to use a crane to pull Heche out from the flaming vehicle, a neighbor who witnessed the crash told NBC 4. She is understood to have battled scorching heat in the burning vehicle for up to 30 minutes before 59 firefighters arrived to drag her to safety. Heche was later recorded being dragged out of the mangled wreck by firefighters after her car burst into flames mid-morning on Friday. She could be seen writhing around on the stretcher before she was bundled into the back of an ambulance and rushed to a nearby intensive care unit. Shocking images also show the burnt out wreckage of her Mini Clubman as it was towed out of a hedge across the road from a school in the Mar Vista area. And video captured by a doorcam shows the vehicle owned by the actress speeding down a Mar Vista street moments before crashing into a home, sparking the blaze. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to put out the 'stubborn flames' and 'rescue one female adult found within the vehicle.' Heche had been driving her blue Mini Clubman in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles when she careered into a garage of an apartment complex She was later pictured being removed from the scene on a stretcher and taken towards a waiting ambulance She could be seen, arms flailing, as she was placed into the back of an ambulance Heche is now said to be 'stable' following the fiery crash, a representative of her family told People Magazine. 'Her family and friends ask for your thoughts and prayers and to respect her privacy during this difficult time,' the rep said. Heche's ex-boyfriend Thomas Jane also previously told DailyMail.com she is 'expected to pull through' but remains intubated in the hospital. Jane, 53, also paid an emotional tribute to her, saying despite the fact they are no longer together he offers her his 'thoughts and prayers' and credited her 'one of the true talents of her generation'. Heche is a mother to two sons - Homer, with cameraman ex-husband Coleman Luffoon, as well as Atlas, who she had with former boyfriend James Tupper. Jane, who dated in 2019 and 2020 and worked together on the HBO series Hung, told DailyMail.com: 'While Anne and I are no longer an item, todays tragic news was devastating to me and to all who love her. 'My heart goes out to Anne and her two sons. As of right now Anne is stable and expected to pull through. My thoughts and prayers are with Anne, one of the true talents of her generation. Thank God no one else was hurt.' The couple dated as recently as 2020 and had even bought a house together. They had known each other for more than a decade and had co-starred as an acrimoniously divorced couple in Hung from 2009 to 2011. Heche's ex, Thomas Jane, previously told DailyMail.com she is 'expected to pull through' but remains intubated in the hospital. They are pictured here together in 2020 Heche, a native of Aurora, Ohio, most recently starred in the action pic 13 Minutes, in which she starred alongside Thora Birch, Amy Smart and Will Peltz. She went through a very public divorce in January 2018 from her ex-husband James Tupper. The couple were together for 10 years and share a son, Atlas, 13. She was well known for her romance with DeGeneres in the 1990s. She brought the talk show host to the premiere of her movie Volcano in 1997. She claimed the act saw her being 'blacklisted' from Hollywood. 'I didn't do a studio picture for 10 years,' she told Page Six. 'I was fired from a $10 million picture deal and did not see the light of day in a studio picture.' Following her and Ellen's breakup, she was found incoherent and babbling in the California desert. She stumbled into a stranger's home before being carted off to a hospital hours after breaking up with the comedian. 'I was told to go to a place where I would meet a spaceship. I was told in order to get on the spaceship that I would have to take a hit of ecstasy,' Heche explained. 'Fresno was the culmination of a journey and a world that I thought I needed to escape to in order to find love.' Shortly after the couple dated, the director tied the knot to Coley Laffoon. They also share 20-year-old son Homer Laffoon. Heche's divorce from the cameraman was finalized in 2009, two years after they initially ended their romance. The blonde later started dating Men In Trees co-star James Tupper in 2007, before they split in 2018. Heche shares son Atlas with her ex James Tupper. Heche is pictured with former partner James Tupper, left, in 2012. The couple had had a son together named Atlas, pictured in stripes. Heche also had a son with called Homer with cameraman ex-husband Coleman Laffoon. Homer is pictured front row in blue. The actress, 53, (left) is the former partner of talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and is known for films including Donnie Brasco, Cedar Rapids, and a remake of Psycho More recently, Heche had been involved with fellow actor Thomas Jane. The pair had co-starred as an acrimoniously divorced couple in the provocatively named 2009-2011 HBO series Hung. At the time, they were both involved with other people. She with James Tupper and he with Patricia Arquette. Almost a decade later, the pair worked alongside each other once more as they portray a married couple in the Netflix indie thriller The Vanished. In late 2019, the pair went public with their romance, although they are not together anymore. Heche has also previously been open about her battles with substance abuse. 'I drank. I smoked. I did drugs. I had sex with people. I did anything I could to get the shame out of my life,' she told ABC News in 2001. She said her choices were because of a painful childhood in which she was sexually abused by her father, Donald Heche. 'I'm not crazy, but it's a crazy life. I was raised in a crazy family and it took 31 years to get the crazy out of me. 'I had a fantasy world that I escaped to. I called my other personality Celestia. I believed I was from that world. I believed I was from another planet. I think I was insane.' 'He raped me, he stuck his d**k in my mouth, he fondled me, he put me on all fours, and had sex with me,' Heche said of the abuse by her father. 'I think it's always hard for children to talk about abuse because it is only memory. I didn't carry around a tape recorder I didn't chisel anything in stone. 'Anybody can look and say, 'Well how do you know for sure?' And that's one of the most painful things about it. You don't,' Heche said in the 2001 interview. Heche also revealed that she had herpes as a young girl, but did not know if her mother knew she was being molested by her father. 'I had a rash, I had sores, I had welts on my nose and on my lips.' She said she does not describe herself as straight, gay or bisexual. 'I would never limit myself to saying I would be with a man or a woman,' she said. Tragic family history of Anne Heche: Her father raped her as a kid and then died of AIDS triggering her brother to commit suicide by driving into tree - before her sister died of cancer... and her mother says she's going to hell for being a lesbian By Paul Farrell for DailyMail.com Troubled actress Anne Heche's life has been beset with pain and heartache, even before her fiery car crash in California on Friday. On August 5, Heche was involved in multiple car crashes, first slamming into a garage at an apartment building, then careering into a home in her blue Mini Cooper leaving her 'severely burned' and 'intubated' in a Los Angeles hospital. Before the star was born, her sister, Cynthia, died from a heart defect at two months old. Things steadily went from bad to worse. Her family constantly moved as their father struggled to provide for the family. Born in Ohio, Heche and her transient family would move to southern New Jersey, back to Ohio and finally to Chicago during her adolescence. In 1983, her father, Donald, became one of the first people in the United States to be diagnosed with AIDS, which was how his family came to learn that the Baptist minister and choir director had been living a secret homosexual life. According to Heche, her father never admitted to being gay. He died from the disease at the age of 45. That same year, Heche's 18-year-old brother, Nathan, crashed his car into a tree and was killed. That's just scratching the surface of the actress's tragic life. The Heche family, left to right, Nancy, Abigail, Nathan, Donald and Anne Heche In her 2001 memoir, 'Call Me Crazy,' Heche disclosed that her father was a closeted homosexual who sexually molested her and gave her genital herpes. 'He raped me... he fondled me, he put me on all fours and had sex with me,' she wrote. Heche also said that she feared for her life as she was worried that he transmitted the disease to her. 'I think my father was a sexual addict. I think he saw everybody as a sexual being. But I think at that time he was living a very flamboyant homosexual lifestyle,' she told Larry King in a 2001 interview. 'You know, at that time there were bath houses where the whole trick was how many can you do a night. You know, there is no question of what he was doing at that time.' Anne Heche says her relationship with her mother was strained even before the actress went public about her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres Heche pictured attempting to escape a gurney as firefighters bring her to safety following her fiery crash on August 5 Three months after her father died, Heche's brother, Nathan, was killed in a car crash after apparently falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a tree. He was 18. Heche has said she believes he committed suicide. The Camden Courier-Post reported that Nathan was traveling along on a wet road when he careered into a tree. Following her brother and father's death, her mother moved the family to Chicago. In an appearance on 'Hollywood Medium,' Heche said: 'His death is the reason I moved from New Jersey to Chicago.' Medium Tyler Henry claimed to have connected with Nathan saying: 'He's proud that you've been able to talk about these things and discuss these things, because you're doing it for him too. And he appreciates that.' Her sister, Susan Bergman, published her own memoir about their childhood in 1994 titled 'Anonymity.' Bergman died in 2006 at the age of 48 following a battle with brain cancer. In the 1990s, even prior to her sister's fame, Susan Bergman, the eldest of the Heche family, wrote a book about their father's secret life as a homosexual In her book, Bergman spoke about her father's clandestine life, saying the family found out he was a homosexual the same year he died. Bergman also said he was a talented musician but was 'detached from reality,' according to the Chicago Tribune. Bergman was a well-known writer who lectured at New York University, Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame. She told the Tribune that her father was constantly chasing major business deals that often left the family destitute. 'I think I, and my sisters, started looking around for a real father in some ways,' she said. Heche said in her book that during her 20s, she had romantic affairs with much older men such as comedian Steve Martin and Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsay Buckingham. In her book, Heche wrote about her thoughts of Martin saying: 'Why couldn't my father have been more like him?' In 2019, Bergman's widower, Jud Bergman, was killed at 62 alongside his second wife, Mary Miller-Bergman, when the taxi they were traveling in was hit by a drunk driver. During the crash, Bergman was thrown from the car and died instantly. Heche's has expanded on her sister's portrait of their family life in interviews over the years. In a 1998 interview, Heche told the Tampa Bay Times: 'We never told the truth in our family - never told the truth about one thing.' She went on: 'We were poor, but we said we were rich. We were falling apart, but we said we were good Christians. We had a father who lived a double life, but we pretended that we were absolutely fine. We lived on the streets but said we didn't. Everything we did was a lie. Denial, denial, denial.' Speaking about her life in Chicago, Heche said: 'My days were spent in school, my afternoons were spent working at Haagen-Dazs and other places and my evenings were spent holding my mother, who kept crying.' She continued: 'We lived in a one-room apartment. My mom tried to keep it together, but at night she would break down. I didn't cry about their deaths until five years later when I moved out.' Heche told the Advocate in a November 2001 interview saying: 'My father was a schizophrenic. He lived two complete lives, one as a heterosexual man who directed the choir and had a family and one who went away. We didn't know what he did until years later.' Susan Bergam pictured on her sister's Instagram page. Bergam died following a battle with brain cancer in 2005 Heche's other sister, Abigail. She's an Illinois-based jewelry designer. Heche said in an interview that she had rebuilt her relationship with her sister following a years long absence from each other's lives In a 1998 interview with Allure, Heche said her father lived as a strict religious choir leader while cruising gay bars at night. She continued: 'My father was doing things that are attributed to schizophrenia - big [business] deals, delusions of grandeur. Which I also had, so I know there's a lot of connections with the insanity that I had with my father.' Following an arrest in Fresno, California, when she was taken into custody for wandering on to private property in her underwear and began talking to children about taking them to heaven in a space ship, Heche described it as a 'psychotic break'. She told the Advocate: 'I knew that I was sane. But I needed to go to a psychiatrist and a doctor and make my friends feel safe that I was sane.' In response to Heche's autobiography, her mother, Nancy, said: 'I am trying to find a place for myself in this writing, a place where I as Anne's mother do not feel violated or scandalized.' Her sister, Susan, said she objected to not being consulted by Heche about her book. Abigail Heche, a jewelry designer, said: 'It is my opinion that my sister Anne truly believes, at this moment, what she has asserted about our father's past behavior ... [but] based on my experience and her own expressed doubts, I believe that her memories regarding our father are untrue.' In order to cope with her alleged abuse, Heche said that she developed an alter-ego named Celestia. She told Barbara Walters in an interview about the persona saying: 'I believed that I was from another planet. I think I was insane.' Thanks to a role in a 2004 TV movie named 'Gracie's Choice,' where Heche played an abusive alcoholic mother, she told the Los Angeles Times that she came to terms with the idea that her mother didn't love her. Heche's mother, Nancy, lectured for years on the 'evils' of homosexuality following her husband's death in 1983 Nancy Heche pictured with her daughter, Abigail. In addition to her mother, Heche said her sister remained distant from her relationship with Ellen was made public Speaking about how her mother seemingly ignored the abuse she faced from her father, Heche said: 'I always wondered if my mother was conscious - if you can treat children that way and still love them.' She said that she did not feel that it was possible to still love your children and to allow them to suffer. Heche added: 'It was a relief to me to finally come to terms with this question.' In preparation for her role in the psychological thriller The Vanished, Heche said that she also used her real-life trauma as motivation: 'The thing about mourning and loss is that you dont have to do much research if youve experienced it on different levels, and I think we all have on different levels. This character, who loses her child, required a deep dive into the sorrow that Ive been through in my life.' She continued: 'Unfortunately, there have been multiple deaths in my family. So in order to pull off playing this role, I couldnt hold back how deep that loss goes.' Heche has long claimed that she was black listed in the early 2000s in the fallout from her public lesbian romance with Elle DeGeneres. She told the Guardian in 2000 about their relationship's effect on her family life saying: 'I was naive, hugely naive. I fell in love and I didn't believe people would care. The Hollywood community and friends and family backed away.' In the same interview, Heche said that her religious mother did not speak to her after the actress came out. She also said that the her two sisters remained distant from her. In 1998, Heche told the Tampa Bay Times that her mother believed that her lesbian relationship was a 'sin.' While Nancy Heche told the Christian Broadcasting Network that she felt her daughter's relationship with Ellen DeGeneres was 'Like a betrayal of an unspoken vow: We will never have anything to do with homosexuals.' In a separate interview, Nancy told AL.com in a 2009 that she felt as though she didn't handle her daughter coming out in 1997 well. She said: 'I'm sorry I didn't know how to deal with it well. God was giving me an opportunity. We had good moments of trying to connect. All of us were learning how to handle it. We loved each other; how do you live out that when you disagree?' It took firefighters more than hour to put out the blaze caused by Heche crashing into the home in the Mar Vista section of Los Angeles on Friday During the interview, Nancy said that she was an 'advocate' for 'showing love and respect to the gay community.' In the same year as the interview, Nancy was speaking at multiple homophobic conferences across the country. Nancy also said that she found out her husband was a homosexual from his doctor. She said: 'We fail. We betray each other. It's a sad story. God had to teach me a lot. We're to act out of our healing, not out of our woundedness. I was hurt and felt betrayed.' She also downplayed any tension between her and her daughter saying that they have a 'typical mother-daughter relationship.' She said: 'We connect and we don't connect. That's pretty typical. I have a growing relationship, a loving relationship with her. I love her.' Heche admitted in a 2011 interview with the Daily Telegraph that she had recently begun to rebuild her relationship with her sister following a 20-year feud. The 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' star said: 'She came out to visit last week, and were having a wonderful time in our friendship as weve gotten closer. Weve both put our stuff behind us. In that interview, Heche said that she was still estranged from her mother. Heche said that when she called her mother to confront her once, she hung up after her mother said: 'Jesus loves you, Anne.' Heche said: 'Forgiveness is a funny word for me. Im OK with my mother living her life the way she wants to live it, and Im OK with her not participating in my life the way I want to live it.' In 2015, Nancy Heche conceded: '[Anne has] stopped talking to me. She made the decision to cut off communication.' It came a day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a visit to Taiwan The Project aired a story about China firing missiles near Taiwan on Thursday Comedian Tommy Little has brushed off any potential threat China poses to Australia, claiming there would be no point as Beijing 'owns half the joint already'. The Project on Sunday discussed how the communist superpower launched ballistic missiles into waters around Taiwan and what the show of force means for Australia. The widely condemned military intimidation tactic came after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the disputed island last week - a move that infuriated China sparking threats of war against the west. The island nation, backed by the US and Japan, broke away from the mainland in 1949 after the civil war. It has democratically-elected leaders and fiercely opposes reunification and the totalitarian rule of Beijing. But President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated he plans to take over Taiwan by 2027 as part of the 'great rejuvenation of China' using military force if necessary. The Project's Tommy Little (pictured) questioned why China would be a threat to Australia as they 'own half the joint already' The current affairs program played a news story on China launching ballistic missiles (pictured) which landed in waters around Taiwan 'Do we have to get involved here?' he asked. 'I feel like China aren't going to be a threat to us, they own half the joint already,' Little said. 'Why are they going to attack a joint when they own half of it?' A handful of audience members began to laugh at the comedians cheeky response. But co-host Hamish MacDonald expressed his view that the threat of China needed to be taken seriously. 'You've got to imagine the reality that China might want to retake Taiwan by force,' he said. 'And put it in the context of what happened in Russia and Ukraine earlier this year, I think when that happened, the world did respond. 'This is much closer to us. I think the implications for us is far greater, to be honest.' MacDonald added that while China taking control of Taiwan wouldn't pose a 'direct, physical threat to the Australian mainland', there was the issue of Australia being in the 'middle of a contest' between China and the United States. Hamish MacDonald (left) said the threat of China needed to be taken seriously as the 'implications' for Australia 'are far greater' MacDonald added that Australia was in the 'middle of a contest' between China and the United States (pictured, Chinese soldiers during a military parade) While Beijing has slashed its investment into Australia since the onset of the Covid pandemic, vast tracts of the country are still Chinese-owned. The communist superpower last year spent 28 times less Down Under than at its peak, investing just $815million in 2021, compared to the $22.5billion-plus it splurged in 2008. Since the global financial crisis, China has pumped a staggering $153billion into Australia, splashing more cash here than anywhere else in the world except the USA. The Chinese have snapped up a key port, mines, agricultural land, dairy processors, valuable real estate, state-sponsored schools, plus water and energy companies. Almost every aspect of Australian life now has Chinese influence - even down to paying with Afterpay, which is part-owned by China's Tencent. But a recent study revealed Chinese investment in Australia in 2021 was down by almost 70 per cent on 2020, which was already the lowest since 2007. Tougher scrutiny for overseas takeovers and tighter screening have been key factors for China's sliding interest in Australia, said international accountants KPMG in a report. Pictured: A map highlighting some of China's purchases and deals on Australian soil China's President Xi Jinping is pictured during a military parade in 2017 Just two major Chinese acquisitions made it past Australian business regulators in the past year, after earlier Beijing bids for Lion Drinks and Alita Resources - worth a combined $670million - were blocked. Both of the latest buys were in the mining sector, with 24 per cent of lithium miners AVZ Minerals bought by Suzhou CATH Energy-Technologies for $318million, and Balmoral Iron Pty Ltd bought by CITIC for $187million. Overall, just 11 Chinese transactions got the green light in the last year, compared to 20 the year before. 'There are a number of administrative obstacles in more stringent regulations for Chinese companies investing in Australia now,' report co-author Dr Hans Hendrischke told Daily Mail Australia recently. 'And the political issues mean people would consider the long term commitment very carefully now before they decide to invest.' China's 15-year spending spree here means the superpower still owns huge chunks of Australia, despite the escalating tensions between the two nations. The fruit picker who is accused of the murder of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte was once an altar boy in his local village church in Lithuania, it was revealed today. Deividas Skebas wore white robes and helped his local priest conduct mass and at ceremonies such as christenings and wedding when he was a young teenager. MailOnline can now publish a picture of dark-haired Skebas, 22, when he was aged around 14 at his first holy communion in St Joseph church in Leliunai, Lithuania. It comes as a family member today shared new photos of the schoolgirl with MailOnline. Adprable images show Lilia having fun in her garden, and enjoying days out at the beach with her family. One villager said: 'Everyone here is shocked that he has been charged with the murder of a little girl. People remember him here as an ordinary, and polite boy.' Skebas was charged last Sunday with the murder of Lithuanian national Lilia who was stabbed to death outside her mother's embroidery shop in Boston, Lincolnshire. Deividas Skebas pictured in white robes for his first holy communion at his local church, aged around 14 Deividas Skebas, 22 leaves Lincoln Crown Court on Monday, August 1, after being charged with Lilia's murder Skebas was charged last Sunday with the murder of Lithuanian national Lilia (pictured) who was stabbed to death outside her mother's embroidery shop in Boston, Lincolnshire Lilia is pictured with her mother Lina Savicke and grandmother Inga Papstaitiene in this image provided by a family member Lilia (pictured) was stabbed to death in front of her five-year-old sister in broad daylight Nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte was playing just 'ten steps away' from where her mother, Lina, was working at the time of the attack Lina Savicke, Lilia's mother, said Skebas's mother had got in touch to extend her condolences and told her they would do 'everything they can' to help her family Skebas lived in this apartment block with his mother, father and 18-year-old sister, but had moved to the UK to work The horrific incident happened as she was playing in a quiet town centre lane with her favourite hula-hoop and her five-year-old sister on Thursday July 28. Skebas grew up in the tiny village of Leliunai, around ten miles from the industrial city of Utena in north east Lithuania. His mother Daiva Skebiene, 42, who owns a flower shop in Utena and his builder father Darius Skebas still live with their 18-year-old daughter in the top floor apartment of a three storey block in the village. The family are believed to be building a new house for themselves nearby. Skebas is thought to have spend most of his formative years in the village which is dominated by its redbrick Roman Catholic church on a small hill. He is believed to have worked for a period with his father in Norway before moving to the UK to work in a factory in Lincolnshire. It is believed that he had recently returned to the UK after moving back to his homeland for a period. Lilia who lived with her mother Lina Savicke and stepfather Aurelijus Savickas loved dancing and Harry Potter books Nine-year-old Lilia with a family member, believed to be grandmother Inga Papstaitiene The death of Lilia, pictured during a trip to London, prompted an outpouring of grief in Boston which is known for its large Eastern European community At the time of Lilia's death, he was living in a Victorian semi-detached house overlooking a park in Thorold Street, Boston, around 200 yards from the spot in Fountain Lane where the schoolgirl died from a single stab wound to her chest. Skebas' grandmother Danute Titeniene also lives in a house in Leliunai with her seriously ill husband, and works as senior officer for the local municipal council. Another villager described Skebas as a 'polite, kind, sincere, well-educated young man' in an interview with Lithuanian newspaper Lietuvos Rytas. The resident added: 'We met last summer in a store. He came up, said hello, and asked how I was doing. 'I asked him: 'Why are you in such a hurry, Deividas?'. He said that he was running because he and his parents were building a house.' A member of staff at one of the two shops in the village described Skebas as 'always a polite, pleasant young man'. The assistant added: 'The last time I saw him was maybe a couple of months ago. He didn't raise any suspicions. He didn't seem to be doing anything wrong - he was as cute as ever.' Another elderly resident said: 'David was a good kid. Maybe he didn't finish his studies, but he used to go to work with his father in Norway. 'I was even surprised that David was in England now, because he really used to work in Norway.' Another villager told MailOnline: 'Danute is a very kind lady and very well known locally because she brought up her brother's four children. 'Her daughter and her husband are also very nice people and are well respected. Nobody can believe what has happened.' Skebas is thought to have spend most of his formative years in the village which is dominated by its redbrick Roman Catholic church on a small hill (Pictured today, August 07) Lilia enjoys a day out at the seaside with her grandmother, exploring the rocks and tidepools The death of Lilia prompted an outpouring of grief in Boston which is known for its large Eastern European community. Hundreds of floral tributes as well as cuddly toys have been left by local people in tribute to her at the top of Fountain Lane. Lilia's family friend Jurate Matulioniene decribed her in a Facebook tribute as 'a 9-year-old angel' and 'one of the most beautiful creatures', saying: 'None will feel her mother's pain.' She added: 'The girl was a ray of the sunlight, just like her parents, who were the main helpers of our community and school events. The pain is unspeakable. We are devastated at this shocking news! Rest in peace, little angel.' Other friends told how Lilia who lived with her mother Lina Savicke and stepfather Aurelijus Savickas, and loved dancing and Harry Potter books. She died from a single stab wound at around 6.20pm on July 28 in Fountain Lane, just 100 yards from the town's famous St Botolph's Church, known as the Boston Stump. The incident happened outside the Sava Code embroidery and screen printing shop which was opened by her Lithuanian mother Lina Savicke in March this year. Lina and her husband, who was Lilia's stepfather, are known as prominent members of Boston's large Lithuanian community and are regularly involved in community activities. Lina, who also works at a recruitment office next door to her shop, recalled the horrifying moment of her daughter's death in an interview last week. She said that her daughter was stabbed 'just ten steps' away from where she was working. Lina said: 'On that fateful day I was giving a gift to my friend when the children were playing outside my windows. 'As I ran around the corner, I heard someone calling me, 'Mum!' 'I go out and see how my little girl was standing a metre away from the big one and she just bled to death.' Lina also revealed that Skebas' mother had called her to offer condolences and offer support. She told news website Delfi Plus: 'His mother called... I heard he comes from a very good family. She promised to take care of everything that she is able to.' Skebas mother refused to comment at her home today. She briefly opened her front door as a dog barked in the background, saying: 'I will definitely not speak to you'. A grief-stricken mom said 'nothing can prepare you for this' after her US Navy sailor son fell to his death from a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Baltic Sea. Nikki McKeithan Spearman wrote the anguished Facebook post six days after her son David 'Dee', 19, fell overboard from the USS Arleigh Burke, near Helsinki, Finland, on August 1. A search for his remains has since been called off, and further details as to the circumstances surrounding the deadly fall have not been revealed. 'Nothing can prepare you for this .I am on a never ending rollercoaster climbing and falling and it want stop,' wrote the stricken mom, who also lost her father Dee recently. 'I can barely go to sleep and if I dare wake up it grabs me again and slings me all around. 'I want to run away and hold everyone close at the same time. I want to be in control of myself and then I loose myself to pure anguish at a drop of a word, song, picture or memory.' 'I can smile when I think of Dee and breakdown in the second after,' Spearman continued: 'I know to be absent from the body as a believer of God is to be present with the Lord and it calms me for a moment or even a hour and then I feel this deep wrenching squeezing of my body and I cannot control any of my emotions or tears. I am overcome again with such deep sadness and emptiness of losing my son.' 'Losing my Dad & Dee at the same time Is beyond any reasoning that my mind can conceive. Knowing they are together is my only hope and peace left,' she added. Seaman Recuit David 'Dee' Spearman fell overboard a USS Navy guided-missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea on August 1 near Helsinki, Finland David's mother, Nikki McKeithan Spearman, shared a grieving post on Facebook on her 19-year-old son's death on Saturday, saying 'nothing can prepare you for this' Spearman confirmed the teen's death on August 3 to the Navy. The teen was from Etowah in western North Carolina's Henderson County Spearman's family confirmed the North Carolina native was the sailor who had gone missing on August 3. The circumstances of how Spearman fell to his death remain unclear. The Navy later said in a statement that David had reported to the ship in April after training in Illinois. He had also just graduated from Naval boot camp earlier this year. 'This bright, young man made an oversized, positive impact on Arleigh Burke. My entire crew's thoughts and prayers are with Seaman Recruit Spearman's family and friends. We offer our most sincere condolences for their loss,' said Cmdr. Pete Flynn, the ship's commanding officer. WLOS-TV reports that Spearman was from Etowah in western North Carolina's Henderson County. The family told the TV station that several generations of his family had served in the Navy. Spearman's family had served in the Navy prior to the teen's enrollment in November. Pictured: Spearman with his father (left) and mother (right) Circumstances surrounding how exactly Spearman fell overboard are unclear. Pictured: The USS Arleigh Burke Spearman had been officially enlisted on November 10, 2021, according to a statement from the United States Fleet Forces Command. A search effort near Helsinki, Finland, was called off earlier in the week, after the navy sailor's body was noticed in the water by an onlooker. 'Thank you to the Swedish and German navies, the U.S. Air Force, and the Sailors from Arleigh Burke for their extensive efforts to search for our shipmate, Cmdr. Flynn concluded the statement. Spearman's body has yet to be recovered, Cmdr. Richlyn Ivey, a spokeswoman for U.S. 6th Fleet, told Stars and Stripes. The teen is the second sailor to have died while on active duty within the last year. Petty Officer 1st Class Robin Nicole Collins, 26, died on July 18, 2021, while on duty. She came to her death after a 'shelter roof and chimney collapsed during heavy weather,' the Navy Times reported two months later. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service has not released details. The location and cause of Collins' death are unknown, as the investigation remains classified. A fourth set of human remains has been found at Lake Mead, as the water levels at their lowest level in over 80 years continue to reveal long-hidden secrets. The fourth corpse was found on Saturday at Swim Beach in Nevada, and are now being assessed by Clark County Coroner. No clues have been given as to the identity of the remains, and the way in which the person may have died. News of their discovery came as a man living in Spain said he is increasingly confident the second set of remains discovered earlier this summer is that of his father. Todd Kolod was three years old when his father Daniel, aged 22, drowned in Callville Bay in 1958. He was on a speed boat with a friend when they hit a wake, and both men were thrown from the boat - with only one surviving. The body was never recovered. A set of bones - with missing teeth that appeared to align with a partial denture Daniel had - was found on May 7 at Callville Bay, and DNA samples were taken. Todd Kolod, pictured here with his father Daniel, was born in 1956, two years before his father died in Callville Bay According to NASA, water levels in Lake Mead are their lowest level since 1937. As of July 18, 2022, the lake was filled to 27 percent capacity On Wednesday the coroner said the person is believed to have been aged between 23 and 38 years old at his or her time of death, leading Kolod to believe it is in all probability his father. 'With each clue, I always expect in my mind that it's going to put us farther away from our goal, but consistently each clue is putting us closer, and this is like a bullseye,' he told 8 News Now. Kolod had hoped to identify his father by his teeth. Daniel was in a car crash a few years before he drowned and lost his front teeth, so wore dentures. Todd Kolod thinks the second body may be that of his father Daniel Kolod, who fell from a speedboat that flipped when it struck by a wake during a fishing trip with a friend 64 years ago A second body (pictured) was discovered in drought-hit Lake Mead reservoir a week after corpse was found in barrel exposed by lowest water levels Teeth from a second body were discovered in drought-hit Lake Mead were discovered just a week after another body turned up in the reservoir Journalists from 8 News Now took photos of the remains to Dr Deborah Staten, owner and dentist at Desert Hills Dental, who is certified in helping identify remains from dental records. She said it is clear the skeleton is missing its front teeth, but she believes the person was missing other teeth before their death, suspecting some were recently removed. Dental records have likely been destroyed in the intervening 60 years. Kolod said he is keen to give a DNA sample as quickly as possible, to solve the mystery, but was frustrated at how long it was taking. 'The pace of being contacted about a DNA sample I'm starting to lose hope a little bit,' he said. 'Maybe this new finding lights something up.' None of the four sets of remains have been identified yet. The first emerged on May 1, when a man's body was found in a rusted barrel in the Hemenway Harbor area. The first body was discovered in a barrel (pictured). The coroner said her office was continuing work to identify the man whose body was found May 1 in a rusted barrel in the Hemenway Harbor area The case is being investigated as a homicide after police said the man had been shot, and his clothing dated from the mid-1970s to early 1980s. Lt. Ray Spencer, with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police homicide squad, said in May: 'The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years. 'It's likely that we will find additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead.' Six days later, the second set - which Todd Kolod believes may be his father - was discovered. A third set of human remains was found on July 26. Little information has been made public about the discoveries. Investigators are scouring missing persons reports in an attempt to identify the corpses This is the third set of human remains to have been discovered at Lake Mead, on July 26. No further details about the remains - including the gender of the person, and how long they were in the lake - have been disclosed Around 300 people have drowned in Lake Mead since the 1930s but that does not include those whose bodies were never recovered, including Daniel Kolod. Human remains, as well as sunken boats, including a World War II landing craft, and other items have been discovered at lake over the summer as the water level declines. Officials from Clark County are shown creating a perimeter around where the latest gruesome discovery was made at Lake Mead Graphic Warning: Park rangers and Clark County coroner investigating the body discovered at Lake Mead today. Info is limited but well have a live report coming up. A witness reported the human remains at Swim Beach/Boulder Beach around 4:30 p.m. today. pic.twitter.com/u9w5zLFa85 Brett Forrest (@brettforrest89) July 26, 2022 Coroner and medical personnel loading up the human remains found at Lake Mead today. The third set of human remains discovered since May 1. First was the body in a barrel, then remains half buried, and now these. All of them appear to have been discovered due to receding waters pic.twitter.com/RLFWcJLToH Brett Forrest (@brettforrest89) July 26, 2022 Intake towers stand exposed in Lake Mead as water continues to dry up in the lake on the Arizona side of the Hoover Dam According to NASA, water levels in Lake Mead are their lowest level since 1937 Lake Mead's water level is at the lowest it has been in over 85 years A formerly sunken boat sits on cracked earth hundreds of feet from the shoreline of Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on May 10, 2022 The Lake, including a marina in Boulder City, Nevada (pictured) is shrinking as water retreats The discoveries have prompted speculation about long-unsolved missing person and murder cases dating back decades - to organized crime and the early days of Las Vegas, which is just a 30-minute drive from the lake. The drop in the lake level comes while a vast majority of peer-reviewed science says the world is warming, mainly because of rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Scientists say the U.S. West, including the Colorado River basin, has become warmer and drier in the past 30 years. About 40 million people rely on the Colorado River as their water supply, with Lake Mead and Lake Powell serving as the area's primary reservoirs. According to NASA, water levels in Lake Mead are their lowest level since 1937. As of July 18, 2022, the lake was filled to 27 percent capacity. In June, Ann Willis of the Center for Watershed Science told the Washington Post: 'In the last 1,200 years, we haven't seen a period as dry as right now. We're really hitting new lows in terms of how extreme the conditions are.' An Instagram-famous cactus has been torn apart and stolen by two young hoodlums one year after a similar act of vandalism. The three-year-old Peruvian apple cactus, which sits outside Ginger Owl boutique in the coastal suburb of Swanbourne in Perth, had one arm hacked off on Saturday night. The cactus was widely renowned for being a backdrop for photos taken by social media influencers, bloggers, tourists and even newlyweds. A famous cactus seen in photos taken by influencers and tourists on social media has been kicked apart by vandals The hoodlums are seen on CCTV footage outside the Ginger Owl boutique in Swanbourne kicking the arm of the cactus and running off with it Police are now on the hunt for the two thieves who were caught on CCTV footage kicking the cactus and then running off with the arm of the plant. Ginger Owl boutique employee Mieli Smith, who spent years growing the cactus outside the shop, expressed her dismay over the vandalism. 'They just destroyed it like it was pretty much nothing. They left chunks and pieces along the floor. It was just everywhere, it was a hot mess,' she told 9News. 'We have a full arm of the cactus gone, which is three-to-four metres high and that has taken over three years to grow.' Staff also expressed their anger on the destruction and theft of the beloved plant on the boutique's Instagram page. 'Our beautiful cactus has been targeted again one year on but this time it's worst,' the boutique said in a statement. 'Two low life arseholes decided to hack, steal and vandalise our beautiful plant just after midnight last night.' Ginger Owl boutique employee Mieli Smith, who spent years growing the cactus, expressed her sadness over the vandalism The Ginger Owl boutique released a statement on social media slamming the 'low life arseholes' who hacked and stole the plant before asking their followers to help identify the vandals The Ginger Owl said the cactus has 'become iconic' and gets love and attention from influencers, bloggers and visitors to the shop The cactus was planted outside the shop three years ago and was barely one metre tall. It has since quadrupled in size. 'This cactus has become iconic. The love and attention it gets is unbelievable. It was the perfect back drop & specimen,' the post continued. 'We need to protect this beautiful plant and stop these low life's from thinking they can hack an arm or two off it..' The Ginger Owl concluded the post by asking their followers if they were able to identify the thieves. Police are investigating the destruction and theft of the cactus arm. It is not the first time the cactus has been vandalised by a member of the public. A man with a machete hacked a branch off the cactus in July last year. He was seen on the same CCTV camera approaching the cactus, cutting off the branch and fleeing the area with it. The government sanctioned the colleges and upgrading of attached general hospitals in all districts with an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats each, at estimated costs ranging from Rs 150 crore to Rs 235 crore. (Image via ANI) Hyderabad: The health department on Saturday accorded administrative sanction (vide GO Nos. 92-99) for establishment of eight medical colleges in the state. They will come up in Rajanna Sircilla, Vikarabad, Khammam, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Komarambheem Asifabad and Jangaon districts. The government sanctioned the colleges and upgrading of attached general hospitals in all districts with an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats each, at estimated costs ranging from Rs 150 crore to Rs 235 crore. Hospitals attached to the medical colleges were transferred from the administrative control of Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad to the director of medical education (DME). The government medical college at Nagarkurnool has been provisionally approved for an intake of 150 MBBS students for the 2022-23. The letter was sent by the medical assessment & rating board (MARB) under the National Medical Commission. After reviewing the information submitted by the assessor, MARB has decided to obtain an undertaking for the issue of letter of permission for starting the college. Rishi Sunak has said that pupils should continue studying core subjects such as maths and English until they finish school at 18. In a three-point plan to transform education, the Tory leadership hopeful vowed to phase out university degrees that do not improve students' 'earning potential', create a Russell Group of world-class technical colleges and introduce a British Baccalaureate that would prevent 16-year-olds from dropping maths and English. It comes a week after his rival Liz Truss pitched herself as the 'education prime minister' with a plan to replace failing academies with new free schools. She also promised that pupils with top A level grades would get an automatic invitation to an interview at Oxford or Cambridge, which has raised questions about whether the timing of the academic year would have to be altered. In an interview with The Sunday Times, the former chancellor criticised the 'overly narrow specialisation' of the current curriculum, which he said does not prepare young people for the 'economy of tomorrow'. Mr Sunak also opened up about his favourite karaoke song Ice Ice Baby, the 1990s club anthem by Vanilla Ice, and watching rom coms, including Love Actually, The Holiday and Notting Hill, at Christmas. In addition, the former cabinet minister admitted that his wife, Akshata Murty, is 'very messy', whereas he is 'incredibly tidy'. Rishi Sunak has said that pupils should continue studying core subjects such as maths and English until they finish school at 18. Pictured at an event in Edinburgh yesterday The former cabinet minister admitted that his wife, Akshata Murty (right), is 'very messy', whereas he is 'incredibly tidy' 'We are almost unique in the western world, for an advanced economy and all high-performing education systems, in allowing people to drop maths and stop studying their native language at 16,' he told the newspaper. 'In Germany, France, Asia, youngsters are studying maths all the way to 18 and in the way a modern economy works, I think it's going to hold us back if our youngsters don't have those skills.' After private schooling at Winchester College, where he was head boy, and a degree in politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford, Mr Sunak took an MBA at Stanford University in California. Mr Sunak said his plans marked 'a significant stride towards parity of esteem between vocational and academic education'. If he becomes the next prime minister, Mr Sunak would strengthen networks of technical institutions and their links with industry, as well as giving them powers to award degrees, his campaign said. The former chancellor would assess university degrees through their drop-out rates, numbers in graduate jobs and salary thresholds, with exceptions for nursing and other courses with high social value. It comes a week after his rival Liz Truss (above) pitched herself as the 'education prime minister' with a plan to replace failing academies with new free schools In an apparent bid to appeal to the right, Mr Sunak's campaign said he would also expedite the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, which is currently in the House of Lords. The Government has argued the Bill is needed to tackle growing intolerance in universities, but opponents have said it aims to address a problem that does not exist and could protect hate speech. Mr Sunak also pledged to improve professional development for teachers, commit to plans to open 75 new free schools announced by the Government in June, and give school trusts an 'accountability holiday' for two years after taking on underperforming schools. He would also work to expand the use of artificial intelligence and digital technology in classrooms and to reduce teachers' workloads. Mr Sunak said: 'A good education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet when it comes to making people's lives better. 'These proposals represent a significant stride towards parity of esteem between vocational and academic education. And they will take a tougher approach to university degrees that saddle students with debt, without improving their earning potential. 'I will also take bold, practical steps to build on the successful Conservative education reforms of the past decade by harnessing technology and improving the quality of teaching in underperforming areas. 'Every child deserves a world-class education and, if I become prime minister, I will make it my mission from day one to ensure that's what they get.' A fashion boutique has won a court battle against retail giant Zara after being threatened with legal action over its branding. Multi-billion pound fashion giant, Zara, which has stores across the globe, tried to order Amber Kotrri, who runs 'House of Zana', which specialises in handmade kimonos, to change its name. Zara was objecting to Mrs Kotrri's trademark application when it said her store's name was 'conceptually identical' to theirs and that the average customer will likely confuse their two brands. It also urged Mrs Kotrri to remove all branding - but determined to fight her corner and maintain her brand, she claimed it would cause 'irreparable damage' to her business and had no similarity to Zara's brand name. Mrs Kotrri, from Darlington, who received support from across the world for her fight against Zara, announced her good news today, saying: 'We did it!' Amber Kotrii (left) of House of Zana, has won her case against fashion giant Zara over the name of her boutique (pictured alongside business partner Erin Harper of Rejoy) Zara was objecting to her trademark application when they said the name 'House of Zana' (pictured the sign for Mrs Kotrri's store) was 'conceptually identical' to theirs and that the average customer will likely confuse their two brands Zara (pictured one of its stores) claimed Mrs Kotrii's shop's name is 'conceptually identical' to theirs and want her to change it In a post on social media, she said: 'We did it!!! Thank you to everyone for all your support. 'All the kind words of strength, those who signed our petition, shared the news and to all the news outlets who covered this story. 'You all gave me the courage needed to take on fashion giants Zara and I will be forever grateful for you all. WE WON!! With so much love from Amber xxx.' In a letter sent to Mrs Kottri, Zara also said there is a risk 'consumers will misread, mishear, mispronounce and/or otherwise perceive House of Zana as ZARA' and that the brand name 'dilutes the distinctiveness and reputation of the ZARA brand'. In a letter sent to Mrs Kottri, Zara also said there is a risk 'consumers will misread, mishear, mispronounce and/or otherwise perceive House of Zana as ZARA' and that the brand name 'dilutes the distinctiveness and reputation of the ZARA brand'. Before the case was heard she defended her small brand, saying: 'Our name is very meaningful and personal to us and poses no commercial threat to the multi-billion dollar apparel company ZARA, and their massive market.' Having initially launched her business online in 2018, House of Zana specialises in ethically sourced and sustainable, high-quality clothing. The success of its concept store in Grange Road, Darlington, has seen it expand into Teesside Airport and reach a global audience online. The former Art and Design student plays a pivotal role in the daily operation, from designing clothing to selecting fabrics. Meanwhile, the word Zana means 'fairy' in Albanian - the country where the company was born and has a manufacturing studio. Mrs Kotrri said in April: 'We don't believe anyone has or will confuse House of Zana with Zara. We're a small business that specialises in handmade kimonos. 'We have one small concept store in the North East of England and a website to help promote our products, whereas Zara is a globally renowned fashion brand with over 2,000 retail stores worldwide and a massive collection of products. 'There is no risk of confusing us with Zara, so why should a corporate giant be allowed to stop a small business from using a name that isn't at all similar to theirs and would result in the destruction of our brand? 'We know we are not a threat to them, but they could destroy everything we have worked so hard for.' The success of House of Zana led to a concept store in Grange Road, Darlington, which has seen it expand into Teesside Airport and reach a global audience online Mrs Kotrri also added before the ruling: 'We don't believe anyone has or will confuse House of Zana with Zara. We're a small business that specialises in handmade kimonos. 'We have one small concept store in the North East of England and a website to help promote our products, whereas Zara is a globally renowned fashion brand with over 2,000 retail stores worldwide and a massive collection of products. 'There is no risk of confusing us with Zara, so why should a corporate giant be allowed to stop a small business from using a name that isn't at all similar to theirs and would result in the destruction of our brand? 'We know we are not a threat to them, but they could destroy everything we have worked so hard for.' She added: 'We have exerted all of our efforts into creating this unique brand, and having just struggled through the pandemic, the last thing we want to do is to be forced to change the brand, remove all labels that are sewn into our stock, change our social media names and shop front. 'This would cause irreparable damage to our small and loved business. We have spent years growing our dream and employing a wonderful team. We have never and still don't see any similarity in House of Zana's name or logo, to Zara's. 'I have built a full team and a life for myself and they can just take it away from me. 'It's the name I've built up and everyone knows us because of that - how can I just change that?' Mrs Kotrri represented herself in court when a hearing was held In 2016, a Barnard Castle business, in County Durham, was forced to change its 'Zara Countrywear' name after being threatened by the same company. In April, Inditex, the owner of Zara, defended its decision to take on Mrs Kotrri. A spokesperson told the MailOnline this week: 'While we do not wish comment on the judgment itself, we continue to wish Ms Kottri and her business success in the future. The Metropolitan Police denied allegations of racism from a black Londoner paid 30,000 in damages after he was strip-searched and put in a 'headlock' while walking his dog. Zac Sharif-Ali suffered a mental breakdown after he was illegally stopped and searched by white plains-clothes officer PC Duncan Bullock in December 2012. After a decade-long fight for justice, the Met last month accepted the search and headlock, which left Sharif-Ali 'gasping for breath', was illegal. Bullock did not properly identify himself and did not give his name or station. Sharif-Ali was detained by PC Bullock at Chiswick Common (pictured) while walking his dog Postman and aspiring musician Sharif-Ali was released without charge later that day, The Observer reported. Mr Sharif-Ali was handed 30,000 worth of damages, ending his civil claim for compensation. A letter from the Met's standards directorate states it is 'a matter of regret' that Sharif-Ali was unlawfully searched. It added: 'I acknowledge the anxiety and distress this incident caused you and would like to apologise to you on behalf of the Metropolitan police service.' Yet there was no apology in the letter for any force used. The Met continues to claim Sharif-Ali was not stopped because of the colour of his skin, the newspaper reported. It also denies that Sharif-Ali was placed in a prolonged neck hold or that any unapproved restraints were used. A report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found that Bullock's method of restraint appeared to contradict training procedures. Other officers were surprised by the PC's behaviour, which they said 'came out of nowhere' and made Sharif-Ali virtually unable to speak, the report found. One told the committee that Bullock put Sharif-Ali in a headlock, pushed him down and punched him twice in the shoulder while putting him in handcuffs. The Met continues to insist Sharif-Ali was not taken in because of the colour of his skin - but PC Bullock's colleagues said they were taken aback by the arrest, which 'came out of nowhere' The 2017 inquiry found that Bullock had cases of misconduct and excessive force to answer - but a Met hearing the following year said he had 'reasonable grounds' to search Sharif-Ali and did not use excessive force. Sharif-Ali told The Observer: 'What did I get for being choked to the point I feared I might die? What did I get for being stripped naked and humiliated? What did I get for all the trauma and years of mental health problems? 'No officer has been disciplined. The Met has dragged this out for 10 years. I havent been able to heal and move on. 'Its like they have gone out of their way to aggravate my pain.' The police misconduct victim was walking his dog and eating a sandwich when accosted by the officer. Sharif-Ali added: 'What else is there other than the colour of my skin that would make him think I was doing anything illegal?' Bullock told the IOPC he approached Sharif-Ali because he was 'hanging around the park', later claiming he was on his phone in a known drug-dealing hotspot. When first asked why he brought in the postman, Bullock did not mention the phone. But the committee found that rationale was 'poorly supported', with even Bullock admitting his reasoning 'sounded very weak'. The use of force by police officers is only permitted when preventing a crime or arresting an offender. Mr Sharif-Ali was not arrested on suspicion of any drugs offences, despite that being Bullock's rationale for bringing him in. His lawyer claimed Sharif-Ali fell victim to a gross abuse of power. Iain Gould said: 'The Met have shown no remorse for their actions, and if anything seem to have taken pride in fighting PC Bullocks corner and throwing as many obstacles as possible in the path of my clients campaign for justice.' The Met wrote: 'We do not underestimate the impact the use of stop and search can have, and we are redoubling our efforts to listen, engage and explain why we do what we do, and make improvements based on individuals lived experience to build trust in the tactic.' A convicted burglar was arrested for murdering an elderly couple, a mother and her 15 year-old daughter then taking to Facebook to claim they'd been controlling his mind by using telepathy. Stephen Marlow ranted after he allegedly killed Clyde Knox, 82, Knox's wife Eva, 78, Sarah Anderson, 41, and Anderson's daughter Kayla, 15, in Butler Township, Ohio on Friday. He said: 'I will be launching the first counter-attack against mind control in human history. 'I want to be very clear, this will not be an active shooter event. I will be executing some of the people responsible for activating active shooters. 'If I happen to survive, please visit me in prison, only to see the same man youve almost known. I will gladly die to expose this. 'If I can help another targeted individual fight back against telepathy, then the sacrifice will be worth it.' Marlow lived close to his victims, although it is unclear if he knew them personally. It is also unclear if the two families killed knew one another. The burglar, who completed probation earlier this year, was arrested by local police in Kansas Saturday after the FBI launched a manhunt to find him. He also claimed during his rant that his supposed mind controllers used 'ventriloquism' to 'move thoughts and mouths' and that he'd been persecuted more than any other person in human history. Stephen Marlow is pictured during a Facebook rant said to have been recorded after he murdered four people in his Ohio hometown on Friday Eva Knox, 78 and Clyde Knox, 82, were among the victims shot on Friday. They had shared 60 years of marriage Kayla Anderson, 15, and her mother Sarah Anderson, 41, were the two other victims in the shooting Officers were called to the Ohio neighborhood shortly before noon Friday on a report of shots fired and found four victims with gunshot wounds at multiple crime scenes, police said. The Dayton Daily News reported that the victims were found in two separate homes where they lived, near the home owned by Marlow's parents. All four victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The Knoxes had shared 60 years of marriage at the time of their death, according to an obituary, while a Go Fund Me page has raised nearly $34,000 for the funeral costs of the Andersons. Police had warned anyone seeing Marlow, who had fled, to 'not approach him as he is still likely to be armed and dangerous.' Porter called the shootings 'the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory' and said investigators were trying to determine a motive and whether 'mental illness played any role.' He expressed gratitude to residents for their support and tips and also thanked other law enforcement agencies involved in the case. This 2019 image provided by the FBI shows Stephen Marlow, 39, a suspect wanted in Ohio in the shooting deaths of four people, including a teenage girl, who has been arrested in Kansas, authorities said. Marlow will be extradited to Ohio to face charges in the slaying Crime Scene in Butler Township in Ohio, where Marlow shot four people, including two senior citizens and a mother with her teenage daughter The getaway car that Marlow drove with to Kansas after fleeing Ohio following Friday's attack The Dayton Daily News reported that Marlow had gotten off probation in February on aggravated burglary and aggravated menacing charges stemming from a July 2019 incident in the Dayton suburb of Vandalia, according to Montgomery County court records. Vandalia closed a number of public areas Saturday as a precaution. Court documents dont list an attorney representing Marlow. A court date for a pre-trial has not been released. Meanwhile, Vandalia school superintendent Robert O'Leary said the district provided counselors and therapists for students and their families following the Anderson's death and would continue to do so through the following week. He called her a 'ray of light' who was 'as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.' An investigation tied to the killings is still ongoing, of which the FBI field office in Cincinnati said it was part of. Advertisement Israel has struck 'a wide range' of targets in Gaza after a truce came into effect 'in response to rocket fire' it received moments before a ceasefire introduced after a three-day bombardment which killed at least 31 Palestinians and 'took out' Islamic Jihadist commander. Israel agreed to an Egyptian-proposed truce with Palestine after three days of intense conflict in Gaza, an Egyptian source said. But Israel's military said this evening that it was firing rockets at targets in Gaza after the 8.30pm truce in response to strikes fired towards its own territory, having had to issue multiple air raid warnings up to 8.29pm. A statement said: 'In response to rockets fired toward Israeli territory, the (military) is currently striking a wide range of targets belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip.' Israel had agreed a truce after a three-day bombardment of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) positions on the Gaza Strip which killed at least 31 Palestinians, while militants fired hundreds of rockets back amid escalating violence. Six children are among the dead since the conflict began Friday, while 275 people have been wounded, said health authorities in the enclave where several buildings were reduced to rubble. Israel launched its first bombardment on Friday as part of a surprise operation named 'Breaking Dawn' that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said was a 'pre-emptive strike' designed to thwart a planned PIJ rocket attack. The IDF early this morning continued their intense aerial and artillery bombardment of the Iran-backed group, which has fired hundreds of rockets in return since Friday. Israeli authorities said one of their attacks late last night killed a PIJ commander Khaled Mansour, who was believed to have been hiding in an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza, but several Palestinian civilians were also killed in the blast. The fighting is the worst in the region since an 11-day war in May 2021 between Israeli forces and Hamas, the Gaza strip's de-facto governing authority, which devastated the impoverished coastal territory home to some 2.3 million Palestinians and forced Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. A long exposure of an Israeli Iron Dome air defense system intercepting a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening despite a ceasefire A fireball rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday evening amid retaliatory strikes from Israel after an agreed truce Flame and smoke rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip it says is in response to strikes fired towards its own territory View on destroyed houses after an Israeli air strike in Rafah town, Gaza Strip, 07 August 2022 The friend of a young Palestinian killed during the night in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, reacts during his funeral in the same camp, on August 7, 2022 Palestinians inspect a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah town, Gaza Strip, 07 August 2022 Israel's Iron Dome air defence system intercepts a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip above the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon Rockets are launched from Gaza towards Israel on Sunday, in response to airstrikes on the Gaza Strip An injured Palestinian girl is seen as she is taken to the hospital following Israeli airstrikes over Rafah Smoke billows from a building struck during an Israeli air strike which is thought to have killed an Islamic Jihad commander in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on August 7, 2022 Palestinians gather to stage a protest against Israel's attack on Gaza in Nablus, West Bank on August 07, 2022. The Palestinian death toll from the past three days' worth of attacks has now reached 31 A Palestinian inspects a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah town, Gaza Strip Islamic Jihad rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022 Interceptor missiles are fired by Iron Dome anti-missile system as a rocket is launched by Palestinian militants towards Israel Rockets fired from Gaza City towards Israel, in response to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip 'Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye,' said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building in Rafah. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbour, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting initiated by the IDF. Israel has said it took action against the PIJ because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza 'in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants.' But the IDF estimates their airstrikes have killed about 15 militants, suggesting that more civilians than PIJ member have died as a result of the strikes. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was 'an extraordinary achievement', adding that 'the operation will continue as long as necessary'. Hundreds of Palestinians on Sunday took to the streets to protest what they see as yet more unnecessary violence from Israel, while hundreds more attended funerals for Mansour and others killed in the airstrikes. Smoke rises following Israeli airstrikes on a building in Gaza City's Shijaiyah neighborhood This picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon shows Palestinian rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Sunday Rockets are launched by Palestinian militants into Israel on Sunday amid Israeli-Palestinian fighting on the Gaza Strip People attend the funeral ceremony of Palestinians, who lost their lives in Israel's attacks, in Rafah, Gaza An Iron Dome anti-missile system fires an interceptor missile as a rocket is launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, at the sky near the Israel-Gaza border August 7, 2022 This picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon shows Palestinian rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on August 7 Hundreds of Palestinians have taken to the streets to protest against the violence amid Israel's airstrikes which have killed 31, including more than 15 civilians, since Friday A Palestinian man inspects a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah town, Gaza Strip, 07 August 2022 PIJ has fewer fighters and supporters than Gaza's de-facto rulers Hamas, and little is known about its weapons arsenal. Both groups call for Israel's destruction but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing and keen to stay out of conflicts since the 11-day-war with Israel last year. Air-raid sirens rang out in Jerusalem for the first time since the war last May, after a handful of the PIJ rockets fired towards Israel were headed for the holy city, though Israeli authorities said their missile defence systems had shot down the threats. Daily life in the Gaza Strip has come to a standstill, with the sole power station shut down due to a lack of fuel after Israel closed its border crossings in the wake of its attacks on Friday. Gaza's health ministry said earlier on Sunday that it only had enough fuel for its power generators to last two days before vital services would be cut. The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA has warned of the 'severe risk' to the 'continuation of basic essential services'. 'Each day we wake up to child and women martyrs... there is killing and wounding and people displaced,' said Gaza City resident Abu Mohammed al-Madhoun, 56. 'We hope that Israeli aggression will end'. A ceasefire proposed to both sides by Egyptian authorities was accepted for 8pm BST tonight, according to security sources in Cairo, but official spokespeople for Israel and the PIJ have not yet confirmed whether the truce would go ahead. An internet-sleuthing writer claims comedian Dane Cook regularly invited girls as young as 14 to 'game nights' at his home, with his new fiancee Kelsi Taylor appearing at one of them aged just 17. Cook, 50, who this month became engaged to Taylor, 23, has previously said the pair met at one of the 'game night' parties he regularly hosts at his Los Angeles home. Writer Tracie Egan Morrissey took to Instagram to point out that in 2016 Cook posted a photo from one of his game night parties with Taylor in it, suggesting she was 17-years-old at the time. Cook - a prolific Instagram user with 741,000 followers - says he did not get into a romance with Taylor until she was 18. In a lengthy Instagram story, Morrissey detailed how a dig through Cook's social media to look at photos from his game nights found a number of photos revealed underage girls - one said to be as young as 14 - regularly attended the parties. They were also filled with far older men, many of whom appeared to be middle-aged. Kelsi Taylor's first appearance on fiancee Dane Cook's social media. She was 17 in this 2016 photo Cook, 50, and Taylor, 23, were engaged in Maine last week. Taylor is not Cook's first younger girlfriend. He previously dated Playboy model Amanda Cerny when she was 20 and he was 39 Cook frequently posted group photos of the attendees of his game night parties, evidence which Morrissey used to track who attended the parties and how old they were when the did. Morrissey noted that Taylor first appears in one of these photos with Cook on October 8, 2016, several weeks before she turned 18. The couple have a 26 year age gap, and have been dating for five years. They started seeing each other when Taylor was 18. Beyond Cook's newly betrothed, Morrissey said her search through Cook's Instagram revealed a number of underage girls and young women at his parties. She pointed out shots of actress Saxon Paige Sharbino from when she was 16, including individual photos of her and Cook when she was 15. A sleuth on Reddit noted that King's sister, five years her senior, was also in attendance. One photo showed actress Emily Alyn Lind at one of his parties when she was just 14-years-old, according to Morrissey. In it, she stands in the group alongside Cook, who has is arm around her shoulder. There is no suggestion of impropriety or wrongdoing on Cook's part, and he is yet to comment on Morrisey's allegations against him. Actress Emily Alyn Lind attending one of Dane Cook's parties, allegedly at the young age of 14. Cook appears to have his arm around her A grab from Morrissey's story. She said Saxon Paige Sharbino was 15-years-old in the above photo A grab from Morrissey's Instagram story showing a photo of Saxon Paige Sharbino with Cook when she was 16 Morrissey said that beyond underage girls young women also frequently appeared, including OnlyFans actress Bella Thorne when she was 18-years-old Morrissey said that beyond underage girls young women also frequently appeared, including then 20-year-old actress Amy Forsyth, and OnlyFans actress Bella Thorne when she was 18-years-old. In her story Morrissey pointed out that none of the young women or underage girls listed in her investigation follow Cook on Instagram. She also revealed and that he does not follow them, and suggested that whatever sort of relationships they had to one another had gone sour. Taylor is not Cook's first younger girlfriend. The Massachusetts-born comedian previously dated Playboy model Amanda Cerny when she was 20 and he was 39. Dane Cook has not commented on Morrissey's accusations. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina compared some GOP-led states' crackdowns on abortion access to dystopian novel 'The Handmaid's Tale' on Sunday. In an interview with NBC's Meet The Press, the freshman lawmaker also warned fellow Republicans that taking too extreme of a position on abortion could spell trouble in November's midterm elections. It comes after Kansans shattered turnout expectations on Tuesday to vote in droves against a ballot measure that would have stripped its state constitution of the right to terminate a pregnancy up to 22 weeks. The vote was the first such public referendum since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June. Mace, who was raped as a teenager, defended her opposition to Roe v. Wade and claimed Congress now had a duty to act on abortion - to shield it from extremes on both sides. 'Put in guardrails that they're comfortable with and let's move forward. And we can do this at the federal level and give some guidance to states or states can do it as well,' she said, adding that most Americans were not on the fringe. Her concern with the post-Roe crackdowns, Mace suggested, was with regulations outside of those placing limits on gestational timelines. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace billed herself as 'staunchly pro-life' but tore into her home state of South Carolina's attempt to pass a total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest WATCH: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) tells Chuck Todd she has concerns about privacy for rape victims and people seeking abortions as state legislators seek to implement new laws after the fall of Roe v. Wade.@RepNancyMace: "Handmaid's Tale was not supposed to be a roadmap." pic.twitter.com/hrBZCiNw1O Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 7, 2022 'You've got states that are going to try to ban women from traveling, that if you're raped that you've got to report it to the police,' Mace said. 'Well, I was raped when I was 16, and it took me a week to tell my mother. By that time any evidence would've been gone.' She took aim at legislation that's just recently been introduced in South Carolina that would totally ban abortion save for emergencies when the life of the mother is in danger. 'My own home state, they want women to be required and mandated to report when they are raped. And I just can't even imagine a world where your girl, a teenage girl who's been raped, to have to report those things,' Mace said. 'And, you know, Handmaid's Tale was not supposed to be a road map, right? This is a place where we can be in the center. We can protect life and we can protect where people are on both sides of the aisle.' Mace defended herself as 'staunchly pro-life' but warned her colleagues within the GOP - as well as lawmakers across the aisle - against catering to the fringes on abortion rights. 'I do think that it will be an issue in November if we're not moderating ourselves, that we are included exceptions for women who've been raped, for girls who are victims of incest, and certainly in every instance where the life of the mother is at stake,' Mace explained. Abortion-rights activist rally at the Indiana Statehouse following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 25, 2022 in Indianapolis. Indiana passed a total abortion ban recently in the wake of the high court's ruling 'That's where the vast majority of women are in my state. And I'm going to continue to fight for those things. But we can't go to the far corners of the right or the far corners of the left.' She said earlier in the interview, 'On the far left you have folks that want abortion for any reason up until birth, and then on the far right we have states that are trying to ensure that no abortion for any reason including rape and incest victims in girls.' 'Somewhere in the middle is where we've got to meet, and I do believe that Congress has a role, and I want to play a part in that role in shaping policy for the future for every American in our country,' Mace also said. The GOP lawmaker recently came out on top of a primary race against a challenger backed by Donald Trump, Katie Arrington. She's also one of eight Republican lawmakers to vote in favor of the House of Representatives' Right to Contraception Act, which would have codified the rights granted by Roe v. Wade. China suggested that the U.S. is trying to claim Taiwan as Beijing's foreign minister insisted the self-governed island nation is still part of Chinese territory. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that Taiwan is not part of the United States in the latest diplomatic escalation following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the nation on Tuesday. Pelosi's stop in Taiwan came as part of a congressional delegation trip through Asia. Wang said during a visit to Bangladesh on Sunday that the U.S. is engaged in 'sophistry', or fallacious and deceiving arguments, when it comes to intentions regarding Taiwan. He also said China's actions when it comes to the island are appropriate and legal and made in attempts to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Beijing raged at Pelosi's trip to Taiwan, ripping up a series of talks and cooperation agreements with Washington, most notably on climate change and defense. On Friday, China also imposed sanctions on the California Democrat. China suggested Sunday that the U.S. is trying to claim Taiwan after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit there. Pictured: Pelosi (left) waves alongside Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (pictured Friday) said Taiwan is not part of the U.S. and claimed the self-governed island nation is Chinese territory 'In disregard of China's grave concerns and firm opposition, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region. This constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs. It gravely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,' a China foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. It added: 'In response to Pelosi's egregious provocation, China decides to adopt sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws of the People's Republic of China.' Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday after days of speculation about whether she would make the trip and potentially intensify tensions with China, which views Taiwan as a territory that will eventually be reunified with the mainland. With the visit, Pelosi became the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit Taiwan in decades. It prompted China to launch its largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan, which drew to a close on Sunday following Pelosi's controversial visit to the self-ruled island. Beijing also deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles around Taiwan in what analysts have described as practice for a blockade and ultimate invasion of the island. Those exercises were set to end Sunday, though Beijing has not confirmed their conclusion. Ahead of Pelosi's trip, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the U.S. would face the wrath of Beijing if she went to Taiwan. Chinese state media released some excerpts from a two-hour call between Xi and Biden last month where the Chinese leader was quoted as saying: 'Those who play with fire will only get burnt. Hope the U.S. side can see this clearly.' North Carolina's first black lieutenant governor said Democrats are trying to 'control' African-American people and seek to destroy those who do not agree with their woke ideology. In an interview with FOX News' Dan Bongino on Saturday, Republican lawmaker Mark Robinson said Democrats' 'ideology of control' towards black people 'has not changed' over the course of American history. 'If you look back through the history of America, Democrats have notoriously despised black people who just don't go along,' and 'push back against stereotypes and all ideologies that are dangerous to them,' Robinson said. 'It has always been an ideology of control,' he continued. 'And when they cannot control you, when they cannot control your thought, they will hate you and they will try to destroy you. 'It's been done to me in several venues since I started this venture,' he noted, 'and it's nothing new.' Robinson went on to speak about a controversial speech he gave at a Charlotte-area church in May, in which he was accused of misogyny for saying Christians are 'called to be led by men' and said he stood up like a man whenever he faced adversity for being a black man. Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, said Democrats are trying to 'control' African-American people and seek to destroy those who do not agree with their woke ideology In an interview with FOX News' Dan Bongino on Saturday, Mark Robinson said Democrats' 'ideology of control' towards black people 'has not changed' over the course of American history Watch the latest video at foxnews.com 'When I made comments at a white church, they went viral and the news media jumped all over me and questioned me and threatened me and all kinds of stuff,' Robinson said in his interview on Unfiltered. 'But those comments I made in that black church the mass media refuses to air those.' 'Why? Because I was speaking to black people, and black people agreed overwhelmingly, and that ideology they cannot tolerate. 'They don't want to see black people push against their narratives,' Robinson said of the mainstream media. 'In that situation, that's what happened.' Robinson previously came under fire for a speech he gave back in May in which he said Christians are 'called to be led by men' During his speech on May 22 at the Freedom House Church, Robinson said Christians are 'called to be led by men' and urged men in the audience to 'put on the whole armor of God' and 'take the head of your enemy in God's name.' He also said that as a Christian and as a black man, he is tired of being told how to act, before he slumped his shoulders and caricatured the Civil Rights hymn We Shall Overcome, saying: 'Not one time in my life when I faced adversity did I say, "You know, I shall overcome." 'My God tells me that when I face adversity that number one, I am to stand up like a man! M-A-N' Robinson then said he was 'getting ready to get in trouble' something he often says before he makes controversial remarks, according to WRAL. He went on to say, 'We are called to be led my men,' which WRAL reports brought applause and some shouts of agreement. 'God sent women out ... when they had to do their thing, but when it was time to face down Goliath, [He] sent David not Davita, David.' Robinson added that God sent Moses to lead the Israelites to freedom, 'Not Momma Moses, Daddy Moses.' And he said that God 'knew what He was doing when he made men big and hairy and ugly. 'It's because you're supposed to scare away predators, whether they're in the woods or standing in front of your kids in elementary school.' The remarks came as part of a larger condemnation of the social justice movement, in which Robinson said too many people listen to the doctrine of 'social justice instead of the doctrine of Jesus Christ.' Those people, he said, 'will be on their way to Hell.' He has also previously come under fire for comparing teachers who talk to young children about issues of gender identity and sexual identity to predators who stalk the playgrounds. In a separate March sermon, Robinson said anyone who reads to a child about transgenderism or homosexuality is 'doin it to twist that child's mind' and is 'just as much of a groomer as that person was down at that playground.' Freedom Church Senior Pastor Penny Maxwell, right, later defended Robinson's remarks, claiming he never said 'only' men should lead but instead 'said that men should step up and take the places that I think they've abdicated.' She runs the church with her husband Troy, left The Freedom House Church (pictured) has campuses in and around Charlotte, North Carolina Robinson is now said to be eyeing a run for North Carolina governor, which experts have said may be an uphill battle given his recent remarks. More than half of the state's registered voters are women, WRAL reports, and several GOP political consultants have said in the past that Robinson's comments could threaten his ability to attract support from suburban voters. But after his remarks at the Freedom House Church were reported on last month, Robinson released a video statement denying that he was suggesting only men should have leadership roles. 'For someone to insinuate that I don't believe that women an be leaders in their homes, and in their communities, and in their churches and in their state and in their nation is 100 percent ridiculous,' Robinson said. 'The comments that I made at Freedom House Church were directed towards men and encouraging men to stand up and take on the role of leadership as well, to be leaders in their homes and in their communities, in this state, in their nation.' Freedom House Senior Pastor Penny Maxwell, who runs the church with her husband Troy, also told WRAL in an email she was 'highly offended,' adding: 'I'm so tired of the way culture is treating women. She said in a follow-up interview she loved what Robinson said, and that she thought he would make a great governor. She claimed Robinson 'never said only men should lead,' but instead 'said that men should step up and take the places that I think they've abdicated.' Maxwell also said she believes the women's liberation movement is 'one of the biggest offenders of tearing down women that I've ever seen because it encourages women to compete with men. 'I am offended at the wussification of America,' she said, claiming: 'Women are losing their place in society because of this false notion of toxic masculinity when in fact I think that the masculine heart is something after God.' Stacey Abrams said Sunday that due to her faith she was pro-life until college changed her perception. The Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate told CNN's State of the Union program that she now views it that her faith should not allow her to impose value systems on others. 'I have thought about my faith a great deal,' Abrams said in the Sunday morning interview when asked about how her belief system affects her view on abortion. 'In fact,' she continues, 'I was anti-abortion until I went to college. And, there, I met a friend who has my shared faith values, but we started having conversations about what reproductive care and abortion care really is.' She said college gave her a 'different perspective' on abortion and what role the legislature should play in health care. 'This is health care,' she insisted. 'This is about a woman's right to control her body. This is about a woman's right to experience and determine her future. And that, for me, as a matter of faith, means that I don't impose those value systems on others.' Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (pictured) said Sunday that she was anti-abortion until she went to college as she vowed to change abortion laws in the state if she becomes governor "I've thought about my faith a great deal. In fact, I was anti-abortion until I went to college." Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia @staceyabrams shares how her religion impacted her views on abortion and what changed her perspective. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/amHijbumZs CNN (@CNN) August 7, 2022 Abrams is vying to take Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's seat in the November midterm elections as he runs for his second term. Before becoming governor in 2019, Kemp was Georgia's secretary of State from 2010-2018. Also running in the general election this fall are Libertarian Shane Hazel and independent candidates Elbert Bartell and President Boddie, a write in. Abrams' previous view on abortion is shared as the issue becomes a main point for Democrats trying gain traction in the midterm elections. The left sees the issue as a way to hold onto their majorities after the Supreme Court ruled in June to overturn the 50-year precedent set in Roe v. Wade that protected abortion rights at the federal level. When asked about keeping abortion legal in Georgia should she take residence in the governor's mansion, Abrams said, 'What I understand is that the majority of Georgians do not like this law. It is an extreme ban. It is dangerous, and it affects women across the spectrum.' Georgia, prior to the ruling this summer, already had some of the most restrictive abortion laws. Kemp signed in 2019 a law that banned abortion at six weeks into a pregnancy, which is typically when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. In the case of unplanned pregnancies, many women still do not know they are pregnant at six weeks. Democrats see abortion as a mobilizing issue for the 2022 midterm elections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier in the summer There were so-called trigger laws in 13 other states Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. These laws banned abortion once Roe v. Wade was overturned. The Supreme Court decision, made possible by a conservative majority, sent abortion laws back to the states rather than keeping it federally protected. 'The bill passed in 2019 by one vote in the House,' Abrams said of the Georgia law. 'I believe that we will come back into power when I take the governorship with people who want to do what's right for the women of Georgia. This is an economic issue. This is a health care issue. This is a liberty issueAnd I absolutely believe that we can fix this law.' New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired the seventh meeting of the Niti Aayog governing council. This was the first physical meeting of the council since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the 2021 meeting held via video conferencing. The meeting was attended by 23 chief ministers, three lieutenant-governors and two administrators and several Union ministers, while Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar skipped the meeting. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee left the meeting early, citing the cyclone in her state. The meeting was moderated by defence minister Rajnath Singh. At the end of the meeting, the PM said each state should focus on promoting its 3Ts Trade, Tourism, Technology. He said the states must focus on reducing imports, increasing exports and identifying opportunities for the same in every state. We should encourage people to use local goods wherever possible, he said. Vocal for local is not the agenda of an individual political party but a common goal, he added. Chandrashekar Rao had announced he will not attend the Niti Aayog meeting on Sunday, saying its meetings served no constructive purpose and that the participating chief ministers are given hardly a few minutes to express their views. Crop diversification; achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds to reduce import dependence; pulses and agri-communities, implementation of the National Education Policy in school and higher education; and urban governance were the main agenda for discussion during the meeting, though the states also raised the question of an increase in the states share in Central taxes and duties, citing the rising burden on their resources. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel sought a bigger share for the states in Central taxes. On the issue of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation, Mr Baghel sought a five-year extension for the compensation paid to the state beyond June 2022, claiming that the state was facing a revenue shortfall due to the new tax mechanism. The CM also urged the Centre to revise the royalty rate for major minerals, including coal, and sought a refund of the money deposited by the state government to the National Pension System (NPS) since November 2004 along with accruals in the interest of government staff. The Niti Aayog members in a press conference said that Ms Mamata Banerjee had raised issues relating to her state. She welcomed the PMs suggestion on states showcasing their achievements in the upcoming G-20 related events. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the Niti Aayog can take up the role of an ombudsman and can resolve disputes between the states and the Centre in implementation of Central schemes. He said Odisha has been historically neglected in the subjects that are on the Central list such as telecom, railways and banking, and urged the Central government to give special focus to Odisha. Today was the Niti Aayogs seventh meeting and it was the first for me after becoming CM. It was unfortunate that no one has come from Punjab in the last three years. I went with detailed homework today and kept Punjabs issues, the biggest being the variety of crops, said Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. We demand MSP for farmers and demand a reformed committee as there are no stakeholders in it. I am happy with the meeting All CMs kept their issues. The PM sat with us from 10 am to around 4.15 pm, noted points. We gave suggestions... India will be chairing the G-20 from December 1. I have put forth Amritsars name before external affairs minister S. Jaishankar as the location where all meetings can be held. We will showcase our culture, the Punjab CM went on to add. On his part, the PM lauded the collective efforts of the states in the spirit of cooperative federalism as the force that helped India to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. In his inaugural address, the PM said Indias federal structure and cooperative federalism emerged as a model for the world during the Covid-19 crisis. He said that India had sent a powerful message to the developing nations of the world that it is possible to overcome challenges with resilience despite resource limitations. The PM also highlighted that the seventh meeting was a culmination of months of rigorous brainstorming and consultations between the Centre and the states to identify national priorities. For the first time in Indias 75 years of independence, all of Indias chief secretaries met together in one place and deliberated issues of national importance for three days. This collective process led to the development of the agenda for this meeting, the PM said. The PM also spoke about Indias G-20 presidency in 2023 and called it a unique opportunity to show the world that India is not just Delhi it is every state and Union territory of the country, adding that a mass movement should be built up around G-20. He also said there should be a dedicated team for the G-20 in the states to derive the maximum possible benefit from this initiative. Speaking about this, Mr Jaishankar said: The G-20 presidency presents a great opportunity and a great responsibility. For the first time in G-20s history, India will host the G-20 meetings over the year, not only in Delhi but in every state and Union territory. Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said the states made suggestions about the diversification of crops. The states were quite cooperative on diversification and achieving self sufficiency. One state suggested making MSP for oilseeds effective. Rajasthan said better irrigation can help in mustard cultivation in a big way. A teenager was stabbed to death on a busy high street in broad daylight - as police continue to probe the 'gang' murder of another teen boy two days earlier. Ghulam Sadiq, 18, suffered stab wounds during an incident outside a pizzeria in Leytonstone High Road, east London, at 2.15pm on Saturday. Despite receiving urgent first aid, he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. Police are yet to make any arrests in connection with the death of Mr Sadiq, who is understood to have lived locally. His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers, with a special post mortem to take place in due course. Mr Sadiq's death comes amid a wave of violence across London after five people were stabbed during a four-day flurry of knife crime. Ghulam Sadiq (pictured) was stabbed to death on a busy high street in a broad daylight attack on Saturday Police were called to High Road in Leytonstone this afternoon after reports of a violent attack in a busy high street It included the stabbing of a 15-year-old boy at a park in Islington on Thursday. The boy told police 'I'm dying' as he lay bleeding beside a playground at Highbury Fields, north London, while officers tried to comfort him. He was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to hospital, but died not long later. Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said today: 'Our heartfelt thoughts are with Ghulam's family as they come to terms with this terrible tragedy, which no family should have to endure. 'He was attacked in broad daylight on the busy High Road on a summer Saturday afternoon. I know this will shock and appal the local community and I want to assure them we will do all we can to identify and bring to justice those responsible. 'The area is likely to have been busy at the time of the incident. I would appeal to anyone who saw anything at all of note to come forward and speak to us. 'Did you see the attack itself? Did you see an altercation? Did you see anyone acting unusually or in a way which aroused your suspicions? Might you have dashcam footage from being in the area around that time? We want to hear from you. No piece of information is too insignificant. 'I would also like to thank the local businesses and residents impacted by the road closures around the crime scene for their patience and cooperation while we carry out our this vital initial phase of our investigation. 'We will work as thoroughly and efficiently as we can.' A search took place at Highbury Fields after a 15-year-old was stabbed to death there on Thursday Forensics were gathering evidence at the crime scene in north London on Friday following the stabbing A statement from the force added: 'A murder investigation has been launched following a fatal stabbing in Leytonstone. 'Police were called to High Road, E11 at 2.15pm on Saturday following reports that a man had been stabbed. 'Officers attended and gave urgent first aid until the arrival of the London Ambulance Service and the London Air Ambulance. 'Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been named as 18-year-old Ghulam Sadiq who was from the local area.' London remains gripped by a summer crime wave across the capital in the wake of 14 fatalities since the start of July. It follows three other stabbings in the capital on Wednesday night. In Ilford, east London, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed on Chadwick Road outside a Royal Mail sorting office at 4.20pm on Wednesday, August 3. Another teenager was stabbed three hours later on Eltham High street, in Eltham, south-east London, at 6.30pm. At around 10.38pm, a third stabbing happened in south London, at Lewisham station. Last month it emerged police forces in England and Wales had recorded the highest number of offences in 20 years, driven by a sharp rise in fraud, rape and violent attacks. A total of 6.3million crimes were recorded in the year to March 2022 four per cent higher than the previous all-time high of 6.1million in 2019/20. It was also up 16 per cent on 2020/21, when crime levels were affected by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. A family were shocked when their afternoon paddle in a London river led them to find a huge cache of dumped firearms in the water. James White, 15, was out fishing for the day with family friends at the river walk in Catford yesterday when they decided to take a swim due to the hot weather. James slipped on something in the water, which turned out to be a magazine from a gun. He told MyLondon he wished it was 'a bad dream' but then found a cone shape in the water and worried it was an explosive. They began to search around in the water, finding around 11 guns - including a revolver and an Uzi submachine gun - as well as bullet magazines and ammunition. A family found a huge cache of weapons (pictured) while paddling by the river walk in Catford yesterday afternoon James White, 15, who found the weapons while on a fishing trip with family friends, said he wished it was a 'bad dream' and was worried he'd found explosives Ryan Ball, 32, said: 'We were at river view walk where we regularly go with our children, and my sons were playing with a 15-year-old boy, James, when he slipped on which appeared to be a magazine from a gun. 'He then started to search around in the water, and then one after the other he started to pull out everything you can see in the pictures.' 'I then contacted the police, who came and retrieved the weapons and will be sweeping the river for any more.' The river view walk is a riverside park with a popular walking and cycle route running between Catford and Beckenham in south-east London. The family found around 11 guns - including a revolver and an Uzi submachine gun - as well as bullet magazines and ammunition in the Pool River in Catford (pictured) Police were called to the river at 4.40pm yesterday to reports of firearms in the river. Emelie Wight, James's sister, posted on Facebook: 'Be careful letting your kids play in the River View walk behind Sainsbury's in Catford. 'My brother was over there with a friend and his kid and my brother fell on something and pulled out a gun and found many more. James's sister posted on Facebook warning people to be careful while swimming in the river 'Police were informed and they are going to sweep the river. 'Please be aware when letting your children play in the river.' Callum Jones, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police, said: 'Police were called to Winsford Road, SE6, at 4.40pm on Saturday, August 6 to reports of firearms found in a river. Officers attended. 'A firearm and ammunition were recovered and removed from the scene.' Ukraine has accused Russia of once again firing rockets at Europe's largest nuclear power plant overnight and has called for new international sanctions on Moscow for 'nuclear terror', after the site was also struck by missiles on Friday leading to warnings of a 'very real risk of a nuclear disaster'. Moscow and Kyiv have been blaming each other for the bombings of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear site in southern Ukraine, which has been under Russian control since the early days of the February 24 invasion but is still run by Ukrainian technicians. The allegations have not been confirmed by independent sources. Ukraine's state nuclear energy company Enerhoatom that operates the plant said the 'Russian occupiers once again fired rockets at the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the town of Enerhodar', damaging three radiation sensors at the facility. A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 4 Fire-damaged buildings at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear complex are pictured in March after coming under attack by Russian forces during the early stages of the invasion of Ukraine Moscow and Kyiv have been blaming each other for the bombings of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear site (pictured) in southern Ukraine 'One... employee was hospitalised with shrapnel wounds caused by the explosion,' it said in a statement. The company added 174 containers with spent nuclear fuel were stored in the open air at the plant's dry storage facility that was attacked. 'Consequently, timely detection and response in the event of a deterioration in the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from containers of spent nuclear fuel are not yet possible,' it said. 'Russian nuclear terror requires a stronger response from the international community - sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry and nuclear fuel,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter. A Russian tank covered in green sheets outside the power plant. The UK Ministry of Defence has said Russia is using the power plant as a place to store equipment safe from Ukrainian strikes A Russian soldier stands guard in the grounds of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in May. Although the plant remains operational, there are concerns the Russian occupation has undermined security and safety at the station A Russian serviceman stands guard outside Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in May after Putin's troops occupied the site Meanwhile, Russia's occupying authorities in the town of Enerhodar where the plan is located today said the Ukrainian army overnight 'carried out a strike with a cluster bomb fired from an Uragan multiple rocket launcher'. The projectiles fell 'within 400 metres of a working reactor,' Russia's state news agency TASS reported. The strike damaged some administrative buildings and fell in a 'zone storing used nuclear fuel'. The recent fighting at the plant prompted UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to warn of 'the very real risk of a nuclear disaster'. There are warnings that the power plant, which lies on the banks of the Dnipro river, is 'out-of-control' and fears a Chernobyl-like incident could take place The United Nations nuclear chief warned that Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine 'is completely out of control', raising fears of another Chernobyl. Pictured: Surveillance camera footage shows a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant during shelling in Enerhodar, Ukraine March 4 - in the early days of Russia's invasion On Saturday, Enerhoatom, had already said parts of the facility had been 'seriously damaged' by military strikes the previous day and one of its reactors forced to shut down. The prospect of the giant complex being seriously damaged in the fighting has set off alarm. 'Any military firepower directed at or from the facility would amount to playing with fire, with potentially catastrophic consequences,' IAEA Rafael Grossi said on Saturday. This comes as four more ships loaded with grain set off from Ukrainian ports today. 'The second convoy of Ukrainian supplies has just left... three from Chornomorsk and one from Odessa,' Kyiv's infrastructure ministry wrote on Telegram. Servicemen of Ukrainian National Guard patrol area near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Chernobyl, Ukraine April 7, 2022 Emergency service workers search for two people in the rubble after a shelling in Bakhmut, Ukraine on July 31 It said the Mustafa Necati, the Star Helena, the Glory and the Riva Wind were carrying 'around 170,000 tonnes of agriculture-related merchandise.' The renewed shipments of Ukrainian grain to help ease global food shortages and bring down prices nevertheless offer a small glimmer of hope as the war enters its sixth month. Ukraine, one of the world's largest grain exporters, had been forced to halt almost all deliveries in the wake of Russia's invasion, sending global food prices soaring and making imports prohibitively expensive for some of the world's poorest nations. In Rome on Sunday, Pope Francis welcomed the resumption of grain exports as 'a sign of hope' that showed dialogue was possible to end the war. People clean up at the damaged sites after Russian missiles hit residential areas in Sloviansk city, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on July 29 Firefighters are shown putting out the fire from a destroyed building after a missile strike in the city of Nikopol, Dnipro region The cargo ship Navi Star, crosses the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, today. Four more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization today to leave the country's Black Sea coast 'I sincerely hope that, following this path, we can put an end to the fighting and arrive at a just and lasting peace.' A bulk carrier had arrived in Chornomorsk on Saturday to be loaded with grain for the first time since Moscow's invasion. Last Monday, the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel, Razoni, set sail from the Ukrainian port of Odessa carrying 26,000 tonnes of corn in the first departure under the deal that was brokered with the help of Turkey. Then on Friday, Kyiv said another three ships loaded with grain had also set off for Turkey and markets in Ireland and Britain with a further 13 waiting to depart. Rescuers are racing to save a beluga whale which has become trapped in the River Seine. But French officials are still deciding whether or not to leave it there until it regains its appetite because it refused to eat the food it has been offered. They are now hoping to inject the animal with vitamins because it refused to eat frozen herring and live trout, France 24 quoted one senior police official as saying. The whale, which is normally found in the cold waters of the Arctic, was first spotted swimming up the river from the English Channel on Tuesday, August 2. French officials are still deciding whether or not to leave it there until it regains its appetite because it refused to eat the food it has been offered It headed upstream towards Paris, which the Seine flows through, before reaching a lock 44 miles (70km) from the French capital where it has stayed since then. The appearance of the protected species has sparked concerns from rescue services and biodiversity officials, as they draw up plans to rescue the animal. It is unclear what has driven the whale to swim so far from its natural habitat, and there are concerns that if it does not return it could die in the 'polluted' river. French divers are pictured lookig for the whale earlier today. The whale, which is normally found in the cold waters of the Arctic, was first spotted swimming up the river from the English Channel on Tuesday, August 2 The beluga whale was first spotted in the River Seine on Tuesday, and has since become trapped in between two locks 40 miles from Paris Observations of the whale, which has drifted between two locks on the river and barely moved yesterday, have indicated has appears to have 'skin changes and to be underweight'. Drone footage showed the whale swimming slowly, its white silhouette just below the waterline and coming up to breathe. The local prefecture said firefighters and biodiversity officials have evaluated the 'worrying' health of the animal, and plans are being drawn up to get it back where it belongs. Gerard Mauger, deputy head of French Marine Mammal Research Group GEEC, said the mammal spent 'very little time on the surface' and appeared to have 'good' lung capacity. Firefighters and biodiversity officials used drones to keep an eye on the beluga whale. Pictured: The white outline of the whale is shown on a drone camera yesterday Rescue services have been monitoring the condition of the whale, which appears to be underweight. Pictured: Rescue services on the river yesterday But Mauger said rescuers were struggling to guide the whale to the mouth of the Seine. It is 'currently between the Poses dam and that of Saint-Pierre-la-Garenne', around 43 miles (70km) northwest of Paris, past the port of Rouen. Officials did not specify the size of this individual, but an adult beluga can reach up to four metres (13 feet) in length. Authorities in Normandy's Eure department urged people to keep their distance to avoid distressing the animal. Lamya Essemlali, head of the non-profit marine conservation organisation Sea Shepherd, said some of her team would arrive with drones in the evening to locate the whale more easily. 'The environment is not very welcoming for the beluga, the Seine is very polluted and cetaceans are extremely sensitive to noise,' she said, adding that the Seine was 'very noisy'. There are concerns surrounding the health of the protected species, with one expert saying it is very sensitive to noise and is trapped in a 'very noisy' river. Pictured: Rescue services on the river in speed boats yesterday 'The challenge now will be to help feed it, and try to accompany it towards the ocean.' 'The urgency is to feed the whale to prevent it from suffering the same fate as the orca who died after starving to death.' She told Reuters: 'The challenge now will be to help feed it, and try to accompany it towards the ocean.' The prefecture said it would assist and monitor Sea Shepherd's efforts. The Eure authorities said lone belugas do sometimes swim further south than usual, and are able to temporarily survive in fresh water. While they migrate away from the Arctic in the autumn to feed as ice forms, they rarely venture so far south. The sighting follows the rare appearance of a killer whale in the Seine just over two months ago. In late May, the mammal - also known as an orca, but technically part of the dolphin family - was found dead in the Seine between Le Havre and Rouen. The animal had found itself stranded in the river and was unable to make its way back to the ocean despite attempts by officials to guide it. A month later, another whale, believed to be a 10-metre-long (33 foot) Minke whale, was spotted in the Seine. In September 2018, a beluga whale was spotted in the River Thames near Gravesend for a few days, in what was then the most southerly sighting of a beluga on British shores. A Manhattan bodega worker who was charged with murder after defending himself against an attacker has quit his job in fear of his life, and is considering leaving New York City for good and returning to his native Dominican Republic. Jose Alba, 61, had charges dropped from the July 1 attack following an outpouring of anger at the decision to prosecute. But Alba has now left his job and fled the city, said Francisco Marte, the head of a bodega association assisting Alba. 'He is taking a hiatus right now,' Marte said. 'He went upstate to get away from everything. 'He is not going back to work at the bodega. He is taking a break fighting with his trauma, and he said he is afraid for his life.' Jose Alba (right) posed for a celebratory photo with Francisco Marte, president of the Bodega and Small Business Association of New York, on July 19 after DA Alvin Bragg dropped the murder charges against him Bodega worker Jose Alba (right) was physically attacked by a customer before pulling out a knife and fatally stabbing the man. Charges against Alba are now being dropped Marte said that Alba was haunted by the fight that cost Austin Simon, 35, his life. 'He is trying to get back to normal, but he said it's very hard when you have flashbacks of what happened,' said Simon. 'We are getting him professional help, and then [Alba and his family] decide whether he goes back to the DR for good or just spends some time there.' On July 19, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office asked a judge to drop the charges Alba after having faced intense backlash, including criticism from the city's mayor. Alba, confronted by reporters outside his home, said he is feeling 'so-so' and believes justice has been served. He also shared that the wounds he sustained during the altercation are 'healing.' Alba, who had faced a second-degree murder charge, was working at the Blue Moon deli on July 1 when he fatally stabbed Simon in the neck and chest. Alba briefly spoke to the media after the charges were dropped. He said the wounds he sustained during the altercation are 'healing.' Alba's scarred arm is pictured as the bodega worker shielded his face behind his door Alba (left) told reporters he is feeling 'so-so' and believes justice has been served. His wound is pictured on the right Marte (pictured), when asked if Alba would show his face, told the media: 'We appreciate the support but for his safety and by the lawyers advice we cant show his face' Alba's wound is pictured on July 19 Surveillance footage from the Blue Moon convenience store in Hamilton Heights showed Jose Alba, 61, was assaulted before he grabbed a knife and stabbed Austin Simon, 35, on July 1 Jose Alba, 61, the Manhattan bodega worker charged with murder for stabbing a man who assaulted him, is pictured earlier this month after being released on bail Progressive DA Alvin Bragg had faced intense criticism after charging the bodega worker Surveillance footage clearly showed that Simon had moved behind the counter at the convenience store in Hamilton Heights and pushed the store clerk into a stack of shelves before grabbing him. It was only then that Alba reached over to a shelf and pulled out a knife to fight back. During the altercation, Alba was apparently stabbed by Simon's girlfriend, who instigated the argument when her benefits card was declined. The girlfriend was never charged in the incident. The motion to dismiss stated that prosecutors 'have determined that we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was not justified in his use of deadly physical force.' The filing said that 'a homicide case against Alba could not be proven at trial beyond a reasonable doubt' and that the case will not be presented to a grand jury. District Attorney Bragg had faced intense criticism after charging Alba, including from Mayor Eric Adams. This is the moment Alba was stabbed in the arm by the girlfriend of the man he stabbed to death on July 1 in a row over a bag of potato chips Alba was stabbed in the arm by Simon's girlfriend during the altercation Alba showed his wounds to DailyMail.com on July 11 Pressure had been growing for Bragg to drop the charges against Alba since footage emerged showing that Simon - who has previously been convicted for other assaults - had pushed Alba into a shelf and started dragging him. The footage shows the two struggling before Alba grabbed his knife and started stabbing Simon. Other videos obtained by DailyMail.com show Simon - who was on parole for attacking a police officer when he died - marching behind the bodega counter to confront Alba. 'Papa, I don't want a problem, papa,' Alba told him calmly. Simon charged into the Blue Moon convenience store minutes after his girlfriend tried to buy a bag of chips for her daughter, but her electronic benefits card had been declined. A man in Utah was arrested on Saturday for stealing an excavator from a building site before driving it to a supermarket nearby and tearing up its parking lot apart, ripping water pipes and fiber optic cables. Omar Ortega, 46, was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of felony theft and felony criminal mischief after the incident took place around noon. His motive for stealing the machinery and driving to a Smith grocery store on 828 South 900 West remain unclear. Footage shared by Salt Lake Police shows a massive and muddy trench dug in the grocery store's parking lot. The damaged Ortega is so-far estimated to run to $40,000 - and costs could climb higher. Officers said Ortega dug so far in that he made a water pipe leak and tore up several relatively new fiber optics utility lines. Utility works inspected the damage while also checking whether there was a gas leak, which was later ruled out. Omar Ortega, 46, stole an excavator that was left running during the day on Saturday and drove it for a mile to a grocery store's parking lot before starting to 'randomly digging up the ground' The suspect dug so deeply that it caused damage to water pipes and fiber optic cables that were relatively brand new The suspect hopped inside the excavator and freely used it while it was left running by a construction site at 900 South 300 West - a mile away from the supermarket - according to police. Builders followed Ortega to the grocery store and observed the destruction of its parking lot, where the suspect was 'randomly digging up the ground' before calling 911. Witnesses then prevented the suspect from fleeing until the arrival of police. It remains unclear if calls to police were made when the machinery was initially stolen. A statement released by police suggested that the incident hadn't been reported until Ortega started digging into the grocery store's parking lot. No injuries or deaths were reported. The total amount of damage done to the Smith's grocery store's parking lost is estimated to be more than $40,000 Ortega's motive for the incident remains unclear but witnesses prevent him from leaving the construction site until police arrived Bail for Ortega has been set at $1,000. It's unclear if the suspect is still in jail as of Sunday. He is originally from Mexico and has been arrested by police on several occasions, including for assault in 2021. Ortega has previously been charged with operating a vehicle without an insurance, failure to register or expired vehicle registration and failing to obey traffic control devices from 2019 until now. A county sheriff in North Carolina has vowed to set up safes filled with AR-15 rifles and ammo at six local schools in response to the Uvalde school shooting . Madison County Schools are beefing up on campus security for the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year by partnering with the Madison County Sheriff's Buddy Harwood to install heavy-duty weaponry that could be deployed in the event of a hostile intruder. 'We were able to put an AR-15 rifle and safe in all of our schools in the county,' Harwood further said. 'We've also got breaching tools to go into those safes. We've got extra magazines with ammo in those safes.' Those breaching tools are designed to break through automatic-locking doors installed in schools which can only be opened from the inside, potentially trapping children and teachers in a room with an attacker. Harwood says his office took the step after it was revealed that poor decision-making and a lack of training on situations involving an active shooter were reported as key failures in the Texas state house's report on investigations into the Uvalde massacre. 'Those officers were in that building for so long, and that suspect was able to infiltrate that building and injure and kill so many kids,' Sheriff Buddy Harwood told the Asheville Citizen-Times. 'I just want to make sure my deputies are prepared in the event that happens.' Uvalde cops stood in a corridor for more than an hour in June while gunman Salvador Ramos, 18, murdered 19 children and two teachers before he was shot dead. Madison County Schools Superintendent Will Hoffman said school district officials within the county have been constantly updated on the new safety measures and are also regularly meeting with local authorities, including Harwood, for training with instructors from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Maddison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood raised the importance of self-defense against active shooters and the failings within the response of local authorities in the Uvalde shooting as reasons for introducing the new safety measures on school campuses Safes filled with AR-15s will now be introduced in schools in Madison County, North Carolina, as a local sheriff tries to avoid a repeat of the Uvalde massacre for the upcoming academic year Hoffman has also allowed Madison County Sheriff officials to have access to school camera systems, which were only previously monitored by the county's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Six schools making up for the Madison County school district that will see the changes take effect are: Brush Creek Elementary, Hot Springs Elementary, Mars Hill Elementary, Madison Middle, Madison High and Madison Early College High. 'The reason we put the breaching tools in the safes is that in the event we have someone barricaded in a door, we won't have to wait on the fire department to get there,' Harwood said. 'We'll have those tools to be able to breach that door if needed. I do not want to have to run back out to the car to grab an AR, because that's time lost. Hopefully we'll never need it, but I want my guys to be as prepared as prepared can be,' he added, underlying the importance of self-defense. The sheriff, who announced the new school safety measures in a video shared on Facebook, said while he understands the worries that some may have at seeing school officials handling AR-15s, it is a necessary measure due to the increase of school shootings across the country. 'I'm a firearms instructor. We carry a (9 mm) 135-grain bullet,' Harwood told the Citizen Times. 'We've got the maximum 50 rounds that my SROs are carrying throughout the school to protect that school. Brush Creek Elementary (pictured), Hot Springs Elementary, Mars Hill Elementary, Madison Middle, Madison High and Madison Early College High will all be armed with safes loaded with semi-automatic weapons for the 2022-23 school year SROs stand for school resource officers, who regularly update safety measures and are also responsibly for crime prevention in schools. 'I hate that we've come to a place in our nation where I've got to put a safe in our schools, and lock that safe up for my deputies to be able to acquire an AR-15. But, we can shut it off and say it won't happen in Madison County, but we never know,' Hardwood said. 'I want the parents of Madison County to know we're going to take every measure necessary to ensure our kids are safe in this school system. If my parents, as a whole, want me to stand at that door with that AR strapped around that officer's neck, then I'm going to do whatever my parents want as a whole to keep our kids safe.' The sheriff added that members of his office have worked hand-in-hand with school officials in two training sessions held in the summer 'I've got a whole host of people that are very capable of putting this training on,' Harwood said. 'It is sponsored through A-B Tech, so my guys will get training hours for it, including the fire departments.' In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities stage in a hallway as they respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24 There have been 27 school shootings so far this year. The Uvalde shooting at Robb Elementary was the deadliest school shooting within the last decade. In 2012, a gunman in Connecticut opened fire and killed 26 people, 20 of which were children as young as 6 years old at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The total amount of deaths in May also surpassed those in the 2018 attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people. A former maths prodigy and promising medical student burned himself to death in front of his teenage son after running up gambling debts of 250,000, an inquest heard. Bylent Bill Troshupa, 53, became erratic and angry after losing thousands betting 12 hours a day through the pandemic with firms including William Hill and 888. His marriage broke down and a restraining order prevented him from visiting wife Julie Martin, 51, and their 16-year-old son. But the father-of-two arrived with a knife, jerry can of fuel and envelope full of cash while his son was at home alone last November. He started banging on the door demanding to be let in before posting the money through the letterbox, stepping back and setting himself on fire. The distressed son called his mother as she drove back to Waltham Abbey, Essex, from work at around 8.30pm and said his father was on fire outside. Bylent Bill Troshupa, 53, became erratic and angry after losing thousands betting 12 hours a day through the pandemic Miss Martin rushed home to find Mr Troshupa on fire, screaming while falling to the floor. A neighbour ran out with a hosepipe before dowsing him with a blanket but his burns were too severe. Emergency services battled for 90 minutes at the scene before he was intubated to keep him comfortable and flown by helicopter to Broomfield Hospital. Dr Niall Martin, from the burns unit, said he suffered a cardio-pulmonary arrest and died at 1.30am. Senior coroner Lincoln Brookes recorded a verdict of suicide at Chelmsford coroners court. Miss Martin, who also has a daughter, aged 22, sat through the one-hour hearing in tears clutching the hands of two friends. The inquest comes after ministers have been criticised for delaying a White Paper on gambling regulations which are expected to be watered down. Afterwards Miss Martin, who has become a vocal campaigner for victims of gambling addiction, told the Daily Mail: The Government needs to step up action. This is not about the death of my husband. This has affected me, it has affected our children, it has affected his family. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, there are over 400 suicides each year and thousands more on anti-depressants and suffering mental health problems. The court heard Mr Troshupa was a maths prodigy as a child, winning a national competition in his native Kosovo and coming third across the former Yugoslavia. Julie Martin, 51, (pictured arriving at Chelmsford Coroner's Court in Essex). Miss Martin rushed home to find Mr Troshupa on fire, screaming while falling to the floor He was in his second year studying medicine in Croatia when the Balkans War started and he had to flee on the last flight out as he was at risk from Serbian nationalists as an ethnic Kosovan Muslim. Mr Troshupa arrived in London but none of his qualifications were recognised so he worked as a driver. He met Miss Martin and they married but he had mental health problems from gambling. In lockdown, he was put on furlough and separated from his wife after being convicted of assaulting her in September 2020. Miss Martin said: He was defeated by the loss of what his life could have been. I think this is why he started gambling and it destroyed him. Tory MPs involved in a 'witchhunt' investigation into Boris Johnson over Partygate should quit the inquiry team, a Cabinet minister said tonight. Allies of the Prime Minister today attacked the 'kangaroo court' probe by the Commons privileges committee into whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament. They said the committee's remit had been 'rewritten in order to facilitate a guilty verdict' before it even began work. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries tonight urged the four Tory MPs on the committee to 'have no part in this Machiavellian process' and step down from the probe immediately. The inquiry's broad terms of reference mean the PM can be found in contempt for unintentionally misleading the Commons about lockdown-busting Downing Street gatherings - even if he did not deliberately lie. Allies of Prime Minister Boris Johnson attacked the 'kangaroo court' probe by the Commons privileges committee into whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament And despite already resigning from No 10, Mr Johnson could be kicked out as an MP if the seven-strong committee rules against him. Mrs Dorries told the Daily Mail: 'If this witch-hunt continues, it will be the most egregious abuse of power witnessed in Westminster. 'It will cast serious doubt not only on the reputation of individual MPs sitting on the committee but on Parliament and democracy itself. 'It would be the equivalent of a kangaroo court which would set a parliamentary precedent which in itself, will return to haunt every politician and prime minister, of whatever party, in the future. The terms of reference of the inquiry have been rewritten in order to facilitate a guilty verdict before the inquiry has even begun. 'We are the lawmakers the MPs on this committee would be taking that duty to a new level, outside of the principles of fairness and into a dark place of unnatural justice. 'Each Conservative member should do the right thing, have no part in this Machiavellian process, call it out for what it is, and resign from the committee now.' Lord Goldsmith, who was made a Conservative peer by Mr Johnson in 2019, blasted the 'highly partisan, vengeful and vindictive' MPs on the committee. All four Tory members of the committee Sir Bernard Jenkin, Laura Farris, Alberto Costa and Andy Carter have criticised the Prime Minister over his lockdown breaches. Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Culture, told the Daily Mail: 'If this witch-hunt continues, it will be the most egregious abuse of power witnessed in Westminster Tonight none wanted to comment on the suggestion they should stand down from the committee. But a senior Tory MP, who is an ally of the Prime Minister, said they were all feeling the pressure and suggested some may stand down to make way for more experienced politicians who would be seen as more impartial. The cross-party committee, due to start its investigation into Mr Johnson next month, is chaired by Labour grandee Harriet Harman even though she branded the Prime Minister 'unspeakable' and 'disgraceful' for breaking Covid rules. The other members are Labour former shadow minister Yvonne Fovargue and the SNP's Allan Dorans. Lord Goldsmith said: 'The Partygate probe is clearly rigged. It is a jury comprised of highly partisan, vengeful and vindictive MPs, nearly all of whom are already on the record viciously attacking the person they are judging. It is an obscene abuse of power.' The committee will decide on the balance of probabilities whether Mr Johnson's conduct 'amounts to a contempt of the House' and MPs will then have to vote on its conclusions and any sanctions. It had been widely assumed that the inquiry would have to prove Mr Johnson had lied or knowingly misled the Commons. But last month the committee announced it had lowered the bar by ruling that his intentions are unnecessary. Lord Zac Goldsmith said: 'The Partygate probe is clearly rigged. It is a jury comprised of highly partisan, vengeful and vindictive MPs, nearly all of whom are already on the record viciously attacking the person they are judging' Tory MP Michael Fabricant said: 'Labour want a by-election to get rid of Boris altogether and the privileges committee have changed the rules to do that. Disgraceful and a stitch-up.' Marco Longhi, the Tory MP for Dudley North and an ally of Mr Johnson, warned last night: 'I have no doubt that there are MPs who would like to see the PM diminished. I am not one of them. 'In my experience as an elected member making decisions, whether it be planning, standards or appointments, it is crucial that any such member taking part in those decisions can be seen to have acted impartially and without prejudice.' His colleague Sally Ann-Hart added: 'The whole process is a witch-hunt Boris Johnson has already resigned.' Leadership favourite Liz Truss refused to say last week whether she would strip the Tory whip from Mr Johnson if he is found to have lied to MPs, saying she would not make any 'prejudgments' but stressing that she believes he 'didn't mislead Parliament'. A spokesman for the privileges committee said: 'The House of Commons as a whole approved a motion to appoint Harriet Harman to the committee. The other six members of the committee, which has a Government party majority, then elected Harriet Harman as chairman unanimously. 'There has been no change to the rules or to terms of reference. The initial report published by the Committee is about process. The background paper on contempt was prepared by a senior Clerk of the House of Commons. All Clerks are strictly politically impartial. The report also publishes the advice from distinguished former Court of Appeal Judge Sir Ernest Ryder. The Committee has published this material as part of its commitment to transparency. 'A decision on whether a contempt has been committed is for the Committee and finally the House to decide on the basis of the evidence from the inquiry. The questions the inquiry will set out to answer are: (1) whether the House was misled; (2) if so, whether that was a contempt that is to say an action or omission which may have obstructed or impeded the functioning of the House of Commons; and (3) if so, how serious was that contempt. The Committee has not yet assessed the evidence nor has it prejudged any of these questions. The issue of whether the House was deliberately misled may arise under steps (2) or (3) of the investigation.' FOUR TORY MPS WHO'LL HELP PASS JUDGMENT ON PM The grandee Sir Bernard Jenkins Sir Bernard Jenkin is the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex. The former Boris Johnson ally skewered the Prime Minister in the days before his resignation, saying: 'There's no question, it's over for Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.' He also warned him he should leave with grace rather than being 'forced out like Donald Trump clinging to power'. Sir Bernard also chaired a humiliating session of the Liaison Committee, where he allowed a Labour MP to announce the resignation of members of Mr Johnson's Government on live television as they happened. Ahead of his appearance, Sir Bernard said that the PM should not expect an 'easy ride' and said he wouldn't be 'pulling his punches'. The magistrate Andy Carter MP Andy Carter is the Conservative MP for Warrington South. He has refused to comment on Partygate investigations but said: 'Given the events of the last few days, which have nothing to do with the statements Boris Johnson made to Parliament, I believe this is in the nation's best interests.' He resigned from his Parliamentary Private Secretary role to take part in the Privileges Committee inquiry, saying: 'Contempt is a matter which would require Mr Johnson to resign if he were to be found in breach.' He has refrained from publicly criticising Mr Johnson, with a spokesman suggesting he 'would not make a statement as he sits on the board of the standards committee and that would be contrary to protocol'. The solicitor Alberto Costa MP Alberto Costa, Conservative MP for South Leicestershire, made a swipe at Mr Johnson last month saying: 'It's imperative the next leader of the party, and the next PM, places standards and integrity at the core of government.' He also said there had been 'breakdown in good governance' under Mr Johnson and standards 'must improve'. He was a strong backer of Penny Mordaunt to be prime minister before she was knocked out of the leadership contest, saying: 'She looks like a prime minister. She sounds like a prime minister. She is a prime minister in waiting.' The Remainer was asked to step down from his role as Parliamentary Private Secretary in 2019 after tabling an amendment to protect the rights of EU citizens. The Rishi supporter Laura Farris MP Laura Farris is the Conservative MP for Newbury. The former journalist and barrister joined Parliament in 2019 and worked for Democrat Hillary Clinton when she was a US Senator for New York. She is an enthusiastic backer of Rishi Sunak's campaign to become prime minister and voted against Mr Johnson in June's confidence vote. She said that the alleged lockdown breaches had a 'corrosive effect on public trust'. Mrs Farris, who resigned as a Parliamentary Private Secretary so she could take part in the Privileges Committee probe, said : 'Whether Mr Johnson knew about all of this... he nonetheless preside Advertisement He's done nothing to warrant shameful stitch-up Commentary by Daniel Johnson for the Daily Mail Nothing offends the British notion of fair play more grievously than kicking a man when he is down. Yet that is exactly what the seven MPs who make up the Commons privileges committee propose to do to the Prime Minister. Ignoring the fact that Boris Johnson has already been forced to resign by his own party, these MPs are about to conduct yet another inquiry into 'Partygate' despite the fact Sue Gray and the Metropolitan Police have already investigated Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street. Following Miss Gray's report, Boris apologised to the House for inadvertently misleading MPs. He also paid a fine for attending a birthday party during lockdown. That should have been the end of the matter. But the Boris-haters refuse to end their vendetta. Not content with forcing him out of No10, they are determined to drive him out of the Commons too. 'Boris Johnson himself must expect to be grilled by the committee, not only about the parties (most of which he did not attend), but about anything the probe may turn up. By then no longer PM, he would face this ordeal alone, without officials or counsel to advise him' The committee was supposed to establish whether or not the PM committed a contempt of Parliament by intentionally misleading the House. It now claims that it could potentially find him guilty of contempt even if there was no intention to mislead. In other words, the panel has moved the goalposts. There is a world of difference between an innocent mistake and a deliberate lie. Even more worrying is the composition of the committee. It is supposed to be impartial, but is packed with the PM's enemies. Quite apart from the three members drawn from the Opposition benches two Labour and one SNP three of the four Conservative MPs are longstanding Boris critics. The committee's original chairman, Labour MP Chris Bryant, had been so vociferous in his condemnation of Boris that he rightly recused himself rather than give the appearance of pre-judging the verdict. But his replacement, Harriet Harman, is no less prejudiced against the PM. The Mother of the House so-called because she is the longest-serving female MP retweeted claims that he 'lied repeatedly', 'knowingly lied' and 'misled the House'. As an ex-barrister, Miss Harman ought to know that in a court of law such partisan conduct would instantly disqualify her from sitting in judgment. Yet this so-called inquiry has no intention of giving Boris Johnson a fair trial. It has more in common with the witch-hunts of Salem or the show trials of Stalin's Soviet Union. The committee is already demanding unprecedented access to Downing Street and its records, the PM's diaries, WhatsApp messages and any other evidence that it deems relevant. Such an open-ended investigation looks suspiciously like a fishing expedition. Boris Johnson himself must expect to be grilled by the committee, not only about the parties (most of which he did not attend), but about anything the probe may turn up. By then no longer PM, he would face this ordeal alone, without officials or counsel to advise him. 'The committee's original chairman, Labour MP Chris Bryant, had been so vociferous in his condemnation of Boris that he rightly recused himself' Given that Boris has already apologised to the Commons, the result would be a foregone conclusion: he would be found guilty of misleading the House and therefore of contempt of Parliament. The only outstanding issue would be the severity of the punishment. Given the hostility of its membership, the committee could be expected to impose a suspension from the House of at least ten days. That sentence would mean a recall petition in Mr Johnson's constituency. If more than 10 per cent of eligible registered voters signed the petition, they would trigger a by-election. By the autumn, with a cost of living crunch and an impending recession, even Boris would struggle to hold his marginal seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. This is hardly a scenario that Liz Truss, or Rishi Sunak, would relish confronting so soon after taking over at No10. Such a defeat would not only be the ultimate humiliation for Boris, but a nightmare for his successor. I cannot recall a precedent for hounding a former prime minister in the manner now proposed by the privileges committee. Not even Lloyd George, whose personal conduct makes Boris Johnson look like Mother Teresa, was pursued after leaving office. Boris Johnson may be beset by foes in Westminster and the media, but he is still popular in the Conservative Party and the country. Voters will be unforgiving if ministers throw the leader to whom they owe so much under a bus. Fair play and common sense may yet prevail. Elder statesmen, such as Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have tabled a Commons motion calling for the inquiry to be 'discontinued'. If the senior Tory on the committee, Sir Bernard Jenkin, joined them, it would surely pull the plug on this flagrant abuse of parliamentary procedure. I know Sir Bernard to be a decent man. He must now do the right thing. Above all, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak should speak up too. Whether or not you think as I do that Boris deserves the nation's gratitude, he has done nothing to warrant this shameful stitch-up. Tories have to shun this tawdry witch-hunt By Daily Mail Comment A fundamental principle of natural justice is that the accused has the right to be tried without prejudice or partiality. Like Caesar's wife, judges have to be above suspicion. If not, faith in the system breaks down. Equally, the prosecuting authority must prove the defendant acted with mens rea the deliberate intent to commit the offences alleged. On both counts, the kangaroo court (aka the Commons privileges committee) set up to rule on whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament over Partygate fails miserably. It may not be a criminal trial but everything about this case screams malice and prejudgment. To begin with, chairman Harriet Harman has been openly contemptuous of the Prime Minister on social media, saying he had shown 'complete disregard for the rules' and his behaviour was 'unspeakable'. Ironically, the committee's standing chairman, Chris Bryant, recused himself because he had been scathing about Mr Johnson, so felt his presence could lead to the 'imputation of unfairness'. Given her own antecedents, the idea that Miss Harman will be any fairer is simply preposterous. The committee also includes a former shadow minister under Jeremy Corbyn and a Scottish nationalist who retweeted his leader Ian Blackford's rant about the PM supposedly telling 'a litany of lies'. Furthermore, it was originally set to decide whether Mr Johnson had 'knowingly' misled Parliament but later removed that word from their remit. So against all convention, the accused is to be damned even if he inadvertently broke the rules. What a stitch-up! It's true that Conservative MPs make up a majority on the committee (though none of them stood by Boris to the end and at least one is known to have voted against him in June's confidence motion). If they have any sense of honour, the Tory members will do the right thing and quit this vindictive charade. Enough is enough. Mr Johnson has already paid the ultimate price for his perceived failings which were monstrously exaggerated by his enemies. By carrying on, the Tory members are playing into the hands of spiteful opposition parties and implacable Remainers who want to prolong the agony for political purposes. If they step aside, the rug will be pulled from under the Boris-haters, who will be left shouting into a malevolent echo chamber. This isn't justice, it's naked vengeance. No self-respecting Conservative should have anything to do with it. Scraps from clothes made for Clarks, Next and River Island are being illegally burnt, creating toxic pollution, an investigation has found. The British fashion chains are among global brands accused of rank hypocrisy after the revelation that their garment offcuts are being incinerated in giant plastic bags, emitting poisonous fumes. Fabric, labels or scraps belonging to nine major companies were among hundreds of tons of textiles being burnt at warehouses in Cambodia. A joint investigation by the Daily Mail and Unearthed, Greenpeaces journalism arm, reveals how warehouses are burning the rags for fuel as it is cheaper than wood. Scraps and labels belonging to Nike, Reebok, H&M, Michael Kors, Diesel, and Ralph Lauren were also found among the mountain of offcuts waiting to be incinerated. Images show workers amid towering waste while others reveal labourers stoking the flames of the kilns with the fashion offcuts although it is illegal to burn factory waste in Cambodia. Scraps from clothes made for Clarks, Next and River Island are being illegally burnt, creating toxic pollution. Pictured: A labourer putting a bag in a red-hot kiln Last night campaigners and MPs urged the brands to take immediate action. Tory MP Philip Dunne, chairman of the environmental audit committee, said the findings are deeply troubling and pose major questions to some of the UKs biggest clothing brands. Dr Laurie Parsons, of Royal Holloway, University of London, who has previously investigated the issue, claims poor regulation means companies can get the green pound from looking green without doing the work. The garment offcuts are being incinerated in giant plastic bags. Pictured: Workers in Cambodia sort through bags of garment waste at a brick kilm It comes after the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into potential greenwashing making misleading claims about eco-friendly credentials by Asos, Boohoo and George at Asda. To keep costs down, many brands use factories in countries like Cambodia but tens of millions of tons of waste are created before items hit shops. Cambodia exports 40,000 tons of apparel to the UK each year but its fashion industry generates at least 90,000 tons of waste per year. Most is dumped in landfill but some is intercepted by middlemen and ends up in kilns which are heated up to 650C to fire bricks for construction. Nike offcuts (pictured) are being burnt. Others include Clarks, Next, Nike, Reebok, H&M, Michael Kors, Diesel, and Ralph Lauren The brick industry relies on debt bondage, a form of modern slavery with most labourers trapped for generations paying off loans from the owner. Researchers previously found children working on the kilns. Among the piles of plastic bags bursting with scraps were offcuts from nine brands which each claim to have far-reaching sustainability schemes. British shoemaker Clarks this year launched its every move matters manifesto to be as sustainable, conscientious, [and] responsible as possible. But insoles emblazoned with the Clarks logo were found among the piles of garment waste. Almost a quarter of Clarks production is outsourced to Cambodia, second only to China. Labels for Next were found amid the piles of debris, despite the brand claiming doing business responsibly is a fundamental cornerstone. River Island clothing labels, not clothing, were found among offcuts being burnt in Cambodian brick kilns One brick kiln worker, 21, who wished to remain anonymous, said he began working there aged 15 and suffers severe nosebleeds. His father, also a brick kiln worker, died aged 51. Clothing commonly contains toxic chemicals including chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, and ammonia. Greenpeace campaigner Viola Wohlgemuth said: Its sickening to see fashion waste being turned into toxic pollution in kilns employing modern-day slaves. She hit out at brands for trumpeting their efforts to be green, adding: This is rank hypocrisy. Clarks said it is investigating and has strict codes of practice for waste. Next said it has strict guidelines and will investigate the labels found in Cambodia, where it employs ethical teams. River Island said it only ordered around 1,000 items last year from the country and is looking into a violation of its rules. H&M said it has processes to dispose of waste properly and its local team does monthly site visits. Diesel owner OTB said it has no garments being made in Cambodia and the labels could be from counterfeits. Michael Kors and Reebok owner ABG said they are investigating the claims. Ralph Lauren and Nike did not respond to requests for comment. We have all been invited to drape our patriotism this week in the colours of the national flag. There was a time when many of the laws that todays democratic government uses against its own citizens were used to prevent the hoisting of the tricolour. My late father, B.P.R. Vithal, a Hyderabadi mulki, had to terminate his education at the Nizam College because the then government of the Nizam of Hyderabad threatened to punish him for sporting the tricolour. My grandfather, a professor of economics at Nizam College, was dismissed from service and reinstated only after he agreed to send my father out of Hyderabad. In the event, my father ended up at Madras Christian College, where he went on to become the president of the college union and became the first Indian to hoist the tricolour on the college campus. The principal, John Boyd, a Scotsman, ignored the event and chose not to punish the students involved in what was then a seditious act. Interestingly, though, my father returned to Hyderabad and joined the Hyderabad Civil Service (HCS) in 1949, moving to the IAS in 1950. If my father rebelled by hoisting the tricolour in British India, I have decided to rebel by not hoisting the flag this week. A slogan has been given, Har Ghar Tiranga. I have my own slogan Jab har ghar rojgar/ har ghar swasth/ har har ko ghar/ tab har ghar tiranga. That, indeed, was the mobilising slogan of the national movement. Not just freedom from colonial rule, but freedom from hunger, want, ill-health, illiteracy. Indias tricolour comes in four colours but patriotism in our sub-continental, civilisational nation comes in many colours. That is why the watchword of the national movement and of our nationhood has been Unity in Diversity. India has achieved much these past 75 years. There is no question about it. As a nation we have much to be proud of. Yet, we have a long distance to go before the objectives of our national movement are fully met. In my recently published survey of our economic journey over the past three-quarters of a century, Journey of a Nation: 75 Years of Indian Economy, I have argued that India is not merely just another emerging economy, but in fact a re-emerging economy, given the pre-colonial history of achievement and progress. The Indian economy has done reasonably well, re-engaging with the world on its terms, and yet we have miles to go before we can rest on our laurels. Those who today choose to be excessively critical of the countrys post-Independence record would do well to just remember four numbers. The average annual rate of national income growth in British India (which includes todays Pakistan and Bangladesh) between 1890 and 1940 was close to zero per cent. Some regions had positive rates of growth, like the Bombay and Madras Presidencies and the Punjab region, and others had negative rates of growth, like the United Provinces, Bihar and the Bengal Presidency. From 1950 to 1980, the economy of the Indian republic recorded an annual average rate of growth of 3.5 per cent. This was an average of much better performance in the 1950s and much worse in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1980 to 2000 the economy recorded a growth rate of around 5.5 per cent. From 2000 to 2012 this went up to 7.5 per cent. An economic slowdown took roots after 2012, with a couple of years of improved performance. In the period 2019-2024, the average rate of growth is expected to be between 5.0 and 6.0 per cent. The challenge in the 76th year of Free India is to be able to return to and sustain the seven-plus trajectory of average annual growth. There are two ways of viewing this performance. One is to compare the economys performance over time -- what is termed as an inter-temporal comparison -- and the other is to compare Indias performance over time with that of comparable countries over the same time period. A purely inter-temporal comparison shows India in a good light. However, when you compare this with the performance of Indias East Asian neighbours (including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and the Southeast Asian economies), ours has been a less than creditable performance. Two differences set India apart from its East Asian neighbours. Investment in education and human capability and, consequently, labour productivity and research and innovation capability. Building a knowledge-based economy and nation is the challenge as we go ahead. Regrettably, however, two disturbing trends make one worry whether we are in fact focused on that endeavour or not. First, the out-migration of the educated -- what may be termed a secession of the successful -- and, second, the growing bigotry of an assertive ruling elite. Developed countries are making it easier every year for educated Indians to pay their way out of the country. This pull effect is engendered by the push effect of a not so satisfactory domestic social, political and economic environment. Having migrated, the overseas Indian happily waves the flag abroad. If just waving the tricolour is what makes one a nationalist, then I am not joining this bandwagon this week. When my father hoisted the tricolour in pre-Independence India, the Nizams Hyderabad banished him but a Scottish principal of a minority institution in British India turned a blind eye and allowed him that act of youthful patriotism. Will the India of today be like that of the Hyderabad of the Nizam, punishing those who will not hoist the flag, as an act of quiet protest, or will it merely look the other way and allow us this space to be conscientious objectors? The greatness of democratic India, indeed of Indian civilisation and of Hinduism as it has evolved over the centuries, lies in its pluralism, liberalism and tolerance of dissent. Unity in Diversity is what has kept us together over the millennia and in these 75 years. That will always remain the cement of national unity. Intolerance and majoritarianism will weaken the nation and shred the fabric of our revered tricolour. Freedom Caucus Rep. Lauren Boebert claims that banning assault weapons in the United States will lead to Americans eating dogs, like in Venezuela, where she says 'they eat the dogs because they don't have firearms.' Boebert made the comments while speaking to Newsmax's Sebastian Gorka on Monday as she discussed her views on the importance of guns in America. Boebert told Gorka that people in Venezuela started eating dogs because they don't have firearms. She drove home the point that the same would happen in America if guns were taken away from citizens. Her comments come on the Newsmax show after the House passed a ban on assault weapons by a narrow 217-213 margin the week prior. Rep. Lauren Boebert claims that banning assault weapons will lead to Americans eating dogs like in Venezuela where she says 'they eat the dogs because they don't have firearms' Lauren Boebert claims that banning assault weapons will lead to people eating dogs, " here in America, we have gourmet treats for puppies. We have these amazing groomers for dogs. In Venezuela. They eat the dogs, and it started because they don't have firearms." pic.twitter.com/SOFGujhhLf Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 1, 2022 The clip of Boebert, a far right Republican, has already been viewed more than 1 million times. 'If the citizenry in America is disarmed then we are no longer citizens we are subjects,' Boebert said in the video. 'You know here in America we have gourmet treats for puppies, we have these amazing groomers for dogs. 'Well in Venezuela they eat the dogs and it started because they don't have firearms. 'They do not have a way to protect themselves, to defend themselves against a tyrannical government.' Boebert made the comments while speaking to Newsmax's Sebastian Gorka on Monday as she discussed her views on the importance of guns in America Democratic nominee in Colorado Adam Frisch tweeted: 'The reasoning here is definitely a stretch. If Lauren Boebert agrees to more debates with me, I will ask her to elaborate' Atlantic journalist Christopher Orr also tweeted in response to Boebert's comments Boebert has received a slew of criticism on social media following the comments. Democratic nominee in Colorado's 3rd District Adam Frisch tweeted: 'The reasoning here is definitely a stretch. If Lauren Boebert agrees to more debates with me, I will ask her to elaborate.' A journalist for the Atlantic journalist Christopher Orr wrote: 'Lauren Boebert has mastered GOP talking: string together completely random things her supporters will find awful, eating dogs! restrict guns! Venezuela! and hope they don't notice that even if those random things weren't false, there'd be no remote connection between them.' During Boebert's Newsmax interview Monday, she also talked about her confrontation with 2020 Democrat presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke back in September of 2019 before she had taken office. During Boebert's Newsmax interview Monday, she also talked about her confrontation with 2020 Democrat presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke back in September of 2019 before she had taken office Rep. Lauren Boebert at the 'Frontier Freedom' 2021 Western Conservative Summit Rep. Boebert's controversial comments on gun control in America Rep. Lauren Boebert claimed on Newsmax last week that banning assault weapons in the United States would lead to Americans eating dogs, like in Venezuela, where she says 'they eat the dogs because they don't have firearms.' Boebert said people in Venezuela started eating dogs because they don't have firearms. She then drove home the point that the same would happen in America if guns were taken away from citizens. Her comments come on the Newsmax show after the House passed a ban on assault weapons by a narrow 217-213 margin the week prior. In July 2022, Boebert used the mall shooting in Copenhagen as evidence that strict gun control laws don't work. But failed to point out that it was Denmark's first mass shooting in seven years. 'There was just a mass shooting in Denmark, a country with some of the strictest gun laws in Europe. It's time to admit that gun laws DO NOT stop mass shootings!' she tweeted. In May 2022, Boebert pushed back on calls for gun control after the Uvalde shooting, reasoning that the nation should not ban guns because it did not ban planes after 9/11. The Colorado Republican said the shooting demonstrated the need for armed teachers, no to 'take guns away from law-abiding citizens.' 'When 911 happened. We didn't ban planes,' she reasoned. 'We secured the cockpit.' 'Once again, unfortunately, we've proven that gun free zones are deadly and we cannot legislate evil,' she continued. 'I want teachers that can protect themselves and their students. And you know what, we can achieve this without trying to disarm law abiding citizens,' Boebert said. 'For me, this is my equalizer. I need a way to protect myself and my children. And my firearm is my equalizer, my tool to do that.' Advertisement O'Rourke had announced his proposed firearm confiscation plan about taking citizens' AR-15s and Boebert had strong words for him. Boebert, who was at the time the owner of a restaurant where the staff carries firearms, spoke from the crowd with handgun was holstered at her side. 'I have four children, I am 5-foot-0, 100 pounds, cannot really defend myself with a fist.' 'I want to know how you're going to legislate that because a criminal by [definition] breaks the law, so all you're going to do is restrict law-abiding citizens, like myself,' she told O'Rourke. Boebert, a first-term firebrand, saw her GOP-leaning 3rd Congressional District in western Colorado become even more Republican after redistricting. She had little trouble with moderate state Rep. Don Coram, a rancher and hemp farmer, who slammed what he calls Boebert's extremism. Boebert trumpeted her gun-toting Second Amendment credentials and opposition to COVID-19 restrictions that briefly shuttered her 'Shooters' restaurant. Boebert opened Shooter's Grill in 2013 on the premise that it was a place where patrons are not only welcome but actively encouraged to bring their guns. That sentiment is reflected in the decor on every wall on which guns are mounted and pro-gun posters and messages plastered. Meanwhile servers bring diners their burgers and fries with a side-order of conspicuously holstered firearms. Boebert made headlines in May when she pushed back against calls for greater gun restrictions in the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which saw 19 children slaughtered along with two of their teachers at Robb Elementary School. She took the view that the shooting was proof of a need to arm teachers in classrooms insisting there was 'no need to take guns away from law abiding citizens.' She reasoned: 'When 911 happened we didn't ban planes, we secured the cockpit.' Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos, 18, legally purchased two AR-style rifles just days before committing the atrocity and shortly after his 18th birthday. Boebert has since doubled-down on her calls to arm teachers and turn schools into 'impenetrable' fortresses. Days after voicing her views on that matter Boebert was on stage at a pre-primary rally in Casper, Wyoming, in which she lent her support to Harriet Hageman who is challenging Rep. Liz Cheney for the Republican nomination. Lauren Boebert opened Shooters Grill in 2013 with her husband Jason in the small town of Rifle, Colorado, the only city in the United States named after a gun according to them A cattle farmer accused of the execution-style murders of his three neighbours will remain behind bars for the next three months as it's revealed his gun licence renewal was rejected by police before the ban was overturned on appeal a decade before the tragedy. Darryl Valroy Young, 59, appeared in Proserpine Magistrates Court via video link on Monday, charged with the alleged murders of his neighbours Maree and Mervyn Schwarz, as well as Maree's son Graham Tighe, in the tiny inland town of Bogie in Queensland's Whitsundays region four days earlier. Another son, Ross Tighe, survived after he was allegedly shot in the stomach and is now 'up and about' after he fled 40km to his next neighbour to seek help. The magistrate held a special sitting prior to court opening on Monday morning to deal with the matter without any media present. Young was refused bail and will be transferred from the watch house to a Queensland correctional facility until his next scheduled appearance on November 1. It's since emerged that Queensland Police rejected the renewal of Young's gun licence in 2010. Police at the time believed he was 'not a fit and proper person' to hold a gun licence, and the renewal was 'not considered to be in the public interest'. But the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal overturned the ban after Young successfully appealed, arguing he needed the firearms to kill feral animals that strayed onto his property and for his business. Darryl Young (pictured) has been refused bail over the shooting deaths of Maree and Mervyn Schwarz, along with Maree's son Graham Tighe Darryl Valroy Young, 59, appeared in Proserpine Magistrates Court (pictured) via video link early Monday, where he was refused bail until his next court appearance November 1 Young argued he hadn't broken any laws that would prevent him from having a gun licence. 'I would like the Tribunal to over turn the rejection notice as I have not broken any laws to stop me having a gun licence there is no were (sic) in the laws of the gun laws that I have broken to stop me having a gun licence I need my gun licence for my business,' he wrote. 'I hope the tribunal overturns the decision so I can have my licence.' Young originally had a shooters licence which he later cancelled before getting a firearms licence in 1998. The firearms licence was renewed in 2005 before being refused by police in 2010. It's unclear if Young had any further interactions with the Queensland Police weapons licensing branch after the ban was overturned 12 years ago. It comes as Daily Mail Australia revealed that Bogie, which was founded during a gold rush, is home to many residents who believe they are sitting on a gold mine - including the accused gunman. Young will be transferred from the Whitsunday watch house (pictured) to a Queensland correctional facility Police will allege the neighbours fell out over boundary lines on their adjoining properties (pictured is a property belonging to Darryl Young) The alleged gunman shared photos of the gold, including one with a hand holding 17 specks of gold and another holding a large nugget, to Facebook with the caption: 'Some gold I found at Shannonvale this week since my exploration permits came threw (sic)' It was later established the photos of the gold were pulled from a Google image search Bogie is home to about 200 people - just 37 families. Police will allege Young and his neighbours were involved in a dispute over boundary lines on their adjoining properties. It's understood most land parcels throughout Bogie - a tiny town centred on a single long, winding gravel road - do not have strict boundary lines. Instead, locals say, there's a 'bit of give and take'. The Schwarz family purchased 29,000 hectares of land next to Young's 7,700 hectare property in May 2021. They were the fifth owners of the land in 16 years. In 2017, Young claimed on social media to have found enormous chunks of gold on the Shannonvale Road property at the centre of Thursday's alleged mass shooting. He shared several photos to Facebook, including one with a hand holding 17 specks of gold and another holding a large nugget, with the caption: 'Some gold I found at Shannonvale this week after my exploration permits came threw (sic)'. Maree and Mervyn Schwarz died from gunshots wounds, along with Maree's son Graham Tighe. Another son, Ross, is in hospital Young claimed in 2017 that he'd found chunks of gold at his Bogie property, which was next to the land owned by the Schwarz-Tighe family (pictured) 'Won't be working for much longer if this keeps up,' he wrote. It was later established the photos were taken from a generic Google image search. Bogie was first settled in 1871 when a stockman from a nearby station struck gold on what is now known as Normanby Road. About 30 miners were present when the Normanby gold mine first opened. They worked the land on and off for the next 41 years dreaming of hitting the jackpot. A small township consisting of a hotel, dairy shop, bakery, three stores, two butchers and a blacksmith was established as more settlers were lured to the area by the promise of striking it rich. But the remote and unforgiving nature of the terrain made it too difficult to maintain. Most settlers abandoned the town shortly after arriving in favour of more profitable gold mines - but some families in Bogie still harbour hope that gold may one day be dug up on their properties. The single winding, gravel road through Bogie is an eerie drive at the best of times, locals say. Now a lonely bouquet of flowers left on the corner of Peter Delemothe Road and Normanby Road - the only way in and out of the isolated locality - stands as a tragic remider of Thursday's horror shooting. Bogie, near Bowen in north Queensland (pictured on Map) only has about 200 residents TIMELINE OF BOGIE MASS SHOOTING May 2021: The Schwarz family buy the 300-square-kilometre Bogie farm for $10million Thursday, August 4, 2022 9am: Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, and Maree's sons Graham and Ross Tighe meet neighbours at the boundary lines of their properties. An altercation occurs and all four are allegedly shot. Ross escapes and makes it to a property several kilometres away where he raises the alarm. 10am: Queensland Police confirm they have sent units to a rural property following reports four people have been shot 11am: Police announce they have located one man some distance from the property and he is being treated for gunshot wounds An emergency declaration is set up by police and members of the public are told to avoid the area 4pm: Police confirm three people have been found deceased at the Bogie property Friday, August 5, 2022 7.15am: Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt announces the alleged gunman has been taken into custody Advertisement Graham Tighe bought the property with his mother and stepfather in May last year. He is pictured at a wedding The 77km dirt track is a mobile phone black spot and there are vast stretches of space between properties. Warning signs line the first few properties on the street. They read: 'Do not enter', 'Retreat', and 'Entry by invitation only'. The Schwarz family property is some 70km down the narrow winding Normanby Road, strewn with rocks and gravel and lined by dry creek beds. The mobs of kangaroos and herds of cows which often line the road can make for a dangerous drive. The rough country also made the initial police investigation on Thursday tougher than expected. They were forced into unfamiliar terrain and first responders had to scour the dried creek beds and overgrown terrain looking for clues. After a prolonged search, police were able to make contact with Young and four other people who were taken in for questioning. Young has been charged charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Ross Tighe, pictured with his partner Kaitlyn, is recovering in hospital after allegedly being shot in the stomach They made up 37.5 per cent of all migrants trafficked to the UK by gangs in time Albanian migrants are being conned by ruthless human traffickers into making dangerous Channel crossings before Britain's next Prime Minister takes office. Those making the perilous journey are being warned a new leader will halt all crossings with patrols, while also dropping their charges from 10,000 to 2,000. MPs last night called on ministers to redouble their efforts to deport migrants to Rwanda following a surge in Albanians using small boats to enter Britain. Leaked figures have revealed migrants from the Balkan country a Nato member that wants to join the EU now make up four in ten arrivals from northern France. The escalation saw 1,075 Albanians arrive in the UK aboard dinghies and small boats in the six weeks to July 12. They made up 37.5 per cent of all migrants trafficked to the UK in small boats by gangs during the period eclipsing all other nationalities including Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis and Syrians. Leaked figures reveal 1,075 Albanians arrived in the UK aboard dinghies and small boats in the six weeks to July 12. They made up 37.5 per cent of all trafficked migrants during the period Tory backbenchers called on the next prime minister to act urgently. Natalie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover, said: 'It's clear many Albanians coming to the UK in small boats are not fleeing from war or persecution they are economic migrants. This is blatant criminality and it underlines the urgency of getting on with Rwanda and similar schemes.' The Rwanda scheme was championed by Home Secretary Priti Patel Elsewhere, the charge for hiding inside a lorry is as high as 22,000, although it carries a much high risk of being caught, The Sun reports. A source said: 'Albanians are being told hundred of people will be patrolling the Channel, fences will guard the coast and they will be sent back and lose their money. 'It's coming from the gangsters so they can cash in by creating a real influx. 'When there is a PM, a new lie will be created - whatever it takes to keep this evil trade going.' Tom Hunt, the Tory MP for Ipswich, said the 'truly eye-opening' figures 'underline why it's so critical that the Government gets on and introduces the Rwanda scheme', adding: 'We need to bring this farce to a close. Legislation to bring the Rwanda scheme to fruition should be top of the 'in tray' when Parliament gets back after summer recess.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'No-one should question this government's determination to break the gangs' business model.' Police officers near the Boeing 767 aircraft at MoD Boscombe Down, near Salisbury, which failed to take off to Rwanda on June 14 Welby blasts 'unethical' treatment The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Anglican bishops to speak out against 'unethical treatment' of migrants and climate change. In his latest highly political intervention, Justin Welby encouraged Church of England leaders to 'take risks' and warned that failing to act would make them 'one of the oppressors'. Describing climate change as an 'undeclared war', the former oil executive warned it could create 1.2billion refugees with consequences 'tragic beyond anything in human history'. 'To be silent on the unethical treatment of migrants or on war or oppression, on the abuse of human rights, on persecution, is to be one of the oppressors,' he told the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops. 'Not so much nowadays, I think both the Cabinet and myself would say,' he added. It came after the Archbishop used his Easter sermon this year to denounce Home Secretary Priti Patel's Rwanda asylum deal, suggesting that 'serious ethical questions' about the plan would not 'stand up to the judgment of God'. Advertisement A source in Liz Truss's leadership campaign said: 'Liz has a plan to expand border force, ensure the European Convention on Human Rights works for Britain, and reform modern slavery laws which are being abused. The need for deterrence is key, which is why we will ensure the migration deal with Rwanda works, and look to strike other deals.' A spokesman for Rishi Sunak's campaign said stopping crossings would be a top priority for him, adding: 'It is wholly unacceptable that migrants from peaceful countries, like Albania, are trying to enter the UK illegally.' The number of Albanians who arrived by small boat in the six-week period, latest official data places the country much further down the league table of arrivals. Just 271 reached Britain by small boat in the first quarter of this year and 757 in the whole of 2021. However, there were a total of almost 5,000 asylum claims made by Albanians in the year to March, suggesting growing numbers may be switching to small boats from other methods of entering the UK, such as hiding in lorries. The Home Office did not offer an explanation for the rise in Albanian asylum seekers last night. Richard Tice, of Reform UK, who obtained the leaked report said: 'If these people are not genuinely fleeing for their lives, then it is not up to the British taxpayer to support them.' Clare Moseley, of refugee charity Care4Calais, questioned whether the Albanian surge could be an 'anomaly'. 'The evidence clearly shows that for the last few years the majority of people crossing the Channel were genuine refugees,' she said. 'If there has been a change, it seems that the success of small boat crossings is affecting the behaviour of smugglers.' A government spokesman said: 'The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable. The Nationality and Borders Act makes it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK illegally and we have introduced life sentences for those who facilitate illegal entry into the country.' The Queen has 'cancelled her traditional welcome to Balmoral Castle' and will instead host a 'small, private event' amid growing concerns over her health. The monarch, 96, arrived at the Aberdeenshire estate in late July and had been planning to attend the event up until just a few days ago. But the event was yesterday cancelled and replaced with the smaller gathering, marking the first time, aside from the pandemic, that she will not take part in the small ceremony outside the Castle gates. A royal source told The Mirror: 'The traditional welcome to Balmoral is normally cemented in the Queen's calendar and something Her Majesty really enjoys, being able to greet locals who travel to see her. 'It's a bitter disappointment the ceremony will not take place in its traditional form.' Other sources said the alteration was 'a sign of things to come' amid Her Majesty's episodic mobility problems. But Buckingham Palace has played down concerns over her health, instead saying the private event was 'in line with adapting Her Majesty's schedule for her comfort'. Queen Elizabeth II during an inspection of the Balaklava Company, 5 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the gates at Balmoral, as she takes up summer residence at the castle. Picture date: Monday August 9, 2021 The Queen inspects Pipes and Drums of 4 SCOTS Royal Regiment of Scotland at the gates at Balmoral in 2018 The monarch has been staying at Craigowan Lodge (pictured) since departing Windsor Castle for Scotland on July 21 A furniture lorry arriving at Balmoral Castle on Saturday, having travelled from Windsor Castle Balmoral was, for the Royals, extremely private. While never off duty it was the closest the Queen and Prince Philip (pictured at Balmoral in 1972) would come to a proper holiday Last year, the Queen looked radiant in a pink ensemble as she inspected a Guard of Honour and met The Royal Regiment of Scotland's Mascot, Shetland Pony Lance Corporal Cruachan IV. The monarch typically remains at Balmoral until early October, with the ceremony formally marking the start of her stay. But this year, she will attend a private event on lawns within the castle's grounds. The Queen will inspect troops as normal, but no television camera, photographers or reporters will be present at the event. It comes as the monarch plans to interrupt her Scottish holiday to travel to England and invite her 15th Prime Minister to form a government, The Mail on Sunday understands. Boris Johnson has announced he will step down on September 6, when he will formally tender his resignation to the Queen. The Monarch will then 'invite' the winning Tory candidate to become Prime Minister and announce their name. They are expected to meet the Queen to officially accept the invitation. The Queen does not usually return from her Balmoral break until early October but is believed to have told aides she will make an exception this year and travel to London. At Balmoral Castle, on a summer's day back in 2003, the Countess of Wessex took a picture (above) of the Queen and Prince Philip enjoying the scenery and each other's company The Queen pictured departing Aberdeen on July 21 as she was driven towards her official Scottish residence of Balmoral Castle for her annual summer stay Two Range Rovers are escorted by a police motorcycle as the Queen left her Windsor home to travel to her estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on July 21 A source said: 'Her Majesty does not expect the new Prime Minister to travel to Scotland, so the plan is that the Queen will travel down to see them. Balmoral is understood to be a favourite stay for Her Majesty, who welcomes her family to the castle throughout the summer months. She has been staying at Craigowan Lodge since departing Windsor Castle for Scotland on July 21. It comes after a lorry with furniture was pictured outside Balmoral on Saturday after bringing furniture from Windsor. Balmoral has had a number of adaptations in recent years, including Craigowan Lodge being fitted with a wheelchair-friendly lift last year. A new security gate, a state-of-the-art intercom system and a string of new CCTV cameras were also installed. The saying goes you should never meet your idol - for good reason - but new My Kitchen Rules contestant Janelle is happy she did. The sassy baker, 27, said it was a surreal experience meeting Manu Feildel, but Nigella Lawson is who she was really nervous to see face-to-face. 'I was scared to meet her,' Janelle told Daily Mail Australia on Friday after she got back from filming the show. The saying goes you should never meet your idol, but new My Kitchen Rules contestant Janelle, 27, (left) is happy she met Nigella Lawson. (Pictured with her partner Monzir, 26) She said: 'You know the feeling of when youre about to meet your idol youre like, "Oh, I hope theyre nice because if theyre not nice its going to ruin the image in my head." 'But when I met her, and she was so lovely and beautiful and had such a beautiful presence, it just cemented why I love her.' Janelle also gushed over French chef Manu, 48, saying he was 'a very humble person'. The sassy baker said it was a surreal experience meeting Manu Feildel, but Nigella Lawson, 62, (pictured) is who she was really nervous to see face-to-face And yet, while he was 'very down to earth' and 'loves to joke around', it seemed Janelle couldn't help saying 'but Nigella was amazing'. Dubbed the 'Kardashian of cakes' for her successful cake decorating business, Janelle will be competing alongside her partner Monzir, 26, who has a knack for a good barbeque. The pair, who hail from New South Wales, are one of six pairs front lining the new season for the first round with another six couples filling out the second. The pair, who hail from New South Wales, are one of six pairs front lining the new season for the first round with another six couples filling out the second With ratings dwindling in the last season before the show's two-year hiatus and the disgraced leave of former judge Pete Evans following his controversies, the pressure is on for MKR to make a comeback. According to Janelle, it was something all the contestants felt. She said: 'The fact that MKR wasnt around for a few years definitely put some pressure on us to bring it back and leave it on a positive note as well. 'I think that it has definitely put a lot of responsibility on each of the contestants to bring it back and make it better than ever or else whats the point in bringing it back? With ratings dwindling in the last season before the show's two-year hiatus and the disgraced leave of former judge Pete Evans, 48, (right) following his controversies, the pressure is on for MKR to make a comeback. (Pictured on the show next to Manu, 48) The contestants won't be the only fresh faces gracing our screens this season with Nigella taking Pete's place in the first round next to Manu, and Matt Preston filling in for the second. Celebrity chefs Colin Fassnidge and Curtis Stone will then man the show's finals, both of whom Janelle says she has 'met along the way'. My Kitchen Rules airs Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Seven Real Housewives of Orange County alum Kelly Dodd has blasted her former co-star Braunwyn Windham-Burke and questioned the mother-of-seven's parenting. Braunwyn, 44, relocated from Newport to New York City last year to be with her now ex-girlfriend, Victoria Brito, after getting sober and coming out as a lesbian. Speaking to the Unpopular podcast this week, Kelly, 46, called Braunwyn 'the worst possible human being'. Real Housewives of Orange County alum Kelly Dodd (pictured) has blasted her former co-star Braunwyn Windham-Burke and questioned the mother-of-seven's parenting '[Braunwyn] said that I was running off without my daughter! I have one week on, one week off with my kid,' Kelly explained. 'I've never left my kid. I've only been the best mum. You can see how my daughter has turned out,' she continued, referring to her daughter Jolie. 'Look at her kids. Is she the best mum? No. Her kids have got issues. Why? Because she's a bad mum.' Kelly added: 'She's got seven children and she's more worried about eating p***y than her kids.' 'Look at her kids. Is she the best mum? No. Her kids have got issues. Why? Because she's a bad mum,' Kelly told the Unpopular podcast. Braunwyn pictured with her children Braunwyn, 44, relocated from Newport to New York City last year to be with her now ex-girlfriend, Victoria Brito, after getting sober and coming out as a lesbian. Braunwyn and Victoria pictured together in Miami Braunwyn announced her separation from her husband Sean in July, 2021, after getting sober and discovering that she was a lesbian. She later relocated from Orange County to New York to live with her girlfriend, social media influencer Victoria Brito, while Sean stayed with the kids in Newport. Sean and Braunwyn share seven children: Bella, 21, Rowan, 19, Jacob, 16, twins Curren and Caden, 9, Koa, 7, and Hazel, 4. Braunwyn has been enjoying her new life in Brooklyn since leaving Newport last year Kelly and Braunwyn clashed during the fifteenth season of RHOC before they were both fired from the series Despite their split, the former couple continued to co-parent the kids, with Braunwyn dividing her time between Brooklyn and Newport. Explaining her modern family to Fox News in June, Braunwyn said: 'So we do something called nesting, where we take turns coming in and out of the house. 'So, you know, we really are friends, we really are family, and we're just trying to do what's best.' 'She's got seven children and she's more worried about eating p***y than her kids,' Kelly said The former stay-at-home mum also admitted that her decision to relocate to New York was completely sporadic. 'You know, at 44, I moved across the country to New York like kind of on a whim. I really can say I put no thought into that decision. I just did it and kind of created this whole new life,' she explained. 'I think that's sort of like the moral of my story, at least, is that it's never too late to start a second chapter and live a life of your dreams.' She also explained her nesting strategy to Us Weekly in June, gushing about her newfound independence. 'You know, at 44, I moved across the country to New York like kind of on a whim. I really can say I put no thought into that decision. I just did it and kind of created this whole new life,' Braunwyn recently said. 'So right now I'm doing the back and forth with Sean and I, we're doing the bird-nesting parenting and I love it,' she gushed. 'I get to come into the city and be Braunwyn and I get to be with my girlfriend, and then I get to go home and be a fulltime mum to the kids there,' she continued. The former reality star also said that she 'loved being alone' in New York. The former couple share seven children: Bella, 21, Rowan, 19, Jacob, 16, twins Curren and Caden, 9, Koa, 7, and Hazel, 4. Braunwyn pictured with her children, Sean, and her mother Deb 'I didn't even know that, because even at home I'm always surrounded by kids or Sean. I actually like getting a chance to just be Braunwyn. I'm no one's wife, no one's daughter, no one's mum. I can sleep in if I want,' she gushed. 'I had babies in my 20s, 30s, and 40s, so at 44 to be able to say, "Hey, today I wanna do this and then do it," there's really a liberation in that that's hard to describe.' Braunwyn and Victoria ended their relationship in July, with a source telling Us Weekly that the 'long-distance became too tough' for the pair. Braunwyn and influencer Victoria ended their relationship in July after a whirlwind romance Prior to moving to Brooklyn, Braunwyn had left Newport for Hawaii while Sean remained based in Orange County in a new rental property with the kids. Meanwhile, Kelly currently shares custody of her 16-year-old daughter Jolie with ex-husband Michael Dodd. Kelly married former Fox News reporter Rick Leventhal in October and the couple now host their own show on YouTube and Patreon, The Rick and Kelly Show. Kelly currently shares custody of her 16-year-old daughter Jolie with ex-husband Michael Dodd. Kelly and Jolie pictured They're also flipping houses and just finished a lavish new property which will be rented out as an Airbnb. Additionally, Kelly just completed real estate school and is working on developing a line of pickleball paddles, balls and apparel with Rick. 'We're coming out with a pickleball line because we're totally pickleball people,' she told Unpopular. Kelly married former Fox News reporter Rick Leventhal in October. The couple are now flipping houses and working on their own pickleball line Kelly, Braunwyn, and Elizabeth Vargas were all fired from the Real Housewives of Orange Country following the show's fifteenth season. They were replaced by returning Housewife Heather Dubrow, along with newcomers Noella Berenger and Dr Jen Armstrong. Noella and Jen were recently fired to make way for the return of Tamra Judge along with former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong, who is joining the upcoming seventeenth season as a friend. The Alina Of Cuba producer John Martinez O'Felan is hitting back at John Leguizamo's criticism of the casting of James Franco as former Cuban President Fidel Castro, calling them 'culturally uneducated.' The film is based on the true-life story of Alina Fernandez, played by Ana Villafane, a Cuban exile turned social advocate who learns she is Castro's daughter at age 10, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Franco is set to star opposite Mia Maestro, who plays Natalia 'Naty' Revuelta, a Cuban-born socialite who becomes romantically involved with Castro. Casting controversy: The lead creative producer for Alina Of Cuba, John Martinez O'Felan, hit back at John Leguizamo's criticism of Franco being hired to play Fidel Castro, calling them 'culturally uneducated' Leguizamo, a Colombian American actor, took to Instagram on Friday and fiercely condemned the choice for director Miguel Bardem's new film, calling it yet another example of cultural appropriation, considering Franco doesn't have Latin roots. 'How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well?' said Leguizamo, who has long been an advocate for the inclusion of Latin actors and their stories to be told on screen. He continued, 'No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F'd up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement, which would be wrong! I don't got a [problem] with Franco but he ain't Latino!' While prefacing he admires Leguizamo, producer John Martinez O'Felan hit back at his comments about Franco being hired to play a Latino. His take: Leguizamo, 62, accused the team behind Alina Of Cuba of 'excluding' Latino's while 'stealing our narrative' and then called on people to boycott the biopic 'A guy like John Leguizamo has historically been looked up to by Hispanics as one of America's earliest actors of Latin descent since the 90s and I've always admired him as a fellow underdog. But his comments are culturally uneducated and a blind attack with zero substance related to this project,' he said. 'The reality of the ignorance piece falls within his statement suggesting his personal view on being "Latino," because a land mass or living area does not determine a person's blood history or genetics,' O'Felan continued. O'Felan went on to call Leguizamo's note is 'a great talking point because they represent the same confusion and identity crisis in Hollywood right now within the Hispanic community in America who are arguing that we should only identify as Latin, which is mostly because of the falsehoods being spread by the actors who are supposed to be representing us, but instead create division amongst their own people.' Fighting back: While offering his admiration for Leguizamo in response, producer John Martinez O'Felan went on to call his comments 'culturally uneducated and a blind attack with zero substance related to this project,' in an interview with THR; seen in March in Hollywood According to Collider, Franco's casting came after an extensive search to find the best possible physical fit to play Castro among the best actors in the industry, and was directly approved by Fernandez. Franco is of Portuguese and Swedish descent on his fathers side, and Russian Jewish descent on his mother's side. 'Finding and convincing James Franco to play Castro, was a fun and challenging process and has been the collaborative work of the universe, because our director's original order was to find an actor who holds a close physical resemblance to the real Castro to build from, along with finding someone Alina Fernandez would strongly endorse,' O'Felan explained. He went on to reveal that they used 'Fidel Castro's ancient Galician heraldry' as their focal compass, and then combed through the long list of actors with Latin roots in Hollywood to find someone with a similar facial structure. 'In executing a close search into our hopefuls through the eye of Spanish and Portuguese genealogy which the Galicians held, we found that James, by far, had the closest facial likeness of our Industrys leading actors,' the film's lead creative producer revealed. Casting search: Franco's casting came after an extensive search to find the best possible physical fit to play Castro among the best actors in the industry, and was directly approved by Alina Fernandez, the real-life woman for which the film is based upon for, O'Felan added In conclusion, the producer made a point of singling out that movie doesn't focus on Franco's character. 'I think he should move past himself and also acknowledge that this story is about a Latin female immigrant living in America who is of historical importance, led by a Latin woman and I'm just an underdog who is making it, so he should also understand that it's kind of disappointing to see our work getting attacked by someone who claims to be a leader of the Latin community,' O'Felan added. Set to be directed by Miguel Bardem and based on a script written by Jose Rivera and Nilo Cruz, the cast also includes Alanna de la Rosa, Maria Cecilia Botero, Harding Junior, Sian Chiong and Rafael Ernesto Hernandez. Filming for Alina Of Cuba is slated to begin on August 15. Deborah Meaden has praised her make-up artist for insisting she get checked for skin cancer after she noticed a blemish on her skin. The Dragon's Den star, 63, went for a check-up with her doctor and was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in 2015, the second most common form of skin cancer. The businesswoman told Vogue Williams on the Taboo Talk podcast: 'I was aware of [how much the sun could damage my skin], I'm quite fair-skinned but oddly I've never really burnt and I think that was a problem for me. Grateful: Deborah Meaden, 63, has praised her make-up artist for insisting she get checked for skin cancer after she noticed a blemish on her skin 'I kind of thought that I was immune to it I thought, I might look fair, but obviously my skin can handle it. So it was a bit of a shock when I realised there was some damage done.' She added: 'I was filming Dragon's Den, and I don't get spots, but my make-up artist had noticed what looked like a [tiny little] whitehead that had been on my face for probably about six weeks. 'She kept saying, 'That's not right, Deborah', and I thought, 'OK that's really weird, I don't usually get spots'. I was going off to Africa and I thought, before I go, I just need to get that checked out. In time: Deborah explained how she was incredibly lucky to have caught the cancer early (pictured in 2019) 'I sent a picture to my doctor, who said it could be something, it might not, but it could be something. Then he got me an appointment with a local hospital and I went along and they told me, 'You've got a squamous'.' Deborah said she was incredibly lucky to have caught the cancer early, admitting she may not have been in the same situation as she is today to tell the story if she had not sought medical help. 'When I say I was lucky, we caught it incredibly early,' she said. 'I'm evangelical now about saying to people, if you've got a little odd pimple that won't go, don't just think it's a pimple.' Honest: The television star says she now has to take greater care when she's outside in the sunshine and urges people to seek medical help if they are concerned 'I've always looked for moles, I know all the rules about moles, I've never looked for something that actually looked like a whitehead. 'I would never have known if it wasn't for Sue, thank goodness.' The television star says she now has to take greater care when she's outside in the sunshine. She frequently checks her skin for marks and is much more aware of how the sunshine can affect her health. 'My prognosis is factor 50,' she explained. 'I wear a hat when I'm outside all of the time, and watch my skin. I do have regular skin checks over my whole skin.' She's never been afraid to display her show-stopping curves in skimpy outfits. But Iggy Azalea changed tact on Saturday as she stepped out in Soho, New York City. Joined by a female companion, the Australian rapper, 32, swathed her famous physique in a baggy sweatshirt emblazoned with a green-and-yellow die dye print. Makeup-free Iggy Azalea, 32, (left, with a friend) covered up her famous curves in a baggy green sweatshirt as she stepped out in Soho, New York City on Saturday Going makeup-free for the off-duty occasion, the mother-of-one completed her edgy ensemble with neon green bike shorts, a furry leopard-print bucket hat and pink sandals worn with white socks. Iggy, who is currently performing in New York as the opening act for Pitbull's Can't Stop Us Now tour, seemed to be lost in conversation with her pal as they made their way down the footpath. Her companion had her hands full, clutching a laptop and take-away smoothie with both hands, while Iggy held only her mobile phone. The mother-of-one completed her edgy ensemble with neon green bike shorts, a furry leopard-print bucket hat and pink sandals worn with white socks Iggy, who is currently performing in New York as the opening act for Pitbull's Can't Stop Us Now tour, seemed to be lost in conversation with her pal as they made their way down the footpath Her companion had her hands full, clutching a laptop and take-away smoothie with both hands, while Iggy held only her mobile phone The sighting comes days after Iggy revealed she is suffering from sciatica, a condition referring to nerve pain in the leg caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. 'So, I have sciatica. So fun!' she Tweeted late last month, just days after getting back on stage with Pitbull for the first time. The Australian hitmaker was flooded with well-wishers from fans on the platform. Iggy, who is currently performing in New York as the opening act for Pitbull's Can't Stop Us Now tour. Both are pictured performing in New York on August 5 'I feel your pain! It sucks so bad,' one fan wrote.'Ooooo I'm so sorry Iggy praying for you,' another added. Someone else added: 'Rest up. I had it two years ago it was very bad, could hardly walk. Rest and use hot water bottle and ice pack at separate times.' Ekin-Su Culculoglu looked sensational as she stepped out for dinner at celebrity haunt Sheesh in her home county of Essex on Saturday. The Love Island winner, 27, put on a very busty display in a glamorous off-the-shoulder mini dress with a low cut Bardot neckline. Actress Ekin-Su took to Instagram to share a picture of herself standing alone next to a classic black Chrysler 3100 truck, hinting she was missing boyfriend Davide, writing: 'I'm back but there's one thing missing.' Glamour puss: Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 27, looked sensational as she stepped out for dinner at celebrity haunt Sheesh in her home county of Essex on Saturday The reality star's dress featured an asymmetrical hem with ruffled detail, and she confidently posed with her hand on her hip. She carried a black Chanel bag with her and added a few inches to her stature by opting for a pair of white open-toed strappy heels. Television star Ekin-Su sported a healthy bronze glow and wore her highlighted hair in loose curls. Wow: The Love Island winner, 27, put on a very busty display in a glamorous off-the-shoulder mini dress with a low cut Bardot neckline Girls' night out: The reality star's dress featured an asymmetrical hem with ruffled detail as she enjoyed a night out with a stylish pal She returned to the UK this week after winning Love Island alongside her show partner Davide who has now returned to his hometown of Manchester. Ekin-Su admitted to missing 'my man' Davide as she took to her Instagram Stories on Friday. Looking stunning in a full face of make-up, and pink corduroy jacket, she said: 'So I'm back in Essex guys, and it's freezing in the UK. Lost: Ekin-Su hinted she was missing boyfriend Davide, writing on her Instagram post: 'I'm back but there's one thing missing' 'Still need to get used to this weather, but obviously it's really good seeing the family, the neighbours, and obviously seeing my close friends tomorrow. She added: 'Missing my man but I know I'll see him soon. Love the support, I love you all!' It comes after Davide, 27, was seen hitting the town with a group of pals as they welcomed him back to Manchester after winning the show. The Shisha-bar chain owner was welcomed back with open arms by his friends who threw him a 'welcome home' party in his luxurious city centre apartment. Home again: While she is seeing her friends and family in Essex Ekin-Su admitted to missing 'my man' Davide in a video on her Story on Friday night He's back! Davide was welcomed back with open arms by his friends who threw him a 'welcome home' party in his luxurious city centre apartment In a snap shared to his Instagram account, Davide posed with his Love Island suitcase that boasted his name in pink letters with the skyline as his backdrop. The series winner also opted for a yellow polo top and blue chino-style shorts for the occasion. He then paired the ensemble with some white trainers and dark shades to complete his going-home look. He smiled as he stood in front of a 'welcome home' sign alongside a collection of gold balloons in his luxurious apartment. He also tagged his location and offered fans a glimpse of his Manchester apartment that boasted fantastic views of the city. News Details BorgWarner gains fast charging expertise by acquiring Rhombus Energy Date: 07-08-22 Automotive supplier BorgWarner has acquired DC fast charging specialist Rhombus Energy Solutions. San Diego, California based Rhombus supplies unidirectional (charge-only) and bi-directional (V2G-capable) chargers, which are Underwriters Laboratory-certified. Rhombus sources its patented technology to electric vehicle OEMs such as Proterra, and charging and grid service providers. BorgWarner stated in its release that the transaction has an enterprise value of up to $185 million, which is being funded primarily with cash balances. Approximately $130 million was delivered at closing and up to $55 million could be paid in the form of contingent payments over the next 3 years. The technology that Rhombus brings expands BorgWarners electric vehicle portfolio in North America and complements our existing European charging business. This transaction supports our Charging Forward strategy and strengthens our electric vehicle positioning as we look to power the entire propulsion system from grid to wheels, said Frederic Lissalde, President and CEO of BorgWarner. As a supplier to the automotive and commercial vehicle markets, we are not only delivering innovative technology for electric drivetrains, but we are also focused on supporting certain key elements of the infrastructure for electric mobility, including charging. One of Lea Michele's lifelong dreams is coming true very soon, and she couldn't help but post about it. The 35-year-old actress shared a pair of photos where she stood beneath marquees promoting the show Funny Girl. Her first picture was a more contemporary photo, showing the star standing beneath the marquee outside the August Wilson Theatre. Big dreams: One of Lea Michele's lifelong dreams is coming true very soon, and she couldn't help but post about it She stood in an elegant black cocktail dress that ended around her knees. Her dark brown hair was parted in the middle and fell down past her shoulders. She tossed a look back over her shoulder while she posed. The second photo she posted was a photo of her in character as Rachel Berry from her hit television show Glee. Throwback: The 35-year-old actress shared a pair of photos where she stood beneath marquees promoting the show Funny Girl Life imitating art: Michele's character Rachel Berry landed the lead role of Fanny Brice on the show, the role she will start playing on Broadway next month; still from Glee In the picture, she donned a bright purple dress with a flared skirt that stopped in the middle of her thighs. She had bangs that ended just shy of her dark eyes as she flashed a smile for onlookers. Michele's character Rachel Berry landed the lead role of Fanny Brice on the show, the role she will start playing on Broadway next month. The New York native captioned the photos, 'A dream come true [red heart emoji].' Moving on: Beanie Feldstein previously held the role in the revival. Her singing received mixed reviews, but others praised the actress and her costars Last goodbye: Feldstein bid farewell to her lead role as Fanny Brice in the Broadway's Funny Girl, following her final performance at the August Wilson Theatre on Sunday Michele will officially take over the role on September 6. Beanie Feldstein previously held the role in the revival which has received tons of acclaim. The 29-year-old actress recently moved on from the role and posted an emotional farewell to her Instagram. 'But now its just another show, and you leave 'em laughing when you go,' Beanie captioned the snaps with the lyrics from Joni Mitchell's song Both Sides Now. Lea is also taking the show seriously. She recently canceled her remaining summer concert tour dates so she could focus on getting ready for the role. Costars Dakota Johnson and Adam Scott were spotted filming together in Boston, Massachusetts, over the weekend. Dakota, 32, and Adam, 49, ran to the scene of a car crash as they worked on their upcoming movie Madame Web. They each wore dark-colored utilitarian uniforms that had 'FDNY' embroidered on the front in white thread. On set: Costars Dakota Johnson and Adam Scott were spotted filming Madame Web in Boston, Massachusetts, over the weekend Dakota's face was lightly made up for the day of shooting, and her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. She wore her well-known bangs as she slipped into character as the lead in the Marvel blockbuster. Johnson, who was born into the industry, will star as the title character from Sonys Spider-Man universe. On Saturday she and Scott took to the streets of New England as they worked in the summer heat. In character: They each wore dark-colored utilitarian uniforms that had 'FDNY' embroidered on the front in white thread Work-ready: Dakota's face was lightly made up for the day of shooting, and her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail The pair ran across a bridge, heading for a flipped over car as they recorded a smokey and chaotic scene. Both displayed frantic and concerned expressions as they acted as paramedics working together on the job. For his part, Adam flaunted a neatly-groomed beard and his look extended to a tidy and fuss-free haircut. Dakota, daughter of Hollywood legends Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, carried a large red bag with black straps as a prop. Lead role: Johnson, who was born into the industry, will star as Madam Webb, a character from Sonys Universe of Spider-Man Hot: On Saturday she and Scott took to the streets of New England as they worked in the summer heat Johnson who is in a relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin tucked her shirt into her belted pants. The button-up top had a classic collar and she rolled its long sleeves up to her elbows. She wore a thick, black, matte leather belt with a large silver buckle on the front with a pair of black combat boots. Around her left wrist she wore a sporty black watch and tiny hoop earrings hung from her ears. Details: Johnson who is in a relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin tucked her shirt into her belted pants Accessories: Around her left wrist she wore a sporty black watch and tiny hoop earrings hung from her ears Career news: Johnson made headlines earlier this year when news broke that she secured the lead part in the film Johnson made headlines earlier this year when news broke that she secured the lead part in the film. Madame Web is Sonys first modern comic book adaptation to feature a woman in the title role. In the 1980 comic book, written by Denny O'Neil and illustrated by John Romita Jr., Madame Web was introduced as as an elderly woman with a chronic autoimmune disorder, depending on a life support system that looks like a spider web. Madame Web's age and physical status kept her from fighting villains, but she's an important piece of the interconnected multiverse. Prop: Dakota, daughter of Hollywood legends Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, carried a large red bag with black straps Intense! A flipped over vehicle dangled from a bridge in the dramatic scene Girl power: Madame Web is Sonys first modern comic book adaptation to feature a woman in the title role S.J. Clarkson is the director of the forthcoming feature, which will also include Sydney Sweeney and Emma Roberts. In mid-July it was announced that Scott, who was recently seen in Apple TV's Severance, would join the cast. It hasn't been reported what the Emmy-nominated performer's role in the plot is. His latest: In mid-July it was announced that Scott, who was recently seen in Apple TV's Severance, would join the cast Stats: S.J. Clarkson is the director of the forthcoming feature, which will also include Sydney Sweeney and Emma Roberts The Bachelor's Laurina Fleure has revealed a glimpse at her blossoming baby bump as she prepares to welcome her first child with partner James Black. Posting to Instagram on Sunday, the 38-year-old shared a photo gallery of herself posing in a blue sundress at home. Laurina looked every inch the glowing mum-to-be as she posed by the bedroom with her hand gently resting on her sizeable baby bump. The Bachelor's Laurina Fleure, 38, (pictured) revealed a glimpse at her blossoming baby bump on Sunday as she prepares to welcome her first child with partner James Black In her caption, the reality joked about the size of her prominent belly, writing: 'Oh dear lord hes going to be a big boy'. The influencer announced in May she was expecting her first child James, 32, who runs his own landscape construction business. Posting a photo of the couple on Instagram at the time, she simply wrote: 'The mum and the dad... 3.5 months.' Posting to Instagram on Sunday, the 38-year-old shared a photo gallery of herself posing in a blue sundress at home In her caption, the reality joked about the size of her prominent belly, writing: 'Oh dear lord hes going to be a big boy' Shortly after the announcement, the reality TV star told the Herald Sun she had started to believe having a baby wasn't 'in my cards'. 'I was with James when I was going to freeze my eggs and I didn't react well to the hormones so I gave up and thought I'd struggle to have a baby,' she said. She also revealed the pair were planning to tie the knot soon. The influencer announced in May she was expecting her first child James, 32, (right) who runs his own landscape construction business Laurina was the breakout star of Blake Garvey's (right) season of The Bachelor Laurina shot to fame on Blake Garvey's season of The Bachelor back in 2014, before later appearing on the first season of Bachelor in Paradise. She went viral after complaining that Blake had taken her out for a 'dirty street pie' at a food truck instead of enjoying a glamorous date like the other women received. In 2018, Laurina made a brief return to TV on the first season of Bachelor In Paradise. She entered the Fiji-based reality show in episode two, but decided to quit five episodes later after failing to spark romance with any of the contestants. Schapelle Corby has split from her Indonesian boyfriend Ben Panangian after 16 years together. The convicted drug smuggler, 45, announced on Saturday her long-distance relationship with Ben, 40, was over and that she was looking for her Prince Charming. The couple met in a Bali prison in 2006 when they were both serving time for drug-related offences, but hadn't seen each other in person since 2019. Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, 45, has split from her Indonesian boyfriend Ben Panangian, 40, after 16 years together. Pictured together in happier times Posting to Instagram, Schapelle uploaded a throwback photo of herself and Ben having fun on the beach, with Ben's face and body scratched out. 'Looking for a new Four Leaf Clover. *ATTENTION*. Help a girl out - Get Tagging,' she wrote in her caption, indicating that she's already on the hunt for Ben's lucky replacement. Many of her fans were delighted to hear the Dancing With The Stars contestant was single and ready to mingle. The convicted drug smuggler announced on Saturday their long-distance relationship was over and that she was looking for her Prince Charming .Posting to Instagram, Schapelle uploaded this throwback photo of herself and Ben having fun on the beach, with Ben's face and body scratched out 'Looking for a new Four Leaf Clover. *ATTENTION*. Help a girl out - Get Tagging,' she wrote in her caption, indicating that she's already on the hunt for Ben's lucky replacement Several blokes offered themselves as a potential partner while others suggested their friends would be better suited. Ben was released from prison in 2009, while Schapelle was finally paroled in 2014 and allowed to return to Australia in 2017. The Indonesian government, however, permanently banned her from ever revisiting their country, which put a strain on their now long-distance relationship. This is the original photo of Schapelle and Ben frolicking on the beach together prior to their split Many of her fans were delighted to hear the Dancing With The Stars contestant was single and ready to mingle In October 2004, Schapelle became a household name when she was arrested at Bali airport with 4.2kg of cannabis wrapped in plastic inside her boogie board bag. The world watched in May 2005 as she broke down in the Denpasar courtroom after being sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment. Following a series of sentence reductions, she was released on parole in February 2014, having served nine years behind bars. The former beautician has always denied knowingly importing drugs and maintains the marijuana was planted in her luggage by corrupt baggage handlers. Teresa Giudice's gigantic wedding hair was mocked by fans as they joked she was 'hiding things' in it on Saturday. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, who tied the knot with Luis Ruelas, piled her locks into a very large bun that was held in place by a bedazzled crown. Numerous fans voiced their opinions about Teresa's hair as they added that fellow reality TV personalities were concealed in the voluminous do. Teresa Giudice's, 50, gigantic wedding hair was mocked by fans as they joked that she's 'hiding things' in it - after she tied the knot with Luis Ruelas on Saturday Several Twitter users commented about the sheer volume of Giudice's hair during the wedding as one noted that she wanted to figure out 'the exact weight of it.' Another person penned: 'I sincerely hope Bravo hid a GoPro in Teresa Giudice's hair to film the wedding.' Elsewhere an Instagram user reposted a shot that stated that 'unconfirmed reports say Joey and Melissa [Gorga] have snuck into Teresa's wedding in her hair.' Hitching a ride: Numerous fans voiced their opinions about Teresa's hair as they added that fellow reality TV personalities were concealed in the voluminous do Not the first time: One user expressed that the reality television personality wrote may have asked her hairstylist to give her 'the Snooki special,' and another noted that the Jersey Shore cast member's 'hair went out of style in 2009' One user expressed that the reality television personality wrote may have asked her hairstylist to give her 'the Snooki special,' and another noted that the Jersey Shore cast member's 'hair went out of style in 2009.' One of the many users wrote that her 'hair was a disaster even for a wedding in New Jersey!' The reality television personality's detractors often spoke about the sheer boldness of her look, with one describing it as 'CAMP.' Harsh critics: One of the many users wrote that her 'hair was a disaster even for a wedding in New Jersey' However, several others spoke positively of Giudice's choice of hairstyle for the evening. One user expressed her support by writing: 'The higher your hair, the closer you are to heaven. This is the old school Teresa I fell in love with! Queen of New Jersey!' Another expressed her enthusiasm about the occasion with: 'Sis said if you gonna do it do it big!' One individual summed up many of the comments by writing: 'Teresa looks so happy. That's all that matters.' Supportive: One user expressed her support by writing: 'The higher your hair, the closer you are to heaven. This is the old school Teresa I fell in love with! Queen of New Jersey' Big fan: Another expressed her enthusiasm about the occasion with: 'Sis said if you gonna do it do it big' Priorities: One individual summed up many of the comments by writing: 'Teresa looks so happy. That's all that matters' Giudice was first revealed as having begun seeing Ruelas, 47, in July of 2020. The reality television personality was previously married to her former husband, Joe, from 1999 until 2020. The former couple shared four daughters named Gia, Gabriella, Milania and Audriana, aged 21, 16, 17 and 12. The influencer went on to begin seeing Ruelas, and the former couple announced that they were engaged last October. Jess Bezos out on a casual display as he joined his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez for dinner with some friends in Malibu on Saturday. The Amazon founder, 58, stepped out hand-in-hand with the television personality, 52, as they departed celebrity hotspot Nobu, where they had dinner. Lauren showed off her incredible figure in a nude ribbed crop top and a semi-sheer tiered maxi skirt. Date night: Billionaire Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, 58, dresses down as he joins crop top-clad girlfriend Lauren Sanchez, 52, at Nobu in Malibu for dinner with friends on Saturday She wore her long brunette hair in a voluminous blow dry and completed her look with a pair of aviator sunglasses. Jeff opted to dress down for their outing in a fitted grey T-shirt, that clung to his gym-honed torso and light wash baggy jeans. He topped off his ensemble with square framed sunglasses and a pair of white leather trainers. Out and about: Jeff opted to dress down for their outing in a fitted grey T-shirt, that clung to his gym-honed torso and light wash baggy jeans Stylish: Lauren showed off her incredible figure in a nude ribbed crop top and a semi-sheer tiered maxi skirt The loved-up pair were followed by a group of pals after they splashed the cash at the Japanese restaurant. It's unclear when exactly the businessman first started dating Sanchez, but it's been said that they got together while he was still married to his ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott. Their affair was exposed by the National Enquirer in January 2019. Soon after, the businessman split from his wife of over 25 years and the mother of his four children, Scott, 51. Stunning: She wore her long brunette hair in a voluminous blow dry and completed her look with a pair of aviator sunglasses Casual: Jeff topped off his ensemble with square framed sunglasses and a pair of white leather trainers Sanchez was also married when her relationship to Bezos was outed, and it was her husband - co-CEO of Hollywood powerhouse agency WME, Patrick Whitesell, 56 - who reportedly introduced the two lovers in the first place. Bezos and Scott finalised their divorce in April 2019, which was the same month that Sanchez and Whitesell ended their marriage. Bezos and Sanchez made their first public appearance together in May of that year, before jetting off to St. Barts for a romantic getaway. They made their red carpet debut as a couple in January 2020, and have been happily in love ever since. Shaun Ryder has called for answers over his brother Paul's death after he suddenly died aged 58 on July 15. The musician was found dead last month, just hours before the band were due to play at Kubix Festival in Sunderland. The circumstances of Paul's death are not known. In an exclusive chat with MailOnline from his home in Manchester, Happy Mondays frontman Shaun, 59, revealed that with a lack of answers he had begun to fixate on the Covid vaccine after learning Paul had a booster weeks before his passing. Shaun's comments are in sharp contract to the verdict given by the coroner, who said Paul passed away as a result of Ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. Interview: Shaun Ryder (left) has called for answers over his brother Paul's death after he suddenly died aged 58 on July 15 Shaun said: 'It's a bit iffy to me he's a 50-something-year-old bloke, he'd had a clean bill of health, and he has his booster, flies over here and dies.' 'We're going to be waiting two weeks for the autopsy. 'I don't think our kid really paid attention to any of that (scare stories about Covid jabs) he just went and had his booster I think that triggered something.' The Mondays' bass player Paul Ryder was discovered dead in his bed aged 58 at 6am on Friday July 15 by their mum Linda at her home in Manchester hours before the band was due to play the Kubix Festival in Sunderland. Interview: In an exclusive chat with MailOnline from his home in Manchester, Shaun, 59, revealed that with a lack of answers he had begun to fixate on the Covid vaccine WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases. Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years. Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people. High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism. People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK's General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty. Source: Australian Department of Health Advertisement Shaun said the family are still waiting for the results of an autopsy but revealed the coroner has reported 'Paul passed away as a result of Ischaemic heart disease and diabetes'. Paul was staying at his mum's after travelling from his home in LA for the Sunderland gig days after he got his Covid booster jab in the States which left him with blinding headaches. Shaun said when the ambulance arrived emergency workers said his death looked as it may have been linked to a blood clot or brain tumour, and he is now probably not going to get another booster jab himself as a result. Fears: In an exclusive chat with MailOnline from his home in Manchester, Happy Mondays frontman Shaun, 59, said he will now probably not get any more jabs after learning Paul had a booster weeks before his passing Various myths have been spread about Covid-19 vaccines, including that the jabs will alter DNA, cause infertility or even connect people to the internet. The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine uses a fragment of messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct your body to make an immune response against Covid-19. CAN VACCINES MAKE YOU ILL? Live vaccines, such as the one given to protect against yellow fever, work by injecting a weakened but still living form of the virus into the body. The purpose of this is to train the body how to make the right antibodies to fight off the virus, so it can remember how to do so in future. However, if someone's immune system is weakened by cancer, pregnancy, HIV or age, for example it may be unable to destroy even the weakened form of the virus. If this happens, it's possible the injected virus can survive, take hold and cause the infection it was intended to prevent. If this happens the symptoms are usually milder than the real disease. People who have had live vaccines may also be able to transmit an illness to someone with a weakened immune system, so should stay away from them after the jab. Live vaccines given in the UK include those for: rotavirus, MMR, flu (nasal only), shingles, chickenpox, tuberculosis, yellow fever and typhoid (oral only). They are all proven to be effective and side effects are rare. Source: Vaccine Knowledge Project, University of Oxford Advertisement There is a crucial difference between mRNA and DNA. DNA, which makes up our genetic code, is larger, double stranded and very long. The mRNA is a single stranded copy of a small part of the DNA, which is often released to send instructions to other parts of the cell. DNA is stored in the protected centre of our cells the nucleus. The mRNA is broken down quickly by the body. It never enters the nucleus, and cannot affect or combine with our DNA in any way to change our genetic code. Instead, Covid-19 mRNA vaccines teach the cell how to make a protein that triggers an immune response specific to Covid-19. The vaccines work with the bodys natural defences to develop immunity to disease. Meanwhile, the theory that Covid-19 vaccines cause infertility is based on the disproven idea that one of the spike proteins in Covid-19 and the Syncytin-1 protein (which help placenta development) are the same. They are not. The Covid-19 vaccine, like other vaccines, works by training our bodies to develop antibodies to fight against the virus that causes Covid-19, to prevent future illness. There is currently no evidence that antibodies formed from Covid-19 vaccination cause any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta. In addition, there is no evidence suggesting that fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine. People who are trying to become pregnant now or who plan to try in the future may receive the Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them. It has also been speculated that the vaccine can give people Covid-19, despite the fact that the vaccines do not contain the live virus. Some of the side effects from Covid-19 vaccinations, such as fever and fatigue can mimic the symptoms of Covid-19. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building protection against the virus that causes Covid-19. Cause of death: Shaun's comments are in sharp contract to the verdict given by the coroner, who said Paul passed away as a result of Ischaemic heart disease and diabetes Paul has previously been very open about his addiction battles in the early days of the band and used heroin. After their heyday in the late 80s and early 90s, Paul struggled with heroin addictions. He told The Mirror in 2019: 'We couldn't have Calpol for the kids. I'd drink the lot.' In a candid interview in 2007, he said of the drug use: 'It was wild. I was 18 and recording an album. I'd learnt how to read and write at school but my real education began with the Mondays. Mourners: The family, friends and old bandmates of Happy Mondays bassist Paul paid tribute to the star bassist and laid him to rest at his funeral on Thursday. Shaun (pictured centre) helped to carry the coffin into St Charles Church in Swinton, Manchester When he died, Happy Mondays paid tribute with a Facebook post which read: 'The Ryder family and Happy Mondays band members are deeply saddened and shocked to say that Paul Ryder passed away this morning. 'A true pioneer and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.' Paul's family has requested family flowers only and anyone wanting to make a donation in his memory in lieu of flowers can do so by calling the funeral home at (0161) 7947499. All donations will be split between the Make A Wish Foundation and Chico's Kickin Cancer an organisation originally founded to support Paul's youngest son Chico who fought cancer at the age of 11. Renee Bargh went Instagram official with her boyfriend Andrew Lange in November. And on Sunday, the loved-up couple proved their romance is still going strong when they were spotted leaving a friend's birthday looking happier than ever. The 35-year-old television personality looked chic in grey blazer and matching pants. Renee Bargh and her boyfriend Andrew Lange proved their romance is still going strong when they were spotted leaving a friend's birthday on Sunday. Both pictured The TV host completed her look with a pair of black heels and a gold necklace. Meanwhile, Andrew looked stylish in an all-black ensemble which consisted of a black button-up shirt and Converse high tops. The pair had been celebrating Channel Nine reporter Airlie Walsh's birthday in Sydney's eastern suburbs before they made their way back to the northern beaches. The 35-year-old television personality looked chic in grey blazer and matching pants The TV host completed her look with a pair of black heels and a gold necklace The couple recently purchased their first home together in Sydney's north for $2,475,000. The 1950s home sits on a 460sqm block and has four bedrooms. It also has two bathrooms, a stone kitchen, and open plan living and dining space. Andrew looked stylish in an all-black ensemble which consisted of a black button-up shirt and Converse high tops The pair had been celebrating Channel Nine reporter Airlie Walsh's birthday (left) in Sydney's eastern suburbs before they made their way back to the northern beaches The property, located in the northern beachside suburb of Avalon, was last sold in 2013 for $795,000. Renee went Instagram official with her boyfriend back in November. The presenter shared a loved-up photo alongside Andrew after enjoying a romantic weekend away. 'The dreamiest weekend in the city thanks to @crystalbrookalbion + this guy,' Renee wrote. The property, located in the northern beachside suburb of Avalon, was last sold in 2013 for $795,000 Chloe Green displayed her growing baby bump as she enjoyed a boat trip with her boyfriend Manuele Thiella and father Philip Green in Corfu, Greece on Sunday. The Topshop heiress, 31, dressed for the warm Mediterranean weather as she slipped into a red midi dress for the day. The garment featured a blue floral detail along with a frilled burgundy v-neckline while Chloe also sported a pair of sandals. Casual: Chloe Green displayed her growing baby bump as she enjoyed a boat trip with her boyfriend Manuele Thiella and father Philip Green in Corfu, Greece on Sunday Showing off her sun-kissed tan, the socialite styled her brunette locks into a ponytail and also wore a pair of silver earrings. Chloe cosied up next to boyfriend Manuele, who was dressed casually in a black T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Businessman Philip joined the couple for the day and was at one point seen steering the boat himself. The entrepreneur also opted for a laid back look, sporting a light blue shirt with a pair of cream shorts. Couple: The Topshop heiress, 31, dressed for the warm Mediterranean weather as she slipped into a red midi dress for the day Family: Businessman Philip joined the couple for the day and was at one point seen steering the boat himself Style: The garment featured a blue floral detail along with a frilled burgundy v-neckline while Chloe also sported a pair of sandals Holiday: Chloe cosied up next to boyfriend Manuele, who was dressed casually in a black T-shirt and a pair of shorts The heiress has remained mainly out of the public eye as of late, with a brief appearance at Cannes Film Festival the only recent public sighting of her. In June, Chloe revealed her pregnancy as she unveiled a baby bump for the first time while on holiday in St Tropez. Revealing the news, the TV personality stepped out in a pink beach kaftan with a tree patterned design, as she walked barefoot under the French sun. Laid back: Philip also opted for a laid back look, sporting a light blue shirt with a pair of cream shorts Laying low: The heiress has remained mainly out of the public eye as of late, with a brief appearance at Cannes Film Festival the only recent public sighting of her Vacation: The family's trip to Crofu comes after they recent spent time in Italy Chloe unveiled her previous pregnancy in a similar way back in 2018, showing off her first bump as she enjoyed a day on her father's superyacht in Monaco. She shares her son Jayden with convict-turned-model Jeremy, who was a former member of Crips street gang and served time in prison. Going viral as the 'world's hottest felon', Chloe's ex-beau quickly secured a six-figure modelling deal after his release. Exciting: In June, Chloe revealed her pregnancy as she unveiled a baby bump for the first time while on holiday in St Tropez News: Revealing the news, the TV personality stepped out in a pink beach kaftan with a tree patterned design, as she walked barefoot under the French sun Outfit: In another look, Chloe sported a dark, short-sleeved dress and styled her tresses into a bun Motherhood: Chloe unveiled her previous pregnancy in a similar way back in 2018, showing off her first bump as she enjoyed a day on her father's superyacht in Monaco But Chloe and Jeremy called it quits in 2019, as she and Manuele were revealed as a couple in 2020 - after they were spotted abroad. Back in 2020 when she initially began seeing the businessman, a source told MailOnline: 'Chloe has known Manuele for months and they have always been very close friends. 'They have a lot in common; they're both parents and are from similar worlds, Chloe is very happy with him. He's very much been accepted into her family.' Ex: She shares her son Jayden with convict-turned-model Jeremy, who was a former member of Crips street gang and served time in prison Split: But Chloe and Jeremy called it quits in 2019, as she and Manuele were revealed as a couple in 2020 - after they were spotted abroad Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has confirmed his romance with girlfriend Gemma Dawkins. The couple, who first sparked romance rumours back in May, looked loved-up when they were spotted holding hands in Melbourne on Sunday. Bailey, 21, cut a casual figure in a white graphic print T-shirt, lose-fit jeans and black sneakers as the couple took his dog for a walk. AFL star Bailey Smith confirmed his romance with girlfriend Gemma Dawkins on Sunday when the couple stepped out in Melbourne. Both pictured He completed his casual streetwear ensemble with a cap. Gemma, meanwhile, looked effortlessly stylish in a white sweater and black trousers. She teamed her look with a matching white cap and sneakers. The couple, who first sparked romance rumours back in May, looked loved-up Bailey, 21, cut a casual figure in a white graphic print T-shirt, lose-fit jeans and black sneakers as the couple took his dog for a walk. He completed his casual streetwear ensemble with a cap Gemma, meanwhile, looked effortlessly stylish in a white sweater and black trousers Bailey confirmed he was in a relationship with Dawkins during an interview in May. He said his girlfriend's father had seen him in shirtless adverts for fashion brand Cotton On, which are currently plastered on billboards across the country. 'It's funny. My girlfriend's dad drives past it every day,' Smith revealed. She teamed her look with a matching white cap and sneakers 'It's hilarious It's interesting but I don't pay too much attention to it. 'I try not to. I just focus on my footy, because that's what comes first, and all those other rewards with Cotton On and [energy drink] Monster come after that. 'As long as I keep trying to perform and work hard during the week all those other fruits and exciting things come.' Smith confirmed he was in a relationship with Dawkins (pictured) during an interview in May China's largest freshwater lake enters dry season at earliest recorded date Xinhua) 10:08, August 07, 2022 NANCHANG, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang, entered dry season on Saturday, the earliest date since records started in 1951, according to the local hydrological monitoring center. The water level at the lake's landmark Xingzi hydrological station receded to 11.99 meters at 2 a.m. Saturday, meaning the Lake has entered the dry season, according to the hydrological monitoring center in east China's Jiangxi Province, where the lake is located. The date is 16 days earlier than the previous record, registered on Aug. 22, 2006, according to the center. The center noted that the lake saw rapid decrease in water levels due to continuous high temperature and relatively less water flowed from the Yangtze River. Starting June 23, the water level at the Xingzi hydrological station dropped 7.44 meters over 44 days, with a daily average drop of 0.17 meters, statistics from the center showed. Meteorological forecast shows Jiangxi Province will continue to have high temperature and little rain in the coming 10 days. With water from the Yangtze River basin remaining a little less than normal range, water level in Poyang Lake is expected to continue the downward trend. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Coleen Rooney 'danced the night away' with pals at Westlife's sold-out concert at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday, as part of their Wild Dreams Tour. The WAG, 36, even posed for backstage photos with the band that comprises of Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne. She appeared to be letting her down down after her Wagatha Christie victory over Rebekah Vardy two weeks ago. Fan: Coleen Rooney, 36, 'danced the night away' at Westlife's concert at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday (L-R Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily, Coleen, Rylan Clarke and Shane Filan) Coleen nailed summer chic in a floral linen jumpsuit that was nipped in at her waist with a beige belt and she added matching sandals. A source said: 'Coleen and her pals loved the show and stayed to celebrate with Westlife and other celebrity guests at the exclusive after party at Wembley Stadium. She and the girls danced the night away with the boys, Rylan and Louis. Coleen was in high spirits during the concert and was seen singing along to all the hits from the Royal Box. Shes a big Westlife fan after the band sang at her wedding to Wayne in 2008.' Night out: Coleen nailed summer chic in a floral linen jumpsuit that was nipped in at her waist with a beige belt and she added matching sandals Lots to smile about: Coleen (centre) was seen singing alongside Rylan Clark (top middle) in the stands She was later joined by presenter Rylan Clarke, who also jumped at the opportunity for a snap with the Irish boyband. The couple splashed out 400,000 to book Coleens favourite band, Westlife, for their 2008 wedding at the elegant Italian resort of Portofino. They ensured that no expense was spared as The Mail on Sunday also revealed they spent 1million on pre-wedding celebrations and 200,000 on her dress. The main ceremony took place at Villa Durazzo, part of the stunning 16th Century Castello Brown, while the reception will be held in La Cervara, a 700-year-old former abbey. Pals: She was later joined by presenter Rylan Clarke, who also jumped at the opportunity for a snap with the Irish boyband Amazing: Westlife put on an energetic display as they took to the stage at their their sold-out gig at London's Wembley Stadium as part of their Wild Dreams Tour Last year, Westlife's Kian revealed on the Jonathan Ross Show, that he got so drunk at the Rooney wedding that he threw up in the bath after being carried out by security. While chatting about performing at Wayne and Coleen Rooney's wedding, Shane clarified: 'It was actually Coleen who booked us for Wayne as a surprise. We thought it was the other way around - we thought Coleen might be the fan.' 'He came up and sang with us. He kind of rapped it. It was only a small wedding, I think there were 70 people at it. It was the smallest gig we ever did but it was fun.' Matching: The band wore co-ordinated ensembles as they showed off their classic dance moves for the much-anticipated London show Fun-filled: Last year, Westlife's Kian (right) revealed on the Jonathan Ross Show, that he got so drunk at the Rooney wedding that he threw up in the bath after being carried out by security Kian recalled the night of the wedding following their performance, saying: 'I definitely got a bit carried away. We started having a few drinks and before you know it you're at the bar doing shots with one of Wayne's cousins or something like that.' He added: 'I remember being carried out by our security and going back up to our dressing room in the hotel and vomiting into the bathtub!' Coleen's outing comes as she and Rebekah are set for one last dramatic High Court showdown over who will foot the multi-million-pound bill for their costly Wagatha Christie libel battle. Drama: Coleen's outing comes as she and Rebekah Vardy are set for one last dramatic High Court showdown over who will foot the bill for their trial (Pictured with Wayne in May) Sources close to Coleen who won the case last week told The Mail on Sunday she will fight to make sure Rebekah pays the full amount, estimated to be up to 3million. Usually a winning party will still have to pay about 30 per cent of the costs. But Coleens team claim the judges damning judgment that Becky did sell stories about her to The Sun newspaper means it is inconceivable that she wont be made to pay the full amount. Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan surprised fans with an impromptu busking gig in Dublin on Friday. The famous twosome popped up for a session on Grafton Street in the Irish capital and performed several of their hits to ecstatic watching fans. Busker Jasper Koopman was shocked when the iconic duo joined him on the street. Gig: Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan popped up for a session on Grafton Street in Dublin The trio were filmed in now-viral footage performing Niall's original Slow Hands and Coldplay's Yellow. Lewis's tune Before You Go was also part of the set between the amateur busker, Niall and Lewis. The pair are close pals and were reportedly sharing drinks over Zoom during the pandemic. Shock: Busker Jasper Koopman was left elated when the iconic duo joined him on the street Setlist: The trio were filmed in now-viral footage performing Niall's original Slow Hands and Coldplay's Yellow In the footage, Niall can be seen playing the guitar while Lewis dances along while belting out requests from the Irishman's repertoire. Fans of the pair were excited on social media with one writing: 'I'M ON GRAFTON STREET AND NIALL HORAN AND LEWIS CAPALDI ARE BUSKING THIS IS NOT A DRILL' A second wrote: 'Imagine walking on Grafton Street and suddenly you hear Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi playing songs. You win at life.' A third quipped: 'As f***ing if Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi were busking on Grafton Street in Dublin today?????? F**k off why do I live 3 hours away is this a joke??? I'm sobbing life isn't fair.' Delighted: Fans of Niall and Lewis took to social media to express their excitement after seeing them sing One other person wrote: 'Every time I almost fall asleep I see another video of Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi busking or Niall climbing in through the window of a pub and suddenly Im wide awake and my heart is racing.' Another ecstatic fan tweeted: 'I AM CRYING SCREAMING THROWING UP THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED I AM OKAY NOW MY DEPRESSION IS CURED.' 'Imagine walking on Grafton Street and suddenly you hear Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi playing songs. You win at life,' wrote someone else. Referring to when Lewis supported Niall on the former One Direction star's tour in 2020, one other fan posted: 'We all missed this tour a lot, I hope we can see Niall and Lewis working together soon please @NiallOfficial @LewisCapaldi.' One other person wrote: 'I was in Dublin for almost a year, I go back to Italy and Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi decide to go there and sing in the middle of Grafton Street why is my timing always awful?' While someone else shared: 'Respectfully stop posting videos of Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi busking on graft on street because WHY WASNT I THERE.' James Corden enjoyed some quality time with his wife Julia Carey as the couple went for a stroll in London on Sunday. The chat show host, 43, cut a casual figure for the day as he sported a navy T-shirt with a matching jacket. The comedian also wore a pair of striped shorts and white trainers as he and Julia, 46, enjoyed a drink outside a pub. Outing: James Corden enjoyed some quality time with his wife Julia Carey as the couple went for a stroll in London on Sunday His partner opted for a blue patterned mini dress for the day which she wore with a grey cardigan. Also wearing a pair of sunglasses, Julia added to her oufit with an orange handbag and a pair of white trainers. James and Julia married at Babington House in 2012 and are parents to Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four. It was recently announced that James - who has returned from a holiday in the South of France with wife Julia last week - would be leaving his role as host of The Late Late Show in the US. Couple: The chat show host, 43, cut a casual figure for the day as he sported a navy T-shirt with a matching jacket He fought back tears as he explained to viewers why he has decided to step down from the job. The TV star plans to give up the coveted hosting role in summer 2023. He said in a video: 'Seven and a half years ago, I started hosting this show. And there is no other way to put it, it has changed my life. I love it. 'I love all the people that work here. I am so proud of what we've achieved. It's been beyond my wildest, wildest dreams. So I'm happy to announce today that I've signed a new contract, to carry on hosting The Late Late Show. Laid back: The comedian also wore a pair of striped shorts and white trainers as he and Julia enjoyed a drink outside a pub 'When I started this journey, it was always going to be just that. It was going to be a journey, an adventure. I never saw it as my final destination, you know? 'And I never want this show to overstay its welcome in any way. I always want to love making it. And I really think in a year from now that will be a good time to move on and see what else might be out there.' The Gavin and Stacey star insisted he still has 'a year to go' but fought back tears as he talked about walking away. He went on: 'We are all determined to make this the best year we have ever had making this show. We are going to go out with a bang. Relationship: James and Julia married at Babington House in 2012 and are parents to Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four There he is: James was also seen at the West Ham V Manchester City game at London Stadium on Sunday Having fun? The star looked in great spirits as he attended the game Dapper: James wore a plum suit as he took in the action 'There is going to be Carpools, and Crosswalks, and sketches and other surprises. 'And there will be tears. There will be so many tears. Cause this has been the hardest decision I've ever had to make, it really has. 'Ive never taken this job for granted. Ever. Not once. And the fact that you watch us at home. 'Or you watch us online. Wherever you are, all over the world. The fact that we get to try and entertain you and spend time with you is an absolute privilege for me and every single person who makes this show.' Sofia Vergara soaked in the sunshine in Miami Friday. The 50-year-old looked stunning in a pair of cream and green pineapple print wide leg pants with a cream strapless top with a large ruffle. The 5ft7in beauty styled her highlighted locks in long, straight layers and wore natural looking makeup with a bold red lip for the lunch with members of her family. Stunning: Sofia Vergara, 50, looked stunning in a pair of cream and green pineapple print wide leg pants with a cream strapless top with a large ruffle Friday in Miami The America's Got Talent judge wore a couple of necklaces stacked on top of each other, a gold watch, and several rings. She completed the look with a pair of dark sunglasses and a cream toned shoulder back with gold chain. Sofia was spotted taking pictures with her phone of the lunch guests and later leaving the restaurant with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot in a box. Lunch: The America's Got Talent judge was spotted enjoying lunch with her family on restaurant patio Smile: The Modern Family actress made sure to take plenty of pictures of family members, including her mother, Margarita, seen in the blue and white pint top She later took her mother, Margarita, and some other family members shopping at Sephora. The actress brought her adorable pooch Bubbles along with her. The Vergara family matriarch looked cool and collected in a slowing blue and white print top and jeans. Shopping: The Screen Actors Guild award winner shared a shopping spree at Sephora with members of her family and her dog Bubbles The two family members, who look a lot like their famous relative, wore chic but cool sundresses. One chose a red maxi with a strappy lowcut back, the other a green and white strappy maxi dress with tier layers. Sofia donned a green mask for the buying spree at the cosmetics store. According to her social media accounts, the Modern Family star was in South Florida to attend an engagement party. She recently returned from a trip to Corfu for best friend Binky Felstead's wedding. And Millie Mackintosh was making the most of some quality family time as she enjoyed a staycation in Devon with her brood on Sunday. The Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to her Instagram to share a slew of snaps from her getaway in Salcombe, including a short video showing the highlights. 'A delightful few days': Millie Mackintosh was making the most of some quality family time as she enjoyed a staycation in Devon with her brood on Sunday The mother-of-two was joined on the trip by her husband Hugo Taylor and their daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, nine months. The family all beamed for the camera as they lounged on a sofa with their two children sat on their knees wearing matching yellow outfits. Millie and Hugo couldn't contain their smiles as they both rocked sunglasses while posing for a selfie with Sienna. Selfie! The Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to her Instagram to share a slew of snaps from her getaway in Salcombe, including a short video showing the highlights Coordinated: The mother-of-two was joined on the trip by her husband Hugo Taylor and their daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, nine months The former reality star also shared a snap of Hugo soaking up the sun on a boat while donning a pair of blue shorts and a grey T-shirt. The family enjoyed walks on the beach, splashing in the sea and even gave fans a glimpse of the food they enjoyed. Millie looked sensational as she flashed her toned physique in a cream crop top and white maxi skirt which she teamed with a pair of matching sandals and a large woven beach bag. Relaxing: The former reality star also shared a snap of Hugo soaking up the sun on a boat while donning a pair of blue shorts and a grey T-shirt She styled her long blonde tresses poker straight as she posed up a storm for a mirror selfie in a lift. She captioned the gallery of snaps: 'A delightful few days in Devon @harbour_beachclub #staycation #familyholiday'. Millie was no doubt pleased to spend some quality family time with her children after she and Hugo jetted to Corfu for Binky's second wedding to husband Max Darnton in Corfu. The weekend before the family had been on the Greek island of Zakynthos where Millie celebrated her 33rd birthday. Yummy! The family enjoyed walks on the beach, splashing in the sea and even gave fans a glimpse of the food they enjoyed Hugo shared a sweet tribute to his wife of four years as he told how he and their daughters are 'so lucky' to have her. He wrote in an Instagram post: 'To the most exquisite, wonderful, sensational and beautiful girl Ive ever ever known. Happy birthday! 'You do so much for so many people to make them happy. And we are so lucky to have you in our lives. Heres to another trip around the sun. Yours always. Love '. Stunning: Millie looked sensational as she flashed her toned physique in a cream crop top and white maxi skirt which she teamed with a pair of matching sandals and a woven beach bag Millie and Hugo originally dated in 2011 while on Made In Chelsea, but split up when it emerged he had cheated on Millie with Rosie Fortescue. They reunited in the second half of 2016 and Hugo proposed during a holiday in Mykonos, Greece, in July 2017. She was previously married to musician Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, in September 2013. The couple announced their split in February 2016 after two-and-a-half years of marriage and finalised their divorce in May 2016 - the same week that Millie went public with Hugo during a trip to Monaco. Gordon Ramsay showed off his cheeky side as he mocked fellow celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in an amusing Instagram video on Sunday. The F Word star Gordon, 55, shared a comment from a social media user which read: 'I bet you are one of those chefs that just steal other people's recipes.' Pointing at himself before wagging his finger and mouthing 'no, no, no,' Gordon was then seen spinning around to reveal Jamie's 2004 book Jamie's Dinners tucked in to the back of his jeans. Messing about: Gordon Ramsay, 55, showed off his cheeky side as he mocked fellow celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in an amusing Instagram video on Sunday He captioned his post: 'When you let @tillyramsay do your social media. Kid.my secrets out!!' In 2020, Australian chef Mitch Orr accused Gordon of 'stealing' one of his signature dishes. At the time, the outspoken British chef uploaded a video to Instagram of himself making a Vietnamese braised pork carbonara served with an egg yolk. Naughty: Pointing at himself before wagging his finger and mouthing 'no, no, no,' Gordon was seen spinning around to reveal Jamie's book tucked in to the back of his jeans Mitch claimed the recipe was an exact replica of his one of his dishes - macaroni, pig's head and egg yolk - once served at his former Sydney restaurant ACME. He commented on Gordon's post, saying: 'Looks familiar mate,' which instantly drew support from the hospitality industry. Mitch said that while chefs and cooks don't own recipes, it is 'standard etiquette to give credit where credit is due'. Accusation: The F Word star Gordon shared a comment from a social media user which read: 'I bet you are one of those chefs that just steal other people's recipes' Out of control? He captioned his post: 'When you let @tillyramsay do your social media. Kid.my secrets out!!' 'Gordon is one of the biggest chefs in the world with over 9 million followers on social media the right thing to do is to credit where the inspiration for the dish came from,' told Emerald City. It comes after Gordon received criticism last week after a viral TikTok video showed him climbing into a pen of lambs while saying: 'Im going to eat you! Yummy, yum, yum, yum, yum.' As the lambs cheerfully trotted over to greet him, he asked: 'Which ones going into the oven first?', before pointing at one and declaring: 'You!' Repeating history? In 2020, Australian chef Mitch Orr (pictured) accused Gordon of 'stealing' one of his signature dishes Finally, Gordon called out: 'Oven time' as he crept up to the frightened baby animals. The TV star captioned his upload: 'The Lamb sauce was still not found in the making of this video..' TikTok users were quick to comment, with one insisting: 'Ok I am not a vegan or vegetarian but that crosses the line,' with another joking: 'Don't play with your food, Gordon.' Shocking: 'Which one's going in the oven first? You!' exclaimed Gordon as he pointed at a sweet little lamb, before climbing in with the small flock in a controversial TikTok video 'Gordon please leave them alone find the lamb sauce, not the lamb,' begged one person who viewed the video. Someone else wrote: 'Alright I think Gordon has finally lost it. Someone do something before it's to late,' while another commented: 'Gordon I think you need a break from tiktok.' Many users asked if his video was to goad TikToker That Vegan Teacher, with one stating: 'Gordon about to be main villain in vegan teacher stories.' Poor flock: Users on the video platform were stunned by the clip which showed the celebrity singing: 'I'm going to eat you!' at the innocent baby animals 'Is this your response to the vegan teacher?' asked someone else Self-proclaimed animal activist Kadie Karen Diekmeyer became a TikTok sensation as That Vegan Teacher after going viral for her videos that promote a vegan lifestyle. In 2021, Gordon was called out for his love of meat by the vegan TikToker, who sang 'Eating animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay / Hurting animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay / And if you call me a 'donut,' that's fine, as long as you're vegan from now on.' In a viral video response, the celebrity chef addressed the drama by eating a burger on camera and calling Kadie a 'vegan donut' while nodding along to her song. 'Beef burgers were consumed while making this TikTok' he captioned the video and later posted the video on his Instagram account, adding: 'It's an honour a song was written about me.and now back to my beef burger.' Kim Kardashian put her flawless complexion on display to promote her SKKN by Kim brand Sunday. The reality star, 41, appeared makeup free as she shared three photos in which she is washing her face with products from her recently released skincare line. It comes after the beauty ended her nine-month romance with boyfriend Pete Davidson, 28, due his 'immaturity and young age.' Flawless complexion: Kim Kardashian, 41, put her flawless complexion on display to promote her SKKN by Kim brand Sunday The entrepreneur styled her blonde bob in a chignon at the nape of her neck and demonstrated the cleansing process using her pink gel manicured hands, writing on the SKKN by Kim Instagram page, 'Soaking it all in (water drop emoji).' The Kardashians star has kept mum about her recently reported breakup with the comedian. CNN is reporting a source has confirmed the split, explaining, 'They did break up this week amicably due to distance and schedules.' Soak it in: The entrepreneur styled her blonde bob in a chignon at the nape of her neck and demonstrated the cleansing process using her pink gel manicured hands, writing on the SKKN by Kim Instagram page, Soaking it all in (water drop emoji).' The former SNL star had been in Australia for several weeks shooting the film, Wizards. In addition to battling long distance as he works on a project in Australia while she is based in the US, a source told Page Six, the reality star was 'totally exhausted by this relationship and other things going on in her life.' 'Pete is 28 and Kim is 41 they are just in very different places at the moment,' the insider says. Differences: It comes after the beauty ended her nine-month romance with boyfriend Pete Davidson, 28, due his 'immaturity and young age' They added: 'Pete is totally spontaneous and impulsive and wants her to fly to New York, or wherever he is on a moments notice. But Kim has four kids and it isnt that easy. She needs to focus on the kids.' The former couple, were first linked in October last year weeks after she made her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live, where the now exes shared an on-screen kiss. Pete has spent months filming his upcoming movie Wizards! in Australia, where Kim visited him in July for a romantic getaway in the Daintree Rainforest. 'Pete is totally spontaneous and impulsive and wants her to fly to New York, or wherever he is on a moments notice. But Kim has four kids and it isnt that easy. She needs to focus on the kids,' a source told Page Six of why they split However their luxury stay at a lavish five-star 'eco lodge' in the jungle was evidently not enough to salvage the couple's relationship. News of their split comes a day after a source told People that the 'long distance hasn't been easy for Kim' as Pete continued shooting Wizards! abroad. An insider has now explained to E! News: 'They have a lot of love and respect for each other, but found that the long distance and their demanding schedules made it really difficult to maintain a relationship.' Meanwhile the Kardashian family is growing after Khloe Kardashian, 38, and her ex-partner, Tristan Thompson, 31, recently welcomed their second child, an as yet un-named baby boy, via surrogate. They also share a four-year-old daughter, True. She's been enjoying a holiday-filled summer with her two daughters and husband Chris Hughes. And taking to TikTok on Saturday, Amanda Holden enjoyed a boogie in Sicily as she danced jokingly alongside her daughters Lexi, 16, and Hollie, 10, with the trio bearing a striking resemblance. The family were joined by Alan Carr, who she's currently filming a new show with in the Mediterranean island, and a group of others for the video. Busting a move: Amanda Holden, 51, showed off her dancing skills on Saturday as she enjoyed a boogie for a TikTok video in Sicily Amanda donned a white sundress with a v-neckline, cut out and spaghetti strap design for the video, while her blonde locks were left down in a soft curl. Lexi also sported a white dress with a puff sleeve design, giggling for the playful video. While Hollie stood beside Alan, with Amanda's mum holding on to the youngster as it appeared to be a family affair. Lookalike: She danced jokingly alongside her daughters Lexi, 16, and Hollie, 10, with the trio bearing a striking resemblance Matching: The trio all sported white dresses for the evening of fun Beauty: Amanda's blonde locks were left down in a soft curl, as she opted for a glowing palette of makeup For one video, the camera began on her as she danced towards it, before panning to the group - where Alan, Hollie and Lexi all showed off their skills. While another displayed the Chatty Man as the centre dancer, before panning to Amanda and her daughters who danced side by side. The Britain's Got Talent judge captioned the video: 'Fornite moves in sicily'. Going for it: Her eldest daughter Lexi, 16, giggled while dancing as she sported a puff sleeve white dress Group: Alan Carr was in fits of laughter as he stood beside Lexi, with Amanda's mother beside him too Chatty Man: The comedian also posted his own video, where he began with the camera on himself Amanda has been keeping her 1.8M Instagram followers updated with family snaps throughout their getaway, as she mixes some work with holiday time. She and Alan are currently filming a BBC property show together where they renovate a house in Italy for the new programme. With her family joining her on this trip of filming, it comes after she enjoyed a trip to Greece with them - sharing a slew of sun-soaked shots. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised actress Jessica Chastain for aiding his country amid the nation's ongoing conflict with Russia. The politician, 44, and Head of the Presidential Administration Andriy Yermak, 50, met with the American screen star, 45, in a closed format in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Sunday. President Zelenskyy thanked Jessica and similar Hollywood stars for visiting Ukraine amid the war in a statement shared on messaging service Telegram after the meeting: 'American actress Jessica Chastain is in Ukraine today. For us, such visits of famous people are extremely valuable. Gratitude: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 44, has praised actress Jessica Chastain, 45, for aiding his country amid the nation's ongoing conflict with Russia 'Thanks to this, the world will hear, know and understand the truth about what is happening in our country even more.' While in Kyiv, Jessica visited children's hospital Okhmatdyt to meet the young people who are being treated from the war-torn cities of Kherson and Chernihiv, before travelling to the city of Irpin. In June, Ukraine thanked its Hollywood A-list visitors Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Liev Schreiber and Angelina Jolie for visiting the war-torn country during Russia's savage invasion. Discussion: The politician met with the American screen star in a closed format in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Sunday Meeting: They were joined by Head of the Presidential Administration Andrii Yermak (left) and other government officials at the meeting Statement: President Zelenskyy thanked Jessica and similar Hollywood stars for visiting Ukraine amid the war in a statement on Sunday The Ministry of Defence said in a tweet that the country is 'grateful to Hollywood stars who, despite the danger, have visited us'. A statement read: 'You are more than just an inspiration to all of us. Millions around the world have heard the truth from you about the struggle of the Ukrainian people.' Angelina is a special envoy with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and visited Ukraine in April where she met with volunteers and refugees. Support: Ukraine previously thanked Hollywood A-list visitors Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Liev Schreiber and Angelina Jolie for visiting the war-torn country during Russia 's savage invasion Sean was in the country when war broke out and has been making a documentary about President of Russia Vladimir Putin's barbaric invasion. The actor also held a benefit concert, raising 2million for the war victims. Spotlight star Liev helped found a network to support and verify grassroots organisations helping Ukraine. Speaking out: Hollywood star Ben Stiller has said 'seeking safety is a right and it needs to be upheld for every person' during a visit to Ukraine in June Ben was one of the most recent celebrities to pay a visit in which he met with President Volodymr Zelenskyy in June. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what President Vladimir Putin termed a 'special military operation', the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought largely in Ukraine's east and south. Fighting over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, captured by Russian forces in the opening stage of the war but still run by Ukrainian technicians, has raised the prospect of a wider disaster. Visit: Sean Penn is seen in Krakov, Poland, signing a deal with authorities to help Ukrainian refugees as he helps the victims of the war (pictured in March) Shells hit a high-voltage power line at the facility on Friday, forcing its operators to disconnect a reactor to prevent the possibility of radiation leaks. Another bout of shelling yesterday hit a storage facility at the plant said to contain nuclear waste and injured one worker. The United States has accused Russia of using the facility as a 'nuclear shield' by moving large amounts of troops, ammunition and military equipment to the area, in the knowledge that Ukraine's armed forces are highly unlikely to launch an attack on its own power plant, particularly with the looming threat of nuclear disaster. Visiting Ukraine: UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie poses for a picture with children in Lviv as she made a visit to the country in April Work: Actor Liev Schreiber looked on during an interview at Ukraine House in Davos in May after co-founding an organisation to help war charities Russia is trying to gain control of the largely Russian-speaking Donbas region in the east, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, where pro-Moscow separatists seized territory after the Kremlin annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukraine's military said late on Saturday that Russian forces had shelled dozens of front-line towns and were trying to attack in six different areas in the Donetsk region, though had struggled to gain any ground. Zelensky said that over the past week his forces had 'achieved powerful results' in destroying Russia's logistics supplies and rear bases. Lates: A high voltage power line was destroyed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Friday, forcing its operators to disconnect a reactor to prevent the possibility of radiation leaks 'Every strike on the enemy's ammunition depots, on their command posts, and on accumulations of Russian equipment saves the lives of all of us, the lives of Ukrainian military and civilians,' he said in a late-night video address. British military intelligence said earlier that Russian forces were almost certainly amassing in the south, anticipating a counter-offensive or in preparation for an assault, and the war was about to enter a new phase, with most fighting shifting to a nearly 220 miles-long front from near Zaporizhzhia to Kherson, parallel to the Dnieper River. Ukraine's forces were focusing on hitting bridges, ammunition depots, and rail links with growing frequency in its southern regions, including the strategically important railroad spur that links Kherson to Russian-occupied Crimea, it said. It's been nearly a week since Love Island came to a spectacular end at the live final which saw Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti. And Laura Whitmore dazzled as she hosted the 2022 Love Island 2022 reunion on Sunday. The presenter, 37, wowed in the fuchsia pink strappy dress, which was paired with colourful platform heels. Wow: Laura Whitmore dazzled as she hosted the 2022 Love Island 2022 reunion on Sunday Her tresses were styled in a 60s-inspired half updo and she sported a radiant palette of make-up. On Monday, Ekin-Su and her partner Davide were crowned as the Love Island 2022 champions and took home the 50,000 cash prize. The smitten couple have since bid farewell to Mallorca and touched down back in the UK on Wednesday morning, where they reunited with their loved ones. Since her win, a source told MailOnline she's already being inundated with lucrative offers, meaning she could surpass multi-millionaire Molly-Mae Hague, 23, who was runner-up on the 2019 series, to become the show's richest ever star. Love it: The presenter, 37, wowed in the fuchsia pink strappy dress, which was paired with colourful platform heels Busty: Her tresses were styled in a 60s-inspired half updo and she sported a radiant palette of make-up Fun: The star looked happy as she joined the finalists for the chat Ekin-Su, who entered the villa on the third day as a bombshell, has already had a taste of the spotlight, and the brunette is now set to cash in with an estimated 1million payday. A source close to Ekin-Su told MailOnline: 'We've never seen the likes of the deals that are already coming through the door. It's not just your typical reality TV fodder. 'She's absolutely inundated with lucrative offers from brands and they're prepared to pay big money to get her onboard. She's going to be the new Molly-Mae Hague!' Winners! On Monday, Ekin-Su and her partner Davide were crowned as the Love Island 2022 champions and took home the 50,000 cash prize Charlotte McKinney and her boyfriend Nathan Kotechko turned up the heat on Sunday. The model, 28, and her tattoo artist beau, 38, spent time poolside and at the beach in Positano, Italy, lounging in the sun and splashing in the waves. At one point the model recruited her other half to shoot some sensuous photos of her. Curvy: Charlotte McKinney put on a curvy display while on vacation in Italy Sunday She used a sunbed to create a series of provocative poses as she lay on a blue and white striped towel. The cover model styled her blonde locks in a bun as her heavily tattooed partner captured the shots on their SLR camera. Charlotte let her hair down as she and Nathan headed for a dip in the ocean. Fun in the sun: The model, 28, and her tattoo artist beau, 38, spent time poolside and at the beach in Positano, Italy posing for sexy shots Splashing about: The beauty showed off her sensational figure while splashing about The artist was seen floating on his back, enjoying the warm waters of the Mediterranean, as his girlfriend swam nearby. The Baywatch actress launched her modeling career using Instagram. The Orlando, Florida native dropped out of high school at 17. Vacation: At one point the model recruited her other half to shoot some sensuous photos of her Lounge: As Nathan reclined on a chaise lounge, the model recruited her tattoo artist beau to shoot some sexy shots, presumably for future social media postings Action: The former Dancing with the Stars contestant took the camera to grab a few snaps Bombshell: Charlotte has described herself as 'a curvier bombshell with big boobs' She has described herself as 'a curvier bombshell with big boobs,' and had a difficult time finding an agent, so decided to use the social media platform to share her portfolio. She is best known for starring in a Carl's Junior Super Bowl ad in 2015. Since then, she has modeled for a variety of lines and has created paid partnerships on social media. Instagram: The 5'8" beauty used Instagram to promote her skills as a model Float: The tattoo artist was seen floating on his back, enjoying the warm waters of the Mediterranean as his girlfriend swam nearby Fame: The runway veteran is best known for starring in a Carl's Junior Super Bowl ad in 2015. Since then, she has modeled for a variety of lines and has created paid partnerships on social media The Italian trip appears to be a working vacation for the busy influencer. Recent posts indicate she was invited to attend the Jennifer Lopez concert for UNICEF in Capri last week. She has also been sharing modeling photos on a near daily basis during while on the trip. Working trip: The Italian trip appears to be a working vacation for the busy influencer who posts almost daily on social media New career?: Charlotte has tried her hand at stand-up comedy several times. She decided to give it a try after being encouraged David Spade, whom she acted alongside in Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser Charlotte has tried her hand at stand-up comedy several times. She decided to give it a try after being encouraged by David Spade, whom she acted alongside in Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser. David, 58, and fellow comedian Whitney Cummings, 39, fed her lines for her first attempt at comedy, but she has posted other routines that may have been her own material. Her latest attempt can be seen on her Instagram feed. Love Island fans were in hysterics over Dami's 'salty' reaction to Summer unfollowing him on Instagram during Sunday night's reunion show. Summer was quizzed by host Laura Whitmore on whether she and Dami had cleared the air after they shared some heated words following the fall-out from their Casa Amor kiss, with Summer explaining that she wasn't happy with some harsh comments Dami made about her after she left the villa last month, The former Islander's honesty prompted Dami to sarcastically lash out at Summer for unsubscribing from his social media updates, with viewers branding his reaction 'childish'. Unimpressed: Love Island fans were in hysterics over Dami's 'salty' reaction to Summer unfollowing him on Instagram during Sunday night's reunion show (Dami pictured with girlfriend Indiyah) During Sunday's show, Laura asked: 'Summer, do you feel like everything is resolved now between you and Dami?' She replied: 'Yeah, a few comments were made when I left, that I'd seen when I left the show, which I'm not happy about.' Dami chimed in: 'I got unfollowed though,' which prompted girlfriend Indiyah to roll her eyes as she sat alongside him. Questions: Summer (pictured) was quizzed by Laura Whitmore on whether she and Dami had cleared the air after they shared some heated words following their Casa Amor kiss Laura sarcastically told Dami: 'The harshest thing that can happen to you, getting unfollowed.' Referring to Davide's friends unfollowing Ekin-Su earlier in the series when she crawled across the terrace to kiss bombshell Jay, Laura added: 'It's alright getting unfollowed though because Davide, your account was following and unfollowing Ekin-Su the whole time.' Taking to Twitter after hearing Dami's remark, one viewer wrote: 'Why Dami saying he got unfollowed kinda childish still.' Amused: Host Laura (pictured) sarcastically told Dami: 'The harshest thing that can happen to you, getting unfollowed' Licking his wounds? Summer's honesty prompted Dami to sarcastically lash out at Summer for unsubscribing from his social media updates (Dami pictured with girlfriend Indiyah) While someone else remarked: 'Dami why do you even know she unfollowed shut your mouth man.' 'Not Dami being salty about being unfollowed by Summer when he was giving Summer isnt over yet and then ended it #loveisland,' wrote another viewer. 'Dami looked so sad when he said Summer blocked and unfollowed him #loveislandthereunion,' noted someone else. Opinion: Taking to Twitter after hearing Dami's remark, one viewer wrote: 'Why Dami saying he got unfollowed kinda childish still' Amused at Laura's reaction to Dami's words, one person tweeted: 'Not Laura throwing shade at Dami about how being unfollowed isnt that deep lmaoo #loveislandreunion.' Making a prediction for Dami's relationship with Indiyah, another viewer wrote: 'Dami caring that Summer unfollowed him is so weird him & Indiyah are not going to last lol.' While one other person posted: 'She got unfollowed so Damis petty af.' Other viewers commented on Dami's mood, saying he looked 'miserable' during his appearance on the show. Moody: Other viewers commented on Dami's mood, saying he looked 'miserable' during his appearance on the show 'Why does Dami sound so miserable u ok king #LoveIsland,' wrote one person. 'Dami as miserable as always zero personality dull as dishwater rude no style whatsoever I hope Indiyah finds someone more suitable and fun #LoveIsland #LoveIsland,' shared another opinionated viewer. While someone else posted: 'DAMI doesnt want to be there Ive never seen someone look as miserable.' 'Dami looks SO miserable I dont think hes even smiled once, I really dont think him and Indiyah will last,' pondered one other viewer. Another person commented: 'Im not going to lie - this is awful. Also, with great respect, why is Dami so miserable? Feel like everyones a bit off.' Stolen kisses: Dami shocked Love Island viewers when he dramatically had his head turned for Summer during an explosive Casa Amor last month Dami shocked Love Island viewers when he dramatically had his head turned for Summer during an explosive Casa Amor episode last month. The pair shared a kiss soon after Summer arrived in the villa as a bombshell despite him being coupled-up with Indiyah. Dublin native Dami seemed to throw shade at Summer after she was dumped from the villa during a game of Truth or Dare when he admitted he always planned to return to Indiyah. Hoping to break the ice with four brand new contestants, everyone huddled around the firepit for some fun. Drama: During a game of Truth or Dare, new girl Nathalia asked: 'Is it true that when you went to Casa Amor you knew that you were always gonna end up with Indiyah?' When Dami picked Truth on his turn, new girl Nathalia Campos asked: 'Is it true that when you went to Casa Amor you knew that you were always gonna end up with Indiyah?' He quickly replied: 'Yeah, absolutely, 100%.' Seemingly wanting to ease some awkwardness, he joked: 'That was lovely thank you for that.' He then turned to Indiyah adding: 'Did you hear what I just said? 100%. I just brought a girl back because, you know...why not.' Nathalia quipped: 'Bless her, though. Poor Summer.' It would seem the line had struck a chord with Dami's partner Indiyah, 23, who later told the Beach Hut: '"Poor Summer", like, you don't even know her. Like what are you even talking about.' The couple both chose to twist after their time in Casa Amor, with Indiyah bringing Deji back to the villa, while Dami chose to recouple with Summer. However, it didn't take long for the original flame to spark again, and Dami and Indiyah were once again back on. They eventually finished the show in third place and were still together during the reunion episode. When Angelina Jolie had a preventative double mastectomy in 2013, it did much to raise awareness of a genetic mutation linked to a higher risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Now a model is aiming to become the new Angelina Jolie after undergoing a mastectomy following her sisters breast cancer diagnosis. Miss Jolie, whose mother died of ovarian cancer aged 56, decided to have the surgery after discovering she carried the mutated BRCA1 gene. But lingerie model Jade Power, 29, carries another less well known gene called PALB2, which was only discovered in 2006, and similarly raises the risk of breast cancer. Jade Power, 29, has taken the decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her lifetime risk of breast cancer It has led her to make the heartbreaking choice to have a double mastectomy at Guys Hospital in London. Miss Powers sister, Donna, 39, found out she carried a mutation in the PALB2 gene in September 2020 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Jade, a former Miss Sussex, is now determined to reduce her lifetime risk of breast cancer which is up to 63 per cent compared with 15 per cent for other women. The mother-of-one said: Angelina Jolie was one of the people who helped me make this decision by showing there is life after a mastectomy. But many people just dont know anything about PALB2, as we didnt, so I hope to try to make it as well known, just like Angelina became a poster girl for the Jolie gene. 'Learning I had this gene and facing this operation is scary, but I aim to go back to modelling lingerie afterwards with my new body. Donna, who is the second woman in her family to get breast cancer after her aunt, who was only 37 when she was diagnosed. Donna had surgery twice to fully remove a lump, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and requested genetic testing. Angelina Jolie had a preventative double mastectomy in 2013 after discovering she carried the mutated BRCA1 gene She described finding out she carried a mutation in the PALB2 gene. I just couldnt believe it, she said. I felt like there was just such a run of bad news coming in different waves and it was hard to navigate through it. Then I was told there was a 50 per cent chance my sisters could have PALB2 as well. The consultants older sister, Claire, 43, does not carry the gene, but Jade tested positive. Jade, who lives in London with her partner and nine-month-old son Zander, said: I waited two months for the result. I was so happy-go-lucky before this, but then my life changed in a flash and suddenly I had this much higher chance of getting breast cancer which, even with monitoring, might not be discovered until it was advanced or life-threatening. I knew having a double mastectomy would mean I didnt have to live a life of anxiety with every scan and check-up. 'As a new young mum, I just wanted to put myself in the best possible situation, especially after seeing my sister being diagnosed so young. Jade Power (front) has the less well known gene called PALB2, her sister Donna (top) was diagnosed with breast cancer and her sister Claire (left) doesn't have cancer or the gene The Power sisters have launched a social media campaign, under the slogan Not Just BRCA, with the aim of highlighting PALB2 mutations, which affect around one in 1,000 women, and other non-BRCA mutations. The sisters are also campaigning for everyone to receive a genetic test to identify mutations. Currently women under 50 can typically only get a genetic test on the NHS if a family member is known to have a faulty gene linked to breast cancer, or if they have a strong family history of the disease in younger women. Professor Marc Tischkowitz, from the department of medical genetics at the University of Cambridge, said: PALB2 is the next most important gene for breast cancer after BRCA1 and BRCA2, yet most women are probably still unfamiliar with it. 'Many experts believe every woman under 50 who gets breast cancer should have gene sequencing and I think that is the direction of travel. Fans are scrambling for answers following news of Kim Kardashian shock split from with Pete Davidson this week. The unlikely couple were last together just three weeks ago in Australia when Kim, 41, visited the comedian, 28, in Port Douglas, Queensland, while he took a break from filming his new movie Wizards! Kim went to extreme lengths to evade photographers rather than parading her nine-month-old romance while she was in Australia, perhaps suggesting her trip wasn't as romantic as it may appear. Kim Kardashian's (left) secretive Queensland rendezvous with ex-boyfriend Pete Davidson, 28, hints there was trouble in paradise between the pair weeks ago During her trip Down Under, the American reality star's elite security team was working around the clock to ensure she went undetected after she touched down in Cairns on her private jet. Sources told Daily Mail Australia Kim said she 'didn't want anyone knowing she was in Australia' and went to her best efforts to ensure she wasn't photographed. 'This is the one per cent of time she doesn't want to have to worry about getting glammed up and just wants to switch off,' they said. The unlikely couple were last together just three weeks ago in Australia when Kim, 41, visited the comedian, 28, in Port Douglas, Queensland, while he took a break from filming his new movie Wizards! Pictured in April 2022 'She's just here to spend time with Pete and has no plans on leaving the hotel. It's a very low-key trip and she doesn't want to be bothered,' the source added. 'Kim is happy to say 'hi' to you if you bump into her, but she definitely doesn't want to get her photograph taken on this trip.' Kim was originally set to meet Davidson at the Silky Oaks Lodge in Mossman, but is said to have relocated to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas for extra privacy. Kim was originally set to meet Davidson at the Silky Oaks Lodge in Mossman, but is said to have relocated to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas (pictured) for extra privacy Resort employees were also instructed not to ask the Hollywood stars for selfies or autographs, and not to post anything to their social media accounts. On the rare trips Kim did make out of Port Douglas, Kim used decoy cars to avoid detection and would enter and leave through the hotel's loading dock not accessible to resort guests. Interestingly, Kim - who usually loves documenting her love life on social media - failed to upload any photographs with Pete while they were together in Australia. On the rare trips Kim did make out of Port Douglas, Kim used decoy cars to avoid detection and would enter and leave through the hotel's loading dock not accessible to resort guests The extremely secretive nature of Kim's visit could be sign there was trouble in paradise between the couple weeks before their split. Kim ended her nine-month romance with Pete last week due to his 'immaturity and young age', according to reports. In addition to battling long distance as he worked in Australia while she is based in the US, a source told Page Six the reality star was 'totally exhausted by this relationship and other things going on in her life.' Interestingly, Kim - who usually loves documenting her love life on social media - failed to upload any photographs with Pete while they were together in Australia 'Pete is 28 and Kim is 41 they are just in very different places at the moment,' the insider says. They added: 'Pete is totally spontaneous and impulsive and wants her to fly to New York, or wherever he is on a moments notice. But Kim has four kids and it isnt that easy. She needs to focus on the kids.' However, a source close to Pete tells DailyMail.com: 'Their break up was completely amicable. They had a great time while it lasted but long distance and different priorities saw it come to an end. It comes after it was reported that Kim ended her nine-month romance with Pete due to his 'immaturity and young age' Ben Affleck appeared to be in high spirits when he was spotted swinging by a gas station in Beverly Hills to pick up a few items. The Gone Girl actor was accompanied by his ten-year-old son, Samuel, as they ran a couple Sunday errands together. The 49-year-old star recently returned from an extravagant honeymoon with his new wife Jennifer Lopez, 53. Weekend outing: Ben Affleck, 49, was seen out and about stopping by a gas station in Beverly Hills with his son, Samuel The Good Will Hunting actor kept his look simple and comfortable for his errand run. He donned a white, short-sleeved T-shirt to stay cool during the hot, summer day. He added a pair of blue jeans to complete his ensemble. Ben slipped into a pair of green and white sneakers that were laced securely. As he walked back to his car after purchasing a few items, his wedding band flashed in the daytime light. A quick stop: The actor's son was seen holding a large brown paper bag full of items and snacks they purchased at the gas station His son followed his father's style, also wearing jeans and a simple, printed T-shirt during the day. Ben returned to sunny Los Angeles while his new bride, Jennifer, remained abroad in Europe, following their romantic honeymoon in Paris. Although the lovebirds have already sacrificed time apart, a source close to the couple informed Hollywood Life that their relationship is better than ever. Growing love: A source explained that the newlyweds believe that their time apart has a positive impact on their relationship 'They actually believe that spending time apart from each other makes them stronger,' the insider explained. 'It is perfect because when they are apart, they are making an extreme amount of money. It is a win-win situation.' 'The one thing that makes their relationship so unique is that they do know more than anyone else the demands that come with doing what they do,' the source stated to the publication. Staying close: The actor recently returned from an extravagant honeymoon with his new wife Jennifer Lopez, 53; Pictured February 2022 in Los Angeles The couple still took time to communicate with each other during their lengthy time apart. 'They are always talking, texting, FaceTiming, and even camming when they are apart working.' The insider added, 'JLo loves the fact that she knows her husband will be there for her no matter what.' Jennifer stayed behind in Europe to focus on work of her own, and was recently spotted on set for a photo shoot in Capri. KYIV, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Amnesty International apologised on Sunday for "distress and anger" caused by a report accusing Ukraine of endangering civilians which infuriated President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and triggered the resignation of its Kviy office head. The rights group published the report on Thursday saying the presence of Ukrainian troops in residential areas heightened risks to civilians during Russia's invasion. "Amnesty International deeply regrets the distress and anger that our press release on the Ukrainian military's fighting tactics has caused," it said in an email to Reuters. "Amnesty Internationals priority in this and in any conflict is ensuring that civilians are protected. Indeed, this was our sole objective when releasing this latest piece of research. While we fully stand by our findings, we regret the pain caused." Zelenskiy accused the group of trying to shift responsibility from Russian aggression, while Amnesty's Ukraine head Oksana Pokalchuk quit saying the report was a propaganda gift for Moscow. Ukrainian officials say they try to evacuate civilians from front-line areas. Russia, which denies targeting civilians, has not commented on the rights report. In its email on Sunday, Amnesty said it had found Ukrainian forces next to civilian residences in 19 towns and villages it visited, exposing them to risk of incoming Russian fire. "This does not mean that Amnesty International holds Ukrainian forces responsible for violations committed by Russian forces, nor that the Ukrainian military is not taking adequate precautions elsewhere in the country," it said. "We must be very clear: Nothing we documented Ukrainian forces doing in any way justifies Russian violations." (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Damascus, 2 August 2022 Italy has contributed 2 million euros to the World Health Organization to support efforts to vaccinate 40% of the targeted population in Syria by the end of 2022. A number of interventions have so far been implemented at the national level to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination in Syria, including national vaccination campaigns in May and June 2022. During these two campaigns, the Ministry of Health mobilized over 6000 trained health workers to conduct COVID-19 vaccination activities at both fixed health facilities and through mobile medical teams across all governorates of the country. Despite all these efforts, only 10% of the total population of Syria have received full vaccination. This low coverage is due to high vaccine hesitancy caused by the prolonged and complex crisis coupled with a deteriorating economic situation, both of which have triggered general fatigue among the Syrian population and impeded COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Italy recognizes the crucial role of health as an essential engine for the social and economic development of the population. This contribution is in line with the funds made available to WHO in 2020, at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, for a programme aiming at enhancing the national laboratory diagnostic capacity for timely confirmation of COVID-19, and integrates the distribution of almost 4 million doses of Johnson & Johnson donated by Italy at the beginning of 2022 through the COVAX facility, said Mr Massimiliano DAntuono, Charge dAffaires of the Italian Embassy in Damascus. Thanks to the collaboration with WHO, Italy guarantees its support to the health system, considering particularly the low vaccination rate in Syria against a global increase of positive cases. Therefore, this programme allows us to cover the operational costs to expedite the vaccination process and to reach all locations in Syria, confirming our support to the Syrian population added Mrs Alessandra Piermattei, Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for Lebanon and Syria. The donation of the Italian Cooperation will support the operational costs of two rounds of intensified vaccination activities in all 14 governorates of Syria, including for internally displaced people, refugees and high-risk groups in formal and informal settlements, contributing to increased vaccination rates and reduction of morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the Syrian health system, already overburdened by the ongoing crisis and the depletion of health professionals and medical supplies, said Dr Iman Shankiti, WHO Representative a.i. in Syria. WHO welcomes this generous funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, which will play a pivotal role in supporting the health system to scale-up COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the country and protecting the lives of people on Syria, Dr Shankiti added. Earlier in 2022, Italy donated around 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility to boost higher vaccination rates in Syria. This new contribution is an additional milestone towards achieving a more resilient public health system and a healthier tomorrow for the Syrian population. NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is betting big on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deal with threats. It has deployed several units of AI-powered smart surveillance systems in northern and western borders of the country. This has reduced the requirement for manual monitoring. Also, the Indian Army deployed an AI-based suspicious vehicle recognition system in eight locations in northern and southern theatres. An AI lab has been established at Military College of Telecommunication Engineering wherein AI projects undergo extensive in-house testing before being given to a production agency for deployment. We have an AI surveillance system employed at multiple locations where inputs from the thermal images, cameras, and electro-optical devices are integrated and we are in a position to give real-time inputs to field formations," said sources. This provides soldiers on the ground real-time intelligence. "It has features like motion sensor alarms. So when a device picks up a movement, an alarm comes up on the TV screen," said sources. The Army has also deployed an AI-based suspicious vehicle tracking system in insurgency-hit areas where vehicle registration numbers are noticed and matched with the data of the ministry of surface transport. "It gives real time input to the soldiers in that particular area to identify whether that vehicle registration number is correct or incorrect," said sources. The Indian Army has also developed an AI-based cervical cancer detection system which has been deployed in some of the hospitals. "We have made our in-house algorithms in our institutions where we have established a centre of excellence for artificial intelligence. We have trained a pool of specialists, who have started working with the field formations trying to have assets which are deployable in the field. It could be surveillance based-systems, it could be HR management systems or it could be logistic systems. All of them are based on algorithms which we developed in-house," said sources. The advantage of in-house research centre, sources said, was that "we used to get the data from the field formations." "We used to create the algorithms in-house and then give it back to the formation. Again it used to be a continuous endeavour where we interacted with the field formations. We have 145 deployments of assets which have come up based on this," said sources. More than 50 per cent of police stations in the state including three police commissionerates - Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda - have not installed CCTVs as per the Supreme Court directions. (DC Representational Photo) HYDERABAD: More than 50 per cent of police stations in the state including three police commissionerates - Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda - have not installed CCTVs as per the Supreme Court directions and ministry of home affairs (MHA) guidelines. Sources said the police officials were unable to maintain a proper budget for installation of CCTV cameras inside police stations. Even though some police stations are equipped with CCTVs, they are not functioning properly due to non-maintenance. A few months ago, a Dalit woman, Mariyamma, was brought to the Addagudur police station in connection with a theft case in Yadadri district where the police allegedly harassed the woman who eventually died in police custody. The police officials, who investigated the case, submitted a report stating that the CCTVs installed inside the police station were not functioning. Similarly, the Atmakur (S) police of Suryapet district allegedly assaulted a tribal man inside the police station. In the same police station, no CCTV camera was installed. Out of 700-odd police stations including law and order and traffic in the state, more than 300 police stations have no CCTV camera installed as per the MHA guidelines and the Supreme Court orders. In Hyderabad, Rachakonda and Cyberabad, police officials proposed to install CCTVs in all law and order police stations. But, the initiative is at a snail's pace due to several reasons and lack of funds. A senior police officer said that they had given directions to all district unit officers to take measures for installing CCTV cameras. In some places, including the newly-formed districts, the superintendents of police (SPs) had taken measures and shortly would install CCTVs in the majority of police stations, he said. The state police technology unit was asked to prepare an estimation of the cost for the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations. The High Court in 2013 had directed the united Andhra Pradesh government to set up de-addiction centres in every district to treat drug addiction. (PTI File Photo) HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction over the state government not setting up de-addiction centres in every district headquarters across the state. The court observed that it was nothing but having scant regard for court orders. The High Court in 2013 had directed the united Andhra Pradesh government to set up de-addiction centres in every district to treat drug addiction. However, these orders were not complied, even after the formation of Telangana state. Bringing the same to the notice of the court, a practising advocate Mamidi Venumadhav, filed a petition before the combined High Court in 2016. At that time also, the court gave instructions to set up de-addiction centres and directed the Telangana and the AP governments to place the counters by explaining the furtherance in establishments of the centres. For six years, the Telangana government neither filed counters nor established free de-addiction centres in the districts. Hence, the court made it clear to the authorities of the medical and health department to file the counters with all details, else the principal secretary and director of the medical and public health department should appear before the court. The case was adjourned to August 25. ADILABAD: Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday said she was a good doctor and could diagnose problems and rectify them, while referring to the student's problems at IIIT-Basar. Dr Soundararajan visited the campus and interacted with students, staff, and non-teaching staff, and had breakfast with the students. She offered puja to Goddess Saraswati at the temple on Sunday morning after arriving from Hyderabad. The Governor met in-charge Vice Chancellor Prof. Venkata Ramana and director Satish Kumar of IIIT-Basar. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Soundararajan said she would mount pressure on the state government to see that students' problems got resolved soon, while expressing her displeasure over poor state of basic amenities. The Governor assured the students that the highest office in the state was with them. The Governor said she came as a mother to the campus after learning about the problems faced by students and would act as a catalyst. Speaking to mediapersons, the Governor said there was a need to improve facilities on the campus where 8,500 students study. Providing laptops to students was stopped in 2017 and now they wanted laptops and materials to participate in sports, she said. Students want good food, washrooms, and hostel rooms. These are basic needs for the students but unfortunately they are not being taken care of. Authorities must work out to solve the problems in a time-bound manner since many students come from economically marginal backgrounds and many of them are malnourished, Dr Soundararajan said. She said there were some security problems for the students after they participated in the agitation and were unable to move freely on the campus. Responding to a question about why she was meeting the media outside the campus and why officials were not following protocol, Dr Soundararajan said, You all know that it is an open secret. Where is the protocol? You have to tell me. The states highest office should be respected. I dont want to say much about that. The problems faced by students at IIIT Basar should not be deviated from, into a constitutional violation problem. But everything should be put in order, Dr Soundararajan added. The authorities and police officials present at the temple and on the Basar IIIT campus did not allow mediapersons to accompany the Governor inside the campus. Only the staff of the Raj Bhavan who came along with the Governor were allowed at the temple and on the IIIT campus. Senior police officers and the district collector were not present to receive the Governor on her arrival in Basar. At one point in time, the Governor expressed her displeasure with the police personnel for overreacting and not allowing media at the temple. The police also did not allow BJP senior leaders to meet the Governor at the temple and on the IIIT campus. BJP leaders Rama Devi and Narayana Reddy alleged that there was a big scam in the Basar IIIT affairs and that was why authorities and police did not allow them to meet the Governor. Varanasi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman on Sunday slammed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting stating that "it will be a big loss for the state". The seventh meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in the national capital is underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing the meeting. The meeting is the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. KCR said he will boycott the meeting saying he doesn't find it useful to attend the meeting and his decision is a mark of protest against what he termed as the Centre's alleged blatant discrimination against states including Telangana. Responding to KCR's statement, the BJP MP Laxman said, "This is most unfortunate politics as it has nothing to do with Niti Aayog. Boycotting the meeting will not cause loss to him or his family but it is a big loss for the state." He further said that being a Chief Minister, KCR should attend meeting to discuss and raise issues related to the state. "Niti Aayog was formed so that chief ministers can discuss issues, can give their advice and ask questions from the government. Now you left this opportunity. KCR should come to the meeting and discuss whatever KCR had said in front of media," said BJP MP. The BJP leader said that the people of Telangana are fed up with the TRS government and they think that BJP is the only alternative for Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). "We have ample time to discuss here and now KCR is running from the meeting to cover up his failures. He is trying to divert the attention of the people by boycotting NITI Aayog. Now Telangana people are fed up with the TRS government and understand that only BJP is a reliable party who thinks about people welfare and TRS only alternative is BJP," he added. Earlier addressing a press conference KCR said, "As a mark of serious protest against the Government of India, I am boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi because the cooperative federalism and the team India spirit is totally lost by the central government and NITI Aayog." The TRS chief alleged the Centre is running a "dictatorship" and is imposing schemes which are undesirable to the states. He said the GST imposed on handloom products, milk and crematorium should be withdrawn. The agenda of the NITI Aayog meeting includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the National Education Policy-school education; implementation of the National Education Policy-higher education; and urban governance. In the drive toward building a steady, sustainable and inclusive India, the seventh governing council meeting of the government think tank Niti Aayog is expected to pave the way for synergies towards a new era of collaboration and cooperation between the Centre and states and union territories. As India commemorates 75 years of Independence, it is the need of the hour for the states to be agile, resilient and self-reliant and move towards 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' in a spirit of cooperative federalism, an official statement said. As part of preparations for this meeting, the National Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in Dharamshala in June 2022 which was the culmination of the six-month-long rigorous exercise by the Centre and States. The conference was chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, along with senior officials of the Central and State Governments. The governing council comprises the Prime Minister of India; Chief Ministers of all the states and union territories with the legislature; Lt Governors of other UTs; Ex-Officio Members; Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Full-Time Members, NITI Aayog; and Union Ministers as Special Invitees. The statement said that the meeting is particularly important as the country enters Amrit Kaal against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of India hosting the G20 Presidency and summit next year. The meeting would also lay emphasis on the importance of the Presidency for India for the federal system and the role that states can play in highlighting their progress at the G-20 Platform. VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam leaders are elated over the bonhomie between Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a gap of four years when the former CM met Modi while participating in the national committee meeting of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav in New Delhi on Saturday. Naidu and Modi talked with each other for five minutes in private. TD leaders are quite hopeful that their warm exchange will lead to restoration of political ties between the BJP and TD. The Union government had invited Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu, CMs of various states and eminent persons to participate in the Amrut Mahotsav preparatory meeting. However, the CM Jagan Mohan Reddy skipped the meeting as he had to attend two weddings. But Naidu did not miss the chance for which he has been waiting for the past four years. Strangely though, while TD released photos of Naidu meeting President Droupadi Murmu, the party did not publicise photos of Naidu meeting PM Modi. Only a small video clip came out in which Naidu and Modi could be seen talking to each other standing in the hall. While attending the national committee meeting of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, the former chief minister met various leaders. After the meeting concluded, Naidu asked PM Modi for a few minutes of time. The duo then talked to each other for five minutes standing side by side. Incidentally, Telugu Desam suffered badly in the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha general elections after it severed ties with the BJP and fought the elections on its own. Further, while campaigning during those elections, the TD leaders, including Naidu and film star Nandamuri Balakrishna, went all out in their criticism of BJP as well as Modi. Naidu even participated in a dharna in Delhi against Modi. This ended up totally damaging relationships between the two parties. Sources said Naidu is trying to revive his political alliance with BJP and Jana Sena keeping in view the forthcoming elections. Jana Sena founder K. Pawan Kalyan has already shown interest in the alliance between the three parties. But there has been no green signal from BJPs state leaders. TD sources said Naidu explained to Modi the political scenario in AP and peoples unhappiness with the Jagan Mohan Reddy government. He pointed to the PM that the financial condition of AP is poor, there is increased corruption, and the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating. The alliance between the two parties in the given circumstances will be beneficial for both. Party leaders are happy that Naidu has successfully met PM Modi. They hope that in the coming days political ties between BJP and BJP will be restored, benefitting both the parties. NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Union minister for tourism G. Kishan Reddy vented his ire at Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for skipping the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Sunday, which, he said, was nothing short of destroying the spirit of federalism. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi later, Reddy said Let him take rest in his farmhouse, but he should stop criticising Niti Aayog, whose rankings he had earlier celebrated, Kishan Reddy said. The minister said that Chandrashekar Rao was unable to digest the rising popularity of the BJP in Telangana. The CM was maligning Central agencies only for his political benefits, the Union minister said. Kishan Reddy said that the Union government had extended financial support to poor families to facilitate construction of houses. If state governments identify lands, the Centre will release funds, he said. Fearing that the NDA government would garner credit, Chandrashekar Rao had stopped implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana programme, he said. Stating that they would celebrate the partition day on August 11, Reddy said there will be a photo exhibition in Parliament capturing scenes from the days of partition. He called upon everyone to hoist the national flag atop their houses from August 13 to 15 to commemorate 75 years of independence. Around 20 crore households will unfurl the national flag, he said. Kishan Reddy urged all NRIs to do likewise. HYDERABAD: The TRS leadership continues to maintain silence on upcoming Munugode Assembly bypoll. For now, the leadership is focussed on making the two-week-long Swatantra Bharata Vajrotsavam being organised by the state government from Monday to August 22 to celebrate 75 years of Independence a huge success. The party leadership is waiting for Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy to submit his resignation to the Assembly Speaker before going all out to win the bypoll. Arrangements are in place at HICC for the launch of the vajrotsavam celebrations by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday in a grand way to instil patriotic fervour in people. All elected representatives, from MPs, MLAs, MLCs to mandal praja parishad members, along with top officials of the state government, uniformed services, PSUs and others, numbering nearly 2,000 invitees, will participate in the event at HICC. Distribution of 1.20 crore National Flags for free to all households in the state will commence from Tuesday. The respective local bodies have been entrusted with the job. The Chief Minister has constituted organising committees at state-level and also at the district level which are led by the incharge ministers, to organise the celebrations in a foolproof manner for two weeks. All the ministers are busy in respective districts making arrangements for the success of Independence Day celebrations till August 22. A grand display of fireworks will be held at Tank Bund in the city as well as all district and mandal headquarters on August 14 night. Throughout the fortnight, special cultural events will be showcased at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad. Iran on Sunday demanded that the UN nuclear watchdog "completely" resolve outstanding issues related to questions over nuclear material at undeclared sites, amid resumed talks to revive its 2015 nuclear deal. Talks aimed at reviving the agreement over Iran's nuclear programme resumed this week in Vienna, months after they had stalled. Iranian sources have suggested that one of the key sticking points is a probe by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on traces of nuclear material found at undeclared Iranian sites. "We believe that the agency should completely resolve the remaining safeguard issues from a technical route by distancing itself from irrelevant and unconstructive political issues," Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said. Also Read | Iran now speaking openly on nuclear bomb prospects During a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that his country is "serious about reaching a strong and lasting agreement", Iran's foreign ministry said. "The outcome of this matter depends on whether the United States wants to make an agreement," he added. The IAEA's board of governors adopted a resolution in June, censuring Iran for failing to adequately explain the previous discovery of traces of enriched uranium at three previously undeclared sites. But Tehran argued on Friday that the issues surrounding the undeclared sites "are political in nature and should not be used as a pretext for abuse against Iran in the future". "Nuclear weapons have no place in the doctrine of the Islamic republic of Iran and are contrary to our policies and beliefs," Amir-Abdollahian reiterated on Sunday. The negotiations to revive the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, began in April 2021 before coming to a standstill in March. Also Read | Iran whistleblower convicted over false information The 2015 deal gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme to guarantee that Tehran could not develop a nuclear weapon -- something it has always denied wanting to do. But the US unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and the reimposition of biting economic sanctions prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments. Russia's envoy to Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov however said Sunday that talks are moving "in the right direction." A successful conclusion can be reached "very soon, but no guarantees -- as always nothing is agreed until everything is agreed", he told reporters outside the Palais Coburg hotel where the talks are being held. Several organisations representing the Chakma and Hajong community in Arunachal Pradesh staged a protest on Saturday against the state government's recent decision to suspend the process to issue Residential Proof Certificates (RPC) to them. The BJP government in the state on July 29 suspended the RPCs for the Chakmas and Hajongs following a demand by All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU). The students' body had called for a "general strike" if the RPC were not suspended. AAPSU demands that the Chakmas and Hajongs should be settled outside Arunachal Pradesh as they are "outsiders" and pose a threat to identity to other ethnic communities. "The denial of the RPCs is nothing but continuation of racial profiling of the Chakmas and Hajongs. This is not something allowed in a country governed by the rule of law, stated Krishna Chakma, spokesperson of the Chakma Hajong Rights Alliance, which is leading the protest at Diyung in Changlang district. The first victim of the denial of the RPCs are job seekers who are students. They are citizens of India and often join recruitment in the army. The same is being denied through suspension of the RPCs as the recruitment drive into the Indian Army has started. This is being done to deny existence of the Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh and finally push them out of the state,"said Rup Singh Chakma, president of the Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students' Union. Arunachal Pradesh at present has nearly 65,000 Chakma and Hajong people. They were settled between 1964 and 1969 in Changlang and Papum Pare district following an ethnic clash and a dam disaster in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of erstwhile East Pakistan (present Bangladesh). But tribal groups in Arunachal Pradesh have been agitating for years against their settlement. The issue triggered tensions in Arunachal Pradesh in the past. Fresh worries gripped the Chakma and Hajong community after Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on August 15 last year said that they would be relocated outside Arunachal Pradesh. This is despite the fact that the National Human Rights Commission had asked the state government in 1966 to offer Indian citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs. The Supreme Court had in 2015 asked the state government to offer Indian citizenship to them. The Chakma and Hajong groups have rejected the demand for resettlement outside Arunachal Pradesh and demand citizenship to the two communities. Chakmas are mainly Buddhists and Hajongs are Hindus. Hundreds of villagers lined up along the road on August 1 as the cortege of Sanwala Ram Vishnoi of the slowly proceeded to the crematorium at Band in Barmer in Rajasthan. The scene was equally sombre at the Bagariya Ki Bas village in the Sikar district of the State where the mortal remains of Shishupal Singh was consigned to flames on the same day. Vishnoi and Singh, both head constable of the Border Security Force (BSF), were brought home dead the previous day from Butembo, a city in North Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo, where they were killed by a frenzied mob that attacked a United Nations facility on July 26. They were among nearly 2040 soldiers and police personnel India contributed to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, a.k.a MONUSCO. The irate mob not only pelted stones, but also fired at the UN peacekeepers after snatching weapons from the local police personnel. Vishnoi and Singh as well as another UN peacekeeper from Morocco were killed in Butembo. At least 30 civilians were also killed in the waves of violent protests against the MONUSCO across eastern Congo. The agitators were led by the youth wing of the DRCs ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDSP) party led by the countrys President Felix Tshisekedi. They were demanding immediate withdrawal of the MONUSCO from the country, as the UN peacekeeping mission allegedly failed to protect local people from the militias. The conflict in Congo has a long and complex past and present, involving its eastern neighbours, Rwanda and Uganda, which have been backing countless militant organizations to extend influence in the Central African nations eastern region, which is known for mineral resources. The MONUSCO in 2010 replaced an earlier UN mission called the MONUC. It is now the largest of the 12 ongoing UN missions around the world, with 17783 personnel, including 12384 military personnel, 1626 police personnel and 2970 civilians, deployed in the DRCs conflict zones, according to a fact-sheet released by the international organization in November 2021. The UN already set a timeline to wind up its mission in Congo. The DRCs government forces are expected to take over most of the responsibilities of the MONUSCO by the end of 2024. But, with the DRC set to go to polls next year, the withdrawal of the MONUSCO turned into a political issue and, in the wake of the recent waves of protest over the UN missions failure to protect civilians from the militias, President Felix Tshisekedis government decided to ask the international organization to fast-track the exit of the peacekeepers. The MONUSCO spokesperson Mathias Gillmann recently told French radio station RFI that the UN peacekeepers deployed in the DRC did not have the military means to fight the M23, the most brutal among the militias operating in the eastern region of the country. He said that the M23 was operating almost like a professional army and armed with sophisticated weapons and if the MONUSCO focussed only on fighting the group, it would adversely affect its operations elsewhere in the country. His comment did not go down well with the DRC government, which expelled him from the country. No representative of the DRC government was present at an event the MONUSCO had held to pay homage to the peacekeepers killed recently indicating the state of relationship between President Felix Tshisekedis regime and the UN mission. The UN peacekeepers in Congo have also been accused of sexual exploitation of local women as well as killing or injuring innocent civilians. As recently as on July 31, two UN peacekeepers allegedly opened fire at a border post between the DRC and Rwanda, killing two civilians and injuring 15 others. Soon after Vishnoi and Singh were killed on July 26, New Delhis diplomatic mission in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, demanded that the perpetrators should be swiftly brought to justice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the demand during a phone-call with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on July 30. India has been a leading contributor of troops to the UN peacekeeping missions. It has so far deployed more than a quarter million troops in as many as 49 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions around the world so far. Its contribution to the UN peacekeeping missions had started soon after it attained Independence in August 1947. It had deployed over 300 personnel of the Indian Armys paramedical unit to facilitate withdrawal of the sick and wounded soldiers of the US and Republic of Korea as well as the UN forces engaged in the Korean War. It at present has about 5500 military and police personnel both men and women engaged in nine of the 12 ongoing UN peacekeeping missions around the world. The nation has so far lost 177 bravehearts, who sacrificed their lives for peace in faraway lands, with Singh and Vishnoi being the latest. New Delhi has since long been arguing at the UN forums that the peacekeeping missions should be given clear, focused, sequenced, prioritized and practically achievable mandates. India has also been insisting that the mandates should be matched by adequate resources for the peacekeeping missions. Safety and security of peacekeepers should be an utmost priority for all of us, Saurabh Kumar, Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the Government of India, told the UN Security Council on July 12 last. When the (Security) Council decides the crafting of peacekeeping mandates, we need to keep that cardinal principle in our minds. We cannot let the bearers of the blue flag be exposed to harms way, without providing them the necessary resources needed to tackle such threats. New Delhi has been arguing that the UN peacekeeping missions with so-called robust mandates had become targets of terrorist and armed groups. It cited data that suggested that while the success rates of the missions in protection of civilians in conflict zones had not improved, attacks on the personnel deployed for the mission had increased leading to an exponential growth of fatalities of peacekeepers. Kumar stressed on addressing the issue by engaging local communities, building trust, and helping them understand what peacekeepers could do for them and what they couldnt. He argued that local communities must be briefed about the responsibilities of the governments of the host countries. A day after the Uttar Pradesh minister for micro, small, and medium enterprises Rakesh Sachan allegedly fled from court after being held guilty in an old case by the district court in Kanpur, another state minister Sanjay Nishad, the president of BJP ally Nishad Party, found himself staring at trouble after a court in Gorakhpur issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him and ordered the cops to arrest him and produce him before the court. Chief judicial magistrate Jagannath issued the NBW after Nishad failed to appear before the court despite issuance of summons several times in connection with a case registered against him seven years back. The case pertains to large scale violence and clashes that erupted between supporters of Nishad and the police when the former had squatted on railway tracks demanding reservation for the community. Also Read | Police begins probe into Vikas Dubey's arms licence One person had been killed after the police opened fire on the protestors during the agitation in 2015. A case was lodged at Sahajanwan police station in Gorakhpur district against 36 people including Sanjay Nishad. He was later granted bail in the matter. State BJP leaders feigned ignorance about the issuance of the NBW by the court. "We have not yet seen the reports....the minister will follow the directions of the court," remarked a senior state BJP leader here on Sunday. Nishad's party had contested the recently concluded assembly polls in alliance with the BJP and was made a cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. Also Read | BSP MP acquitted in rape case; complainant had committed self-immolation outside SC The issuance of NBW against Nishad comes on the back of UP minister Rakesh Sachan fleeing from the court after being held guilty in a case under the Arms Act. According to the sources, Sachan, against whom a complaint was lodged by a court employee in Kanpur, was summoned by Adityanath Sachan, who was present in the court, suddenly left the court a few minutes before the judgement and was said to be untraceable, according to sources. The court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) has reserved its judgement on the quantum of punishment. The Samajwadi Party (SP) demanded the immediate sacking of the ministers. ''Sachan ran faster than a sprinter taking his files.....he should be sacked immediately,'' said an SP leader here. Congress, in a tweet, said that the minister (Sachan) must have thought that he was in a ''court at the Commonwealth Games and ran to receive a medal". A Parliamentary Standing Committee has suggested the government to reduce the import of coal and increase the domestic production to meet the demand. The Standing Committee on Energy in its report tabled in Parliament also expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work in starting the production of newly allocated coal blocks to state run thermal power plants. Thanks to efforts made by the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Coal, the import of coal for blending was reduced by 56% in 2020-21. However, the year 2021 has been unprecedented as the international prices of imported coal went up which affected the import of coal by imported coal-based power plants, thus leading to demand for more domestic coal and consequent reduction in domestic coal stocks at power plants," the report said. Despite having mammoth coal reserves in the country, we have been importing a substantial amount of coal. The share of imported coal, in some years, has been as high as 16-17 % of the total coal receipt. The reason adduced by the Ministry for import of coal is that imported coal is of superior quality, some plants are designed for use of imported coal while some others require it for blending purpose, etc. The Committee are of the considered view that import of coal should be done away with in a phased manner, as we have more than enough coal reserves to fully cater to meet our demand, the panel said. Read | Green nod for 10 expansion projects of Coal India The quality of indigenous coal can be enhanced to a great extent and the design of boilers of power plants can be modified to enable them to run on domestic coal, the panel headed by Lok Sabha member Rajiv Ranjan Singh. There were a total of 64 coal blocks allotted to the power sector and in which 16 were allotted to central public sector units. Out of 16 blocks, 5 have reached production. Delay in reaching production stage of mines was due to issues pending with the State Governments in respect of forest clearance, land acquisition, grant of mining lease. Expressing disappointment over tardy progress in development of coal blocks, the Committee said matters should be taken up at state governments to resolve the issues so that excavation work can start without any further delay. The first hypersonic missile will be made in India, similar to the already tested Russian Zircon. According to Atul Rane, the CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, BrahMos-II, which developed the supersonic BrahMos supersonic missile, spoke to TASS about the weapon system. Indian Hypersonic Technology Coming Soon The Indian aerospace firm is working with India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia to further develop the BrahMos series, reported EurAsian Times. After the BrahMos, the next version is the BrahMos II, which will follow up as an upgrade to its supersonic predecessor. In August 2020, the DRDO built India's first indigenous Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), which was launched. The BrahMos-initial II's flight test could take as much as five or six years, according to Rane. Technology To Be Transferred to New Delhi The CEO said they are collaborating with the Russians to create an improved hypersonic model. Rane explained that both missiles might use the same technology. Development of a hypersonic cruise missile is ongoing worldwide. Both the US and China are working on cruise missiles with hypersonic capabilities. But they do not yet possess them. Nobody has created an ultrafast cruise missile Rane continued. According to Moscow, NPO Mashinostroeniya is the company that created the Tsirkon hypersonic antiship cruise missile. According to President Putin's statements, the Zircon missile can travel at a maximum speed of roughly Mach 9 and has a maximum range of more than 1,000 kilometers. Tsirkon will be operational before the BrahMos II ultrafast missile capable of Mach 6 to 8 and 600 to 1000 kilometers. Read Also: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Exposes Main Battle Tanks Flaws Hindering Battle Victory The Russian missile is capable of conventional and nuclear warheads, although whether a nuclear warhead will be equipped is to follow. BrahMos-II Not To Be Sold Abroad India will produce the BrahMos that has been enhanced to reach Mach 5. It will be India's only hypersonic missile type, which will cost a lot to produce. Its supersonic version was sold to Manila last July. Interest in the supersonic cruise missile has Indonesia in talks to arm its warships as shipborne missiles. Rane said the Mach 5+ version of the guided missile would be only for Russia and India, not for anyone else. The CEO stated that because India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a missile with a 300-kilometer assault radius that weighs roughly 500 grams is now available but is not for sale. It holds for the supersonic BrahMos missile, whose most recent version has a 500-kilometer range. But there are limitations to the export versions of only 290 kilometers. The 500 km version is exclusive. Tsirkon To Be Ready Soon According to President Putin's declaration made on July 31 in honor of Russia's Navy Day, they will be used for the first time on the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Northern Fleet. Russia tested the Tsirkon hypersonic missile for the first time in 2021 from the nuclear-powered Severodvinsk submarine of the Northern Fleet. According to Russian media sources from November 2021, Tsirkon missile serial manufacture had already started while missile testing was being conducted. The made-in-India hypersonic missile called the BrahMos II, similar to the Russian Zircon will be available only for Delhi and Moscow when the prototype is made. Related Article: India BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missiles Aims To Capture ASEAN Market From US Harpoon Missile @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Up to 4,000 refugees from Ukraine could be looking for accommodation in the coming weeks, it has emerged. Around 3,000 Ukrainian refugees are due to be moved out of student accommodation in the second half of August, with another 1,000 expected to arrive from the war-torn country. Independent.ie has reported that three-hundred refugees will also have to be accommodated through the international protection system during that period. Ministers hope hotels, Citywest and pledged accommodation can be used to house people around the country. So far, 24,600 hotel beds have been contracted and 3,000 Ukrainians have been moved into accommodation pledged through the Red Cross. Over the past two weeks, 700 pledges have been processed, with people moved into housing provided by members of the public. It is understood that hospital accommodation has been volunteered for housing refugees, but this will have to be fitted out with the required beds and furnishings. However, this is not expected to be ready until late August or early next month. Firefighters are dealing with a large fire on the outskirts of Portadown, Co Armagh. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire involving a large number of hay bales on the Blackisland Road, Annaghmore, was reported at about 10pm on Saturday. Some 55 firefighters and six pumping appliances were deployed and crews worked through the night and into the early hours of Sunday. Four pumping appliances remained at the scene at 7am on Sunday. NIFRS group commander Paul Gould told the PA news agency that it remained an ongoing incident as of 11am on Sunday. #CoArmagh Motorists are advised that the Black Island Rd, Portadown is currently closed due to a large fire in the area. The #NIFRS are currently in attendance. Diversions are in place. Rd users are advised to avoid the area and find alternative routes for their journey (04:20) Trafficwatch NI (@TrafficwatchNI) August 7, 2022 He said: We have scaled down our resources but we are still involved in extinguishing the fire and dealing with the incident. The fire involved a large quantity of hay and this is still ongoing. We ask members of the public to stay away from the area as we try to resolve it. It is believed there were about 1,500 hay bales on the site. Mr Gould added: The embers coming from the fire creating the risk of the fire spreading quite dramatically, so thats why we had a large amount of resources. We remained on site overnight and are still on site dealing with it. It is not yet known what caused the fire. Mr Gould said: Were still trying to resolve the incident and extinguish the fire. Once that is completed well try to establish what the cause of the fire was. Trafficwatch NI said the road remains closed and road users are advised to find an alternative route. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. For Chinese processing and manufacturing enterprises that originally tried to make India an overseas product-processing centre, if it is indeed increasingly difficult and unprofitable to operate in the country, then withdrawing from India is also an available option, state-run Global Times has said. The Indian government is looking into cases of alleged tax evasion by three Chinese mobile companies -- OPPO, Vivo India and Xiaomi. "Frequent investigations by the Indian side into Chinese enterprises not only disrupt those companies' normal business activities, but also impedes the improvement of business environment in India and chills the confidence and willingness of market entities, especially Chinese enterprises, to invest and operate in India," read a commentary in the publication. Since April 2020, out of 382 foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals the central government received from Chinese firms, India approved only 80 as on June 29. "The number presents the increasingly difficult business environment facing Chinese investment and companies doing business in India," the report said. Some manufacturers have turned their eyes to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam after withdrawing from India. "Faced with competition from Vietnam, India should no longer set obstacles for its manufacturing development, and should stop carrying out crackdown on Chinese investment," the report added. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the China-India trade is on course to cross $100 billion for the second consecutive year as it has gone up to $67.1 billion in the first half of 2022. "Hopefully India can provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese investors, which will be mutually beneficial to both Chinese enterprises and India's manufacturing ambitions," the commentary read. OPPO India, Xiaomi India and Vivo India were served notices by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for duty evasion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha this week. A show-cause notice demanding Rs 4,403.88 crore has been served to OPPO Mobiles India Ltd based on an investigation conducted by the DRI, while five cases of Customs duty evasion have been registered against Xiaomi Technology India, Sitharaman said in a written reply. The DRI detected customs duty evasion of around Rs 2,217 crore by Vivo Mobile India Private Ltd. A show-cause notice has been issued to Vivo India demanding customs duty amounting to Rs 2,217 crore, under the provisions of the Customs Act. (Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited) For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in The One UI 5.0 public beta program started with the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra from the Korean OEM. Samsung's following major Android-based software will be called "One UI 5," and it will be based on Google's Android 13 release. Right now, the beta program is available in Germany and South Korea. It will also be available in the US. Several new One UI-specific features and Android 13 features have been added with the latest beta update. Check out the specifics. One UI 5.0 based on Android 13: What's new? Samsung is currently rolling out One UI 5.0 on the Galaxy S22 series, which includes the S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra. The firmware version for Germany is S90xBXXU2ZVH4, while the version for South Korea is S90xNKSU2ZVH4. On Samsung's Community Forums, people are also talking about it. There are a lot of new features in the update: According to the changelog, One UI 5.0 has new colour themes, stack widgets (which combine devices of the same size into one on the home screen), text extraction from images, a new gesture for split-screen, a histogram in the Pro mode of the camera app, and an improved DeX experience. You can also change the language for each app, make changes to the notifications, and change the background on the lock screen. There are also changes to Bixby, new AR emoji stickers, more ways to change GIFs, and many more. If you are eligible, you can join the Samsung Beta program by clicking on the One UI 5.0 beta banner in the Samsung Members app. Then you can download the update and try it out. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in Over the recent past, weve seen Meta working on a number of new updates regarding WhatsApp. And to the list comes another one related to group chats.If youve ever wanted to know which one of your contacts has bailed on you in a group chat, well, WhatsApp is definitely making your dreams come true.The popular communications platform is making sure users are up to date with the best feature that accommodates up to 100 people and the conversations that surround them.For instance, we got the chance to avail of a new community feature that brought like-minded individuals together so they could have an enriching conversation. And that just goes to show how the number of groups is increasing on the app as we speak.Hence, to help make sure youre up to date and have your fingers on the tab of whats really going on, WhatsApp is testing out a new feature to help you figure out who deserted you on group chats.Yes, you can now find out which new participant of a group managed to leave a conversation. While the feature has just arrived in its beta testing phase, we could well be seeing it rolling out soon.The feature basically comprises a log that users can maintain of all those deserters so, in the end, both group members and the respective admin are not left confused as to what went on.Hence, anyone that chose to quit or was evicted in the past 60 days would now be accounted for, thanks to a new report by WABetaInfo that confirmed the news.You can avail of the feature, after its released of course, by clicking on the Group Info tab. And thats where youll find the new feature that has been called See Post Participants.A separate search bar has been put forward that enlists all previous members so its easier to see who was once a part of the chat but no longer is. And we feel thats a huge handy functionality when youve got a giant group or a long thread. Along the way, people are added, while some are removed, willingly or unwillingly.We also feel the move would definitely be a welcoming one for small-scale firms as well because they use such groups to carry out internal dealings and to communicate with clients.In addition to that, were getting news about how the current system in place for notifying chats about members leaving or being forced to exit is getting deleted. Hence, other than the admins, of course, no one will really get notifications for such changes. And that just makes moderating the groups so much easier.Now, users can choose to record the names of such members diligently in their list outlined for Past Participants.While the beta release took place for iOS users this past week, it has just begun for Android testers today and thats why were seeing a few testers rave about it now.Also, we hope to see it make its way to the desktop version too, given the fact that the app is making the most of a cross-platform initiative.Read next: WhatsApp is soon going to launch a new feature and is in the process of releasing another Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 1,153 new residential addresses were added to the stock of residential dwellings in Louth in the year to the end of June 2022 (Q2 2022), according to the GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report for Q2 2022, released recently. The biannual report on the stock of residential properties in Ireland is based on GeoDirectorys comprehensive database of over 2 million residential building records and provides a unique and up-to-date analysis of the Irish housing market. Looking at information petaining to Louth from the report, it shows that Louth has the second highest proportion of terraced houses in the country, with 32% of the houses in the county being terraced. Dublin has the highest with 49.9% of the county total. Less than a quarter (24%) of the houses in Louth are detached dwellings with only Dublin having a lower percentage (16.1%). In terms of construction, 1,182 were under construction in Louth in Q2 2022. It is important to note however, that these are buildings as opposed to address points or dwelling units. In the 12 months to June 2022, commencements began on 751 residential units in Louth. This is however a 35.9% year on year decrease, among the sharpest in the country. Looking at apartments, Louth saw a 9.9% year on year increase in the number of apartment dwellings. The report defines apartments as a dwelling which exists in a building of five or more dwellings. Apartments in Louth make up 4.9% of the total residential stock in the county. There was a vacancy rate of 2.6% in dwellings in Louth in Q2 2022, according to the report. It is among the lowest in the country, and below the State average vacancy rate of 4.2%. Louth also had the third highest occupancy rate in Q2 2022, at 97%. The remaining 0.4% of Louth's housing stock comprises holiday homes. Unique to Geodirectory, it claims, is that it captures Ireland's derelict residential address points. A building is classified by the report as derelict if a lot of structural work/reconstruction is needed before it could be re-occupied. It is usually dormant for several years. According to the report, just 1.1% of the State's derelict address points are in Louth. The report also looks at the 2022 Census and the change in population. It indicates that the population in Louth has increased by 8% since the last 2016 Census. It also reports that the housing stock in Louth has increased by 7.3% since 2016. Finally, the report looks at property transactions and reveals that in the 12 months to May 2022, there was 1,294 residential property transactions in Louth. 26.4% of these were new dwellings and the average property price was 260,974. In Dundalk, 674 transactions took place, of which 29.7% were new dwellings. The average property price was 262,611. Moscow disputes that western claims it will target Kyiv with a nuclear attack will not happen. Since the start of the conflict, the US and NATO have been chittering about nukes after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned them. Russia Won't Use Nukes in Ukraine If the situation does call for the Russian Nuclear doctrine, but Russia asserts that the crisis in Ukraine does not satisfy any of the requirements in its extremely clear nuclear doctrine, reported RT. The Kremlin vehemently slams the west for outrageous claims it will attack Ukraine with nuclear weapons. Andrey Belousov, Chief of Moscow's delegation to the UN Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference, told the nuclear agency in New York City last Friday. He continued by saying that it is unthinkable since Russian doctrine greatly limits the scenarios that require the use of nuclear weapons that might be necessary for a crisis. He added by protecting against violence using conventional forces or in response to assaults using weapons of mass destruction once the state's basic survival is in peril. Belousov said that the situation in Ukraine is not pertinent to these speculative scenarios. The Russian diplomat also emphasized that a nuclear deterrent should be on high alert. He made it clear that the greater vigilance brought about by having more personnel on duty at the strategic command post differs from being on high alert while nuclear forces are on standby, allegedly by western claims, noted New On News. It is not stated to whom the response was addressed, but the Kyiv delegation appears to have provoked the Russian representative's response. Moscow is using weapons to threaten them with nuclear attack and the rest of the world, according to the NPT summit. The rhetoric from Russian sources is used by the Ukrainians as evidence of Russia's aggressiveness, citing Hi India. Read Also: Vladimir Putin's 'Girlfriend': 5 Things To Know About Alina Kabaeva Washington accused the Kremlin of coercing those supporting the proxy war in Ukraine. This is what followed the Kremlin's posture in Ukraine, its outspoken antagonism to the US, and its actions encouraged by its neocons and European backers. On Monday, the US launched an effort to denounce the Kremlin's nuclear weapons threat. He asserted that the United States uses its nuclear arsenal more sparingly and is the last resort to protect its interests with partners and allies. Call for New Nuclear Accord In a letter to the conference on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear that nuclear war is an unacceptably dangerous occurrence that would have an impact on all countries. The White House reportedly wants to talk with the Kremlin over a "new arms control framework" this week, according to reports. However, Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister, showed little interest in the offer. He criticized US President Joe Biden's suggestion for a new nuclear accord, questioning whether the US leader or his officials even can replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty or New Start left behind by the Trump Administration with anything better. The only significant arms control pact between Moscow and Washington that is still in effect is the historic New START. The deal was set to terminate in early 2021, although it was saved shortly after Biden's inauguration as Washington eventually consented to Moscow's wishes to prolong the agreement with no limitations. Presently, 2026 is the planned end date. All Western claims that Moscow is ready to attack Kyiv with a nuclear attack were called outrageous by Russian officials; they cited a strict framework of who can be nuked and what justifies it. Related Article: Kremlin Asserts Nuclear Conflict Option Back as US Global Provocations Rise From Europe to Indo-Pacific @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This September, the Mater Foundation is challenging people all across Louth to take part in the 100 Miles in a Month challenge to support patient care at the Mater Public Hospital. In the past two years alone, over 500 people from County Louth have raised an incredible 55,000 for the Mater Public Hospital, which its says, has made a huge difference to its patients who come from all across Ireland. So once again, it is calling on the people of Louth to take on its 100 Miles in Month challenge this September. Walk, jog, run, or even hike! its completely up to you. By signing up to take part, the 100 Milers will be invited to join a buzzing online community that will be on hand with fitness tips and tricks as well as lots of motivation to get them through the miles! And every mile tracked will be making an incredible difference to the Maters staff and patients. Funds raised from the challenge will allow the Mater Foundation to provide life-saving equipment across the hospital, equipment like its new state of the art PETCT scanner. This scanner, funded by its supporters, enables Mater staff to quickly diagnose and treat patients with cancer, heart disease and brain disorders. For more information or to register for 100 Miles in a Month Challenge, go to: https://www.materfoundation.ie/event/100-miles-in-a-month-september-2022/ Or to donate, visit www.materfoundation.ie/donate Mary Moorhead, Chief Executive of the Mater Foundation said, Our 100 Miles in a Month challenge this September is so important. The funds raised from the challenge will directly impact patients from all across Ireland as they will ensure that we always have the funds needed to upgrade and replace life-saving equipment as it is needed. "It is only with the support of the Irish public, that we are continuously able to transform patient care, saving even more lives and make a long and lasting difference to all who come through the hospital doors. "I am ever so grateful to the incredible people of County Louth who have continued to support our work at the Mater Foundation, as well as to all of those who sign up to take on this tough physical challenge. On behalf of the Mater Foundation and the Mater Hospital we cannot begin to thank everyone enough for their support. Two men have been arrested after the seizure of cannabis worth 300,000 euro during searches in Co Tipperary and Co Carlow, the Garda said. The searches were carried out on Saturday as part of Operation Tara, an ongoing investigation into the activities of an organised crime group. Gardai said they stopped a vehicle on the M7 motorway at Lisatunny at 10.50am and found about 100,000 euro worth of suspected cannabis within a concealed compartment in the boot. Two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested at the scene. During the course of a follow-up search at a residence on the Tullow Road in Co Carlow at about 3pm, gardai conducted a search of a vehicle on the property and about 200,000 euro of suspected cannabis was located within a concealed compartment and seized. All of the drugs seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. The two men are currently being detained at Nenagh Garda Station. China has ignored the Pentagon after the Pelosi trip that has incensed the PLA into doing more military drills over the visit. The US induced an uneasy silence from the government of the mainland People's Republic of China, and the growing exercises are driving Washington insane with anxiety over Nancy Pelosi's trip. US Calls To Keep Lines Open With the PLA According to Politico, Beijing saw the visit to Taiwan as excessively provocative, and so the PLA opted to show off its military prowess. Given the harm the House Speaker has caused, Washington expects Xi Jinping to respond to its requests rather than disregard them, reported RT. According to the three people who leaked the information, the Biden administration's defense officials, from Mark Milley to Lloyd Austin, have been dismissed and disrespected. Milley spoke with General Li Zuocheng of China's Joint Staff on July 7; Austin had face-to-face conversations with General Wei Fenghe of China's Defense Ministry in June, noted Azerbaycan 24. Beijing made the decision to sever diplomatic ties with Washington in militaries and civilian concerns last Friday. Chinese officials will no longer communicate with the Pentagon on several topics, based on a a list issued by China's foreign ministry. In a statement, China has also suspended crucial negotiations on climate, maritime security, return of illegal immigrants, legal assistance in criminal cases, and against transnational criminality and drug trafficking, citing Aniqlo. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President The Biden administration is not acknowledging the trip to Taiwan is a failure Since the Chinese military has not responded to the White House's calls for comment yet, it is now asserting that with Joe Biden in office its not getting better. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, suggested that Beijing is erring by not communicating with Washington, which warned not to proceed with Pelosi's trip. But the snub continues; before this, Mohammed Bin-Salman did the same thing to Washington. Although the NSA spokesman was struck by a dead silence on Friday, he said that the quantity of weapons near Taiwan has to be reviewed. The Chinese chose to wait and see what would happen rather than intervene. China Holds Drills Near Taiwan After the brief visit of the American official, there were pretty much unheard-of military drills and live-fire drills in six maritime locations. According to the Chinese military ministry, the bulk of PLA training exercises is related to retaking Taipei and involve blockades, sea operations against targets, and ground attacks. China views visit like Pelosi's as assaults on its independence and a breach of the One-China principle, which forbids most states from officially acknowledging Taiwan because China considers Taiwan to be an integral part of its territory. The US acknowledges Beijing as the only official government in China since 1979, Though it keeps close informal links with the 23.5-million-person island, routinely selling weapons to Taipei and supporting its efforts to gain statehood. China snubbed the Pentagon as it worried over the increased military drills near Taiwan, Beijing wanted Washington there will be consequences that will not be liked. Related Article: Pelosi Stunt Brings on Taipei Trade Backlash, Drives Asian Stock Markets Down @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. THE Government recently announced a move to transform the Defence Forces. Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said the government had approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. It will result in the defence budget rising from 1.1 billion to 1.5 billion by 2028, the largest increase in defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission. Millie Long looking at a picture of Michael Collins in Collins Barracks. Picture: Darragh Kane Ahead of the changes, we take a look at the history of Corks Collins Barracks. Key Collins Barracks has overlooked Cork for more than 200 years, playing a key role through revolutions, wars, and peace-keeping missions around the world. Then taoiseach Eamon de Valera inspecting a guard of honour during a visit to Collins Barracks, Cork, in August 1940. Known first as the New Barracks, the city military stronghold owes its origins to the French Revolutionary Wars. Built between 1801 and 1806, the barracks was designed to house and train over 2,000 men and more than 230 horses, as Britain expanded its armies to counter revolutionary France. Even before the barracks came to be, the site was recognised as a strategic one from early Christian times, situated on an ancient entrenchment called Rath Mor (the Great Fort). For more than a century under the ownership of British Forces, the barracks played a significant role as a staging post during major conflicts such as the Napoleonic War, Crimean War, Zulu War, Boer War, and the First World War. British troops exit Victoria (now Collins) Barracks to patrolthe streets of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in February 1921. Just after the turn of the century in 1901, the death of Queen Victoria was the catalyst for a name change, and the Cork stronghold was renamed Victoria Barracks. As the 20th century ushered in great political change in Ireland, Victoria Barracks was a key backdrop to the War of Independence and subsequent Civil War. Earlier this summer, emotional centenary celebrations marked 100 years since British troops were evacuated from Victoria Barracks on May 18, 1922. As a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 which concluded the violent War of Independence, it was agreed that the barracks were to be handed over to the Provisional Irish Government. General Mulcahy Inspecting National Army after evacuation of British Military Forces Collins Barracks 1922 At the time, it was home to the largest installation of the British military in the south of the country, and 100 years ago, British soldiers marched out of the barracks gates for the last time. Expectation Speaking at the centenary event this year, retired Company quarter master, Sergeant Gerry White, described the air of expectation that filled the city of Cork as the last British garrison packed their kit. Ceremony of the parade square at Collins Barracks Cork as part of the Centenary Event marking the 100th anniversary of the handover of Collins Barracks from British to Irish Forces on 18th May 1922. Picture: Larry Cummins During the bitter Civil War that soon followed, the military base was renamed Collins Barracks after his death in August, 1922 a significant moment in Corks Civil War history. That moment also has an upcoming centenary commemoration later this month. Troops in Collins Barracks maintained vigilance against a potential German invasion during World War II, and since Ireland joined the United Nations in 1955, it continues to serve a role in peacekeeping missions all over the world. WHILE works on the Eastern Strategic Trunk Watermain have come to a close, work remains ongoing as part of the Shanakiel Watermains upgrades. To facilitate the installation of pipe fittings, a lane closure was in place at North Mall until Friday. As part of this project, Irish Water has said it will replace (and upsize where required) 2.4km of various-sized large diameter trunk mains between Camden Quay and Shanakiel Reservoir. Meanwhile, work continues on the Shanakiel Watermains upgrades. This project involves upgrading the water supply network serving the north side of Cork City and includes the replacement of existing water mains and the construction of two new pumping stations. Irish Water has said that these works will improve the security of supply by replacing and upgrading old pipework in Cork Citys water supply network. The works constructing a new Harbour View Pumping Station continues up to December 16, as does work on building a new Shanakiel Road Pumping Station. Irish Water has said that the benefits of the work include: Safeguarding the water supply to Churchfield, Harbour View, Shanakiel, and the western side of Cork City; to continue to provide a clean, reliable, and safe water supply to the area and Cork City; and to facilitate future growth in Cork City. Farrans Construction has a full time stakeholder liaison officer on the contract, who is available to address any queries or concerns to in relation to the works. Contact the liaison officer, Lucy Peters, on 047 39999 or corkcity@farrans.com. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during the construction works on this essential project. We will endeavour to keep all stakeholders, businesses and residents informed as this essential water supply scheme progresses, Irish Water added. A Cork academic has welcomed proposals to revamp Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) for the Junior Cycle. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) recently published a draft course for all pupils on sex education and a three-month period of public consultation is currently underway. It is intended that the curriculum will be developed and rolled out in all secondary schools from September next year. It will cover consent, gender stereotyping, wellbeing, relationships, online pornography and the sharing of sexual images. Professor Louise Crowley from the School of Law at UCC says the changes are badly needed. It is very much overdue," she said. "At the moment the schools are relying upon an old curriculum. "It is a challenging area, and it is really important that we all recognise that. It is challenging for teachers to facilitate these conversations. she said. Prof Crowley, who pioneered the Bystander Intervention programme at third level, said these are topics that are already being discussed by young people. The problem is that if we dont bring it to the school curriculum, they are having these conversations themselves in an uninformed way or perhaps informed by pornography, rape myths, social myths that are so damaging and leading to the embedding of toxic behaviour on a low level that we know escalates as well, she explained. Issues covered for first time The proposed new Junior Cert curriculum will see lessons about issues such as pornography, consent, safe use of the internet, sexual orientation, addiction issues and gender stereotyping given in the classroom for the first time in Ireland. The UCC professor believes lessons on these issues are needed at secondary school level. My experience of this is that unfortunately by the time they get to us in UCC many young people especially young girls have been the victim of harassment, violence, and rape," she said. "That is a fact. "So that means the behaviour is happening at secondary level, so we do need to get it into the schools. "I know that first years are being asked for nudes on the phones. They dont know what to do and are worried about being socially isolated, so we need it." Prof Crowley says 'it is incumbent upon us as a society to facilitate young peoples conversations' and 'to provide them with the information as well as a safe space to talk about them'. We are not sure if the young people are being heard or even if the parents have a grasp on what they are living through everyday particularly in the modern era with all the technology and the way they can access damaging information as well as pornography at their fingertips," she said. "We need to support them. "We are not telling them their business or telling them what not to do which traditionally was the approach. "We are talking to them acknowledging how they live, acknowledging what they see and experience and talking to them about the wrongs of it and empowering them to make right decisions for themselves." Prof Crowley currently has a programme running in 45 secondary schools nationwide, including in 12 Cork schools, for transition year students. It covers a variety of issues including sexual relationships, sexual harassment, consent and much more. She said it is about empowering the students. It is about issues about sexual relationships, sexual harassment, consent, what an unhealthy relationship looks like as well as developing their skills to recognise problematic language and behaviour," she said. "It is about helping them to support each other to assert a certain standard of behaviour among their peer group so if somebody hears something inappropriate, they can say cop on or dont share. If they hear it from each other, they are much more likely to curb their behaviour because nobody wants to be socially isolated or be that guy or girl. It is about empowering them to be the difference themselves rather than be dictated to, she added. Ms Crowley believes older primary school children could also benefit from conversations about relationships. There is a space for children in the latter stages of primary school to have broader conversations about respect and inter-personal relationships," she said. "It doesnt all have to be sexualised but I do think that behaviour starts younger than many of us realise. "I think we need to start giving them the language and the ability to say no that is not okay and give them the opportunity. "It is something that deserves merit and further exploration when the Junior Cert curriculum steps in. Muireann Duffy Updated: 10am Two young men have been killed in separate road traffic collisions in Dublin and Cork on Saturday. In Cork, gardai were alerted to the crash in Skibbereen shortly before 10.30pm involving a 4x4 and a car. The driver of the car, a man in his mid-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene and his body has since been taken to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will be carried out. The driver of the 4x4, a man in his 40s, was also taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Gardai said the scene has been preserved for a technical examination, with local diversions in place. Witnesses of the collision are being asked to contact Clonakilty Garda station o 023-882 1570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666 111, or any Garda station. Donabate collision Earlier, gardai confirmed another man in his 20s was also killed in a road crash in Dublin on Saturday night. At approximately 9.30pm, gardai and emergency services attended the scene of the crash on the R126 Hearse Road near Donabate, at the junction with Cobbe's lane. A motorcyclist, a man aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene despite being treated by emergency services personnel. The man's body was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown where a post-mortem examination will be carried out. A statement from gardai gave no information regarding the second vehicle or its occupants. Garda Forensic Collision investigators carried out a technical examination of the scene and the road has since been reopened to traffic. Gardai are now appealing for anyone with information to come forward by contacting Swords Garda station on 01-666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line or any Garda station. Ukrainian officials and international specialists have issued warnings about the potential disaster following large explosions at a nuclear power facility, which have been a worry for months of combat between Kyiv and Moscow forces in southern Ukraine. An international nuclear watchdog warned that the situation was getting more dangerous after the biggest explosions of its kind in Europe were said to have occurred at the Zaporizhzhia facility on Friday, as reported by CNN. Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused one another of bombarding the plant, which Russian soldiers seized, and the town of Enerhodar, wherein the facility is situated, in early March. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed Russia for the assault and referred to the strikes as a "brazen crime" and an "act of terror." He stated in his nightly speech on Friday that Russian forces had "created another extremely risky situation for everyone in Europe." Energoatom, Ukraine's state-run nuclear power company, claimed that Russian forces had attacked the Zaporizhzhia plant and were using it as a staging area for attacks on surrounding targets. Many were in the nearby Ukrainian-controlled city of Nikopol and the seized city of Enerhodar. The Ukrainians, according to the Russian military ministry, had fired three artillery shots at the factory and its vicinity. The ministry also stated that power was interrupted to another unit at the plant and that one unit's generating capacity had been lowered. The international community expressed concern about a potential nuclear catastrophe in the early stages of the conflict when battle initially erupted close to the site. Nuclear Facility Sustains Serious Damage According to Ukrainian nuclear officials, the Russian military seized the plant on March 5 and had its managers work "at gunpoint." A week later, the Kremlin dispatched representatives and workers from Russia's national nuclear organization to assist with management and repairs at the facility. Since then, Ukrainian and Russian employees have been coworkers, and their connection with the outside world has been sporadic. Energoatom reported on Friday that Russian shelling had destroyed a water intake facility and struck the nuclear complex itself, cutting off water and electricity to a large portion of Enerhodar, per BBC. Read Also: At Least 10 Killed, Including Senior Militant After Israeli Launches Airstrikes on Palestine According to Enerhoatom, "there is a possibility of hydrogen leaking and radioactive particle dispersion." The Ukrainian workers at the plant remained in Russia. The factory and its surroundings, which are close to Ukrainian-held territory, are under Russian control. It houses radioactive waste and has six pressurized water reactors. Concerned about Russia's strategies there, the West have raised the alarm. Ukrainian military shelled the plant twice on Friday, according to the Russian-appointed officials in Enerhodar, "from the opposite bank of the Dnieper." In their statement, the nationalists claimed that the second time the nationalists "managed to hit the target - shells landed in the plant's industrial site." US To Supply Ukraine More Weapons In other updates, CNA reported that three sources briefed on the situation told Reuters that the next shipment of weaponry from the United States to Ukraine was anticipated to be one of the largest so far, which costs $1 billion. According to the sources, if signed as written, it will also contain armored medical transport trucks and ammunition for long-range weaponry. The plan, which would add to the approximately $8.8 billion in help the United States has provided Ukraine since Russia's invasion on February 24, is anticipated to be unveiled as early as Monday. Related Article: UN Speculates North Korea's Nearing Nuclear Weapons Test as Hermit Kingdom Expands Testing Facilities @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Team IOM Medals >> 0 0 0 Day Nine: Mullarkey sets new Manx record Sat, 06 Aug 2022 David Mullarkey David Mullarkey set a new Isle of Man record in the Men's 500m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The 22-year-old broke the previous record by 3.23secs. He delivered a time of 13:43:92 to a packed out Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Mullarkey finished 12th. Videos David Mullarkey Team IOM Medals >> 0 0 0 Day Nine: Quayle finishes 8th in Pole Vault Final Sat, 06 Aug 2022 Team Isle of Man's Glen Quayle competed in the Men's Pole Vault on Saturday night. The 20-year-old looked set to clear 5.05m and set a new personal best but the bar wobbled and fell down late. He finished 8th with the successful 4.95m attempt. Glen has also been competing in events in the USA where he is currently studying. He spoke to Energy FM and The Sound afterwards: Videos Glen Quayle Apple has reportedly warned Taiwanese suppliers to ensure shipments to China comply with a longstanding labeling regulation following House Speaker Nancy Pelosis recent visit to Taipei. According to Nikkei (via The Guardian ), the company recently told manufacturers on the island that parts bound for the mainland must list Chinese Taipei or Taiwan, China as their source. Thats in line with a policy China has had in place for years but only began enforcing after tensions with the US flared up following Pelosis visit last week. Under the policy, officials can delay and even reject shipments that say Made in Taiwan. The self-governing island has its own set of labeling rules. Shipments must list Taiwan or Republic of China as the point of origin. Apple did not immediately respond to Engadgets request for comment. The tech giant and many other American companies have a complicated relationship with China. If the report is accurate, it wouldnt be the first time Apple has sought to appease the Chinese Communist Party. In 2019, the company removed the Taiwan flag emoji from iOS in Hong Kong amid the pro-democracy protests that occurred in the city that year. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Machine learning systems have for years now been besting their human counterparts at everything from Go and Jeopardy! to drug discovery and cancer detection. With all the advances that the field has made, it's not unheard of for people to be wary of robots replacing them in tomorrow's workforce. These concerns are misplaced, argues Gerd Gigerenzer argues in his new book How to Stay Smart in a Smart World, if for no other reason than uncertainty itself. AIs are phenomenally capable machines, but only if given sufficient data to act on. Introduce the acutely fickle precariousness of human nature into their algorithms and watch their predictive accuracy plummet otherwise, we'd never have need to swipe left. In the excerpt below, Gigerenzer discusses the hidden privacy costs of sharing your vehicle's telematics with the insurance company. MIT Press Excerpted from How to Stay Smart in a Smart World by Gerd Gigerenzer. Published by MIT Press. Copyright 2021 by Gerd Gigerenzer. All rights reserved. When Your Car Reports You to the Police If self-driving cars are not going to happen, one alternative appears to betraining humans to use AI as a support system but to stay alert and retain control if it fails which is called augmented intelligence. It amounts to partial automation, that is, to sophisticated versions of Level 2 or 3. Yet augmented intelligence entails more than just adding useful features to your car and may well lead us into a different future, where AI is used to both support and surveil us. That possible future is driven more by insurance companies and police than by car manufacturers. Its seeds are in telematics. Young drivers are reckless, overconfident, and an insurance risk, according to the stereotype. Some indeed are, but many are not. Nevertheless, insurers often treat them as one group and charge a high premium. Telematics insurance can change this by offering better rates for safe drivers. The idea is to calculate the premium from a persons actual driving behavior instead of from that of the average driver. To do so, a black box that connects to the insurer is installed in the car (using a smartphone is possible and cheaper but less reliable). The black box records the drivers behavior and calculates a safety score. Figure 4.6 shows the scoring system of one of the first telematics insurers. It observes four features and assigns them different weights. MIT Press Rapid acceleration or harsh braking is assigned the greatest weight, followed by driving over the speed limit. Each driver starts with a monthly budget of 100 points for each of the four features. An event results in points being subtracted, such as 20 points for the first rapid acceleration or for driving over the speed limit. At the end of the month, the remaining points are weighted as shown and summed up to a total safety score. Although telematics is often called black box insurance, the algorithm is not at all a black box like most love algorithms. It is explained in detail on the insurers web-site, and everyone can understand and verify the resulting score. Personalized tariffs are advertised as promoting fairness. They do so by taking individual driving style into account. But they also create new sources of discrimination when driving at night and in cities is punished. Hospital staff, for instance, may have little choice to avoid working at night and in cities. Thus, some of the features are under the drivers control, but not all. Interestingly, one feature that is under the drivers control is absent in virtually all personalized tariffs: texting while driving. And the black box that allows fairness also enables surveillance. Consider a possible future. Why should the black box send a record of speeding only to the insurer? A copy to the police would be extremely handy and save them much effort. It would make all speed traps obsolete. If you speed, the car prints out the ticket on time or, more conveniently, deducts the fine automatically from your online account. Your relationship to your beloved car may change. There is a slippery slope between fairness and total surveillance. Would you be in favor of a new generation of cars that send traffic violations directly to the police? In a survey I conducted, one-third of the adults said yes, more so among those over sixty and less among those younger than thirty. The technology for this future already exists, as most new cars come with a black box installed. The data it collects do not belong to the car owner and can be used in court against the driver. In Georgia, the police obtained black box data without a warrant after a deadly accident, and the driver was found guilty of reckless driving and speeding. While the motives for surveillance vary, digital technology supports all of them. One need not even buy telematics insurance. Modern cars have built-in internet connections, and without it being made transparent inthe owners manual most send their car manufacturer all the data they can collect every couple of minutes, including where the driver currently is, whether harsh braking occurred, how often the position of the driver seat was changed, which gas or battery-charging stations were visited, and how many CDs and DVDs were inserted. Moreover, as soon as you plug in your smartphone, the car may copy your personal information, including contacts addresses, emails, text messages, and even photos. Car manufacturers are remarkably silent about this activity, and when asked with whom they share this data, they typically do not reply. That information helps to find out many other things of interest, such as how often drivers visited McDonalds, how healthily they live, and whom they occasionally visit at night. Connected cars can support justice and improve safety but also spy on you. Telematics insurance embodies the double face of digital technology: surveillance in exchange for convenience. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The woman who has been tending a memorial for the 53 migrants who died after being left in a tractor-trailer without ventilation or water six weeks ago on San Antonios Southwest Side has now turned a spotlight on the human migration crisis. Sandragrace Martinez, a licensed professional counselor, has become the volunteer caretaker for the wall of crosses along Quintana Road. She urged changes in immigration laws to avoid similar tragedies in the future. We need to start having a conversation of solutions and what that means, Martinez said during a humanitarian rally Sunday in front of the crosses. Can it mean amnesty? Can it mean humanitarian visas? It is imperative to focus on solutions moving forward. Under a blazing sun with a strong breeze kicking up the dirt from the road, Martinez said the deaths of the 53 people mark a change in the narrative of the story for those seeking a better life. This is wherewe humanize people, and we move forward in the right direction and the direction that produces solutions and fosters mercy, she said. On ExpressNews.com: Ayala: Place of migrant deaths has become a pilgrimage site, a funeral procession Martinez, 48, said she intends to ask members of Congress and the state Legislature to do something. Charlie Blalock/ Contributor Los 53 Migrantes Memorial honors the migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras who died in the 18-wheelers trailer in late June. The crosses that have been erected are adorned with flowers, wreaths and rosary beads. There also are photos of some of the dead, 40 men and 13 women ages 13 to 55. Another 11 migrants were injured, overcome by the heat. Temperatures that day hovered around 100 degrees, and experts have said it could have been more than 140 degrees in the trailer. Authorities have described the incident as the worst human smuggling catastrophe in U.S history. Karin Caballero, the mother of two young men who died in the trailer, spoke via phone during the rally. She wishes that these crosses never be taken down, that they be taken care of, to not leave them alone, said Martinez, acting as translator for Caballero. She says that she still talks about her children in present tense because she hasnt accepted that they are gone. Caballeros son, Fernando Jose Redondo Caballero, would have turned 19 Saturday. He joined his brother, Alejandro Miguel Andino Caballero, 22, and Alejandros girlfriend, Margie Tamara Paz Grajera, 20, on the fateful journey when they couldnt find stable work in Honduras. They left their country June 4 after a relative of the brothers in the U.S. agreed to pay for their trip. As the migrant and the refugee are often described with narratives that only reduce or dehumanize them, we must continue to share their stories so that the beliefs behind their motives and intentions are clear for what drove their decision to make the dangerous journey that led them here, Martinez said. Charlie Blalock/ Contributor Nephtali De Leon, a one-time migrant worker turned artist and poet, added a drawing of La Virgen De Guadaliberty to one of the crosses. The drawing represents our struggle, our presence, our need to be protected, he said. Something must be done to prevent any more migrant deaths, he said. They cannot continue, De Leon said. We must as a humanity, as a people, try to do something to transform death and destruction and persecution into survivability. After all, doesnt the Statue of Liberty say, Give me your tired, your poor, your hungry masses yearning to be free? Or is that a false promise? On ExpressNews.com: Man accused in deaths of 53 migrants in human-smuggling tragedy on San Antonios Southwest Side pleads not guilty Last week, one of the men accused of helping smuggle the migrants pleaded not guilty to four federal human trafficking charges. Charlie Blalock/ Contributor Christian Martinez, 28, of Palestine in East Texas, made the plea at an arraignment hearing at San Antonios federal courthouse Thursday. Martinez allegedly worked with the truck driver Homero Zamorano, who also has been charged, to ferry the migrants from the Laredo area to San Antonio in a big rig disguised as a produce truck. Both could face the death penalty if convicted. Maria M. Gonzalez, 50, a health care worker, has been paying visits to the memorial at least once or twice a week. She brings flowers and water bottles to place by the crosses. The Hispanic tradition is that when someone passes away, we light up a candle and we open up a bottle of water, she said. I feel an obligation. I was an immigrant, and I was abandoned at the age of 13. It was so hard for me to survive. They went through hell to end up over here, she added. To me, I just come. It gives me comfort. pdanner@express-news.net US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that the United States would defend the Philippines if attacked in the South China Sea amid increasing tensions and the threat of war in the region. Blinken declared on Saturday that a 70-year-old defense agreement with the Philippines was "ironclad" during discussions in Manila where talk of intensifying US-China tensions over US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's travel to Taiwan predominated, per a report from CNN. "An armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft will invoke US mutual defense commitments under that treaty," Blinken told a news conference. "The Philippines is an irreplaceable friend, partner, and ally to the United States." The Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) is an agreement between the US and the Philippines signed on August 30, 1951. It states when either of the allies was attacked by an outside force, they would support one another. Blinken said: "We're committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty. We're committed to working with you on shared challenges. What's so striking to me, Mr. President, is that (we're) working together on bilateral relations between us, we're working together in the region, and increasingly, we're working globally." The 70-year-old joint military agreement, according to Marcos, is continually evolving. "The Mutual Defense Treaty is in constant evolution. I'd like to think of it. As I spoke with your Ambassador sometime when she came, is that we cannot, we can no longer isolate one part of our relationship from the other," Marcos said. He added that the US and the Philippines are "too closely tied" because of the special relationship and the history that the two countries share, the Philippine News Agency reported. The son of the late strongman, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whom Washington assisted in fleeing into exile in Hawaii after a 1986 "people power" movement that ended his two-decade rule, met Blinken, who was the highest-ranking US official to do so. Maraming Salamat, Philippines! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and am grateful for our enduring alliance, partnership, and friendship that advances our shared prosperity, security, and values in the #IndoPacific region. pic.twitter.com/T1NafAZyH2 Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 6, 2022 Marcos Under Pressure as US-China Tensions Rise In his opening address to Blinken, Marcos attempted to downplay the diplomatic crisis surrounding Taiwan and expressed his opinion that Pelosi's visit did not worsen an already tense situation. Read Also: South Korea Launches First Lunar Orbiter 'Danuri' With Help of SpaceX, Plans More For Future Missions Marcos said the tensions "have been at that level for a good while, but we have sort of got used to the idea." The Philippines serves as a focal point for the US and China's geopolitical struggle, and Marcos must navigate a thin balance in retaining relations between the two superpowers. Additionally, he will be under domestic pressure to oppose China in the South China Sea without upsetting the country's leadership. Predecessor Rodrigo Duterte's overtures to China, well-known anti-US rhetoric, and threats to decrease their military connections caused the US-Philippines relationship to be impacted. Washington To Boost Economic Ties with Manila In addition to protecting the Philippines' maritime domain, he stated that the US would continue to work with Filipino scientists and fishermen to protect the nation's marine resources, which he claimed were being threatened by illegal fishing. Blinken also emphasized that the Biden administration was eager to strengthen business connections with the Philippines, which is a top goal for Marcos as he works to rebuild the nation's economy after it was severely damaged by the COVID-19 outbreak, per Rappler. Related Article: Nancy Pelosi Visit: China Starts Massive Military Drill, Taiwan Fires Back at 'Irresponsible' Behavior @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A three-day standoff that began late Wednesday night on the North Side has ended peacefully. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Sunday morning that Sone Quintero Rojas, who barricaded himself in a Stone Oak area apartment around 11 p.m. Wednesday, had surrendered and been taken into custody. Rojas was booked on three felony warrants, including first degree murder. He also faces a misdemeanor charge. Rojas, 41, reportedly had been holding a woman against her will, but the suspect eventually allowed her to leave. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate City Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia is ready to party like its 2031 the 300th anniversary of San Antonio forming the first civil government in Texas. Garcia won support for the concept from at least a few members of the Bexar County Historical Commission last week, building on momentum from the 2018 San Antonio tricentennial, which had its highlights but was a disappointment to some. She said the city and county, working with heritage groups, have an opportunity to ensure that 2031 is a festive year, full of commemorative events, celebrations and educational forums. On ExpressNews.com: Canary Islanders brought civil government to Texas But I dont want to wait until 2031. I think that we could start now by planning and holding annual events connected to key dates in the communitys early recorded history, Garcia said. Garcia envisions 2031 as another chance to memorialize and celebrate those who have come before us. The 300th anniversary is the perfect opportunity, said Garcia, a city liaison to Spain and the Canary Islands. After nearly a yearlong journey, 56 Canary Islanders arrived in San Antonio on March 9, 1731. Under Spanish rule, they established the first organized civil government. Juan Leal Goraz was elected as the first alcalde, a title similar to mayor and judge, on Aug. 1, 1731. The 2018 tricentennial a celebration with some 700 activities and backed by a $21 million budget funded by the city, county and 160 private sponsors centered on the founding of the original Mission San Antonio de Valero by San Pedro Creek on May 1, 1718, and the formation of the San Antonio de Bejar presidio and villa four days later in the area of todays City Hall. It was beset with concerns of questionable business practices and administrative failures in the planning, including a $232,500 fee paid to REO Speedwagon to headline a New Years Eve concert to kick off the year a music selection critics said had little connection to South Texas. The city appointed new leadership to the tricentennial commission in late 2017. In the end, the tricentennial was deemed an overall success, highlighted by a visit from King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. The county dedicated the first phase of its San Pedro Creek Culture Park in 2018 and created an interactive history website that was acknowledged with the Texas Historical Commissions excellence in media award. A few members of the county historical board, including Angelica Docog, who served as history and education co-chair for the tricentennial, offered to help Garcia plan for 2031. Garcia, elected in 2019, didnt reference problems with the 2018 celebration but said, we could have done much more to honor the legacy and tremendous impact of our descendants, including the Canary Islanders. Tim Draves, chairman of the 15-member county historical board, said the panel is trying to revive interest in the wake of the pandemic. The committee, created in 1967 to preserve, protect and promote the countys history, has subcommittees dealing with historical marker applications, historic cemeteries, sites and structures, oral histories and history appreciation. Draves encouraged members to be involved with heritage groups and attend Fiesta events and other cultural activities. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios birthday week begins Tuesday Its so important for us to be out in the community and to be seen and be active, he said. Draves and Alan Ernst, the commissions vice chair for advancement, said theyre looking to form community partnerships. Id like to just come up with some kind of projects that really accentuate the history of San Antonio, Ernst said. Mari Tamez, county heritage outreach manager and staff liaison to the group, said the panel has been doing its job as required under Texas statutes, despite the pandemic. You do have a lot of influence. While you may be quietly doing your work, youre making incredible things happen around the community, Tamez said. shuddleston@express-news.net Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed an indicted Austin police officer accused of using excessive force during 2020 protests to Texas regulatory law enforcement agency. Justin Berry was among 19 Austin police officers indicted earlier this year in the protests spurred by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Berry is charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. He also ran as a Republican for Texas House District 19 but lost in the primary runoff election this year. Abbott had endorsed Berry in the race, saying his strong conservative values and experience stopping violent crime are exactly what we need in the Texas House. Now, at the governors hand, Berry will serve on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which sets minimum licensing and training standards for police. Abbott did not immediately respond to The Texas Tribune's request for comment, but in a press release announcing Berrys appointment Friday, he said the commission ensures that the people of Texas are served by highly trained and ethical law enforcement, corrections, and telecommunications personnel. Berry posted a statement to Twitter on Friday but did not respond to requests for comment. The demands and expectations of todays professional police officer have never been so great, Berry said about his appointment via Twitter. I look forward to ensuring Texas has the best police officers in the world. Ensuring those who answer the call to serve their respective communities have the training and resources necessary to be set up for success are a priority to not only keeping Texans safe but ensuring trust is earned and maintained by those very communities. Sara Mokuria, co-founder of Mothers Against Police Brutality, said Abbotts decision to appoint Berry to TCOLE is dangerous, not based in public safety and flies in the face of whats in the best interests of Texans. This is an indicted officer who is now part of the body licensing and regulating law enforcement agencies, Mokuria said. Its a move in the wrong direction, and it makes us unsafe. And, quite frankly, its a message that has been reiterated from the governors mansion over and over again, whether that be families in Uvalde who were not safe to send their kids to school, or all Texas residents during the winter storm. Our lives and our safety have consistently been put at risk because of this governor. Berrys exact role in the Floyd protests is unclear, but Austin officers grievously wounded several people after shooting them with less-lethal ammunition in the head. That included a 20-year-old Black man police said was not their intended target after a man nearby tossed a water bottle and backpack up toward steps where police were in formation. Video also showed a 16-year-old Hispanic boy collapsing to the ground after police fired a beanbag bullet at him while he was standing alone near the freeway. The violent police tactics during the protests against police violence were heavily criticized. Along with the indictments of 19 officers, the city of Austin agreed to a $10 million civil settlement with two men shot by police with beanbag rounds, including the 20-year-old. Chas Moore, executive director of the Austin Justice Coalition, said Abbott appointing Berry despite his indictment isnt surprising. Moore feels the governor said all of the politically correct things after Floyds murder but followed up with inaction. Hes never cared about making sure that everybody can be safe, the activist said. He doesnt care about the national conversation that happened in 2020, where every state had some form of protest for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, you know. Hes a diehard Texas Republican. Eleanor Klibanoff contributed to this story. This article was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Some of the coal mined in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming comes from surface mines like this one. (Photo courtesy of Wyoming BLM via Flickr | CC-BY-SA 2.0) A federal judge in Montana has halted two large coal mining projects in Wyoming and Montana for the second time after he ruled the Bureau of Land Management has continued to disregard environmental impacts and ignored presenting Congressionally required alternatives. The ruling could affect access to as many as 6 billion tons of coal that would be mined for a period of as many as 20 years. Chief Montana District Court Judge Brian Morris said that the BLMs plan for the Miles City and Buffalo (Wyoming) resource management plans have repeatedly failed to adequately address the National Environmental Policy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. This is the second time the court has sent the plans back to the agency, doing so previously in 2018 for similar concerns that plans didnt take into account things like non-greenhouse gases or the environmental impacts of burning coal. Originally approved under the Donald Trump administration, the federal government under the Biden administration has also supported the BLM decision. A group of plaintiffs, including the Western Organization of Resource Councils, the Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center, said the BLMs repeated attempts at passing the plans proved the agency is only interested in propping up the dying coal industry. In his ruling, Morris said that the BLM must take a hard look at the environmental consequences of any action, and that an environmental impact statement must provide a full and fair discussion of the environmental impacts and that it would inform the public of reasonable alternatives which would avoid or minimize the impacts to human health. The courtdetermines that BLM failed to consider adequate alternatives or appropriately consider downstream impacts of non-greenhouse gas emissions in violation of NEPA and the APA, Morris wrote. Many of the organizations pointed out that Thursdays decision was really just a repeat of the previous decision, something the court also suggested. The tragedy is that this litigation didnt need to happen. Seven years ago BLM promised the American people an open and honest conversation about the federal coal program, said Lynne Huskinson, retired coal miner and board member of the Powder River Basin Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils from Gillette, Wyoming. But were still waiting for them to do an honest analysis of the climate and public health consequences of their choices. Maybe now BLM will finally wake up. Morris also chided the agency for wanting to reconsider its assessment at the last moment because he said the concerns the court raised three years ago still had not been addressed, and he doubted whether allowing the agency to reconsider the decision before a court ruling would result in a different outcome. The court said allowing the agency more time may only delay a resolution. The court determines that, at this late stage of litigation, BLMs motion would be frivolous and demonstrates a lack of good faith. This court previously found BLMs NEPA analysis deficient, Morris said. He said that given its history in the case, the court couldnt be convinced the federal agency would consider downstream emissions since it had been ordered to do so previously but still had yet to do so. BLM makes no specific guarantees to consider downstream emissions in its motion, the order said. BLM also fails to define what NEPA alternatives it will consider. Given the timing and lack of guarantee that BLM will address the issues before the court, the court must deny the motion for remand. Morris ordered that the BLM complete a new coal screening and NEPA analysis within a year. He specifically ordered the BLM to consider no coal leasing and limited coal leasing alternatives that must disclose the public health impacts, both climate and non-climate, of burning fossil fuels from the planning areas. The court also ordered any new or pending coal, oil or gas leases in the Buffalo and Miles City area to undergo comprehensive environmental analysis under NEPA and the APA. Coal mining represents a potentially allowable use of public lands, but BLM is not required to lease public lands. The multiple-use mandate does not bar BLM from considering a no-leasing alternative for public lands, Morris wrote as part of the decision. Some of the groups said that Biden administrations decision to defend the actions started by the Trump administration shows that the Democratic administration isnt serious about climate change. This ruling is a shameful confirmation that the Biden administration has no real interest in defending public lands or the climate, said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program director for WildEarth Guardians. Thankfully the courts are upholding law and science, but its sad that President Biden is allowing his administration to undermine his promises to protect our health and our climate. The post Judge rejects massive BLM coal mining proposal in Montana, Wyoming appeared first on Daily Montanan. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. United States Senate Democrats on Saturday started a vote on a bill covering fighting climate change, cutting the price of energy and prescription medications for the elderly, and raising taxes for the rich, which are significant points in President Joe Biden's agenda. The majority of the $430 billion bill could be passed with only a simple majority, circumventing the filibuster rule that requires 60 votes in the 100-seat chamber to advance most legislation and allowing Democrats to cross it over Republican opposition, according to majority leader Chuck Schumer. According to The Guardian, Democrats expect the measure will help their candidates in the midterm elections on November 8, where Pres. Biden's party is fighting a losing struggle to hold onto its slim majority in both chambers of the US Congress. Schumer stated that Democrats received some "extremely good news" for it will now be possible for Medicare to negotiate medicine prices, which the legislator called a "major victory for the American people." The bill includes three primary sections: a 15% minimum corporate tax, stricter IRS enforcement, and a new excise tax on stock buybacks. Along with more than $740 billion in new taxes, the law adds $430 billion in additional spending. The legislation would provide $4 billion in new federal drought relief allocation in addition to the billions of dollars to promote the manufacturing and acquisition of more electric vehicles and develop renewable energy. The measure is believed to benefit the candidacies of Democratic Senators Mark Kelly in Arizona and Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada. Republicans Vow to Block Bill On the other hand, Senator Lindsey Graham described the legislation as "jihad they're on to tax and spend" on Friday, and Republicans have vowed to do everything in their power to stop or block the bill. Several Democratic senators declared they would vote against every amendment out of concern that they may lead a carefully constructed agreement to fall apart, per a report from CNBC. Read Also: US Assures To Help Ally Philippines Defend Itself If China Attacks in South China Sea Climate Advocates Want More From the US There is a general perception that the US is just catching up to its partners after years of delay, even though the law is being hailed internationally. Additionally, there is more pressure on the US to compensate for its historical part in aggravating global warming. Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the London-based Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, said that the law is a substantial development, "but it's important not to get carried away," CNN reported. The bill, according to Ward, gives the US's previous commitments a "degree of legitimacy," but the majority of the world wants to see the US commit to large climate finance funds to aid the most vulnerable nations in reducing emissions and adapting to the issue. Ward claims there is nothing in the legislation about international climate funds, which raises concern. "The issues that are still key in the discussions are not really addressed by this bill," he noted. "Leadership is now required from the rich countries in climate finance." However, lawmakers and experts agreed that if the plan is approved, it would significantly improve Biden's capacity to fulfill his international climate pledges. According to the independent climate change research firm Rhodium Group, it would put the US on a path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 31% to below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. By 2030, Biden vows to decrease US emissions by 50%. Related Article: China Blocks Calls From Pentagon as Washington Expresses Concern Over Increased Military Drills in Taiwan @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Youre already late-night scrolling through Instagram (with Netflix running in the background), so why not enhance your make-up skills and expand your skincare knowledge by following the feeds of the top content creators in the beauty space? From a Cannes debutant to a Millenial TikTok sensation, weve rounded up 5 amazing beauty influencers who are educating followers on the latest buzzy ingredients, viral trends, and hacks to hoist your routine. Image: Instagram Malvika Sitlani (also the owner of Masic Beauty) is anything but vanilla, although we love her no make-up, make-up routines, she doesnt shy away from producing some big and bold videos every now and then. Malvika is one of the topmost beauty influencers in the country today, so how can we talk about anything related to beauty and not mention this model-turned-influencer? If you are looking for a super-glam look for a birthday or a wedding make-up inspiration, Malvika is your girl. We love her attention-to-detail when creating content youll find makeup and hairstyle tutorials, travel vlogs, lifestyle videos, daily vlogging, motivational and self-love videos on her channel. Image: A happy enytrepreneur of an ambitious project, Wearified. Given her love for lipsticks, it was a no-brainer that transfer-proof, one-swipe removal lipsticks would be Wearifieds maiden project. Aanam Chasmawala believes, and consistently advocates her philosophy that Beauty needs to be selfish through her blog, What When Wear. Aanam is a blogger and content creator whos best known for her style. We, especially, love that she shares swatches of all the products she receives. She also takes you behind-the-scenes at events and shares super cute selfies with her husband! We can promise you a smile on your face every time she posts and make-up tutorials to take you through daily and special events. Image: Shreya is a true make-up addict with growing number of followers and its easy to see why. She shares detailed product reviews and tutorials within her feed and while shes a fan of luxury brands, she also shares budget-friendly drugstore makeup looks. From big and bold to natural and dewy, you can count on Shreya for simple step-by-step videos. Image: We know Komal Pandey for her bling and dazzles, but there is much more than what meets the eye. She has redefined how one could dress impeccably even without shelling out money on high-end brands and the appreciation on each of her post has been testimony to the same. She is a style icon who knows exactly what you need in your beauty and fashion wardrobe. Whether it is eating the right kind of food for good skin or the perfect red lipstick, following her can help you identify true classics. Shes amassed 1.6M followers (and growing) on Instagram for a reason. Image: What happens when your hobby turns into your job? If youre not familiar with Diipa Khosla, youve surely not logged into Instagram over the last three years. The Global Influencer (the first in India to make it big internationally) is famed for her enviable closet, relatable beauty advice, and highly double-tapped looks. Her beauty philosophy is in line with what her brand stands for the no make-up, make-up look that looks glowy, fresh and as natural as possible. Inde wild, a conscious beauty ecosystem, pioneering ayurvedistry by Diipa is all-the buzz right now. Social media has changed the face of beauty and theres no denying that! So, who all are you going to follow?Also read: A Line-up Of The Best Beauty Buys For June Readymade garment (RMG) exports from Bangladesh increased by 16.61 per cent to $3.366 billion in the first month of fiscal 2022-23 (July-June) compared to exports of $2.887 billion in July 2021, according to the provisional data released by the Export Promotion Bureau. The export was 6.45 per cent more than the target of $3.163 billion for July 2022. The export witnessed slower growth in first month of new fiscal which is probably due to the impact of economic challenges the world is currently facing. Knitwear (chapter 61) exports gained at a slower rate than woven RMG exports. Knitwear exports increased by 11.80 per cent to $1.854 billion in 2021-22, as against exports of $1.658 billion during the same month of previous fiscal, as per the data. Exports of woven apparel (chapter 62) increased at a faster rate of 23.11 per cent to $1.512 billion during the period under review, compared to exports of $1.228 billion during July 2021. Readymade garment (RMG) exports from Bangladesh increased by 16.61 per cent to $3.366 billion in the first month of fiscal 2022-23 (July-June) compared to exports of $2.887 billion in July 2021, according to the provisional data released by the Export Promotion Bureau. The export was 6.45 per cent more than the target of $3.163 billion for July 2022.# Home textile exports (Chapter 63, excluding 630510) could gain 3.89 per cent to $95.95 million during the period under review, compared to exports of $92.36 million during July 2021. Woven and knitted apparel, clothing accessories and home textiles exports together accounted for 77.05 per cent of $3.984 billion worth of total exports made by Bangladesh during July 2022. Readymade garment (RMG) exports from Bangladesh witnessed an increase of 35.47 per cent to $42.613 billion in the last fiscal 2021-22 compared to exports of $31.456 billion in the fiscal 2020-21. Bangladesh had achieved an all-time high in terms of value of RMG exports in 2021-22. The total exports also breached the target of $43.500 billion with 19.73 per cent rise during the period. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) Six Turkish and 11 Bangladeshi companies recently joined hands to set up the new Bangladesh-Turkiye Business Forum (BTBF) at a meeting hosted by the Turkish embassy in Dhaka. The forum will boost support for bilateral trade, investments and cultural exchanges and act as an advocacy platform promoting bilateral ties. BTBF will soon be legally constituted. Rubana Huq was elected chairperson of BTBF, which will have working groups on trade, investment and cultural activities. A research and data cell within its secretariat will cultivate collaboration with experts and relevant institutions, the Turkish embassy said in a statement. Turkish ambassadors in Dhaka will be patrons of BTBF while honorary consul generals of Turkiye in Bangladesh will be honorary members of the executive board, the statement added. Six Turkish and 11 Bangladeshi companies recently joined hands to set up the new Bangladesh-Turkiye Business Forum (BTBF) at a meeting hosted by the Turkish embassy in Dhaka. The forum will boost support for bilateral trade, investments and cultural exchanges and act as an advocacy platform promoting bilateral ties. BTBF will soon be legally constituted.# Gender balance will be encouraged in the membership and leadership structure of BTBF, according to Bangla media reports. A BTBF delegation is planning to visit Turkiye in September to meet Turkish government and business representatives and explore collaboration opportunities. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Japan has granted $383.22 million for the modernisation of Cambodias Sihanoukville port. Cambodian minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Prak Sokhonn and Japanese foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa recently signed the documents related to the loan for the Sihanoukville Port New Container Terminal Expansion Project (I). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh, according to Cambodian media reports. The concession loan will be used to expand and modernize the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and to turn it into a deep-sea port, Hun Sen posted on Facebook. Japan has granted $383.22 million for the modernisation of Cambodia's Sihanoukville port. Cambodian minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Prak Sokhonn and Japanese foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa recently signed the documents related to the loan for the Sihanoukville Port New Container Terminal Expansion Project (I).# Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) China-Mongolia border port handles 10,000 China-Europe freight trains Xinhua) 10:36, August 07, 2022 HOHHOT, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, has logged 10,000 China-Europe freight trains since the cross-border railway service via this port was launched in 2013, according to the local railway authorities. The 10,000th train passing through the port left for Malaszewicze in Poland at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, fully loaded with 50 40-foot containers. "It took over eight years for the number of China-Europe freight trains handled by the port to reach 5,000, and only less than two years for it to grow from 5,000 to 10,000," said Qin Zhicang, with the Erenhot rail port under China Railway Hohhot Group. The port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region now serves 58 China-Europe freight train routes. The routes reach more than 60 destinations across 10 countries. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) August 06, 2022: Information Clearing House -- " Consortium News " When I first went to Hiroshima in 1967, the shadow on the steps was still there. It was an almost perfect impression of a human being at ease: legs splayed, back bent, one hand by her side as she sat waiting for a bank to open. At a quarter past eight on the morning of August 6, 1945, she and her silhouette were burned into the granite. I stared at the shadow for an hour or more, then I walked down to the river where the survivors still lived in shanties. I met a man called Yukio, whose chest was etched with the pattern of the shirt he was wearing when the atomic bomb was dropped. He described a huge flash over the city, a bluish light, something like an electrical short, after which wind blew like a tornado and black rain fell. I was thrown on the ground and noticed only the stalks of my flowers were left. Everything was still and quiet, and when I got up, there were people naked, not saying anything. Some of them had no skin or hair. I was certain I was dead. Nine years later, I returned to look for him and he was dead from leukemia. No Radioactivity in Hiroshima Ruin said a New York Times headline on September 13, 1945, a classic of planted disinformation. General Farrell, reported William H. Lawrence, denied categorically that [the atomic bomb] produced a dangerous, lingering radioactivity. Only one reporter, Wilfred Burchett, an Australian, had braved the perilous journey to Hiroshima in the immediate aftermath of the atomic bombing, in defiance of the Allied occupation authorities, which controlled the press pack. I write this as a warning to the world, reported Burchett in the London Daily Express of September 5,1945. Sitting in the rubble with his Baby Hermes typewriter, he described hospital wards filled with people with no visible injuries who were dying from what he called an atomic plague. For this, his press accreditation was withdrawn, he was pilloried and smeared. His witness to the truth was never forgiven. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was an act of premeditated mass murder that unleashed a weapon of intrinsic criminality. It was justified by lies that form the bedrock of Americas war propaganda in the 21st century, casting a new enemy, and target China. During the 75 years since Hiroshima, the most enduring lie is that the atomic bomb was dropped to end the war in the Pacific and to save lives. Even without the atomic bombing attacks, concluded the United States Strategic Bombing Survey of 1946, air supremacy over Japan could have exerted sufficient pressure to bring about unconditional surrender and obviate the need for invasion. Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts, and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Surveys opinion that Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war [against Japan] and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated. The National Archives in Washington contains documented Japanese peace overtures as early as 1943. None was pursued. A cable sent on May 5, 1945 by the German ambassador in Tokyo and intercepted by the U.S. made clear the Japanese were desperate to sue for peace, including capitulation even if the terms were hard. Nothing was done. The U.S. Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, told President Truman he was fearful that the U.S. Air Force would have Japan so bombed out that the new weapon would not be able to show its strength. Stimson later admitted that no effort was made, and none was seriously considered, to achieve surrender merely in order not to have to use the [atomic] bomb. Stimsons foreign policy colleagues looking ahead to the post-war era they were then shaping in our image, as Cold War planner George Kennan famously put it made clear they were eager to browbeat the Russians with the [atomic] bomb held rather ostentatiously on our hip. General Leslie Groves, director of the Manhattan Project that made the atomic bomb, testified: There was never any illusion on my part that Russia was our enemy, and that the project was conducted on that basis. The day after Hiroshima was obliterated, President Harry Truman voiced his satisfaction with the overwhelming success of the experiment. The experiment continued long after the war was over. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States exploded 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific: the equivalent of more than one Hiroshima every day for 12 years. The human and environmental consequences were catastrophic. During the filming of my documentary, The Coming War on China, I chartered a small aircraft and flew to Bikini Atoll in the Marshalls. It was here that the United States exploded the worlds first Hydrogen Bomb. It remains poisoned earth. My shoes registered unsafe on my Geiger counter. Palm trees stood in unworldly formations. There were no birds. I trekked through the jungle to the concrete bunker where, at 6.45 on the morning of March 1, 1954, the button was pushed. The sun, which had risen, rose again and vaporised an entire island in the lagoon, leaving a vast black hole, which from the air is a menacing spectacle: a deathly void in a place of beauty. The radioactive fall-out spread quickly and unexpectedly. The official history claims the wind changed suddenly. It was the first of many lies, as declassified documents and the victims testimony reveal. Gene Curbow, a meteorologist assigned to monitor the test site, said, They knew where the radioactive fall-out was going to go. Even on the day of the shot, they still had an opportunity to evacuate people, but [people] were not evacuated; I was not evacuated The United States needed some guinea pigs to study what the effects of radiation would do. Like Hiroshima, the secret of the Marshall Islands was a calculated experiment on the lives of large numbers of people. This was Project 4.1, which began as a scientific study of mice and became an experiment on human beings exposed to the radiation of a nuclear weapon. The Marshall Islanders I met in 2015 like the survivors of Hiroshima I interviewed in the 1960s and 70s suffered from a range of cancers, commonly thyroid cancer; thousands had already died. Miscarriages and stillbirths were common; those babies who lived were often deformed horribly. Unlike Bikini, nearby Rongelap atoll had not been evacuated during the H-Bomb test. Directly downwind of Bikini, Rongelaps skies darkened and it rained what first appeared to be snowflakes. Food and water were contaminated; and the population fell victim to cancers. That is still true today. I met Nerje Joseph, who showed me a photograph of herself as a child on Rongelap. She had terrible facial burns and much of her was hair missing. We were bathing at the well on the day the bomb exploded, she said. White dust started falling from the sky. I reached to catch the powder. We used it as soap to wash our hair. A few days later, my hair started falling out. Lemoyo Abon said, Some of us were in agony. Others had diarrhoea. We were terrified. We thought it must be the end of the world. U.S. official archive film I included in my film refers to the islanders as amenable savages. In the wake of the explosion, a U.S. Atomic Energy Agency official is seen boasting that Rongelap is by far the most contaminated place on earth, adding, it will be interesting to get a measure of human uptake when people live in a contaminated environment. American scientists, including medical doctors, built distinguished careers studying the human uptake. There they are in flickering film, in their white coats, attentive with their clipboards. When an islander died in his teens, his family received a sympathy card from the scientist who studied him. I have reported from five nuclear ground zeros throughout the world in Japan, the Marshall Islands, Nevada, Polynesia and Maralinga in Australia. Even more than my experience as a war correspondent, this has taught me about the ruthlessness and immorality of great power: that is, imperial power, whose cynicism is the true enemy of humanity. This struck me forcibly when I filmed at Taranaki Ground Zero at Maralinga in the Australian desert. In a dish-like crater was an obelisk on which was inscribed: A British atomic weapon was test exploded here on 9 October 1957. On the rim of the crater was this sign: WARNING: RADIATION HAZARD Radiation levels for a few hundred metres around this point may be above those considered safe for permanent occupation. For as far as the eye could see, and beyond, the ground was irradiated. Raw plutonium lay about, scattered like talcum powder: plutonium is so dangerous to humans that a third of a milligram gives a 50 percent chance of cancer. The only people who might have seen the sign were Indigenous Australians, for whom there was no warning. According to an official account, if they were lucky they were shooed off like rabbits. The Enduring Menace Today, an unprecedented campaign of propaganda is shooing us all off like rabbits. We are not meant to question the daily torrent of anti-Chinese rhetoric, which is rapidly overtaking the torrent of anti-Russia rhetoric. Anything Chinese is bad, anathema, a threat: Wuhan . Huawei. How confusing it is when our most reviled leader says so. The current phase of this campaign began not with Trump but with Barack Obama, who in 2011 flew to Australia to declare the greatest build-up of U.S. naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region since World War Two. Suddenly, China was a threat. This was nonsense, of course. What was threatened was Americas unchallenged psychopathic view of itself as the richest, the most successful, the most indispensable nation. What was never in dispute was its prowess as a bully with more than 30 members of the United Nations suffering American sanctions of some kind and a trail of the blood running through defenceless countries bombed, their governments overthrown, their elections interfered with, their resources plundered. Obamas declaration became known as the pivot to Asia. One of its principal advocates was his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who, as WikiLeaks revealed, wanted to rename the Pacific Ocean the American Sea. Whereas Clinton never concealed her warmongering, Obama was a maestro of marketing. I state clearly and with conviction, said the new president in 2009, that Americas commitment is to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. Obama increased spending on nuclear warheads faster than any president since the end of the Cold War. A usable nuclear weapon was developed. Known as the B61 Model 12, it means, according to General James Cartwright, former vice-chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that going smaller [makes its use] more thinkable. The target is China. Today, more than 400 American military bases almost encircle China with missiles, bombers, warships and nuclear weapons. From Australia north through the Pacific to South-East Asia, Japan and Korea and across Eurasia to Afghanistan and India, the bases form, as one U.S. strategist told me, the perfect noose. The Unthinkable A study by the RAND Corporation which, since Vietnam, has planned Americas wars is entitled War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable. Commissioned by the U.S. Army, the authors evoke the infamous catch cry of its chief Cold War strategist, Herman Kahn thinking the unthinkable. Kahns book, On Thermonuclear War, elaborated a plan for a winnable nuclear war. Kahns apocalyptic view is shared by Trumps Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, an evangelical fanatic who believes in the rapture of the End. He is perhaps the most dangerous man alive. I was CIA director, he boasted, We lied, we cheated, we stole. It was like we had entire training courses. Pompeos obsession is China. The endgame of Pompeos extremism is rarely if ever discussed in the Anglo-American media, where the myths and fabrications about China are standard fare, as were the lies about Iraq. A virulent racism is the sub-text of this propaganda. Classified yellow even though they were white, the Chinese are the only ethnic group to have been banned by an exclusion act from entering the United States, because they were Chinese. Popular culture declared them sinister, untrustworthy, sneaky, depraved, diseased, immoral. An Australian magazine, The Bulletin, was devoted to promoting fear of the yellow peril as if all of Asia was about to fall down on the whites-only colony by the force of gravity. As the historian Martin Powers writes, acknowledging Chinas modernism, its secular morality and contributions to liberal thought threatened European face, so it became necessary to suppress Chinas role in the Enlightenment debate . For centuries, Chinas threat to the myth of Western superiority has made it an easy target for race-baiting. In the Sydney Morning Herald, tireless China-basher Peter Hartcher described those who spread Chinese influence in Australia as rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows. Hartcher, who favourably quotes the American demagogue Steve Bannon, likes to interpret the dreams of the current Chinese elite, to which he is apparently privy. These are inspired by yearnings for the Mandate of Heaven of 2,000 years ago. Ad nausea. To combat this mandate, the Australian government of Scott Morrison has committed one of the most secure countries on earth, whose major trading partner is China, to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of American missiles that can be fired at China. The trickledown is already evident. In a country historically scarred by violent racism towards Asians, Australians of Chinese descent have formed a vigilante group to protect delivery riders. Phone videos show a delivery rider punched in the face and a Chinese couple racially abused in a supermarket. Between April and June, there were almost 400 racist attacks on Asian-Australians. We are not your enemy, a high-ranking strategist in China told me, but if you [in the West] decide we are, we must prepare without delay. Chinas arsenal is small compared with Americas, but it is growing fast, especially the development of maritime missiles designed to destroy fleets of ships. For the first time, wrote Gregory Kulacki of the Union of Concerned Scientists, China is discussing putting its nuclear missiles on high alert so that they can be launched quickly on warning of an attack This would be a significant and dangerous change in Chinese policy In Washington, I met Amitai Etzioni, distinguished professor of international affairs at George Washington University, who wrote that a blinding attack on China was planned, with strikes that could be mistakenly perceived [by the Chinese] as pre-emptive attempts to take out its nuclear weapons, thus cornering them into a terrible use-it-or-lose-it dilemma [that would] lead to nuclear war. In 2019, the U.S. staged its biggest single military exercise since the Cold War, much of it in high secrecy. An armada of ships and long-range bombers rehearsed an Air-Sea Battle Concept for China ASB blocking sea lanes in the Straits of Malacca and cutting off Chinas access to oil, gas and other raw materials from the Middle East and Africa. It is fear of such a blockade that has seen China develop its Belt and Road Initiative along the old Silk Road to Europe and urgently build strategic airstrips on disputed reefs and islets in the Spratly Islands. In Shanghai, I met Lijia Zhang, a Beijing journalist and novelist, typical of a new class of outspoken mavericks. Her best-selling book has the ironic title Socialism Is Great! Having grown up in the chaotic, brutal Cultural Revolution, she has travelled and lived in the U.S. and Europe. Many Americans imagine, she said, that Chinese people live a miserable, repressed life with no freedom whatsoever. The [idea of] the yellow peril has never left them They have no idea there are some 500 million people being lifted out of poverty, and some would say its 600 million. Modern Chinas epic achievements, its defeat of mass poverty, and the pride and contentment of its people (measured forensically by American pollsters such as Pew) are wilfully unknown or misunderstood in the West. This alone is a commentary on the lamentable state of Western journalism and the abandonment of honest reporting. Chinas repressive dark side and what we like to call its authoritarianism are the facade we are allowed to see almost exclusively. It is as if we are fed unending tales of the evil super-villain Dr. Fu Manchu. And it is time we asked why: before it is too late to stop the next Hiroshima. John Pilger is an Australian-British journalist and filmmaker based in London. Pilgers Web site is: www.johnpilger.com. In 2017, the British Library announced a John Pilger Archive of all his written and filmed work. The British Film Institute includes his 1979 film, Year Zero: the Silent Death of Cambodia, among the 10 most important documentaries of the 20thcentury. Some of his previous contributions to Consortium News can be found here. SAN DIEGO, Aug. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Weber Inc. (NYSE: WEBR) Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, Registration Statement) issued in connection with Webers August 4, 2021 initial public offering ( IPO) have until September 27, 2022 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Weber class action lawsuit. Captioned Michalski v. Weber Inc., No. 22-cv-03966 (N.D. Ill.), the Weber class action lawsuit charges Weber, certain of its top executives and directors, and the IPOs underwriters 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-weber-inc-class-action-lawsuit-webr.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: Weber is an outdoor cooking company that sells grills, smokers, grilling accessories, and solid fuel products across the world. In the IPO, Weber sold approximately 17.8 million shares of Class A common stock at a price of $14.00 per share. Weber received proceeds of approximately $237.5 million from the IPO, net of underwriting discounts and commissions. The Weber class action lawsuit alleges that the IPOs Registration Statement was materially false and misleading and omitted to state that: (i) Weber was reasonably likely to implement price increases; (ii) as a result, consumer demand for Webers products was reasonably likely to decrease; (iii) due to the resulting inventory buildup, Weber was reasonably likely to run promotions to enhance retail sell through; (iv) the foregoing would adversely impact Webers financial results; and (v) thus, defendants positive statements about Webers business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On July 25, 2022, Weber announced its preliminary third quarter 2022 financial results, including net sales between $525 million and $530 million. Weber expected to report a net loss, noting that [p]rofitability was negatively impacted by several factors, including promotional activity to enhance retail sell through. Additionally, Weber announced that Chris Scherzinger is departing from his roles as Chief Executive Officer and director of Weber. On this news, Webers stock price fell by approximately 16%. By the commencement of the Weber class action lawsuit, Weber stock was trading as low as $6.25 per share, a nearly 55% decline from the $14 per share IPO price. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any purchaser or acquirer of Weber Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the IPO to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Weber class action lawsuit. 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. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Weber class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Weber class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery of the Weber class action lawsuit is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP: Robbins Geller is one of the worlds leading complex class action firms representing plaintiffs in securities fraud, antitrust, breach of fiduciary duty, consumer fraud, and privacy cases. The Firm 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, antitrust, consumer, and privacy 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, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 J.C. Sanchez, 800-449-4900 jsanchez@rgrdlaw.com By Liz Theoharis In the 1989 Webster v. Reproductive Health Services case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Missouri law restricting the use of state funds and facilities for abortion, an early attempt to eat away at Roe v. Wade. Since then, the agenda of right-wing U.S. leaders, of which abortion is only a part, has become clear: slashing school food programs; denial of Medicaid expansion in states that need it most; attacks on Black, Brown and Native people by the police and border patrol; Supreme Court decisions to put fossil-fuel companies ahead of the rest of society; as well as the rights of gun manufacturers; denial of sovereignty to indigenous people and tribes and failure to protect voting rights and ending the constitutional right to abortion. The Dobbs v. Jackson decision on abortion, overturning Roe v. Wade, has made life in America distinctly more dangerous. The seismic aftershocks of that ruling are already being felt across the country: 22 states have laws or constitutional amendments on the books now poised to severely limit access to abortion or ban it outright. Even before the Supreme Court issued its decision, states with more restrictive abortion laws had higher maternal-mortality and infant-mortality rates. Now, experts are predicting at least a 21 percent increase in pregnancy-related deaths across the country. As is always the case with public-health crises in America the only industrialized country without some form of universal healthcare its the poor who suffer the most. Survey data shows that nearly 50 percent of women who seek abortions live under the federal poverty line, while many more hover precariously above it. In states that limit or ban abortion, poor women and others face an immediate threat of heightened health complications, as well as the long-term damage associated with abortion restrictions. Indeed, data collected by economists in the decades after Roe v. Wade indicates that the greater the limits on abortion, the more poverty for parents and the less education for their children. Worse yet, the 13 states that had trigger laws designed to outlaw abortion in the event of a Roe reversal were already among the poorest in the country. Now, poor people in poor states will be on the punishing spear tip of our post-Roe world. While the Supreme Courts grim decision means more pain and hardship for women, transgender and gender non-confirming people, it signals even more: the validation of a half-century-old strategy by Christian nationalists to remake the very fabric of this nation. For the businessmen, pastors and politicians who laid the foundations for the Dobbs ruling, this was never just about abortion. The multi-decade campaign to reverse Roe v. Wade has always been about building a political movement to seize and wield political power. For decades, its championed a vision of family values grounded in the nuclear family and a version of community life meant to tightly control sex and sexuality, while sanctioning attacks on women and LGBTQIA people. Thanks to its militant and disciplined fight to bring down Roe, this Christian nationalist movement has positioned itself to advance a full-spectrum extremist agenda that is not only patriarchal and sexist, but racist, anti-poor and anti-democratic. Consider the Dobbs decision the crown jewel in a power-building strategy years in the making. Consider it as well the coronation of a movement ready to flex its power in ever larger, more violent, and more audacious ways. In that context, bear in mind that, in his concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that the Dobbs decision gives the Supreme Court legal precedent to strike down other previously settled landmark civil rights jurisprudence, including Griswold v. Connecticut (access to contraception), Lawrence v. Texas (protection of same-sex relationships), and Obergefell v. Hodges (protection of same-sex marriage). 1868 Whether or not these fundamental protections ultimately fall, the Supreme Court majoritys justification for Dobbs certainly raises the possibility that any due-process rights not guaranteed by and included in the Constitution before the passage of the 14th Amendment in 1868 could be called into question. The Christian nationalist movement long ago identified control of the Supreme Court as decisive for its agenda of rolling back all the twentieth-century progressive reforms from the New Deal of the 1930s through the Great Society of the 1960s. Less than a week after the Dobbs decision, in fact, that court overturned Massachusetts v. EPA, the 2007 ruling that set a precedent when it came to the governments ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by polluting industries. May Boeve, head of the environmental group 350.org, put it this way: Overturning Roe v. Wade means the Supreme Court isnt just coming for abortion theyre coming for the right to privacy and other legal precedents that Roe rests on, even the United States governments ability to tackle the climate crisis. To fully grasp the meaning of this moment, its important to recognize just how inextricably the assault on abortion is connected to a larger urge: to assault democracy itself, including the rights of citizens to vote and to have decent healthcare and housing, a public-school education, living wages, and a clean environment. And its no less important to grasp just how a movement of Christian nationalists used the issue of abortion to begin rolling back the hard-won gains of the Second Reconstruction era of the 1950s and 1960s and achieve political power that found its clearest and most extreme expression in the Trump years and has no interest in turning back now. Abortion & the Architecture of a Movement Throughout American history, a current of anti-abortion sentiment, especially on religious grounds, has been apparent. Some traditional Roman Catholics, for instance, long resisted the advance of abortion rights, including a church-led dissent during the Great Depression, when economic disaster doubled the number of abortions (then still illegal in every state). Some rank-and-file evangelicals were also against it in the pre-Roe years, their opposition baked into a theological and moral understanding of life and death that ran deeper than politics. Before all this, however, abortion was legal in the United States. As a scholar of the subject has explained, in the 1800s, Protestant clergy were notably resistant to denouncing abortion they feared losing congregants if they came out against the common practice. In fact, the Victorian-era campaign to make abortion illegal was driven as much by physicians and the American Medical Association then intent on exerting its professional power over midwives (mainly women who regularly and safely carried out abortions) as by the Catholic Church. Moreover, even in the middle decades of the 20th century, anti-abortionism was not a consensus position in evangelical Protestantism. For example, the Southern Baptist Convention, evangelicalisms most significant denomination, took moderate positions on abortion in the 1950s and 1960s, while leading Baptist pastors and theologians rarely preached or wrote on the issue. In fact, a 1970 poll by the Baptist Sunday School Board found that 70 percent of Southern Baptist pastors supported abortion to protect the mental or physical health of the mother, 64 percent supported abortion in cases of fetal deformity, and 71 percent in cases of rape. So, what changed for those who became the power-brokers of a more extremist America? For one thing, the fight for the right to abortion in the years leading up to Roe was deeply intertwined with an upsurge of progressive gender, racial, and class politics. At the time, the Black freedom struggle was breaking the iron grip of Jim Crow in the South, as well as segregation and discrimination across the country; new movements of women and LGBTQ people were fighting for expanded legal protection, while challenging the bounds of repressive gender and sexual norms; the increasingly unpopular war in Vietnam had catalyzed a robust antiwar movement; organized labor retained a tenuous but important seat at the economic bargaining table; and new movements of the poor were forcing Washington to turn once again to the issues of poverty and economic inequality. For a group of reactionary clergy and well-funded right-wing political activists, the essence of what it was to be American seemed under attack. Well-known figures like Phyllis Schlafly and Paul Weyrich, who would found the Moral Majority (alongside Jerry Falwell, Sr.), began decrying the supposed rising threat of communism and the dissolution of American capitalism, as well as what they saw as the rupture of the nuclear family and of white Christian community life through forced desegregation. (Note that Falwell didnt preach his first anti-abortion sermon until six years after the Roe decision.) Such leaders would form the core of what came to be called the New Right. They began working closely with influential Christian pastors and the apostles of neoliberal economics to build a new political movement that could take back the country. Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, often cites this Weyrich quote about the movements goals: We are radicals who want to change the existing power structure. We are not conservatives in the sense that conservative means accepting the status quo. We want change we are the forces of change. Indeed, what united these reactionaries above all else was their opposition to desegregation. Later, they would conveniently change their origin story from overt racism to a more palatable anti-abortion, anti-choice struggle. As historian Randall Balmer put it: Opposition to abortion, therefore, was a godsend for leaders of the Religious Right because it allowed them to distract attention from the real genesis of their movement: defense of racial segregation in evangelical institutions. Many of the movements leaders first converged around their fear that segregated Christian schools would be stripped of public vouchers. As Balmer points out, however, they soon recognized that championing racial segregation was not a winning strategy when it came to building a movement with a mass base. So, they looked elsewhere. What they discovered was that, in the wake of the Roe decision, a dislike of legalized abortion had unsettled some Protestant and Catholic evangelicals. In other words, these operatives didnt actually manufacture a growing evangelical hostility to abortion, but harnessed and encouraged it as a political vehicle for radical change. Looking back in the wake of the recent Dobbs decision obliterating Roe v. Wade, Katherine Stewart put it this way: Abortion turned out to be the critical unifying issue for two fundamentally political reasons. First, it brought together conservative Catholics who supplied much of the intellectual leadership of the movement with conservative Protestants and evangelicals. Second, by tying abortion to the perceived social ills of the age the sexual revolution, the civil rights movement, and womens liberation the issue became a focal point for the anxieties about social change welling up from the base. What this movement and its allies also discovered was that they could build and exert tremendous power through a long-term political strategy that initially focused on Southern elections and then their ability to take over the courts, including most recently the Supreme Court. Abortion became just one potent weapon in an arsenal whose impact were feeling in a devastating fashion today. A Fusion Movement from Below? As Reverend William Barber, co-chair of the Poor Peoples Campaign, has pointed out, check out a map of the states in the U.S. that have banned abortion and youll find that youre dealing with the same legislators and courts denying voting rights, refusing to raise municipal minimum wages, and failing to protect immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and the planet itself. As the Economic Policy Institute described the situation after Supreme Court justice Samuel Alitos leaked draft opinion on abortion hit the news in May: It is no coincidence that the states that will ban abortion first are also largely the states with the lowest minimum wages, states less likely to have expanded Medicaid, states more likely to be anti-union Right-to-Work states, and states with higher-than-average incarceration rates. Environments in which abortion is legal and accessible have lower rates of teen first births and marriages. Abortion legalization has also been associated with reduced maternal mortality for Black women. The ability to delay having a child has been found to translate to significantly increased wages and labor earnings, especially among Black women, as well as increased likelihood of educational attainment. Indeed, the right to abortion should be considered a bellwether issue when judging the health of American democracy, one that guarantees equal protection under the law for everyone. The most recent Supreme Court rulings, including Dobbs, are being met with growing resistance and organizing. Weeks ago, thousands of protestors came together on Pennsylvania Avenue for a Mass Poor People and Low Wage Workers Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls. On the very day of the Dobbs decision and ever since, protests against that ruling, including acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, have been growing. In a similar fashion, there is mobilization against gun violence and the climate crisis. There is an apparent rise of a new labor movement with workers organizing at Starbucks, Dollar General stores and Walmart, among other workplaces. The Christian nationalist movement relies on a divide-and-conquer strategy and single-issue organizing. As a Christian theologian and pastor myself, Ive been deeply disturbed by the growth of the Christian nationalist movement. It is valuable to heed its focus and its fury. Their leaders were clear about the necessity, if they were to gain power in the U.S., to build a national political movement. In response, the 140 million poor and low-wealth Americans, pro-choice and pro-earth activists, and those concerned about the future of democracy can also build a moral movement from below to confront it. Liz Theoharis, a TomDispatch regular, is a theologian, ordained minister, and anti-poverty activist. Co-chair of the Poor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, she is the author of Always With Us? What Jesus Really Said About the Poorand We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible with the Poor Peoples Campaign. Follow her on Twitter at @liztheo. This article is from TomDispatch.com. Prosecutor bests ex-legislator for Wisconsin GOP AG nod MADISON, Wis. Veteran prosecutor Eric Toney defeated former state Rep. Adam Jarchow to win WISCONSIN Republicans Eric Toney, Karen Mueller and Adam Jarchow are vying in the primary election for attorney general. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Josh Kaul in the November general election. The Freeman asked candidates a series of questions before Tuesdays primary. Mueller did not respond to our questionnaire. Jarchow and Toney's responses are below. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Waukesha County news with a subscription: Click here THE FREEMAN: Why are you running for this seat? Jarchow: My two kids, Bo and Megan, are the reason I decided to run. Crime is through the roof, repeat criminals are being caught and released, cops are retiring in droves with no support, parents of students are seen as enemies, and the bureaucrats in Madison and D.C. have no regard for the law. I want my kids to grow up in a state and country that theyre proud of. Thats why Im running. Mueller: Did not respond. Toney: Im running for attorney general because Josh Kaul turned his back on our cops in the aftermath of the Jacob Blake shooting. Law enforcement needs an Attorney General who has their backs, not one who throws them under the bus for political gain. Im running to fix the issues with the State Crime Lab, to take over jurisdiction of Milwaukee cases their DAs office fails to prosecute, and to protect election integrity. THE FREEMAN: What is the biggest issue facing Wisconsin? Jarchow: Crime, hands down. We need an attorney general who will back the badge, help obtain the resources necessary to address the hiring and retention issues within our law enforcement community, hold prosecutors accountable, crack down on repeat criminals, fill the prosecutor and DCI vacancies at DOJ, fix our crime lab, clean up our streets, and keep our kids safe at home and in the classroom. My Make Wisconsin Safe Again Plan will do just that. Mueller: Did not respond. Toney: The explosion of violence and crime to historic levels. Milwaukee is on track for its 3rd all time murder record in a row. The Biden Administrations failures on the border have led to an influx of drugs that are fueling a crisis in public health. If we fail to restore public safety we will continue to see our quality of life come apart. THE FREEMAN: What sets you apart from your opponents? Jarchow: He has spent nearly his entire adult life running for political office and now wants to climb the political ladder. In contrast, Ive spent my entire career working in the private sector. Even when I was a state representative, I continued to practice law while working with my wife to run our small businesses. Im a lawyer, small business owner, and father of two who will bring a private-sector, results-oriented leadership style to the DOJ. Mueller: Did not respond. Toney: As the son of a cop, I know firsthand the pressures that law enforcement and their families endure. As a prosecutor I am the only candidate in this primary that has prosecuted a case. Im law enforcements choice with the endorsement of 100 Sheriffs, district attorneys, and police chiefs. Im endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life, Wisconsin Family Action, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Milwaukee Police Association, the Racine Police Association and many others. For more Aug. 9 2022 partisan primary election coverage, click here. By Andrew Hammond August 07, 2022: Information Clearing House -- One thing you can be sure that neither candidate in the Conservative party leadership contest will dare question is the basic premise of UK foreign policy. Underwritten by various permastate institutions and intelligence agencies across the Foreign Office, Home Office and Ministry of Defence, these fundamentals entail tracking US policy as closely as possible and ever-increasing defence spending. The Tony Blair principle generally applies. Since the United States took the baton from Britain as the imperial leader of the West following the Second World War, even if a policy choice appears horribly misguided, better that Britain stands with America rather than weaken US prestige through charting its own course. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was unusually blunt about the issue in his parting oration to parliament, advising his successor to "stay close to the Americans". What this means in the immediate term is that if and when the Biden administration loses its nerve over Ukraine - where it is spending a whopping $40bn of US tax dollars in various forms of military and economic aid - London will follow suit. It's easy to forget that the UK government's loud policy in support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Russia invaded, which has cost Britain 3.8bn ($4.6bn), was partly political theatre designed to keep Johnson in power. Liz Truss - currently the favourite to take over as UK prime minister in September - has kept close to Johnson in a bid to inherit his right-wing base. As foreign minister, she was in Moscow in February with the task of giving the impression to British media that the UK was telling Russia what's what, with the help of ludicrous photo-ops. Now she has vowed to increase defence spending to three percent of GDP by 2030 from the current 2.1 percent to face an "increased threat" - to the UK, apparently - from Russia and China, which would mean a significant hike on 2023's budgeted 60.2bn. Tories' Russian links Yet it's worth remembering that China was nowhere on Britain's radar as a threat until former US President Donald Trump made it one after taking office in 2017 and Democrat policymakers chose to roll over. As for Russia, Tory links have been rather cosy, turning a blind eye to suspected meddling in the Brexit vote and corrupt money sloshing around Londongrad. The most egregious example of British kowtowing to Washington is the case of Julian Assange. Though his administration went after whistleblowers with a vicious gusto, former US President Barack Obama chose not to pursue charges against the WikiLeaks founder because of the simple fact that the only charge to be pinned on him was one of publication, not theft of classified material. That would have exposed the New York Times, the Guardian and other traditional media outlets that cooperated with Assange in revealing US and UK war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan to exactly the same charge. Yet Conservative governments cooperated with the CIA in an insane plan to kidnap him from the Ecuadorean embassy in London or even kill him, and are keeping him in solitary confinement in the notorious Belmarsh prison with the clear intent to induce his death. The Labour Party under Keir Starmer, typical of the Thatcher-Blair era, offers no real alternative to this at all. That was not the case when the left briefly dominated during former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's four-and-a-half-year tenure. The party manifesto questioned foreign policy fixtures that put Israeli security over Palestinian rights, plied arms to repressive regimes and resisted the emerging multipolar world order, to the horror of a permastate establishment for whom Corbyn was a heretic of Akhenaten proportions. Truss can be expected to lean even more heavily into the post-imperial farce of Britain's Middle East policy under Johnson. Following the US script, his government came straight out of the gates after the Brexit-driven Tory general election victory in December 2019 with a declaration that legislation was in the works to ban public bodies from participating in Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns, which the next session of parliament is likely to pass. Tragic folly The current government also opposes an International Criminal Court investigation into Israeli war crimes following the May 2021 war on the Gaza Strip. And in December 2021, parliament proscribed the entirety of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas as a "terrorist organisation," despite its governing Gaza. In an effort to make up for Brexit trade losses, arms sales to the Gulf Arab governments were ramped up. Meanwhile, Johnson, when Truss's predecessor at the Foreign Office, botched the cases of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, jailed from 2016 to 2022 in Iran on spying charges, and Matthew Hedges, jailed in the UAE for seven months in 2016, also on spying charges. Needless to say, Britain has dutifully fallen in line as the Biden administration fails to re-establish the nuclear deal with Iran. The most tragic folly of British foreign policy during the neoliberal years has been the failure to appreciate the immense cultural power that Britain wields. Tory governments in particular have run down the BBC, overseen declining educational standards, especially in universities that no longer enjoy the worldwide reputation they once did, and have even slashed funding for the British Council, which should be at the forefront of any serious policy that calls itself Global Britain. If there's anywhere where Britain truly punches about its weight, it is in the cultural sphere. Instead of hanging onto the coat-tails of a declining US empire or scaring people away, Britain should be reaping the benefits of its outsized role in shaping the modern world and the interest people share in its achievements in so many fields. But long-term investment in the institutions that exist to capitalise on this legacy means little to the ruling clique if there's nothing in it for them. Andrew Hammond currently teaches Turkish history at Oxford university. He is the author of Popular Culture in North Africa and the Middle East, The Illusion of Reform in Saudi Arabia, and numerous academic articles on modern Islamic thought. He worked previously at the European Council on Foreign Relations, BBC Arabic and Reuters in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Home Search ICH Question Everything! Purpose and Intent of this website: Ukrainian-born GOP lawmaker rankles colleagues with her aggressive criticism of Kyiv By Nate Hochman August 07, 2022: Information Clearing House -- Yesterday, Politico reported that House Republican leadership was coming to regret giving Representative Victoria Spartz, a Ukrainian-born freshman from Indianas 5th congressional district, a coveted platform to speak out against Russias war. Spartz was initially all-in for the war, but in recent months, she has begun to raise concerns about corruption in the Ukrainian government and push for more oversight of U.S. aid. In response, Politico reports, Spartzs senior counterparts have grown worried that her criticisms could portend future cracks in U.S. support for Ukraine, and may damage cohesion among the Western coalition in defense of Kyiv: Inside the House GOP Conference, theres a widespread fear that her posture is damaging U.S.-Ukraine relations at the worst possible time and that shes being played by forces that aim to weaken the Western alliance. Theres no actual evidence offered for who those forces are, or how Sparks concerns about corruption and push for more aid oversight the same position, notably, as that of the Heritage Foundation are evidence that shes being played. (In fact, Politico implicitly cedes that those concerns have a basis in reality, but waves them away as harmful to discuss: Western nations longstanding concerns about corruption in Ukraine, an element of former President Donald Trumps first impeachment, have also been shelved in the interest of fostering both domestic and international unity against Russias invasion). Instead, unnamed House Republicans offer anonymous quotes trashing their freshman colleague for breaking with the party line: Her naiveness is hurting our own people, said a GOP lawmaker who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, granted anonymity to speak candidly about a colleague. It is not helpful to what were trying to do and Im not sure her facts are accurate We have vetted these guys. The Republican warned that Spartzs comments could hurt the war effort. Asked for comment on Spartzs remarks, one senior House Republican who was granted anonymity for the same reason offered a blunt reply: What the fuck. A third House Republican granted anonymity to speak candidly about Spartz said she has a reputation for elbowing her way into briefings and meetings for committees she doesnt belong to, like the Foreign Affairs panel, where multiple members have tried to address her comments behind closed doors. These top Republicans are too cowardly to make such arguments in public as Politico notes, none of them want to publicly rebuke a colleague over Ukraine . . . as the Russian attack itself becomes more politically thorny within the GOP. But theyre willing to actively undermine her in the mainstream media, so long as its on the condition of anonymity. And the attacks themselves are completely devoid of content: Theres no explanation for why Spartzs concerns are wrong, save for vague aspersions about being not sure her facts are accurate. Instead, the basis of the broadside is that Spartz by asking what, precisely, the billions of American taxpayer dollars are actually funding in Ukraine is not being helpful to what were trying to do. In other words: Shut up, they explained. Truth is the first casualty of war. If Spartz is wrong, her colleagues should explain why and preferably not via anonymous quotes used for smear pieces in the pages of the mainstream media. What, exactly, is so unreasonable about the congresswomans position? Shes obviously not operating from a place of ignorance she has traveled to Ukraine six times since the outset of the war and, unlike her unnamed Republican critics, actually lived there for the first 22 years of her life. At the very least, the rationale she gave in her statement to Politico merits serious engagement: Growing up in Ukraine and visiting six times since the war started, I have a comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground. The stakes are too high to be reactive without deliberation as intended for our institution. Why is she wrong? The anonymous House Republicans dont appear to have a real answer. If they did, maybe theyd actually have the courage to say so publicly. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/victoria-spartz-deserves-a-real-argument-on-ukraine/ Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Reader financed- No Advertising - No Government Grants - No Algorithm - This Is Independent Get Our Free Newsletter Registration is not necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also Search Information Clearing House The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. Question Everything! Purpose and Intent of this website: Islamic Jihad, has claimed responsibility for retaliation Rockets from Gaza strip By Al Jazeera Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Reader financed- No Advertising - No Government Grants - No Algorithm - This Is Independent Get Our Free Newsletter Registration is not necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also Africa could overtake China as the worlds largest producer of natural graphite for lithium ion batteries as soon as 2026, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, in a sign of the continents growing importance to the electric vehicle supply chain. Benchmark forecasts Africa to increase its share of global graphite production from 15% in 2021 to 40% in 2026. In contrast, China is set to fall from 68% to 35%, according to Benchmarks Flake Graphite Forecast. The increased supply from Africa could help diversify global battery supply chains, if processing capacity is built outside of China. Graphite mine in Madagascar. Benchmark China is currently the largest refiner of battery minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphitedominance that is not likely to end this decade, Benchmark forecasts. Benchmark data shows that China currently has 81% of the worlds cathode manufacturing capacity, 91% of the worlds anode capacity and 79% of the worlds lithium-ion battery capacity. In contrast, the US currently has 0.16% of the global cathode manufacturing capacity, 0.27% of the worlds anode capacity and 5.5% of the worlds lithium-ion battery capacity. China also dominates global lithium refining and processing. The US and Canada currently refine only 3% and 3.5% of the worlds lithium and cobalt and compared to 59% and 75% for China, according to Benchmarks Lithium Forecast. By 2030 the US and Canada will contribute about 7% and China 46%. New lithium mines are set to be developed in the US, but their supply will be limited. According to the Benchmark Lithium Forecast, lithium chemical supply from North America is set to increase to nearly 60,000 tonnes LCE in 2025, underlining almost a four-fold increase on 2022 supply. However, that is enough for only around 1 million electric vehicles. Michigan will enable four new mobility services to help address challenges across the state related to sustainable transit, roadway safety, parking and staffing shortages in the service industry. In partnership with key universities, four companiesBluecity, GEKOT Inc., Mouvit and Nimbuswill receive $285,000 in total funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) to test and deploy mobility projects across the state, including in Ann Arbor, Rochester, Dearborn, Novi and Farmington Hills. Bluecity ($100,000). Bluecity, a company working to transform transportation infrastructure through the use of real-time, multimodal traffic data, aims to help cities achieve Vision Zeroa strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility. With the assistance of MMFP funding, and in partnership with the University of Michigan (UM), MCity and Velodyne Lidar, Bluecity will deploy its real-time traffic monitoring and data analytics solution at five different intersections across Ann Arbor to study road users behavior. The technology, which uses lidar sensors and artificial intelligence (AI), will enable the city to monitor key safety metrics 24/7including traffic conflicts, speeding and red-light runnersand proactively improve the safety of vulnerable road users. Bluecitys sophisticated detection algorithm will also provide the city of Ann Arbor with detailed signal performance measures to optimize traffic light timing and operations. Using these analytics, Ann Arbor will ultimately be able to identify operational issues and enable new procedures to advance traffic systems, improving safety and convenience for roadway users in the process. Additionally, UM partners will be able to build new applications on top of Bluecitys standard solution, including sharing real-time traffic data with connected vehicles. GEKOT Inc. ($70,000). Rental micro-mobility options such as e-scooters and e-bikes have become increasingly popular across the nation. The vehicles typically utilized in the states are purchased from overseas stock and stripped-down to the basics. As such, local governments and fleet operators have limited hardware options to address unique mobility concerns related to accidents, injuries, and theft. GEKOT Inc, has partnered with Razor USA and Oakland University (OU) to help address this need. GEKOT will integrate its technical solutions package into Razor electric scooters soon to be deployed on the campus of Oakland University. The add-on electronics package introduces a suite of low-cost solutions designed to mitigate collisions with hazards while deterring theft, abuse, and misuse of rental scooters. The campus-wide study will evaluate the effectiveness of GEKOTs solutions. The GEKOT team is working to establish Detroit as the center of engineering excellence in micro-mobility and light electric vehicles. Currently, the key players in this industry are located on the West Coast and internationally. The intention is that electric scooter and e-bike companies will soon consider Detroit expertise to develop their vehicles. Usage and system performance data from the OU e-scooter deployment will inform future wide-scale development and assist GEKOT in building the bridge between the West Coast and Detroit markets. Mouvit ($100,000). Nationwide staffing shortages have increased pressure on businesses across industries to do more with less staff. To help address this need, Mouvit, in partnership with Intent Design, Stantec, Lawrence Technological University, CAMACO, Henry Ford Museum and Novi Bowl, will use autonomous robots to help minimize staffing shortages, and ultimately improve the customer experience at key locations throughout Michigan. Mouvits plug-and-play platform includes mobility-specific hardware and software that allows the company to develop custom autonomous robots that can improve the efficiency of business operationsincluding moving goods, providing food and beverage vending, or advertising. Mouvit and its partners will deploy these robots to service Henry Ford Museum, Novi Bowl and CAMACO. Once deployed, the robots will help to provide an improved level of service, 24/7, with minimal venue staff supervision. Additionally, visitors can interact with the robots using Mouvits smartphone app. Nimbus ($15,000). Urban mobility is increasingly becoming an issue of space. As city centers and other population areas continue to develop and expand, so too must mobility options for residents but between vehicle emissions, tight navigation spaces and limited parking options, it can be difficult to justify a traditional vehicle in an urban environment. To help develop an environmentally and spatially friendly urban mobility solution, Nimbus received a $15,000 MMFP testing grant. The grant dollars will enable the ongoing testing and development of Nimbus compact EV at the proving grounds of Kettering Universitys GM Mobility Research Center. Ultimately, the EV will be deployed in urban areas as both a private and communal method of transportation. The Nimbus vehicle produces roughly 10% of the emissions of a full-sized car, and only one-third of the emissions that a traditional EV would produce. It has been designed to travel more than 90 miles on a single charge, and its slim build allows it to both auto stabilize around sharp turns as well as navigate and park in spaces too small for traditional passenger vehicles. Additionally, its sensing and AI capabilities monitor the road and help to prevent accidents. University partners have long been key collaborators on grant projects funded by the state of Michigan, as they offer unique learning environments with resources that help facilitate the development and implementation of new mobility technologies. Past grant recipientsincluding ADASTEC, KUHMUTE, Fleet Lab and P3Mobilityare jointly exploring mobility solutions with university partners. In addition, Michigan State University received its own Michigan Mobility Funding Platform grant to develop a mobile waste-to-electricity solution to allow small- and medium-scale farm operations to convert organic wastes into electricity for electric vehicles or farm equipment. Launched by the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform provides grants to mobility and electrification organizations looking to deploy solutions in the state of Michigan. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JOHANNESBURG (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his three-nation tour of Africa Sunday by visiting a museum in South Africa commemorating how the country's Black youths helped to end white racist rule. Blinkens visit to Africa is seen as part of a competition between Russia and Western powers for support from African countries over the war in Ukraine. His trip to Africa follows recent tours by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron. South Africa is one of many African countries that have maintained a neutral stance on the war and have not publicly criticized Russia. After an early morning arrival, Blinken visited the Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto township, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, which honors a student killed in 1976 when protesting South Africas regime of racial oppression, apartheid, which ended in 1994. Blinken laid a wreath at the memorial accompanied by Pietersons sister, Antoinette Sithole. He also toured the museum, which contains artifacts, photographs and videos of South Africas struggle against apartheid. Hectors story is one that really resonates because we have our own struggle for freedom and equality in the United States and South Africas story is unique but there are also so many common elements, and that resonates powerfully, said Blinken. Sithole, who also participated in the 1976 student protests, said the museum is a highlights the role played by South Africas youth in bringing an end to white minority rule in the country. The museum is a reminder for generations to come. We must know where we come from and where we are going, and dont forget that the youth took a stand for us to be better today, said Sithole. On Monday, Blinken will describe the United States strategies for sub-Saharan Africa in a major policy speech at the University of Pretoria. Africa has been hard-hit by the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the rising food and oil prices caused by Russias war in Ukraine. Blinken will also hold a press conference Monday with South Africa's Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor in which the two countries' different positions on the Ukraine war are expected to be visible. Blinken will go on to visit Congo and Rwanda this week to end his international tour which also took him to Cambodia and the Philippines. In late 2000 Toshiba unveiled laptops with fingerprint readers, which allowed us to securely unlock their device with a touch of a finger, instead of having to memorize complex passwords. The first phones with a fingerprint reader on board appeared at the same time. We think that the very first was a Sagem MC 959 ID, although apparently Siemens had a working prototype as early as 1998. Possibly the first phone with a fingerprint reader, the Sagem MC 959 ID (image credit) This was quickly adopted by some PDAs as it was seen as a feature for business devices - why else would you need the extra security? From then on, fingerprint readers on mobile devices stuck around, but were still a rarity. That persisted until Apple propelled them into the mainstream. Touch ID arrived with the iPhone 5s The iPhone 5s was unveiled in 2013 with a new feature called "Touch ID". It was a fingerprint reader tucked into the Home button that still resided on the bezel below the display. Early on, the reader was used as a faster alternative to the passcode unlock. A new use-case appeared a year later with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which introduced Apple Pay. Apple iPhone 5s Apple iPhone 6 Apple would introduce a faster 2nd generation Touch ID with the iPhone 6s series. Touch ID is still in use, with two new devices in 2022 - the iPhone SE (third gen) and the latest iPad Air - but it is no longer Apple's preferred authentication method. Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone SE (2022) Apple iPad Air (2022) Apple may have popularized the fingerprint reader, but it would start to move away from the idea in 2017 with the iPhone X, which dropped the reader in favor of Face ID - using a structured light sensor to get a 3D map of your face. Android makers toyed with similar ideas, but the fingerprint reader continues to reign supreme on that side of the OS divide. The Android side of the story had a clunky start. Some early phones like the Motorola Atrix (2011) and the Galaxy S5 (2014) had basic readers that required you to swipe their finger across them. Apple's capacitive solution was much better - just touch the button. Motorola ATRIX Samsung Galaxy S5 Eventually, Androids would switch over to the capacitive type reader, placing them variously on the back or on side (usually combined with the power button). At MWC Shanghai 2017 vivo demonstrated a prototype phone with a fingerprint reader that was below the display panel, what is now commonly referred to as an under-display reader. We got a chance to test the device ourselves - it needed work, but it felt so futuristic. vivo would soon after release the first mass market phone with an under display fingerprint reader - the vivo X20 UD - which was quickly followed by the X21 UD. There was a sudden explosion of phones equipped with UD readers that year. We also want to highlight the Huawei Mate RS Porsche Design from this generation. Not only is this Huawei's first phone with an UD reader, it actually had two fingerprint readers - one under the display and one on the back (it's not the only one, either). The more, the merrier, right? vivo X20 Plus UD vivo X21 UD Huawei Mate RS Porsche Design Most fingerprints these days are either capacitive (the ones where the reader is on the surface, e.g. rear or side-mounted) or optical (under display readers). But there is another kind. In early 2019 Samsung introduced the Galaxy S10 series, which were the first to feature ultrasonic fingerprint readers. These were touted as more secure as they could "see" your finger in 3D rather than 2D (like optical readers), which made them that much harder to fool. They did run into some issues, though, with some screen protectors causing the read process to fail. Samsung Galaxy S10 Samsung Galaxy S10+ Samsung Galaxy S10 5G The second generation of Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor covered larger area and was faster. Even better, it supported foldable phones. This brought us the vivo X Fold, which has under display readers both on its cover display and on the foldable internal display. vivo Fold X with two ultrasonic under-display fingerprint readers There hasn't been much movement in fingerprint reader in recent years. They have become prevalent, even on relatively low-cost devices, but there haven't been any major technological developments. Makers are trying to make them faster and bigger so that they would be more convenient to use, but that's hardly revolutionary. As early as 2018 the vivo APEX concept phone had a fingerprint reader that spanned half its display - check out our hands-on video to see it in action. The extra size enabled a curious mode where you could scan two fingers at the same time, which offered extra security. Something that become a mass-market reality with the vivo X80 Pro earlier this year. The vivo APEX concept phone had a massive fingerprint reader that covered almost half of the display From humble beginnings to a ubiquitous feature fingerprint readers have had quite a journey over the last two decades. Have they reached their final form, leaving only minor improvements to look forward to from now on? Or do you think there is still the possibility of a revolutionary change like the move under the display? Ellen Degeneres hosted the 86th Academy Awards in 2014. Unknowingly, hosting the acclaimed film awards show will lead her to accidentally break Twitter for a few minutes. Degeneres, a comedian, TV host, actress, and producer, has long been in the presence of live media. It is safe to say that after all the years she has spent in the industry, she is definitely comfortable in front of a live audience since she definitely belongs to one of the most acclaimed TV icons. Hosting at the Oscars 2014 was not just the highlight of the event, but also her extremely famous Oscar 2014 selfie. Degeneres posted a selfie image of herself and the industry's most prominent actors and actresses on Twitter with the caption, "best photo ever." Ellen Degeneres Selfie On the night of the event, a picture that was tweeted by Ellen DeGeneres, who was hosting the Oscars, became the snapshot that received the most retweets ever. DeGeneres posted the image to her personal Twitter account and added a caption to it, saying, "If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars". According to The Guardian, the selfie Degeneres posted includes, "(from left) Jennifer Lawrence, Channing Tatum, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, DeGeneres, Kevin Spacey, Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong'o and her brother, and Angelina Jolie (with her face half obscured)." The Oscar 2014 photo broke records for retweets on Twitter. That photo raced past a record held by President Obama. It reached 779,295 retweets in approximately half an hour and so beat a record previously held by the US president, Barack Obama. Former President Obama posted a photo on Twitter of him hugging first lady Michelle Obama after his re-election in 2012 and captioned it, "Four more years." Within the period of an hour, the tweet that Ellen DeGeneres had posted had received more than one million retweets. After the event, the Oscars host became aware of the temporary outage on Twitter. Twitter also issued an apology for the disruption in service caused by all of the retweets that occurred more than 20 minutes after the original post was published. After becoming aware of the occurrence and the quantity of love that was being poured into the selfie, Degeneres tweeted, "We really just made history. We're all winners tonight." At the conclusion of the event, the total number had reached 2,070,132. Now, the original post has 2.9 million retweets and 2.1 million likes. If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014 Read Also: Will Smith and Chris Rock Best Memes for Oscars 2022 THE 86TH ACADEMY AWARDS 2014 To mention a few of the awards won at the Oscars, the award for best actor in a leading role was won by Matthew McConaughey for The Dallas Buyers Club. Additionally, the actor in a supporting role award was won by Jared Leto in the same movie, The Dallas Buyers Club. The Oscars 2014 handed the best actress in a leading role award to Cate Blanchett for the movie Blue Jasmine. The best actress in a supporting role was won by Lupita Nyong'o for the drama movie that also talks about history, 12 Years a Slave. The best picture award was also given to the 12 Years a Slave movie. Lastly, we can all remember the craze of Ana and Elsa when Disney introduced the movie. The Oscars' best animated feature film award was given to Frozen. Related Article: 'Stranger Things' Causes Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' to Surpass 100 Millions, Earn $2.3 in Revenue The Motorola Moto G62 is among the few handsets around the 200 mark that offer 5G connectivity thanks to the cost-efficient Snapdragon 480+ chip. At first glance, one it's somewhat puzzling as the Snapdragon 680 powers up the presumably lower-standing Moto G52, but in reality, the 480+ is a faster chip and it's the only one with a 5G modem. So it's mostly Qualcomm's naming scheme to blame. The handset is built around a fast 120Hz 6.5-inch IPS LCD and carries as set of stereo speakers for a more complete multimedia experience. There's only one available memory option and that's 4GB/128GB. The storage is expandable via a hybrid microSD card slot. The camera setup is quite familiar as it's been used in the G52 as well. We've got a 50MP 1/2.76", main camera sensor with 0.64m pixel size behind f/1.8 lens, alongside 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cameras. The selfie shooter sitting inside the centered punch-hole has 16MP sensor and f/2.2 aperture. The whole system is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery drawing a maximum of 15W and interestingly enough, both are a downgrade over the Moto G60 from last year. However, specs aren't everything so we have to run our usual set of tests to see the actual power autonomy and charging times. The Moto G62 is one of the most affordable 5G handsets on the market, so it's probably got a bunch of people wondering if it's worth it. Stay tuned and we'll let you know. Week 31 in review: OnePlus 10T and OxygenOS 13 are official OnePlus unveiled the 10T and OxygenOS 13 this week. The OnePlus 10T uses a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, has 150W charging, but loses the iconic mute switch. The 8/128GB OnePlus 10T starts at 699/629, while the 12/256GB version is 799/729. Shipments begin on August 25. OxygenOS 13 looks a lot like ColorOS, which might be fine with you, or you may be enraged. Either way, OnePlus says it's inspired by water and features an 'Auquamorphic' design. The new OS will bring Android 13, starting with the OnePlus 10 Pro and later the 10T and most other current OnePlus smartphones. There's no definitive date for the firmware release as of yet. Top insiders claim that the Galaxy S23 Ultra will push past the 108MP sensor and feature the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor. We saw leaked renders of the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 this week, revealing similar-looking devices to the current generation. Samsung will unveil both on August 10. See you in a week! OxygenOS 13 brings new water-inspired look and Android 13 OxygenOS 13 will premiere on the OnePlus 10 Pro, then the new 10T. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to have a 200MP camera with a new sensor The Korean company will introduce the ISOCELL HP2 sensor right in time for the flagship launch. Rumor: the Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 200MP sensor with 0.6m pixels, 5,000mAh battery That's the same battery capacity as the S22 Ultra. Similarly, the new 200MP image sensor may be the same size as the current 108MP sensor. Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 review Flagship earphones with impressive design and performance. OnePlus 10T unboxing video goes live a day before the phone itself does The official unveiling is tomorrow, but OnePlus has already confirmed many of the key specs. This video shows off the retail package and offers a first glimpse of the 10T. Samsung Display will make better panels for the iPhone 14 Pro duo than for the vanilla models LTPO panels built with newer materials will be used for the two Pro phones, while the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will get cheaper panels. A Nothing Phone (1) Lite may be on the way It will be very similar to the Phone (1), but cuts a couple of features. New Motorola Edge (2022) renders surface along with confirmation of the rumored specs The vanilla Edge model will abandon its traditional Snapdragon 7-series chip in favor of a new MediaTek chip and it will go back to an OLED display. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 tipped to use Gorilla Glass Victus+, charge faster Even though it will still use Samsung's 25W charging system, the charge curve has been retuned to reach 50% faster. Our Tecno Camon 19 Pro video review is now out Check out Tecno's latest affordably priced offering in a short but comprehensive video. Windows 11 brings updates for Android gamers The Windows Subsystem for Android now has support for joysticks and gamepads. Oppo Reno8 Z 5G design leaks in marketing image It's rumored to be a rebrand of the Reno7 Z 5G which shares its specs with the Reno8 Lite, Reno7 Lite and Oppo F21 Pro 5G. Nervous, excited and ready were some of the descriptions that public school teachers shared about their planning and preparations for school year 2022-2023. The first day of class for Guam public school students is set for Wednesday and though some teachers have reservations, they are prepared for the new school year. Teacher seminar The Guam Department of Education completed a four-day New Teachers Seminar last week at the departments headquarters in Tiyan, focusing sessions on topics like conscious discipline, as well as other collaborative strategies and methods of problem-solving with students. I feel like I know (teachers) would benefit from it because they can learn new things as well as get new perspectives, said teacher Celina DeVera. They get to network with other teachers who have ideas from other people from different schools and see how they can develop their own plans, develop their own curriculum or even have a different mindset. As a brand new teacher, DeVera admits to being very nervous for her first year of teaching; however, she feels that these trainings, as well as the support of the department and other teachers, are helping her prepare for this school year and beyond. I will definitely be joining every seminar that I can go to, just so that I can be more equipped on what I need to do in my classroom, DeVera said. Im still learning. Definitely getting ideas from seasoned teachers, as well as new teachers who have a different mindset from their own master teachers. I just think that it will be a great opportunity for me to continue to learn and have it in my teaching. The department will hold a series of these workshops to help teachers focus on the social and emotional development of students, in addition to any other problems students might have developed over the course of the last two years. M.U. Lujan Elementary School first grade teacher Ritacia Fegurgur said shes been teaching for six years and believes the seminars are also beneficial for experienced teachers as it continuously helps them find ways to better engage with their students. When youre teaching, a lot of the methods that teachers use, theyre constantly changing, constantly evolving it helps refresh what you know, and teaches you new things, Fegurgur said. New to Guam DOE Jhenina Esguerra, who recently transferred from outside of the Guam DOE system, said the challenge she feels she might face is teaching a larger number of students in her new ninth-grade biology class at Tiyan High School. Its a very big change on my side because Ive handled at least 100, 210 students here, it may be more. So being able to ... learn to handle much more in the capacity, learning different learning behaviors, and learning capacities for the students but Im able to adjust to all of that so that I can help them be ready for the school year, Esguerra said. Machananao Elementary School teacher Josephine Lagman, who taught in public schools in the Philippines for 14 years before coming to Guam, said she was pleasantly surprised about how supportive her school is of its teachers. It wasnt difficult for me to transition because of my background, but the learning loss they had during the pandemic will be really challenging for me to go on full face-to-face. But Im excited about it, Lagman said.Though this may be an interesting and possibly challenging year ahead for these teachers, their love of the craft has proven that some are ready with the commitment it takes to be an educator. A lot of people dont really understand or dont really know the kind of hard work and the kind of dedication it takes to become a teacher, said Fergurgur. When I first started, I didnt know what I was getting into. But as I started to go through the motions, learn from my colleagues, learn from my experiences, I fell in love with the process and fell in love with teaching. DuckDuckGo announced on Friday that it is now blocking Microsoft tracking scripts in its privacy browser after it failed locking such scripts previously. This comes after the company faced widespread criticism as its "privacy-focused" browser failed to block Microsoft scripts in the DuckDuckGo privacy browser because of a syndicated search agreement with the software giant. DuckDuckGo browser is supposed to emphasize privacy for its users by blocking hidden third-party trackers. The browser's Tracker Radar blocks hidden third-party trackers found lurking on websites users visit on the browser, preventing the companies creating such trackers from gathering and selling user data. DuckDuckGo Allowed Microsoft Trackers on LinkedIn, Bing Domains However, the Microsoft trackers was discovered to have been allowed on the browser by security researcher Zach Edwards, who also discovered that the DuckDuckGo browser blocked Google and Facebook trackers yet permitted Microsoft trackers on Linkedin and Bing domains. Read Also: DuckDuckGo Search Engine Now Blocks Google AMP Following Brave Web Browser's Move - Here's Why DuckDuckGo announced that it is blocking all third-party Microsoft tracking scripts in its mobile DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser (iOS/Android) and DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials browser extensions on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. DuckDuckGo CEO Vows More Privacy, Transparency DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg said recognized that the company "didn't meet (user) expectations around one of our browser's web tracking protections." As such, he made an announcement that "more privacy and transparency around DuckDuckGo's web tracking protections" are being rolled out. The blocking of Microsoft trackers is being made using the browser's 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection feature, with scripts from the following twenty-one URLs will be blocked, as reported by Bleeping Computer: adnxs.com adnxs-simple.com adsymptotic.com adv-cloudfilse.azureedge.net app-fnsp-matomo-analytics-prod.azurewebsites.net azure.com azure.net bing.com cdnnwlive.azureedge.net clarity.ms dynamics.com fp-cdn.azureedge.net licdn.com linkedin.com live-tfs-omnilytics.azurewebsites.net msecnd.net nlo-stl-web.azureedge.net nuance.com pestcontrol-uc1.azureedge.net sdtagging.azureedge.net serviceschipotlecom.trafficmanager.net But since DuckDuckGo relies on Microsoft Advertising for ads shown in its search engine, there will be a limited allowance of Microsoft trackers on the privacy browser. When users click on an advertisement in the DuckDuckGo search engine, thebrowser will allow tracking scripts from bat.bing.com to execute once on the advertiser's site. This enables advertisers to track how well their advertising campaigns are working. DuckDuckGo will then block all further calls on that advertiser's site that seek to load trackers from bat.bing.com. DuckDuckGo said that theyare looking at replacing bat.bing.com trackers soon with private ad conversion implementations currently being developed by Firefox and Safari. Microsoft Pleased With DuckDuckGo Move Microsoft says they are satisfied with the move, allowing DuckDuckGo to strengthen user privacy even as it allows Microsoft advertisers to continue monitoring the performance of their ads. Microsoft said in a statement to Bleeping Computer that it has policies in place to ensure the balance the needs of our publishers with advertisers' needs to accurately track conversions. The company added that it has been partnering with DuckDuckGo "to understand the implications of this policy" and "are pleased to have arrived at a solution that addresses those concerns." Weinberg also announced more transparency features around DuckDuckGo's web tracking protection features with the the launch of a dedicated help page and the sharing of a list of blocked trackers on GitHub. Related Article: DuckDuckGo Allows Microsoft to Track Users of its 'Privacy-Focused' Browser - CEO Explains Why Haiti - Religion : I fear that Haiti will fall into a pit of despair dixit Pope Francis According to the Jesuit magazine "La Civilta Cattolica", Pope Francis during a private interview during his recent trip to Quebec with 15 members of the Society of Jesus, questioned by a Haitian Jesuit on what they can do so that the Church of Haiti does not lose hope, replied "[...] I feel very close to Haiti, because I am constantly informed of the situation by some priests of my friends [...] Haiti is currently experiencing a critical situation, a ordeal, as if we couldn't find the right way" adding "[...] I don't believe that the international organizations have understood how to do it [...] I fear that Haiti will fall into a pit of despair. Pope Francis concluded "[...] how can we help Haiti to grow in hope ?" If there is anything we can do as a Church, it is certainly to pray and do penance... But we must ask ourselves how we can help ? Haiti is a noble people [...]" This is not the first time that Pope Francis has expressed his closeness and assured his prayers for Haiti https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35136-icihaiti-religion-pope-francis-asks-not-to-abandon-haiti.html In June 2022, the Holy Father lamented the murder of Sister Luisa Dell'Orto, an Italian missionary nun in Haiti https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37003-icihaiti-insecurityan-italian-nun-shot-dead.html and prayed for the people of Haiti to have "a better future, free from misery and violence." Moreover, during the major earthquake of 7.2 on the Richter scale which devastated the southern peninsula of Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes-updated-10am.html Pope Francis has sent economic aid of 200,000 euros to Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34578-haiti-religion-aid-of-200-000-euros-from-pope-francis.html for "helping the population in the first phase of the emergency, aggravated by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic" This sum via the Dicastery for the service of integral human development has distributed in collaboration with the apostolic nunciature among the dioceses most affected by the disaster, for the assistance of those affected by the earthquake. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37003-icihaiti-insecurityan-italian-nun-shot-dead.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35136-icihaiti-religion-pope-francis-asks-not-to-abandon-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34578-haiti-religion-aid-of-200-000-euros-from-pope-francis.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes.html S/ HaitiLibre Chinese ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming speaks during an interview with The Korea Times and its sister paper, Hankook Ilbo, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and China, at the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, Aug. 2. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-suk Ambassador Xing Haiming criticizes Chip 4, calls for including China in US-led semiconductor alliance By Kwon Mee-yoo South Korea and China established diplomatic relations on Aug. 24, 1992, which was a historic turning point in their bilateral relations. Thirty years have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations and China now has become South Korea's No. 1 trade partner. China's relations with North Korea have also put the former's relations with the South to the test. Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming, who was part of the working-level negotiations when the two countries established diplomatic relations three decades ago, said the two countries agreed to forge those relations to put an end to the Cold War era, contribute to regional and world peace, and to benefit the people of both countries. "One of the most memorable negotiations was the Taiwan issue. [South] Korea agreed to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government of China and Taiwan is part of China," Xing noted during an interview with The Korea Times and its sister newspaper, Hankook Ilbo, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and China at the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, central Seoul. The interview was held on Aug. 2, the day when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived on the self-governed island of Taiwan. Ambassador Xing said China expressed worries over Pelosi's visit to Taiwan multiple times, as her visit could send the wrong signal to the pro-independence camp on the island. "Pelosi is the third-highest-ranking official in the U.S. government and her visit to Taiwan would harm China-U.S. ties as it is part of the U.S.' attempt to subdue China using Taiwan," Xing said. "The U.S. agreed upon the One China Policy and only has an unofficial relationship with Taiwan. Pelosi's visit might mar the agreement between China and the U.S. and we will take resolute measures against the attempts to infringe on the One China Policy," he said. Xing emphasized that the One China Policy is included in the statement of South Korea-China ties and he expects the South Korean government to support the original resolution on bilateral relations. "I hope for Korea to understand and support China's concerns regarding the One China Policy and to develop bilateral ties in a future-oriented way based on what we began with," he said. He reiterated the One China policy multiple times during the interview, as it took place amid the heightened military tensions between the United States and China over Pelosi's Taiwan visit. The two countries launched major military shows of force during her Asia trip. After Taiwan, Pelosi visited South Korea and then Japan. The U.S. House Speaker met National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and had a 40-minute phone conversation with President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was on summer vacation at that time. gettyimagesbank 'Chip 5,' instead of 'Chip 4' South Korea's relations with China have been put to the test as Seoul has been increasingly asked to take the side of either the United States or China. The U.S. has invited South Korea to join its semiconductor alliance, the "Chip 4," also including Japan and Taiwan, to build a cooperative platform for the chip supply chain. But South Korea has not yet responded to the invitation. Haiti - FLASH : Former Senator Buissereth, Director General of EPPLS assassinated then burned in his vehicle Saturday August 6, 2022, in the area of Laboule 12 (Commune of Petion-ville), unidentified armed individuals targeted a car in which was the former Senator of the South, Yvon Buissereth the current Director General of The Public Promotion and Social Housing Company (EPPLS) since 2017 and at least one other passenger. The gang led by "Ti makak" which reigns terror in the Laboule 12 area is pointed out in the execution of this crime. Me Jacques Lafontant the Commissioner of the Government of Port-au-Prince accompanied by the Justice of the Peace of Petion-ville, Clement Noel went on site for the legal report. According to initial information, Yvon Buissereth, accompanied by at least one other passenger, were shot dead. After committing their crime, the bandits set fire to the vehicle in which the bodies of the victims were found. Reaction of the acting Prime Minister : "I strongly and unreservedly condemn the barbaric act perpetrated yesterday by armed gangs in Laboule against the Director General of the EPPLS, Yvon Buissereth, former senator of the Republic. His assassins, as well as all the other criminals who sow mourning in the country, will be prosecuted in their last entrenchment and will have to answer for their ignominious acts before justice. I encourage the PNH to increase its efforts in order to continue to track down bandits of all kinds who are bloodying our society." SL/ HaitiLibre By Kwon Mee-yoo Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming speaks during an interview with The Korea Times and its sister paper, Hankook Ilbo, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and China, at the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, Aug. 2. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-suk Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming is highly critical of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in late June, calling NATO a product of the Cold War. "The NATO summit distorted facts and characterized China as a 'systemic challenge to Euro-Atlantic security,' which is wrongful," he said during an interview with The Korea Times and its sister newspaper Hankook Ilbo on Aug. 2 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China. During the NATO summit, leaders of the member countries for the first time identified China as a "systemic challenge to Euro-Atlantic security" in NATO's key strategic concept document that sets its military and security strategy. President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the NATO summit and held sideline meetings with some other attending leaders. The Chinese envoy stopped short of criticizing the president for his trip to the NATO summit, but claimed the meetings facilitated confrontation between China and Europe, instead of peace. President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres set to visit South Korea later this week. The U.N. chief is scheduled to visit South Korea on Thursday and Friday. "Though it has not been set, it would be a matter of course to receive a courtesy call unless special circumstances arise," a presidential official said in response to a question on whether Yoon plans to meet with Guterres. (Yonhap) Relocation helps mountain villagers avoid geological disasters Xinhua) 10:37, August 07, 2022 LANZHOU, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- After moving into his new house, Liu Changhai said he no longer fears rainy days and enjoys the fresh air after the rains. Liu's family of five now live in a 96-square-meter urban house equipped with a small courtyard, flush toilet, and gas stove in Lanzhou New Area in the provincial capital Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, a national-level development zone. "Rainy days were my nightmares. I used to dream of moving out of the mountain someday," said Liu, adding that some houses in his village were slipping downwards, and some even fell along with landslides from cliffs. Rains battered his hometown, mountainous Zhenzhuangmo Village in Zhouqu County of Gansu, more frequently around 2008. At first, his family had to repair their old house almost every year. Liu started building a new home in the village by 2020, spending over 200,000 yuan (about 29,570 U.S. dollars) with savings earned from manual labor as a migrant worker. The family moved in around the Spring Festival of 2021, but Liu returned to work in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, for work soon. About a week after Liu arrived in Chengdu, his township officials called him, saying an overnight storm had cracked his new house. In 2021, a risk-aversion project initiated by the provincial government relocated villagers living in disaster-stricken regions to the Lanzhou New Area. Residing in a village assessed as inhabitable by experts, Liu and other villagers whose houses had perished in natural disasters applied for relocation soon after they heard about the project. The project offers a subsidy of 100,000 yuan per household in Zhouqu County. Liu only paid 44,000 yuan for the real estate. Currently, more than 5,000 people from over 1,200 households have resettled in the area, according to the authorities of Zhouqu County. "A direct bus transport service to downtown Lanzhou is available here. Children can go to school more conveniently," said Liu, adding that there are more job opportunities and free vocational training. This year, Liu works at a construction site nearby, no longer outside the province, and his wife has found a job at a local greenhouse. The couple's monthly income exceeds 7,000 yuan. Liu's neighbor, Yang Tiaonyu, 29, is a social worker in the community. "Whenever the new residents come, I introduce the neighborhood to them. I love my new job and find it meaningful," she said. Next year, Yang's 2-year-old daughter will attend kindergarten, which is only 500-meter away from her new home. According to Ding Jusheng, director of the provincial natural resources department, the relocation project is a fundamental way to remove the threats posed by disasters to residents. Over 50 percent of Gansu's territory area is prone to natural disasters. The department said the province not only plans to improve residential safety and life quality via relocation but will also focus on industry, employment, and public services to increase household income. Though the cracked house was assessed as a dilapidated and uninhabitable building, it is preserved in Liu's cellphone and a photo frame in the urban home. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) About 150 Korean Army commandoes will leave for the United States later this month for joint training with the U.S. Army at the National Training Center (NTC) in California, officials said Sunday. The special forces troops from a front-line Army corps will conduct joint exercises at the Fort Irwin training center for about a month as part of an annual training program the two countries have carried out since 2020 to establish a firm readiness posture. It was the second time this year the two countries have held joint exercises at the NTC after some 100 officers from the Army's Special Warfare Command staged special warfare exercises with the U.S. military at the training ground between June and July. Until last year, NTC training took place once a year. Located in the Mojave Desert in northern California, the NTC is one of the major training areas for the U.S. military that is designed to provide realistic joint and combined arms training. (Yonhap) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate These days, Claudia Martinez makes the rounds at TIRR Memorial Hermann, the very research hospital where once she was a patient. Now, in her third year of residency, she traverses the same hallways where, not too long ago, she relearned to walk. In the same rooms where Martinez, 31, once worked with physical trainers to master the steps of dressing and feeding herself and transferring from a wheelchair, she helps others facing similar challenges. Dr. Lisa Wenzel, attending physician at TIRR, recalls when Martinez first arrived, and Wenzel treated her as a patient. Now Wenzel supervises her as a resident, providing patient care. MORE HEALTH NEWS: After suffering twin ACL tears, these sisters are back on the soccer field. And reaching new goals. Claudia was able to not only rehab here - but also to work here as a student, Wenzel said. She is quite an inspiration. Hopefully, one day, shell be an attending here as well. Thats Martinezs dream too. She wanted to be a doctor since childhood and, during medical school, considered becoming a surgeon. It was her time at TIRR that changed the course of her career. But her path was arduous. Martinezs symptoms headaches and a tingling sensation or numbness in her legs began alongside her classes at the University of Houston, where she earned her major in biology and minor in chemistry. It was frustrating, she recalled. And the things I would do in everyday life were getting harder and harder for me. The symptoms worsened with time. Martinez began feeling weak. Within a year, her hands and legs shook. Sometimes, she would fall when trying to stand. She was often nauseous and vomited. Doctors initially thought college stress was the culprit. But Martinez knew that couldnt be the case. I was the type of person who really enjoyed school, she said. It wasnt stressful to me. At the beginning of her senior year, in 2012, she finally found a doctor who listened. She was diagnosed with a cyst on her spine and a Chiari malformation, a rare condition resulting from the brain not having enough room in the skull. The brain anomaly forms in the cerebellum, an area key to motor function and balance. The lack of space results in the cerebellum pressing into the spinal cord. Martinez had never heard of a Chiari malformation before - but she understood the gravity of the diagnosis. My neurosurgeon said, You need brain surgery as soon as possible - or you could end up paralyzed from the neck down, she recalled. Within a week, she was in the operating room for a craniotomy, as well as a posterior fossa suboccipital decompression with laminectomy and duraplasty a procedure that removes a small section of bone in the skull to reduce pressure. Afterwards, Martinez recuperated quickly - and all the headaches and nausea were gone. I felt super good, she said. But it didnt last for long. Symptoms return and worsen The headaches returned - worse than before. I couldnt sit up, Martinez said. I started blacking out. She was rushed to the hospital that October, and learned there was a leak. Fluid was filling her brain cavities, and a shunt was placed in her skull to drain it. Recovery took a while that time, Martinez said. It was slower. MORE HEALTH NEWS: Long COVID can be demoralizing for patients. For doctors, it remains a mystery And her symptoms returned again. She again had headaches, tingling and difficulty swallowing. The herniation in her spine had reformed, lower down this time. She needed a third surgery to relieve the pressure. In January 2014, surgeons repeated the decompression procedure. Martinez then developed chemical meningitis from a synthetic patch placed in her head to allow for greater room. The patch had to be replaced and a shunt was placed in February 2014. In addition, Martinez had trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that causes painful sensations to the side of her face. It gives you such severe pain that youre not able to eat or talk, she said. She then underwent a fourth operation called a microvascular decompression surgery in November 2014, months after enrolling at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Here I was trying to be the best I could be, doing well in school, and these things kept happening to me, she said. I didnt understand why. Whenever Martinez went to the hospital, she would ask her parents Alicia and Johnny Martinez to bring her laptop and books. They were more than happy to comply. Even if Martinez did not open the texts, it was comforting to have them nearby. She explained that their presence helped her focus on her future in medicine, when she would be the doctor, not a patient. At least I had that, she said. Most of my education I did from the hospital bed or at home. A whole new problem At age 25, Martinez was working on a research project at the start of her second year of medical school with Dr. David Sandberg, professor and chief of the division of pediatric neurosurgery at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. At the time, Martinez was having trouble swallowing and began losing weight. She was rushed back to the hospital for being malnourished. She also developed issues with balance, vision and sight - and began having seizures. Martinez shared her story with Dr. Sandberg, who also serves as director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute. Her case is very unusual, he said. Something rarely, if ever, seen. Most patients with Chiari malformation recover after one procedure and never need another. But she had a number of surgeries, he said. And still, Martinez suffered symptoms. She was getting worse and worse, Sandberg said. An MRI revealed her brain stem appeared attached to scar tissue. Normally, Sandberg said, a space exists between the dura, or lining that covers the brain, and the brain stem. Her brain stem looked pulled back, Sandberg recalled. And any surgery affecting the brain stem can be dangerous. The brain stem controls life - breathing and heart rate, he said. But there werent great alternatives in her case. Martinez would need a fifth surgery - and Sandberg agreed to take over her case. It was really high-risk at this point, she said. But I felt like he could do it. I had complete confidence in him. I felt at ease. The operation was scheduled for July 2016. Sandberg said the procedure essentially opened her previous incision, cutting away scar tissue and untethering her brainstem. Its like fly paper, Martinez said. He had to go in and unstick it. The same issue recurred in February 2017 - and Sandberg again operated - for her sixth and final brain surgery. Recovering from stroke When Martinez awoke from her surgery, she tried to reach and grab something. Thats when she realized that she had no control over her arms or her legs. I was like, What is happening? she recalled. I had a stroke during surgery. MORE HEALTH NEWS: Breastfeeding will never be free. But it can be made easier. She was transferred to TIRR in March 2017. Martinez was at her lowest point, she explained. It wasnt simply the inability to function or the fact that she would have to relearn how to use her body. She felt like this could be a sign that practicing medicine would no longer be in her future, and others concurred. She was heartbroken. Everyone was pointing out what I couldnt do,she said. But at TIRR, everything changed. Everyone was so positive, she said. It was all about restoring my life and my function. They would point out what I could do - and that was a complete 180. Wenzel said that was a critical part of her recovery. Claudia had all these challenges to overcome, Wenzel said. But there is life in the future; that was our key focus. Theres so much you can still do. We wanted to give her hope. The approach was multidisciplinary, including physical and occupational therapists, nurses, case managers and psychologists. When Claudia first came in, she required total assistance for bathing, eating, grooming and dressing, Wenzel said. After two months, Martinez was almost totally independent in all of those activities. She could walk a bit, get out of her wheelchair and climb a few stairs. She made significant progress, Wenzel said. Martinez would return to TIRR for two more stays that year. The other sessions were dedicated to standing, walking and moving her hands. I was getting stronger, Martinez said. In 2018, Martinez took a year of medical leave for rehab. The following fall, she returned to school, still with a feeding tube. Making something out of the pieces Martinez graduated in May, 2020. Along the way, she reached various milestones - including having her feeding tube and port removed. She learned to examine patients on her own and to become her own advocate as a med student with disabilities. Martinez also found that her career goals changed. She was still working on regaining movement in her hands - and knew that ruled out surgery. Wenzel told her, I think youd be a fabulous rehabilitation doctor. Youd be able to help so many people with functional improvement. Martinez took her TIRR physicians words to heart. She told me, Im going to apply, Wenzel recalled. Martinez started her residency at TIRR in July, 2020. She is in a unique position to know both sides, Wenzel said. The things that she has learned as a patient, she can now apply as a physician. Sandberg agreed, In terms of compassion for patients, shes going to really understand what they are going through. He recalled that she was a top-notch student. Now shes a busy resident, he said. She was plagued with challenges that most medical students never have - and she handled it with great poise. She persevered. Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-bsaed freelance writer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RICHMOND, Va. (AP) After removing the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond and nearly two dozen other statues across the city and state, Devon Henry is seeking to raise money for charity by selling digital artwork inspired by their removal in the cryptocurrency market. CryptoFederacy, Henrys newest venture, launched its first series of artwork recently with the goal of raising a total of $13 million for various nonprofit groups and social justice causes, including affordable housing development, gun violence prevention, mental health care access and voting rights. The 45-year-old CEO of Team Henry Enterprises, the contracting firm that the state and cities of Richmond and Charlottesville hired to take down Confederate monuments, said he founded the new company after reflecting on what he should do next after participating in the historical endeavor. The statues are down. But whats next? Henry said in an interview. Its about keeping the momentum going and keeping up the awareness of what those statues have meant and taking a negative narrative and turning it into something positive. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the removal of the Confederate monuments in the former capital of the Confederacy in 2020 amid nationwide protests following the police killing of George Floyd. The orders came after several other states and localities around the country made similar moves to take down tributes to the Confederacy after a white supremacist murdered nine Black parishioners in a Charleston, S.C., church five years earlier. Henry said he was apprehensive when the governors chief of staff first approached him about removing the Lee monument. He was inclined to take it but considered the fatal white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017 and how a contractors car in New Orleans was firebombed. Henry, who is Black, said he consulted his wife and children. They discussed what it would mean to remove the monuments that generations of people felt had represented oppression and racism and the risks that it might involve. We came to the conclusion that we have to do this, he said. We have to take these matters in our hand and be courageous in doing so. Henry said the goal of CryptoFederacy is to capitalize on the rise of novel technology such as Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise money for social justice causes. Founded earlier this year, the organizations first project is The Thirteen Stars, a collection of digital art that includes 3D models of the Confederate monuments overlaid with newspaper headlines and illustrations of the statues with graffiti surrounding them. Anthony Bartley, who goes by the artist name Fading Royalty, created most of the artwork for the collection. Currently based in St. Louis, where he attended Washington University, Bartley, 24, said he was thrilled to participate in the project after curating a book of photography from the 2020 protests. Proceeds of the book sales went toward the NAACP legal defense fund. Creating the artwork, he said, brought me back to being in the midst of doing something bigger than myself. And that felt good to be part of it, especially knowing that the proceeds are going to charity. The name of the collection is a reference to the 13 stars on the Confederate Southern Cross battle flag as well as each of the 13 causes to which CryptoFederacy intends to allocate $1 million with the proceeds from the sale of the artwork. Michael Garvey, an economist and artist involved in the project, created three pieces for the collection. One of them depicts an alien aircraft abducting the statue of Robert E. Lee, while another shows all of the monuments strewn in an arcade claw machine game. Garvey, 33, said his work is meant to symbolize progressing into the future and how the project is intended to claim the monuments. It can be like taking some of the oppression ... caused by the culture around the statues and taking money from this NFT project to relieve some of that pressure on us, he said. Henry said CryptoFederacy is still engaging potential nonprofit and charitable partners for the project but has already reached agreements with the Richmond-based Better Housing Coalition and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to support scholarships to historically Black colleges and universities. Other artists have also sought to raise money from the sale of NFTs recently. For example, Russian feminist art collective and punk rock group Pussy Riot earlier this year helped raise over $7 million in support of Ukraine during the Russian invasion of the country, according to media reports. Patrons can bid on The Thirteen Stars artwork using the cryptocurrency ethereum. The auction website for the artwork says the minimum bid for each piece is 105 wrapped ether, which is the equivalent of about $182,000. In addition to acquiring ownership rights to the artwork through the blockchain, a sort of digital public ledger thats the basis of cryptocurrencies and NFT ownership, buyers will receive a small physical artifact from one of the monuments. Henry said he chose to embrace the novel cryptocurrency market and new art platform as a way to also encourage Black entrepreneurship in an emerging market. I just feel that at some point, its going to be a part of our lives, he said. I saw a lot of the stuff out there in the NFT space, and I thought this could be something more meaningful and historic that people can get behind and understand. Henry said he expects auction for the artwork will remain open online until the end of August. He said CryptoFederacy will also release a second collection of NFT artwork later this summer. Tim Bristow What was meant to be a routine traffic stop in the city of Hitchcock, just west of Galveston Island, escalated into a high-speed chase that ended with an officer getting hit by the a car, then shooting the driver in the shoulder, said the Hitchcock chief of police early Sunday morning. Both the driver and the officer were taken to a hospital in stable condition. Ten miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, cars waited at a red light as traffic crossed a busy intersection Thursday afternoon. Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station shows a Mercedes hurtle into the frame, whip through the red light and plow into traffic, crashing into cars that erupted into flames and tore in half. Nicole Lorraine Linton, a Houston woman, was arrested the next day, with authorities alleging she had sped through the light, killing a pregnant woman, a child and three other adults. The California Highway Patrol on Friday said Linton, who sustained moderate injuries in the collision, is expected to face charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The 37-year-old traveling nurse, who was working in Los Angeles at the time, had posted on her LinkedIn profile that she was traveling state-by-state to improve her skills as an intensive care unit nurse. Franco Pepi, a California Highway Patrol officer, told The Associated Press Friday that detectives were looking into whether Linton had a medical episode or was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It was not immediately clear whether Linton had an attorney who could comment on her behalf. Pepi called the collision one of the most horrific crashes that weve seen. Among the victims were Asherey Ryan, a 23-year-old pregnant woman from Los Angeles, and her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero. Ryan was on her way to a prenatal checkup, according to her sister. Ryan had already chosen a name, Armani, for the unborn child. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. The car was going at least 50 mph as it raced through the crowded intersection, Pepi said Thursday. Several people were flung from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. Television reports showed the blackened and mangled cars, as well as a childs car seat among the debris covering the street. Eight people were taken to the hospital, including Linton. The other victims had minor injuries and included a 33-year-old woman and six children ranging in age from 13 months to 15 years, Pepi said. A memorial grew outside the intersection Friday, as mourners left flowers and candles. Henry Sanchez, who works at nearby Sinclair Gas, was at the indoor register when he heard the loudest noise Ive ever heard. The sound of it, it was gut-wrenching, he told the AP on Friday. It was like two trains hitting each other, metal on metal. He saw people rush to the cars to offer aid but they were kept back by the flames until firefighters arrived. I remember everybody trying to get the fire down and help people out as much as they could, but nobody could do anything, he said. Veronica Esquival told KTLA-TV that she covered her head for protection as debris flew. All of the sudden, a baby literally flew from the middle of the intersection to the middle of the gas station and landed right on the floor in front of me, Esquival said. One of the workers came and saw me with the baby and took the baby out of my hands. . Somebody tried to resuscitate the baby but the baby was gone. Debra Jackson, told KCBS-TV she was about to get out of her car to pump gas when she heard a big explosion. The flames just went over everybody, Jackson said. The flames went over my whole car and they told me to jump out of my car because I was trying to get out of my car, to go to the gas pump. And I jumped out of my car and just left my car sitting right there. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Houston Chronicle A man was shot Saturday in the front yard of his northeast Harris County home, officials said. Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office found the man shot in the 14000 block of Victoria Street in Cloverleaf, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Two days after Kevin Kwong flew home to California from New York, his hands itched so badly, the pain jolted him from sleep. He thought the problem was eczema. Everything started rapidly getting worse, the Emeryville resident said. I started to get more spots, on my face, more redness and they started leaking fluid. The rash expanded to my elbows and my hands and my ankles. It took Kwong, 33, six virtual appointments with doctors and nurses, one call to a nurse hotline, a trip to an urgent care clinic, two emergency room visits, and two incorrect diagnoses before an infectious disease specialist diagnosed him with monkeypox in early July. Despite taking two tests, he never tested positive. As the number of monkeypox cases has exploded in the U.S. in the past month, the public health system is struggling to spread the word about the virus danger and distribute a limited supply of vaccines to vulnerable people. But the problem extends even further. People who may be infected are grappling with dead ends, delays, incorrect diagnoses, and inappropriate treatments as they navigate an unprepared and ill-informed health care system. The once-obscure virus has hospitals racing to teach emergency room staffers how to correctly identify and test for it. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, the infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco who ultimately diagnosed Kwong, said his case was a tipping point for the research hospital. Kevin came in the middle of the night when a lot of resources werent available. So I think after his case, were doing a lot more education of the general condition. But I think your average clinician doesnt always know what to do, Chin-Hong said. Monkeypox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, though its not as transmissible or fatal. Typically, patients have a fever, muscle aches, and then a rash on their face, mouth, hands, and possibly genitals that can last for several weeks. The current outbreak is spreading via human-to-human contact, such as touching a lesion, or exchanging saliva or other bodily fluids. People can also become infected by touching objects or surfaces, such as sex toys or sheets, shared with someone with the illness. The first U.S. monkeypox case of this outbreak was reported May 17, and since then, the number has grown to more than 6,300 probable or confirmed cases representing almost every state, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday declared a state of emergency to coordinate response and bolster the states vaccination efforts. About half of Californias 1,135 monkeypox cases have been concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although anyone can get infected, the outbreak appears to have largely affected men who have sex with men. Kwong said he probably contracted monkeypox from a sexual encounter during New York Pride events. This is the first-ever multicontinental outbreak, so its not just going to vanish, said Andrew Noymer, an associate professor at UC Irvine who studies infectious diseases. This is not going to blow up like COVID, but this outbreak is going to have legs, he said. It may be like syphilis and itll just sort of be around. But most doctors dont know how to recognize it. In late June, when Kwong began experiencing symptoms, most of the doctors and nurses he spoke with during virtual visits didnt even mention monkeypox. That doesnt surprise Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA. Even though Ive worked on and off in several sub-Saharan African countries over the last 25 years, Ive actually never treated a case of monkeypox, Brewer said. Before this current outbreak, monkeypox was a very unusual disease. A rash limited to the genital or rectal area may be mistaken for a sexually transmitted infection. But even if doctors havent been trained to recognize monkeypox, Brewer said, their advice to patients could help contain the spread. You would be advising people to not engage in sexual activity until their lesions are healed and treated, Brewer said. Although many cases are mild and resolve on their own, some rapidly become serious like Kwongs. Your body is being taken over by this thing that you dont understand. And you have nowhere to go, so its both painful and terrifying, Kwong said. Kwong initially treated the rash with the topical steroids he uses for eczema. When that didnt work, he attended an online appointment with a nurse who diagnosed him with herpes and prescribed an antiviral medication. Over the next few hours, the rash quickly spread to more of his body. Alarmed, Kwong went to an urgent care clinic. The doctor agreed with the herpes diagnosis, and added another: scabies, a rash caused by mites that burrow into skin. My spots were concentrated on my hands and my wrists and feet and elbows, which are prime locations for scabies, Kwong said. Kevin Kwong/California Healthline The urgent care doctor had considered monkeypox but Kwongs spots were clustered together and looked different from the monkeypox rash pictures the doctor had seen. Depending on where I was with my symptoms, and who I was speaking to, I was getting different answers, Kwong said. Over the July Fourth holiday weekend, Kwong frantically reached out to anyone he thought could help as his symptoms worsened. I tried to contact doctors, I knew friends of friends who were dermatologists, he said. After each time I spoke with someone, I just got rapidly worse. And it was really freaky. During another virtual appointment, in the middle of the night, a nurse noticed the rash had spread toward his eyes and told him to go to the emergency room immediately. It was there, at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, that doctors said Kwong may have monkeypox. They were researching while I was in this room, and back-and-forth on the phone with the CDC. I expected myself, as a patient, to be in the dark, but I didnt realize how little information was also given to providers and how unprepared they were as well, he said. He spent 12 hours in the emergency room, where nurses swabbed his lesions for a monkeypox test. They told him to come back if he developed a fever or started vomiting. At this point, I was just miserable. I had sores in the back of my throat, in my mouth, all over my body, he said. I was just delirious because I couldnt sleep more than an hour or two at any given time. Later that night, Kwong decided to make the trip to the UCSF Medical Center. Hed heard through a friend that UCSF Health was treating monkeypox cases, and a virtual care nurse had urged him to go. When he arrived, he was separated from the other patients, received oxycodone for pain, and was swabbed for another monkeypox test. The next day, Chin-Hong started treating Kwong for monkeypox. I thought, wow, this is really, really extensive disease, Chin-Hong said. Ive seen other cases of monkeypox before, but theyre very limited. I would say Kevin is probably in the top 5% of severity of diseases. Because the rash was close to Kwongs eyes, Chin-Hong feared he could go blind if the disease were left untreated. He prescribed Tecovirimat, an antiviral medication branded as TPOXX, that has received special clearance from the FDA to treat monkeypox in certain circumstances. After the first day on the drug, Kwong noticed that his rash stopped spreading. Over the next two days, the hundreds of swollen spots flattened into red disks. I was shocked by how fast Kevin improved. It was almost like he was a turbo-rocket on the way to recovery, Chin-Hong said. As Kwong started to heal, he got his first test result back: negative. Then the second: negative. Chin-Hong said health workers might not have rubbed his lesions hard enough to get live cells for the monkeypox test. Its very difficult as a clinician to really get a good sample in these kinds of lesions because the patient is often in pain. And you dont like to see people suffer, Chin-Hong said. Cases like Kwongs may be missed if tests arent conducted correctly. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions online resource for clinicians is adequate, Brewer said, but only if you take the time to read all 59 pages. Clinicians need to collect at least two samples from multiple locations on the patients body, he said. The key, Brewer said, is to sample lesions at different stages of development and not concentrate only on the early bumps. For two weeks, Kwong took six antiviral pills a day to rid his body of the virus. He no longer needs pain medication. My face was the first to heal, which I think helped me a lot, to be able to recognize who I was in the mirror again, Kwong said. Now, more than a month since the ordeal began, Kwongs hands and feet are finally healing. His cuticles and the skin on his hands peeled off and are in the process of regrowing, while his fingernails have turned black and started to fall off, he said. Kwong said the psychological toll will take longer to overcome. I feel less invulnerable, because it was such a rapidly debilitating disease. And so Im still working on my mental state more than my physical one. Jackie Fortier is the senior health reporter at L.A.-based public radio station KPCC and LAist. This story was developed jointly by KPCC, National Public Radio and Kaiser Health News, where it previously appeared. Twitter: @JackieFortier This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ebele Uzameres children hadnt planned on tackling a 25-foot climbing wall on Saturday. But when they arrived at the 2022 Abilities Expo at the NRG Center and saw other kids in wheelchairs waiting to go up it, they suddenly wanted to try. Uzamere helped strap each child into a safety harness. She buckled up their portable ventilators. Then they suddenly became mountain climbers as a system of ropes and pulleys raised them into the air. Onlookers cheered when they victoriously rang a bell near the top of the wall. Long after their climbs ended, the children were still smiling. Every time Ive come here, Ive gotten something that's been helpful, said Uzamere, whose son and two daughters have spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that attacks nerve cells that control muscle movement. The wall is one of the highlights of an event that has brought a wealth of new experiences and knowledge to people with disabilities for more than 40 years. The Abilities Expo, which is free and runs until Sunday in Houston, offers workshops on topics such as accessible travel destinations and lessons about service dogs. Attendees can watch wheelchair fencing, rugby and lacrosse. About 120 exhibitors showcase products and new technologies. "It's a cool show, said Houston professor Lex Frieden, a longtime advocate who helped write the Americans with Disabilities Act and attended the exposition Saturday. Theres no shortage of challenges for people with disabilities, he said, but the expo helps raise awareness and open possibilities for people. They sure are doing a lot for the community, Frieden said. The Abilities Expo was launched in 1979 by Richard Wooten, a polio survivor in California who was having trouble finding products designed specifically for people with disabilities. I thought, If Im having problems, certainly others are as well, Wooten told the Los Angeles Times in a 1993 article. Wooten later sold the rights to the expo and it changed hands over the years until it was bought in 2008 by 5Net4 Productions, a firm owned by Lewis Shomer and David Korse. With a long history in the events industry, the pair expanded the Abilities Expo from two to seven cities. "People find products here that they never even knew existed, and it changes their lives, Shomer said. About 1,300 people attended the expo Friday, Shomer said, and he expected more than 2,000 to arrive Saturday. Mountain climber Mark Wellman, who designed the pulley system that raised Uzameres children into the air at the climbing wall, said he wanted to give everyone a chance to experience the freedom of climbing and open their eyes to whats possible. "There is life after spinal-cord injury, Wellman said. There is life after amputation. There is life after head injury. It's all about having a great life." After a climbing accident paralyzed him in 1982, Wellman said he never lost his love for the outdoors. In 1989, he made history as the first paraplegic to scale the 3,000-foot face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. "This wall is their El Capitan, Wellman said as a line of children waited their turn to climb it. Twenty five feet is a big deal for them. We're getting them out of their comfort zone. john.tedesco@chron.com Metro Video An automobile repair shop near Aldine caught fire on Sunday, leaving the owner who tried to fight the blaze with third-degree burns. The Little York Fire Department arrived around 1 a.m. at the shop on Memory Lane and Sweetwater. The owner had been trying to put out the flames but was found on the ground with his injuries, authorities said. A 30-second TV spot with Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale is not designed to extrapolate the nuances of criminal activity in a county of 4.6 million people. Thats not what campaign ads are for; theyre designed to push a narrative. For Alexandra del Moral Mealer, the Republican candidate for county judge and a former U.S. Army captain, crime is a winning issue. Portraying her Democratic opponent, incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo, as a failure on public safety has kept the race surprisingly close in a blue county. So naturally, Mealer teamed up with McIngvale, the indefatigable Houston philanthropist and self-promotion savant, to bolster that message in a recent political ad. Trust Alexandra Mealer to make every neighborhood in our county safe, McIngvale declares, swinging his arms like a major league umpire. Mealer follows concisely: Violent crime continues to rise, and as a mom, and a combat veteran, a neighbor, and a voter, Im out of patience for politicians standing around passing the blame. Yet just as it would be completely disingenuous and a bad look for Hidalgo to behave as if Harris County is as safe as Switzerland particularly as members of the county judges staff grapple with their own legal troubles Mealers assertion that politicians are standing around and passing the blame is complicated by recent crime data. The truth is that Houston is neither as safe as it once was nor is it as dangerous as she makes it seem. In a conversation this week with the editorial board, Mealer presented a more nuanced view of the criminal justice system, noting problems such as understaffed agencies to overcrowded jails to a stubborn backlog of criminal cases. Her fluency in discussing public safety is part of the reason why her campaign has earned the support of many local law enforcement groups. This is something that is really spiraling out of control, Mealer told the editorial board. The county just hasn't moved with the aggressiveness and the focus that I think the severity of the issue requires. Many voters agree with Mealer. A recent University of Houston poll ranked crime and public safety as a leading issue in deciding their county judge vote. Houston saw another increase in homicides last year, a trend that began early in the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Theres a reflexive tendency by some experts to wave off this crime spike by noting that the homicide rate is still far below the harrowing crime wave of the early 90s and pointing to similar spikes in most major cities across the nation. But that context is of little comfort to Houstonians who live in neighborhoods with rampant gang activity; who fear a stray bullet might find one of their children; or who look over their shoulder when getting out of their car at night. The top-line figures that get the most headlines are homicides, which remain roughly on par with last years rate, according to the most recent operational data from the Houston Police Department. As of Friday, there were 276 murders in Houston this year, a 5 percent increase from 2021, which shows that there is still a lot of work to do. We should listen to the families of crime victims and heed their pleas to fix a troubled system, marked both by a state law that guarantees bail to nearly everyone, and yes, by the lenient decisions of some local judges who grant multiple felony bonds and at times refuse to revoke bonds when a defendant is charged with another violent crime. But too often, politicians on both sides are perpetuating a misleading narrative that Houston is an out-of-control city, run by a lawless defund-the-police crowd. Whether its the Democratic district attorney scapegoating misdemeanor bail reform as a driving factor behind the crime spike, or supposedly nonpartisan nonprofits claiming liberal judges are allowing an assault against the community. These statements fail to give Houstonians the accurate understanding of crime and safety they need to live their lives and make decisions on everything from where to take a walk and eat out to whether its safe to settle down here and start a family. In fact, the numbers for other violent crimes continue to decline in Houston, in some cases significantly. HPD statistics show that rape offenses have dropped by 29 percent; robbery is down 8 percent; aggravated assault declined by 7 percent; and burglary offenses have dwindled slightly, by 2 percent. This is not the picture of a city hopelessly overrun by criminals; its a hopeful snapshot of incremental progress toward making us all feel a little bit safer. And judging by the vast sums of money city and county officials have spent to tackle crime, it would be difficult to conclude that anybody is standing around twiddling their thumbs. Harris County commissioners in February approved $1.3 billion in public safety investments, including additional deputies and detention officers. Mayor Sylvester Turner has leveraged $44 million in federal funds toward his own public safety initiative which included $5.7 million in overtime for HPD patrols with 125 additional officers per day. Mealer, however, believes much of this spending failed to address the core needs of law enforcement agencies. She noted that the countys $1.3 billion budget did not satisfy requests from the sheriff, constables, district attorney and fire marshal's office to add the necessary personnel and patrol officers to effectively tackle a public safety crisis. She wants to see some of the federal funds used to create new programs, such as Hidalgos $48 million child care initiative, instead be put toward hiring more prosecutors to clear the massive courthouse backlog, which stands at roughly 135,000 criminal cases down from a peak of around 152,000 last year, according to the DA. I just haven't seen where were actually really making progress on getting a criminal justice system that is efficiently or effectively identifying risk of who should be in jail while they're awaiting trial, quickly getting people to trial, and then having enough law enforcement presence to actually have a deterrence effect, Mealer told us. Mealers assessment is reasonable. Certainly, the backlog undermines the entire judicial system, forcing the county jail population to swell to unsustainable numbers that cost taxpayers millions. We too believe the DA needs more prosecutors she could start by first filling the vacancies in her office and that Hidalgo should show more urgency where crime is concerned. Directing more resources toward hiring officers and restoring safety at the jail are worthwhile policy prescriptions to consider. These ideas, of course, dont fit neatly in a campaign soundbite. Its easier to portray Houston as a decaying metropolis. But wheres the hope in that? And wheres the truth? Somewhere in a scary place where campaigns dare not go: the middle. Bottom line: anybody who truly cares about crime and finding solutions wont get answers in a campaign season TV spot. You already knew that, but its easy to get sucked in by the power of political messaging and forget that its skewed to alarm and to discredit a political opponent. While Mealer clearly has something to say about crime and ways to address it, no one should think merely removing incumbent politicians and sweeping out a whole crop of judges alone will do the trick and somehow transport us back to crime rates at pre-pandemic levels. Its not Mealers job to tell you that. Her job is to win back a coveted seat for the Republican Party. Our job is to remind you of the facts, which arent nearly as bleak, nor as peachy, as the people vying for your vote would have you believe. South Korea and the United States are set to hold regular defense talks here next week, informed sources said Sunday, as the allies are striving to reinforce security coordination amid North Korea's military threats. The biannual Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) is expected to run from Aug. 16 to 17 in Seoul, the sources said, with the allies likely to discuss joint deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The meeting comes amid speculation that Pyongyang has completed preparations for a nuclear test. It also comes ahead of the allies' combined exercise, dubbed the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) training, set for Aug. 22-Sept. 1. The allies are expected to conduct detailed discussions on measures to enhance the credibility of "extended deterrence," America's stated commitment to employing a full range of its military. In May, U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed the U.S.' commitment to deploying its strategic military assets "in a timely and coordinated manner as necessary" during his summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol. Launched in 2011, KIDD is a comprehensive defense meeting between the allies covering a wide range of issues. (Yonhap) Regarding Editorial: What Kansas vote on abortion means for Texas, (Aug. 4): Our representatives in Austin should take a cue from the good folks in Kansas and put the issue of abortion rights in Texas to a vote. The real impact of the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade was to allow the citizens in each state to decide. The current leaders of this state believe they know how the majority of people feel. I think the results in Kansas should give them pause. I dont personally support abortion on the same moral grounds that I dont support capital punishment. Having said that, I dont think my moral views should be legally imposed on everyone without giving everyone the right to be heard. Thats what the ballot box is supposed to be in a democratic society: the chance for all to be heard. The special session that the governor seems not to want should be aimed at drafting ballot questions addressing both abortion and assault weapons. If you are going to represent all of us, you shouldnt be afraid to let all of us express our opinion. Joseph Quinlan, Houston Country over party Regarding Collin County GOP censures Sen. John Cornyn for bipartisan work on guns, education, (Aug. 2): This article reports the Republican party of Collin County calling for the resignation of Sen. Cornyn for his faithlessness to our party and principles. On the same page, the article Texas legislators fighting prison closures reports on U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and other Democrats uniting with Republicans to fight against closures of certain prisons. I doubt you will see a call for resignation from any Democratic group for these actions. Its time Republicans start thinking and acting on whats best for our country and not for their party. Cindy Bartos, Houston Regarding Sen. Ted Cruz calls himself an idiot for endorsing statehouse candidates, but heres why he does it, (July 26): This article reminds readers that Ted Cruz believes that federal officeholders who get involved in state legislative races are idiots but hes made a habit of doing so anyway. Including himself in that group at least shows hes honest in defining himself. In essence, Cruz says hes willing to espouse unpopular causes and get involved if theyre causes that he believes in. It seems to me that unpopular means that so many people dont believe in that cause that it doesnt have popular support. That brings me to my point: so many politicians dont care what the people want, they only care about either their personal wants or those of their political contributors that they pander to. Cruz, while only one of many who do that, seems to be at the forefront of not caring about what is best for Texas or for the country but rather about what is best for his own interests. The American public elects their representatives in the mistaken belief that those politicians will do right by them and do whats best for the country. Think again, my fellow Americans. Len Kaplan, Houston Regarding Election deniers win several GOP primaries, (Aug. 4): This should concern all Americans who actually care about our Democratic republic. These Trump-loving, misguided, party loyalist and tribalist individuals, some of whom, if elected in November (I would say a given in Arizona), will wield tremendous power over the votes in their states, are dangerous extremists. The havoc they could unleash in upcoming and future elections is almost unfathomable. Are there changes needing to be made to the Electoral College system? Most assuredly, and the attempted coup after the 2020 election dramatically proves this point. The fact that the ringleader of the attempted coup is still a free man is preposterous. Wake up America! Ike Harper, Sugar Land Climate concerns Regarding Tomlinson: As oil and gas industry's profits soar, corporations can afford to fight climate change, (Aug. 3): Kudos to you, Chris Tomlinson, for telling it like it is as ever. This is a very important message: When a product damages our shared environment, the company making the profits should pay to mitigate the damage. We need elected representatives who will enforce this common-sense principle and protect our future. Amen, and thank you. What we individuals and businesses wont do for the almighty dollar? Disgraceful, and devastating to our home on this Earth. Maris Helfrich, Galveston Regarding Editorial: Offshore wind to the rescue! Texas proposal could keep us cool when inland wind farms cant., (July 25): There seems to be support for hundreds of wind generators in a 546,645 acre wind farm 24 miles off the coast of Galveston. This facility would generate enough electricity to supply 2.3 million homes. Is anyone else concerned about how this facility would function after experiencing a Category 5 hurricane? If it were to go offline, how would the backup power be supplied? I hope that someone is taking this reliability concern into consideration. Jim Robertson, Houston Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Willie, a mini donkey, is one of the first residents of the new rescue center at the former Gov. Jane Swift's farm. A marble bench overlooks the view from Cobble Hill Farm and marks the spot where Jane Swift says she was most likely to find her husband when she went looking for him on the family farm. The barn will be the center of activity at the new Cobble Hill Farm Education and Rescue Center. One of Cobble Hill Farm's canine residents keeps a watchful eye on the property. PreviousNext Williamstown Farm Reimagined as Education, Rescue Center Jane Swift shows some of the potpourri she has produced from cuttings from around the farm. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. As she shows off the potpourri produced from cuttings around her Henderson Road farm, Jane Swift can joke that she has the best smelling barn in the Berkshires. "We're so lucky to live here," she says. "This is all stuff I just picked. People probably think I'm crazy. I go around sniffing stuff on the farm." In the near future, Swift hopes to add some new smells to the mix. She is working to transform the century-old family farm into the Cobble Hill Farm Education and Rescue Center. And by the late fall, she hopes to start filling that barn with rehabilitating fauna to go along with the flora that produce the fragrant mixtures currently drying in the barn. "[The education and rescue center] was inspired in part by my husband [Charles "Chuck" T. Hunt III], who died in December, who had a love of this place and animals and the impact that working outdoors and with animals could have on people," Swift explained while giving a tour of the 25-acre property. "More importantly, Chuck and I had a set of shared values about the importance of agriculture and a love for this part of the Berkshires. I grew to love this farm as much as he did throughout his life so, when he died and with my decades of advocacy for family farms and our joint ownership of this place for a couple of decades, I knew I had to figure out a way to keep it in the family and keep it in productive agriculture of some kind. "It was going to require me to do things differently." Swift has a busy life off the farm, including as the president and executive director of a Boston non-profit focused on educational innovation. In addition to looking at ways to keep the farm viable after her husbands passing, she needed regular help at home caring for the akita that she and Chuck adopted during the pandemic. "I reached out to Renee [Dodds]," Swift said, referring to a longtime family friend and owner of Pittsfield doggy daycare Love Us and Leave Us. "I asked her: Would you ever have use for a really large, empty building and do you know anybody who could take on house-sitting responsibilities when I'm away. "As luck would have it, she had been thinking about this issue of a rescue because of the need." Rescue centers in the mode of Cobble Hill are rare in the region, Swift said. The nearest ones she knows of are in Central Vermont or in the Pioneer Valley. Unlike other, nearer facilities, Cobble Hill will not be a animal sanctuary, a difference that Swift explained. "Kim Wells from East Mountain Farm uses part of our land for his beef cows, and there are usually chickens down there," she said. "That's awesome and something we wish to continue, which is why, by the way, we're a rescue and not a sanctuary. "A sanctuary implies you're saving animals from being food sources. That's not our gig. We were thoughtful about education and rescue. We support all kinds of farmers, including those who produce food. There are some animal sanctuaries that are rescuing those kinds of cows. That's not our thing." Swift and Dodds hope to provide a service for animals in need. "I've always wanted to do something more to help out animals that need help," Dodds said. "We've fostered puppies before for rescues. I was on the board for a local shelter. I'm the chair of the Animal Control Commission in Pittsfield. "There's always a real need for these kinds of things. There are so many animals that need help, and a lot of places don't have the means to take care of everything." One member of Dodds' team at Love Us and Leave Us recently earned a wildlife animal rehabilitation license, which will help keep Cobble Hill staffed and ready to accept a wide variety of animal types from wild mammals to turtles to farm animals. The plan is to keep the farm staffed round the clock, relying on the in-law apartment in Swift's home on the property plus the efforts of volunteers, who Dodds anticipates training. "I think it will be a mix of some of my staff, which is obviously excited to help out, and I do have a woman volunteering with us who heard about it and wants to help," she said. "Ad we'll bring in volunteers from other places as well. "In the current climate with having trouble finding people to do all the jobs we need to do, we'll probably take all the help we can get. Hopefully, this is the kind of work that will give people a little spark of joy in their lives to take care of animals and be in a beautiful space." Swift hopes to spark a different kind of joy through the other side of Cobble Hill: education. The second half of the center's mission dovetails with the former governor's post-political professional life. "I'm going to sound old and old-fashioned now, but one of the things my husband and I noticed, even as we were raising our own kids here, is there are very few places where kids can just run around outside anymore and explore," Swift said. "And it's a healthy, good thing for kids to do. "I have vivid memories of my daughter Lauren out in the fields, when we had a lot of horses out in the field, before she went to school, just throwing hay with her dad. "There's something very healthy about growing up that way. It's good for kids." Swift said she hopes to provide a measure of that connection to farm life for future generations of young people. As soon as this fall, she hopes to begin hosting school groups for teacher-led lessons on the farm. "I want to be a resource for local educators to use to do programs that align with their curriculum," Swift said. "There's a lot of research that outdoor education, experiential education and skills-based education that leads pathways where kids can discover what they're good at is extraordinarily positive for their development." That is where the potpourri comes in. "One of the things I tried with some friends' kids this week was making potpourri," Swift said. "One of the things you can imagine for kids of different ages is identifying plants but also understanding volume and weight and measurements. That could be a great lesson, and it's fun and good for your mental health and spirits to be out and gathering." Down the road, she envisions programs and activities led by Cobble Hill Farm personnel. Revenue from the education programs will help keep the entire operation going. "This [education] piece should be the programming that is self-sustaining and hopefully generates some revenue," Swift said. "And then the rescue, hopefully, will be supported by donations. And we'll do events to the extent we need to support the overall operation. That's the business plan." Swift said she has gotten numerous requests over the years to host weddings at the farm, and a planned pad for a tent on land adjacent to the barn will make it easier to host events. On Aug. 20 and 21, Cobble Hill Farm will hold a tag sale. Swift said she and her husband never talked specifically about using the farm for animal rescue work, but the new venture fits into the vision they both shared for the property that was passed down through his family for generations. "Going back to when I ran for state Senate, I've always been about excellence in education, preserving agriculture and open space and small businesses in the community," she said. "And throughout my time in public service and, since then, as a family, we've been able to live out those values in a variety of different ways. ... We've done it in different ways and quietly. Chuck was anchoring the small business and open space and agriculture piece while I was out doing education on a national and, more recently, more on a statewide and regional basis. "In some ways, these activities both the education and the rescue piece are a way to integrate those things we both have always cared about in a way that's relevant to the needs of the community now." Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square was unveiled after 19 months of renovation, Saturday. The opening ceremony was held later the same day. Yonhap Gwanghawmun transformed from square surrounded by traffic lanes to urban park By Ko Dong-hwan A woman and her teenage son at the new Gwanghwamun Square were upbeat as they found themselves among hundreds of people there to see the country's symbolic landmark unveiling its new look on Saturday. Despite their face masks, one could see looks of wonder in their eyes. Amid the raging heat wave, they explored a media performance on a building facade in front of Gwanghwamun Station's exit 9 as well as water jets shooting from the pavement to form a vaulted tunnel high enough for an adult to walk under. "It looks much safer now, definitely okay to take kids to," said the woman from Daegu. One of the biggest changes to the square involved filling in Saejong-daero Road, which had separated the square from the street block to its west, with an additional tree-planted promenade, making the square bigger and greener. Another pair of friends strolling the park said they were happy to be able to visit the square when they might want to enjoy the media performances around the refurbished square. "I liked most the convenient access to this place that never closes, being able to check out the heritage and all," one of the girls, from Seoul's Jung District, said. She was referring to the remains of an office of national audit and inspection from the Goryeo and Joseon periods that were unearthed on the site during the renovation. They are on display at the site where they were discovered, in a sunken area, 1.2 meters in depth. Saturday saw the two-and-half-hour opening ceremony for the renovated square starting at 7 p.m. Three hundred members of the public, who had a 1-in-18 chance of being selected from a pool of 5,271 people who signed up to attend the ceremony, were there in front of the main stage set up at the square in Seoul's central district of Jongno. Among the crowd was Mayor Oh Se-hoon, in a white suit and looking elated as he addressed the onlookers from the stage. Media projections on the facade of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts show the Kim Chang-wan band performing during the square's opening ceremony on Saturday. Yonhap "This is the moment when the Korean capital's proudest landmark has revealed itself," said Oh during his speech for the opening ceremony. "I am really excited. It's like unwrapping an awesome new product for customers." Oh had actually wanted to scrap the renovation project, which began under previous Mayor Park Won-soon in November 2020, ordering a review of the project in April 2021 after he was elected in the Seoul mayoral by-election. This Saturday, Oh told the crowd he recalled in 2009, when he had introduced the new area in front of Gwanghwamun Gate which was undergoing disassembly to be moved 14.5 meters to the south at the time to the public for the first time during his first Seoul mayoral term. Gwanghwamun Plaza was then in the middle of more than a dozen traffic lanes on Sejong-daero. The statues of Yi Sun-shin and King Sejong had been previously isolated in the major thoroughfare that extends south from in front of Gyeongbok Palace, and had been given more spacious footing on a large asphalt island. Yet, some had still complained about the roads that surrounded the square, saying that the pedestrian area wasn't big enough for strolling. The lack of convenient facilities was another shortcoming raised by observers. "Now the square looks closer to what I had envisioned in 2009, when I had thought, as the place was shaping up, that the roads around the square would someday turn into a promenade," said the mayor. "CNN and BBC used to deliver TV news reports in front of the Eiffel Tower. Now, we can do the same here at the new square, as we deliver our local news to the global audience." In a press interview conducted shortly before the ceremony, Oh confirmed his controversial view that he won't tolerate any protests or public gatherings that disrupt the square's peaceful order now that the place has become more accessible to the public. "It's not that I will control certain protests based on their political messages," said Oh. "It's just that we want to rein in people who carry out public gatherings differently from what they originally describe in their applications to the city government for use of the square." Seats at the Saturday ceremony were also filled by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Seoul Metropolitan Council Chairman Kim Hyeon-ki, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Governor Cho Hee-yeon, Cultural Heritage Administration President Choi Eung-cheon and Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Kim Kwang-ho. Lawmakers and ambassadors from 17 embassies in the city also attended the event, as live bands and an orchestra performed. The visitors who weren't selected to have seats at the ceremony packed the stairs that lead up to the main entrance of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts that once stood across Saejong-daero from the square. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon greets people gathered at the renovated square during the opening ceremony on Saturday. Yonhap There are many candidates vying to succeed outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. AFP Following an unprecedented wave of resignations from the government and a Cabinet uprising, Johnson ultimately bowed to intense political pressure on Thursday and resigned as the head of the Conservative Party. In defiance of requests from across the political spectrum, including from some within his own party, the 58-year-old former mayor of London said he intends to continue serving as caretaker Prime Minister while a replacement is found. Who is going to run? Johnson's detractors have argued that he must be removed from office as quickly as possible, with Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab serving as interim leader. Other Tory lawmakers insist that Johnson should stay in his position during the summer, saying that replacing him could lead to even more unrest. AFP Before Johnson's departure was officially announced, the race to succeed him as leader appeared to get under way when Attorney General Suella Braverman unexpectedly declared her candidacy on Wednesday night. Although there isn't presently a clear front-runner to succeed Johnson, up to 10 people are anticipated to enter the race. The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and a well-known opponent of Johnson, Tom Tugendhat, announced his candidacy for party leader on Friday in The Daily Telegraph. Tugendhat, a former soldier, expressed his desire to fill the position of prime minister with "new energy and ideas" for governance. Other probable contenders include former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi, former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, International Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, Defence Minister Ben Wallace and even arch Brexiteer Steve Baker. How will this pan out? Prior to being voted on by Conservative Party members, a party leader is first chosen by Conservative MPs. AFP Candidates must have a proposer, a seconder, and a minimum number of supporters in order to be elected the next party leader. These restrictions are used to avoid lists that are overly lengthy. The 358 Tory MPs in Parliament will narrow the field of candidates to two after they are announced. As cited by a CNBC report, Mujtaba Rahman, managing director of Europe at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, predicted that the contenders would likely adhere to the promises made in the 2019 Tory platform when describing the expected policies of the next leader. These include reducing debt by the conclusion of the five-year parliament and balancing daily spending with revenue, with borrowing only permitted for capital projects. Policy on Ukraine itself will not change after Johnsons departure; his successor will want to remain the countrys staunchest ally. The UK will continue to oppose a bad peace which allows Vladimir Putin to keep his territorial gains in Crimea and the Donbas but senior Tories admit privately they cannot be more Ukrainian than Ukraine and accept they would be guided by Volodymyr Zelenskyys wishes, he added. What about the opposition? Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition Labour Party in Britain, has consistently called for Johnson to resign from his position, accusing the Tories of "wallowing in sleaze," and blaming Johnson for the so-called "partygate" affair and for lying. AFP Quoting the CNBC report, Eurasia Groups Rahman said Labour is likely to be watching developments nervously. Labours private fear is that the incoming prime minister will be greeted with relief by voters, enjoy a honeymoon period and allow the Tories to erode Labours average six-point lead in the opinion polls, Rahman said. Starmers failure to build a bigger cushion while the Tories were in turmoil under Johnson may return to haunt him. However, the countrys new leader will take over during an economic crisis hurting millions of voters. This will allow Labour to run a strong time for change message after 14 years of Tory rule by a 2024 general election, he added. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. Nearly 47 per cent of inmates in twenty-five jails of Punjab are addicted to drugs, reveals a first-of-its-kind screening of the prisoners. Unsplash It said that 30,000 inmates in 25 prisons, out of which approximately 14,000 prisoners have been found to be addicted to drugs, according to the drive done last month. The maximum number of 2,200 drug addicts has been found in Ludhiana Central Jail, followed by Kapurthala at 2,000, Amritsar Central Jail at 1,600, and Faridkot Central Jail at 1,064 and Bathinda Central Jail at 647, The New Indian Express reported. Using various drugs ##JUMPLINK## Prisoners have been found to be using drugs like morphine, tramadol and buprenorphine, according to the screening drive. What is more surprising is that many prisoners who had no previous record of addiction were found to have become addicts. Unplash This state-wide screening project was aimed at making prisons free from drugs and taking measures to make inmates undergo de-addiction programmes. The idea is to reform and rehabilitate prisoners who are addicted to drugs, a senior prison department official was quoted by The New Indian Express as saying. Taking note of the huge number of drug addict inmates, the state government has set up a special task force to check the drug menace. Peer Support network Punjab Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that 19 prisons comprise more than 95 per cent of the number. He said that a peer support network will be established in association with Narcotics Anonymous, an international non-profit society working to check the drug menace. Unplash Bains said that peer support meetings in jails have already been launched in 19 jails, while the initiatives will be rolled out in the six other prisons soon. The minister said that peer support meetings are vital in tackling drug abuse and de-addiction treatment. He said written material printed by the jail press will be circulated among inmates. For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Senior scientist Nallathamby Kalaiselvi was on Saturday appointed as director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the first ever woman to lead the consortium of 38 research institutes across the country. Known for her work in the field of lithium ion batteries, Kalaiselvi is at present director of the CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute at Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu. She succeeds Shekhar Mande, who superannuated in April. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, was given the additional charge of CSIR upon Mandes retirement. Dr N Kalaiselvi has been appointed as the DG, CSIR & Secretary, DSIR. Hearty congratulations to Dr Kalaiselvi from the CSIR Family.@PMOIndia @DrJitendraSingh @PIB_India @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/oHIZr9uoMG CSIR (@CSIR_IND) August 6, 2022 Breaking the glass ceiling Her appointment is for a period of two years with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier, a personnel ministry order said on Saturday. This is not the first time that Nallathamby Kalaiselvi is making history by being the first woman to head an institute. She has broken the glass ceiling before in 2019 when she became the first woman to lead the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI). Kalaiselvi will also hold the charge as secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. csir How did she start? N Kalaiselvi has risen through CSIR ranks from starting her career in research as an entry-level scientist to becoming the Director General of CSIR. Hailing from Ambasamudhram, a small town in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, Kalaiselvi went to a Tamil medium school which, she said, helped her grasp the concepts of sciences in college. Kalaiselvi's research work of more than 25 years is primarily focused on electrochemical power systems and in particular, development of electrode materials, and electrochemical evaluation of in-house prepared electrode materials for their suitability in energy storage device assembly. Twitter Her research interests include lithium and beyond lithium batteries, supercapacitors and waste-to-wealth driven electrodes and electrolytes for energy storage and electrocatalytic applications. Her current contributions She is currently involved in the development of practically viable Sodium-ion/Lithium-sulfur batteries and supercapacitors. Kalaiselvi also made key contributions to the National Mission for Electric Mobility. She has more than 125 research papers and six patents to her credit. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. A few divers who were exploring the caverns of Mexico shared dreamy photos of their descent into the swirling 'El Pit' fog, which is a cenote hidden from sight. Divers explore fog of 'El Pit,' the underwater sinkhole in Mexico 52-year-old diver Francis Perez dove into the sinkhole in the Yucatan region and in a stunning shot, he appears to be hovering over a hazy, secret world illuminated by beams of sunlight breaking through a narrow opening. Insagram/ Francis Perez The pictures were captured on a Canon 5D MKiii camera. He aimed to preserve these incredible sites, protecting them from encroaching development. He said: "It is like flying over a river. A river inside the water." "It's like another world, a mysterious place. The cenotes are one of the most beautiful places where I have dived in my life. At that moment it was an ecosystem new to me." "The water is so clear and looks like a cloud from the outside if you don't go in. "I think that science has discovered almost 5,000 cenotes and every year they are discovering new cenotes." Instagram/ Francis Perez It is sad that this wonder of nature is threatened once again by human greed that wants to build train tracks over these cenotes, Perez continued, a building that will destroy many of them for the sake of shuttling hoards of people from one tourist location to another. 'Development, they call it. Cenotes in Mexico were considered sacred by the ancient Mayan people who believed they were the entrance to the underworld. However, it is not easy to dive into this cenote. The first 20 metres are clear but it keeps getting denser as one goes deeper. The cave extends down for 55 meters below the surface, making it a dive only for experienced divers. Instagram/ Francis Perez Archaeological exploration of these sinkholes, especially the Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza, has found that the Maya used these sites as places of human sacrifice. Follow us on telegram. A 24-year-old woman who is a Thiruvananthapuram native has seen all her dreams come true after getting selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for their astronaut training programme. Indian-origin woman selected by NASA for its astronaut training programme Athira Preetha Rani had always been interested in space and astronauts ever since she was studying in school. Her knowledge widened when she began attending the classes of Astra, an astronomical society in Kerala's capital city. Madhyamam The woman was determined to live her dreams and she started working along with her studies. According to onmanorama.com, she got in at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada, at a young age itself. She studied robotics and was on a scholarship. But her dream was also to become a pilot. So, when she heard that one does not need to join the airforce to become a pilot, she saved money for training. She also completed her robotics course with good grades. This is the time she also got married. After this, she and her husband began a startup in Canada for research related to space studies. Months ago, they started the Exo Geo Aerospace company too. She started enquiring about various astronaut training programmes. Kerala Kaumudi Several stages of selection She was then selected for the astronaut training programme conducted by the International Institute of Astronautical Science. The training programme is jointly run by NASA, the Canadian Space Agency and the National Research Council of Canada. She went through various stages including medical tests. People from various parts of the world have been selected for this programme which will continue for three to five years. iStock If Athira completes the training, she will be the third Indian woman after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams to go to space. (h/t: onmanorama.com) Follow us on telegram. By Carl Golden In the nearly 21 months since the last presidential election, millions of Americans have given the benefit of the doubt to former President Donald Trump as he unleashed a torrent of accusations that his defeat resulted from massive voter fraud, and in an honest process he'd have won a second term. The time has arrived overdue, perhaps to no longer offer any benefit because there is no longer any doubt. It is time for the national Republican Party leadership and the rank and file party apparatchiks to break cleanly with Trump, step out from his shadow and allocate their energy and resources to defeating the most vulnerable incumbent president in more than 40 years. Trump's insistence that he was cheated of victory in 2020 has worn itself out, tumbling into unhinged farce and accepted only by his most fevered supporters. His public appearances and his social media rants are typical Trump performances, using rhetoric to inflict blunt force trauma on his critics, no matter partisan affiliation or past friendships. He utilizes language like a fire hose, spraying insults and derision in all directions, bellowing accusations of misconduct and corruption while threatening to seek the party's presidential nomination in 2024. The balance has been tipped, though, by the damning testimony before the Congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol much of it from former Trump administration officials who related mind-boggling experiences of the president as the storming of the building unfolded. According to testimony, Trump watched television in the White House as the riot grew in size and intensity and breached the Capitol, which sent members of Congress fleeing for safety and risked the life of his own vice president. For hours, he refused all entreaties to issue an appeal to the rioters to withdraw, an act tantamount to encouraging them to continue the assault. Outtakes from his belated videotaped appearance in the White House revealed a petty, petulant individual refusing to acknowledge the election results while paying attention to sycophantic aides and lawyers who recommended implausible, outlandish actions to remain in power and deny certification of Joe Biden's victory. His conduct was indefensible, the behavior of a man pathologically incapable of accepting defeat and willing to push the limits of statutory and constitutional boundaries to the point of criminality. Any explanation or rationale for the Republican Party to remain in thrall to Trump have vanished, obliterated by his egregious conduct in the face of a violent assault on the nation's most visible symbol of democracy. Republicans who inched slowly away from Trump in the 2020 election aftermath and his stolen victory theories should now be free to put ever greater distance between them and urge the rest of their party to follow. They were given a significant push toward independence by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who predicted that if Trump sought the 2024 nomination, he would face a significant group of contenders. Translation: There's no silver lining in the Trump cloud. He's not clear the field and the fear he once engendered has waned. While McConnell, who has borne the brunt of some of Trump's increasingly crude and profane rants, relegated the former president to just another potential candidate lacking any special consideration or edge, former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney cut even more deeply by predicting that Trump was the one Republican who would lose to Biden. Trump will continue to enjoy the support of his hardcore base who remain convinced he was robbed and his actions of Jan. 6, 2021, were justified to right an egregious wrong. It is undeniable, though, that he's been severely damaged by the testimony of members and staffers in his own Administration and that of campaign officials. Democrats are certain to lose their majority in the House of Representatives this November and possibly the Senate. Biden has lost the confidence of the country, plunging to unprecedented low approval standing. Three-quarters of the country believe it is headed in the wrong direction and a majority of Democrats oppose a Biden candidacy. The stars are in alignment for a potential Republican sweep and one-party rule come 2024. By turning away from Trump, the celestial order will remain intact. Carl Golden (cgolden1937@gmail) is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in New Jersey. This article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. The worst is over for German airline Lufthansa after staff shortages caused flight chaos over the summer, but levels of sick leave remain challenging, board member Christina Foerster told a German newspaper. Airlines across Europe have struggled to cope with a strong rebound in holiday season demand after the Covid-19 pandemic stopped much travel. Many airports faced huge queues due to staff shortages, prompting last-minute cancellations. "The low point has passed; flight operations are largely stabilised," Ms Foerster was quoted as saying in an interview with Funke Media published on Sunday. "Nevertheless, this summer we are dealing with a level of sick leave that is not easy to offset," she said, adding that the situation remained challenging. Most flight cancellations are affecting domestic routes where there are alternatives, she said. She added, however, that the situation would only improve significantly with the winter flight schedule at the end of October. Lufthansa said last week it expected demand for short-haul flights in Europe to drive growth at its passenger airlines this year, and it forecast a return to group operating profit for the full year. SAS pilots agree deal Meanwhile, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian pilot union members have voted to adopt a collective bargaining agreement reached with airline SAS last month, and will thus not resume their strike, the trade unions have said. SAS grounded some 3,700 flights during a crippling 15-day strike in July. In Denmark, 93% of pilot union members voted in favour of the deal. "I am incredibly happy about the great support for the agreement, not least when we have been through such a long and tough conflict," said Henrik Thyregod, chairman of the Danish pilots union. The members have clearly understood the gravity [of the situation] and this shows how strong the unity is among the pilots." Unions in Norway and Sweden said a majority of their members also backed the deal, but did not immediately disclose how many had voted in favour. Long-struggling SAS, which filed for US bankruptcy protection on the second day of the strike, has estimated the industrial action cost it more than $145m (142.4m) during what is normally the profitable peak summer travel season. The deal entails lower wages and longer hours for the pilots, but also a commitment from SAS whose biggest owners are the governments of Sweden and Denmark to rehire pilots laid off during the pandemic. The new collective bargaining deal between SAS and unions also needs approval by a US court handling creditors' interests in the Chapter 11 process. Under the agreement, pilots were given a guarantee that SAS will not set up new subsidiaries on different terms than what has now been agreed, Dansk Metal, the union representing Danish pilots, said. SAS, which was already loss-making before the pandemic due to rising competition from low-cost carriers, has said it needs to slash costs further and raise more capital in order to survive. While the Swedish government has rejected the company's plea for more cash, Denmark says it might inject fresh funds if SAS also finds support from private-sector investors. Reuters Eight weeks ago, Shauna Heneghan gave birth to her third child, a baby girl. Two weeks ago, she was left homeless. In a story that will be all too familiar to so many renters in Ireland at present, the couple who owned her flat in Kilmainham, south Dublin, were selling up. She was left with her three children, a car, and the belongings they had built up over a five-year stay in the apartment. Over the next 12 days, they were forced to move between three different emergency accommodation sites in two different counties. Shauna, a 30-year-old from Ballyfermot in the west of the city, could not find any accommodation covered under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Her three children are aged 5, 16 months, and just eight weeks. She has been on the housing list with Dublin City Council since 2018. I had given them loads of notice, Shauna, a qualified childcare worker, told the Irish Examiner, of her contact with Dublin City Councils homeless services. I had known I was going to have to go into emergency accommodation because I simply couldnt find a property to rent. They told me to ring the day before we had to move out. When I did, they said: 'We dont have anything for you, weve never been so busy.' Emergency accommodation services throughout the country had already been under considerable pressure at the start of this year. That situation has been exacerbated by Russias invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent influx of Ukrainian refugees into Ireland. Homeless figures The figures across Dublins four local authorities are stark. Since December 31 of last year, 188 families have entered emergency accommodation across the capital. Some 383 of the people affected are children. Just fewer than 3,000 children now live in emergency accommodation in Dublin amid the worst housing and rental crisis in living memory. It doesnt matter if youre approved for HAP, as Shauna is. If there are no properties to rent, then people will become homeless. Emergency accommodation itself is now feeling the pinch. At least two local authorities in recent weeks Limerick and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown have admitted that they have no such accommodation available. As Shauna spoke on the phone this week, her eight-week-old daughter cooed down the line. She's just one of thousands of Irish children growing up in a situation which experts agree may well cause them lifelong difficulties. Broken lift Shauna was eventually given accommodation for her and her three children, on the third floor of a hotel in Co Kildare; moving people into emergency accommodation in the jurisdiction of another local authority is becoming increasingly common. The only lift was not reliable, and eventually stopped working entirely. Im a single mother of three children," she said. I cant carry a double-pram up three flights of stairs every time we need to do something. Theres no microwave in the room. I have to be able to sterilise bottles to feed my children. Theyre too young to be left alone. So what was I supposed to do? They knew my needs, but the accommodation just wasnt matching them. When the lift in that hotel stopped working, Shauna sought help from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive once more. They provided her with a room at an emergency accommodation hub in Dublins south city. Once more, access to the room required traversing a flight of 11 steps, with her double buggy. They mustve known what my needs were I need a ramp, she said. "Yet this is where we ended up again." Shauna and her family only stayed at the Dublin hub for one night before she insisted to DRHE that they be moved once more. The place was like a cell, theres no other way to describe it, she said. That one night broke me, I just sobbed my heart out. They wanted me to sign forms and I was just in tears. And youre stuck because youve literally nowhere else to go. I told them that if you leave us there, my kids wont have a mother, Ill have a breakdown. I would not have been in a good place. Ive suffered with anxiety and depression since my partner [the father of Shaunas eldest daughter] died five years ago. But I have to be strong for my kids, I have to get on with it. The next day she was given a place at a separate Kildare location one which she says is well run. They had said they couldnt promise anything, that Im not the only one in this situation, but the following morning we had this place," she said. "It shows they can find you something when they have to. She describes herself, however, as distraught by her experience across the past two weeks. I had been ringing them every day telling them that this simply isnt going to work," she said. I cant have three kids in places like where they were putting me. I have been stressed out of my head, close to a breakdown. Health and safety issues Hazel de Nortuin is a People Before Profit councillor in Ballyfermot who Shauna contacted for help. She says the current housing squeeze is affecting more and more people, and the larger the family, the more needs they have, the worse the situation is. In one morning I had both Shauna and another mother with an eight-month-old who has been sofa surfing, she says. Since the family hubs were established, weve been raising concerns about the standard of accommodation and the conditions that are being placed on people. There are health and safety issues here these properties should have to be deemed adequate to be housing people. Many emergency accommodation sites have specific rules be they curfews, or restrictions on visitors. Its a horrible, hostile position to be in, and to have children in, said Ms De Nortuin. I have small children. Even just going down the road with them is an ordeal. Now look at it from the childs perspective. They must be so fearful to see their parents constantly upset. "How are the parents supposed to engage with their children while going through this? Honestly, I think the next redress scheme the State will end up doing will be the children whove been in homeless accommodation for far too long. She says she doesnt see an end to it, with the system that is currently being operated. Those that are renting are just a step away from homelessness," she said. Its a horrible way to live, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse and worse, more than I would have thought possible when I first became a councillor. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive told the Irish Examiner that it consistently monitors the demand for emergency accommodation and is working to source additional units. Regarding Shaunas situation, a spokesperson said that all families that present are assessed and ... are offered the most suitable available placement based on the assessment. The plane suspected of carrying 8.4m of cocaine into an airfield in Abbeyshrule, Longford, on Thursday afternoon had left the same airfield the day before to fly to Dieppe, Normandy, where it is believed the consignment was loaded onto the aircraft. The light aircraft had been engaged in internal flights in Ireland in recent weeks, but had also made trips to Scotland and Belgium in recent months. It flew to the same airport in France in mid-July. This is believed to be one of the first times such a method was used to bring drugs into Ireland, according to gardai. Two men are being questioned in connection with the discovery of 8.4m of the drug, which garda sources say is one of the biggest seizures of the drug made on land in Ireland by gardai. It is the biggest one so far this year. Photo issued by An Garda Siochana showing 8.4m worth of cocaine which had been flown in on a private plane and has been seized by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. Picture: An Garda Siochana/PA Wire Gardai say they are trying to establish the links between Ireland and continental Europe in the drug-trafficking operation, including whether the aircraft had been used for similar purposes previously. Any possible connection between this operation and an aircraft which was seized in Waterford in early March will also be probed, although sources do not see any obvious link at present. The investigation involved searches in Westmeath, Kildare, Waterford City, and Longford, under Operation Tara, targeting drug activity. Around 120kgs of cocaine was seized in Co Westmeath after gardai intercepted two vehicles on Thursday shortly after 6pm. Personnel attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, supported by other national units, intercepted the vehicles at two locations in the Lough Owel area. The light plane was seized at a commercial airfield in Abbeyshrule, Longford, as part of the probe. The men who are in custody are aged 54 and 40 years, respectively, and are being held in Ashbourne Garda Station. They were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, and are being questioned under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. Biggest seizure of the year A Garda source said: It is definitely the biggest seizure of the year, and probably one of the biggest ones we have ever had on land as opposed to those coming in through containers or the ports. Gardai say light aircraft are not subject to the same requirements of flight plans as aircraft flying into larger airports. The source said: There is a bit of work to be done around flight routes and flight plans. However, gardai will be analysing several communication devices seized as part of the operation, including mobile phones, to progress their investigation. Following the operation, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, the head of Organised and Serious Crime, said: "This operation has prevented a considerable quantity of dangerous drugs from making it onto our streets and causing significant harm to our communities." "An Garda Siochana is committed, under Operation Tara, to disrupting and dismantling the organised criminal networks who profit from drug trafficking and impact so negatively on our society." The seizure was described by former Assistant Commissioner Micheal O Sullivan as a huge blow to the transnational gang. A former director of MAOC (Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre), he said: 8.4m worth of coke, or 120kg, is a huge amount, and all credit certainly goes to the drugs and organised crime bureau who were behind this. A load like that is a huge blow towards a transnational organised crime group whoever put that money up, there is no insurance policy." He told RTEs Drivetime: A lot of people are going to lose money, it will certainly disrupt if not dismantle sections of an organised crime group. A 22-year-old man was arrested in Bray after cannabis and cocaine were seized. Meanwhile, yesterday, also as part of Operation Tara, gardai in Bray seized drugs valued at 90,500. Gardai became suspicious of a man who ran from a car he was in, and after they stopped the 22-year-old and searched the car, cannabis and cocaine were discovered. A ceasefire deal has been struck to end the violence in Gaza that has seen Israeli air strikes kill dozens of Palestinians, Egyptian officials have suggested. An intelligence official said Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group had agreed to the truce. Ahead of the development Israeli aircraft pummelled targets in the Gaza Strip, raising the Palestinian death toll, and militants fired repeated rounds of rockets that reached deep into Israel. While Egyptian officials worked on an agreement, another seven people were killed in Gaza, bringing the Palestinian death toll to 36 since the start of the Israeli offensive on Friday. Palestinians search through the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour was killed (Yousef Masoud/AP) Among the dead were 11 children and four women. The Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 311 people had been wounded since Friday. The Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response, and the risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained so long as no truce is reached. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gazas ruling Hamas group, which fought an 11-day war with Israel in May 2021, appeared to stay on the sidelines for now, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike on Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an air strike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late on Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel (Hatem Moussa/AP) Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. As a funeral for Mansour began in the Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon, the Israeli military said it was striking suspected Islamic Jihad rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli air strikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded on Sunday night in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel says some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed on Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was hit by an errant rocket. Israels Defence Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza struck the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans a day. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the halls entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid (Oded Balilty/AP) The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihads commander for northern Gaza. Israel has said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement on Sunday, Mr Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Mr Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Mr Lapid said. Israel estimates its air strikes have killed about 15 militants. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defences had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Tomorrow Sunny along with a few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 108F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Minister must withdraw plan to lower school entry age Protests against the government's plan to lower the school entry age to five from the current six are showing no signs of abating, although the Ministry of Education said it could consider public opinion before actually carrying out the policy. Education Minister Park Soon-ae even hinted at scrapping the plan during a meeting with representatives from six educational groups. The debate about the ideal age to start school is necessary, given what the ministry says is the need to reduce the burden of educational expenses on parents and address inequalities in education. More importantly, the ministry believes that lowering the school admission age would help tackle the country's labor shortage amid a rapidly declining birthrate and aging population. But there has been a great deal of confusion after Park briefed President Yoon Suk-yeol on the sensitive issue July 29 without enough preparation or study. Her lack of professionalism has been demonstrated through her abrupt attempt to change how the proposed policy is implemented. At first, the education minister envisioned a phase-in period with five- and six-year-olds entering school simultaneously during a transition process of four years. But, alarmed by the widespread protests, Park then said the government could consider implementing the plan gradually over 12 years. Park, a public administration scholar, has no experience or expertise in education. Ever since being nominated as education minister, she had been embroiled in controversy over her ethical lapses. In 2001, she was caught driving while intoxicated. She was indicted but the sentence was withheld. Accusations of plagiarism have been raised against her, prompting fears that she might not be qualified as the nation's education chief. She was appointed even without a parliamentary hearing. The policy of advancing the school starting age has failed to gain traction amid mounting public distrust. A recent online poll found that nearly 98 percent of students, parents and teachers were against the idea. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo urged Park to listen to diverse voices, but the result is a foregone conclusion. The education ministry should withdraw its early school entry plan before the controversy grows even bigger. US, China should refrain from strategic competition U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has shown just how unstable and volatile the security situation is in East Asia. Last week China turned the Taiwan Strait into a flashpoint, denouncing her visit as the violation of its one-China principle. Beijing reacted with a display of military force and a war of words against the United States and Japan. It conducted unprecedented live-fire military exercises which were apparently aimed at staging an effective blockade of Taiwan. It also suspended lines of communication with Washington. The drills continued four days from Thursday in an angry response to Pelosi's trip to the island which China claims as part of its territory. According to media reports, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) mobilized 20 war planes and 14 ships in six areas encircling Taiwan to test its capabilities of striking targets on land and sea. As Taiwan said, the drills appeared to simulate an attack on the self-ruled island with multiple Chinese warships and aircraft crossing the medial line of the Taiwan Strait. More seriously, China launched five ballistic missiles into the seas at the western end of Japan's Okinawa island chain Thursday. It was unprecedented for Chinese missiles to land in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It was regrettable for Beijing to create a hair-trigger situation in East Asia, probably the worst since the 1950-53 Korean War. The heightened tension could be compared to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. China also summoned ambassadors from the G7 countries to lodge a protest against issuing a joint statement that accused Beijing of trying to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force. China cannot avoid criticism for overreacting to Pelosi's trip to Taiwan. The Asian giant certainly saw her visit posing a challenge to its core interests. China, one of the world's G2 countries along with the U.S., should have acted in a calm and cool-headed way without saber-rattling. In a nutshell, the country went too far in protecting its one-China policy. That's why the White House denounced China's actions as provocative and irresponsible that could raise the risk of miscalculation. Beijing should not attempt to change the status quo concerning Taiwan by taking advantage of Pelosi's visit to the de facto independent island. Nor should it try to ramp up tensions with the U.S. and its allies to facilitate President Xi Jinping's bid to secure a third term in office in the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) scheduled for October. However, the Sino-U.S. confrontation is likely to grow further. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to take a tougher stance on China ahead of the mid-term elections in November. Both countries should make efforts to de-escalate tensions and solve pending issues through dialogue and diplomacy in order to ensure peace and stability in the region and beyond. Washington and Beijing should refrain from the self-destructive strategic competition and move toward coexistence and co-prosperity. Samsung Electronics President Roh Tae-moon, left, shakes hands with Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the latter's office in Hanoi, Friday. Roh explained Samsung's contributions to the Vietnamese economy, and asked the prime minister to support Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced Saturday that he had pardoned his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, who faced a 20-year jail term for a 2018 conviction over political unrest. "In the interests of strengthening social cohesion, I have signed a decree granting a presidential pardon," Ouattara said in a speech to mark the 62nd anniversary of the country's independence. The president said he had asked that Gbagbo's bank accounts be unfrozen and that his life annuity be paid. Ouattara also said he had signed a decree for the conditional release two of Gbagbo's closest associates, former navy chief Vagba Faussignaux and a former commander of a key gendarmerie unit, Jean-Noel Abehi, both convicted for their role in the post-election unrest. Gbagbo was acquitted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes committed during the 2011 civil conflict that broke out after he refused to recognise Ouattara's victory in presidential elections a year earlier. But in 2018, an Ivorian court handed Gbagbo a 20-year term in absentia over the looting of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) during the country's post-election crisis. After his acquittal by the ICC, Gbagbo returned from exile in 2021 and launched a new political party, but he has kept a low profile since, despite having said he wants to remain in politics until his death. Since his return to the country, there had been no attempt to imprison him on the basis of the 2018 conviction. - A 'fraternal meeting' - The announcement of the pardon comes just weeks after a meeting on July 14 between Outtara, Gbagbo and another former president, Henri Konan Bedie. Ouattara, in his speech Saturday, described that occasion as a "fraternal meeting" in which the three men had "discussed, in a friendly atmosphere, matters of the national interest and the ways and means of consolidating peace in our country". Both Gbagbo and Bedie have been invited to attend independence day celebrations on Sunday at Yamoussoukro, the country's political capital. In 2020, the ex-presidents had challenged Outtara's candidacy for a new term -- which they deemed unconstitutional -- with that election also leading to political violence. But reconciliation efforts began the following year during legislative elections, which took place without major incident. Though Ouattara's party won that poll, it did allow for the return of the opposition to the National Assembly, including Gbagbo's supporters, who had boycotted every election since his defeat in 2010 after 10 years in power. A "political dialogue" between the government, parties and civil society organisations is currently under way with the aim of allowing local polls in 2023 and the next presidential election in 2025 to go ahead without violence. Ivorian political life has been dominated for more than 20 years by Ouattara, Bedie and Gbagbo, aged 80, 88 and 77, respectively. Kang Tae Oh dominates the Hallyu scene with his masculine charms and gentle aura. But, as his court drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" with Park Eun Bin gains more popularity, his career also skyrockets. While his personal life is receiving more attention, here are the five charming points that make Kang Tae Oh the industry's rising leading star! Read to know more! 1. Perfectly sculpted face and heart-shaped lips Many leading men in the industry possess feminine beauty and innocent charms. However, Kang Tae Oh boasts distinct, well-defined facial features. At first glance, Kang Tae Oh seems cold and unapproachable, but when he smiles, he transforms into a cute, nice guy. With his sculpted T zone, dark eyebrows, sharp nose, and heart-shaped lips, Kang Tae Oh shows off his unrivaled manly yet sophisticated visuals. 2. A body to die for Apart from his perfect face and personality, Kang Tae Oh also possesses a god-sculpted physique! The South Korean heartthrob boasts a wide set of shoulders, toned arms, and thick chest muscles that will make anyone want to be embraced by him. He also stands tall at 5'9", which shows a desirable height difference with shorter stars, including Park Eun Bin, his leading lady in "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." 3. Quirky personality and unexpected comical side Although he initially seems cold, Kang Tae Oh has a reversal charm that fools fans and his fellow stars. The actor is often given dapper roles that don't highlight his quirky and comedic sides. In his guest appearance on SBS TV's "Running Man" in 2020, Kang Tae Oh surprised everybody with his dancing skills. Although he doesn't hold a candle to idols like SEVENTEEN Hoshi, NCT Taeyong, and EXO Kai, Kang Tae Oh certainly knows how to draw in the audience. As a result of his passionate dancing, he even gained the nickname "Dancing Machine" from his fans. 4. Strong and capable handsome man It was reported that the "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" wanted to apply to the Marine Corps of special forces underwater demolition team (UDT). These roles in the military require men with strong physiques as well as hearts. Unlike his caring characters in the drama, Kang Tae Oh is certain to apply to the corps as he is a "manly" kind of man. 5. Versatile and immersive actor Undoubtedly, Kang Tae Oh deserves the attention he receives today as he is one of the South Korean stars with a diverse filmography under his belt. He played a meticulous and mischievous tyrant in the 2019 KBS drama "The Take of Nokdu" and transformed into a handsome art student in JTBC's coming of age series "Run On." When talking about range, he certainly is at an advantage. However, it wasn't until 2022 that he landed his first lead role. After a year in the industry, Kang Tae Oh finally received his main acting role as a litigation team member in "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," which is now considered his prime. With his incredible acting skills, Kang Tae Oh perfectly plays a wide range of roles, from villains to adorable and quirky younger male characters. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. One thing that Korean stars lack is privacy as some media and fans invade their personal life, including relationships. Several actors and actresses have been involved in various dating rumors. While some of it came out true, others got caught up in awkward relationship gossip. From Hallyu stars like Son Ye Jin, and Gong Yoo to award-winning actors like Yoo Ah In and Uhm Ki Joon, here are some of the most bizarre dating rumors in K-dramaland. Gong Yoo Definitely one of the most beloved South Korean stars, fans love Gong Yoo's effortless charm and ability to captivate viewers with his acting skills. However, he was once embroiled in a dating rumor with a fellow actor. Kang Dong Won is one of Gong Yoo's friends, and because of their closeness, others speculate that they are secret lovers. However, TMI News shut down rumors and revealed that the duo is not lovers, but the "Train to Busan" star is related by marriage to Kang Dong Won. According to a local news outlet, Kang Dong Won previously revealed in an interview that their families are "quite close." "Our grandfathers were friends from a young age, and they brought our families together," he explained. With this, two grandfathers decided that their children should get married. Son Ye Jin Before being Hyun Bin's wife, Son Ye Jin got caught up in various dating rumors, including Kim Nam Gil, after starring in the 2013 movie "Shark" and Jung Hae In for their 2018 JTBC drama "Something in the Rain." However, in 2011, the "Crash Landing on You" star was rumored to be in a love triangle involving SNSD's Yuri and Han Ye Seul. It was so bizarre that the trio never addressed the malicious rumor. Yoo Ah In Known for his versatile acting and love for arts, Yoo Ah In did not escape the public's prying eyes after he got entangled in dating rumors and was accused of being gay. The rumor sparked in 2016 after he was spotted at a gay bar; however, in 2021, the "Hellbound" star is caught up in the same rumor after posting a series of photos of a guy on Instagram, raising speculation about their relationship. The rumored boyfriend is identified as Choi Ha Neul, a young photographer who had his exhibits in the USA, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Uhm Ki Joon Best known for his role in "The Penthouse" as the greedy and fearless Joo Dan Tae, he started his career as a theater actor before debuting in K-drama. Despite his popularity, he is still active in theaters and appeared in the same musical as Super Junior's Kyuhyun. During his appearance on MBC's "Radio Star" in 2015, Uhm Ki Joon addressed the rumors regarding his closeness with the Kpop star. He said he knew it and had received a call about the rumor. On the other hand, Kyuhyun, who is also among the guests, made a comment and said, "Uhm Ki Joon sent me a text telling me [about the rumor], so I jokingly called him, 'Honey.' After receiving the text, he brutally cussed me out." KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills In the final episodes of "Jinxed At First," a final wave of distress and mishaps come Na In Woo and Girls' Generation Seohyun's way. Together, with their family and friends, they take down evil and live a happy life. Seon Dong Shik Kidnaps Seul Bi and Their Beloved Friends Because of greed and wrath, Seon Dong Shik (Choi Jung Woo) is eager to kidnap Seul Bi (Seohyun) and take every luck she has to his side. He becomes frustrated after his father was arrested, leaving no money to his name. Seon Sam Joong (Jun Kwang Ryul) and Mi Soo (Yoon Ji Hye) also went into hiding. At the abandoned building, he kidnapped Seul Bi, Chief Wang (Kim Dong Young) and the Seon's former maidservants. Thankfully, Gong Soo Kwang (Na In Woo) and Seon Min Joon (Ki Do Hoon) located the hostage and took down Seon Dong Shik. Like his grandfather, Seon Dong Shik acquired the curse given to the men of the Seon family after imprisoning the witches inside their home. After the intense happenings, Seul Bi disappears to thin air, and leaves a crystal necklace as a sign of her identity. Gong Soo Kwang's Unending Search For Seul Bi Months after the crises, Seul Bi hasn't been found. Gong Soo Kwang, Seon Min Joon, his girlfriend Jang Kyung (Lee Ho Jung) and the people of Seodong Market search high and low for Seul Bi. Fortunately, a kindhearted grandmother contacts Gong Soo Kwang about Seul Bi's whereabouts. But because of the curse, Seul Bi couldn't remember her past, her true identity and the people around her as she became human. The people of Seodong Market even performed a skit for Seul Bi to make her remember her beautiful life. Seul Bi proves that the mind forgets but never the heart, as bits of her feelings for Gong Soo Kwang resurfaces. For him, this was enough. As long as Seul Bi is safe, and as long as she's by his side, he's happy and content. SooBi's Adorable Market Wedding After their reconciliation, Gong Soo Kwang and Seul Bi vow to love one another for the rest of their lives. Even though she couldn't remember everything, she promises to make new beautiful memories with Gong Soo Kwang. Chief Wang, the Seodong Market people, Seon Min Joon and their beloved friends are present at the market wedding. Seon Min Joon and Gong Soo Kwang work together in a start-up company the former built after selling Geumhwa Group to end the curse. Jang Kyung, Seon Min Joon's girlfriend, becomes a best-selling novel author under Seon Min Joon's company. Years later, Seul Bi and Gong Soo Kwang are blessed with a cute bundle of joy in the form of their newborn son, living a simple life together. KDramastars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, Nov. 5, 2017.The federal government is reimbursing a record number of veterans for medical marijuana, with new figures showing Ottawa shelled out more than $150 million in the last fiscal year alone more than double the amount just three years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy By Park Jae-hyuk Danuri, Korea's first domestically-developed lunar orbiter launched into space last Friday, was not only the result of efforts by the government, but also 40 private enterprises that took part in the 236.7 billion won ($182 million) project. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, Sunday, six conglomerates and 34 small- and medium-sized enterprises participated in the space project, along with 13 universities and six state-run research institutes. Contributing to the design, manufacture and testing of Danuri's main body and equipment for observation and analysis, the companies enabled Korea to take a step closer to becoming a powerhouse in the space industry, with the country becoming the seventh nation to undertake a lunar exploration, once the orbiter succeeds in carrying out its operations after cruising through space for about five months. Korea Aerospace Industries, which played major roles in the development of the Nuri space rocket, manufactured the prototype of the orbiter's structural system and supported its assembly and testing. Hanwha Group contributed to the Danuri project, as it did for the Nuri project. Hanwha Corp. manufactured the propulsion system for the lunar orbiter's main body, while Hanwha Systems developed the power supply unit of a high-resolution camera installed in the orbiter. Others that participated in both the Danuri and Nuri projects include APSI, Hyundai Rotem and several other companies. APSI developed Danuri's computer and testing equipment, while Hyundai Rotem designed and manufactured the drive mechanism of a lunar exploration rover which will be sent to the moon in the future. The private sector also contributed to the development of systems for the ground station. SK Broadband manufactured the large-size, deep-space antenna, while Hancom InSpace developed the software for the ground station's operations. Doctors of Physical Therapy Kenosha, 10320 75th St., has debuted a new expansion featuring a hand therapy facility. The site welcomed business leaders and the community to a ribbon cutting ceremony gathering on Thursday, allowing those attending to learn more about the new services. Christian Venegas, business development manager with DPT, said they had started offering the new services a few months ago, but were holding the ribbon cutting to celebrate the new digs. Its awesome we can offer certified hand therapy services to the community, Venegas said. Its a much needed service people arent always aware of. Venegas said they took over the next-door vacant building and knocked down several interior walls, creating an open space for various physical therapy treatments. Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce representatives provided the ribbon and the classic oversized scissors, and Venegas, speaking to the gathered crowd, thanked everyone for coming. It was Doctors of Physical Therapys 17th birthday, and he spoke about his 12 years with company. Weve done a tremendous amount of growth, Venegas said. Venegas said owner Aaron Kraai of Kenosha, who first began the company in Illinois, had ambitions from the start nearly two decades ago to open a physical therapy location in Kenosha. What started as an outpatient physical therapy clinic now offers multiple services, including hand therapy. Its been an honor to work for him, Venegas said. Its an honor to serve this company and its goal. PLEASANT PRAIRIE Members of a band participating in a parade in northern Illinois last week were stuck atop a vintage fire truck as the driver apparently took a wrong turn into the village, according to police. The villages dispatch center received a call at 12:19 p.m. on Wednesday about a suspicious vehicle traveling northbound on Highway 31 (Green Bay Road) from 128th Street, according to police. The caller indicate that the truck had several people seated on top of the vehicle and police officers who converged on the area observed the unusual site, according to the departments social media post. The men said they were members of the Sinful Saints Band of Crystal Lake, Ill., and had just participated in a Founders Day Parade while riding atop the truck. However, according to the report, the driver made a wrong turn, and instead of returning to the disassembly point, the vehicle continued north into Wisconsin. Feeling abandoned The band members apparently could not get the drivers attention to alert him he was traveling in the wrong direction and they were still atop the truck, police said. When the officers finally stopped the wayward engine, the band was transported to the police department where they met with officers. Police said the men enjoyed refreshments while awaiting alternate transportation back to Illinois. Village rescue personnel transported the truck driver to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital where he was observed for an apparent medical condition. The truck remained parked at the villages law enforcement center on Sunday until it could be retrieved, according to police. Beyond the citys social programs, another group in Kenosha is trying to reduce violent crimes in the citys most-impacted communities. The Kenosha Coalition Organizing Resolution is a violence interruption group, formed after the unrest following the 2020 Jacob Blake shooting. The violence interruption model comes from U.S. epidemiologist Gary Slutkin and treats violence like a public health problem that can be transmitted from person to person within a community. Mirroring efforts to prevent disease spread, trained violence interrupters go to sources of violence to try and stop the spread, treating the infected. The unique approach saw success in Chicago in 2000, and other cities soon adopted similar programs across the country. Tio Hardiman, executive director of Violence Interrupters and an early member of the Chicago violence interruption program, was in Kenosha last year meeting with KCORs organizers. He said that violence interruption helps reorient communities after violent crimes, reducing the likelihood of follow-up or revenge crimes. Youve got people out there that are not thinking angrily anymore, Hardiman said. Youve shown them that cooler heads prevail, you change that learned behavior. Work in communities Members, drawn from the communities they work with, go through special training to better equip them to handle a wide variety of issues. These counselors may know that violence is about to occur before it happens, and help deescalate tensions. During active incidents, KCOR members can also help negotiate between parties and provide support to victims and their families afterwards. The Rev. Caliph Muab-El, an organizer with KCOR, said they could go in and under and through the crevices of these communities, allowing them to better interrupt, intervene or intersect violence than police ever could. Police, Muab-El said, respond to crimes and arrest people, and while that approach has its role, it isnt a long-term solution. You cannot arrest your way out of this kind of uptick in violence, Muab-El said. Even if these persons are removed from the streets, it doesnt stop the seed of ignorance that has been planted in the ones that are all in the same community. That thinking is one of the core tenets of the violence interruption model: That a simple increase in policing and arrests doesnt result in lower violent crime rates. Blaming perpetrators feeds into a cycle of revenge and retaliation, said Jonathan Shailor, director of the certificate program in Conflict Analysis & Resolution at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This model is to stop the transmission of violence, and help build communities. Challenges to be overcome The group faces three main issues, however: funding, accountability and organization. KCOR made headlines last year, with Interim Kenosha Police Chief Eric Larsen and local elected officials voicing their support of the group. The group was responding to and deescalating incidents, and hosting block parties to build community awareness. The city even awarded the group $47,000 in federal block grant funds in 2021. However, for what KCOR organizers hope to create, a much larger and much more stable revenue stream is needed. Muab-El said that it would take about $800,000 to fund KCOR for one year. While the group is currently running on a volunteer model, a fully functional organization would be more akin to an emergency response group, like fire and police services. Violence interruptions is a 24-hour job, Muab-El said. It presents a challenge for anyone working a structured job. The group is currently looking into various revenue streams and voiced frustration with city and county officials over a lack of support, both financial and practical. Muab-El said that while $800,000 was no small fee, the city was already comfortable with putting much more into the fire and police services, with next years city safety budget just under $50 million. We have a lot of people willing to commit to being violence interrupters, Muab-El said. The problem is there is very minimal support, and when support does come, its so scarce and skeptical that its almost fleeting. We cant build a foundation on sand. Hardiman warned that a lack of resources and commitment from key local figures were serious blows to such groups. It takes funding from the state or federal government, or philanthropic foundations, Hardiman said. This is not just some regular street outreach, this has to be professional. Its a holistic program. Such an operation requires an immense amount of organization and accountability. Mayor John Antaramian said that he was looking into a how to address these issues without damaging KCORs reputation with community members. Although the group responds to violent crimes, similar to the police, affiliating KCOR too closely with the police department would remove any benefits the program could bring, and KCOR members have repeatedly emphasized their separation from law enforcement, something that Larsen said he understood. They dont report to us; information can be one way, Larsen said. If theyre doing their jobs right, we dont know what happens. One idea Antaramian discussed was having KCOR under the health department, which would help the group get funding and manage its services. For now, however, the group is continuing its work as best it can with volunteers. The police cant do this. The fire department cant do this, Muab-El said. They respond to crimes, and the arresting is the response to the crime. We have a different approach. Brandi Donley believes a lifeguard would have made all the difference for her 20-year-old son, Brandon Schmidt. Schmidt drowned nearly four years ago in Lake Michigan at Windsnest Park south of Grand Haven, Mich. There were almost no safety features, Donley recalls: no signs advising against swimming, no flotation devices to help someone struggling and no lifeguards to be seen. A couple deputies and the sheriff responded, but no one was capable of getting in that water until the fire department got there because nobody was water-safety trained, she said. Schmidt was one of at least 117 reported drownings in the Great Lakes in 2018, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, the highest since teams started keeping record in 2010. In 2022, there have already been 62 reported drownings in the Great Lakes, on track to be another high-death year. In Kenosha, a 5-year-old boy pulled from the water at Pennoyer Beach on on July 12 died. It was one of three water-related deaths in the county in a two-week span, which included a 14-year-old boy, Pleasant Prairie resident Aiden F. Braim, and an 8-year-old girl drowned at Powers Lake on July 19. Data from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project shows that May was the deadliest month on the Great Lakes so far this year with 19 drownings. June followed closely after with 16 deaths. There were 12 deaths in July. Lake Michigan has proven to be the most dangerous lake, with 28 confirmed drownings, but experts say that is at least in part because Lake Michigan has several large cities and tourism destinations. Illinois portion of Lake Michigan has had 11 confirmed drownings this year, making it the deadliest stretch in the U.S. Canadas Ontario province shoreline has seen 13 confirmed deaths. In Michigan, half of the reported deaths were in southwest Michigan, with two each near South Haven and Warren Dunes State Park. Two others were near Bay City, while the remaining deaths happened near Muskegon on the western part of the state. Experts say the numbers of deaths arent likely to come down unless leaders take serious action to prevent drownings. When it comes to drowning, every death is one too many, said Jamie Racklyeft, executive director of the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium. We see so many, and its disheartening, because theyre all preventable, really. Why so many? The Great Lakes, like any body of water with breaking waves, can form rip currents that can pull people farther offshore before they realize the hazard. Racklyeft himself nearly drowned about a decade ago after he was pulled into a rip current. He had lived in Michigan his entire life, but like many, he didnt know the hazard. Rip currents often will look like the calmest part of the water. But if they pull a person in, it can be nearly impossible to get out again especially if that person is panicking or hasnt been trained on how to get out. Chris Houser, dean of science and a professor in the School of the Environment at the University of Windsor in Canada, said rip currents form when water that has splashed onto the shore needs a way to return. The water making its way back into the lake moves faster and with more pressure, and Houser said it tends to be fastest at the top where people are most buoyant. Because drownings are often underreported, people might not be aware of the danger to begin with. Dave Benjamin, co-founder and executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, said his group works to keep track of them, but oftentimes, they dont make local news. He suspects his own numbers which show roughly 100 drownings across the Great Lakes a year since 2016 likely are low. Most drowning-prevention solutions require support not only from the entities in charge of the beaches but also the users of a given beach. For example, many beaches use a flag system to indicate the hazard level. A green flag is typically a sign the water is relatively safe, while a red or double-red flag is a warning to stay out. (Some beaches, including those in state parks, use yellow flags to indicate a moderate hazard.) But those flags rely on regular updating from officials, who may not be doing so regularly, Benjamin said. Some beaches may update the flags once a day, putting a red flag out early in the day to warn of later hazards, but people can see that next to calm water and think it simply hasnt been updated, he said. Or, as Houser noted, people may see a red flag but also see people in the water and assume it must be safe. Prevention The most effective way to prevent drownings is to have lifeguards on beaches, Racklyeft said. Having trained professionals who know not only what drowning looks like but also the dangerous spots can make a huge difference. Theyre the superheroes of the Great Lakes, Racklyeft said. Drowning is sudden and silent. A lifeguard can spot it and prevent it, because every minute makes a difference. But in many places, lifeguards have been cut from budgets. State parks havent had lifeguards for decades, after most were cut from state beaches in 1993, Ron Olson, chief of Michigan Parks and Recreation told The Detroit News. There is no plans for guards as we are continuing with our flag system and enhancements to our public education and notice, he wrote in an email Friday. This includes our new rule to enable temporary closures to the water when the criteria are met. Most city beaches are also without lifeguards, often because of cost. Its difficult to say how many beaches across Michigan do have lifeguards at this point, but Racklyeft said the number is exceedingly low. Benjamin said he would like to see a future in which lifeguards are provided with housing in expensive tourist areas to encourage people to not only become lifeguards but to return each summer. The lack of lifeguards is why people like Donley have made it their mission to lobby for water safety. She has met with legislators to try to interest them in taking up an initiative like one in Illinois that requires beaches with piers or drop-offs on Lake Michigan to install public rescue equipment. She recognizes that such an initiative would be much more expensive in Michigan, which has significantly more shoreline. From a strictly financial look, programs like this will save money preventing us from having to call in the Coast Guard or bring helicopters in to look for people, she said. We wont have as many drowning calls for first responders. In places without lifeguards, having equipment for bystanders can improve safety for both the person drowning and the person trying to help them. Oftentimes, if a person tries to help a drowning victim without any sort of equipment, they can get swept away as well. Other options include alarm systems that are able to provide first responders with camera views of incidents, or life jackets to loan out. Racklyeft said his group is working to establish a sort of beach safety-rating system for visitors to be able to more accurately assess potential hazards before even arriving. The safest five-star beaches would have lifeguards, flotation devices, warning systems and more. Many water safety activists would also like to see children taught about water safety from a young age, much in the way children are taught fire safety. Donley says children are taught to stop, drop and roll from their earliest days, but similar mantras for water safety could help. Flip, float and follow advises those drowning to flip on their back, float to conserve energy and keep their head above water, and then follow the current to see which way its going so they can swim perpendicular to it or signal for help. Working to change the requirements around water safety has helped Donley to manage her grief. At Windsnest Park, signs warning of rip currents are posted just below a plaque dedicated in Schmidts memory. I know that I probably see things a lot differently than everyone else, but I dont want anyone else to have to see it the way I do, she said. ...These are reasonable changes that we could make, and yeah, they might cost money, but its time to think about all the lives we could be saving. 72 Shares Share Primum non nocere. First, do no harm. All doctors are familiar with this credo. From ancient precepts such as the Hippocratic Oath promising to abstain from doing harm to the modern bioethics principle of nonmaleficence, the calling of physicians involves striving to help alleviate suffering and avoid making it worse. In our increasingly complex health care and data environment, avoiding inadvertent harm can be more difficult than one might expect. I attended medical school in the late 2000s and completed my residency training in orthopedic surgery during the first half of the 2010s. It was a ten-year period during which pain was emphasized as a fifth vital sign, placing it in the hierarchy of crucial indicators of being alive along with heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate. Pain had historically been undertreated in a system that was not patient-centered, and patient advocates rightly lobbied for increased attention to this aspect of the patient experience. Unfortunately, the medical communitys response to this deficiency was pharmaceutically-based and lacking in nuance. Spurred on by the insidious actions of the manufacturers of opioid medications, these drugs assumed a far too prominent role in the treatment of pain. We were told repeatedly in medical school that one could not become addicted to a drug so long as it was administered to treat pain and that addiction was only a risk when opioids were consumed in the absence of pain. This turns out to be patently untrue. As residents training at a major academic medical center with its own stand-alone orthopedic specialty hospital, we helped care for a steady flow of patients undergoing all manner of orthopedic surgery, with a large volume of elective total hip and total knee arthroplasty. Anyone who has undergone total knee arthroplasty or cared for someone who has will know that this can be an extremely painful experience. House staff was the first providers to be called to address inadequate pain control. Every patient had as-needed opioid analgesics ordered. Early on, these were even intravenous opioids, often in the form of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump, where a shot of opioid could be directed into the patients vein at the push of a button. How patient-centered! Anyone not comfortable on the standard doses got a pain management consult, often leaving the hospital with hefty opioid prescriptions written by the pain docs. Later in the 2010s, the medical community became increasingly aware that we were doing our patients a disservice. The use of opioid medication was not only a blunt instrument where a fine was required, but opioids were wreaking havoc on communities on an epidemic scale with the rise of synthetic opioids. Orthopedic surgeons rank third among medical specialties in the prescribing of opioid medications. As prescribers, we have a lever to pull to affect the amount of opioids in our communities. Patients often save unused prescription pain medications just in case. Unfortunately, these may then be used by other members of the household or diverted to the street. Opioids should not be a centerpiece of our arsenal of analgesic techniques. We can do better for our patients and communities while maintaining a focus on the patient experience and adequacy of pain control. My experience with opioid-free anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction confirmed this. For over a year now, I have not prescribed opioid analgesics to any patient under age 25 undergoing ACL reconstruction. I advise all patients and their families that I will prescribe an opioid if necessary, but not a single one has taken me up on the offer. We routinely collect visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores two weeks postoperatively. Far from increasing, these have slightly decreased. How do we manage this? All patients meet with the physical therapist before surgery and within two days after surgery. They use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) before and after surgery. They get a regional anesthetic block from one of our anesthesiologists, supplemented with local injection during surgery. They use a cold machine to provide continuous cryotherapy. Standard medication prescriptions include a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), acetaminophen, and gabapentin. Also recommended is a cannabinoid. This is cannabidiol (CBD) for our patients, without tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. With this multimodal approach, we have effectively eliminated opioids from ACL surgery for young people without compromising pain control. The most important intervention, however, costs nothing and has no side effects. This is a change in mindset. The mindset of the physician and the mindset of the patient. As physicians, we need to let go of the idea that opioids need to be on hand just in case. Patients want to know that their pain will be controlled after surgery. Simply discussing this and promising to make reasonable efforts to control (not eliminate) pain empowers the patient to undergo surgery without the fear and anxiety of uncontrolled pain. Without belittling or undermining the fact that patients pain can be very real and excruciating, we must understand and communicate that the experience of pain is affected by many social, emotional, and neurophysiological elements. We can help our patients choose a pain experience in which they have agency that is not ceded to the pain itself or to the physician and, in so doing, do less harm to our patients and communities. Michael Day is an orthopedic surgeon. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 39 Shares Share Medical mistakes are as old as the practice of medicine itself, but it wasnt until 1999 that the United States started paying more attention to them. Over twenty years later, we may be reducing medical errors a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found significant decreases in mistakes in cases of pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and surgery between 2010 and 2019 but the way were reacting to people who disclose them is worrying. That is, we treat those who report them more harshly than those who cover them up. Recently, the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center reinstated Dr. Robert Cameron as Chief of Thoracic Surgery; Dr. Cameron reported concerns about anesthesia care in two near-death cases he was involved with. Subsequently, the medical center forced him to retire early. That was back in 2018. It took nearly four years to restore him to a position he lost because of his honesty. It brings to mind the highly publicized case of Radonda Vaught. In May, a Tennessee court sentenced Vaught, a former nurse, to three years of probation for administering the wrong medication to a patient when she worked at Vanderbilt Medical Center after a jury convicted her of criminally negligent homicide. To her credit, Vaught did come forward when she realized what had occurred, but Vanderbilt didnt report the error to the government or medical examiner. Vanderbilt has faced no penalties in the case. Recently surfaced was the story of a woman who contracted a serious infection from presumed mistakes made by providers at Griffin Hospital in CT; a lawsuit is pending in Connecticut Superior Court that alleges, among other errors, that standard of care for her condition was not done and proper medical records were not kept. None of the accused providers have lost employment, licenses, or faced criminal charges as of yet. When it comes to medical errors, its not the so-called crime thats concerning, its the cover-up. Transparency is key to preventing future errors and fixing breakdowns in systems. Medical errors were initially thought to be the third leading cause of death, but that ranking may not be entirely accurate. That doesnt mean this isnt a serious problem. Errors caused over 123,000 deaths between 1990-2016, not necessarily a leading cause of death but still quite significant. Up to 9,000 annual deaths are reportedly attributed to medication errors alone. In 2021, 1,197 serious patient safety incidents (ones leading to death or significant harm) occurred in the United States, according to The Joint Commission, an independent organization that accredits health care organizations and programs in the United States. But we dont know all we should about medical errors and when they occur; some may be hidden. In 2016, Medscape, an online resource of medical news, surveyed over 7,500 doctors in more than 25 specialties. Regardless of workplace setting, up to 7 percent of respondents said it was acceptable to not report an error, and 14 percent stated it depends on circumstances. This was in contrast to 2010, when only five percent of doctors were willing to not report an error, and in 2014, when 9 percent of doctors were ok with not divulging. These numbers dont necessarily mean that providers are covering up errors. We also dont have a very precise definition of medical errors, so the lack of reporting may be motivated more by ignorance than a desire to hide the facts. That lack of definition limits the effectiveness of systems communication and resolution programs (CRPs) are new ways of reducing errors, hospitals safety reporting systems allow staffers to communicate anything that affects patient safety that are in place and are known to work; a recent meta-analysis from 2018 showed a significant reduction in mortality from using the World Health Organizations surgical safety checklist developed to decrease errors in the operating room. But we cant rule out that witnessing what Dr. Cameron and Vaught went through might lead other providers not to report. Vaught herself expressed concern that her conviction would cause other providers to be wary about coming forward to tell the truth. Additionally, depending on its outcome, the case in Connecticut may encourage providers not to acknowledge errors at all. And if providers whitewash more errors, then we wont be able to improve flawed systems. Keeping patients safe requires health care providers to know what to report and have the confidence that superiors wont punish their candor. Ill admit that some guardrails arent as perfect as we want them to be. For instance, its unclear how automatic medication cabinets help reduce errors consistently. Also, these systems effectiveness depends on reliable performance by staff; nurses can become frustrated when dealing with imperfect technology and instead override the system to get what they need. Proper use depends on staff training and avoiding workarounds to save time. Physicians, prosecutors, and administrators should be working on defining medical errors and training providers on how to optimally use the systems in place rather than penalizing and prosecuting providers who commit errors due to failed systems or whistleblowers. Ultimately, the problem underlying medical errors is the need to assign blame. We reduce these problems to the actions of individual people rather than recognizing them even inexperienced caregivers and lackluster technology as systemic problems. Thats what they are. And theyll only be reduced by systemic as opposed to individual solutions. Vidya Raju is an internal medicine-pediatrics physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Representatives from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Inpex Operations Australia pose after signing a contract for the operation of a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in Australia, in this March 2012 file photo. Courtesy of DSME By Park Jae-hyuk A mega-size international lawsuit from Inpex Operations Australia, a Japanese-owned petroleum and exploration company, has become another complication for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), which has been moving to normalize business operations since the unionized workers of its subcontractor firms ended their 51-day strike last month. DSME said in its regulatory filing on Friday that the Japanese company had submitted a request for arbitration to the International Chamber of Commerce a day earlier, demanding the Korean firm compensate it $970 million for the delayed commissioning of a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, as well as manufacturing defects. The Korean firm emphasized that the Japanese company had previously agreed to changes to their contract signed in March 2012. According to DSME, the FPSO departed from its shipyard on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province in 2017, and was delivered to Inpex in 2019 for operation in Australia. "Most of Inpex's claims are groundless, and it exaggerated its losses," the shipbuilder said. "At this moment, it is stably producing liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas and condensate for exports." Given that the amount of compensation that Inpex asked for reaches 57.3 percent of DSME's equity capital, the shipbuilder vowed to minimize the litigation's impact on its financial stability. "We will continue to work towards settling the dispute," the company said. The cash-strapped shipbuilder, which is under the control of creditors led by the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), says it already suffered an 800-billion-won ($614 million) loss due to the recent strike. It was also forced to cancel two out of three orders for icebreaking LNG carriers from Russian clients, who refused to pay for the vessels, citing international sanctions. In addition, DSME's regular employees are protesting KDB Chairman Kang Seog-hoon's latest remarks that the creditors are considering splitting the shipbuilder's warship division from its commercial ship division. The series of controversies have been viewed as obstacles to DSME normalizing its operations, so market insiders are paying close attention to how the legal dispute with Inpex will unfold. Some observers did not rule out the possibility of an out-of-court settlement, considering the fact that Samsung Heavy Industries also settled its legal dispute with Inpex by mutual agreement last year, after they had countersued each other for a dispute over a central processing facility (CPF) in Australia. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Palestinian children wait with their family for treatment in the reception of Al-najjar hospital after an Israeli air strikes a residential building in Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, Aug. 6. UPI-Yonhap The death toll from escalating violence in Gaza rose to 24 on Saturday, including six children, as Israel extended its bombardment of Palestinian militants who have retaliated with a barrage of rockets. The updated fatality count from health authorities in Hamas Islamist run Gaza said six children were among those killed since the start of the "Israeli aggression" on Friday, in addition to 204 injured. But Israel said it has "irrefutable" evidence that stray rocket from Islamic Jihad militants was responsible for the death of multiple children in Jabalia, northern Gaza, on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how many children were killed in the incident in Jabalia. An AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at an area hospital, including three minors. Israel's military has warned its aerial and artillery campaign against Islamic Jihad could last a week, but Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo is talking "around the clock" with both sides to ease the violence. Israel has said it was necessary to launch a "pre-emptive" operation against Islamic Jihad, saying the group was planning an imminent attack following days of tensions along the border with Gaza. Civilians meanwhile took refuge in air raid shelters on the Israeli side, with AFP journalists hearing sirens warning of incoming fire in the Tel Aviv area on Saturday evening. Israel's ongoing strikes are being met with flurries of rockets from the Palestinian side, stoking fears of a repeat of an 11-day conflict that devastated Gaza in May 2021. Daily life in Gaza has come to a standstill, while the electricity distributor said the sole power station shut down due to a lack of fuel after Israel closed its border crossings. Gaza's health ministry said the next few hours will be "crucial and difficult", warning it risked suspending vital services within 72 hours as a result of the lack of electricity. Rockets are fired by fighters from Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the east Gaza City, Aug. 6. EPA-Yonhap 'We are all alone' In Gaza City, resident Dounia Ismail said Palestinians have become accustomed to preparing a "survival bag" of items such as money and medicine. "This latest escalation brings back images of fear, anxiety, and the feeling that we are all alone," she told AFP. On the Israeli side of the frontier, the Magen David Adom emergency service said two people were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds and 13 others were lightly hurt while running for safety. In Kibbutz Nahal Oz, an Israeli community beside the Gaza border, resident Nadav Peretz said he has been "in the bomb shelter or around it" since Friday. "We recognise that on the other side too there is an uninvolved civilian population, and on both sides children deserve to enjoy their summer vacation," the 40-year-old said. 'Battle still at beginning' An Israeli military spokesman said its forces were "preparing for the operation to last a week," and told AFP that the army is "not currently holding ceasefire negotiations". Islamic Jihad's leader in Gaza, Mohammed al-Hindi, said: "The battle is still at its beginning." Israel and Islamic Jihad confirmed the killing of Taysir al-Jabari, a key commander of the militant group, in a Friday strike. Islamic Jihad is aligned with Hamas, but often acts independently. Both are blacklisted as terrorist organizations by much of the West. Hamas has fought four wars with Israel since seizing control of Gaza in 2007, including the conflict last May. A flare-up with Islamic Jihad came in 2019, following Israel's killing of Baha Abu al-Ata, Jabari's predecessor. Hamas did not join the fray in that conflict. Hamas's moves now could prove crucial, with the group facing pressure from some to restore calm in order to improve economic conditions in Gaza. Children react following an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Aug. 6. AFP-Yonhap By Hal Brands The U.S. drone strike that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of al-Qaida and one of the last remaining architects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, delivered a measure of justice. It did not deliver resolution in the debates still surrounding U.S. counterterrorism policy. For President Joe Biden, the strike shows America can still target bad guys even after the controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan. For his critics, it shows that the U.S. pullout allowed al-Qaida's leadership to take up residence in Kabul. There is some truth to both arguments. Yet the strike is best seen as a testament to America's creation of a man-hunting machine without parallel in human history one that is already becoming harder to maintain as Washington turns to things other than counterterrorism. From what has been publicly disclosed, the al-Zawahiri operation was not a minor lift. Biden was heavily engaged with the issue for weeks. The strike surely involved extensive use of surveillance and reconnaissance assets to find Zawahiri, map his "pattern of life" and identify options for killing him without also killing innocents. The strike itself required penetrating unfriendly airspace, probably from a base in the Persian Gulf or perhaps Central Asia. After the attack, U.S. intelligence operatives on the ground in Kabul reportedly confirmed al-Zawahiri's death. This investment was undoubtedly justified, if only to show, as Biden remarked, that "no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out." The operation, like the one that killed Osama bin Laden 11 years ago, is also a window into the formidable capabilities the U.S. developed to locate and neutralize enemies in some of the least accessible places on earth. Following 9/11, the Pentagon vastly expanded its special operations forces, skilled at killing or capturing terrorist leaders and disrupting the networks on which they relied. The intelligence community used human and technological assets, along with partnerships with friendly and not-so-friendly nations, to track down extremists. The U.S. created a drone fleet that it used to reach into Pakistan, Yemen and other inhospitable areas; it developed weapons, such as the missile that got al-Zawahiri that could kill targets with remarkably little collateral damage. A network of bases, large and small, in the greater Middle East and beyond provided the logistical footprint for these activities. The results could be very impressive. Sooner or later, the world's most prominent jihadists bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Anwar al-Awlaki and others were, to use the favored euphemism, "taken off the battlefield." Lethal strikes eliminated countless bomb-makers, facilitators and planners, frequently forcing those who remained to concentrate on keeping themselves alive. This capacity for targeted killing became all the more important as America's objective shifted from transforming societies in the greater Middle East to simply pummeling extremist organizations so that they could not easily operate. Critiques that Washington was simply playing whack-a-mole notwithstanding, progress toward the tactical objective of degrading terror groups translated into progress toward the strategic objective of preventing attacks against the U.S. homeland. Yet man-hunting on this scale was immensely expensive: It often required paying millions of dollars and sometimes many multiples of that to track down a particular quarry. These investments gradually became prohibitive as other pressing geopolitical priorities emerged. In 2018, Gina Haspel, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, announced that her organization was pivoting away from counterterrorism and toward competition with China and Russia. The Defense Department and U.S. special operations forces are making similar shifts. Each of the last three U.S. presidents sought to reduce the resources and attention devoured by counterterrorism. Finally, the withdrawal from Afghanistan forced Washington to part with some of the military presence that provided ready access to extremists, although U.S. forces remain in Iraq, Syria, Somalia and other danger spots. The al-Zawahiri strike isn't the end of America's struggle with terrorism, not least because threats persist, from Afghanistan to Africa. Yet it is perhaps more a tribute to a prior era than to the present one. The successful mission reveals a great deal about the tools the U.S. developed to wage the war on terrorism in the period after 9/11. What it reveals about the efficacy of counterterrorism policy in a moment of competing priorities and fewer resources is harder to say. Hal Brands is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. The Henry Kissinger distinguished professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, he is co-author, most recently, of "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China" and a member of the State Department's Foreign Affairs Policy Board. This article was distributed by Tribune Content Agency. By Jason Lim I was born and raised in Seoul until I was nine years old. Then we emigrated to Asuncion, Paraguay and spent about two-and-a-half years there before landing in New York City where I grew into young adulthood. So, that means that I was immersed in three different languages in the first twenty years of my life with little exposure to the other languages when submerged in the culture of the dominant language. Naturally, I have been fascinated by how different languages play within my own brain. So, this is where I stand today several decades later. As far as Spanish goes, I can't understand it or speak it. I only lived in Paraguay for a little over 2 years, so it wasn't long enough for me to become fluent. Also, as Paraguay was a stopover to America, I went to school only about half the time I was there, spending the final year before our departure studying English in a private school. Strangely enough, however, I feel emotionally at home hearing spoken Spanish. I don't understand what's being said and certainly can't speak it, but the rhythm and sound of the language as the words undulate in the air feel as familiar to me as listening to a nursery rhyme long forgotten. My dominant language is English. But when visiting Korea, I can pass as native Korean speaker, speaking with the locals in both casual and business settings. However, it takes significant mental effort to discipline my Korean to match the level of the educated native speakers, especially when speaking outside the scope of my natural familiarity. What makes that more difficult is that vocabulary you use in Korean wholly switches when used in different contexts and audiences, so you have to know several sets of vocabulary that mean the same things but are appropriate in different situational contexts. Although I am not a professional and never been formally trained, I am a pretty decent interpreter. However, I am far better interpreting Korean into English than the other way around. I guess that's natural, as it's easier to reproduce and rearticulate what's being said in your dominant language. It goes to show that listening (comprehending) is easier than speaking in any language. Until now, I didn't know the cognitive process that makes this mechanism possible. I always thought I was somehow compartmentalizing my languages by putting up mental walls between them, with a filter that I selectively open and close. I was wrong. Nicole Chang, in her BBC article titled, "How our brains cope with speaking more than one language," writes, "If you think about it, the ability of bilingual and multilingual speakers to separate the languages they have learned is remarkable. How they do this is commonly explained through the concept of inhibition a suppression of the non-relevant languages." Chang argues that it's not compartmentalization per se. All the different languages are mixed together in some type of a data lake in your brain. Depending on the situation, you suppress all the other languages in favor of the desired one. Sometimes the suppression doesn't work well enough, and you experience an "intrusion," in which a word or accent in the wrong language sneaks in. Basically, we have a smart damper. When adults acquire a new language, they also learn by suppressing their dominant language, which can lead to a temporary loss of capacity of their native tongue. This process rings true because I heard countless times from Koreans who immigrated later in life that they can speak neither English nor Korean well after a few initial years. But I am still not entirely clear how simultaneous or consecutive interpretation happen neurologically. There must be some type of natural organization and tagging of words and syntaxes based on the language. In other words, how is language indexed in the brain? Are the words with similar words bonded together? So, if I hear "dog" in Korean, do I search for that meaning and pick the word "dog" in the desired target language? Or are the words organized by proximity? Maybe an emotional logic ties certain meanings together regardless of the language itself. How does the neurological filing schema facilitate interpretation in which you have to go back and forth repeatedly? I am further curious about the ethical and cultural underpinnings of each language. I notice a subtle but definite shift in my personality, perspective and even ethical values when speaking in English versus Korean. This shift must mean that language is not just an executive function of the brain but also tied into the deeper emotional layers of the brain. Is that because language shifts your primary social identity so that you have an associated in-group with each language? After all, social identity theory tells us that your sense of belonging will dictate your values and even logic. Or could it be that language is so essential to our human experience that each language triggers different gene expressions even? I would love to learn more. It's an endlessly fascinating topic. One thing is for sure though: my life has been enriched with different languages and the cultural gifts that come with them. For that, I will forever be grateful. Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture. Chinese FM expounds on China's position on Taiwan question Xinhua) 10:54, August 07, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a press conference for Chinese and foreign media to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference for Chinese and foreign media here on Friday afternoon after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation. "I would like to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question. Considering that the U.S. side has just spread a lot of false information and untrue words in this regard, it is even more necessary for us to clarify the facts and set the record straight," said Wang. He said that in disregard of China's resolute opposition and repeated representations, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a blatant visit to China's Taiwan region, with the actual connivance and facilitation of the U.S. government. This retrogressive act seriously infringed on China's sovereignty, acutely interfered in China's internal affairs, severely violated the commitments made by the U.S. side, and gravely undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he noted. "It is only natural that China should respond resolutely," he said. "Our position is legitimate, reasonable and lawful. Our measures are resolute, strong and proportionate. Our military drills are open, transparent and professional, which are in line with our domestic law, international law and common international practice, with an aim of warning those perpetrators and disciplining the 'Taiwan independence' forces," Wang said. "We will firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolutely deter the U.S. from 'using Taiwan to contain China', and resolutely shatter the Taiwan authorities' illusion of seeking independence by relying on U.S. support," he said. "Meanwhile, we are also upholding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, especially the norm of non-interference, the most important international norm as stipulated in the United Nations Charter," Wang said. He stressed that if the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign states is ignored or abandoned, the world will be dragged back to the law of the jungle, and the United States will become even more unscrupulous in bullying other countries, particularly small and medium-sized countries, from its so-called "position of strength." "We must not allow such things to happen, and all other countries should stand in unity to stop such things from happening and not allow the human civilization to regress," Wang said. He said that is why more than 100 countries have publicly stood up and reaffirmed their firm adherence to the one-China policy, and their understanding of and support for China's legitimate position. Noting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has clearly stressed that the United Nations will continue to uphold the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, Wang said that the core of the resolution is the one-China principle, which states that there is only one China in the world, and the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China. These are the voice of justice from the international community, he added. Calling the U.S. attempt of "using Taiwan to contain China" just a fantasy, Wang said that it cannot stop the historical trend of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and cannot stop the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The ploy of the "Taiwan independence" forces to "seek independence by relying on U.S. support" is no more than a fantasy and is destined to hit a dead end, he said, adding that the noose around their necks will only get tighter. In response to the U.S. excuse of a previous visit to Taiwan by a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Wang said former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich's visit to Taiwan was a serious mistake, which the Chinese government strongly opposed at the time. The United States has no right and is not in any position to make the same mistake again, and it cannot use the past mistakes as excuses and justifications for repeating them today, Wang said, questioning is the United States preparing to redo all its wrongdoings and dirty tricks in its history. Responding to the U.S. claim that China has changed the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Wang said it is nothing but a rumour and slander. Taiwan has never been a country. There is only one China, and both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country. This has been the status quo of Taiwan since ancient times. The China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations issued in 1978 clearly emphasizes that the government of the PRC is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan is part of China, which has been the status quo across the Taiwan Strait for decades, Wang noted. But such status quo has indeed been broken. The destroyer is not China, but the United States and Taiwan separatist forces, Wang said. "In 2000, the U.S. side placed its unilaterally-concocted 'Taiwan Relations Act' ahead of the three China-U.S. joint communiques. Isn't that changing the status quo? A few years ago, the U.S. side brazenly put the so-called 'Six Assurances,' which was kept in secrecy, into its one-China policy statement. Isn't that changing the status quo? Isn't it hollowing out the one-China policy?" Wang asked. He suggested the U.S. politicians in power have a good look at the three joint communiques, saying that then they will know what the real status quo across the Taiwan Strait is, and who have changed it. The same is true of those in Taiwan, Wang said. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came into power in Taiwan, it has been continuously pushing forward "incremental independence," going all out to promote "de-sinicization," and trying to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" on various occasions. "Isn't it blatantly changing the status quo? If Dr. Sun Yat-sen knew it, he would have pointed at the nose of Tsai Ing-wen, and called her an unworthy descendant," Wang said. On reports saying the United States is increasing its military deployment in the region, Wang called on all sides to stay highly vigilant. It is an old trick of the U.S. side to stir up troubles first and then take advantage of them to achieve its own goals, Wang said, adding that such practices will not work in front of China, and the Chinese side seriously warns the United States not to act recklessly and create a bigger crisis. In response to the remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the meeting that the U.S. side hopes that international law is abided by and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries are maintained, Wang said it has been long since the U.S. side last made such remarks, and the U.S. has done the opposite in multiple cases over the years. If the U.S. side can really mend its ways, China will encourage it, but the key is for the United States to walk the talk, Wang said, noting that it should first of all fulfill its commitment on the Taiwan question and respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop conniving at or supporting the "Taiwan independence" forces. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Elon Musk on Saturday challenged Twitter Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal to a public debate about the percentage of bots on the social media platform. "Let him prove to the public that Twitter has He also started a poll asking users whether less than 5 percent of Twitter daily users are fake/spam. Twitter on Thursday dismissed a claim by Musk that he was hoodwinked into signing a $44 billion agreement to buy the company. Musk filed a countersuit against Twitter on July 29, escalating his legal fight against the company over his bid to walk away from the purchase agreement. Earlier on Saturday, Musk said that if Twitter could provide its method of sampling 100 accounts and how it confirmed that the accounts are real, his deal to buy the company should proceed on its original terms. (Reuters) Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. ATEEZ San has caused many fans to worry following the release of his "Guerrilla" fancam, which was recorded during the group's recent performance on Mnet's "M Countdown." Read on to know what happened. ATEEZ San Worries Fans After Release of His M Countdown "Guerrilla" Fancam ATEEZ member San has always received applause for his impressive stage presence, dance skill, and vocals. He once again impressed many for his recent performances on music shows. Currently, ATEEZ is promoting their new title song "Guerrilla" from their new mini-album "THE WORLD EP.1: MOVEMENT," and the members are giving their absolute best to their live stages. On Aug. 4, ATEEZ was among the performers on Mnet's "M Countdown," and the audience was treated to an explosive performance. While the fans enthusiastically support the boy group's promotions, they are worried about San's health, particularly after his "Guerrilla" fancam from "M Countdown" was released on YouTube. In this fancam, the idol can be seen giving all his energy to his performance. However, when he goes to the side of the stage during parts of the choreography focusing on other members, San is noticeably exhausted. He can be seen catching his breath and leaning against the stage props for support. He even almost stumbled on stage at one point. ATEEZ's fans voiced their concerns under the YouTube video, as well as on TikTok. One fan commented on YouTube: "sannie's performance is so impressive always... I'm worried about him though, he looks so exhausted and in pain after every performance. I hope he doesn't push himself too much. Our sannie, your performance is amazing but please eat well and rest as much as you can, don't get hurt or sick!!" Another fan said: "He did his best, as always, but he looked so poorly. He needs to rest. Please give them a break! I'm really genuinely worried about him. The whole group has done immaculate work up until now so now it should be their time to lean back, recover and let Atiny do the work." A clip showing ATEEZ San looking exhausted in his "Guerrilla" fancam from recent "M Countdown" performance was posted on TikTok as well. The uploader said, "god, i'm so f*cking worried." The video has garnered more than 48,000 views so far. Under the TikTok video, one fan commented, "this is so sad and on top of that, they dress them in long sleeves and layers, making them more tired." What can you say about the situation? Share your thoughts in the comment box below! ATEEZ Obtains 3rd Music Show Win For "Guerrilla" In other news, ATEEZ performed "Guerrilla" on the Aug. 5 broadcast of KBS's "Music Bank," where they were also a candidate for first place, along with STAYC's "BEAUTIFUL MONSTER." "Guerrilla" eventually won with 8,474 points over 5,158 points for "BEAUTIFUL MONSTER." Their recent victory on "Music Bank" marks their third music show win for "Guerrilla," following their wins on "Show Champion" and "the Show." ATEEZ's "Guerrilla" is filled with the group's powerful energy and psychedelic sounds. It expresses the start of getting away from a place where emotions are limited. For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article Written by Maria Scott In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Taiwanese President President Tsai Ing-wen, center, pose for a photo during a meeting in Taipei, Aug. 32. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meeting top officials in Taiwan despite warnings from China, said that she and other congressional leaders in a visiting delegation are showing they will not abandon their commitment to the self-governing island. AP-Yonhap China's response to Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit including a display of military force and angry attacks on Japan and the United States has upped the ante diplomatically, but now faces a dilemma over whether to escalate things further or work to keep its other neighbors onside. In the wake of the U.S. House Speaker's trip last week, Beijing has attempted an effective blockade of Taiwan with unprecedented live-fire drills, sanctioned Pelosi and her family and suspended lines of communication with Washington over issues such as maritime security and climate change. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi also staged two walkouts at a regional gathering of foreign ministers in Cambodia a rarely used diplomatic tactic to register Beijing's rage at being accused of a "gross overreaction". But on Monday China will welcome Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin for his first visit to China, days after President Yoon Suk-yeol declined to meet Pelosi when she visited his country. Unlike Japan, South Korea has largely refrained from commenting on the Taiwan question and Pelosi's visit to the island, despite Yoon's pro-Washington stance. Wang also held talks with New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta in Cambodia. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Aug. 5. AFP-Yonhap Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington, pointed to a dilemma for Beijing when it was trying to balance the need to step up military deterrence against Taiwan without scaring its Asian neighbors away. "The strongest card that China has on the Taiwan question is the sentiment of its Asian peers. Nobody in Asia wants to see a non-peaceful solution to the Taiwan question, including one implemented by Beijing. "But equally, almost nobody in Asia wants to see the geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific stranded in the Taiwan Strait, especially in this age of the Russia-Ukraine conflict," he said. "Having made its bitter denunciations, China's wisest approach going forward would be to send emissaries to every major and minor Asian capital and restate its one-China principle and the U.S. violation of the spirit of its own one-China Policy. But I think Chinese diplomacy is too arrogant to choose this course of action." Aside from his walkouts, Wang also cancelled planned talks with the Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Cambodia and, despite expectations that he would meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a meeting never went ahead as both sides insisted it had not been on the agenda. Beijing has also summoned ambassadors from the Group of 7 to protest against a joint statement that accused China of trying to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force. Three Taiwanese Air Force Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets taxi on the runway before take off at an airbase in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Aug. 7. Following a visit of U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan, the Chinese military started to hold a series of live-fire drills in six maritime areas around Taiwan's main island from Aug. 4 to 7. EPA-Yonhap The City of Lake Geneva will continue its working relationship with a company that has been providing city planning services for the community for about 27 years. Members of the Lake Geneva City Council unanimously approved, July 25, to continue to use Vandewalle & Associates, Inc. of Madison for city planning services. The Lake Geneva Plan Commission unanimously recommended, July 18, that the city continue to work with Vandewalle & Associates and to have City Administrator Dave Nord review that contract that the city has with the company annually. Representatives from Vandewalle & Associates have served as Lake Genevas city planning firm for about 27 years and has assisted the city with its comprehensive plan amendments, park and open space plan, ordinance amendments, bicycle and pedestrian plan, Hillmoor special area plan and Transportation Alternatives Program grant application. The company also has hosted informational meetings for city staff. Several amendments are being proposed for Lake Genevas comprehensive plan. The proposed amendments include potential land use changes to allow for business expansion and additional business services. Members of the Lake Geneva Plan Commission discussed the proposed comprehensive plan amendments July 18. Business owners Gary Dunham and Samantha Strenger are requesting that the comprehensive plans future land use map be amended to allow the property located at 816 Wisconsin St. to be rezoned from single family district to central business district. Dunham said he and Strenger purchased the property about a year ago and operate it as a bed and breakfast. He said they want the property to be rezoned as a central business district, so they are able to operate it as a commercial indoor lodging facility, which would allow for additional lodging options. The property is located within a residential neighborhood. Dunham said the commercial indoor lodging facility could be used by guests who are attending a wedding or other type of event at the neighboring Horticultural Hall. Thats how we intend to operate it, Dunham said. We have it right now as a bed and breakfast, because thats what was allowed under the zoning change that we did. Dunham said there are other properties within the area that operate as indoor commercial lodging facilities and that negatively affects the bed and breakfast business. We know we need to change what were doing right now, Dunham said. Were at a competitive disadvantage to a number of properties that are within a block of us that operate completely different than the way weve been made to operate. Jackie Mich of city planning firm Vandewalle & Associates said if Dunham and Strenger want to operate their business as a commercial indoor lodging facility, they would be required to have their property rezoned and she recommends the central business district zoning. Thats really the best path for them, Mich said. So its really up to the city at this stage to decide whether youre interested. Mayor Charlene Klein said she is concerned that if the zoning change is approved, it would encourage other commercial indoor lodging businesses to operate in residential neighborhoods. Klein said the central business district zoning allows for other types of uses, and if Stenger and Dunham decide to sell the property she is concerned what other types of businesses might be established at the site in the future. My concerns in doing this is that we would be on this creep of central business into the residential neighborhoods, and where is it going to stop?, Klein said. Down the road if 816 Wisconsin St. is not operated as a B&B and they decide to sell this building, what are we going to end up with on that street? Theres a lot of things that are allowed in the central business zoning district. Building and Zoning Administrator Fred Walling said several types of businesses, including pool halls, are included in central business districts. If you rezone the property to central business district, theres a lot of land uses for that zoning district, Walling said. Central business zoning has a lot of land uses that are permissible in that zoning classification. Dunham said if they decide to sell the property, the building would probably be used for apartments because that was its initial use. The property has been set up now in the event that if we no longer choose to do this business, it will revert back to apartments, Dunham said. We split it up so it has four apartments in it. Klein said just because the building is designed for apartments, it does not mean it would be used for that purpose in the future. I understand what youre saying, but what is most likely isnt necessarily going to happen, Klein said. So we have to take precautions against that based on what is allowed in central business. Pharmaceutical company rezone Representatives from Plas-tech Engineering have requested that the property located at 875 Geneva Parkway be rezoned from planned business to planned industrial use. Peter Juergens, representative for Avalon Properties, owners of the Geneva Parkway site, said Plastic-tech Engineering officials want to expand their operations into that property. To do that, we need to change the zoning as part of the comprehensive plan review for them to accomplish this, Juergens said. Basically, its a landlocked parcel of land that only Plas-tech can develop. So we need your assistance in changing the zoning. Additional amendments proposed The plan commission members are set to discuss more proposed comprehensive plan amendments during their Aug. 15 meeting. Mich said besides the proposed land use changes, the city should add a planned business park zoning district designation to the comprehensive plan for future industrial sites. She said such a zoning district is not mentioned in the citys comprehensive plan. A plan use for business parks is not listed in the comprehensive plan, Mich said. I suggest we add planned business park to implement that category. Walling said the city should include updating Lake Genevas sign ordinance into the compliance plan. Our sign ordinance is extremely outdated and unenforceable almost, Walling said. Members of the plan commission and city council are set to conduct a joint meeting Oct. 10, where they will host a public hearing regarding the comprehensive plan amendments, with the plan commission voting on the amendments. The city council members will then vote on the comprehensive plan amendments, Oct. 24. The amendments will not be implemented until they are approved by the city council. Lake Genevas comprehensive plan was last updated March 9, 2020. A Reedsburg woman appeared in Sauk County Circuit Court recently after being charged with driving under the influence of drugs with children in her car and again driving under the influence of drugs within the same week. Alisha Raye Markley, 40, was charged with a third OWI with a passenger under 16, possession of narcotics, a third-offense OWI and five counts of misdemeanor bail jumping. Circuit Court Judge Patricia Barrett set Markleys bond at $1,000 cash after prosecutors requested a $5,000 cash bond and Markleys defense attorney, Leonie Dolch, asked for either a signature bond or a $200 cash bond. Conditions of the bond include requiring that Markley maintain absolute sobriety, not possess any alcohol or controlled substances and not enter any business where the primary purpose is the sale of alcohol. Markley must also submit to any chemical testing requested by law enforcement and cannot arrive at her job earlier than 15 minutes before a shift begins. According to the criminal complaint: Around 5:15 p.m. on July 22, drivers reported Markley was driving erratically while heading south along U.S. Highway 12. A driver, who provided the drivers license plate number, told dispatch workers that the white sedan was weaving across the road and driving from 30 to 70 mph. Because of the lane deviations, drivers following the car were unable to pass and at one point there were about 10 cars lined up behind Markley with hazard lights flashing. A Sauk County sheriffs deputy responded to a West Baraboo residence after witnesses reported Markleys vehicle pulled into a driveway. Markley was sitting in the drivers seat of the vehicle with her mouth open, snoring. The deputy spoke to a man who had exited the residence and identified Markley. According to the deputys statement, the man told him that a 7-year-old came to the door crying. The child had been in the car with Markley. Another adult came out of the home and removed a 1-year-old child. The vehicle began rolling toward the nearby Baraboo River, but the other person managed to put the vehicle in park and shut it off. While undergoing field sobriety tests, Markley could not stay awake and joked about propping her eyes open. She claimed a prescription medication made her tired. The deputy saw a white powder on her lips. Markley failed field sobriety tests and was taken to SSM St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo for a blood draw before being transported to the Sauk County Jail. Another deputy responded to a call around 10 p.m. July 25 to County Highway P and Country Bumpkin Road in Wisconsin Dells after a driver complained a black truck went into the ditch and was driving west along the highway. The driver told dispatch that the truck had nearly crashed into a mailbox and guard rail. A deputy pulled the truck over along County Highway H in Reedsburg and found Markley was the driver. Markley told the deputy that she had taken two types of prescription medications. The deputy noted that Markley was exhibiting drunken behavior and she failed field sobriety tests, though a preliminary breath test resulted in zero. Markley has pending cases in Sauk County from July 2, 2021 and April 8, 2021 after being charged with driving while under the influence with a minor in the car. In both cases, the bond signed by Markley required that she not commit any other crime and to maintain absolute sobriety as well as not drive without a license. Markley had not posted bond as of the end of Thursday. She is scheduled to return to court Oct. 14. New Delhi, August 7: Akasa Air is finally in Indian skies as the first flight took off on Sunday between the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, which was inaugurated by Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia along with MoS General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) On July 22, India's newest airline Akasa Air on Friday opened ticket bookings for its first commercial flights with an initial network in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kochi. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala Plans to Set Up New Ultra-Low Cost Airline Akasa Air, Looking to Get 70 Planes in 4 Years In the inaugural phase, Akasa Air, whose airline code is QP, will launch its operations by offering 28 weekly flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad starting August 7, 2022. Subsequently, starting August 13, the airline will start operating an additional 28 weekly flights between Bengaluru and Kochi. Tickets for all are open for sale with immediate effect. "We are extremely excited to finally be able to offer up our flights for sale. We are also excited to reveal our product which promises to be unlike anything experienced in the category thus far. With Akasa employees providing warm and efficient customer service, a reliable and dependable network, and affordable fares - we look forward to serving our customers with a flying experience that I am sure they will find delightful", Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air, had said. Bookings for flights are available via the mobile app, and its website www.akasaair.com. "Akasa Air's network strategy is focused on establishing a strong pan-India presence and providing linkages from metro to tier 2 and tier 3 cities across the country," Praveen Iyer, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, had said. In July, ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline received the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The grant of the AOC is the final step of a comprehensive and rigorous process laid down by the DGCA and marks the satisfactory completion of all regulatory and compliance requirements for the airline's operational readiness. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shillong, Aug 7 (PTI) Meghalaya BJP vice president Bernard N Marak, who was arrested last month on the charge of running a sex racket at his farmhouse in the North-eastern state, is not cooperating with the investigation, police said. The former militant leader claimed during interrogation that he was operating the farmhouse as a homestay for around two years but does not know what is happening there in recent times as he did not visit it for the past three months, they said. Also Read | Goat Pox: Punjab Govt Procures 66,666 Doses of Vaccine To Protect Livestock From the Contagious Disease. He also allegedly gave names of deceased people as caretakers of his farmhouse at Tura in West Garo Hills district, from where 73 people were arrested and six minors were rescued on July 22. The accused is not cooperating with the investigation. He has not revealed information on the illegal activities which were going on in the farmhouse, a senior police official told PTI. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Praises Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's Godhan Nyay Yojana. The police on August 5 sought six more days of custody of him and it was granted by a Tura court. The police want to know how the proceeds from the illegal business were being used and how the weapons were procured. A total of 35 gelatine sticks and 100 detonators, four crossbows and 15 arrows were seized from the farmhouse named Rimpu Bagan'. Before that, the police recovered alcoholic beverages and condoms from the farmhouse on July 22. The member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council admitted that he is the sole owner of Rimpu Bagan' and he has been running it as a homestay since 2020 sans permission, the police official said. Marak, however, claimed that he had not visited the property in the past three months and was not aware of the activities that is being carried out at the farmhouse, he said. He was arrested on July 26 in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh, hours after the Meghalaya Police issued a lookout notice against him. A lookout notice is issued to make sure that a wanted person is not able to leave the country. A court in Tura had on July 25 issued a non-bailable warrant against the BJP leader. The BJP is a part of the state's ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), led by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of the National People's Party (NPP). Marak, a militant-turned-politician, had earlier claimed he was innocent and alleged he was the target of political vendetta by the chief minister and feared for his life. The state BJP also backed his claim. The Meghalaya CM denied the charge. There were speculations that in the assembly elections due next year, the saffron party would field Marak against Sangma. Marak was the chairman of the now-disbanded armed rebel group ANVC(B), a breakaway faction of the Achik National Volunteer Council, before he joined the BJP and won the tribal council elections from Tura. (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], August 7 (ANI): Adding a new dimension to the burgeoning India-US strategic partnership, US Navy Ship (USNS) Charles Drew arrived at Kattupalli shipyard in Chennai on Sunday for undertaking repairs and allied services. According to the Ministry of Defence, this is the first ever repair of a US Navy ship in India. The US Navy had awarded a contract to L&T's Shipyard at Kattupalli for undertaking maintenance of the ship. The event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market. Indian shipyards offer wide-ranging and cost-effective ship repair and maintenance services, using advanced maritime technology platforms, said the Ministry. Also Read | Goat Pox: Punjab Govt Procures 66,666 Doses of Vaccine To Protect Livestock From the Contagious Disease. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area Rear Admiral S Venkat Raman and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence visited the shipyard to welcome the vessel. Consul General of US Embassy in Chennai Judith Ravin and Defence Attache at the US Embassy at New Delhi Rear Admiral Michael Baker were also present. Terming the event as a red-letter day for the Indian shipbuilding industry and the India-US defence relationship, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said, "We are indeed pleased to welcome US Naval Ship USNS Charles Drew to India, for making her voyage ready. India's initiative also assumes special significance in furthering the strategic partnership between India and the US. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for deeper engagements." Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Praises Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's Godhan Nyay Yojana. Kumar described the arrival of USNS Charles Drew for repairs as a sign of maturing Indian shipbuilding industry. "Today, India has six major shipyards with a turnover of nearly USD 2 billion. We are making ships not only for our own requirements. We have our own design house capable of making all kinds of state-of-the-art ships. The country's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant is a shining example of the growth of the Indian shipbuilding industry," he said. "Under the new innovation ecosystem, vessels capable of undertaking autonomous missions have been built by Goa Shipyard Limited and some of our start-ups. The shipbuilding industry today is not just carrying out conventional things, but is also amalgamating the latest technologies with it," he added. The Defence Secretary also asserted that the ties between India and US have been expanding in scale and scope and are based on common values and beliefs of an open, inclusive and rule-based order in Indo-Pacific and the rest of the global common systems. He added that there has been a tremendous amount of traction in the defence industry cooperation over the last couple of years between the two countries. "Indian defence exports have seen a massive increase in the last four-five years. Exports, which were worth about Rs 1,500 crore in 2015-16, have now grown by 800% to around Rs 13,000 crore. A major destination for Indian exports is the US," Dr Ajay Kumar said, thanking the US partners for their cooperation and support to the Indian defence industry. He hoped that the defence exports will increase further in the times to come. Consul General of US Embassy Ms Judith Ravin called it a new leaf in India-US strategic relationship signifying the deepening bonds between the two nations. The USNS Charles Drew will be at the Kattupalli shipyard for a period of 11 days and undergo repairs in various areas. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday lashed out at Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at the 7th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog for skipping the meeting, stating that TRS is scared of losing the upcoming elections and that's why it is making false allegations against PM Narendra Modi. The comment by the Union minister came soon after the Telangana CM, through a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday said that he will be boycotting the seventh Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, scheduled to be held on August 7, as a mark of protest against in what he termed as the Centre's blatant discrimination against states including Telangana. Also Read | JD-U Decides Not To Join Narendra Modi Cabinet, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary Says 'Decision Will Not Affect Our Alliance With BJP in Bihar. Rao further alleged that the Centre is not treating states as equal partners in efforts to make India a developed country. Reddy said, "From the last 8 years, KCR has totally failed in administration. They have increased loans to the Telangana government and have been unable to give salaries to government employees. Petrol prices are the highest in the state." Also Read | Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Apply for 112 Tradesman Mate Posts at erecruitment.andaman.gov.in; Check Details Here. "As the BJP is getting stronger in Telangana, they're scared that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will lose in the upcoming elections. KCR is worried as he wanted to make his son the Chief Minister of Telangana. Thus, he is making false allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP will come to power in the upcoming elections and TRS and KCR will leave power," he added. He further said, "If TRS is working so well, they should have attended the NITI Aayog's meeting and have told about it." Talking about the people of Telangana, Reddy stated that it is an insult to the people of Telangana and that the TRS should have come and talked to the Central government and asked for funds for the benefit of the Telangana people. "Earlier, whatever amount of funds they took, they spent it all on their corruption activities. For each project, the Central government, the Finance Corporation and the Rural Electric Corporation provided Rs 50-80 thousand crore loans to the Telangana government, but they looted all the money," he added. Reddy pointing toward KCR's absence at the meeting stated that the NITI Aayog is an independent organization and gives ranks to all the states impartially and the KCR thinks that NITI Aayog is of no use and its meeting is a waste. He further went on and said, "It doesn't matter to KCR to attend the meeting, but it matters to the people of Telangana. It was the responsibility of KCR to attend NITI Aayog's meeting being the Chief Minister of the state." "The people of Telangana want a change in the government as they are tired of KCR and his policies. This is the reason that TRS is speaking ill of PM Modi, the central government, BJP, NITI Aayog and even the Constitution. They are demanding to change the Constitution for their own benefit," he said. Speaking on the statement given by Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on the Nirbhaya case Reddy said, "This is a very sensitive issue and it is wrong to give such statements. Such a responsible person should not talk like this. Women are the pride of India and we should respect women. It is not only the responsibility of the government to stop the atrocities against women, but of the whole society. We should bring awareness and it is our responsibility to protect women." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, Aug 7 (PTI) A coal-laden goods train derailed near Rohtak's Kharawar railway station on Sunday, disrupting rail traffic on the route, efforts to restore which will continue overnight, police said. The incident occurred on the Delhi-Rohtak railway line. Also Read | Delhi Exhibition: Electric Scooters, Buses Steal Show at 3-Day EV Expo in Pragati Maidan. DSP at Government Railway Police in Hisar, Gurdial Singh told PTI that the restoration work is likely to get completed by Monday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Rohtak police, Manoj Kumar told PTI that the goods train was coming from Shakur Basti in Delhi to Suratgarh via Rohtak when the incident occurred in the morning. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: 14 People Test HIV Positive After Getting Inked From Cheap Tattoo Parlours in Varanasi. "It was laden with coal which spilled on both sides of the tracks. After the incident rail traffic was affected on the route," Kumar said. A portion of the rail track where the incident occurred was also damaged, he said. The cause behind the incident will be investigated by the Railway authorities, Kumar said, adding that no one was injured in the incident. "Work to clear the track is going on a war footing. Cranes and other heavy machinery has been deployed at the site. Nearly 150-200 railway workers and officials are working at the site," the DSP added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday greeted the people on National Handloom Day and said that India's Handloom sector signifies the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the country. In a series of tweets, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 7 as the National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi movement. Also Read | India's Outbound Tourism To Surpass USD 42 Billion by 2024: Report. "India's Handloom sector signifies our rich and diverse cultural heritage. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 7 as the National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi movement that began in 1905 on the same day and to revive this ancient Indian art," he said. The Home Minister further said that it is also aimed at encouraging countrymen to use handloom products woven by indigenous weavers. Also Read | JEE Main Result 2022: NTA Likely To Announce JEE Mains 2022 Session 2 Exam Results Today at jeemain.nta.nic.in; Know Steps To Check Score. "On this 8th National Handloom Day, let us join hands to further the Modi Government's resolve to preserve and promote our handloom heritage and empower our handloom weavers, especially women," he added. National Handloom Day is observed every year on August 7 to recognise the contributions of the handloom weavers of the country. On this day, the handloom weaving community is honoured and the contribution of this sector in the socio-economic development of this country is highlighted. PM Modi declared August 7 as National Handloom Day to mark the Swadeshi movement as it was on this day that the movement was launched in 1905. The movement involved the revival of domestic products and production processes. A symbol of our country's rich and varied cultural heritage, the Handloom is an important sector providing livelihood in rural and semi-rural parts of our country. It is a sector that directly addresses women's empowerment with over 70 per cent of all weavers and allied workers being female. One of the defining movements in our struggle for freedom was Swadeshi Movement. August 7 was chosen as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched on this day in 1905 in the Calcutta Town hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government. The first National Handloom Day was organized by PM Modi in Chennai, in 2015, with the main aim to make people aware of the rich history of Indian handloom. Not only does the day celebrate India's rich handloom heritage but also commemorates 1905's Swadeshi Movement, one of the several campaigns to help the handloom industry, after the COVID-19 pandemic started disrupting the economy. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Aurangabad, Aug 7 (PTI) The ethanol production in Maharashtra is likely to reach 140 crore litre next year, sugar industry representatives have said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: High School Student Dies After Falling From Roof in Prayagraj. In future, the demand for fuel will be more than food. "Hence, the sugar industry in Maharashtra will also be called as the energy industry in times to come," National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Limited Chairman Jayprakash Dandegavkar told PTI. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Former Minister Shankhlal Manjhi's Son Akash Manjhi Injured in Accidental Firing. Ethanol is a by-product of sugar mills. Its production cycle is from December 1 to November 30. In 2020-21, Maharashtra produced 100.36 crore litre of ethanol through 78 establishments, as per a representative of the state cooperative sugar factories federation. From December 2021, the state has so far produced 75.88 crore litre of ethanol and it is expected to go up to 116 crore litre by November 30 this year through 85 establishments, he said. The production is likely go up to 130 to 140 crore litre next year. The establishments producing ethanol will also reach 90, he said. Considering the limitations for natural fuel products, sugar producing companies will also produce electricity, hydrogen along with ethanol in future, Dandegavkar said. Talking about the future pathway of ethanol production in the state, he said, "This production growth is mainly based on finance and government policies along with viability and new technology." The government has to keep a balance between labour wages, sugar rates and also ensure good returns for sugarcane producers, he said. In this scenario, the sugar industry cannot maintain its regular growth, he said. He demanded that the government also help financially in the ethanol production. "The co-operative sugar industry works on a 'no profit-no loss' policy. Therefore, it does not have huge finances needed to undertake new projects," he said. The government helps in establishing a co-operative sugar factory. In the same manner, it should also financially help in ethanol production, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) AT least 22 women are raped daily in Zimbabwe with an average of one rape taking place per 75 minutes translating to an average of 646 women being violated each month, according to the Zimbabwe Gender Commission. The Commission also reports that one in three girls is also raped or sexually assaulted before they reach the age of 18.5 years and the vast majority of sexual offences are committed by men against women, children and other men. Zimbabwe Gender Commission chairperson Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe said statistics of rape in Zimbabwe were alarming and on the increase. The statistics on the incidences of rape in Zimbabwe are shockingly high, they are alarming. They are not good at all, they are also under reported which is also an indication that the cases we have on record could be more than what are actually reported, she said. Comm Mukahanana-Sangarwe said many were going unreported owing to several cultural, religious and social issues that are going on. The cases are under reported actually, this is largely because of religious and also cultural issues that are affecting this underreported. In our culture, a lot of cases are taking place and what happens is that the perpetrators are protected within the family units so there is a challenge there, she said. The Chairperson said there was a national public inquiry on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) of young girls and child marriages and the efficacy of access to justice and social protections in these thematic issues that is taking place, which revealed the extent of abuse in the country. The inquiry on child marriages and SEA revealed that these children that were in these marriages were actually victims of rape by close family relations, so the matter is serious, she said. The Commission noted in the national inquiry that Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Young Girls and Child Marriages (including those with disabilities) was a systemic barrier prejudicial to gender equality, and gender mainstreaming. The negative effects of child marriages in so far as it curtails the development of young girls, expose them to health risks and Sexual Gender Based Violence cannot be overemphasized. The Commission is therefore duty bound to carry out full investigations into these matters. The conduct of such investigations affords the Commission an opportunity to identify a sector/social stratum which is severely affected by the identified barrier, notify the nation through a government gazette and adverts, and invite complainants and witnesses to make submissions. Thereafter the Commission will have leeway to summon persons and institutions which it deems fit to respond to the complaints, reads part of the submissions to the inquiry. According to the Research and Advocacy Unit of the Commission, 31 percent of girls in Zimbabwe get married before the age of 18 and four percent are married before the age of 15. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat), 33.7 percent of girls aged under 18 are married, which means that one in three girls under 18 are married. Zimstat also recorded that two percent of boys get married before reaching the age of 18 years. The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development highlighted that, a total of 4,959 young girls got impregnated during lockdown period and nearly 5 000 of the girls risk losing their educational opportunity. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission also said that statistics from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019 demonstrate that Child Marriage is still a challenge in Zimbabwe and disproportionately affecting more girls than boys. Further indications are that Child Marriage prevalence is high (40 percent) in rural areas as compared to urban areas (21.3 percent). A Constitutional Law expert at the University of Zimbabwe Dr James Tsabora said it was folly to address rape as a crime committed on women only while men are victims/survivors of rape too in some instances. I agree that there is a gendered description of rape in section 65 of the Criminal Code and this is wrong. Its a criminal offence created on a very wrong assumption without any legal logic. We have had several cases where women commit rape and the section must be revisited. Other jurisdictions provide enough guidance and the law should be changed to reflect lived reality, he said. Sunday News Ghaziabad, Aug 7 (PTI) Police have booked the director and others in the team of "Masoom Sawaal" following a complaint a poster of the movie hurts religious feelings by showing a Lord Krishna picture on a sanitary pad, officials said Sunday. A senior police official here said the FIR was registered Sunday against director Santosh Upadhyay, his company and the entire team of the Hindi film on the complaint of of Hindu Rashtra Navnirman Sena President Amit Rathore. Also Read | Spinal Muscular Atrophy: 23-Month-Old Baby Ellen With Rare Genetic Disease Administered Rs 16 Crore Drug in Telangana. Sahibabad Circle officer Swatantra Singh said the FIR has been registered under Indian Penal Code section 295 (injuring or defiling places of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class). The movie aims to create awareness about menstruation. Also Read | Delhi Excise Policy: Dry Days Reduced From 21 Days in 2021 to 3 Days in 2022 'Without Due Consultation' With Authority. The complainant has alleged the film producer has used a picture of Lord Krishna on sanitary pads in a poster. This has hurt religious sentiments of the followers of 'Sanatana Dharma' and can flare up communal riots in Uttar Pradesh and across the country, he has alleged. The film producer and his team tried to spread communal hatred in a very well planned way in the country, he alleged in the FIR. Rathore told PTI Hindu Rashtra Navnirman Sena functionaries and workers would protest outside the two cinema halls at Sahibabad and Ghaziabad where the movie is being screened. Police have beefed up the security at the two cinema halls. Action would be initiated against anybody who tries to disturb peace, the circle officer said. "Law and order would be maintained at all cost." (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], August 7 (ANI): From farmers' plight to GST revenue, chief Ministers of States raised several issues in the 7th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and held in the national capital on Sunday. Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma discussed the modernization of the agriculture sector while attending the Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in Delhi. Also Read | CWG 2022: President Droupadi Murmu Congratulates Dipika Pallikal, Saurav Ghosal for Winning Bronze in Mixed Doubles Squash. He said the meeting mainly concentrated on the reduction of imports and finding more ways to produce paddy, millet, oil, pulses and others. The Assam CM said, "Last year, export was around Rs 50 lakh crore and the Prime Minister is now working on increasing it. In the discussion, representing Assam, I informed about the implementation of the National Education Policy, modernization of the agriculture sector and urbanization in the state." Also Read | JD-U Decides Not To Join Narendra Modi Cabinet, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary Says 'Decision Will Not Affect Our Alliance With BJP in Bihar. Participating in the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday expressed his commitment to move forward with a determination to uphold the state as a role model of development and good governance in the country. Speaking at the meeting, Patel said Gujarat has earned first place in various categories of Good Governance Index, Logistics Performance Index, State Energy and Climate Index, Export Preparedness Index and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 3.0 released by the Government of India. He said the state has scaled new heights of development through several ambitious projects like GIFT City, Dream City, 30 GW hybrid renewable energy park, Dholera SIR and Statue of Unity. Referring to the initiatives and achievements of the urban sector in Gujarat, Chief Minister Patel said that the state government is fully committed to realising the dream of the Prime Minister of making Gujarat's cities world-class. Giving details of this, he said that for speedy development of cities, the state government has given top priority to various welfare schemes for planned urban development and citizen-oriented governance. He informed that a three-tier urban development roadmap has been prepared for the planned development of the cities of the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that in the Himalayan states, the NITI Aayog should make a model of development through science and technology, which is based on ecology, population, and environmental sensitivity. Dhami said work is also being done at a fast pace, at the World Prasadav Pilgrimage Site Badrinath under Kedarnath's Master Plan. He said Uttarakhand is the leading state in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Giving information about development work in different areas in the state, Chief Minister Dhami said that there is immense potential for agricultural diversification in the state. Mandua, Jhingora, Madira, Ramdana, mountainous pulses such as rajma etc. and medicinal plants are being consistently promoted. Aroma Park has been established on 40 acres in the state. In which the establishment of Aroma industries will have to invest around Rs 300 crore and more than 5,000 job opportunities. Horti-tourism is being developed to promote tourism and Horticulture in the state. Dhami further said in order to promote online education, Virtual Class Room has been established in 500 schools in all 13 districts of the state. In 200 schools, 08 business education courses have also been started. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who attended the NITI Aayog's governing council meeting here on Sunday, said that he raised the issues of farmers including Minimum Support Price (MSP) while adding that he was happy with the meeting. Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Mann said, "Today was NITI Aayog's 7th meeting and it was the first for me after becoming the Chief Minister. It is unfortunate that no one has come from Punjab in the last three years. I went with detailed homework today and kept Punjab's issues. The biggest issue was of the variety of crops." Chief Minister Mann said he was satisfied with the NITI Aayog's meeting as all issues were listened to. "We are caught up in wheat and rice. Our water levels have decreased to a dangerous level. We demand MSP for farmers and demand a reformed committee as there are no stakeholders in it. I am happy with the meeting and all issues were listened to," he said. At the NITI Aayog's meeting, Mann suggested holding the G20 meeting in Amritsar. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday suggested that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) should be implemented in rural areas located near cities and cities with a population of less than 20 thousand. Chief Minister Baghel also suggested that agricultural research institutes should be given the responsibility of providing free seeds of newly developed crop varieties, mini kits and breeder seeds on a large scale to ensure crop diversification and increase in the production and productivity of pulses, and oilseeds. "Chhattisgarh is self-sufficient in the production of food grains and has taken many innovative measures to increase the production of pulses and oilseeds in the state," he said. Baghel also reiterated the state's demand of GST compensation, transferring of the amounts collected as 'additional levy' from coal block companies and reimbursement of expenditure of Rs 11 thousand 828 crores made by the state government for eradication of Naxalism. The Chief Minister said that there has been a loss of revenue to the states due to the GST tax system, the Center has not made arrangements to compensate for the loss of revenue of about Rs 5000 crores to the state in the coming year, so the GST compensation grant should be continued for the next 5 years even after June 2022. He said Chhattisgarh has received less shares of central taxes by Rs 13,089 crore in the Union Budget of the last three years, resulting in extreme pressure on the resources of the state. In the coming budget, the share of central taxes should be given to the state completely. He also demanded that Rs 4,140 crore deposited with the center at the rate of Rs 294 per tonne on coal mining from coal block companies should be transferred to Chhattisgarh soon. Baghel made five demands for the welfare of the people of the state. He urged the revision of the royalty rate of the main minerals, including coal. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said NITI Aayog can take up the role of an ombudsman and can resolve disputes between States and central governments in the implementation of central schemes. "We all accept that the State and central governments are political entities and sometimes there are disputes in the implementation of central schemes. NITI Aayog can resolve these issues like an ombudsman," Patnaik said in his remarks during the Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog. Further in his remarks, Odisha has been historically neglected in the subjects that are in the central list such as telecom, railways and banking. "We have the lowest density in all these crucial infrastructures and I would urge the central government to give special focus for Odisha," Patnaik said. Odisha is impacted almost every year by natural disasters. "It's important to have disaster resilient infrastructure to protect the state and its people from the vagaries of nature. I would sincerely request the central government to make Odisha a special focus state and allocate funds for disaster proofing," he added. Speaking about Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana, he said the scheme has some implementation issues in the field level because of which genuine farmers were deprived in some cases. "Nitiayog may study this and suggest ways to protect the interest of farmers," he said without exactly explaining the issues. The 7th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan's Cultural Centre in the national capital on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of the States and Union Territories, legislators, Lt Governors of UTs, Ex-Officio Members, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Full-Time Members of NITI Aayog and Union Ministers as Special Invitees. However, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped the meeting. Notably, this meeting is the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. The agenda of the NITI Aayog meeting includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses; implementation of the National Education Policy-school education; implementation of the National Education Policy-higher education; and urban governance. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected India's Vice President and said the country will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. Describing Dhankar as 'Kisan Putra', he said the new Vice President has "excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess". Also Read | Tiranga DP for WhatsApp and Tricolour HD Images for Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan; Know Steps To Change Profile Picture for Indian Independence Day Celebration. He thanked all those MPs who had voted for Jagdeep Dhankhar in the Vice Presidential election and said he had received resounding support across party lines. "Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected India's Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom," he said in a tweet. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Bodies of Two Minor Girls Found Inside Well in Khargone. "I thank all those MPs who have voted for Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji. At a time when India marks Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we are proud to be having a Kisan Putra Vice President who has the excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess," the Prime Minister added. Dhankhar won the election by 346 votes after defeating Opposition candidate Margaret Alva. He got 528 votes against opposition candidate Margaret Alva who secured 182 votes. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Minister Piyush Goyal met Dhankhar soon after the victory. Outgoing Vice President Venkaiah Naidu spoke to his successor over the phone and congratulated him on being elected as the 14th Vice President of India. "Heartiest congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankar ji on being elected as the fourteenth Vice President of India. The nation will greatly benefit from your vast experience and legal expertise. My best wishes for a successful and fruitful tenure. @jdhankhar1," Naidu said in a tweet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) The polls to elect the president and the vice president may be over but the bitter aftertaste in the Opposition ranks is likely to linger with the schism between the Congress and the TMC widening and jibes at each other flowing thick and fast. The defeat of the Opposition's candidates in these polls were on expected lines, but what surprised many was that the bid for unity had in effect exposed the political fault lines in the Opposition ranks. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Praises Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's Godhan Nyay Yojana. The two major Opposition forces trading barbs and the Trinamool Congress abstaining from the vice presidential poll do not augur well for the Opposition moving towards the 2024 parliamentary elections and are likely to dent their electoral prospects, analysts say. While the Congress and the TMC were seen vying for credit in forging a consensus on a joint presidential candidate, their differences came out in the open during the vice presidential election. Also Read | Odisha CHSE Class 12 Result 2022: Odisha Board Class 12 Arts Exam Results To Be Declared Tomorrow at chseodisha.nic.in; Know Steps To Check Scores. Congress veteran Margaret Alva was fielded by the Opposition for the vice presidential poll against the ruling NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar, but the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress announced it would abstain from the election as there was no proper consultation before deciding on the candidate. Alva's first reaction was stern, saying this was not the time for 'whataboutery', ego or anger, but the time for courage, leadership and unity. However, she continued to express hope that Banerjee would come around and support her, but it was not to be. And with a comprehensive defeat, the knives were out in public with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh going public with his disappointment with the TMC. Margaret Alva ran a spirited campaign and it was too bad the TMC didn't support her, he said on Twitter. India will have to wait for its first woman vice president, he added. Alva herself took a veiled jibe at the TMC, saying this election was an opportunity for the opposition to work together, to leave the past behind and build trust amongst themselves. "Unfortunately, some opposition parties chose to directly or indirectly support the BJP, in an attempt to derail the idea of a united opposition. It is my belief that by doing so, these parties and their leaders have damaged their own credibility," Alva said in what many saw as scathing indictment of the Mamata Banerjee-led party. "This election is over. The battle for protecting our Constitution, strengthening our democracy & restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue," Alva signed off. TMC leader Saket Gokhale told a TV channel that what it faced with Dhankhar as the Governor in West Bengal should not be used for belittling any party or a party sitting at a higher table than another one. The Congress is not TMC's ally and they were like-minded parties, he noted. "Congress along with the CPM fought against TMC in West Bengal. The reason we decided to abstain is the manner in which the Opposition candidate was decided," he said after the vice presidential poll. It was problems galore for Opposition parties as they not just grappled with infighting but were also hit by cross-voting in the polls. Also, Opposition parties such as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha sided with the NDA's choice in the presidential poll instead of going with the Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha. Assam, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh assemblies witnessed a significant number of Opposition MLAs voting for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance candidate Droupadi Murmu. In the vice presidential poll, Sisir Adhikari and his son Dibyendu Adhikari voted despite their party TMC deciding to abstain. NDA candidates Murmu and Dhankhar sailed through comfortably in the presidential and vice presidential polls with the Opposition falling short of even the expected numbers. Political observer Rasheed Kidwai said the results of the polls were a foregone conclusion but the lack of unity among Opposition ranks has made the road to 2024 more difficult for the parties looking to challenge the ruling NDA. "The chinks in the Opposition ranks have been exposed. It has created a lot of problems for 2024 for the Opposition as it has exposed the lack of communication between the two major Opposition parties and reports of renewed poaching between the two parties," he told PTI. "It is the fault of both parties as it takes two to tango. The Congress must recognize that the Mamata Banerjee-led party is their biggest force and similarly the TMC needs to understand that the Congress remains the principal Opposition party in the country," he said. Echoing similar views, political commentator and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Sanjay K Pandey said what happened in the presidential and vice presidential polls does not augur well for the Opposition parties. Public comments of criticism from both sides did not help and actually widened the differences, he noted. Their unity would not have made a difference to the result but would have sent a message for the 2024 polls, Pandey told PTI. "It shows that neither of them is concerned about unity but only concerned with scoring a point," he added. With 2024 fast-approaching, the clock is ticking for the Opposition to get its act together. (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], August 7 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital. The meeting was described as a courtesy call. Also Read | JD-U Decides Not To Join Narendra Modi Cabinet, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary Says 'Decision Will Not Affect Our Alliance With BJP in Bihar. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister tweeted, "Have met Hon'ble Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi today. It was a courtesy call. Under your energetic guidance, 'New India's New Uttar Pradesh' is progressing at a fast pace on the path of development." "Thank you very much Honorable Home Minister for providing your valuable time and guidance," the chief minister tweeted in Hindi. Also Read | Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Apply for 112 Tradesman Mate Posts at erecruitment.andaman.gov.in; Check Details Here. According to the sources, Adityanath discussed several issues concerning the state of Uttar Pradesh including the discourse on the new state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Recently, with the news of the resignation of the party's state president Swatantradev Singh surfaced in the media. Recently, Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Dinesh Khatik created a sensation by resigning from the party. The news of Singh's resignation became viral on social media that he has secretly submitted his resignation from the post of state president to National President JP Nadda in New Delhi. During the meeting with Amit Shah, Adityanth presented a copy of a book to him. After meeting Shah, CM Yogi also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Adityanath was in Delhi to attend the meeting of the governing council of the NITI Aayog. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, Aug 7 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said use of latest technology and crop diversification is being promoted in the state and an area of 46,249 hectares has been diversified in place of paddy under the 'Mera Pani-Meri Virasat' scheme. "An incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre is given to farmers who grow alternate crops in place of paddy under the 'Mera Pani-Meri Virasat' scheme. Furthermore, an incentive amount of Rs 76 crore has been deposited in the accounts of 74,133 farmers through direct benefit transfer (DBT)," he said. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Working Tirelessly To Ensure Every Indian's Welfare, Says Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi. "Under this scheme, an area of 46,249 hectares has been diversified in the last two years," he said. Khattar was speaking at the seventh NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Also Read | Goat Pox: Punjab Govt Procures 66,666 Doses of Vaccine To Protect Livestock From the Contagious Disease. He further said the northern state contributes about 15 per cent foodgrains to the central pool. Our agricultural growth rate is about 3.3 per cent per annum. Productivity is high in the state, which is Rs 1.57 lakh per hectare...," he said, pointing out that these figures clearly indicate that the income of farmers of the state is constantly increasing. The Haryana chief minister added that crop diversification has been adopted in an area of 62,500 acres for maize and 32,500 acres for pulses. An incentive of Rs 10,000 per hectare is also being given to farmers who sow paddy through Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) technique. This saves about 25 to 30 per cent of water, he said. He also said Haryana has launched a special scheme to promote cultivation of dates and dragon fruit. Under this scheme, a subsidy of Rs 3 lakh per hectare is provided for the cultivation of dragon fruit. To free the farmers from the risk of facing losses due to fall in market prices of fruits and vegetables, Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana has been implemented in the state. Under this scheme, 21 horticultural crops and millet have also been included," he said. "We provided assistance to millet (Bajra) farmers at the rate of Rs 600 per quintal (difference between MSP and market rate) and an amount of Rs 429 crore was paid to 2,38,245 farmers through DBT, he said. The senior BJP leader said demand-driven and need-based crop diversification in agriculture is the need of the hour. "The more the agriculture is linked to the market and is diversified as per the market demand, the more the income will increase, he said. The chief minister said Haryana ranks second in the country in terms of per capita availability of milk per day. He stated that around 3.40 lakh animals have been insured under the 'Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Pashudhan Suraksha Yojana'. Khattar said his government is completely focused on promoting natural farming in the state and farmers should also be encouraged for the same. Several schemes are being run by the state government to promote natural farming. We are shifting from chemical farming to natural farming as a result of which so far 2,804 farmers have been registered on the portal created to promote natural farming," he said while urging the Centre to promote natural farming in the country. The CM said despite being a small state, Haryana has made a significant contribution to the country's economy. The per capita income of Haryana is Rs 2,74,635, which is the highest among the major states of India. Haryana is also included in the leading states of the country on the parameters of economic development, he said. He informed that since 2015-16 to 2020-21, Haryana's growth rate has been continuously recorded at more than 6 per cent. Haryana's manufacturing growth rate is 10 per cent, which he said is highest in the country. More than half the area of the state comes under the National Capital Region (NCR). To promote the business and industrial sector in this NCR region, we are developing it as a logistic hub," he said. Touching upon the education sector, Khattar said Haryana has set a target to implement the New Education Policy- 2020 by the year 2025. For this, a high-level committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the education minister, he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7 (ANI): Several people were injured after a roadways bus carrying 39 passengers fell into a deep gorge near the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Academy in Mussoorie on Sunday afternoon, said ITBP. So far, no fatalities have been reported. Also Read | Goat Pox: Punjab Govt Procures 66,666 Doses of Vaccine To Protect Livestock From the Contagious Disease. Personnel of ITBP Academy rushed to the spot and evacuated the injured, as per ITBP. The bus was coming from Dehradun and was going towards Mussoorie. The bus went out of control and fell into a gorge near ITBP Academy. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Praises Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's Godhan Nyay Yojana. As soon as the information was received, the police-administration team left for the rescue on the spot. The injured passengers have been rescued and admitted to the Civil Hospital. Incessant rain has also become a problem for the rescue team. Earlier on July 30, amid the ongoing orange alert in the northern state of Uttarakhand, a part of the Badrinath National Highway-7 (NH-7) was washed away due to the rising water in the Khachda drain located at Lambagad. Following the incident, pilgrims were stranded on both sides of the highway. In another incident, teachers of an inter-college in Uttarkashi helped their students cross an overflowing drain after a heavy downpour. The students and teachers formed a human chain in order to cross the flowing waters. Earlier on Friday, a landslide was reported at Nainital Bhowali road in Nainital. "The road is completely damaged. It will take at least a week to restore it" said Dheeraj Singh Garbyal, DM, Nainital. Warning of heavy rainfall in the region, the Dehradun Meteorological Centre flagged an orange alert for the next four days starting July 29. The areas included in the alert are Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Pauri, Champawat and Bageshwar. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ohio [US], August 7 (ANI): A total of four people were fatally shot on Friday at multiple sites in Butler Township, Ohio and the police are now searching for the man who is possibly connected to the shootings, media outlets reported. The shootings took place in a small Ohio town, just north of Dayton. Addressing a media briefing, Butler Township Police Chief John Porter said, Stephen Marlow, a "person of interest" is likely armed and dangerous, reported CNN. Also Read | US President Joe Biden Tests Negative for COVID-19. Butler Township Police Chief, in a statement, said that authorities are being assisted in the search by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Furthermore, as per the statement, information indicates Marlow may have fled outside Ohio. The FBI said he has ties to Lexington, Kentucky, Indianapolis and Chicago and may be in one of those cities, as per the media portal. Also Read | Turkey, Russia Sign Roadmap for Economic Cooperation, Says President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Describing Marlow's physical appearance, Porter said that he was 5'11" and about 160 pounds, with brown hair. Authorities believe Marlow, 39, was wearing shorts and a yellow T-shirt and fled in a white 2007 Ford Edge. Asking anyone with information about Marlow to contact the FBI, authorities said the suspected shooter should not be approached. Police responded to a report of shots fired just before noon Friday, Porter said, and the four victims died at the scenes. "This is the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory," Porter said. "We are working to determine if there was any motive to this horrible tragedy or if mental illness played any role." Police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the neighborhood but have deployed additional crews and the Dayton Police Bomb Squad out of an abundance of caution, Porter said. Porter said people should call the police dispatch if they have information on Marlow's whereabouts or see the Ford Edge. Butler Township is a town of just under 8,000 residents about 9 miles north of Dayton. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow [Russia], August 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Sunday that the objectives of the Breaking Dawn operation against the Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip have been reached. "The goals of the operation have been achieved, we are at the final stage," Lapid was quoted by Yediot Ahronot newspaper as saying to the heads of Israel's southern cities. Also Read | US President Joe Biden Leaves White House for 1st Time Since Getting COVID-19. Earlier in the day, Lapid visited the southern military district and the area along the border with the Gaza Strip. The prime minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz held an operational meeting with Chief of General Staff Aviv Kochavi to assess the situation on the ground. Lapid has also met with the heads of local councils and mayors of the southern cities. The prime minister briefed the local authorities about the outcomes of the Saturday meeting of the ministries' general directors on the issue of timely aid to citizens affected by the Breaking Dawn operation. Also Read | China Launches Long-Range Airstrike Drills Around Taiwan in Response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Visit to Island. The Israel Defense Forces launched an operation dubbed Breaking Dawn against the Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip on Friday. The IDF press office told Sputnik that the Israeli forces are preparing for the Breaking Dawn operation in the Gaza Strip to continue for one week. Israel introduced a state of emergency and has since been repelling missile attacks while continuing to launch new airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Since Friday afternoon, air raid sirens have been heard in areas bordering Gaza in Israel and some central cities of the country. (ANI/Sputnik) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) President Emmerson Mnangagwa is increasingly using parallel structures after some Zanu PF organs resisted the imposition of his allies ahead of the ruling partys congress, insiders say. Mnangagwa is accused of imposing his ally John Paradza as leader of the Zanu PF youth league, sparking resistance from party structures. Meetings to introduce Paradza and his new youth league executive ended in violence in Manicaland and Masvingo as Zanu PF factions clashed openly to demonstrate the chasm. In Mutare, violent scenes erupted during an election to replace former Mutare district coordination committee secretary for youth affairs Danmore Mambondiani, who recently won a position in the national executive. In Masvingo, violence marred a party youth meeting held at Masvingo Polytechnic where they had met to elect a new provincial youth leader. The post was left vacant after Paradzas elevation. Ruling party insiders said Mnangagwa was using parallel structures such as MenBelievED to organise his 2023 election campaign because of growing mistrust within Zanu PF structures following the emergence of a faction allegedly aligned to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. The MenBelievED group is organising a solidarity march for the Zanu PF leader slated for August 27 at Harares Robert Mugabe Square. Other groups that are campaigning for Mnangagwa outside Zanu PF structures are Young Women for ED and Varakashi for ED, among others. Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa refused to comment about the march when asked if this was a planned party event. He referred questions to the organiser of the march and founder of the MenBelievEd group Justice Matsatsira who yesterday said he could only comment about the march on Wednesday. I cannot comment right now, Matsatsira said. I am away in the rural areas where I am attending a funeral. I will be back on Wednesday when I can give you more details on the march. In the past, similar marches were organised by party organs at the height of factional fights in Zanu PF that pitted late president Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa. Mugabe was eventually toppled in a coup in 2017, which paved the way for his deputy. In 2016, former Zanu PF youth secretary Kudzai Chipanga organised a million-man march in support of Mugabe amid manoeuvres by a camp linked to Mnangagwa to remove him. Chipanga also organised youth interface rallies where Mugabes wife, Grace would openly dress down alleged Mnangagwa allies. In 2007, Zanu PF Bulawayo chairperson Jabulani Sibanda organised a similar march in support of Mugabe whose support was waning. A recently leaked internal police memorandum showed that the ruling Zanu PF partys popularity is waning at the grassroots following its cell audit that was conducted in June. Political analyst Sydicks Muradzikwa said the solidarity march in support of Mnangagwa was senseless when the country was battling various social, political and economic crises. The planned solidarity march is an idea born out of extreme actions of solidarity and misguided ultra-patriotism ideologies among President Mnangagwas camp, Muradzikwa said. Any action intended to show genuine solidarity should be anchored on political common sense and rationality. Regrettably, this is what happens when public support for politics is incentivised and is further devoid of political reasoning and common sense. Another analyst Vivid Gwede said the solidarity march showed that trouble was brewing in Zanu PF. We would surmise what else do the presidents supporters perceive as his difficulties if not the spectres of factionalism in his party or the approaching elections where his chances are being daily chipped away by the economic collapse, Gwede said. A government and leadership that are doing well do not need solidarity marches. Mnangagwa is eyeing a second full term in next years elections where he is set to face Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa, whom he narrowly beat in the disputed 2018 elections. An Afrobarometer survey in June showed that 33% of respondents said they would vote for Chamisa against 30% for the Zanu PF leader. Standard Male [Maldives], August 7 (ANI): The Maldives government has reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China policy, but said that it would not issue any official statement on it, according to local media reports. Answering media queries, the Foreign Ministry of the country stressed on Maldives' commitment to the "One China" policy. However it added that the Ministry will not issue an official statement on the matter, reported Avas.mv. Also Read | US President Joe Biden Tests Negative for COVID-19. The Maldives, a key neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region occupies a special place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. However, under the pro-China ex -president of the Maldives, Abdullah Yameen, who launched the "India Out" movement, the two nations' ties were severely strained. When Abdulla Yameen Yameen was the president of the Maldives, China and the country established strong ties. Yameen was ousted from power in 2018, with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih becoming the new President. Notably, India's relations with Maldives have significantly grown under Solih and have been multi-dimensional, largely cordial and cooperative. In recent years, both sides assert that the partnership has witnessed rapid growth in most areas of cooperation, especially in the field of development. Also Read | Turkey, Russia Sign Roadmap for Economic Cooperation, Says President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Recently, President Solih visited India from August 1-4 for the third time since assuming office and was accompanied by a high-level official delegation. The meeting resulted in the announcement of a number of key agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) exchanged. Meanwhile, earlier, the Pakistan and Sri Lankan government had also reaffirmed their commitment to the One China policy. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Johannesburg, Aug 7 (AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his three-nation tour of Africa Sunday by visiting a museum in South Africa commemorating how the country's Black youths helped to end white racist rule. Blinken's visit to Africa is seen as part of a competition between Russia and Western powers for support from African countries over the war in Ukraine. His trip to Africa follows recent tours by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron. Also Read | US President Joe Biden Leaves White House for 1st Time Since Getting COVID-19. South Africa is one of many African countries that have maintained a neutral stance on the war and have not publicly criticized Russia. After an early morning arrival, Blinken visited the Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto township, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, which honours a student killed in 1976 when protesting South Africa's regime of racial oppression, apartheid, which ended in 1994. Also Read | China Launches Long-Range Airstrike Drills Around Taiwan in Response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Visit to Island. Blinken laid a wreath at the memorial accompanied by Pieterson's sister, Antoinette Sithole. He also toured the museum, which contains artifacts, photographs and videos of South Africa's struggle against apartheid. Hector's story is one that really resonates because we have our own struggle for freedom and equality in the United States and South Africa's story is unique but there are also so many common elements, and that resonates powerfully, said Blinken. Sithole, who also participated in the 1976 student protests, said the museum is a highlights the role played by South Africa's youth in bringing an end to white minority rule in the country. The museum is a reminder for generations to come. We must know where we come from and where we are going, and don't forget that the youth took a stand for us to be better today, said Sithole. On Monday, Blinken will describe the United States' strategies for sub-Saharan Africa in a major policy speech at the University of Pretoria. Africa has been hard-hit by the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the rising food and oil prices caused by Russia's war in Ukraine. Blinken and Pandor will also hold a press conference Monday in which the two countries' different positions on the Ukraine war are expected to be visible. Blinken will go on to visit Congo and Rwanda this week to end his international tour which also took him to Cambodia and the Philippines.(AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, August 7: Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi on Sunday said India has been undergoing a historic change under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding he is tirelessly working to ensure that every Indian gets all the basic elements for well-being and welfare. Lekhi was speaking at 'Vishwa Sadbhavana Event' organised by the NID Foundation at Melbourne in Australia where she unveiled two books "Heartfelt - The Legacy of Faith" and "Modi@20" depicting Prime Minister Modi's "unique and hugely successful governance, and his love and affection for humanity in general and Indians in particular, irrespective of region or religion". Satya Nadella's Statement on CAA: Meenakshi Lekhi Reacts to Microsoft CEO's Remarks, Says 'Literate Needs to be Educated'. Noting that India is a great country unaffected by tides of time, Lekhi said that the nation has got Prime Minister Modi as its leader to take it to the top of the world, a place it always deserved. "Every once in a while India needs change and if you analyse history, you will know that someone great comes along and brings the needed change. After Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maratha Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar, if someone is capable of bringing that massive change, it is our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he is proving that right," said Lekhi. She noted that India has been undergoing an historic change under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, who has tried to touch the life of common man through various policies and schemes launched during the last eight years in office. "A righteous man like the Prime Minister is not afraid of doing the right thing. It was due to this that he was able to bring the change this country required. Unlike previous governments, it didn't take him 70 years to figure that common citizens of this country required toilets. As many as 20 crore toilets were constructed in a record time," she said. Lekhi mentioned that India has had economists as Prime Ministers, but it was only Narendra Modi who enrolled the poor of this country into the formal economy, by opening 38 crore bank accounts within four months, as opposed to 12 crore opened in the last 70 years. In his address, Indian High Commissioner to Australia Manpreet Vohra said that not only the Indian diaspora in Australia has grown in number, but the peer to peer relationship between the two communities has also grown stronger than ever. "Indian diaspora here has risen to achieve great success despite coming from humble backgrounds. Their contribution to Australia -- socially, economically or even culturally is greatly acknowledged, and has contributed significantly in taking India-Australia relationships to a new level," he said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2022 09:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Hyderabad, Aug 7: Two days after resigning from the Congress party, Dasoju Sravan on Sunday joined the BJP. The former national spokesman of Congress party joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of BJP general secretary in-charge of Telangana Tarun Chugh in New Delhi. Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy, MP K. Laxman, former MP Vivek Venkaswamy, senior leader Muralidhar Rao and other leaders were present. Tarun Chugh formally welcomed Sravan in the party by presenting the party membership card to him. Sravan later told the reporters that a political change is required in Telangana for the state's development. Ayodhya Development Authoritys List of Illegal Colonisers Includes BJP Leaders. He alleged that several leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) were behind casino organiser Chikoti Praveen, who was recently questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged FEMA violations. Sravan said the TRS leaders were busy looting the state. He alleged that TRS has pushed the state into a debt trap. "The time has come to remove KCR from power," he said. Tarun Chugh said Sravan joined the BJP as he was attracted by the development works undertaken by the party. He claimed that only BJP can provide an alternative to the TRS. Vivek Venkaswamy said with Sravan joining its ranks, the BJP will be strengthened in the state. Sravan on Friday announced his resignation from the party. Alleging that there is a total disorder in the party under the leadership of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, he said he was not ready to live like a slave in the organisation and hence decided to resign. He alleged that after Revant Reddy became the PCC president, the party started giving priority to leaders on the basis of caste and money power. He said Revant Reddy had thrown all the principles of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to wind in Telangana. He also blamed Congress in-charge Manickam Tagore and strategist Sunil for the current state of affairs in the party. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2022 03:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Happy Friendship Day 2022 Images & HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: It is said that if you find a true friend, you have earned real wealth. Friendship is a beautiful relationship, which you do not get by birth, we choose it for ourselves and it is very special in everyone's life. A true friend stands with you shoulder to shoulder at every stage of life. You can share your dreams and secrets with a true friend. Friendship Day is celebrated every year to celebrate the bond of friendship and in India, it is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month of August. This year Friendship Day 2022 will be celebrated on August 7. Here's a collection of Friendship Day images, Happy Friendship Day 2022 greetings, Friendship Day 2022 wishes, Happy Friendship Day HD wallpapers, Friendship Day quotes, and WhatsApp status messages for BFFs! Happy Friendship Day 2022 Wishes, Quotes on BFFs and Thoughts To Celebrate All the Best and Loving Buddies in Your Life. The proposal to celebrate International Friendship Day was first introduced here in 1958, after which the United Nations declared 30 July to be celebrated as International Friendship Day. That is why even today Friendship Day is celebrated on 30th July in all countries. But states like India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. Whereas in Oberlin, this day is celebrated every year on 8th April. It is impossible to explain the importance of friendship in this world, but you should tell your BFFs about the importance of your friends in your life. On this special occasion of Friendship Day, you can make them feel special through best wishes. You can celebrate Friendship Day with friends through these lovely WhatsApp wishes, quotes, Facebook Greetings and GIF images, Messages, WhatsApp Wishes and Wallpapers. Today, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August in many countries including India. On this day friends make each other feel special. Apart from gifts and surprises, you can say Happy Friendship Day by sharing these messages, WhatsApp wishes, quotes, Facebook Greetings and GIF images full of the spirit of friendship with your friends. Happy Friendship Day 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: You Are One of the Blessings I Got in Life. Im Grateful to God for Our Companionship. Happy Friendship Day, Bestfriend. Friendship Day 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: The Best Pals Listen to What You Say and Also What You Can't Say. Happy Friendship Day, My Buddy! Happy Friendship Day 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: If There Is Someone on Whom I Can Depend Without a Single Thought Then It Is You, My Friend. Happy Friendship Day. Happy Friendship Day (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Loads of Love and Gratitude To You Buddy, For Always Having My Back. I Wish You a Colourful and Happy Friendship Day. Friendship Day Wishes (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: The Most Beautiful Thing About Our Friendship Is That We Understand Each Other in Every Situation and That Is What Makes Us So Strong. Happy Friendship Day Buddy! Friendship Day 2022 Messages & HD Images: Send Happy Wishes and Greetings to Your Pals on This Day! There is a story behind celebrating Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. According to the story, in the year 1935, the US government killed a person on the first Sunday of August. After which another person committed suicide in the grief of the death of a friend. After such an example of friendship came to the fore, America decided to celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. Gradually this trend reached other countries as well. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2022 06:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Police registered a case against a gynaecologist after a panel of government doctors indicted her for negligence leading to the death of a 26-year-old woman post delivery at a private hospital in Jalna city of Maharashtra. An Intelligence Bureau officer from Madhya Pradesh was arrested for conspiring and giving contract to kill his wife here. The Ahmedabad Police also arrested two other persons who carried out the murder contract. (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.) San Francisco, Aug 7: Amid the ongoing legal dispute over the $44 billion takeover deal to buy Twitter, tech mogul Elon Musk has challenged the platform's CEO Parag Agrawal to have a public debate on fake accounts and spam. While replying to a user who summarised his accusations, which included Twitter stonewalling Musk and giving him "outdated data" about the microblogging platform, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote a "good summary of the problem". Elon Musk vs Parag Agarwal: Tesla CEO, Twitter CEO Spar on Twitter Over Fake User Accounts "If Twitter simply provides their method of sampling 100 accounts and how they are confirmed to be real, the deal should proceed on original terms. However, if it turns out that their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings are materially false, then it should not," Musk said in a series of tweets. "I hereby challenge Parag Agrawal to a public debate about the Twitter bot percentage. Let him prove to the public that Twitter has lesser than per cent fake or spam daily users!" The tech billionaire also posted a poll that asked the microblogging platform's users. "Less than 5 per cent of Twitter daily users are fake/spam," and during the first five hours of the polls, 66 per cent of the users chose "Lmaooo No". Meanwhile, Musk's die-hard fan Pranay Pathole called out SEC and wrote: "I wonder what's SEC doing here? Are they even investigating these dubious claims that are made by Twitter?" "Good question, why aren't they?" Musk replied. Twitter has filed a detailed response to Musk's countersuit against the micro-blogging platform, saying his claims are "factually inaccurate, legally insufficient, and commercially irrelevant". According to Musk, he was hoodwinked by Twitter into signing a $44 billion merger agreement. "That story is as implausible and contrary to fact as it sounds. And it is just that -- a story, imagined in an effort to escape a merger agreement that Musk no longer found attractive once the stock market -- and along with it, his massive personal wealth -- declined in value," Twitter had said in its legal response filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery in the US. Musk's lawyers filed 90 pages of counterclaims in the court, and Twitter responded to them paragraph by paragraph. The Tesla CEO, in his countersuit, said that his action arose out of Twitter's misrepresentations regarding the condition of the company and the "key metrics" the platform uses to evaluate the number of its users. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2022 09:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). An 'eggstraordinary' hen in Offaly has hatched a phenomenal number of chicks in one brood. Banagher farmer John Dolan told the Tribune this week that one of his hens has just produced an incredibly high number of chicks. Our amazing hen, ' Fine Cut Little Chip', said John, hatched out an incredible 22 live chicks on Friday evening week last on top of our bales of straw in our galvanised shed. This was against all the odds because it was during the very hot spell. "When I went up to check on her earlier she was off the eggs because she was not able to stay hatching them as they were too hot from the heat. I sprinkled water on them to keep them moist and this might have helped. Not long after she hatched the 22 chicks. Pictured is Fine Cut Little Chip with her 22 chicks. The days of hanging around the old fashioned telephone box are long gone, but this nostalgic structure could be making a comeback, albeit with a range of new technology. Eir is planning to revamp three of these structures in Newbridge, Celbridge and Maynooth. The company said: Working in partnership, Eir and Clear Channel have applied for permission to replace Eirs legacy infrastructure with modern technology which will better serve the community. Planning permission has been lodged with Kildare County Council for the replacement of phone boxes in Newbridge, Celbridge and Maynooth. However, the application will have to be lodged again as the application was incomplete. Digital Eir said: The units will be replaced with digital pedestals which are designed to play a role that is more suitable to life today, not only as a point of connectivity, but as an information system for the local authorities services including mapping systems for visitors and residents. These will have a touch sensitive screen suitable for displaying maps and for advertisements of upcoming events and services. The new digital kiosks will be placed where the old public phone boxes were positioned, they have a smaller footprint, taking up less space on the pavement. All three kiosks will placed in the same position as the old telephone boxes on the main street of each town. Last year, Eir said it was installing 22 new digital pedestal phone kiosks with touch-sensitive screens and advertising space around the city in Dublin. Each new Kildare kiosk structure will have an overall height of 2.43m, a depth of 0.762m and a width of 1.096m Gardai are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body of a man in his late 20s over the weekend. The discovery was made in Drumcondra, Dublin 9, on Saturday August 6th. The deceased was discovered by Gardai in an apartment on Achill Road, Drumcondra, on Saturday evening. His body remains at the scene, which is currently preserved for forensic and technical examination. The office of the State Pathologist and Garda Technical Bureau have been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged. An area of Griffith Park, Drumcondra has also been sealed off as part of the investigation. A man aged in his 30s has been arrested and is currently detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 in a north Dublin Garda Station. He can be detained for up to seven days. An incident room has been established at Ballymun Garda Station and enquires are ongoing. A wheelchair-user who has constant pain caused by a rare skin disease is to join a major challenge to help fellow sufferers. Emma Fogarty was born with EB (epidermolysis bullosa), a condition which causes her skin to blister and wound at the slightest touch. But she has vowed to overcome the pain for EB charity Debra Irelands StepTember fundraiser next month. Participants are being asked to complete 300,000 steps 10,000 steps a day during September to raise funds for EB sufferers. The charity helps people living with EB and their families, as well as fund research to find treatments and a cure. EB means that painful bandaging must be applied at least every 48 hours, and sometimes daily. Ms Fogarty, 38, from Abbeyleix, Co Laois, told the PA news agency she was determined to take part in the fundraising effort: Just sitting in a chair or lying in bed can cause me great pain but Im not going to let that beat me. She needs fresh bandages at least every other day to treat the painful blisters, which cover 80% of her body. Although she is physically unable to walk and uses a wheelchair after losing a leg to cancer, she said coping with the pain from simply being outdoors is going to be her endurance test. I had life-changing surgery and I will never take a step again. But, with the help of my amazing assistant Georgina Herlihy, I will be pushed the equivalent of 10,000 steps a week during September, she said. The challenge for me is to see if I can cope with the ramps, bumps and potholes, she added. Something as small as a pebble in the road can cause a lot of pain and leave my skin damaged if a wheel from the chair goes over one. I will definitely have many more wounds at the end of this challenge than at the beginning. Last year, more than 1,100 people took part in the fundraiser, raising more than 130,000 euro for the charity. It supports some 300 people across the country. Debra Ireland chief executive Jimmy Fearon described Ms Fogartys decision to volunteer for StepTember as truly remarkable and brave. Many people wont have difficulty completing 10,000 steps a day. But few of us could imagine the challenges Emma faces whenever she has to go outside, he said. Ms Fogarty said that without the charity she would not be able to get nurses or research funding resources. They deserve all the help they can get, she added. The Annual John Joe McGirl Commemoration will take place on Saturday, 13 August. This event is one of the highlights of Ballinamore Festival Week and the crowds who gather in the town look forward to participation in the parade from the John McGahern Square to the McGirl monument at the Island Theatre. The address this year will be delivered by Pauline Tully, Sinn Fein TD for Cavan/Monaghan, and the parade will once again be led by the rousing music of the Mountain Road Pipe Band from Teemore, Co Fermanagh. John Joe McGirl was a legendary republican, known and respected far beyond the boundaries of Co Leitrim. He suffered greatly in pursuit of his ideal of a united and free Ireland and spent many years in various prisons, from the Curragh in the 1940s to Long Kesh in the 1970s. He was also a TD and a County Councillor and represented all of the people with honour and pride. His death in December 1988 brought people together from all corners of Ireland and of all political persuasions. Some years after his death, a fitting monument, designed by renowned artist, Robert Ballagh, was erected at the end of the Main Street in Ballinamore. This is now part of the artistic and cultural heritage of the town. The parade starts at 8pm from the Square on Saturday, 13 August. Tea and refreshments and music will be provided in the Community Hall, immediately after the commemoration. In the case of inclement weather, the commemoration will be held in the Community Hall. FeatureThe arrival of a new Chinese high-speed train and the installation of several container terminals should enable the country to serve as a hub for trade between China, Thailand and Vietnam. Landlocked but with the ability to provide China with an outlet to Thailand and its ports, Laos dreams of becoming a logistics hub for Southeast Asia. Open as of December 2021, China's new high-speed train is in the process of improving access to the north of the country: In less than four hours, the new train links Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to the Chinese border, located 422 kilometers to the north, and then to Kunming, in the Chinese province of Yunnan. Despite the absence of Chinese tourists, the train is the attraction of the moment and is fully booked on weekends from Friday to Monday. Modeled after China's high-speed trains, the Laos-China Railway Company, with its red, white and blue colored trains, runs from Vientiane through the "sugarloaf" mountains of Vang Vieng and across the Mekong River at Luang Prabang. On board, some Laotians in their Sunday best returned from a wedding in the north of the country with boxes of rice alcohol a journey that would have taken at least two days round trip by car. And some young people from Muang Xay were seen taking their elderly father to the hospital in Vientiane. At each of the line's six stations, there are spots designated for future business parks on about 10 hectares of land obtained by Beijing as a concession and to be leased to private companies. The World Bank and the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are funding projects: One will improve the network of roads near the new train stations, and the other will improve the distribution of agricultural products. Read more Subscribers only Laos under the weight of Chinese debt 'Incredible connection' "The train provides an incredible connection to the Chinese market for Laotian producers: Trucks bring the goods to the freight areas at each station, and then it goes to China," explained Franck Caussin, who is working on the IFAD project as a technical advisor to the Laotian Ministry of Agriculture. In 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic, the country welcomed 1 million Chinese tourists. We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback Tourists take pictures in front of a high-speed train station in Vientiane, Laos, on July 3, 2022. Jittrapon Kaicome for "Le Monde" This figure is expected to increase once the borders are opened, thanks to the new railroad line and a new highway, currently under construction, that will be twice as long. The first section of this highway, also built by a Chinese company, runs between Vientiane and Vang Vieng and opened in late 2020. The same increase is expected for everything that goes along with the new transportation: hotels, restaurants and shops galore, as well as a growing number of Chinese residents eager to settle down outside China and send their children to school there an obsession for many in China. The land near the new train station in Vientiane, about 20 kilometers from the city, is the object of speculative investments through Laotian nominees, seeing as foreigners cannot acquire land. You have 58.01% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Taliban leaders attend a conference for the reading of the official decree of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on banning the cultivation of poppies and all kinds of narcotics. Kabul, April 3, 2022. AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN / AFP One year after the American debacle in Kabul, the "new" Taliban, now in full control, have left no illusions about the continued strictness of their ideology and the resulting moral order imposed through daily repression. While they have consistently presented themselves as committed to the international fight against terrorism due to the deadly conflict between them and the local branch of the Islamic State (IS), they have also maintained solid relations with al-Qaeda, whose leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was recently killed in the middle of Kabul in an American strike on his residence. However, there is one crucial issue on which these "new" Taliban have broken with the practice of their predecessors, who controlled Kabul and the vast majority of Afghan territory from 1996 to 2001: the cultivation of poppies, which Mullah Omar had successfully banned in July 2000. Read more Subscribers only Death of al-Qaeda leader illustrates new chapter in US war in Afghanistan Devastating the movement's farmer base The poppy is planted in the autumn so that the juice from the plant, from which opium is extracted, can be harvested in spring. The fatwa (order) issued in 2001 by the "commander of the believers," as Mullah Omar proclaimed himself, had an immediate impact on the whole of Taliban territory, leading to a collapse in opium production in 2001, and thus a drying up of the world's heroin flows, of which Afghanistan was already the main source. Farmers work on a poppy plantation in a field in Kandahar. April 3, 2022. JAVED TANVEER / AFP The harshness of that prohibition weakened the rural base of the Taliban regime, which was unable to withstand more than a few weeks of the US-led offensive in October 2001. During their patient two-decade reconquest of power, the "new" Taliban have learned the lesson of such a devastating prohibition for the farmer base of their movement. In the regions that gradually came under their control, they have organized the taxation of poppy cultivation and opiate trafficking, without taking charge of the narcotics production chain themselves. We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback Read more Subscribers only Afghanistan's rich heritage is in danger The most prominent drug barons nevertheless continued to collaborate with the authorities in Kabul, which was then under the protectorate of the United States. As early as 2006, the UN expressed concern that Afghanistan was moving from a narco-economy to a narco-state. The historical record of 8,200 tons of opium produced in 2007 was beaten in 2017 with 9,000 tons, mostly from government zones. Moreover, in the summer of 2021, it was the Taliban's assault on the provinces richest in opium that precipitated the fall of the Afghan capital. For the new masters of Kabul, to deprive themselves of the narcotics goldmine was no longer a possibility, especially given that international sanctions and a severe drought had already plunged the countryside into lasting depression. According to the UN, the area under poppy cultivation for the 2020-2021 season was around 177,000 hectares, which was expected to yield an estimated opium production in 2021 of 6,800 tons, up 8% from 2020. Also according to the UN, income from Afghan opiates amounted to between 1.8 and 2.7 billion dollars in 2021, or 6% to 11% of Afghan GDP. You have 36.28% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. COVID caused the cancellation of countless weddings but it was thanks to the global pandemic that Liz Joscelyne and John Paul McCarthy had their big day. The couple, both originally from England but living in south Limerick for years, wed at the Deebert House Hotel in Kilmallock on July 22. Liz looked stunning in a vintage wedding dress while John Paul was very dapper in a light blue suit. It was better than his normal running shorts anyway, laughed Liz as it was Kilmallock AC that brought them together. In 2020, Liz was managing a property listed on Airbnb in Athlacca. Business was understandably quiet so she looked for a new job. Cllr PJ Carey entered the story as he encouraged her to go for a job in Irema in Kilmallock, where he works, and Liz got it. John Paul also works in Irema but love didnt blossom there. Not used to the rather sedentary working environment of a factory, Liz decided to take up running to keep fit. Again Cllr Carey gave sage advice, steering Liz towards Kilmallock AC. I was told about John Paul because hes a very good runner and I was told to go with him as he was a nice guy and very patient, said Liz. It was then that love began to blossom. It was Covid that brought us together because I went into Irema. I would never have gone in there if it wasnt for Covid and I would have never gone running, she said. They met in October 2020, started going out that November, John Paul popped the question in early April 2021 and now they are man and wife. We get on so well we decided we might as well go ahead and do it. Life is too short to be waiting a long time for things. You may as well do it while you can do it is my motto, said Liz. Among the guests at the wedding were family and friends from England, as well as a big crowd from Irema and Kilmallock AC. The Deebert were absolutely brilliant. They couldnt do enough for us, said Liz, who also thanked the photographer and DJ. They honeymooned Northern Ireland for a few days as they wait for the keys to their new home in Bruree. We were born in England but we both have Irish families. We were destined to come back and destined to meet, said Liz, who is very glad she didnt work from home. The Bleeder Saturday 6/8 TG4 @ 11.05pm The story of Chuck Wepner, the New Jersey journeyman boxer who's once in a lifetime fight with Muhammad Ali in 1975 inspired a unknown actor by the name of Sylvester Stallone to make a little film by the name of Rocky. You've seen it all before but an absolutely charming showing from Liev Schreiber makes it really worthwhile. Elisabeth Moss, Michael Rapaport and Ron Perlman add to the fun. Blue Steel Saturday 6/8 Film4 @ 11.05pm A rookie cop called Megan Turner shoots and kills a robber during a hold up. A witness to the hold up steals the robber's gun and begins committing murders with it. All the while pursuing a relationship with Megan. Kathryn Bigelow's 1990 thriller sounds silly but it's a nerve wracking, well put together and well fleshed out story. Jamie Lee-Curtis and a creepy Ron Silver do good work. Be warned - it's rough in places. Float Like A Butterfly Saturday 6/8 RTE1 @ 11.35pm A father and daughter set off on a road trip around Ireland. 15 year old Frances is a scrapper, in awe of Muhammad Ali and she wants to show what she's made of. Her father, fresh out of jail, doesn't quite agree with her choices. This depiction of Irish traveller life is as gritty as you'd expect but there's a lot of love under it's gruff exterior and Carmel Winter's direction finds humanity and inspiration in the story. Hazel Doupe as Frances is amazing. Sudden Fear Sunday 7/8 Talking Pictures TV @ 10pm A writer is swept off her feet romantically by a man she once rejected in business terms. A misunderstanding leads to a plot on her life but little do the plotters realise that she knows exactly what's going on. A stylish and exciting slice of film noir that's 70 years old and still as gripping as the day it was released due to it's unpredictable storyline and a couple of wicked turns from Joan Crawford and a menacing Jack Palance. Midnight Special Sunday 7/8 BBC2 @ 11.30pm Alton is a different kind of boy and when his father sneaks him away from those who want to exploit him the U.S. government decides to get involved. Jeff Nichol's low-key sci-fi drama roadtrip movie is an intriguing watch. It's not fully successful but it will keep you watching. The cast though is top notch with Michael Shannon, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst & Joel Edgerton all doing impressive work in their parts. Pitch Perfect Monday 8/8 RTE2 @ 9pm A freshman student called Beca is pushed into an all woman singing group and to her surprise begins to enjoy it and finally appreciates college life. Then they enter a competition. Some will be skeptical (yes you lads) but it's a film I guarantee you'll get sucked into. It's very entertaining and a brace of likable performances help immensely. Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and especially Rebel Wilson bring the smiles. Quirky, goofy, feelgood stuff. The Little Stranger Mon 8/8 Film4 @ 11.15pm Just after the second world war a doctor is called to a crumbling country mansion to tend to a patient. It's a mansion his family has been long connected to and there's secrets lurking behind the walls of the old family home. Irish director Lenny Abrahamson's 2018 gothic chiller is a sedately paced affair but it's atmospheric twists and finely tuned performances from Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson and Will Poulter will hook you in fast. Tulip Fever Mon 8/8 BBC2 @ 11.15pm Amsterdam. 400 years ago. A painting is commissioned and the painter falls in love with the woman he's working with. She's unhappily married to an older man and accepts the younger man's advances. An erotically charged drama that was caught up in the turmoil of the Weinstein arrest because of it's production company and vanished fast but it's worth discovering for yourself. A lovely looking film and Alicia Vikander and Dane DeHann do well in charge. The Fall Of The House Of Usher Wednesday 10/8 Talking Pictures TV @ 00.05am Mr Winthrop has traveled to the House of Usher to see his fiancee but her brother is against the marriage, and warns him off, telling of a family curse that will fall on their children if the wedding goes ahead. Roger Corman's atmospheric 1960 adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's famous tale is as sinister, strange and deliciously macabre as you'd expect it to be. Mark Damon (not Matt), Myrna Fahey and the legendary Vincent Price all hit their marks. Walk Like A Panther Wednesday 10/8 Film4 @ 01.35am Their local pub is closing and the only way to make money is to return to the lycra and capes. But these folks aren't superheroes, nope, they are 80's wrestlers and aching hips and shoulders aren't going to stop them. An amusing slice of fluff and whimsy from 2018 that will make you feel nostalgic for Saturday morning television. Stephen Graham, Sue Johnston, Robbie Gee and Julian Sands are among the familiar faces having a lot of fun. Arctic Wednesday 10/8 Great! Movies Action @ 7pm Overgard has crashed his plane in the Arctic circle and he's trying to stay alive, struggling against the cold and hunger, all the while waiting for his distress beacon to be detected. Eventually it is, but the helicopter that hears it is in trouble too. A tough survival thriller from 2018, that will leave you chilled to the core but satisfied at the way it's events play out. Mads Mikkelsen and Maria Thelma Smaradottir don't say much but get the job done. Blue Story Thursday 11/8 BBC3 @ 9pm Two young boys called Timmy and Marco become friends when they meet in a Peckham school but over the next decade the addresses they live at force them to take a side against each other. Blue Story was overshadowed on release because of real life controversy but it's worth rediscovering. A raw and assured look at the utter pointlessness of gang violence. Stephen Odubola and Micheal Ward are both the real deal. The Birds Thursday 11/8 TCM @ 11.25pm Melanie Daniels has gone north from San Francisco to Bodega Bay to visit an old friend. As she arrives the birds in the sky above start acting strangely. Very strangely indeed. One of Hitchcock's most famous films is a troubling, oppressive and unnerving watch that offers no real answers to your questions and because of that it's a film that hasn't really aged a day despite being 50+ years old. Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor do splendid work as the leads. Comes A Horseman Friday 12/8 TG4 @ 9.30pm World War II is drawing to a close and the ranchers of the American west are fearing what the future has in store for them. One starts buying up all the land he can but two holdouts are causing trouble. A majestic and elegiac look at the line of delineation between new and old and how fear of change always causes trouble. Jason Robards, Jane Fonda and James Caan all do nicely here. Keep an eye out for a less grizzled looking Richard Farnsworth too. Broken Law Friday 12/8 RTE1 @ Midnight A cop in Dublin finds his loyalties tested when his criminal brother contacts him in desperate need of a hand. Does he go with the blue of his uniform or the red of the blood that connects them? Covid kinda killed all the buzz about this on it's release in summer of 2020 but it's worth your time. There's nothing you haven't seen before but it feels authentic and strong performances from Tristan Heanue, Graham Earley, John Connors and Gemma-Leah Devereaux keep it speeding along. THE TOP garda in the Bruff district says no stone will be left unturned in bringing the men who broke into a pensioner's house to justice. The aggravated burglary occurred in Kilmallock in the early hours of Saturday morning. The victim - a man in his seventies - was hospitalised due to the seriousness of injuries. The crime has caused revulsion and disgust in the local community and across the county. Gardai in Bruff, Kilmallock and across the district are hunting down the two perpetrators - one of whom was armed with a slash hook. The owner of the house got into a physical altercation with this individual and sustained injuries to both his arms. Acting Bruff Superintendent, Inspector Pat Brennan told Limerick Live this Sunday that "a full investigation has been launched". "All resources available will be utilised to apprehend the culprits," said Insp Brennan. CCTV footage has been harvested and is being checked. The senior garda didn't wish to go into too much detail for operational reasons but did confirm they are "following some definite lines of enquiries". "Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Bruff or Kilmallock gardai," said Insp Brennan. Gardai have no facial description of the assailants as they were both wearing balaclavas. However, one is described as tall and slim, the other "short and overweight". A man has been arrested after the body of a man was found in a Dublin apartment. Gardai said the body of the man, who was in his late 20s, was discovered in an apartment on Achill Road in Drumcondra on Saturday evening. His body remains at the scene. The apartment has been preserved for a forensic and technical examination. An area of Griffith Park in Drumcondra has also been sealed off as part of the investigation. The Office of the State Pathologist and the Garda technical bureau have been notified. A post-mortem examination will be arranged. The Garda said the man who has been arrested is in his 30s. He is in custody in a north Dublin garda station. He can be detained for up to seven days. An incident room has been established at Ballymun garda station and inquiries are ongoing. The Government has launched a 65 million euro research fund to help Ireland become climate neutral by 2050 and address the challenges of disruptive technologies. Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said the areas of green transition and digital transformation are among the greatest challenges our country and our world faces. We have to help people through these changes, Mr Harris told the PA news agency. This fund will help each and every one of us by navigating the best way forward. The National Challenge Fund comprises eight challenges. In total, it aims to fund about 90 research teams with up to 250,000 euro each over 18 months to develop their ideas. Teams will then be able to vie for follow-on funding of up to 500,000 euro before going on to compete for prizes of up to two million euro. The first two challenges are now open for applications. These include the 2050 Challenge: to develop transformative, forward-looking solutions for Ireland to become climate neutral by 2050; and the Future Digital Challenge: to address the challenge from disruptive digital technologies. Disruptive technologies include e-commerce, video-streaming sites, virtual reality, augmented reality, online news sites, ride-sharing apps and GPS systems, among others. Mr Harris said research and innovation have to be at the heart of addressing Irelands social, economic and environmental challenges. The Wicklow TD said: The National Challenge Fund is a tangible example of this strategy in action. I encourage everyone to consider the 18,000 submissions put forward by the public as part of Creating Our Future as we want to respond to issues that matter to people. Challenge teams will be interdisciplinary with scientists, engineers and researchers working together with government bodies to develop solutions to problems of national importance, partnering with stakeholders to develop, test and trial solutions. The National Challenge Fund is an initiative under the Governments National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It is funded by the EUs Recovery and Resilience Facility and managed by Science Foundation Ireland. All eight of the challenges in the fund focus on the need for a transition to a climate-neutral and clean economy as well as the challenges of digital transition. There are challenges related to healthy environment, energy innovation, sustainable communities, and future food systems, among others. Science Foundation Ireland deputy director general Ciaran Seoighe said he was delighted to have this new funding. He said: We look forward to working in partnership with government departments and agencies to define the challenges and help to build partnership with the wider research community to develop research solutions to these challenges. This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity for research teams to work in partnership with stakeholders to provide solutions to tangible problems that will benefit our society and economy. Each challenge incorporates four stages. The model of the competition means that researchers will receive increasing funding at each stage of the process. Research teams and ideas will be evaluated by an independent, international panel of experts. Awards for each phase will be made between this year and 2026. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant affirmed on Sunday that the state government will implement 100% of the syllabus in higher education institutes along the lines of the National Education Policy. At the seventh Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, the Chief Minister also said that Goa is working on the skills of its human resources with the help of agreements signed with various industry associations. We have started working on the implementation of the National Education Policy in the state. The implementation has already begun in the state-run and aided schools," an official release quoted Sawant according to news agency PTI. The Chief Minister also talked about sensitizing parents, teachers and students about the NEP. The implementation of NEP from college to university level has already started. From the next academic year, a hundred per cent of the syllabus in the higher education institutes would be on lines with the NEP," the CM said. Sawant also talked about skills of manpower. He confirmed that Goa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with around 35 industry associations in the state who will work upon the skill development. We are preparing for the manpower required by the industry in future. We have signed agreements with 35 industry associations," he said. The Chief Minister also mentioned the need for two lakh manpower in the hospitality industry over the next five years. The manpower will be trained by the government. In agriculture, he stressed on the cultivation of paddy and cashew crops. We are also insisting that pulses and oil seeds be cultivated as part of crop diversification," he said. We had a history of importing 100 per cent of required horticultural products from other states, but with the Central government promoting the agriculture activity, we are importing only 20 per cent of vegetables from the other states," he said. With Inputs from PTI A top US diplomat warned Pacific Islands of a new struggle against violent power-hungry regimes Sunday, as she visited the Solomon Islands to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II's Battle of Guadalcanal. With China's military conducting drills around Taiwan and Russia bombarding Ukraine, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman hit out at a new crop of world leaders reviving "bankrupt" ideas about the use of force - without mentioning any countries. Attending a dawn memorial service in the Solomon Islands, Sherman said "some around the world" had forgotten the cost of war, or were ignoring the lessons of the past. She hit out at "leaders who believe that coercion, pressure, and violence are tools to be used with impunity", but did not specify any names during her speech at the service. The battle of Guadalcanal was a turning point in World War II. The brutal seven-month land, sea and air fight between Allied and Japanese forces killed tens of thousands of troops -- most Japanese. Painting the situation today as carrying faint echoes of the fight against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in the 1930-40s, the State Department number two urged the region to push back. "We remember how bankrupt, how empty, such views were then, and remain today," she said. "Today we are once again engaged in a different kind of struggle -- a struggle that will go on for some time to come." Sherman's trip comes as the United States tries to rebuild diplomatic relations in the Pacific, where China is growing stronger and democratic alliances have faltered. Solomon Island PM Manasseh Sogavare didn't show up but met Sherman later. Nowhere is the United States's waning regional influence more evident than in the Solomon Islands. The government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare recently signed a secretive security pact with Beijing, moved to curb press freedoms, and suggested delaying elections. Sherman, again without mentioning names, told her hosts: "It is up to us to decide if we want to continue having societies where people are free to speak their minds." It is time, she said, to decide "if we want to have governments that are transparent and accountable to their people". Sogavare was slated to attend the ceremony, appearing on the event programme, but was a no-show. He did, however, meet Sherman later, for what she described as "wide-ranging" talks. As well as warnings, Sherman said Washington wants to increase cooperation with the "absolutely critical" Pacific island nations, including by opening embassies in Tonga, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands. As part of the charm offensive, US President Joe Biden is also expected to invite Pacific Island leaders to the White House for a September summit. Solomon Islands police and security minister Anthony Veke welcomed what he termed US "re-engagement" with the country and the region. But he called on Washington to launch a "scaled-up effort" to remove unexploded WWII ordnance that continues to injure and kill Solomon Islanders to this day. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Click here to read the full article. One year after she dazzled at the Cannes Festival, winning its Golden Eye for best documentary for A Night of Knowing Nothing, Payal Kapadias fiction debut All We Imagine as Light, has attracted the most potent production partner support of any project introduced at this years Locarno Match Me! Nights producers. Petit Chaos Thomas Hakim, Julien Graff in France and Ranabir Das (also DP and editor on Night) at Indias Another Birth will produce Light. Also on board, confirmed early July, is Oliver Pere at Arte France Cinema. Further co-producers take in Zico Maitra and Aastha Singh (Chalk & Cheese, India), Frank Hoeve (Baldr, Netherlands), Gilles Chanial (Les Films Fauves, Luxembourg and, in the latest addition to partners, Denise Lee and Roberto Minervini (Pulpa Films, Italy). A potential sign of a project positively courted by producers, the multilateral backing is hardly surprising. All We Imagine as Light is highly awaited after A Night of Knowing Nothing, a film in which a palimpsest of dusky imagery, reflective narration and evocative score create an achingly melancholic portrait of modern student protest, Jessica Kiang wrote in her Variety review about a dreamlike essay on the poetics of protest in Modis India. World premiering at the 2021 Cannes Directors Fortnight, A Night of Knowing Nothing was released theatrically this year in France, U.S,, U.K., Portugal and Canada, and has screened all over the world since its premiere last year. Light, like Night, meshes reality and the dreamlike. Its focus, however, is new. In it, Nurse Prabha receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband that throws her life into disarray. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. One day the two nurses go on a road trip to a beach-town where the mystical forest becomes a space for their dreams to manifest, the synopsis runs. Storytelling in India has been used as a tool of transference to calm the listeners anxious heart. Here, the two women become the characters of the story they would like to hear, and for this brief moment, are free of the world they belong to through a collective dream, Kapadia said in a brief directors statement. It is the juxtaposition of these states of being that can perhaps create a third understanding which goes beyond the sum of its parts tucked away somewhere in the folds of memories, dreams and unspoken desires, she added. Founded in 2018 by Hakim and Julien Graff, Petit Chaos is also at Locarno withIkimanuka, from Rwandan Samuel Ishimwe, a Berlin Silver Bear winner for short Imfura, and Pablo Durys Animals. Thats a highly cosmopolitan slate. We are developing several fiction features and we will keep producing short films and documentaries, with directors from France and abroad, Hakim told Variety. Being diversified and producing films for cinema and festivals will remain our core business model. I hope to be able to co-produce more films as a minority producer. The latter should not prove too much of a challenge. Based out of Tours, a fast-expanding production hub, Petit Chaos can tap not only federal but regional funding. Companies can also apply to the CNCs Aide aux Cinemas du Monde, which has backed at least six movies screening this year as completed titles at Locarno. For my first feature film as a producer, A Night of Knowing Nothing by Payal Kapadia, I was quite lucky, hakim said, referring to its theatrical roll-out around the world. But I know the market is tougher than before. So finding the right partner for each film is more important than ever, he added. Locarno Pros Match Me!, a vibrant and still building networking meet, may well further this objective. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Ecuador-based producer Daniela Fuentes Moncada of Epopeya is introducing the introspective queer feature, Nusta, as part of three regional films on her development slate at Locarnos Producers Lab, an Open Doors initiative spotlighting Latin America and Caribbean talent. Epopeya teams Moncada with founder Maria de los Angeles Palacio. Underscoring the projects industry pulling power, co-producing the project are Director Papu Corotto at Argentinas HAIN Cine (Esteros) alongside Lady Vinces(Checoslovaquia) and Silvia Arellano (En Medio Del Laberinto) of PerusCasa Aguaflorida. The pair bring poignant narratives to life, with Moncada previously backing La Mala Noche directed by Gabriela Calvache, a raw portrait of human trafficking that premiered at SXSW and was selected by festivals worldwide, receiving 15 awards and nominations. Epopeya produces animation, documentary and fiction with a focus on forward-thinking narratives. We believe we have a powerful tool to transform the world one viewer at a time, thats why we produce films which showcase diversity and become an opportunity to develop new talents. Our audience is the one that allows art to stimulate their lives and reflect on the purpose of community, Moncada opined. Written and directed by Ecuadors Christian Rojas (Chigualo), Nusta delves into the complexities of coming out to a less than hospitable community. The film follows Kallpa, a 12-year-old indigenous boy from the Ecuadorian highlands, as he slowly realizes his urge to transition. In tandem with community winter solstice celebrations of Inti Raymi, Kallpa must navigate those desires around seemingly closed and prejudiced minds and abuse to honor self-truth and inner peace. Kallpas desire to become a woman reflects my experience and desire to recognize and show my homosexuality and the necessary and courageous daily realization that there is nothing wrong with being who you are, said Rojas, who founded Oso Rojo Films to focus on LGBTQ film projects and gender rights. He went on: Nusta explores Kallpas gender transition, from instinct, the body, and sexual abuse, but above all, reflecting on indigenous roots. In 2021, the film won the Punto Genero section at Ventana Surs Latin American industry market in Buenos Aires after picking up the market award at the co-production meetings of Chiles Bio Bio Lab event. The principal cast includes Ecuadors Camilo Burneo as protagonist Kallpa/Nusta in his first feature effort after appearing in Rojas short film Phuyu. Activist and Peruvian theater actress Pamela Mendoza will play Toa, while Romel Vargas, who recently starred in the Bolivian short film, Ubermensch, by Pablo Bustamante, has been cast as Nebraska. Peruvian actor, plastic artist and playwright Amiel Cayo (Samichay) will also star. Nusta is a very intimate film, born from the need to make visible the reality that certain minorities live in our country, Latin America, and the world, Moncada stated. Rojas added, The real warriors are those who fight every day, every defeat will be a victory tomorrow. Thats what being Nusta in the indigenous worldview is. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. British performing arts union Equity have launched a Comedians Charter at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The charter details a range of policies that aim to improve the lives of comedians, who are increasingly suffering harassment and abuse during performances. Most famously, Chris Rock (pictured above) was slapped by Will Smith during the Oscars ceremony in March. In May, Dave Chappelle was also assaulted on stage. Writing in the Guardian in April, British comedian Dani Johns wrote there had been a marked deterioration in audience behavior during gigs. Since weve come back after lockdown, its become increasingly apparent that a small but noticeable percentage of audience members have forgotten how to behave in public, she wrote, detailing an incident in which a man jumped out of the audience and grabbed her top. The charter calls on venues to implement a set of standards including: Posting clear anti-harassment and discrimination warnings on their websites and at their venues stating perpetrators will be removed without refund; Providing acts with information about public transport and safe passage home in the evenings; Setting out the type of facilities available in the venue and who theyre shared with; Pay transparency. The charter was launched at comedy venue The Stand in Edinburgh on Sunday and is part of a push by Equity to unionize comedians. Equity members working as comedians put together this charter through our Comedians Network, and were delighted that The Stand have agreed to become the first U.K. venue to sign up to it, Rob Lugg, Equitys organiser for comedians, said in a statement. In the months ahead, well be reaching out to venues and promoters across the country and seeking to work with them to make the Charter the industry standard. Our members will also need the support of audiences to help us achieve this by making sure that they only attend comedy gigs that carry the Comedians Charter Mark once it is rolled out. However, the Charter is only one part of our strategy to improve the working conditions of live comedians. As the cost-of-living spirals out of control, adding to the enormous pre-existing pressures of accommodation and transport costs at festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe, the time to act is now. Were calling on every working comedian in the country who isnt already a member to join Equity and just as importantly, we need many more of our members to get active in their trade union through our Comedians Network, and through our campaigns in the months ahead to roll out the Comedians Charter across the U.K. By coming together and acting collectively through their union, he added, comedians have the chance to push for real change and for a fairer and more sustainable industry. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip were exchanging fire Saturday in the worst bout of cross-border violence since an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas last year. Israeli airstrikes have killed 11 people, including a senior commander from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Iran-backed militant group, who was slain in a targeted attack. Militants have fired dozens of rockets at Israeli cities and towns, disrupting life for hundreds of thousands of people. Here's a look at the latest round of violence: IN HAMAS' SHADOW Islamic Jihad is the smaller of the two main Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip, and is vastly outnumbered by the ruling Hamas group. But it enjoys direct financial and military backing from Iran, and has become the driving force in engaging in rocket attacks and other confrontations with Israel. Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, is often limited in its ability to act because it bears responsibility for running day-to-day affairs of the impoverished territory. Islamic Jihad has no such duties and has emerged as the more militant faction, occasionally even undermining Hamas authority. The group was founded in 1981 with the aim of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and all of what is now Israel. It is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, European Union and other governments. Like Hamas, Islamic Jihad is sworn to Israel's destruction. THE IRANIAN CONNECTION Israel's archenemy Iran supplies Islamic Jihad with training, expertise and money, but most of the groups weapons are locally produced. In recent years, it has developed an arsenal equal to that of Hamas, with longer-range rockets capable of striking central Israels Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Air raid sirens went off in the suburbs just south of Tel Aviv on Friday, although no rockets appear to have hit the area. Although its base is Gaza, Islamic Jihad also has leadership in Beirut and Damascus, where it maintains close ties with Iranian officials. Ziad al-Nakhalah, the groups top leader, was in Tehran meeting Iranian officials when Israel began its operation in Gaza on Friday. TARGETING COMMANDERS This isn't the first time Israel has killed Islamic Jihad leaders in Gaza. The commander it killed Friday, Taiseer al-Jabari, replaced Bahaa Abu el-Atta who was slain by Israel in a 2019 strike. His death had been the first high-profile assassination of an Islamic Jihad figure by Israel since the 2014 war in the Gaza Strip. Al-Jabari, 50, was a member of Islamic Jihad's military council, the group's decision-making body in Gaza. He was in charge of the Islamic Jihad militant activities in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip during the 2021 war. Israel said he was preparing to launch an anti-tank missile attack against Israel. His death came on the heels of the arrest by Israel of a senior Islamic Jihad commander in the West Bank earlier this week. Bassam al-Saadi, 62, is a senior Islamic Jihad official in the northern West Bank. According to Israeli media, al-Saadi was working to deepen the group's reach in the West Bank and expand its capabilities. Al-Saadi spent a total of 15 years over several stints in Israeli jails for being an active Islamic Jihad member. Israel killed two of his sons who were also Islamic Jihad militants in separate incidents in 2002, and destroyed his home during a fierce battle in the West Bank city of Jenin the same year. Once you will hit the commanders it will affect immediately all the organization, said Zvika Haimovich, the former head of the Israeli militarys air defense force. It immediately creates a big mess in the Jihad. A DELICATE BALANCE Since seizing power in 2007, Hamas has fought four wars with Israel, often with support from Islamic Jihad fighters. Aside from a flare-up earlier this year, the border has largely been quiet since last year's 11-day war and Hamas appears to be staying on the sidelines of this current conflagration, which might keep it from spilling over into all-out war. Islamic Jihad militants have challenged Hamas by firing rockets, often without claiming responsibility, to raise its profile among Palestinians while Hamas maintains the cease-fire. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire coming from Gaza. Hamas must walk a tightrope between restraining Islamic Jihads fire at Israel while avoiding the ire of Palestinians if it cracks down on the group. Like in past flare-ups, Hamas will have the final say in how long and how violent this round of fighting will last. CARETAKER LEADER The current fighting comes as Israel is mired in a protracted political crisis that is sending voters to the polls for the fifth time in less than four years in the fall. Caretaker leader Yair Lapid took over earlier this summer after the ideologically diverse government he helped form collapsed, triggering the new elections. Lapid, a centrist former TV host and author, lacks the security background many Israelis see as essential for their leadership. His political fortunes could rest on the current fighting, either gaining a boost if he can portray himself as a capable leader or take a hit from a lengthy operation as Israelis try to enjoy the last weeks of summer. Lapid hopes to edge out former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a security hawk who is on trial for corruption charges, in the upcoming vote. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Emily Rose in Jerusalem contributed. A mother of three detected driving without insurance on two occasions was banned from the road for four years at Longford District Court. Amanda Kelly (29) of 15 Granada View, Granard, Longford entered a plea of guilty to charges that on March 29, 2021 and November 28, 2021 she used a mechanically propelled vehicle without insurance. Sergeant Enda Daly said the March incident happened at Higginstown, Granard, at 12:30pm while the November incident was at Dublin St, Granard, 10:20am. The defendant had no valid insurance on either occasion and failed to produce the documents. Sg Daly said Kelly has three previous convictions for public order offences, but none for road traffic. Solicitor Frank Gearty explained that his client was in a long term relationship and when it ended the car was left at the defendant's home. Mr Gearty said the insurance lapsed and his client, the mother of three children, got into the habit of taking the car when stuck. Mr Gearty said Kelly had a previous good record in regard for her driving and stopped driving after the second detection. Taking the facts into consideration Judge Owens imposed a fine of 250 and two year disqualification for the March offence and a further fine of 250 and a four year disqualification for the November offence. The defendant has eight months to enter a payment agreement. Two Vietnamese men, famous in their country, have returned to Vietnam after a court in Palma returned their passports on Wednesday. The two, a musician and an actor, were arrested in June after a 17-year-old British girl reported an alleged rape at a hotel in Sant Elm (Andratx). She had met the men at a restaurant on June 25. They went to the beach, where she says they began to get intimate, and then to the men's hotel. She told the Guardia Civil that they forced her to have sex, after which they made her shower in order to eliminate any trace of bodily fluid. Having made the report to the Guardia Civil, she and her family left Mallorca. When they appeared in court, they refused to testify, as was their right. The court released them without bail but withdrew their passports. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) China said Sunday it carried out its fourth consecutive day of military drills in the air and sea around Taiwan in the wake of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island, despite international calls to calm the tensions. The Peoples Liberation Army said the exercises focused on testing its long-range air and ground strikes. It did not say if it will continue the drills after Sunday. Taiwan said that it continued to detect several batches of Chinese aircraft, ships and drones operating around the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island and mainland China, and simulating attacks on the island of Taiwan and our ships at sea. Taiwan's defence ministry said it detected a total of 66 Chinese aircraft and 14 Chinese warships conducting joint naval and air exercises around the Taiwan Strait. In response, Taiwan deployed air reconnaissance patrols, naval ships, and shore-based missiles, and said that it will continue to closely monitor the situation. Taiwans official Central News Agency meanwhile reported that Taiwans army will conduct live-fire artillery drills in southern Pingtung County on Tuesday and Thursday, in response to the Chinese exercises. The drills will include snipers, combat vehicles, armored vehicles as well as attack helicopters, said the report, which cited an anonymous source. China set up no-go areas around Taiwan for the four-day drills it announced immediately after Pelosis trip to Taipei on Tuesday and Wednesday that infuriated Beijing, which saw it as a violation of the one-China policy. China claims Taiwan and has threatened to annex it by force if necessary. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, but Beijing considers visits to Taiwan by foreign officials as recognizing its sovereignty. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense emphasized that its military was surveilling the situation and had dispatched aircraft and ships to respond accordingly. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has called on the international community to support democratic Taiwan and halt any escalation of the regional security situation. China has so far conducted missiles strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan, and sent warships across the Taiwan Straits median line. It has also cut off defense and climate talks with the U.S. and imposed sanctions on Pelosi in retaliation for her visit. The Biden administration and Pelosi say the U.S. remains committed to the one-China policy that recognizes Beijing as the legitimate government but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei. The U.S. however criticized Beijings actions in the Taiwan Strait, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling them fundamentally irresponsible. Theres no need and no reason for this escalation, Jean-Pierre said. Singapores coordinating minister for national security Teo Chee Hean said in a Facebook post Saturday that the U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan is an issue that can lead to conflict and war to the detriment of all parties involved, especially the people in Taiwan. The tensions have a negative impact on Southeast Asia, Teo said, adding: "We hope that wisdom will prevail. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT; 4:30 p.m. EDT). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would respond strongly if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft had pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Forty-three Palestinians were killed over three days, including 15 children and four women, and 311 were injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Israel said some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gazas ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye, said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, al-Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. During the funeral for Mansour, Israeli air strikes hit what the military said were suspected rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel said some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was struck by an errant rocket. Israel's Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza hit the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans daily. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the hall's entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihad's commander for northern Gaza. Israel said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Lapid said. U.S. President Joe Biden said he welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza-based militants. Over these last 72-hours, the United States has worked with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and others throughout the region to encourage a swift resolution to the conflict, he said in a statement. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday on the violence. China, which holds the council presidency this month, scheduled the session in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab nations on the council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway. We underscore our commitment to do all we can towards ending the ongoing escalation, ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population, and following-up on the Palestinian prisoners file, said U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas. Israel estimates its airstrikes killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its arsenal. Both groups call for Israel's destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. Hamas had a strong incentive to avoid another war. Last years Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Over the past year, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting another 2,000 permits. In a sign of the broad immediate impact on the Gaza population, the territory's lone power plant ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans could use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed. China's foreign trade of goods up 10.4 pct in first 7 months Xinhua) 11:23, August 07, 2022 Aerial photo taken on July 29, 2022 shows the Qianwan Container Terminal in Qingdao Port, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade of goods jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 23.6 trillion yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first seven months of the year, official data showed Sunday. Exports rose 14.7 percent year on year to 13.37 trillion yuan, while imports increased 5.3 percent from a year ago to 10.23 trillion yuan, according to the General Administration of Customs. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HAVANA (AP) A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled in the Cuban city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing. Cuban authorities said a unidentified body had been found late Saturday. Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire, The government said it had asked for help from international experts in friendly countries with experience in the oil sector. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said the U.S. government had offered technical help to quell the blaze. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. Minutes later, President Miguel Diaz-Canel thanked Mexico , Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. A support flight from Mexico arrived Saturday night. The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana. Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks trying to keep them cool in hopes of preventing the fire from spreading. Cuba's Health Ministry reported that 121 people were injured with five of them in critical condition. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 people missing were firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread. Later Saturday, the Health Ministry said in a statement that a body had been found and officials were trying to identify it. The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants. I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies, resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. The city has a strong smell of sulfur. He said some people also decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm than Dubrocq. Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay. Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana. That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long, Pila wrote on his Twitter account. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP A Michigan man was arrested Aug. 4 after allegedly driving the wrong way on the expressway in a stolen vehicle. Michigan State Police troopers from the Gaylord post were dispatched to I-75 in Otsego County Aug. 4 on a report of a wrong-way driver on I-75, according to an MSP release. Troopers responded and located a 2007 Toyota on the shoulder of the southbound lane facing north. "The driver had fled on foot," the release reads. "Dispatch advised there were reports of a man running across south I-75 on foot headed west off the freeway. Troopers searched the area and were unable to locate the man. The vehicle was towed from the scene." After towing the vehicle and clearing the scene, dispatch received a call about a stolen vehicle from a nearby residence. "It was believed the suspect could be the same man that was driving on the wrong side of the freeway," the release reads. "The homeowner told troopers he was inside his home when he heard a loud noise. He then discovered someone had stolen his 2014 Jeep Cherokee from his garage. The suspect drove the vehicle through the garage door." Troopers were able to locate the stolen vehicle on South Old US-27 near Marlette Road, abandoned but still running. A nearby resident reported a man running through their backyard and into the woods. "An officer from the Gaylord City Police Department radioed he was currently in a foot pursuit with the man," the release reads. "Troopers caught up with the officer and located the man running near a lake." When the officers attempted to take the man into custody, the man reportedly brandished a knife. He complied with orders to put down the knife and was taken into custody without further incident. The suspect, a 39-year-old Alanson man, was lodged in the Otsego County Jail pending arraignment. Crabgrass rules!!!. In this dry, hot summer, the more genteel grasses in my yard are browned up, burnt up. But in August, the ever-resilient crabgrass is thriving, filling up the bare spaces, taking over the corners and the edge along my driveway. The grass is always greener, if somewhat indelicate, where it grows. Nor is my yard alone. Across the continent, in village green and city sidewalks, along dirt roads and interstate highways, crabgrass is growing. In a droughty year like this one, it doubles down. This year is terrible, said landscape architect Camilla Worden, of Sherman. Its growing like gangbusters. Ive got it all over the place, said Nancy Alderman, president of Environment and Human Health in New Haven. What to do? If I was a responsible keeper of lawns, I would have applied a pre-emergent herbicide on my lawn in the spring. Or I would spend a few precious hours of every day digging every crabgrass stalk out of my lawn, believing against all odds that next year, it will be gone. Or I can do what Ive done all my life. Let it be. Laissez le bon crabgrass rouler. Its an annual. It dies off in the fall. Because it is a prolific seed producer 150,000 seeds per plant I know it will return. It is, in fact, an ancient plant, found around the world. Its common name comes from its appearance its leggy stalks grow out like a crabs legs. Its Latin name, Digitaria, means fingers. Crabgrass is a grass. The U.S. government sang its praises in the 19th century when it encouraged farmers in the Midwest to plant it as a forage crop it grows almost everywhere and is nutritious livestock feed. If you are so inclined, you can still buy crabgrass seed for your fields. Settlers from Central and Eastern Europe brought crabgrass with them, using its seeds as grain it was known as Polish millet. In western Africa, a close cousin of crabgrass seed fonio is still harvested and considered a delicacy. Today, it is considered by almost everyone as a weed. The Farmers Home Almanac defines a weed as a plant that among other things is simply undesirable where it is growing Crabgrass, the almanac says, is a perfect example of a lawn weed. (On the other hand, Ralph Waldo Emerson defined a weed as a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.) Crabgrass went from forage and seed crop to non-native invasive annoyance in part because farmers discovered others wheat and corn that grew better and were more profitable In the post-World War II era, the concept of the perfect suburban lawn arose. It needed an enemy. Crabgrass unloosed and growing prolifically was a perfect target. In the 1950s, there were newspaper articles calling crabgrass the No. 1 enemy, said historian Ted Steinberg of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. During a political campaign, John F. Kennedy was asked what his position on crabgrass was the idea being that if he was against it, hed get the suburban vote. Steinberg is a historian of the intersection of environmental, social and legal history. His 2006 book American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn is about how the chemical industry sold Americans on the need to surround their homes with a perfect green carpet. Steinberg said the herbicides developed after World War II especially 2-4-D work great on plants like dandelion and clover. It has no effect on grasses. But crabgrass is a grass. All the herbicide does is make it stand out more. Which Steinberg said, is why the lawn care industry now promotes using pre-emergent herbicides on crabgrass in the spring. It kills crabgrass and God knows what else, he said. Lawn care is now a more than $40 billion a year industry in North America. It requires a lot of money, a lot of work, a lot of chemicals and a huge amount of watering to keep that monoculture green carpet unblemished. Its been estimated that 30 percent of the water on the East Coast is expended on lawn watering. Alderson of Environment and Human Health said, if you live in a neighborhood that depends on wells for drinking water, you probably should be testing that water if your neighbors are lawn perfectionists. Pesticides dont stay in one place, she said. Groundwater travels. Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com Every time Jose Luis Nunez visits the Grand Canyon, he is taken aback by the sheer immensity of the landscape in front of him, from the steep buttes and rock formations to the range of colors there. As a professional painter for over 25 years, Nunez will return to the canyons South Rim to paint during the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, an event held by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, which invites artists to apply to paint en plein air (outdoors) Sept. 10-17. The artists show their work in an on-site gallery in an exhibition running through January. Formerly of Danbury and now living in San Diego, Nunez will mark his third year participating in this event and is one of 22 artists participating this year. Marina Anderson/ Contributed photo The event is a longstanding tradition that offers an added experience for canyon visitors as well as an opportunity for artists inspired by the landscape. It is also a fundraiser supporting the Grand Canyons historic Kolb Studio, which hosts the exhibition. According to a press release issued by the Conservancy, Art plays a critical role in the appreciation of our national parks, and this event helps to keep the artistic tradition part of the Grand Canyon experience. Nunez said that given the immensity of the canyon, he finds it best to focus on small parts of the scenery, rather than attempting to paint everything. Among his favorite places to paint on the South Rim are Mather Point and Yaki Point. There is so much to paint and thats one of the things I love about the Grand Canyon almost everywhere you turn your sights to, you find something interesting to paint and not only interesting but very emotional, he said. The artist also noted that the Grand Canyon touches his emotions due to its magnitude. Its vast and everything is majestic. This year what I am looking forward to is painting the contrast of the trees, he said. There are a lot of junipers by the edge of the rim overlooking the canyons so I will look for that contrast of the trees, the canyons and the rock formations. As a painter, he often painted natural landscapes, bridges and culverts in Kent and around Danbury in the three years he lived in Connecticut from 2011 to 2013. He said painting in the West is different, as the qualities of light and color there are more intense, drier and more sunny. Courtesy of Jose Luis Nunez There are normally no clouds, especially where we live in San Diego. You hardly ever have clouds and clouds are very important for painting because they are shades, he said, explaining that clouds tame and neutralize that intense light. Painting in the Grand Canyon brings its own set of challenges as the sunlight moves quickly so he has to paint fast to complete a painting in one session outside as the light and shadows are constantly changing. The sun is not only advancing every minute and changing the light and shadows but also the clouds I have seen storms and clouds approaching and they sweep the canyons, he said. There is a lot of drama in the Grand Canyon. Every day when you are painting, you dont know what youre going to find. When he previously painted en plein air at the Grand Canyon, he averaged about two paintings a day. The artists are allowed to finish up the next day, but he said he prefers to finish a painting in one session. Grand Canyon Conservancy/ Contributed photo The artists are encouraged to go back to the studio each day, frame their work and hang them in the gallery on their assigned wall. Nunez said ardent collectors will visit the gallery every day that week to see what new works catch their eyes to try to be the first to buy them. Most plein air painters work on small canvases to allow them to finish in a few hours, and Nunez mostly does paintings that are 11 by 14 inches or 9 by 12 inches. He has worked in acrylics, but prefers oils for this kind of work. Normally its oils because they allow me more time to blend, to think, to correct. Acrylics dry very fast, he said. Making decisions on the fly and trying to capture a scene that is changing in front of him is one of the things that attracted him to this event. "Thats the magic of plein art painting, there is something fresh: you capture it or maybe you didnt capture it," he said. "It's a very spontaneous painting and the brushstroke is very loose. The canyon surprises you with big plates, rock formations, abysses and also with the changing of the landscapes and the light." Navy civilian and master icy analyst Katherine Quinn was doing a weekly check-in on the icebergs she monitors when she saw it: a tooth-shaped hunk that had split off from iceberg A-74 in Antarcticas Weddell Sea. The iceberg had calved or split into two drifting pieces, each as large as a major world city. A-74A, as it was now called, the biggest piece, measured 28 nautical miles by 18 nautical miles, or about 32 by 21 land miles. A-74B, the calf, measured nine nautical miles by four nautical miles, or about 10 by five land miles as long as Washington, DC and about half as wide. But why does the U.S. military care enough about how ice splinters at the bottom of the globe to have an office dedicated to tracking it? The National Ice Center It turns out that the U.S. National Ice Center, run by U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, based in Suitland, Maryland, and staffed jointly by active-duty officers and civilians from the Navy, Coast Guard, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the only entity that monitors ice movement and formation across the globe. And it has been doing so since shortly after World War II when the Navy began monitoring ice for its own ships. The most famous ship vs. ice catastrophe is, of course, the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, but the Navy had plenty of opportunities to consider the value of reliable tactical ice monitoring as it operated in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The service even hatched a plan to install a flight deck on an iceberg and turn it into an aircraft carrier, building a prototype out of an ice-sawdust blend called Pykrete in Canadas Patricia Lake in 1943. Sadly, that science fiction-esque carrier never made it to the fleet. Today, lots of different entities may want to stay abreast of iceberg calving and other ice movements Katherine Quinn told Sandboxx News in a phone interview. Calving is a natural process, so its going to happen. A lot of the ones that we do track are very large. And if a ship is down there, they can see it, she said. I know researchers [also] use that information. There are companies, there are scientists tracking that information. Fast and dangerous Not only are the icebergs that the center tracks huge they are now monitoring 53 bergs in Antarctica that are at least 10 nautical miles across but they can move pretty fast too. A-74 became an iceberg when it calved from the Brunt Ice Shelf, home to the British Antarctic Surveys (BAS) Halley Research Station, in March 2021. It has since drifted 90 nautical miles or 104 land miles, westward, officials at the National Ice center said. The researchers at Halley had been tracking the potential calving event for 10 years or more, relocating one of its research stations in 2016 and limiting deployments to the station to the Antarctic summer in 2017 in recognition of the upcoming need for a sudden evacuation. In August 2021, the newly formed A-74 was hit by strong easterly winds and collided with the shelf, a largely non-event, but one that could have created a new, massive berg if the collision had happened with more force. Two scuba divers are lowered to the ice Feb. 1, 2020, from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) approximately seven miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Scuba divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army and the Royal Canadian Navy are serving aboard the Polar Star in order to effect emergency repairs if needed to the 44-year-old heavy icebreaker. The crew of the Seattle-based Polar Star is working near Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2020, the U.S. militarys contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. (NyxoLyno Cangemi/U.S. Coast Guard) National Ice Center analysts to go Coast Guard cutters and Navy surface ships and submarines often check in with the National Ice Center ahead of deployments or planned movements to get an accurate ice picture of their destination, Quinn said. We actually do provide tailored support products. So if a ship, whether its Coast Guard, or a Navy ship, or research ship, universities, all of that when they are traveling somewhere, they could say, Hey, this is where were going. What can you provide us?' In addition to tracking current ice formation and forecasting future ice, analysts from the center sometimes deploy aboard Coast Guard icebreakers to conduct research and provide the crews with an extra level of situational awareness. Quinn added that the center produces a daily ice analysis, which shows ice coverage and distinguishes between light ice and pack ice, new ice formation, and old ice, so skippers know exactly what theyll encounter in a new region. To do that, Quinn and the other analysts rely on tools including incredibly detailed satellite imagery from NASAs Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and NOAAs Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). They also use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, which uses radio waves to create three-dimensional models of landscapes and other objects. When clouds or harsh weather patterns obscure an area, Quinn said, SAR imagery can still provide an accurate ice picture. But there are certain things only a practiced human eye can pick up. New ice, she said, doesnt show up on the visible imagery, and thus must be interpreted from the SAR models. For the new ice, its going to be darker and youre going to see it forming around the current ice edge, she said. As it thickens up, it turns brighter As ice grows it will start to fracture, so the new ice becomes young ice. As that ice is circling around the Arctic for a season, or multi-year ice, those floes become more rounded and also darker. So we know what type of ice were looking at based on appearance. Erratic like ice Calving can be frenetic at times, sporadic at others. Before A-74s calving in June, the last announced calving was the creation of a new iceberg, C-39, from the Scott Glacier area of the Shackleton Ice Shelf in April. Icebergs are named based on the quadrant in which they were formed (A, B, C, or D) and then the order in which their tracking by the Ice Center began. The center does not name Arctic icebergs, which are generally much smaller than their southern counterparts. I was off for a few months a couple years ago, and when I came back, there was a ton of new bergs, Quinn said. Sometimes theyre just constantly calving and breaking. While Quinn said she didnt want to comment on trends in ice activity or how it has been affected by climate change, saying she wasnt a climatologist, scientists have said that warmer Antarctic air and ocean temperatures have led to increased ice shelf collapse. (The calving of A-74 from the Brunt Ice Shelf was not believed to be climate change-related.) Top Navy and Coast Guard officials have spoken repeatedly about how newly opened sea routes in the Arctic are changing the national security picture and creating a new global competition for dominance. Our work is and always has been important. And I think were also increasing our customers because of what we do and the services that we provide, Quinn told Sandboxx News. Our active-duty officers who are here, theyre learning what we do, and theyre taking that with them to their new commands. And theyre telling us, theyre telling these commands, Hey, if you need ice analysis, the National Ice Centers got it for you.' Read the original article on Sandboxx. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts 07.08.2022 LISTEN Mr R.K. Baffour, the distinguished Ghanaian expert on Telecommunication who travelled worldwide representing Ghana at International conferences, passed on peacefully in Accra on 4th July 2022 at the age of ninety. The British trained bilingual electrical engineer and Telecommunication expert retired as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) representative for Southern Africa region in charge of fourteen countries in 1991.He was previously based in Senegal as ITU representative for West Africa. Mr R.K. Baffour had a very successful career as Deputy Director and Acting Director of Post and Telecommunications Corporation in the sixties and the seventies. Within this period, he led delegations from Ghana to several international conferences on Telecommunication. He was noted for his proficiency, effective participation at ITU conferences, and his command of English and French. He was a signatory of the 1973 International Telecommunication Convention in Spain where the final protocol, resolutions, and recommendations of ITU were adopted. He also led the Ghana delegation to the 14th Plenary Assembly of ITU which was held in Japan in 1978. During his career that spanned over thirty years, Mr R.K. Baffour was admired by his colleagues and all those who came into contact with him for his unassuming nature, his discipline, honesty, and humility. Born in Elmina on 12th January,1932, Mr Richard Kobina Baffour had his secondary education at St Augustines College, Cape Coast. Great men die but their achievements live forever. May his soul rest in perfect peace. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres warned world leaders on Saturday they were playing with a loaded gun and urged them to back away from the brink of nuclear armageddon. Speaking in Hiroshima on the 77th anniversary of an American war plane dropping an atomic bomb on the Japanese city, Gutteres told the thousands who had gathered at the Peace Park: "Tens of thousands of people were killed at once in this city. Women, children and men were incinerated in a hellish fire. "Buildings turned to dust. Survivors have been cursed with a radioactive legacy. We must ask ourselves: what have we learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled over this city?" Gutteres' plea came hours after the Zaporizhzhia plant in south-eastern Ukraine was shelled during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces. "Crises with nuclear overtones are spreading rapidly, from the Middle East to the Korean peninsula to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," Gutteres added. "Humanity is playing with a loaded gun." Moment Earlier bells tolled in Hiroshima as the city marked the deployment of a bomb nicknamed Little Boy from the B-29 Enola Gay. The strike on Hiroshima and its aftermath is estimated to have killed 140,000 people. On 9 August, the Japanese city of Nagasak was also bombed in a strike which killed more than 75,000 people. Japan surrendered six days later ending the second world war. Since Russia's president Vladimir Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine on 24 February, he has raised the possibility of a nuclear strike. As a result of the conflict, the Russian ambassador was not invited to the commemoration service in Hiroshima. Idea The city's mayor, Kazumi Matsui, told the crowd at the commemoration: "In invading Ukraine, the Russian leader, elected to protect the lives and property of his people, is using them as instruments of war, stealing the lives and livelihoods of civilians in a different country," Matsui said. "Around the world, the notion that peace depends on nuclear deterrence gains momentum," Matsui added. "These errors betray humanity's determination, born of our experiences of war, to achieve a peaceful world free from nuclear weapons. "To accept the status quo and abandon the ideal of peace maintained without military force is to threaten the very survival of the human race." The campaign for Kenya's presidential election has officially closed but the relentless -- and dangerous -- flow of disinformation continues online, as keyboard warriors battle to discredit rivals by sharing fake rigging claims, experts say. Campaigners for the frontrunners, Deputy President William Ruto and veteran politician Raila Odinga, are circulating dozens of posts claiming that their opponent is engaged in "vote rigging plots", said Benedict Manzin, a sub-Saharan Africa analyst at UK-based intelligence firm Sibylline. "We are increasingly seeing false information which seeks to delegitimise the results of the election with widespread claims that the opposing side would only win through fraud and that they are attempting to steal the election," Manzin told AFP. In one case, a strategist for Ruto's campaign accused Odinga's team of trying to rig Tuesday's poll because the 77-year-old urged the election commission to use a manual voter register instead of a digital one. Meanwhile a pro-Odinga blogger tweeted that Ruto was attempting to steal the election, sharing a link to an unrelated video -- since taken down -- of a politician discussing an old scandal. Mary Blankenship, a disinformation researcher at the University of Nevada, said the circulation of baseless fraud claims could cause real harm, especially in a country where past polls have been followed by an eruption of violence. "It creates an avenue for either of the candidates to discredit the outcome of the polls, which could lead to unrest," Blankenship told AFP. An analyst says campaigners for presidential candidates Raila Odinga (left) and William Ruto are circulating posts claiming their rival is engaged in vote rigging plots. By SIMON MAINA (AFP/File) She likened the situation to the 2020 US election when former president Donald Trump's fraud claims culminated in an attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. More than 1,100 people died in politically motivated inter-ethnic clashes in Kenya following the bitterly disputed 2007 elections. A decade later, dozens died during a police crackdown on protests after the 2017 presidential poll which was later annulled by the Supreme Court due to "irregularities and illegalities". Fabricated opinion polls Fact-checking organisations -- including AFP Fact Check -- have debunked hundreds of false and misleading claims about the Kenyan elections. Both sides have sought to cast aspersions on their opponent's educational qualifications, claiming that Odinga lied about studying engineering in Germany and that Ruto falsified his university grades. These claims were debunked by fact-checkers but trended on Twitter for days. Mainstream media organisations have also been dragged into the fray, with impostor websites and social media pages mimicking genuine outlets used to spread falsehoods about candidates. "We are constantly having to issue alerts to say this did not originate from our company," said Citizen TV editor Waihiga Mwaura. Fraudulent opinion polls have emerged as a major trend, with campaigners falsely attributing them to legitimate sources such as survey company GeoPoll and The Daily Nation newspaper. There are "efforts to make different leaders look even more popular than they are, to create the impression they are winning the elections," said Nic Cheeseman, a political scientist with the University of Birmingham. "The main misinformation and disinformation we have seen in 2022 is quite similar to the 2017 elections," Cheeseman told AFP, referring to "negative ethnic stereotyping" among other tactics. An undercover expose by UK media revealed that British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used the personal data of millions of Facebook users to target political ads -- including some that preyed on ethnic fears -- during President Uhuru Kenyatta's successful campaigns in 2013 and 2017. Coded language Kenyan civil society groups and a state watchdog have warned that the barrage of disinformation poses a risk to democracy and called on social media platforms to act. The authorities have also set up a special division to handle "election and hate speech-related offences". "Part of what this misinformation and disinformation does is that it plays into the stereotypes, preconceived notions and the emotional aspect of voters," said Mark Kaigwa, team leader at StopReflectVerify.com, a Kenyan organisation analysing disinformation. "It is a way to energise people and rally them emotionally." While platforms like Facebook and TikTok say they are committed to rooting out disinformation and hate speech, observers are sceptical. By OLIVIER DOULIERY (AFP/File) While platforms like Facebook and TikTok say they are committed to rooting out disinformation and hate speech, observers are sceptical, not least because election influencers rely on codewords to amplify their messages. "There is a lot of coded language... being used to mask or ensure that these social media platforms don't identify such type of hate speech," said Allan Cheboi, a senior investigator at Code for Africa, a data journalism and civic technology initiative. For instance, some campaigners use the Swahili word "madoadoa" ("blemish") to attack members of various communities in Kenya, Cheboi told AFP. "Incitement starts online then results (in) violence in offline spaces," he said. President Alassane Ouattara marked Cote D'Ivoire's Independence Day on Sunday with a presidential pardon to longtime rival Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo, 77, who was president between 2000 and 2011, returned to Cote d'Ivoire last June after being acquitted in 2019 by the Hague on war crimes charges for his role in a civil war sparked by his refusal to concede defeat after the 2010 election. However, he still faced a 20-year prison sentence for a 2019 conviction linked to the robbery of funds from the Abidjan central bank during the post-election period. He has denied the charges. "In order to further strengthen social cohesion, I have signed a decree granting a presidential pardon to Laurent Gbagbo," Ouattara said in a televised speech to the nation. He said he had also asked for Gbagbo's accounts to be unfrozen and for the payment of the arrears of his presidential lifetime annuity. Move The decisions follow a meeting in July between Ouattara, Gbagbo, and former president Henri Konan Bedie. Ouattara described the encounter as a fraternal meeting and added: "We exchanged, in a friendly atmosphere, on issues of national interest and on ways and means to consolidate peace in our country." The troika have dominated the country's political landscape since the 1990s. Bedie, 88, was president from 1993 until he was removed in a coup in 1999. Gbagbo then took over until his election defeat to Ouattara in 2010. Tensions came to a head most dramatically after the 2010 election. Gbagbo refused to concede defeat, leading to a brief civil war in which 3,000 people died before rebel forces aligned with Ouattara swept into the main city Abidjan. Ouattara, 80, has presided over relative stability during his decade in power. But dozens of people were killed in clashes that broke out around the 2020 election, when he stood for a third term that Gbagbo and Bedie said was unconstitutional. The two former presidents have been invited to participate in Sunday's Independence Day celebrations in Yamoussoukro Poor road network and electricity have delayed the commissioning of the 250-bed Sawua Regional Hospital in the Ashanti Region. Although the hospital is completed and ready to be operationalized, the road leading to the facility is yet to be constructed. The 250 bed Ashanti Regional Hospital was constructed by Messrs Euroget De-Invest. The hospital is expected to serve as a regional hospital for Ashanti region and ease pressure on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital . Facilities at the hospital include 10 theatres, Intensive Care Unit, delivery suites, specialist clinics among others. The hospital also has a medical gas plant for the production of medical gases. Although the Hospital is fully completed and furnished with the equipment and machines, the hospital is yet to be commissioned and operationalized due to the poor road leading to the Hospital and connecting the facility to the national grid. Minister for Health Kwaku Agyeman-Manu on a days visit to the hospital said his Ministry is mounting the needed pressure on the Ministries of Roads and Energy to construct the 1.2km road and also connect the hospital to the national grid We are waiting for a few things, we call them clients obligations. The client which is government should construct a road to access the facility from the major road to the hospital, we are working hard to how best to get these done Mr Agyeman-Manu explained. Another hindrance to the commissioning of the hospital is electricity to power the sophisticated machines and equipment. Regarding this, the Health Minister stated that we are talking to the Energy Minister, we are looking for some extra money to be able to do that, I believe it wont take long, here is virtually completed with all the machines we are only waiting for constant and continuous power so we can run the machines I have to continue putting pressure on the Energy Minister The Ministry is also constructing the Sawua Infectious Disease Centre as part of the countrys preparedness for future pandemics. Project Manager for the 40 bed Infectious Disease Centre Sbens Sekum told 3news work was about 95 percent complete and left with installing beds. He was optimistic by end of August, the Centre would be fully completed. Inspecting works on the Infectious Disease Centre, Health Minister said the facility was been financed with funds donated by the World Bank at the peak of COVID-19. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu further debunked claims the COVID-19 donation from World Bank was misapplied. That is the outcome of COVID-19 and one of the good things COVID-19 has brought to us to help our emergency preparedness for future pandemics When people are talking about Covid expenditure, this is one of Covid expenditures and we have 12 of this in the country, he disclosed. He said, Ghanaians should be amazed by whatever monies they claim Nana Addo has borrowed and has nothing to show for it. The Minister and his entourage also inspected the progress of works on 120 bed Kumawu District Hospital. The Hospital was scheduled to be completed in 2017 but work stalled for a Value for money audit. Works commenced in March this year and according to contractors NMS Infrastructure Ltd work will be completed by February 2023 ----3news.com The European Union has decided to unfreeze funds allocated to six Palestinian NGOs, which the Israeli security establishment last year accused of having links with 'terrorist' Palestinian organisations. A majority of EU member states voted in favour of the decision. Hungary voted against it. Despite the vote, the EU Commission in Brussels did not announce that the funds would be unfrozen. An official statement encouraged Palestinian NGOs to continue to count on the EU for funding of their own programs. For more than six months, the EU, which is the largest donor for the Palestinian people, withheld a sum of 215 million euros, after Hungarian EU commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi, attempted to garner support for a condition obliging the Palestinian Authority to remove "anti-Israel content" from school textbooks. Since last October, Israel has campaigned against six Palestinian NGOs including the Addameer Association for Human Rights, the Palestinian Women's Union, the Agricultural Committees Union, the Besan Center for Research and Development, Al-Haq for human rights, and the International Movement for the Defense of Palestine's Children. Israel had accused these organisations of having ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a leftist Palestinian group that has been involved in resistance against the Israeli occupation for several decades. Widespread EU support for Palestinians Among the EU member nations voting for the resumption of funding were France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Spain and Sweden. A statement by those EU member states said that they would resume their working relations with the six Palestinian non-governmental organisations. They also explained that they had not received any information from Israel to justify the allegations against those particular NGOs. The statement noted that the existence of a strong, safe and free civil society in Palestine would reinforce democratic values and eventually lead to a two-state solution between Palestinians and Israelis. In response to the EU's decision, media spokesperson for the Union of Agricultural Committees in Gaza, Saad Ziyada, told RFI that the organisation was delighted. "UAWC welcomes the recent statement issued by nine European countries in support of the falsely labelled Palestinian civil organisations by the Israeli government in an attempt to undermine their work and their legitimacy. "Although it was much delayed, the statement is considered a positive step towards protecting the work of Palestinian human rights organisations. "We call for further practical steps from these countries to demand the Israeli government to reverse the absurd designation and continue to protect and defend Palestinian CSOs." The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has described the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu as "a gift to the nation from God" who has contributed immensely to education and national development. Dr. Bawumia eulogised the 103-year-old Sheikh Sharubutu on Friday August 5, when he commissioned the Sheikh Sharubutu Mosque - a magnificent edifice built by the National Chief Imam, as well as an Islamic School beside it, in Joma Ablekuma. "His prolific and unstinting charitable works constantly humble me, and it has always been a pleasure to learn from him. His works align perfectly with the principles of service to Allah, service to community and service to the country," Dr Bawumia said. "The building of a school and the establishment of a Mosque devoted to the glory of Allah is yet another resplendent addition to an impressive array of beneficial projects commissioned and implemented by our venerated National Chief Imam," he added. "Also, the significance of establishing a Mosque in Islamic life can never be overstated. In all Muslim communities, the Mosque, apart from being an exulted place of worship, also functions as a focal point of education, social welfare, community gatherings and allied forms of important social interaction," he added. The Vice President also commended Sheikh Sharubutu for his selflessness and commitment to promoting the good of society. "The Chief Imam does his good works from his undoubted commitment to society's overall betterment. Sheik Sharubutu has always promoted and energetically worked for the balanced and spiritual uplifting of our people. His laudable works and necessary social interventions are never for personal gain or for fame." "I have absolutely no doubt that our Almighty Creator will reward him amply and deservedly for his extraordinary good works, such as the establishment of this beautiful Mosque and school for our Joma-Ablekuma communities." Government, Dr. Bawumia noted, recognises the immense role Sheikh Sharubutu has been playing in education in particular and added that in him, the government has a friend and vice versa. "National development has always been built on the back of education, as it equips young people to defy their socioeconomic challenges and circumstances to contribute to the establishment of a better nation. "Government is in tune with the impactful role that education plays in the life of our citizens and the nation. This underpins the resolve and commitment of government to ensure that the barriers to education are not only eradicated but that the full complements of the education of our young ones are well catered for. "The Government and Ghana as a whole has a friend and a gift from Allah, in Sheikh Usmanu Sharubutu, and he also has a friend in us," he emphasised. We have come across a video which featured the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Bosiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi displaying his usual gimmicks at Effiduase-Asokore Constituency when he was addressing some polling station and constituency executives. In the said video, Chairman Wontumi indicated that we, the Polling Station Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region have declared our utmost support for Dr. Bawumia, and that, he cannot go against what his people want. This statement to us is just mere rhetoric, comical and falsehood. To clear the false impression created by our regional chairman, we are by this release stating categorically that, the flagbearer position is very important to us as polling station executives as far as breaking the Eight is concerned. Breaking the eight-year cycle of governance is not only a mantra to us, but it is a serious business, and we are very committed to achieving it. We are getting tired of Wontumis character which is taking the shape of a dictator in the Ashanti region. This was even manifested in the national executives election in Accra, which many deem it a disgrace and unacceptable, and a dent on the image of the region. Chairman Wontumi is gradually reducing his influence, and we, the Concerned Polling Station Executives of Ashanti Region, are telling him unequivocally that, he cannot make a choice for us. In fact, we are very focused, and as a result, endorse the highly competent and best brain, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and not any known braggart. Upon extensive research, we have rather settled on Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as the outstanding and finest gentleman amongst the potential candidates, hence tip him as the next flagbearer of the NPP. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is the person who has the grassroots at heart, and always associate and listens to the the plight of the grassroots. Dr. Akoto has also proven beyond all reasonable doubt that, he is the one who cares most about the welfare of the grassroots, and has the composure, charisma and confidence to lead the Party. These are the many reasons for our call for the total disregard of Chairman Wontumis statement, and so, the public should treat it with the contempt it outrightly deserves. On this note, we are confidently reiterating that, we have on no occasion endorsed Dr. Bawumia as the next flag bearer of the Party, rather, we have been calling on Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as the next and best to lead. We believe in his competences, experiences and leadership qualities, and therefore, we are solidly behind him in his quest as both the flag bearer and the president of our dear nation, Ghana. We, in view of this, call on all and sundry to share in his visions and plans for the country in 2024 and beyond. Thank you! SIGNED CONCERNED POLLING STATION EXECUTIVES OF ASHANTI REGION MC Yaw Preko 0540545630 Kwabena Owusu Aduomi 0200521547 Collins 0243459237 Miss Ella Tieku 0243848932 Nana Yaw Boakye Yiadom Opoku Agyemang (N.Y.B.Y.O.A.) 0243065430 #IgnoreWontumisFalsehoodStatement #Dr. AkotoForPresident #TheAkotoFactor #TheLegend A private legal practitioner lawyer Martin Kpebu is against using only the Ghana Card as the only source document for continuous voter registration. Mr. Kpebu is concerned that there are too many hurdles for Ghanaians to acquire the Ghana Card. Perhaps we can roll out a programme, maybe over 10 years, but today to make a law it is a farce. It is just not possible, he said on The Big Issue. Mr. Kpebu said the Electoral Commission should stick to current modes of identification which include a passport, a national ID, an existing voter ID or two guarantors. The lawyer is particularly a fan of the guarantee system, which he views as very reliable. This guaranteed system has worked and worked overtime the guarantee system has never been a major national issue. Also speaking on the Show, IMANI Africas President, Franklin Cudjoe was more lukewarm on the issue. Mr Cudjoes main concern was the pressure that would be put on the National Identification Authority. I do not think I have any major issues on [the use of the Ghana Card for registering], except to say that the NIA, therefore, must be able to fast track the registration in order to procure a voter ID, he said. I dont think they [the NIA] should be short-changed into meeting someone elses timelines, he added. Another person who has issue with the Ghana Card as the only form of identification is the former Electoral Commission chair, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. He feels it could disenfranchise millions of qualified Ghanaians. The National Democratic Congress, the largest opposition party, also described the move as unreasonable . The new Constitutional Instrument that could enforce this change is in Parliament and has been referred to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament. ---citinewsroom 07.08.2022 LISTEN The Ghana Association of University Administrators of the University of Education, Winneba has cruised through an important election of Executive Officers and successfully managed a challenging tide that nearly derailed the process of renewing their mandates through democratic elections in June 2022. The Executives may have breathed an air of relief and joy as the WhatsApp platform of the Association was flooded with congratulatory messages, parting the back of the Executive Officers for safe conduct of the polls. We have all agreed and are committed to elect our leaders through democratic process and the ballot box. Although the GAUA Executive Officers were rubber stamped, we welcome the newly elected Executives and congratulate them. A number of issues preceded the nominations of the candidates and election, and given the challenges that bedeviled the process, there is a need for organizational renewal of its mandate and functions. Organizational Renewal Organizational renewal is a deliberate strategy for Organizational performance and long-term survival. The purpose of Organizational renewal can occur as an ongoing continuous process or as episodic change. Organizations need continuous renewal because it adds a level of stability in the midst of internal and external triggers of change (Sonia Tenaja et al, 2012). In the Context of GAUA, the process of Organizational renewal should be continuous for the purpose of appraising external and internal dynamics. This will bring about cohesion and organizational stability especially after competitive or contentious issues such as elections. Developments in GAUA, UEW that call for the need for Organizational Renewal are: a. End of First Tenure of the GAUA, UEW Executives The GAUA, UEW Executives took office from the Bruno Chiranii Baduso led administration from 20th January, 2020 and was expected per the GAUA National and Local Constitution to serve for two years ending 20th January, 2022. Per the Constitution of GAUA, May 2016 (Revised) Clause 8: (ii) the tenure of all elected Officers shall be for two (2) years. This regulation is consistent with the Constitution of GAUA National, Article 25: Tenure of Office National Officers (Executive Committee) that says: The Elected /Appointed Officers shall, except otherwise stipulated in this Constitution, hold office for a term of two (2) years and shall be rotational among all the Branches until otherwise changed by Congress or by Constitutional amendment. As University Administrators, we have consistently respected our constitutional provisions and would want to be exemplary in respect of our constitutions. Anything on the contrary such as the extension of tenure needs serious reflection and thinking. b. Petition to Draw Attention of the End of GAUA, UEW first Tenure of Office A petition dated 21st March, 2022 was submitted to the Registrar of the University of Education, Winneba that the GAUA, UEW tenure of Office has expired on 21st January, 2022. The petitioner opined that the GAUA Executives have cleverly lured the members and unconstitutionally sought extension of their mandate to extend the date for elections of new GAUA Executives at GAUA meeting on 26th November, 2021. The petition alleged that this altering of the calendar was an infringement of the GAUA UEW Constitution and would unconstitutionally allow the UEW GAUA to remain in Office until July 2022. The justifications of the petitioner calling for action against this GAUA, UEW Executives were that the Constitutional provisions should be respected and GAUAs Constitution be preserved, and second, there should be effective running of the Association, which is hosting of GAUA National Seat. Precedence by the Registrar and GAUA members in resisting past infractions and low attendance at GAUA member where the proposal to extend the tenure of Office of GAUA was mooted and passed was not healthy for the Association and requires soul searching of its members. c. Response of GAUA, UEW Executive Officers In a sharp response to the petition dated 30th March 2022, the Executive Officers did admit that the GAUA, UEW Executives took over from the previous Executives on 21st January, 2022 to hold office for two (2) years ending 20th January, 2022 in accordance with the constitutional provision of the Association. It further states: It is however, instructive to note that a constitution like a living organism grows and is amenable to change in particular situations when there is the need that, local constitutions are subject and subservient to that of the national constitution. Thus, when National Executive Committee (NEC) made up of all Local Branch Executives at a NEC meeting or Conference takes decisions affecting the entire Association, it is expected that such decisions bind all Local Branches. Conflict of purpose relating to Local and National constitutions and National Executive Committees Resolution does not inure for the health of GAUA and should be examined critically by means of organizational carving out its modus of operations. Their response explained further that on 25th October, 2019 the NEC at a meeting held at the University of Development Studies, Tamale, approved this rationalization of dates of elections of Officers of the Association. This according to them, a restructuring was aimed at streamlining the election dates for Officers at all branches in order to bring them in line with the universities calendar. The NEC added that it was also aimed at dealing with possible challenges that the different dates could create at the local level, hence the need to forestall such challenges and that, it was resolved among others, that all Local and National positions shall take effect from 1st August and terminate on 31st July. This has not been the case of all Local GAUAs in our universities. The fact that this has not been the case in terms of uniformed dates for election requires some reflection and renewed thinking. Their response also indicated that at the GAUA, UEW General meeting held on 26th November, 2021, at Winneba, this issue of transition of tenure of Office Branch Executives to align with National Executives was discussed and members agreed to extend the term of Office of the current UEW GAUA Executives to July 2022. d. Further Submission of Petitioner on GAUA, UEW Extension of Office Further submission of the Petitioner was the development as to why the Executives response was silent on the hosting of GAUA National by the UEW GAUA Branch with effect from 1st August, 2022? It pointed out that the date by the NEC and the resolution being implemented does not refer to election of Executives of GAUA and the processes of handing over Office on 1st August. It admitted that constitutions are living organisms and therefore grow and are amenable to change in particular situations when there is the need to amend for effective operation but contended that since both the GAUA Local and National Constitutions remained unamended, a critical thinker cannot be faulted for drawing attention to the constitutional infringement. The petitioner further argued that NEC Resolution was not an imposition at all. It states, In line with the new development, the National Officers were mandated to persuade members of KNUST Local for extension of their tenure of Office to July 31, 2020 The functionality of GAUA Local Constitution and the need to respect all constitutional provisions should be upheld by all members. e. Nominations of Candidates, Elections and Declaration of Results In order to avoid any constitutional crisis, the GAUA UEW Executives called for GAUA General meeting and announced the opening of nominations and elections on June 23, 2022. The advertisement was carried by the UEW Publications and Communication Division at the University website. At the close of nomination, the same old faces of GAUA Executives with exception of Mr. Percy Kwamina M. Taylor was nominated and stood unopposed. We went into this election and the results as declared on the eve of June 23, 2022 was: f. DECLARATION OF RESULTS OF GAUA ELECTION AT WINNEBA AND AJUMAKO CAMPUSES Position Candidate Votes Cast (Winneba) Votes Cast (Ajumako) Valid Votes Cast Winneba & Ajumako % Remarks Yes No Invalid Yes No Invalid Yes No Yes Elected President Dr. (Mrs.) Beth Offei-Awuku 89 13 3 7 4 - 96 17 82.76 Elected Vice President Prince Percy Kwamena Mbir Taylor 90 13 2 7 4 - 97 17 83.62 Elected Secretary Richard Afriyie 88 16 1 8 3 - 96 19 82.76 Elected Assistant Secretary Patricia Kaitoo 93 9 3 9 2 - 102 11 87.93 Elected Treasurer Emmanuel Botwe 86 17 2 7 4 - 93 21 80.17 Elected Source: UEW Division of Publications and Communication, UEW, Winneba. Analysis of Results and Implications With the total eligible voter of 181 members only 116 members voted (64.09%). One striking thing was the number of No Votes and Spoiled Ballots that was recorded and reported by the Returning Officer. Candidate No Vote Spoilt Ballot Total President 30 3 33 Vice President 30 2 32 Secretary 35 1 36 Asst. Secretary 20 3 23 Treasurer 38 2 40 Source: Declaration of Results, Division of Publications and Communication The Tables above are self-evidence. Quite apart from the low voter turnout of less than 70 per cent, a good number voted No thus opposing their candidature. The Treasurer led with 38 No Votes and the Assistant Secretary recorded least No votes of 20. Conduct of Elections and Respect of Electoral Rules The unsatisfactory conduct of the election may have brought the credibility and compliance to electoral rules into question. Was it a competitive election or a rubber-stamped election? Were there general rules guiding the conduct of election? Per the electoral laws in Ghana, is it permissible for candidates and electoral officers to openly campaign and call for votes as the election was going on? Was it right for the candidates to mount the GAUA social media platforms to make announcements and called on members of the Association to come out and vote? For instance, the Assistant Secretary as early as 8.58 a.m. put up an announcement, PLEASE VOTING HAS STARTED, PLEASE COME OUT IN YOUR NUMBERS AND VOTE FOR YOUR EXECUTIVES. WE COUNT ON YOUR VOTES. The GAUA President herself post at 11.56 a.m. VOTING IS ONGOING PLEASE, DONT MISS OUT GREAT ACHIVER, UNITED TO ADVANCE Sadly, an Election Official joined and made two separate posts: VOTER TURNOUT SO FAR 42 OUT OF 168 OOO VOTING IS CLOSING AT 4.00 P.M.. Were these announcements and voter persuasions whilst election was ongoing permissible in any well supervised elections? This is the underlying question that all GAUA members should reflect on. Hosting of GAUA National Seat in University of Education, Winneba The National Biennial Congress of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) is ongoing at the University of Education, Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana on the theme: Corporate Governance and the Socio-Political Environment of Public Universities in Ghana: The Role of the University Administrators. We welcome the GAUA National Seat to University of Education, Winneba and hope that the team of elected National Executives will leave up to expectation and deliver. UEW had ever hosted GAUA National Seat before in the past. The successes chalked were documented in the annals of the Association. Way Forward: Strategy to give GAUA a Competitive Edge To spearhead a National Team for any competitive game, the expectations are high. There are labour issues, negotiations, agreements, dialogues and collaborations that should be followed through. It is hoped the Team of Executives will not arbitrarily generate ideals and execute the National Agenda of the Association. It is also very important for the UEW GAUA to engage in the process of organizational renewal in order to avoid bad decisions. The general welfare matters of its members are paramount issues to tackle. May the Team of Executive always remember that GAUA is not a political party for it to veer into politics around the universities across the length and breadth of this country. GAUA cannot also be an apron of any Office holder, be it in the University of Education, Winneba, or any other University. In the future, critical thinkers will watch GAUA with analytical lenses. One strategic option for this team is what Bishop Dag-Heward Mills suggested in his Book, Leaders and Loyalty: One of the cardinal qualifications for the head of every organization is loyalty. Loyalty emanates from the head and loyalty is key to expansion. We emphasized and submit that loyalty of GAUA National President-elect and her team of Executives to the University of Education, Winneba, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the UEW, the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar or the Ag. Registrar and the Ghana Association of University of Administrators (GAUA) are key to the progress and success of the Association. Conclusion Based on the principle of organizational renewal which is needed in GAUA, one will have to wait to see the varying roles of the Executive Members in this emerging National Team of UEW GAUA, Great Achievers. We welcome, GAUA National Seat to the University of Education, Winneba. Is it not a dream fulfilled? Let us always remember that it is also a call to render Service. Mr. Epiphany K. Agbeshie & Mr. Ben Duadze University of Education, Winneba (Emails: [email protected] [email protected] ). The Queenmother of Aninkroma, a farming community in the Atwima Nwabiagya North district in the Ashanti region, Nana Akosua Akyaa II, has celebrated her 5th anniversary on her estoolment, with colourful durbar. The durbar was graced by Asantehenes Assinhene of Sepaase, Nana Yaw Akuoko, who chaired the occasion, Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwah VI and the chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante Antwi. In attendance on Friday, August 5, 2022, ceremony were the chief of Aninkroma, Nana Kofi Darko II, the MP for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon Benito Owusu Bio and DCE for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon Rebecca Yeboah. Chiefs and sub-chiefs in and around the community, elders, religious leaders, school children among others were also present to support the queenmother. Nana Akosua Akyaa II, known in private life as Mrs Dr Phyllis Tawiah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Metro Health Hospital at Abrepo junction in Kumasi, was enstooled on August 5, 2017. In her address, Nana Akyaa II expressed her profound gratitude to the chiefs, elders and the people for supporting her through her five years reign. She assured them of her selfless commitment to ensuring rapid growth of development of the community, especially in sanitation and education. She asked for unity among the people to continue to experience the peace that has existed in the community before, during and after her enstoolment. Without your support I wouldnt have reached where I am today, which I thank you so much. Lets continue to live in unity and harmony for the development of the community, she stressed. The crowning of the durbar was the commissioning of a Pre-School Library and ICT block built by the MP for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon Benito Owusu Bio. The block which will assist the foundation of the childrens education, according to the queenmother, is yet to be stocked with computers, which she called on individuals, groups and organizations for help. Hon Benito Owusu Bio, after the commissioning presented 180 pieces of school uniforms, 7 sacks of footwear, 12 pieces of streetlights and 180 pieces of cutlasses to the community. Hon Benito Owusu Bio promised to construct the Amakye Bare-Aninkroma road for smooth commuting and foodstuff transportation. The Member of Parliament for the Atebubu-Amantin constituency, Hon. Sanja Nanja has pledged his support for a child parliament project in his constituency. The project undertaken by the Atebubu-Amantin municipal office of the National Commission For Civic Education with funding from World Vision Ghana is aimed at imparting onto the children drawn mainly from first and second year pupils in junior high schools in the municipality, the workings of parliamentary democracy as well as the functions and importance of the legislative body. According to Mr. Patrick Tampugre the municipal director of the Commission, it also seeks to imbibe in them the art of public speaking, lobbying skills, and advocacy especially on issues affecting child well-being in their communities. Addressing the child-parliamentarians at an inaugural ceremony in Atebubu, the MP urged them to take the opportunity to study the duties of a Member of Parliament to help address some of the misconceptions that go with the functions of that office. He praised World Vision Ghana for the numerous interventions in the municipality over the years and called for adequate resources for the NCCE to enable it better execute its mandate. Hon. Sanja Nanja made a cash donation for the refreshment of the children. A representative of World Vision Ghana, Mr. Michael Clottey said the child parliament concept is in tandem with the focus of his outfit which is to ensure the wellbeing of children. He said as the non-governmental organization gets ready to exit the municipality, it is concerned with the sustainability of the gains it has made hence the decision to fund the project which he hoped will help children advocate for the necessary resources and facilities that will make life a bit more comfortable for their communities especially children. The forty member house deliberated on the issue of child marriage looking specifically at the causes, effects and remedies after which they took an oath of office administered by Hon. Gariba Issa who deputized for the municipal director of education. Present were Mr. Eric Boakye who represented the immediate past Member of Parliament for the constituency Hon. Kofi Amoakohene, Mr. Abdul Aziz Suglo Toyibu, Planning Officer of the municipal assembly who stood in for the Chief Executive and a number of teachers. One person has died while two others have been admitted at the hospital after a fire gutted a plastic melting factory and about four residential buildings at Kronum-Kyerase in the Suame municipality of the Ashanti region. According to officers from the Ghana National fire service, the fire started on the evening of Saturday at the plastic melting factory, but later spread to an 11-bedroom house and three other adjoining buildings. The fire caused destruction to the properties in the buildings. The Ghana National fire service says the deceased got trapped in the building in his attempt to help douse the flames in the early stages but lost his life when it escalated. The two others who have been admitted at the Breman Hospital are owners of the factory and the 11-bedroom house who lost consciousness due to the extent of the fire. The Breman Fire Stations Divisional Commander, DO3 Selasie Avevor noted that the intensity of the fire require more tools from personnel than usual. The regional office had to come in because it was polythene and with the polythene, we also had to use the foam concentrate, so we could douse the fire, he said as an example. We had to be very strategic. We had to be very tactical because the wind was not on our side, and it engulfed other adjoining buildings, he added. A foul-smelling liquid concocted from rotten eggs, cow dung and other natural ingredients is helping to save farmers' crops from hungry elephants in Uganda and Kenya. The smelly elephant repellent was tested on 30 farms in Uganda, near Murchison Falls National Park, and 10 farms in Kenya, next door to Tsavo East National Park. In Uganda, the mix stopped 82 percent of 309 elephant raids on crops, according to results published in the journal Diversity. In Kenya, it halted 63 percent of 24 raids. The repellent also contains chilli, ginger, garlic and the leaves of the neem tree, a species native to India that is widely grown in East Africa. These ingredients are crushed in a pestle, mixed with water, boiled and sieved before being left to mature for four weeks in an airtight container. Elephant strongholds All of those ingredients mix well together to make a horrible smell. To us it stinks, but we don't know how elephants perceive it, Lydia Tiller, co-author of the Diversity study, told RFI. I think what it does is mask the smell of ripening crops because it is so bad and so powerful. Elephants in Africa frequently invade crops of farmers living next door to national parks, and sometimes they kill people. The crops of Ugandan and Kenyan farming communities involved in the study are frequent targets. The farms in Kenya's Lower Sagalla area live next door to Tsavo East, part of the Tsavo Conservation Area, which is home to nearly 15,000 elephants. The Latoro farming area in Uganda is near the northern boundary of Murchison Falls National Park, home to 1,300 elephants. For the study, the repellent was either sprayed onto one-acre plots of crops with hand operated backpack sprayers or placed in repurposed plastic bottles hung on a single-strand fence made from wire or string slung between sticks. The bottles were perforated with holes to let the odour out. Control sites of one-acre plots left without protection from the repellent were established at the farms in the study. 'Footprints walking away' Tiller, who is also a research and science manager with Nairobi-based conservation charity Save the Elephants, said in the Kenyan field site tracks left by elephants bent on night time crop-raiding showed how they were brought up short by the stench. If elephants tried to break through the fence we'd go the next day and see footprints up to the fence, pretty close, and then see the footprints walking away, she said. It is thought the Kenyan field trial was less effective than the Ugandan one because the area is so hot and dry. The repellent which was only applied once per farming season during the three-year-long study dried up more quickly and became less potent. The study authors advise applying the repellent at least twice per season to ensure it remains effective. In Kenya, only the fence-line method was used. In Uganda, the repellent was also sprayed onto crops, where it was found to act as an organic fertilizer and pesticide. Some of the testimonies from farmers who sprayed it on their crops were, 'I've grown cabbages four times larger than I've ever seen', said Marion Robertson, East Africa representative for conservation group WildAid and co-author of the study. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has commiserated with the family and the entire ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) fraternity over the demise of Mr Harona Esseku, former National Chairman of the Party. In a statement posted on his social media handles, Dr Bawumia wrote: I have received with shock the passing of Hon. Haruna Esseku. Chairman Esseku was an industrious son of Ghana who served diligently as a Member of Parliament and also Transportation and Communication Minister in the Second Republic. He was a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP: Development in Freedom) who represented the Awutu-Effutu Senya District and again became the National Chairman in 2001. My condolences to the immediate family and the NPP. May Chairman's gentle soul find peaceful rest, the Vice President stated. A statement from the family said Mr Esseku died on Wednesday, August 3, 2022. The late Esseku was a founding member of the NPP who became Chairman of the Party in 2001 till 2005. At age 35, Mr Esseku became the youngest Cabinet Minister for Transport and Communications under the Busia's Administration in the Second Republic. His political career started in 1968 when he was elected by the Awutus, Effutus, Gomoas and Agonas to represent them at the Constituent Assembly during the drafting of the Constitution of the Second Republic. When the Progress Party was formed in 1969, Mr Esseku was one of the leading members. In the elections that took place on 29 August that year, Esseku was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Awutu-Effutu-Senya Constituency. At the onset of the Third Republic, he became a founding member of the Popular Front Party and later a member of the Steering Committee of the Party. President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2007 conferred on him a national honour- the Order of the Star of Ghana Award. He was married to Janet Esseku, a Ghanaian broadcaster who worked with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. The burial and funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course. Source: GNA US Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicked off a three-nation African trip Sunday paying tribute to the Soweto Uprising, a student protest whose tragic ending galvanised the world against the apartheid regime. His visit comes as Washington scales up diplomacy to counter Russian influence on the continent and follows hot on the heels of an extensive tour of Africa by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. For his first stop, the US top diplomat chose South Africa, a leader in the developing world, which has remained neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow, which had opposed apartheid before the end of white minority rule in 1994. Blinken laid a wreath and toured the Hector Pieterson Museum, built in memory of students killed in a 1976 protest which became one of the watersheds in the anti-apartheid movement. It was named after the 12-year-old boy who was the first to be shot and killed by police on June 16, 1976. During the afternoon visit to Soweto township, the heartland of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle, Blinken was shown around the museum by Pieterson's sister Antoinette Sithole. "What's so extraordinary about this museum is that it's living history because it's inspiring people to see the power that young people can have to make change," Blinken said after the tour. He made reference to the iconic black-and-white picture of a dying Hector Pieterson being carried away by a teary fellow student after security forces opened fire on the young protesters. The photograph "probably did as much to open hearts and open minds and raise consciousness about apartheid and about the struggle for equality and freedom as anything". Pieterson's story "really resonates because we have our own struggle for freedom and equality in the United States", Blinken said. Over 170 were gunned down when thousands of black students protested at being forced to study in Afrikaans, the language of the white-minority regime. Blinken will Monday hold talks with South African counterpart Naledi Pandor and also make a policy announcement on the US government's new Africa strategy, Pretoria said in a statement. 'Competition over' Africa The two will "discuss ongoing and recent developments relating to the global geopolitical situation," it said. Blinken's three-nation African trip comes as Washington scales up diplomacy to counter Russian influence on the continent. By Andrew Harnik (POOL/AFP) The US State Department last month said African countries were "geostrategic players and critical partners on the most pressing issues of our day". Vulnerable countries in Africa and elsewhere in the world have been hard hit by the fallout from the Ukraine war that has sent prices of fuel and food soaring. Powerhouse South Africa belongs to a group of emerging economies called BRICS. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged BRICS countries --Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- to cooperate in the face of "selfish actions" from the West. For Fonteh Akum, head of the Pretoria-based think tank Institute for Security Studies, Blinken's visit will help the US understand the southern African country's position. It will also aim "to bring South Africa further into the Western fold", Akum told AFP. The US wants to "engage differently and... move towards understanding Africa's agency in international relations and therefore the growth in diplomatic engagements," the expert said. Blinken's trip follows a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Benin, Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau late last month. Lavrov's Africa trip took him to Congo-Brazzaville, Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda. That Blinken is coming after Lavrov and Macron, "basically shows that Africa is entering a phase within which there is another bout of great power competition over the continent," said Akum. It is Blinken's second trip to Africa since his appointment early last year. He will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo later this week, with the aim of boosting support for sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country as it battles to turn the page on decades of conflict. Blinken's tour will then wind up in Rwanda, which has seen a flare-up in tensions with DR Congo after it accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels, a charge Kigali denies. August 07, 2022 'Western' Conflict Reporting Has Come Down To "Officials On Our Side Said ..." Larry Johnson is rightfully appalled by a New York Times piece that quotes a lot from 'officials' but fails to check any of their obviously false claims: I never cease to be amazed by the utter failure of journalists to assemble facts. I think it boils down to laziness. Why should you do any independent research or thinking that requires you to go to the front lines when you can gobble up and regurgitate pre-packaged talking points? You get paid the same and hell, you might even get a Pulitzer if you are the most enthusiastic purveyor of regime bullshit. A recent piece in the New York Times, Russias Shortfalls Create an Opportunity for Ukraine, Western Officials Say, illustrates this phenomena. Here are the salient points from the article by Julian Barnes and Eric Schmitt: ... The NYT piece is also available here. I am not going to join Larry in dispelling the myths those 'journalists' try to spread. These people do not go out into the field to look at the facts. They do not consult frontline maps, casualty statistics, structure of forces or economic data. They have no experience in the art of war. They are mere stenographers, highly paid ones, who hang on the lips of 'officials' and write down whatever the 'sources' who invite them want them to tell. Hard to believe that? Well, here is the sourcing mentioned in the NYT piece Larry Johnson is raging about: ..., U.S. and European officials said. U.S. and European officials say ... Russia has announced, and the West has predicted, ... Russian commanders said ... NATO and other officials say ... These officials concede ... ... said senior U.S. military officials and American lawmakers ... these officials said. ... said Representative Elissa Slotkin ... a senior Defense Department official said recently. European officials said, ... ... according to U.S. and allied intelligence officials ... Western intelligence officials said American intelligence reports have said ... ... according to officials briefed on the assessments. American officials said ... Western intelligence officials say ... ... one Western intelligence official compared to ... ... the Western officials said. By some intelligence estimates ... ... American officials said. ... according to Western intelligence officials. ... Ukrainian officials said, ... Senior U.S. military officers said ... Brig. Christopher King, the top British officer at a military cell in Stuttgart, Germany, ... said ... And a senior Ukrainian military official said ... ... the official added ... American and Western intelligence assessments ... American and British officials said ... Representative Michael Waltz, Republican of Florida, ... said ... President Volodymyr Zelensky told the members of Congress ... ... Mr. Waltz said. This is not even 'he said she said' journalism. This is pure stenography of claims one side of a conflict makes without any attempt to check the dubious veracity of those claims. The New York Times is not alone in producing such bullshit. A recent Washington Post piece, Russias vow to annex occupied Ukraine sparks divisions, pleas for aid, is following the very same scheme: Russias vow to annex pockets of occupied Ukraine has presented the United States and its partners with a predicament, as trepidation grows in Washington and Kyiv over whether the West is positioned to avert a pivotal shift in the war as soon as next month. What 'pivotal shift' are they talking about? Russia has been winning this war from day one on. That is not going to change. Four authors, Karoun Demirjian, Karen DeYoung, Loveday Morris and Michael Birnbaum, were needed to assemble the nonsense. Here are the sources they mention: ... critics of the Biden administrations response say ... Russias vow to ... Russian leaders have signaled ... Secretary of State Antony Blinken and senior White House officials have warned ... ... critics of the Biden administrations response thus far ... contend ... ... the West say ... ... said Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), ... The congressman noted that ... ... Waltz said, ... The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond ... The countrys foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has said ... The government in Kyiv has ... Zelensky warning that ... Biden administration officials insist ... Western assessments of the conflict routinely cite ... while amplifying ... In more than a dozen interviews and briefings, officials from the White House, the State Department, the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community defended ... These officials downplayed ... ... said Pentagon spokesman Todd Breasseale. ... some senior U.S. officials have said ... Zelenskys advisers have been adamant that ... ... Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov, said in an interview. ... the U.S. intelligence community changed ... officials say. ... according to officials familiar with the information sharing. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity ... ... while Western allies say ... ... said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), ... The European Commission on Monday said ... Some have pointed to ... ... according to Rafael Loss, a Berlin-based analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Critics note ... ... the European Union last week agreed ... ... said Sam Charap, a Russia specialist and political scientist at the RAND Corporation. ... he said. Latvias foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, acknowledged ... But he dismissed ... ... Rinkevics said in an interview. Putin caused a stir by announcing that ... Western officials say ... Sak, the aide to Ukraines defense minister, praised ... ... he said, ... ... Sak said. At the bottom of the piece the Post lets its readers know where its 'reporters' of that piece, about Ukraine(!), are stenographing from: Birnbaum reported from Athens. Morris reported from Berlin. Shane Harris in Washington and Florian Neuhof in Berlin contributed to this report. What is terrifying about such pieces is that 'officials' in Washington and Europe are actually reading such stuff and come to believe in it. They are consuming the myths they themselves produce and then act on them. They thereby ignore history, basic facts and the very real life of the people who become casualties of their wars. --- Listen to Roger Waters as he confronts another dimwit 'journalist' (vid) with reality. Posted by b on August 7, 2022 at 8:12 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page Pop 'n' Good air pop their popcorn and their range is wholegrain, gluten free, dairy free and wheat free. Pop n Good Popcorn really is popping good and is available in these great varieties: Light and Buttery, Butter Max, Sweet and Salty, Caramel, Salted Caramel, Fruitti, Seasalt and Popping Corn Kernels. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Six more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization Sunday to leave the countrys Black Sea coast as analysts warned that Russia was moving troops and equipment in the direction of the southern port cities to stave off a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukraine and Russia also accused each other of shelling Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The loaded vessels were cleared to depart from Chornomorsk and Odesa, according to the Joint Coordination Center, which oversees an international deal intended to get some 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine to feed millions going hungry in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations signed the agreements last month to create a 111-nautical-mile sea corridor that would allow cargo ships to travel safely out of ports that Russias military had blockaded and through waters that Ukraines military had mined. Implementation of the deal, which is in effect for four months, has proceeded slowly since the first ship embarked on Aug. 1. Four of the carriers cleared Sunday to leave Ukraine were transporting more than 219,000 tons of corn. The fifth was carrying more than 6,600 tons of sunflower oil and the sixth 11,000 tons of soya, the Joint Coordination Center said. Three other cargo ships that left Friday passed their inspections and received clearance Sunday to pass through Turkeys Bosporus Strait on the way to their final destinations, the Center said. However, the vessel that left Ukraine last Monday with great fanfare as the first under the grain exports deal had its scheduled arrival in Lebanon delayed Sunday, according to a Lebanese Cabinet minister and the Ukraine Embassy. The cause of the delay was not immediately clear. Ukrainian officials were initially skeptical of a grain export deal, citing suspicions that Moscow would try to exploit shipping activity to mass troops offshore or send long-range missiles from the Black Sea, as it has done multiple times during the war. The agreements call for ships to leave Ukraine under military escort and to undergo inspections to make sure they carry only grain, fertilizer or food and not any other commodities. Inbound cargo vessels are checked to ensure they are not carrying weapons. In a weekend analysis, Britain's Defense Ministry said the Russian invasion that started Feb. 24 is about to enter a new phase in which the fighting would shift to a roughly 350-kilometer (217-mile) front line extending from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson. That area includes the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station which came under fire late Saturday. Each side accused the other of the attack. Ukraines nuclear power plant operator, Energoatom, said Russian shelling damaged three radiation monitors around the storage facility for spent nuclear fuels and that one worker was injured. Russian news agencies, citing the separatist-run administration of the plant, said Ukrainian forces fired those shells. Russian forces have occupied the power station for months. Russian soldiers there took shelter in bunkers before Saturdays attack, according to Energoatom. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recently warned that the way the plant was being run and the fighting going on around it posed grave health and environmental threats. For the last four months of the war, Russia has concentrated on capturing the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have controlled some territory as self-proclaimed republics for eight years. Russian forces have made gradual headway in the region while launching missile and rocket attacks to curtail the movements of Ukrainian fighters elsewhere. The Russians are continuing to accumulate large quantities of military equipment in a town across the Dnieper River from Russian-held Kherson, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. Citing local Ukrainian officials, it said the preparations appeared designed to defend logistics routes to the city and establish defensive positions on the rivers left bank. Kherson came under Russian control early in the war and Ukrainian officials have vowed to retake it. It is just 227 kilometers (141 miles) from Odesa, home to Ukraines biggest port, so the conflict escalating there could have repercussions for the international grain deal. The city of Mykolaiv, a shipbuilding center that Russian forces bombard daily, is even closer to Odesa. The Mykolaiv regions governor, Vitaliy Kim, said an industrial facility on the regional capitals outskirts came under fire early Sunday. Over the past day, five civilians were killed by Russian and separatist firing on cities in the Donetsk region, the part of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, the regional governor, Serhiy Haidai, reported. He and Ukrainian government officials have repeatedly urged civilians to evacuate. ___ Andrew Wilks contributed reporting from Istanbul. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Alex Jones is facing a hefty price tag for his lies about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre $49.3 million in damages, and counting, for claiming the nations deadliest school shooting was a hoax a punishing salvo in a fledgling war on harmful misinformation. But what does this weeks verdict, the first of three Sandy Hook-related cases against Jones to be decided, mean for the larger misinformation ecosystem, a social media-fueled world of election denial, COVID-19 skepticism and other dubious claims that the Infowars conspiracy theorist helped build? I think a lot of people are thinking of this as sort of a blow against fake news, and its important to realize that libel law deals with a very particular kind of fake news, said Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment professor at the UCLA School of Law. U.S. courts have long held that defamatory statements falsehoods damaging the reputation of a person or a business aren't protected as free speech, but lies about other subjects, like science, history or the government, are. For example, saying COVID-19 isn't real is not defamatory, but spreading lies about a doctor treating coronavirus patients is. That distinction is why Jones, who attacked the parents of Sandy Hook victims and claimed the 2012 shooting was staged with actors to increase gun control, is being forced to pay up while Holocaust deniers, flat-earthers and vaccine skeptics are free to post their theories without much fear of a multimillion-dollar court judgment. Alex Jones was attacking individuals, said Stephen D. Solomon, a law professor and founding editor of New York Universitys First Amendment Watch. And thats important. A lot of disinformation does not attack individuals. Lawyers for the plaintiffs, the parents of one of 20 first graders killed at the Connecticut school in 2012, said they hoped a big-money verdict against Jones would serve as a deterrent to him and others who peddle misinformation for profit. I am asking you to take the bullhorn away from Alex Jones and all of the others who believe they can profit off of fear and misinformation, Wesley Ball said in his closing argument Friday. The gold rush of fear and misinformation must end, and it must end today." Jones, who has since acknowledged that the shooting was real, has claimed his statements about Sandy Hook were protected by the First Amendment. He even showed up to court with Save the 1st scrawled on a piece of tape over his mouth. But despite the public theatrics, Jones never got to make that argument in court. After Jones failed to comply with orders to hand over critical evidence, a judge entered a default judgment for the plaintiffs and skipped right to the punishment phase. Jones lawyer Andino Reynal told the jury during closing arguments that a large judgment would have a chilling effect on people seeking to hold governments accountable. Youve already sent a message. A message for the first time to a talk show host, to all talk show hosts, that their standard of care has to change, Reynal told jurors. Free speech experts say any chilling effect should be limited to people who wantonly disseminate false information, not journalists or other citizens making good-faith efforts to get at the truth of a matter. You have to look at this particular case and ask yourself, what exactly are you chilling? Solomon said. The kind of speech that defames parents who have lost their children in a massacre is maybe the kind of speech you do want to deter. You do want to chill that speech, Solomon said. Thats the message that potentially the jury wanted to send here, that this is unacceptable in a civilized society. As for Jones, Reynal said he isn't going away any time soon. He'll remain on the air while they appeal the verdict, one of the largest and highest-profile decisions in a defamation case in recent years. Among others: a gadfly ordered in February to pay $50 million to a South Carolina mayor after accusing her in emails of committing a crime and being unfit for office; a former tenant ordered in 2016 to pay $38.3 million for posting a website accusing a real estate investor of running a Ponzi scheme; and a New Hampshire mortgage provider ordered in 2017 to pay $274 million to three businessmen after he posted billboards accusing them of drug dealing and extortion. These kinds of damages and verdicts do have a chilling effect, Volokh said. Theyre intended to have a chilling effect on lies that damage peoples reputations. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak ___ Find APs full coverage of the Alex Jones trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/alex-jones This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FANCY FARM, Ky. (AP) While Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was consoling families displaced by historic flooding in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Republicans at the states premier political event on the other side of the state were campaigning to oust him from office in 2023. GOP candidates speaking at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky bashed the Democratic governor's record earlier in this term, especially his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. But they also offered support for recovery efforts that Beshear is leading in the wake of historic flooding and tornadoes. While his challengers aimed zingers at him, Beshear spent the day meeting with families displaced by flash flooding that swamped the Appalachian region more than a week ago, killing 37. Beshear visited two state parks where some of the suddenly homeless took refuge. Today Im at our state parks, spending time with our eastern Kentucky families who have been displaced from the catastrophic flooding," Beshear posted on social media. "These Kentuckians have been through the unimaginable. My priority is being there for them. Last December, deadly tornadoes tore through parts of western Kentucky. The political speaking at the annual Fancy Farm picnic the traditional start of the fall campaign in Kentucky took place about 10 miles (16 kilometer) from Mayfield, which took a direct hit from a tornado. Living up to the event's reputation for edgy attacks, Republicans wanting to unseat Beshear took aim at restrictions that the governor imposed on businesses and gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor has said his actions saved lives at a perilous time when vaccines were not available. The state's GOP-dominated legislature reined in the governor's virus policymaking power in a case settled by the state's Supreme Court. GOP gubernatorial hopeful Ryan Quarles referred to Beshear as the "shutdown governor." He shut down our economy, said Quarles, the state's agriculture commissioner. "He shut down our mom and pop stores. He killed countless jobs and kept the big box stores open. Folks, just because we lived through a global pandemic doesn't mean that our rights, our freedoms and liberties should be tossed out the window, he added. In his speech, Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Colmon Elridge came to the defense of Beshear, who consistently receives strong approval ratings from Kentuckians in polls. Elridge praised Beshear's efforts in leading recovery efforts in tornado-ravaged western Kentucky and said he'll do the same for flood victims in the state's Appalachian region. Once again, our governor is showing through his actions how we show up in moments of devastation and embrace our fellow Kentuckian, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Kentuckians, Elridge said. The governor is highlighting his management of the state's economy in asking voters for a second term. Kentucky has posted records for job creation and investments during his term and recently posted its lowest-ever unemployment rates. Beshear was already a committed no-show for the state's premiere political event. The governor initially planned a visit to Israel that coincided with the Fancy Farm picnic. He canceled that trip after the massive flooding hit eastern Kentucky. The Fancy Farm stage was dominated by Republican officeholders reflecting the GOP's electoral dominance. The event is a rite of passage for statewide candidates, who are tested in stump-style speeches in the August heat while facing taunts and shouts from partisans from the other party. The political attacks were punctuated by calls for continued public support for people rebuilding from tornadoes and facing the same daunting task in flood-ravaged areas. We might be sharing a few laughs today, but whether were Republican or Democrat, know that we are with you," said GOP gubernatorial hopeful Daniel Cameron. "When natural disasters strike, we take off our partisan hats and we root for each other. We help repair and we help rebuild. Cameron then shifted into promoting his candidacy. He touted his endorsement from former President Donald Trump and his work as the state's attorney general in defending Kentuckys anti-abortion laws and fighting Biden administration policies in court. I am the best candidate and the only candidate that can beat Andy Beshear next fall, Cameron said. Two other GOP gubernatorial candidates also made pitches to the crowd and a statewide television audience that watched state Auditor Mike Harmon and state Rep. Savannah Maddox. The still-emerging 2023 governor's race already is overshadowing the state's top-of-the-ticket race this year the contest between Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic challenger Charles Booker. Paul was unable to attend the picnic because of Senate duties. Also missing from the political speaking Saturday was Kentucky's most powerful Republican, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. A picnic mainstay for decades, McConnell relishes the verbal combat but also missed the event because of Senate duties. In a Senate speech Saturday, McConnell said the federal role in the long recovery for flood-damaged areas in his home state will grow once the rebuilding begins. Soon Ill visit the region myself to meet with flood victims and listen to their concerns," McConnell said. "Then Ill take what I hear from my constituents back to Washington and ensure we stand by their side as we rebuild bigger and better than before. Biden declared a federal disaster to direct relief money to hard-hit Kentucky counties. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Marcus Eliason, an international journalist whose insightful reporting, sparkling prose and skillful editing graced Associated Press news wires for almost a half-century, has died. He was 75. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, developed pneumonia earlier this week at a nursing home, and died on Friday in a New York hospital, his family said. From Israel and the 1967 Six-Day War to apartheid-era South Africa and on to Afghan battlegrounds, bloody Belfast, the Iron Curtains fall, the handover of Hong Kong and countless other datelines and stories, Eliason witnessed and reported on some of the great world events of the 20th centurys final decades. And when that century drew to a close, it was the Eliason touch that greeted the new one. From East to West and North to South, the world welcomed the new millennium in a shimmering tapestry of song and light that rippled around the globe, he led off APs main article on January 1, 2000. By then he had moved on to his final posting, from which he retired in 2014, as a New York-based editor of some of AP's biggest stories and projects and, finally, as chief editor for international feature stories, a valued guiding hand for scores of AP reporters worldwide. A classic AP go-to guy is gone, said former AP President and CEO Louis D. Boccardi. Even a quick look at the outline of his assignments, both abroad and here at home, says it all. If there was a tough assignment that needed a steady hand, Marcus was often the choice. Marcus was a wonderful writer and editor, erudite, wise and supporting, said former AP International Editor John Daniszewski, now the AP's vice president and editor-at-large for standards. Observed Claude Erbsen, a longtime correspondent and global AP executive: He could make words sing and dance. Jack Marcus Eliason was born on Oct. 19, 1946, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to Jewish immigrant parents from Europe, grew up in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and moved as a teenager with his parents to Israel. At age 20, after a brief apprenticeship at The Jerusalem Post, Eliason joined the AP bureau in Tel Aviv as a messenger and trainee puncher, or operator of the Telex machine used to transmit stories. A month later, on June 6, 1967, the Arab-Israeli conflict known as the Six-Day War broke out. When the new hire arrived at work and was chastised for not rushing in earlier, he told of having to buy emergency groceries for his mother, dig a backyard bomb shelter, pick up stranded hitchhikers, and so on. Dont stand there talking about it, kid, an old hand growled. Write it down. He did, launching a sterling career in news and being promoted to staff reporter a year later. Once asked how he learned to write so well, he replied, By punching the great copy of journalists in the AP bureau in Tel Aviv. Through the 1970s, the Eliason byline topped some of the biggest stories from the Middle East: terror attacks and Israeli government turmoil, another Arab-Israeli war, Anwar Sadats history-making 1977 visit to Jerusalem. Anwar Sadat, president of Egypt, had landed in Israel on a mission of peace. The time was 7:59 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19, he reported. For Israelis, and doubtlessly for Egyptians, too, it was more stupendous than Neil Armstrongs foot touching the moon. In 1978, Eliason was posted to the AP bureau in Paris, where among many other assignments he covered the exiled Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as he led, from afar, the Islamist revolution in Iran. After a stint back in Israel, Eliason transferred to London, where he rose to news editor. His astute reporting and masterful prose stood out in one of APs premier writing bureaus, whether covering the bloodshed of the Troubles in Northern Ireland or having fun with British eccentrics like the worlds worst poet, William McGonagall. Scotland does its poets proud, and no town is without its statue to Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott or Robert Louis Stevenson, Eliason wrote from Dundee. But mention The Great McGonagall in his hometown and reactions range from a fond chuckle to pained silence. He next returned to Israel, this time as chief of bureau, leading a staff of prize-winning reporters and photojournalists in the 1990s, overseeing the nonstop flow of news of Palestinian uprisings, intermittent Arab-Israeli peace talks, Israeli political battles and Scud missile attacks from Saddam Hussein's Iraq. From there, he moved on to his final international assignment, in Hong Kong, where he ran coverage of the 1997 handover of the British colony to Chinese control, writing all the while. Throughout the decades, the AP also tapped the talents of the big, gregarious Israeli with the South African accent a high school graduate whose insatiable reading and store of knowledge often amazed colleagues for temporary assignments in some of the worlds hottest spots, on some of the eras most important stories. He reported from Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion of that country in 1979 and from his southern African homeland during the worst of its anti-apartheid upheavals. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the AP dispatched Eliason to travel along the former Iron Curtain border to interview ordinary citizens and write an in-depth report on the meaning of that epic chapter of 20th-century history. In 1997, he left Hong Kong for AP headquarters in New York and a job as lead editor for feature articles from around the world, an acknowledged master becoming an understanding mentor for a cadre of younger foreign correspondents, from Beijing to Berlin to Buenos Aires. He was one of those journalism heroes I had as a young writer those fascinating, unattainable bylines, said one of those correspondents, Ted Anthony, now AP's director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation. Then he became the greatest editor Ive ever had, an astonishing mix of encourager and enforcer. And a dear friend. When he retired after 47 unbroken years with the AP, Eliason remarked that Im a guy who has worked all his life. No fellowships, no sabbaticals, no parental leaves. I was having way too much excitement for that. Leaving his desk for the last time, he heard the vast AP New York newsroom burst into applause. It was a gracious, spontaneous gesture that reminded me once again how lucky I have been, he later wrote. Said Boccardi: It was the AP that was lucky." Eliason is survived by Eva, his wife of 44 years and countless house moves and adventures; a daughter, Avital, of Tel Aviv, Israel, and a son, David, of New York. The family said he will be buried in Kadima, Israel. ___ Charles J. Hanley was a writer and editor for The Associated Press from 1968 to 2011. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SRINAGAR, India (AP) Police on Sunday detained dozens of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir as they dispersed Shiite Muslims who attempted to participate in processions marking the Muslim month of Muharram. Scores of Muslims defied severe security restrictions in parts of the main city of Srinagar and took to streets chanting religious slogans. The restrictions include a ban on the Shiite religious procession. Muharram is among the holiest months for Shiites across the world and and includes large processions of mourners beating their chests while reciting elegies and chanting slogans to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammads grandson Hussein and 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq. Sundays procession marked the eighth day of Muharram, two days before its peak on the day of Ashura. In 2020, dozens were injured as Indian forces fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse the procession. Some main Muharram processions have been banned in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir since an armed insurgency broke out in 1989 demanding the regions independence from India or its merger with neighboring Pakistan. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Kashmiri Muslims have long complained that the government is curbing their religious freedom on the pretext of maintaining law and order while promoting an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan Amarnath Shrine in Kashmir that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. The ongoing Hindu pilgrimage has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors from across India amid massive security with tens of thousands of soldiers guarding the routes leading to the cave shrine. Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson arrive at the In America: An Anthology of Fashion-themed Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, May 2, 2022. An Air Force aircraft under the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army gets refueled mid-air during military exercises in the waters around Taiwan, in this screengrab from an Aug. 4, 2022 video release. People walk by the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan, New York City where migrants have arrived from Texas under the order of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 5, 2022. In search of Amelia Earhart at the Old Japanese Jail. Top: Midshipman Aidan Otero, Walt F.J. Goodridge (guide), Capt. Bob Qu. Middle: Midshipmen Carson Hillier, Ava Izenour and Col. Maria "MJ" Pallotta. Front: Midshipmen Becca Vavasseur, Molly Mangan, Charlie Sewell and Ellie Dabney. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Mary Altaffer/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Noah K. Murray/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Cara Mund, a former Miss America who gained attention by criticizing the organization near the end of her reign in 2018, plans to run for Congress in North Dakota as an independent. Mund announced her candidacy Saturday and said she would start gathering the 1,000 signatures she needs to get on the ballot, the Bismarck Tribune reported. "Secret Headquarters" (Paramount, theaters): A kid (Walker Scobell of "The Adam Project") discovers a superhero's secret headquarters in the basement of his home. "Easter Sunday" (Universal): Stand-up Jo Koy stars in this Jay Chandrasekhar-directed comedy about returning home to his Filipino American family for the holiday. "Bodies, Bodies, Bodies" (A24, theaters): Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova star as teens partying in a remote mansion in this satirical horror that has been described as "Scream" meets "Euphoria." "Resurrection" (IFC, theaters): Rebecca Hall in a psychological horror is always a safe bet. "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie" (Netflix): Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey are back together to fight the Krang in this animated pic. Aug. 12 "Mack & Rita" (Gravitas Premiere, theaters): A 30-something (Elizabeth Lail) who always has dreamed of being like her grandmother (Diane Keaton) gets more than she wished for when she emerges from a sound bath as a 70-year-old. "13: The Musical" (Netflix): A New York City kid relocates to small-town Indiana on the verge of his 13th birthday in this Tamra Davis film, with Debra Messing and Rhea Perlman. "Day Shift" (Netflix): Jamie Foxx is a pool cleaner in the San Fernando Valley by day and a vampire hunter at night. "AM I OK?" (HBO Max, on Aug. 11): Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is having a later-in-life revelation that isn't helped by the fact that her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) is moving away in this comedic-drama co-directed by Tig Notaro. "Emily the Criminal" (Roadside Attractions, theaters): Aubrey Plaza resorts to crime in this Sundance breakout. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Police say the killing of a Muslim man on Friday night in Albuquerque may be linked to the ambush shooting deaths of three Muslim men over the past nine months in New Mexicos biggest city. Police said Saturday that the victim in the latest killing was a Muslim from South Asia who is believed to be in his mid-20s. The man, whose identity hasnt yet been confirmed by investigators, was found dead after police received a call of a shooting. Earlier this week, police confirmed that local detectives and federal law enforcement officers were looking for possible ties among the separate crimes. Two of the men Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41 were killed in the past week, and both were from Pakistan and members of the same mosque. The third case involves the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, a Muslim man of South Asian descent. There is reason to believe this death is related to those shootings, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said during a news conference Saturday. Police declined to say whether the killing on Friday night was carried out in a way similar to the other deaths. Authorities say they cant say yet if the shootings were hate crimes until they have identified a suspect and can determine a motive. The killings came as Albuquerque is on pace for another record-setting year of homicides. Our community has been devastated, as you can imagine, said Ahmad Assed, the president of Islamic Center of New Mexico. We have never gone through anything like this before. This is really a surreal time for us. A $15,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest. Bangladesh seeks China help to repatriate Rohingya refugees View Photo DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Bangladesh on Sunday sought cooperation from China to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar during a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who promised better trade ties, investment and support for infrastructure development in the South Asian nation. China had used its influence in Myanmar to broker a November 2017 agreement to repatriate about 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar in August that year. Despite attempts to send them back, the refugees refused, fearing danger in Myanmar, which was exacerbated by the military takeover last year. Wang arrived in Dhaka on Saturday and met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen. They discussed bilateral and global issues before his departure Sunday, said Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs junior minister for foreign affairs. Bangladesh has strong relations with China, which is a major trade partner mostly for raw materials. But maintaining close ties with Beijing is challenging for Bangladesh, which also balances diplomatic and trade relationship with both India and the United States, Chinas main rivals. More than 500 Chinese companies are active in Bangladesh. China is involved in the countrys all major infrastructure projects such as seaports, a river tunnel and highways, and helped build its largest bridge over the River Padma at a cost of $3.6 billion. Amid recent tensions between China and Taiwan, Bangladesh issued a statement reiterating its support for the one-China policy. After winning elections in 2008, Hasinas administration closed the Taiwanese business representative office in Dhaka in response to a request from China, and since then China has increased its engagement in Bangladesh. Bangladeshs garment industry, which brings in more than 80% of foreign currency from exports, is heavily dependent on China for raw materials. On Sunday, Wang told Hasina during a courtesy call that his country considers Bangladesh as a strategic development partner and would continue to support it, said Ihsanul Karim, the presidential press secretary. The United News of Bangladesh agency reported that Wang also promised to stand beside Bangladesh on all issues at international forums. The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, state-run news agency, reported that Hasina raised the global tensions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow, saying people (across the world) are enduring difficult times South Asia, Southeast Asia and China can work together for economic progress. Alam said that Wang agreed to expand trade benefits by raising to 98% duty-free access from current 97% of Bangladeshi products and services to Chinese markets. Its a good news for Bangladesh as we have a thriving economy based on exports, Alam said. Now they have offered another 1% from Sept. 1, he said, adding that the new tax advantage is likely to include garments, woven and other products that had previously faced some barriers. He said Bangladesh would get a list from China soon about the products and services that would get duty-free access. Alam said that Wang explained to the Bangladeshi foreign minister that some countries misunderstand and misinterpret China. He did not elaborate. But Momen told reporters separately that the Chinese minister mentioned that a section of Taiwanese people was being provoked against the sovereignty of China. Beijing considers self-governed Taiwan to be its own territory. The junior minister said China pledged to work continuously to resolve the Rohingya crisis and quoted Wang as saying that Myanmars internal challenges were troubling other countries. Our foreign minister strongly reiterated that Chinese cooperation is needed. China has progressed on resolving the Rohingya issue and we need the situation to come to an end, Alam said. On Sunday, Bangladesh and China signed or renewed four agreements and memorandums of understanding on disaster management, infrastructure and cultural exchanges. Analyst Munshi Faiz Ahmad, who served as Bangladeshi ambassador in Beijing, said Wangs visit was very significant for both countries. To resolve the Rohingya crisis Bangladesh needs support from China. This visit will help strengthen the bilateral relations, Ahmad told The Associated Press. To us, China is very important. We also need to maintain good relations with both India and the United States as they are also very important development partners of Bangladesh. There is nothing to be afraid of because of Bangladeshs close ties with China, he said. By JULHAS ALAM Associated Press Firefighters battle big blaze at Cuba tank farm for 2nd day View Photo HAVANA (AP) Cuban firefighters were joined by special teams sent by Mexico and Venezuela on Sunday as they battled for a second day to control a fire blazing at a big oil tank farm in the western province of Matanzas. The blaze began Friday night when lightning struck a storage tank during a thunder storm, and the fire spread to a second tank early Saturday, triggering a series of explosions, officials have said. The mission of the day is to keep the third tank cold, in hopes of preventing the flames from spreading into more of the site, provincial Gov. Mario Sabines said. Most of the fuel held in the tank where the fire initially started was believed to have been consumed, officials said. Authorities said a body found at the site Saturday had been identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60. Officials previously said a group of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to quell flames, but there was no word if he was one of those. Conditions were still too dangerous to mount a search for the missing firefighters, officials said. A total of 122 people were treated for injuries, including five that officials said were in critical condition. The governor said 4,946 people had been evacuated, mostly from the Dubrocq neighborhood, which is next to the Matanzas Supertanker Base in Matanzas city. The facilitys eight huge storage tanks hold oil used to fuel electricity generation. Dense black smoke billowed up from the tank farm and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said Sunday that the cloud contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. The disaster comes as Cuba struggles with a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent power blackouts hitting during a torrid summer. It was unknown how much fuel had been lost to the flames. Cubas government had appealed for help Saturday from oil nations, and specialized firefighting teams began arriving with their equipment from Mexico and Venezuela late Saturday. They brought helicopters and specialized chemicals for fighting oil fire. The support (is) in the prevention of risks and also help to quell the fire by means of cooling based on water and foam, Mexican Brig. Gen. Juan Bravo said upon arrival. We hope that more support will arrive soon, such as chemical material. President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with the heads of the teams from Mexico and Venezuela to coordinate efforts for controlling the blaze. He later told Cuban media he appreciated the help, since Cuba doesnt have experience or resources for dealing with fires of such magnitude. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Saturday evening that the U.S. government had offered technical help. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. Minutes later, the president thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ Associated Press Kentucky candidates struggle when describing 2020 election View Photo FANCY FARM, Ky. (AP) Kentucky Republicans came to the states premier political event this weekend intent on winning elections in November and beyond, but some candidates aspiring to become governor had a hard time coming to terms with Donald Trumps defeat in 2020. They gave parsed or tortured responses when asked if Democrat Joe Bidens victory over Trump for the presidency was fairly decided. Their tiptoeing was a sign of Trumps continued hold on many in the GOP, including in Kentucky, which he easily carried twice. That influence was evident Saturday as Trump supporters held large Trump Won signs as people gathered for the political speaking at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky. The signs promoting Trumps false claims of a rigged 2020 election drew cheers from Republican faithful. The stump-style speaking at the picnic shown on statewide TV is a rite of passage for statewide candidates in Kentucky. The GOP gubernatorial hopefuls will face off for the partys nomination next May. Trump has already weighed in on the Bluegrass States 2023 race for governor, endorsing GOP Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who is seeking a second term, skipped the picnic and spent Saturday consoling flood victims in eastern Kentucky. Cameron pointed to the Trump endorsement during his picnic speech. But he bristled at questions during the weekend about the ex-presidents unsupported claims of widespread election fraud in 2020. The election was fair and secure here in Kentucky, Cameron said to one of the questions from reporters. Look, weve got to focus on the future. And thats what this campaigns about. Cameron, however, distanced himself from the views of some die-hard Trump supporters, who believe the 2020 presidential election results should be overturned. President Biden is the president of the United States. I dont dispute that, said Cameron, who as attorney general has joined multiple lawsuits challenging Biden administration policies. Federal and state election officials and Trumps own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former presidents allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed. Cameron, who worked for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and counts him as a mentor, also refused to discuss the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The House panel investigating the attack has laid the blame on Trump, saying the assault wasnt spontaneous but an attempted coup and a direct result of the defeated presidents effort to overturn the election. Instead of discussing the Capitol siege, Cameron pointed to 2020 demonstrations spurred by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans in encounters with police. He said he doesnt get asked about protests that destroyed property in some of the nations cities. Cameron, who is Black, even cracked a joke about the Trump endorsement in his picnic speech in true Fancy Farm form, where zingers and spoofs are not only common but expected. Now people have speculated about how I got that endorsement. So today Im going to spill the beans. It was actually pretty easy. All I had to do was assure Trump that Mitch McConnell is not Makenzes grandfather, Cameron quipped, referring to his wife. Cameron was the only gubernatorial candidate to mention Trump, whose endorsement had been coveted by other GOP candidates for governor, from the Fancy Farm stage. In her picnic speech, state Rep. Savannah Maddox, another gubernatorial candidate, mentioned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as an authentic Republican who will fight for your constitutional rights and freedoms. Cameron wasnt the only GOP candidate to struggle answering Trump-related questions. Asked if he thinks Biden won fairly, Ryan Quarles replied that Kentucky had a secure election and that Trump won tremendously in the Bluegrass State. Quarles, the state agriculture commissioner, is also among the gubernatorial candidates seeking the GOP nomination to be decided next spring. I think that President Trump would be doing a lot better job than President Biden if he was in office today, Quarles added. Another gubernatorial hopeful, state Auditor Mike Harmon, gave a more than 140-word response when first asked if Biden won fairly. Harmon later said some key election-related controls were taken off but said he couldnt make an assessment one way or the other. Harmon said he wished there wasnt an attack on the Capitol, but also pointed to the damage and destruction of property during police-related protests, saying theres a lack of attention to that. Certainly, President Biden is serving as our president, Harmon said later. We need to pray for him just the same as we would pray for any of our presidents. And hopefully he provides guidance. Theres some things we wish he would do differently, obviously. By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Bangladesh on Sunday sought cooperation from China to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar during a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who promised better trade ties, investment and support for infrastructure development in the South Asian nation. China had used its influence in Myanmar to broker a November 2017 agreement to repatriate about 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar in August that year. Despite attempts to send them back, the refugees refused, fearing danger in Myanmar, which was exacerbated by the military takeover last year. Wang arrived in Dhaka on Saturday and met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen. They discussed bilateral and global issues before his departure Sunday, said Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs junior minister for foreign affairs. Bangladesh has strong relations with China, which is a major trade partner mostly for raw materials. But maintaining close ties with Beijing is challenging for Bangladesh, which also balances diplomatic and trade relationship with both India and the United States, China's main rivals. More than 500 Chinese companies are active in Bangladesh. China is involved in the countrys all major infrastructure projects such as seaports, a river tunnel and highways, and helped build its largest bridge over the River Padma at a cost of $3.6 billion. Amid recent tensions between China and Taiwan, Bangladesh issued a statement reiterating its support for the one-China policy. After winning elections in 2008, Hasinas administration closed the Taiwanese business representative office in Dhaka in response to a request from China, and since then China has increased its engagement in Bangladesh. Bangladeshs garment industry, which brings in more than 80% of foreign currency from exports, is heavily dependent on China for raw materials. On Sunday, Wang told Hasina during a courtesy call that his country considers Bangladesh as a strategic development partner and would continue to support it, said Ihsanul Karim, the presidential press secretary. The United News of Bangladesh agency reported that Wang also promised to stand beside Bangladesh on all issues at international forums." The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, state-run news agency, reported that Hasina raised the global tensions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow, saying "people (across the world) are enduring difficult times South Asia, Southeast Asia and China can work together for economic progress. Alam said that Wang agreed to expand trade benefits by raising to 98% duty-free access from current 97% of Bangladeshi products and services to Chinese markets. Its a good news for Bangladesh as we have a thriving economy based on exports, Alam said. "Now they have offered another 1% from Sept. 1, he said, adding that the new tax advantage is likely to include garments, woven and other products that had previously faced some barriers. He said Bangladesh would get a list from China soon about the products and services that would get duty-free access. Alam said that Wang explained to the Bangladeshi foreign minister that some countries misunderstand and misinterpret China. He did not elaborate. But Momen told reporters separately that the Chinese minister mentioned that a section of Taiwanese people was being provoked against the sovereignty of China. Beijing considers self-governed Taiwan to be its own territory. The junior minister said China pledged to work continuously to resolve the Rohingya crisis and quoted Wang as saying that Myanmar's internal challenges were troubling other countries. Our foreign minister strongly reiterated that Chinese cooperation is needed. China has progressed on resolving the Rohingya issue and we need the situation to come to an end, Alam said. On Sunday, Bangladesh and China signed or renewed four agreements and memorandums of understanding on disaster management, infrastructure and cultural exchanges. Analyst Munshi Faiz Ahmad, who served as Bangladeshi ambassador in Beijing, said Wang's visit was very significant for both countries. To resolve the Rohingya crisis Bangladesh needs support from China. This visit will help strengthen the bilateral relations," Ahmad told The Associated Press. To us, China is very important. We also need to maintain good relations with both India and the United States as they are also very important development partners of Bangladesh. There is nothing to be afraid of because of Bangladeshs close ties with China, he said. FISHERS, Ind. (AP) A young Indiana police officer who was killed during an early morning traffic stop was remembered Saturday as a man focused on a career in law enforcement. Noah Shahnavaz, 24, an officer with the Elwood Police Department 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis, was shot in the head just after 2 a.m. July 31, before he could even get out of his patrol car. I'm sitting across from David Mireles Jr. at Garcia's on Fredericksburg Road, drinking a cup of coffee and picking at my enchiladas verdes.We're at a laminate wood table underneath a Big Red-branded wall clock. It's a Thursday morning, around 9 a.m., he's got a big watch and a checkered shirt with a beaded rosary tucked underneath. He has a lot to say about the mom-and-pop Tex-Mex diner he's been frequenting since the '70s. Suddenly, Mireles whips out his iPhone to reveal an extensive Garcia's archive. We go through the highlight reel in his camera roll. First, he shows me a series of sweet photos of his favorite Garcia's waitresses from pre-COVID-19 times. "I would come here and make them laugh and they'd make me laugh, you know, flirt with them," he says cheerfully. " I would sit up there and we'd talk at the counter." Then, I watch a full channel 5 news segment acknowledging a previous Garcia's anniversary. "I like the place so much I just kept it," he says. Then, the good stuff: a succession of septuagenarian-style foodie photos of Garcia's nachos, paired with an icy glass of Big Red. Along with their famous brisket tacos, the baked jalapeno bean and cheese-topped nachos are apparently one of the restaurant's "best" menu items. It's incidentally, a favorite of touring comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, according to owner John Garcia. Mireles is a retired Army colonel, born and raised in San Antonio, who, like many, left town for 20 years only to later come back. He recently celebrated his 74th birthday and has been eating huevos rancheros at Garcia's since he was a student at St. Mary's University. His friend, who went on to become the Garcia family's doctor, was the first to show him what was up. The old friends still eat there together sometimes, and more often than not order the same thing they always have. "Now I live way on the other side of the airport just inside 1604, but every now and then I think 'ohhh yeah, Garcia's huevos rancheros!' and I drive over," Mireles tells me, the rectangular dining area growing increasingly crowded. Camille Sauers for MySA Garcia's Mexican Food history and fare Julio and Yolanda Garcia first opened the 60-year-old restaurant across the street from its current location in November 1962. Julio Garcia built the current building eight years later in 1970. Described to me as "a big guy with a mustache," the Garcia patriarch began his career as a veterinary assistant before opening shop with $500 and a handful of recipes passed down from his parents. The menu consisted of largely Tex-Mex diner staples: carne guisada tacos, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, enchiladas. You know the deal. His wife Yolanda's family was already in the restaurant business, so she knew her way around the kitchen, and did most of the cooking in the early years. Eventually, she taught all four of her children to cook, including her sons Andrew and John, who now run the restaurant. Mike Sutter /Staff file photo Camille Sauers/MySA Camille Sauers/MySA Brisket tacos at Garcia's Mexican Food; the interior dining room; John Garcia and longtime customer, David Mireles. Staff. Brisket tacos at Garcia's Mexican Food; the interior dining room; John Garcia and longtime customer, David Mireles. Staff. Andrew and John Garcia, the second generation, took over the reins after their father suffered a stroke in 2002. A few years later, Andrew began developing the barbecue program and perfecting the critically and commonly acclaimed brisket tacos, amongst other things. "It's amazing, it's really cooked with love," says John Garcia, describing his brother's brisket. "He's really got a talent for cooking." The brisket in question has now attained a certain mythic quality, and has been written up everywhere from the Express-News to Texas Monthly's Taco Trail. It seems to command respect. Juicy, tender, succulent...buttery...these are all words a food critic would use to describe the brisket taco (served on a flour tortilla by the way). I'm not really a food critic, but after trying the brisket taco at Garcia's I'd say its pretty d**n good, and I'm not really even a brisket girl! While he loves his brother Andrew's brisket, Garcia admits it's not his favorite menu item. "I grew up here, not on the brisket, but the carne guisada with cheese, that's always been my favorite." Mike Sutter /Staff Garcia's Mexican Food at 60 The Garcia's of today apparently retains many of the charms of the old days, Mireles tells me. There's striking framed paintings on the walls of shadowy roosters, cowboys, elegant ladies and mustachioed men. A gift from one of his father's "compadres" in Mexico in the '80s, says Garcia. There's kitschy stuff too (which Julio Garcia especially loved) like an Elvis clock mounted next to a plain wooden cross near the TV playing local news, not far from the counter with the chrome and vinyl stools. Back when his father still ran the show, the city widened Fredericksburg Road, leading to a business-interfering construction project. Currently, there's a similar project afoot on the Garcia's stretch of Fredericksburg Road. Ironically they're now narrowing the street. It's annoying, says Garcia. Mike Sutter /Staff After being closed for a year for dine-in service during the COVID-19 pandemic, Garcia's took on a mostly new staff. Maria Jose, my server that morning, will have been there a year in September (she recommends the enchiladas verdes, which I also enjoyed, even though I question why I ordered them at 9 a.m.). For those wondering: Yes, Mireles has become friends with the new waitresses. The neighborhood restaurant will celebrate its 60th anniversary this November, with a special cook out with music and commemorative shirts. Save the date. Find it: 842 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78201 WASHINGTON - Amid a monkeypox outbreak in the United States that has been declared a public health emergency, the nation's top infectious-diseases expert, Anthony Fauci, said people should be paying attention but not panicking. Fauci recently told WTOP News that people do not need to change the way they live their lives but should monitor the situation and adjust behaviors as more information becomes available. "You never blow off any emerging infection when you don't know yet where it's going," he explained. "You pay attention to it. You follow it. Then you respond to it in an appropriate manner." Monkeypox, a multicountry outbreak that has infected more than 7,500 people in the United States, is not a sexually transmitted disease but can be transmitted through close contact, and has been spreading primarily among networks of men who have sex with men. That said, Fauci warned that the virus can spill over into other populations, including children. In fact, at least five children in the United States have contracted monkeypox within the past month - and more kids may have been recently exposed in Illinois. Illinois health authorities announced Friday that a person who works at a day-care center in Champaign County, tested positive for the virus, potentially exposing between 40 and 50 others, many of them children. Julie Pryde, administrator of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, wrote in a text message to The Washington Post on Friday night that several dozen children had been offered vaccines. "Does that mean that every parent in the country needs to be terrified that that's going to happen to their child? Of course not," Fauci told WTOP News. "Don't brush it off as something we don't have to pay attention to. But don't panic about it." Monkeypox is spread through close - usually skin-to-skin - contact, or through contact with bodily fluids, including respiratory secretions. But a person can also contract monkeypox by touching surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches or tabletops, or by handling fabrics, such as clothing, bedding or towels, that have been used by someone infected with the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include a rash that can present as bumps or blisters and that may itch or cause pain, as well as a fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and respiratory issues such as a sore throat, nasal congestion or cough, the CDC said. Patients usually recover within two to four weeks. Those who have symptoms should contact their health-care provider. Although there is no specific treatment, people who are considered high risk for complications may be given antiviral medication, the CDC said. Health authorities recommend avoiding close contact with people who are experiencing symptoms and practicing good hygiene, such as hand-washing and hand-sanitizing. In addition, the CDC recommends that those who have had a known exposure get vaccinated. Data suggests that the smallpox vaccine is about 85 percent effective against monkeypox, according to the CDC. Although the smallpox vaccine stopped being administered to the U.S. general public in the 1970s - years after the disease was eliminated in North America - a supply was kept on hand. A new vaccine, ACAM2000, replaced the old one in the mid-2000s. In 2019, Jynneos was approved to prevent smallpox and monkeypox in high-risk adults 18 and older. But supplies are limited. The CDC recommends people get vaccinated within four days of exposure to prevent infection, but there may still be benefits up to 14 days. People in that situation should contact their doctor for guidance. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NESCOPECK, Pa. (AP) Fire tore quickly through a house in northeastern Pennsylvania early Friday morning, killing seven adults and three children and horrifying a volunteer firefighter who arrived to battle the blaze only to discover the victims were his own family, authorities said. The children who died were ages 5, 6 and 7, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release, while the seven adults ranged from their late teens to a 79-year-old man. Autopsies were planned for this weekend. Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said the 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives. He said his two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle's home for swimming and other summertime fun. He said 13 dogs were also in the two-story home, but didnt say if he knew whether any survived. All I wanted to do was go in there and get to these people, my family. Thats all that I was thinking about, getting in to them, Baker said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. Baker grabbed a hose and air pack, and started pouring water on the fire, desperate to make his way inside and calling out to his son. His chief realized whose house it was, and fellow firefighters escorted Baker back to the firehouse. A preliminary investigation suggests the fire broke out on the front porch at around 2:30 a.m., Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said Friday evening. The information I have is that the fire started and progressed very quickly, making it very difficult to get out, he said. Three people were able to escape the blaze, Sanguedolce said. Four state police fire marshals are involved in the investigation, although it won't be classified as a criminal probe unless they determine the fire was intentionally set, he said. Nescopeck is a small town on the Susquehanna River, about 20 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre. The house was on a residential street of largely owner-occupied, single family homes. Baker said the address initially given for the call was a neighboring house. He realized it was his family members' residence as the firetruck approached. He said his unit was the first on scene, and the house was already engulfed in flames. There wasn't nothing we could've done to get in there. We tried, but we couldn't get in, said Baker, 57, who's been a firefighter for 40 years. His son, 19-year-old Dale Baker, had followed both of his parents into the fire service, joining when he was 16. He said it all his life, he was just going to be like his dad, Harold Baker said. Heidi Knorr, the Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company secretary, called Dale Baker such a fun-loving soul. He just loved life. The family was always willing to help lend a hand to anyone in need, Knorr said. Dale's mother was not among the dead listed by Harold Baker. Mike Swank, who lives two doors away across the street, said he happened to be awake early Friday and looked outside after hearing a sharp explosion. He saw the porch was really going and went outside, using another neighbors hose to keep the blaze from spreading to a garage. I seen two guys outside and they were in various states of hysteria, Swank told the AP by phone. One man was on a cellphone, and Im trying to ask him if everybodys out, he said. The other guy was out in the street and he was just running around in circles. Swank said he wasnt able to get information from them. A fence prevented him from getting to the back of the property. Baker said 14 people were living in the home. One was out delivering newspapers, and three others escaped. Swank said the family had moved in a few months ago under what he understood to be a rent-to-own agreement, and spent a lot of time on the cluttered front porch. It was so quick and so much smoke, you just knew nobody was going to make it out, Swank said. He saw cadaver dogs being used to search the scene until the bodies were located. ___ Scolforo and Brooke Schultz reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Schultz 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate (RNS) The street protests that drove Sri Lankas President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office last month brought together people from across the countrys diverse and sometimes warring ethno-religious groups: Tamils, Muslims, Christians and Sinhala Buddhists including, unmistakably, the saffron-robed Buddhist monks who are fixtures of Sri Lankas political scene. But with Rajapaksa in exile in Singapore and life returning closer to normal, decades-old questions are being raised about Buddhisms role in Sri Lankas government. ___ This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story. ___ Political involvement by the monks easy to spot in the protests against Rajapaksas inaction on Sri Lankas economic woes also includes taking seats in Parliament and joining political parties. Last year, a controversial monk named Galagoda Atte Gnanasara was appointed to a presidential task force for legal reforms despite his vociferous anti-Muslim views. The role of monks is to help people improve their spirituality. During the last 10 years, their political involvement has become too much, I think. People dont view them as religious leaders anymore, said Venerable Mahayaye Vineetha, a Sri Lankan monk living in Kandy, a city in Sri Lankas central highlands. The connection between monks and political figures has reportedly diminished some monks respectability. Moreover, hard-line political monks with ties to the Rajapaksas have turned out to join protests against their former allies alongside younger, more progressive monks. One video taken from Batarramulla in April shows a monk, a former ally of Rajapaksas and leader of the nationalist Janasetha Peramuna party, being scolded and pushed out of the protests. A man in the video can be heard saying It is because of the people like you, we suffer today like this. This is one of several instances where people called out monks as being tools of the state and said they have contributed to the current situation, the maintaining of the political elite, and the supporting and abetting of violence and ethnic strife, said Nalika Gajaweera, a research anthropologist at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. Theravada Buddhist monks have been both spiritual and practical advisers to Sri Lankan political leaders for centuries, starting with the countrys kings. In the seven decades since Sri Lankas independence from Britain, the relationship has become more entangled as Sinhala Buddhism, marked by its nationalistic values, has proliferated in the nations monasteries. Sinhala Buddhist nationalism can be traced back to Anagarika Dharmapala, an influential anti-imperialist and nationalist monk from the early 19th century. His speeches, filled with anti-Muslim and anti-Tamil rhetoric and aimed at creating a Buddhist dominated nation, are infamous in Sri Lanka. Dharmapalas goals were realized with the 1956 Sinhala Only Act and further enshrined in Sri Lankas 1972 constitution, which privileged Buddhism over other religions, essentially cementing an ethno-religious majoritarian state. In recent years, the blatant racism and violent language of the first wave of Sri Lankan independence have reappeared. Hard-line monks with ties to politicians like the Rajapaksas have led to racist rowdyism among their followers; some monks have even committed violence themselves. People should be able to see that there is a weaponization of religion for political purposes, to promote a certain political agenda, said Gajaweera. In 2015, Venerable Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero, a close ally of the Rajapaksas, was arrested for threatening Rohingya refugees in Sri Lanka and encouraging people to throw rocks at them. As the economic situation has devolved in Sri Lanka, monks have come to play an increasingly important role in day-to-day life. In rural areas, temples can be the sole resource for villagers who otherwise lack access to news on political developments. In urban areas, where the education system has largely collapsed, some temples run dharma schools for children. Chamila Somirathna, a professor at the Colombo Institute of Research and Psychology and the mother of two young children, said her 5-year-old son has only been able to attend kindergarten in person for 30 days in the last two years after the government forcibly closed schools. Its really important for temples to mediate in these kinds of cases. Kids should get the chance to associate with other kids their age, get education and get that school experience. As Sri Lankas economy has suffered, too, the monks provide much-needed aid through their redistribution of dana, or almsgiving. Despite a stark lack of resources and an increasing hunger crisis as the year goes on, dedicated lay Buddhists still show up to provide monks with food each morning. People do not have enough food for themselves, but bring the best thing for monks. I have so much lovingkindness for these people. They have a lot of faith, and they might have some problems with monks, but theyve never stopped with alms, said Vineetha. Typically, food given to monks is either consumed or thrown away, but in the current hard times, many temples are reallocating extra food to families in need. Addressing this suffering always comes first. Then we (monks) can think about other things, according to Vineetha. Despite the scenes of monks being booed at the protests, many of the young, predominantly Buddhist protesters welcome monks involvement in the popular uprising and politics at large, as long as it is done in limited measure. Some senior monks have merely spoken in support of the protest movement. They werent on the streets joining in, but just said, Yes, we support this. For some protesters, that statement likely gives public legitimacy to the struggle, particularly among the wider Sinhala Buddhist public, said Gajaweera. But their presence at the protests has made even some other monks wary. Some activists who forced the former president out have accused these monks of being opportunistic trying to save face by protesting despite previously supporting the Rajapaksa regime. Many Sri Lankans are less than pleased that their new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is a close ally of the former president. They expect the hard-line nationalist monks formerly aligned with Rajapaksa will back Wickremesinghe and the status quo. The constitution is still structured as the Sinhalese and the other, said Gajaweera. Although everyone is equal, theres a special case for the Buddhists. These contradictions of the nation-state will continue to shape the future. The best route for monks, said Vineetha, is to use their position not to gain power for themselves, but to help laypeople understand the political system. When there is an election and leaders come to villages promising this and that to the people, we can help them grasp the corrupt system. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The federal government declared a public health emergency Thursday to bolster the response to the monkeypoxoutbreak that has infected more than 7,100 Americans. The announcement will free up money and other resources to fight the virus, which may cause fever, body aches, chills, fatigue and pimple-like bumps on many parts of the body. We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously, said Xavier Becerra, head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The declaration by HHS comes as the Biden administration has faced criticism over monkeypox vaccine availability. Clinics in major cities such as New York and San Francisco say they havent received enough of the two-shot vaccine to meet demand, and some have had to stop offering the second dose to ensure supply of first doses. The White House said it has made more than 1.1 million doses available and has helped to boost domestic diagnostic capacity to 80,000 tests per week. The monkeypox virus spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as sharing bedding, towels and clothing. The people who have gotten sick so far have been primarily men who have sex with men. But health officials emphasize that the virus can infect anyone. No one in the United States has died. A few deaths have been reported in other countries. Earlier this week, the Biden administration named top officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to serve as the White House coordinators to combat monkeypox. Thursday's declaration is an important and overdue step, said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University. It signals the U.S. governments seriousness and purpose, and sounds a global alarm, he said. Under the declaration, HHS can draw from emergency funds, hire or reassign staff to deal with the outbreak and take other steps to control the virus. For example, the announcement should help the federal government to seek more information from state and local health officials about who is becoming infected and who is being vaccinated. That information can be used to better understand how the outbreak is unfolding and how well the vaccine works. Gostin said the U.S. government has been too cautious and should have declared a nationwide emergency earlier. Public health measures to control outbreaks have increasingly faced legal challenges in recent years, but Gostin didnt expect that to happen with monkeypox. It is a textbook case of a public health emergency, Gostin said. Its not a red or a blue state issue. There is no political opposition to fighting monkeypox. A public health emergency can be extended, similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted. The urgency in the current response stems from the rapid spread of the virus coupled with the limited availability of the two-dose vaccine called Jynneos, which is considered the main medical weapon against the disease. The doses, given 28 days apart, are currently being given to people soon after they think they were exposed, as a measure to prevent symptoms. Becerra announced the emergency declaration during a call with reporters. During the call, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said regulators are reviewing an approach that would stretch supplies by allowing health professionals to vaccinate up to five people instead of one with each vial of Jynneos. Under this so-called dose-sparing approach, physicians and others would use a shallower injection under the skin, instead of the subcutaneous injection currently recommended in the vaccines labeling. Califf said a decision authorizing that approach could come within days. That would require another declaration, to allow the government to alter its guidelines on how to administer the vaccine, officials said. Health officials pointed to a study published in 2015 that found that Jynneos vaccine administered that way was as effective at stimulating the immune system as when the needle plunger deeper into other tissue. But experts also have acknowledged they are still gathering information on how well the conventional administration of one or two full doses works against the outbreak. Others health organizations have made declarations similar to the one issued by HHS. Last week, the World Health Organization called monkeypox a public health emergency, with cases in more than 70 countries. A global emergency is WHOs highest level of alert, but the designation does not necessarily mean a disease is particularly transmissible or lethal. California, Illinois and New York have all made declarations in the last week, as have New York City, San Francisco and San Diego County. The declaration of a national public health emergency and the naming of a monkeypox czar are symbolic actions, said Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale University infectious diseases expert. Whats important is that the government is taking the necessary steps to control the outbreak and if it comes to that to have a plan for how to deal with monkeypox if it becomes endemic, he said. Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals. It does not usually spread easily among people. But in May, a wave of unexpected cases began emerging in Europe and the United States. Now more than 26,000 cases have been reported in countries that traditionally have not seen monkeypox. ___ Stobbe reported from New York City. Associated Press Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this report. By John McGregor, a translator and political violence researcher As perverse as it seems, achieving the dream of linking Australian renewable energy to Asian energy buyers may generate a household electricity crisis as artificial as the current gas crisis. As with LNG, large scale solar projects are set to largely, perhaps even entirely, bypass domestic demand. The increase in energy prices in recent months has hurt individuals and larger economies. Explanations from politicians and oil and gas companies for this rapid price rise include the pandemic to supply chain issues, although the conflict in Ukraine is probably the number one culprit. The press and public should seriously question these excuses. In Australia they are nakedly laughable. That doesnt mean, however, that Australian business leaders and politicians havent tried them on. Australian LNG exports increased radically in the 2010s, although not as quickly as American exports. Australia now vies for the title of largest exporter of LNG with Qatar and the USA. Even with this abundance of gas, the price of gas in Australia has skyrocketed, with wholesale gas prices in the first quarter of 2022 up 141% from the same period last year. Not only have prices gone up, but there is even talk of a gas shortfall next year. To protect against this, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recommended in its 1 August 2022 report that the government initiate the first steps of the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism, the so-called gas trigger. The ACCC forecast a 56 petajoule (PJ) shortfall in domestic gas supply in 2023 if LNG exporters decide to export all the gas that they expect to have in excess of their contractual commitments (167 PJ) as they did in 2021. The ACC then proposed a radical measure to address the issue: It is very likely that to avoid the forecast shortfall in the east coast gas market in 2023, LNG producers will need to divert a significant proportion of their excess gas into the domestic market. The Australian Financial Review provided the argument from gas producers: Surely the first response to forecasts of a shortage of gas in Australia should be: lets get more gas out of the ground! Appealing as this might sound, Richard Denniss explained the simple but sad reality of the Australian gas market in the July edition of The Monthly: Ironically, until 2016 Australians could already rely on relatively cheap gas to heat their homes and fuel their factories. Then the gas industry spent $80 billion on infrastructure, making it possible to start exporting gas from our east coast, and now the Australian gas industry, which is actually 95 per cent foreign-owned, can sell our gas overseas at the world price rather than to Australians at the cost of production. Unsurprisingly, it has been putting the interests of shareholders first ever since. As the Australian electricity market is so heavily reliant on coal and gas, which contributed 54% and 20% respectively to Australias total electricity generation in 2020, it is not insulated from these same forces. In June, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) suspended the National Energy Market, which provides electricity to most Australian consumers. AEMO argued its hand was forced: .it has become impossible to continue operating the spot market while ensuring a secure and reliable supply of electricity for consumers. The case for renewable energy itself is strong enough that it hardly needs personal financial stress as an additional justification. However, much of the renewable energy investment is designed to maintain the same economic pressures on Australian residents. In Australia, the uptake of rooftop solar is high, with 30% of houses using solar, and it has received support from government at various levels. According to the Clean Energy Council, the industry body representing the renewable energy sector, small-scale solar accounted for 8.1% of electricity generated in 2021. Large scale solar, defined as systems larger than 5MW, is still in its infancy as an industry. It only accounted for 4% of electricity generated in Australia in 2021 but is growing rapidly. In 2012, producers installed 10MW of large-scale capacity; in 2021, they added 1,249MW of large-scale solar capacity. Sun Cable, an Australian company founded by David Griffin and backed by celebrity investors Andrew Twiggy Forrest of Forestcue Metals and Mike Cannon-Brookes of Atlassian, is entering this large-scale solar market. In March 2022, the two invested A$210m in Series B capital raising. In parallel, Cannon-Brookes announced in May that he had bought an 11.28% share in AGL Energy Ltd, Australias largest electricity generator. He campaigned against a planned demerger that would have seen the company split its generation and retail arms. Cannon-Brookes was ultimately successful when the plan was withdrawn by the end of the month. Sun Cable plans to add the largest solar plant in Australia, with a total capacity of 17-20GW. This single project would be nearly three times larger than the total currently installed large-scale solar. This enormous solar farm will be installed near the town of Elliott in the Northern Territory. With a population of 339, Elliot clearly wont need all that power, but nor will the other residents of the NT, some 250,000 people. The stated plan is to export this power via 4,200 km of submarine cables to Singapore. The name of the proposed Australia link, the Australia-Asia PowerLink (and sometimes Australia-ASEAN PowerLink) shows their larger ambitions. A 2020 document that was part of Environment Protection Act compliance outlined the companys plans: The company vision is to establish a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission network across the Indo-Pacific region supplied by large-scale solar and storage facilities utilising the abundant high-quality solar resource in northern Australia. As it is currently forecast, the solar plant will provide power to residents in the Northern Territory, but will not be connected to the National Energy Market, a unified power network that provides electricity to most Australians outside Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Experts have posed technical questions about the buildout, which needs to run the worlds longest power cable through busy Indonesian waters to Singapore, as well as about the financial viability of the reportedly A$30b project. Even though Sun Cable has announced plans to sell electricity to Singapore, Singapore has not announced any plans to buy electricity from Sun Cable. Singapores dependence on imported gas and high electricity prices might make it an appealing beacon for Sun Cable, but its neighbors in Malaysia and Indonesia have far greater national energy resources. Despite these somewhat fundamental issues, Cannon-Brookes outlined his long-term hopes to the Washington Post in 2020: I am hopeful we will build 50 cables to Asia, but the first one is always the hardest to get doneWe can show the world, Look what Australia can do. We can export sunshine to Asia. Both the NT government and the federal government have been enticed by this idea and have granted major project status to the plan. Former Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor, announcing this elevation, was equally explicit about Australia as an energy exporter: Australia has long been a world leader in energy exports. As technologies change, we can capitalise on our strengths in renewables to continue to lead the world in energy exports. There are currently 31 projects with Major Project Status at the federal level in Australia. Of these, only two are focused on renewable power. Aside from Sun Cable, the Asian Renewable Energy Hub, now 40.5% owned and operated by BP, plans to install 26GW of solar and wind generation capacity, some of which will be used locally. The majority of this capacity will be used, however, to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia for export. On 8 June 2022, recently elected Labor PM Anthony Albanese reported that he had engaged in discussions with Cannon-Brookes and others connected to Sun Cable. On 24 June 2022, the government agency Infrastructure Australia announced that the AAPL had achieved investment ready status. As solar power production and storage in Australia transforms from small-scale, roof-top, and domestic towards a large-scale corporate investment model, business and Australian governments on both sides of politics are clearly in alignment that this must be export driven, whatever the obvious geographic and technological hurdles. Despite the new Labor government currently legislating to raise Australias emissions reduction target, the largest planned solar plant in Australia will do little to reduce direct emissions in Australia. Government decisions at the territory and federal level are designed to force the majority of Australians to compete with increasingly larger markets over the price of energy, turning solar energy into just another extractive industry. 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. * * * French Scientists Photo of Distant Star Was Actually Chorizo Vice (J-LS) Leopard crashes into house and rescued Daily Mirror (SBK) France whale: Lost mammal stuck in River Seine to get vitamin boost BBC The consciousness of bees Washington Post (furzy) At Long Last, Mathematical Proof That Black Holes Are Stable Qanta Magazine Earth Is Spinning Faster Now Than It Was 50 Years Ago Discover (Dr Kevin) Solar power opens the door to banking for rural Indians Thomson Reuters Foundation (J-LS) Streaming Is a Black Hole of Financial Loss The Bulwark (furzy) #COVID-19 Monkeypox Climate/Environment China? Pelosi Aftermath Amid Indias Pressure, Sri Lanka Urges China to Defer Visit of its Ship to Hambantota: Report The Wire Old Blighty When whistleblowers go to prison, were on the road to tyranny Salon Australian Prime Minister Albanese refuses to meet with Assanges family WSWS New Not-So-Cold War Syraqistan Myanmar ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar warns on further executions AP Imperial Collapse Watch Philippines Will Not Rejoin International Criminal Court, Marcos Says The Diplomat Big Brother is Watching You Watch State Legislatures Are Torching Democracy New Yorker (furzy) Its Hard To Win A Senate Race When Youve Never Won An Election Before FiveThirtyEight (resilc) US library defunded after refusing to censor LGBTQ authors: We will not ban the books Guardian Abortion The Bezzle Private equity units at buyout firms contract as financial markets tumble Financial Times US Airlines Are Cancelling Thousands of Flights CNN Guillotine Watch Class Warfare The White Houses Plan to Stem Migration Protects Corporate ProfitsNot People In These Times Antidote du jour (via): And a bonus: Little monkey is anxious to save a trapped kitty pic.twitter.com/jqWpobVOiZ pups (@pups_Puppies1) August 6, 2022 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. (Natural News) Leading conservative activist and provocateur Alex Stein ripped into members of the Uvalde, Texas, city hall last week over their failure to take any action at all against police officers who cowardly refused to engage a shooter at Robb Elementary School as he murdered 19 children and two adults, in violation of their training. In a video posted to social media, Stein is seen outside the school building informing viewers about his plans to confront city council members, adding that while he normally attempts to call attention to political leaders and injustices in a humorous way, exposing the officers lack of response was not something to laugh at. When I drive into this city, theres a stain on this city that will never be lifted, no matter what you do, Stein began, his voice steadily rising as he took issue with the school principal who has been fired for refusing to act even though he was aware of systemic security issues at the elementary school. But it was after one of the council members told Stein that they are not the school board and they arent leaders in the city when Stein really went off. So you dont consider yourself leaders, is that what youre telling me? You see, thats why. Its because you dont consider yourself a leader, you dont take responsibility for your actions, Stein said as he then pivoted to the pathetically slow police response, receiving a smattering of applause from the audience. They were cowards! It took them 77 minutes to respond, and youre a coward! Stein railed. You sit there like a coward trying to combat what Im saying, Im bringing awareness to your city. You still have the audacity after 21 people died. Chief [Pete] Arredondo, you swore em in! Stein yelled, before blasting the citys mayor for being absent and saying that regardless of where he is, he could have at least appeared digitally. WATCH: The police response to the incident has been widely criticized by parents, especially, but also some of Texas top law enforcement officers. Steve McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, confirmed that nine officers were inside the building within three minutes of the attack. He has also been extremely critical of the officers actions as well as those of the on-scene commander who reportedly issued orders for police to wait. Theres compelling evidence that the law enforcement response to the attack at Robb Elementary was an abject failure and antithetical to everything weve learned over the last two decades since the Columbine massacre, he said during testimony before a state Senate committee last month. Three minutes after the subject entered the West building, there was sufficient number of armed officers wearing body armor to isolate, distract, and neutralize the subject, McCraw added. The only thing stopping the hallway of dedicated officers from entering room 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who decided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children, McCraw continued. One error; 14 minutes and eight seconds, the director said of the young students waiting in a classroom for police to save them. At one point, he noted, officers were waiting for a key that was not needed. I have great reasons to believe it was never secured, he told the state Senate panel. How about trying the door and seeing if its locked? Obviously, not enough training was done in this situation, plain and simple. Because terrible decisions were made by the on-site commander, McCraw criticized. The Austin American-Statesman adds: Even after hearing at least four additional shots from the classrooms 45 minutes after police arrived on the scene, the officers waited. They asked for keys to one of the classrooms. (It was unlocked, investigators said later.) They brought tear gas and gas masks. They later carried a sledgehammer. And still, they waited. Sources include: Brighteon.com Statesman.com USAFeatures.news (Natural News) Big Tech is still trying to control the message, they do not want anyone to find out how deadly the Covid injections are. But German vaccine-injury insurance claims and 1250+ peer-reviewed studies reveal what Big Tech is trying to keep hidden. To add to Big Techs woes, Canadian court documents reveal that travel bans imposed on the vaccine-free had no scientific basis. (Article by Rhoda Wilson republished from Expose-News.com) Africa is waking up to Big Pharma and the world government. In the USA, 130 coast guards take legal action against vaccine mandates. Italy makes a resounding U-turn and announces all medical staff who had been suspended for not having a Covid injection can return to work. And some good news out of Israel Israelis refuse to inject their youngest with expired gene therapy drugs. Google Does Not Want Anyone to Find Out How Deadly the Vaccines Are We tried to run a simple two-question survey to find out just how safe or unsafe the vaccines are. Google refused to let us ask the questions. Clearly, they dont want anyone to know the truth. The only truth they want you to know is what the government tells you. Read more: Steve Kirsch, 28 July 2022 Social Media Continues to Try to Control the Message Last week, YouTube censored a video conversation between Dr. Pierre Kory and Dr. Chris Martenson. The reason they gave was that YouTube doesnt allow claims about Covid-19 vaccinations that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organization. On Thursday, July 21, in the lead-up to World Ivermectin Day, Twitter permanently suspended the World Council for Health from the platform without warning. Stephanie Seneff, a Senior Research Scientist at MIT who published a recent paper with Dr. Peter McCullough looking at whether mRNA vaccines may be causing illness and death, had her account suspended last week as well. The list of attendees at this blocked party is, truthfully, too hard to keep up with. Read more: The FLCCC Alliance Community, 2 August 2022 Google Is a Vaccine Company and Theyre Harvesting Your Data Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that Google is a vaccine company as its parent company, Alphabet, has a series of subsidiary companies that manufacture vaccines and has partnered with other pharma companies. Google has a $761 partnership with Glaxo. Google is harvesting medical information, including coughs and other information picked up by Siris surveillance system, and then they sell it to pharma companies. Read more: G. Edward Griffiths Need to Know More, 1 August 2022 Germanys Largest Health Insurer Reveals 1 in 25 Clients Underwent Medical Treatment in 2021 for Covid Vaccine Side Effects The cesspool of vaccine side effects in Germany is finally completely open. According to the Dutch news site, Blckbx,five months after a WOB* request, it appears that 437,593 of the 11 million insured persons of the countrys largest Health Insurance fund, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), had to undergo medical treatment in 2021 for Covid vaccine side effects. That is 1 in 25 and an increase of 3000 per cent. *A WOB (Wet Openbaarheid Bestuur) request is the Dutch equivalent of a Freedom of Information request. Read more: RAIR Foundation USA, 3 August 2022 1250+ Covid Vaccine Publications and Case Reports Researching Covid vaccine adverse events can be daunting in part due to a broad myriad of factors. Primarily, the information is incredibly challenging to find. Here, we share an ever-growing list of peer-reviewed studies specific to Covid vaccine adverse events. This list is curated and maintained by our dedicated staff of injured PhDs and medical professionals. Read more: REACT, 9 July 2022 Newly Developed Type 1 Diabetes After Covid Vaccination: A Case Report A case study of a 73-year-old Japanese woman who received two doses of the Moderna Covid vaccine was published in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation (JDI) in January. The Covid injection has been reported to potentially cause or worsen diabetes, the study authors wrote. Four weeks after the second vaccination, [the 73-year-olds] glycaemic control began to deteriorate, and 8 weeks after the second vaccination, the patient was diagnosed with new-onset type 1 diabetes that was strongly positive for autoantibodies and showed a disease-susceptible human leukocyte antigen haplotype, DRB1*04:05:01-DQB1*04:01:01. Although most of the cases concluded to be the onset or exacerbation of type?2 diabetes occurred early after the first or second vaccination, the diagnosis of type?1 diabetes took a relatively long period (48?weeks) after the second vaccination, including the previously reported case as well as the present case. The difference in the duration between the vaccination and the onset of hyperglycaemia could imply multiple and complicated mechanisms for the development of hyperglycaemia associated with the vaccination. The administration of adjuvants to individuals genetically predisposed to the disease can cause serious adverse effects through activation of autoimmune cascades and pathways, which is called autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome). Although Moderna Covid-19 vaccine does not contain any additional adjuvants, polyethylene glycol lipid conjugates contained in the Covid-19 mRNA vaccines might act as an adjuvant and induce autoimmune responses, and mRNA appears to have self-adjuvant properties. In recipients with the disease-susceptible haplotypes, one should be cautious about autoimmune responses for several months after the vaccination. Sasaki H, Itoh A, Watanabe Y, Nakajima Y, Saisho Y, Irie J, Meguro S, Itoh H. Newly developed?type 1 diabetes after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: A case report. J Diabetes Investig. 2022 Jun;13(6):1105-1108. doi: 10.1111/jdi.13757. Epub 2022 Feb 11. PMID: 35088548; PMCID: PMC9153841. Read more: Newly developed?type 1 diabetes after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: A case report, JDI, 27 January 2022 Court Documents Reveal Canadas Travel Ban Had No Scientific Basis On August 13, 2021, the Canadian government announced that anyone who hadnt been vaccinated against Covid would soon be barred from planes and trains. In many cases, The Backward could no longer travel between provinces or leave the country. If you lived in Winnipeg and wanted to visit your mother on her deathbed in London or Hong Kong or, perhaps, Quebec City, youd better get jabbedor resign yourself to never seeing your mother again. The Canadian Medical Association Journal, in a June 2022 article, observed that Canada had among the most sustained stringent policies regarding restrictions on internal movement. But recently released court documentswhich capture the decision-making behind the travel mandateindicate that, far from following the science, the prime minister and his Cabinet were focused on politics. The court documents are part of a lawsuit filed by two Canadian residents against the government. Until last month, they were under seal. Both plaintiffs are business owners. Both have family in Britain. Both have refused the vaccine on the grounds of bodily autonomy. Both were reluctant to identify their businesses out of fear of losing customers. Read more: Common Sense, 2 August 2022 Africans Rising Up Against Big Pharma and World Government Africans are waking up to the dangerous agendas being pushed by Big Pharma and the one-world-order crowd, South African journalist and Childrens Health Defense Africa Chapter Executive Director Shabnam Palesa Mohamed told The New American in Conversations That Matter. Africans were already sceptical of governments, international organizations and corporate colonialists. But the Covid pandemic has super-charged that awakening. Still, globalist institutions are fighting back, working to undermine the sovereignty of African nations. Click on the image below to watch the video on Rumble. The New American: Africans Rising Up Against Big Pharma & World Government: CHD-Africas Shabnam Mohamed, 2 August 2022 (20 mins) South Africa: Advocate Sabelo Sibanda Message to The People Some of the people are not aware of the relationship between the proposed National Health Regulations amendments that the South African government is pushing in line with the attempt to have an African Pandemic Preparedness Treaty which in itself speaks to the proposed global Pandemic Preparedness Treaty, Sabelo Sibanda explained in the video below. These regulations basically declare a scenario where everyone will end up in one of three categories where you are either: deemed to be a case, or you are considered a suspect, or, alternatively you are considered as one who has been in contact with someone who is a case. Once you fall into any one of these three categories this is what this means for you: you may not refuse to be medically examined; you may not refuse to be put in quarantine or put in isolation; may not refuse to take whatever medication that the government says you should take. South Africans, you have until 5 August to STOP the amendments to the South African National Health Act Regulations! Protect YOUR rights and freedom by taking action on the links below: 4 and 5 of the National Health Act, are particularly juicyThis is the type of predictions that I was called mad for and a crazy conspiracy theorist..It will now be a reality.. No told you so necessary. @Jagman4sho @Riddlemethat14 @LightbringerKai @la_revolucion99 pic.twitter.com/jGL1zUznl3 Mr G #PhalaPhala$Counter (@SeanGoss31) April 5, 2022 130 Coast Guard Members Sue Federal Government Over Vaccine Mandates More than 130 US Coast Guard members filed a class action lawsuit alleging the religious exemptions they filed in response to the Biden administrations Covid-19 vaccine mandate for military service members were unlawfully denied. The lawsuit, filed July 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Galveston Division, also challenges the constitutionality of the mandate. Read more: The Defender, 2 August 2022 Italys Medical Agency Declares Unvaccinated Medical Professionals Can Return to Work With Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghis removal from office, the globalist-led governments discriminatory Covid measures imposed on medical staff have ended. The Italian governments medical agency, the National Federation of Orders of Surgeons and Dentists, has announced that all physicians and medical staff suspended for not having their Covid vaccines can return to work. The Federations resounding U-turn comes without apology or recognition for the pain, harassment, intimidation, coercion, and financial struggles they caused medical professionals. Read more: RAIR Foundation USA, 2 August 2022 Israelis Wholly Reject Pfizers Baby and Toddler mRNA Shots Campaign A stunning 0.048% of the Israeli population, or fewer than 1 in 2000, have accommodated the mRNA mafias requests to inject their children with expired gene therapy drugs. Having once achieved virtually unanimous compliance in Israel (an effort assisted by heavy-handed government coercion), the mRNA shots now face much quiet and overt resistance in the country. Average citizens just arent buying Big Pharmas sales pitch despite the insistence from government officials that the shots are absolutely necessary and the numbers are making that reality clear as day. Read more: The Dossier, 1 August 2022 Read more at: Expose-News.com (Natural News) China launched five ballistic missiles that landed in Japans exclusive economic zone on August 4. This prompted an international outcry against the communist regime. The missiles were launched as part of Chinas retaliatory military exercises against Taiwan, including cutting off several international air and sea paths to the island in a sort of blockade. Japanese defense minister Nobuo Kishi said having five Chinese missiles fall within Japans EEZ is a first and that they have protested strongly through international channels. Shortly before the launch, Chinese Communist Party authorities canceled a planned meeting between China and Japans foreign ministers, with China citing displeasure over Japans signing of a joint statement by the G-7, which called on China to resolve its tensions with Taiwan in a peaceful manner. We call on the PRC not to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the region, and to resolve cross-Strait differences by peaceful means, the statement said. Taiwan already warned that the CCP could invade local waters as China goes about conducting its largest ever military exercises across the Taiwan Strait. These exercises included joint naval, air and missile forces, which are operating in six areas surrounding the island nation. Some of these exercise areas were declared to be prohibited to international travel, and usually occurred within 10 miles of Taiwans coastline. A nations sovereign waters are supposed to end 12 miles from the coastline, as per international law. (Related: China using Facebook to push pro-unification agenda in Taiwan.) Such maneuvers by China would constitute an invasion of Taiwans territorial waters if Chinese forces were to travel the full breadth of the exercise areas, said Taiwan lawmaker, Wang Ting-yu. If they send in their fighters or their warships to enter our territorial sea, that means China invaded our territory and we will have our standard [operating] procedure to respond to that, he said. We dont want to provoke any conflict here, but whoever dares to invade our country, our home, we have our obligation to defend our home. Many also speculated that after this years 20th CCP Congress, which will be held in Beijing in November, the CCP could have a very sharp uptick in its aggression toward Taiwan. CCP authorities, however, claim that Taiwan is a rogue province of China that must be reunited with the mainland. As such, Chinas state-owned propaganda media have issued articles claiming that Taiwans territorial waters are theirs. Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 and has never been controlled by the CCP. It also boasts a democratic government and a thriving market economy. China positioning itself to take aggressive actions According to the White House, China was positioning itself to take further aggressive actions against Taiwan following its announcement of the exercises, which effectively blocked many important international trade routes. White House National Security Council communications coordinator John Kirby said during an August 2 press briefing that China has positioned itself to take further steps and that they are expected to continue to react longer-term. The United States will not seek and does not want a crisis. [But] we are prepared to manage what Beijing chooses to do, he said, adding that what they have seen thus far is consistent with what they expected from the communist government. Chinas escalations followed a highly publicized visit to Taiwan by U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which it protested. Both China and the United States have used the ensuing tensions to accuse one another of unilaterally attempting to change Taiwans status quo. (Related: China surges forces toward Taiwan, conducts live-fire drills as Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits.) The United States maintains a One China policy, which acknowledges but does not endorse the CCP principle that there is one inalienable China that Taiwan remains a part of. It is also bound by a treaty to supply Taiwan with the arms necessary to defend its de facto independence. Further, documents that form the basis of the agreement between China and the U.S. on the Taiwan issue demand that neither country can seek to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion. The CCP also said it would start a war, no matter the cost if it means they can prevent Taiwans independence from being recognized internationally. Visit WWIII.news for more information about the possibility of China waging war against Taiwan. Watch the video below for more information about how China is now encircling Taiwan in a blockade. This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump: China will DEFINITELY attack Taiwan following Russia-Ukraine example. Russias red line: Moscow not about to allow Ukraine to join NATO as World War III hangs in the balance. U.S. Admiral expresses worry about communist Chinas future invasion of Taiwan. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com State.gov Economist.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) British elite attended a satanic cult ceremony smiling from ear to ear recently, which involved a complete and utter worship of Lucifer in plain site at the opening ritual of BAAL worship in Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games. Time to get down on your knees and worship the steaming horned beast ripped right out of the Book of Revelation. Leave nothing to the imagination, with hellish lava depicted on the ground, and a giant bull that Satans minions venerate. Welcome to the Birmingham England 2022 Commonwealth BAAL cult and demonic worshipping show. You might want to cover your eyes if you had no clue this was the centerpiece of the whole Luciferian extravaganza, or shall you too worship the beast in his image, depicted here as a 30-foot hell-fire bull? Prophetic tirades, sexual excess, perversions, copulation with animals all part of the demonic cult of BAAL In ancient times, biblical narratives included tales of BAAL worship, where the BAAL-Peor ate sacrifices for the dead and indulged in sacred sexual orgies. BAAL was supposedly the commander of all the Canaanite gods, a fertility god who, if you worshipped, meant you also engaged in sex orgies, worshipped an idol that was shaped after an enlarged male sex organ, and your life was filled with immorality and homosexuality. Sound familiar? The BAAL cult also goes after children to sacrifice them as part of their rituals (thats why the Left loves abortion so much now). How many children are being trafficked right now via the southern US border and via Child Protective Services (CPS) in order to end up being abused, molested and then sacrificed to BAAL? One of BAALs goals is to steal Gods children away, so they spiritually divorce themselves from God and enter a marriage covenant with Satan. To conjure up BAAL, the prophets would cut themselves, like teenagers do today with NSSI (non-suicidal self-injury). Is there some emotional high from seeing your own blood flow, and is it part of the ritual to call upon Satan and the evil bull to worship? This death culture is what brought down the Greek and Roman empires. Will it bring down America? Watch the demons pray to the BAAL bull at the British Commonwealth Games opening ceremony You can all them illuminati, Satans followers, Lucifers minions, perverts, beastiality freaks, or extreme Leftists, but its all the same. Its also part of the Biden/Obama Regimes goal to turn America into a communist hell-hole (pun intended), where nobody has any morals, ethics, pride of country, family values or belief in a holy God. We see these same ceremony rituals at Super Bowl half-time shows and concerts by Lady Gaga, Kate Perry and Travis Scott, to name a few. Its beyond obvious they want the world to follow suit and pray to the evil animals that help them justify a perverted, worthless life where you abuse children, engage in orgies and most likely catch Monkeypox, AIDS and other demon diseases. Watch the demons pray to BAAL the bull at the British Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. Now, watch Kate Perry worship Satan with her witchcraft while praying to her dark horse at her concert. Then theres the Travis Scott DEMON SHOW where people are literally trampled to death in the name of Satan, like some planned mass sacrifice. Watch out, because demon worshipping doesnt end at these sporting event witchcraft ceremonies and freak show concerts, it extends into our world of food and medicine. Tune your internet frequency to FoodSupply.news for updates on the senseless slaughter of animals and other ways humans are disrespecting our natural world that supplies us with sacred food. Sources for this article include: Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com SharonHerald.com (Natural News) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told the media Wednesday, August 3, that doctors performing gender transition surgeries on children experiencing gender dysphoria should face legal action. [These doctors] talk about these young kids getting gender-affirming care. They dont tell you what that is, he said. Theyre actually giving very young girls double mastectomies. They want to castrate these young boys. I think these doctors need to get sued for whats happening. Thats wrong. (Related: DeSantis calls for all doctors who perform gender affirming surgeries on children to be SUED.) According to DeSantis, kids between 10 and 13 years old should not undergo surgical procedures based on gender dysphoria as 80 percent of gender confusion resolves anyways by the time [children] get older. The Republican governors remarks followed his earlier plan to prohibit gender transition surgeries for minors, which he elaborated on back in May. DeSantis shared this plan with Fox News host Lisa Boothe on the latters program The Truth with Lisa Boothe. You cant get a tattoo if youre 12 years old. When they say gender-affirming care, what they mean a lot of times is you are really castrating a young boy, sterilizing a young girl [and] doing mastectomies for these very young girls, he said. Youre doing things that are permanently altering them, and then theyre not [going to] be able to reverse that. So I dont think its appropriate for kids at all. DeSantis also backed the guidance issued by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo that advised against the use of puberty blockers, hormone treatments or surgical procedures for children. However, he told Boothe that additional safeguards are needed. [While] I think the guidance is right, there should be additional protections. Because when youre growing up there are things that, you know, [happen at] an awkward time. It seems like theres a concerted effort in society to push these kids to do some type of medical intervention and, in our judgment, thats not healthy, said DeSantis. Other GOP governors also block gender transition procedures With DeSantis becoming more vocal against the transgender agenda, several of his colleagues in the GOP are stepping up to protect their children. Back in April, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill (SB) 184 that bans transgender drugs and surgeries into law. SB184 prohibits puberty blockers or other drugs intended to alter the a childs gender or delay puberty alongside sterilizing surgeries for minors. There are very real challenges facing our young people, especially with todays societal pressures and modern culture. I believe very strongly that if the good Lord made you a boy, you are a boy and if He made you a girl, you are a girl, Ivey said in a statement. A month earlier, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey also signed a bill prohibiting underage gender transition surgeries in the state. SB 1138, which he signed into law on March 29, banned irreversible sex change procedures such as genital mutilation, hysterectomy and mastectomy for children below the age of 19. Describing the proposal as common sense, Ducey said SB 1138 ensures that individuals undergoing irreversible gender reassignment surgery are of adult age. In February, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to treat gender-transitioning procedures for minors as child abuse. He also ordered them to investigate parents and medical facilities pushing children to undergo these procedures under the guise of gender-affirming care. The Lone Star States governor remarked: [Theres] no doubt that these procedures are abuse under Texas law, and thus must be halted. He added that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has the responsibility to act accordingly. Visit Resist.news for more stories about GOP governors pushing back against gender transition surgeries. Watch Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine argue that gender transition surgeries are lifesaving and medically necessary. This video is from the SBN News Clips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Former FTM transgender teen supports Florida ban on using Medicaid funds for transgender medical interventions. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he plans to PROHIBIT gender transition surgeries from being performed on children. Trans federal official ATTACKS Florida surgeon general for trying to protect children. Former trans teens express REGRET over gender reassignment procedures. British whistleblowers reveal horrors that come following trans surgeries. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com 1 LifeSiteNews.com 2 LifeSiteNews.com 3 LifeSiteNews.com 4 LifeSiteNews.com 5 Brighteon.com (Natural News) A woman from the United Kingdom expressed regret after undergoing gender transition procedures. The woman named Sam, who hails from the Midlands in Central England, began to contemplate transitioning at 21 years old. Testimonies of transgenders who successfully transitioned to the opposite sex appealed to her, given the many identity struggles she had gone through during her teen years. She eventually sought help with a private doctor, as she would have to wait two years for an appointment with the U.K.s National Health Service (NHS). Sam was cleared to take hormones and undergo a double mastectomy just two appointments after identifying as a transgender man. She began taking hormones in December 2017 and had both her breasts removed in May 2018. However, the rules require patients undergoing double mastectomy for gender transition to identify as a male for at least a year. I was so happy after the surgery [and] the hormones worked really quickly. Within a few months, my voice had dropped, I grew body and facial hair and even developed a micro-penis, she recounted. It also caused a huge change in her emotions, thanks to the testosterone she was taking that time. But two years after her surgery, she began experiencing vaginal atrophy in which her vaginas tissues started to die out due to the lack of female hormones. Vaginal atrophy also increases the risk of women developing cancer. This led her to tell NHS doctors that she wanted to de-transition on her scheduled appointment. I wasnt prepared to have a hysterectomy at the age of 24, she said in reaction to NHS doctors telling her that removing her uterus was her only option. (Related: Transgender surgery is rooted in the idea that doctors can cure mental illness by permanently maiming patients.) Sam then stopped taking hormone medications against the advice of her doctors. She subsequently discovered a group of detransitioners and explored the femininity that [she] had suppressed for all of these years. Members of LGBT community frown upon detransitioners Now 26 years old, Sam is speaking out about her experience to warn others of the dangers of rushing into gender transition procedures. The procedures have also left lasting consequences on her body. I have also started to menstruate again, which took around a year to come back to after I stopped taking testosterone, although I have been left with excess body hair and a deeper voice, she said. Although I still love having a flat chest, I wont be able to breastfeed if I ever have children and it has taken away the opportunity to learn to love my womanhood. Sam explained that she is talking about her experience as a former trans man because detransitioners can help spot red flags and help others when it comes to making these important decisions. While her family expressed support toward her decision to transition and to revert back to her biological sex, many of her former friends thought otherwise. I have found that quite a lot of friends have drifted away since I have detransitioned. There seems to be a huge emphasis in society in supporting trans people almost to the point that what I did is seen as being antitrans. According to Sam, the medical industry is under huge pressure from the trans community to move things along quickly because of statistics around suicide. This, she added, pressured her to expedite her gender transition as quickly as possible to avoid feeling that way. This video is from the Pain Coming channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: U.K. government formally endorses medical child abuse by promoting transgender surgery for children under 16. MUTILATION NATION: Transgender organization says children should be allowed to transition at age 14. Former trans teens express REGRET over gender reassignment procedures. British whistleblowers reveal horrors that come following trans surgeries. The transgender movement is destroying a generation of young women. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) If Americans needed any more proof freedom is under all-out attack by a shadowy group of wannabe tyrants masquerading as govt here in America, we get it from this new story over at Project Veritas reporting on a newly leaked document provided to them by an FBI whistleblower showing how every day Americans are being looked at as potential domestic terrorists over very common symbols that might be on items of clothing they wear, phrases they might use and more. (Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeLine.com) Reporting within their story that the document was marked as Unclassified/Law Enforcement Sensitive which was for FBI Internal Use Only, note that it labels as extremist: the Betsy Ross flag, anything advocating for the 2nd Amendment, the Gadsden Flag and much more. Quite literally putting a big govt target on the backs of American citizens for us simply expressing our opinions and knowledge of history, this story from Project Veritas and that FBI document remind us of this August of 2013 story by Michael Snyder over at The Truth Wins titled 72 Types Of Americans That Are Considered Potential Terrorists In Official Government Documents. Beginning that mega-viral story with Are you a conservative, a libertarian, a Christian or a gun owner? Are you opposed to abortion, globalism, Communism, illegal immigration, the United Nations or the New World Order? Do you believe in conspiracy theories, do you believe that we are living in the end times or do you ever visit alternative news websites (such as this one)? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you are a potential terrorist according to official U.S. government documents,, well be taking a long look at that 2013 story, in relation to this new Project Veritas leak, in the next section of this story below. So lets answer the questions Snyder posed above honestly. Are you a conservative, a libertarian, a Christian or a gun owner? If youre reading ANP willingly, itd be a safe bet to say the answer to several of those questions is yes. Are you opposed to abortion, globalism, Communism, illegal immigration, the United Nations or the New World Order? In 2022 America, the odds are the majority of Americans are opposed to at least one of those things, with the US Supreme Court abortion decision showing that at one of the highest levels of government. Do you believe in conspiracy theories, do you believe that we are living in the end times or do you ever visit alternative news websites (such as this one)? If youre reading this story, thats obvious. With Snyders 2013 story proving to us weve been on this road to tyranny for quite some time now, lets take a look here at some of the other 72 different types of Americans whove long been on the list: At one time, the term terrorist was used very narrowly. The government applied that label to people like Osama bin Laden and other Islamic jihadists. But now the Obama administration is removing all references to Islam from terror training materials, and instead the term terrorist is being applied to large groups of American citizens. And if you are a terrorist, that means that you have no rights and the government can treat you just like it treats the terrorists that are being held at Guantanamo Bay. So if you belong to a group of people that is now being referred to as potential terrorists, please dont take it as a joke. The first step to persecuting any group of people is to demonize them. And right now large groups of peaceful, law-abiding citizens are being ruthlessly demonized. Below is a list of 72 types of Americans that are considered to be extremists and potential terrorists in official U.S. government documents. As you can see, this list covers most of the country 1. Those that talk about individual liberties 2. Those that advocate for states rights 3. Those that want to make the world a better place 4. The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule 5. Those that are interested in defeating the Communists 6. Those that believe that the interests of ones own nation are separate from the interests of other nations or the common interest of all nations 7. Anyone that holds a political ideology that considers the state to be unnecessary, harmful,or undesirable 8. Anyone that possesses an intolerance toward other religions 9. Those that take action to fight against the exploitation of the environment and/or animals 10. Anti-Gay 11. Anti-Immigrant 12. Anti-Muslim 13. The Patriot Movement 14. Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians 15. Members of the Family Research Council 16. Members of the American Family Association 17. Those that believe that Mexico, Canada and the United States are secretly planning to merge into a European Union-like entity that will be known as the North American Union 18. Members of the American Border Patrol/American Patrol 19. Members of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 20. Members of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition 21. Members of the Christian Action Network 22. Anyone that is opposed to the New World Order 23. Anyone that is engaged in conspiracy theorizing 24. Anyone that is opposed to Agenda 21 25. Anyone that is concerned about FEMA camps 26. Anyone that fears impending gun control or weapons confiscations 27. The militia movement 28. The sovereign citizen movement 29. Those that dont think they should have to pay taxes 30. Anyone that complains about bias And as youll see in Snyders story, with that list of 72 different types of Americans being demonized as potential terrorists back in 2013 covering at least half the country, just imagine how much more it has grown to this day with anyone standing against anything globalist attacked by them and their mainstream media, often demonized as white supremacists and other crazy terms. Please read the entire list here. So with Joe Bidens FBI picking up exactly where Obamas govt left off, more evidence Biden is just a puppet for another Obama administration, demonizing just about every American who doesnt go along with their insane agenda as being a potential terrorist, the state of Florida has just stirred up the anger of leftists by unveiling a new Dont Tread On Me license plate, so controversial, huh? Attacked because the slogan pushes freedom rather than slavery, as this Twitchy story pointed out, even the American flag is toxic to the America-hating left so none of this should surprise us. Yet what all of this does is give us all more confirmation of a very real, largely covert and undeclared war upon all that is America, with Liberty from Sea to Shining Sea looked down upon the radical left that wants to control everything, the symbols of freedom shunned and even criminalized. With one conspiracy theory after another now confirmed, how far ahead are the FEMA camps long warned of? As the 1st two videos below point out, they are coming after Patriots. In the first video below we hear more about the recent FBI leaks that Project Veritas has exposed, more evidence that the globalists are coming after American patriots while our videographer in the 2nd video below takes a long look at the implications of the same topic. And in the 3rd/final video below from several years ago, the videographer took a look at that 2013 Michael Snyder story on the 72 Types of Americans whove been classified as potential terrorists in official US government documents, a list that would contain the names of just about everyone reading this story in 2022 Amerika. Read more at: AllNewsPipeLine.com (Natural News) The United Nations is conspiring with Big Tech, globalist powers and the World Jewish Congress to censor any talk that these sort of interests work in lockstep to exert control. (Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com) The UN claims that any negative talk of George Soros, the Rothschild dynasty, or the state of Israel is dangerous and must be crushed. They are calling their new censorship campaign: #ThinkBeforeSharing: Stop the spread of conspiracy theories. The UN is working with Twitter, the European Union and the World Jewish Congress to stigmatize so-called conspiracy theorists. They demand for the brainwashed masses who encounter what they feel is a conspiracy theory to react immediately, and post propaganda from a regime-approved fact-checking website in response. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said for the public to rat out anyone who spreads a so-called conspiracy theory. They said contact your local/national press council or press ombudsman to make them aware of a conspiracy theory or report them to Big Tech platforms. The UN said that it is only acceptable to believe a conspiracy happened if the corporate media declares that it is the official truth. They are more often centered on single self-contained events, or an individual like an assassination or a coup detat. They are unearthed by whistleblowers and the media, using verifiable facts and evidence, they wrote. Big League Politics has reported on many conspiracy theories becoming the undeniable, incontrovertible reality in recent years: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is admitting that the new world order is far from a conspiracy theory. Paul knows that the one-world government is legitimate and world elites are marching aggressively toward this goal. This echoes the opinion of his father, Congressman Ron Paul, who warned of this agenda for a great many years. The real danger here thats even more dangerous than all their phony caring about carbon footprint, the real danger is this; look how bad your government is in a country where you get to vote for these people, Paul said during a recent appearance on Fox News. This would be a government, a world government where you dont get to vote on anybody. This is everybodys worst nightmare, Paul continued, noting the penetration of influence by the World Economic Forum and its leader Klaus Schwab into national governments. So Im dead set against this and they used to call people that talked about one-world government used to say its a conspiracy. We would always say no, its in their mission statement. They say it at every meeting. Thats what theyre for, he added. Paul said that the lack of sovereignty means lack of freedom, it means lack of responsiveness and its completely antithetical to everything our country stands for. The UN is unwittingly proving the conspiracy exists in their desperation to dispel the notion of a monolithic global conspiracy to consolidate power. More of the public is aware than ever before, and the understanding will continue to spread in the years to come. Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com (Natural News) Vera Sharav was only 3 years old when her world collapsed. (Article by Matt McGregor republished from TheEpochTimes.com) She and her family were chased out of Romania and herded into a concentration camp in Ukraine during World War II, where they were left to wait, and starve. The cloud of death was always there, Sharav told The Epoch Times. Weekly, a list determined who would be sent where; whether it be a death or slave labor camp, she said. While at the camp, she said her father died of typhus when she was 5, which had been widespread throughout the camps because of the cold and malnutrition. After three years at the camp, she was rescued in 1944, she said. My mother got wind that a few orphans would be transported out of the camp, so she lied and said I was an orphan to save my life, and thats how I wound up leaving, Sharav said. This began what she called her odyssey as a child without parents, left to her own intuition and keen critical assessment of others intentions. I had to assess who I could trust to take care of me, she said. While on a train to the Port of Constanta, Romania, where there were three boats awaiting to take groups of people to Palestine, she befriended a family. However, upon arrival, she found herself assigned a boat with other orphan children that would separate her from the family with whom she felt she could trust. So she rebelled. No matter what, I could not be convinced to get on that boat, she said. Miraculously, in the end, they gave in to me. Seasick, she fell asleep that night, only to wake up to find that the boat with the orphans had been torpedoed by who she said she found out decades later to have been the Russians. Though she carried guilt for having survived, she was grateful she resisted because that resistance kept her alive, she said. I do not obey authority, and it saved my life. Weaponized Medicine These memories returned in 2020 during the web of COVID-19 restrictions that spun out of control with the help of media propaganda, she said. So now, when people are obeying authority mindlessly, giving up their rights to make decisions about their own lives and what goes into their own bodies, I think back to that time, she said. Today, Sharav is a medical activist and founder of the Alliance for Human Research Protection, a network of lay people and professionals who work to uphold humanitarian values and ethical standards established in the Hippocratic Oath, the Nuremberg Code, and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. Most recently, shes joined with Scott Schara, co-founder of Our Amazing Graces Light Shines On, Inc. Both Sharav and Schara discussed with The Epoch Times what they saw as parallels between the National Socialist regime in Germany and the current medical directives being carried out in the United States through government funding. Since the death of his 19-year-old daughter Grace in a hospital in 2021, after having been injected with a combination of drugs that he found out later was part of a federal hospital protocol, Schara called what was happening genocide. He has been crusading to tell his daughters story and network with others who have had a similar experience while bringing attention to the protocols that he believes amounted to the murder of his daughter, who had Down syndrome. Under the Nazi regime, Sharav said, medicine was weaponized, as it has been today. Though the Jews were the primary target, she said, the first medically murdered victims were disabled German infants and children under the age of 3. This later expanded the operationtitled T4 for the street address of the programs central office in Berlinto the disabled of all ages, including the mentally ill and senior citizens, Sharav said. The Nazis called them worthless eaters, she said. T4 was a concerted effort to be rid of what their propaganda called the economic burden. Schara pointed to a 2021 Medicare Trustees Report, which evaluates the cost of keeping the elderly and disabled federally funded. Thirty-nine percent of that federal budget goes to those two groups right now, which is $2.2 trillion a year, Schara said. On page 11 of the report (pdf), there is a call for substantial changes to address financial challenges. The sooner solutions are enacted, the more flexible and gradual they can be, the report states. For Schara, the implication, while not overtly stated, suggests a call for eugenics that was supported by academic elites early in U.S. history, and later adopted by Nazi Germany. Ten years after he took power, Adolph Hitler launched his genocide program that had been introduced in incremental steps with the help of propaganda portraying the regime as heroes, Sharav said. What happened to Grace, and what happened to many disabled and elderly in Western Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States in March and April of 2020 was medical murder, Sharav said. Built on a Lie Genocide isnt new to the United States, Sharav said, as it was Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes who voted in favor of the 8-1 majority opinion in the 1921 case Buck v. Bell, which upheld the Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924 and the forced sterilization of Carrie Buck, who was alleged to be mentally defective. Holmes said it would be better to prevent the mentally disabled from being born than to allow them to sap the strength of the state or let them starve for their imbecility. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccinations is broad enough to cover cutting Fallopian tubes, the justice wrote in his opinion. Three generations of imbeciles are enough. Carrie Buck, however, was never actually mentally disabled, Sharav said. Arguments for eugenics are always built on a lie, Sharav said. But its an ideology that continues to poison public health policies. And he blames this type of thinking for the medical decisions that ultimately contributed to Graces death. The Banality of Evil As he continues to try to wrap his mind around what happened to his daughter, Schara says he gained some insight from the writings of Holocaust survivor Hannah Arendt and her concept of the banality of evil. It opened up a whole different view of the world for me, Schara said. Sharavs experience made her familiar with the concept. The banality of evil is the normalization of mass murder by making it a bureaucratic routine that is handed down as orders through the chain of command to the person who pulls the switch, gives the injection, or turns on the gas, she said. No one called it murder, Sharav said. The Nazis were very adept at propaganda and language. The Jews were called spreaders of disease, not unlike the epithets thrown at those who didnt take the jab. Throughout 2021, the spread of COVID-19 was blamed on the pandemic of the unvaccinated, a phrase that was used by President Joe Biden and governors such as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. The whole language of it is dehumanizing, Sharav said. A Slippery Slope Schara applies the concept to the fact that 67 percent of Down syndrome children are aborted in the United States, he said. Doctors encourage the mother to get an amnio (amniocentesis) test, and if the test shows Down syndrome or another disability that would complicate the parents life, he encourages an abortion, Schara said. What Sharav said shes seen in an unholy union when medicine gets into bed with the government. The Hippocratic Oath goes out the window, she said. The pledge to do no harm got replaced with allegiance to the greater good, Sharav said. The question then remains, who has the authority to decide whats best for the greater good, Sharav challenged. What supports the greater good is having respect for the individual, Sharav said, and to pursue policies that advocate for the many over the individual is to open the door to medical practices that will cause harm. Look at what Big Pharma is doing now to children, aggressively pursuing them to be jabbed when they arent at risk at all from COVID-19, she said. Its a slippery slope thatwith the help of advanced technologysociety is sliding down rapidly compared to the snails pace that it took for Hitler to implement his Final Solution, Schara said. Were headed there exceptionally fast, Schara said. Today, the Final Solution is the reduction of the entire human population under the Sustainable Agenda of Agenda 2030. Unlike the physical camps that required ink tattoos for identification and guards to manage the prisoners, the new prisons are digital, Sharav said, managed remotely by surveillance through smartphones and cities. With smart technology, you can manage billions all at once, she said. Its chilling. Its hard for many to fathom that an elite few would conspire to cause widespread harm, Sharav said. People will say, They made a mistake; it was an accident. But no, the elite, just like the Nazis, have this arrogance in which they believe they are superior and therefore entitled to rule the rest of us because they think we are inferior, Sharav said. Control vs. Faith Schara said his concern is with an elite ruling class that is godless, believing only in what is measurable and controllable. He emphasizes his faith in God as a powerful weapon to combat the dark agendas that have escalated beyond the comprehension of the average person, working 60 hours a week just to make ends meet. We should not fall trap to the false light that Satan will eventually ride in on to steal more souls. Gods true light protects those who believe, he said. We the People can reclaim sovereignty by learning to trust in intuition, experience, and the ability to assess lies from truth, Sharav said. Stop watching mainstream media, Sharav said. Theyre all reading from the same script. They have bombarded people with fearmongering, which is exactly the same thing that the Nazis did. Thats how they controlled the population: through fear. For Sharav, the mission that has been laid at the feet of people throughout the world is the same as it was for her as a child: Resist. Wake up. Stop obeying. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com (Natural News) White Plains City Court Judge John Collin delivered the maximum sentence to three pro-life activists, one of them a Catholic priest, who tried to counsel women to choose life rather than murder inside a New York abortion clinic. Father Christopher Fidelis Moscinski, along with William Goodman, both 52, and Matthew Connolly, 40, were convicted of third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. They will now have to go to jail for three months. As part of a Red Rose Rescue at All Womens Health & Medical Services on November 27 of last year, the three men entered the baby murder facility with red roses and attempted to give them to women on the verge of murdering their babies. You were made to love and be loved, read a Miraculous Medal note attached to each flower. Your goodness is greater than the difficulties of your situation. Circumstances change. A new life, however tiny, brings the promise of unrepeatable joy. All of the women smiled upon receiving a rose, according to Goodman. And one of them engaged in a relatively long conversation with the men, who described the experience as a positive one. (Related: Numerous Jewish groups and the Satanic Temple agree that abortion is a religious ritual.) For two hours, the men remained inside the facility despite requests from staff and police to leave the premises, according to the Westchester County District Attorneys Office. Eventually, police officers carried the men out of the building to arrest them. District Attorney Miriam Rocah pushed for maximum sentence because Red Rose Rescuers interfered with medical and reproductive care At no point did the Red Rose Rescuers block entry into the abortion clinic, nor did they restrict in any way the womens ability to proceed with the operation. All they did was hand out roses to the patients in the waiting room and offer them alternatives to abortion and supportive services, said Steve Anduze, the mens attorney, to Matt Spillane of the Rockland / Westchester News. They were telling them that there were services available to them. They had the opportunity to choose a different path. They wanted to save the lives of the unborn. Even so, district attorney Miriam Mimi Rocah, an obvious abortion lover, pushed for a maximum sentence against the men for daring to interfer[e] with a patients right to access what she described as medical and reproductive care. Monica Miller, Director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and co-founder of Red Rose Rescue, told LifeSiteNews that the three men all expected to receive the maximum sentence, considering the location in which the incident occurred. All through the trial earlier this year, Judge John Collins exhibited bias and hostility against the rescuers, granting everything the prosecutor requested, she wrote in an email. Moreover, residents of Westchester County, NY are very pro-abortion, keeping in mind that New York as a state was out front early in codifying abortion through the ninth month! There were also numerous letters to the editor sent in to the local press demanding that the three men receive the maximum sentence, and that is exactly what ended up happening. But, this is not a defeat, Miller made sure to add. No, it is a spiritual victory as Father Fidelis, Will and Matthew embrace the Cross of Jesus they unite their sufferings to the Passion of the Lord and many great graces will be multiplied by their sacrifice. Miller added further that other pro-lifers should be inspired by their example and participate in Red Rose Rescues themselves, if they feel so inclined. The latest news about abortion can be found at Abortions.news. Sources for this article include: LifeSiteNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The CEOs of gunmakers Ruger and Daniel Defense are drawing major heat online after both of them testified before a congressional committee earlier this week that they wholeheartedly support the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, more popularly known as the ATF. During testimony before a House committee to discuss gun violence, the CEOs responded to a question from Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.): We have heard support today for abolishing the ATF. Do you support abolishing the ATF? Speaking on behalf of Ruger, no we do not, company CEO Chris Killoy responded first. We work closely with our regulators and we do not support that. Next, Kelly directed the same question to Marty Daniel, CEO of Daniel Defense, who said: I agree with Mr. Killoy. We, uh, we are licensed dealerswe are licensed manufacturers. We sell through, um, we are regulated by the ATF. And we are not in support, at this time, of eliminating the ATF. WATCH: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garand Thumb (@garand_thumb) Daniels Defense was the manufacturer of the rifle that was used by the shooter in Uvalde, Texas, who killed 19 young students and two adult teachers at Robb Elementary School, though the gun was both legally manufactured and purchased. For his part, Daniel defended the company against criticism during the House Oversight Committee hearing, noting that the weapon was used by a murderer. These acts are committed by murderers, Daniel said when asked by Rep. Caroline Maloney (D-N.Y.) if he feels any personal responsibility for the Uvalde killings or any others committed with the companys firearms. The murderers are responsible. With all due respect, while I grieve like all Americans at these tragic incidents, again to blame the firearm and the particular firearm in use here that were talking about, modern sporting rifles to blame the firearm, it is an inanimate object, Killoy said in response to a similar question, according to the Houston Chronicle. Maloney said last week that she was planning to introduce a bill to hold the gun industry accountable for the damage inflicted by their products, just like the car industry, pharmaceutical industry or any other American business. Currently, gun manufacturers are shielded from most liability especially use of their products to commit murders and crimes per a federal law signed by then-President George W. Bush. However, it was the CEOs support of the ATF that drew criticism on some firearms forums, with many users claiming they would boycott the two companies. Given WV v EPA it is time for all to push back on over reach of all FEDERAL agencies that interpret law rather than follow codified laws. The ATF needs to be eliminated. It is time for all 2A supporting gun owners to send a message. BOYCOTT Ruger and Daniel Defense and tell them why, said one user at the Nevada Shooters online forum, citing a recently decided Supreme Court case in which justices ruled Congress never gave the EPA the authority to regulate emissions. Small FFLs cant fight individually, but it is time to push back. They could have said no comment, or resisted their appearance at the hearings. They did not break any laws. They were invited to attend not subpoenaed, another user wrote. They bowed to their oppressors willingly. ENOUGH already. I will never buy one of their products again. Time for principles and convictions, if you want to continue to be reamed up the arse then please continue to bend over like too many others. Your arguments are why we are here with so much gun control to begin with. I assume you are proud NRA member who thinks they are great too and have never compromised. [J]ust sad, said another. [A] better move would have been to decline to go on the interview, rather than cucking for the ATF on national television, said a user on the Carolina Firearms Forum site. Sources include: CarolinaFirearmsForum.com NevadaShooters.com (Natural News) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) received a standing ovation after he defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, his defense of the nuclear family and traditional family values. The prime ministers talk, entitled How We Fight, touched on multiple topics, including mass migration, the fall of communism and the institution of marriage. Of the latter topic, Orban said that Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage. Family ties shall be based on marriage or the relationship between parent and child, he said. To sum up, the mother is a woman, the father is a man and leave our kids alone. Full stop. End of discussion. Following this remark, cameras at CPAC showed members of the crowd giving the prime minister a standing ovation. Hungary recognizes same-sex unions, with registered same-sex partnerships being entitled to certain rights, including inheritance and property rights. But the countrys constitution, enacted by Orbans government, specifically restricts marriage to opposite-sex couples. Speaking about how conservatives in Hungary are fighting social issues, he said: Politics, my friends, is not enough. This war is a culture war. We have to revitalize our churches, our families, our universities and our community institutions. (Related: Orban warns West is subjecting itself to suicide waves of decline.) Orbans government recently enacted a law banning the promotion of content in schools the government believes to be promoting homosexuality and LGBTQ+ ideology. Describing how his party, Fidesz, has achieved great levels of political success all while maintaining a two-thirds supermajority in the Hungarian parliament, Orban said that one of the main factors is his ruling coalitions devotion to law and order without compromise. He humorously added that his government decided we dont need more genders, we need more rangers Less drag queens and more Chuck Norris. Orban calls for Christians and conservatives in Europe and America to unite Speaking about the controversy generated by his appearance at CPAC, Orban said that Democrats, progressives and liberals did everything in their power to prevent him from delivering his address. We are not the favorites of the American Democrats. They did not want me to be here and they made every effort to drive a wedge between us. They hate me and slander me and my country as they hate you and slander you and [the] America you stand for, said Orban. We all know how this works, he continued. Progressive liberals didnt want me to be here because they knew what I would tell you because Im here to tell you that we should unite our forces because we Hungarians know how to defeat the enemies of freedom on the political battlefield. Orbans speech touched on a variety of other topics, including how the United States specifically, former President Ronald Reagan helped Hungary defeat communism, how Hungary was the first country in Europe to stop the invasion of illegal immigrants and how his government has reduced the number of abortions. In the last 10 years the number of marriages has doubled and the number of abortions has halved in Hungary, he said. Its not a bad start. Orbans appearance at CPAC was immediately criticized, with many accusing the popular and democratically-elected prime minister of being an authoritarian and a dictator. Despite the massive amounts of criticism from Western media and politicians, Orban is still largely focused on policies that he believes will make Hungary a better place to live. These policies include keeping immigration into the small country limited, banning same-sex couples from legally adopting children and passing a law that prevents people from being legally allowed to change genders on official documents. Learn more about LGBT issues at Gender.news. Watch this clip of Orbans address during the first day of CPAC in Texas. This video is from the SecureLife channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Faith over pride: Christian soccer player chooses to sit out match rather than wear LGBT PRIDE jersey. New strategy urged to deal with Russias invasion of Ukraine as collapsing Hungarys leader realizes Putin is getting best of them Hungary moving to protect its children from transgenderism and homosexuality while U.S> kids are exposed to the worst of both. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Mediaite.com TheGuardian.com Newsweek.com Brighteon.com Ultrasound imaging is known for its common usage during pregnancy, with the aim of detecting the growth and development of the fetus inside a female's womb. The method is also widely used for producing internal images of abdominal glands, blood vessels, brain, breast, eyes, heart, muscles, and skin. Ultimately it aims to detect if there is an anomaly or abnormal condition inside the body. Also called as ultrasonography, the diagnostic technique is only available in medical facilities, including clinics, hospitals, and doctor's offices. It also requires a number of specialized equipment which is not typically accessible to the public. With this, the availability of sonography is not always guaranteed, at least not instantly and in remote areas. Currently, a new study shows that engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed stamp-sized stickers that can be attached into the skin and see through the body. The so-called ultrasound adhesives can produce vivid images of major vessels and internal organs, almost similar to the conventional procedure. The adhesive patch is a wearable accessory, which can potentially address the said challenges posed by the classic equipment-based ultrasound imaging. The stickers can reportedly provide continuous, uninterrupted ultrasound imaging of internal organs for 48 hours. Ultrasound Stickers In a media release by MIT News on Thursday, July 28, the MIT engineers presented their prototype design for a new ultrasound sticker, a device which is more accessible and portable compared to its decades-old counterpart. As part of the researchers, the engineering team applied the stickers to volunteers and showed the devices generated live, high quality images of blood vessels and deeper organs inside the body, including the heart, lungs, and stomach. The adhesiveness of the stickers was proven as the volunteers performed various activities and movements, including biking, jogging, sitting, and standing. The news release also adds the sticker's design requires connecting them to instruments that translate the received sound waves into images. While in their current form, the team said the stickers could already have their immediate applications to patients in the hospital. The new paper was published in the journal Science last Thursday, which generally materialized a conceptualized "bio adhesive ultrasound" aimed for long-lasting imaging of diverse organs. Also Read: Sisterly Love: Ultrasound Captures Identical Twins Kissing Inside Mother's Womb Latest Developments In the latest updates, the team is working toward a wireless bio adhesive sticker, which patients could potentially take home from a medical facility or even buy from a pharmacy in the future, according to MIT News. For over 20 years, ultrasound imaging has been used in the medical and healthcare industry, with an excellent safety record. This means it does not have the same risks posed by X-rays or other types of imaging methods that involved the use of radiation, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Regardless of its size of form, ultrasound imaging is made possible based on the reflection produced by sound waves as they bounce in the body's structures, the FDA adds. Related Article: Ultra ultrasound to transform new tech A recent volcanic eruption in Iceland poses the same threat as in 2010: the suspension of air traffic between the United States and Europe. Intense Eruption The Fagradalsfjall's Geldingadalir volcano in Iceland's relatively unpopulated Reykjanes peninsula has erupted since early today. The country's capital, Reykjavik, home to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa and Keflavik Airport, the eruption is not far from any of these locations. The current eruption is in the same area, close to Grindavk, where a six-month eruption began in February 2021. Although the 2021 eruption caused flight cancellations and delays at Keflavik Airport, it had little effect on more extensive trans-Atlantic air operations. However, the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption in Iceland in 2020 did. At the time, this was the biggest suspension of aviation travel since World War II. Instrument flight rules traffic was prohibited in a wide portion of the controlled airspace across most of Europe. The shutdown resulted in the cancellation of tens of thousands of flights, including the crucial trans-Atlantic sector, leaving millions of people stranded in Europe and other parts of the world. Also Read: A Look Inside the Earth: Iceland Volcanic Eruption Opens Opportunitites for Extensive Study Compared to Previous Eruption When the volcano erupted in April 2010, it caused a disturbance that extended over some of the busiest airspaces in the world and sent ash up into the atmosphere and the jetstream. From April 15 to April 23, a large portion of Europe's airspace was shut down; residual ash clouds also prompted the suspension of air traffic over Scotland and Ireland on May 4-5, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, and Germany on May 9, and Irish and UK airspace was shut down once again on May 16-17. For the first eight days, 107,000 flights were canceled, or 48% of all flights, affecting more than 10 million people. Jet engines that fly over volcanic ash or boat and car engines that breathe ash-filled air can suffer considerable damage. Because volcanic ash is so harsh and abrasive, it may swiftly wear out various aircraft components, including propellers, turbo-compressor blades, and even cockpit glass. Volcanic ash particles can melt in a jet engine's combustion chamber due to their low melting point, forming a glaze that adheres to the engine's turbine blades, fuel nozzles, and combustors. Even a small quantity of ash can result in complete engine failure in a jet engine. Harmful Volcanic Ash Because volcanic ash can enter a vehicle through practically all openings, overheating and engine failure are possibilities in cars and trucks. Ash is also an extremely abrasive substance. Ash stuck between wiper blades and windshields will scratch and permanently stain the windshield glass, and windows are prone to scratching every time they are lifted, lowered, and cleaned. Scientists looked at prior eruptions and their potential effects on contemporary aviation after the 2010 occurrence. Professor Bill McGuire of the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre claims that an eruption similar to the 1783 eruption of the Icelandic volcano Laki would "had the potential to significantly impede aviation traffic at high northern latitudes for 6 months or more." Air transport would be limited to the Pacific from China and Japan east to North America and south to Australia, South America, and Africa since flying over Russia would be prohibited owing to the current geopolitical conflict in Ukraine. Long-haul flights to and from North America that pass via European airspace would have to be canceled or rerouted, adding a lot of time and money to the trip. Potentially Larger Threat The size of this developing volcanic eruption in Iceland is unknown to scientists. After a brief period of significant seismic activity, which saw more than 10,000 earthquakes near the volcano since Saturday, including two with a magnitude of 5.0 or higher, today's eruption occurred. There is now no ash plume emanating from the volcano, only a small amount of gas. The Icelandic Foreign Ministry tweeted, "Risk to populous regions and essential infrastructure is assessed extremely low, and there have been no flight interruptions." The counterpart of the United States in Iceland is the Icelandic Meteorological Office. The National Weather Service and USGS are still watching the eruption. They will notify the appropriate authorities if a potentially harmful ash cloud forms at the current eruption location. Iceland Eruption Volcanic eruptions are not unusual in Iceland. In Iceland, there are 32 active volcanic systems, and one of them is expected to erupt at least once every five years. It is Iceland's seventh eruption in the past 21 years. Related Article: Several Heat Sources for Volcanic Hotspots are Shockingly Nearer than Expected For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Abu Dhabi - Al Jubail Island's Jubail Mangrove Park is a paradise that thrives in the sweltering heat of the summer. An extremely salty sea that heats up in the peak of summer is an unfriendly environment for most foliage to survive. In contrast, there is a forest that is not only surviving but also thriving in a remote area of Abu Dhabi, where salty waters lap sun-drenched shorelines. This forest serves as a natural wildlife sanctuary and a remarkably tranquil respite from the bustle of the UAE's cities and deserts. On Al Jubail island in Abu Dhabi's northeast, where shallow tidal lakes and rivers spill into the crystalline blue Arabian Sea, is Jubail Mangrove Park, a green area of gray mangrove trees. Just before the pandemic started, the park was opened to the public as a tourist destination. It now has a classy reception area made of wood that provides up-close views of the area's flora and fauna. Dickson Dulawen, a veteran guide, said that like yoga, being in the park, especially at sunrise or sunset, is therapeutic. It is a wonderful spot to unwind. The healing abilities of mangroves are beneficial to other species as well as humans. Resilient trees, according to scientists, are also assisting in the restoration of the environment by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, promoting biodiversity, and delaying the effects of climate change. It is Paradise The best way to see the mangroves is from the water in a kayak from Jubail, where you can follow guides like Dulawen. Tours are offered during the day and occasionally at night, depending on the tides. Dulawen points to the throngs of small black crabs that scurry on the sand beds surrounding the base of the mangroves as he leads the way out through a man-made channel. He says there is a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the crustaceans. They spread seeds, break up the dense salty sediment, and eat fallen leaves while hiding from predators in the branches, all of which promote root growth. To breathe, gray mangroves project a star-shaped system of cable roots or anchor roots, which then produce a miniature forest of tubes called pneumatophores. A closer look at the mangrove leaves shows that they seem to be sweating salt, which Dulawen compares to a perfect desert island with a perfect sandy beach that only appears at low tide. it's a process that enables them to flourish in saltwater that would otherwise be poisonous to other plants. Other plants that contribute to the local ecosystem are mentioned by Dulawen. Over the moving seagrass, upside-down jellyfish are seen in the clear water. Turtles are frequent guests, according to Dulawen. Ecosystem Engineers + Diversity Hotspot This area of Abu Dhabi is peaceful in part because it is off-limits to jet skis and other pleasure crafts that buzz along other stretches of coastline. In recent years, mangrove areas have expanded in both Jubail and the Eastern Mangrove Park of Abu Dhabi thanks to public and private planting initiatives. Three new trees are planted for everyone that is cut down due to development elsewhere. John Burt, an associate professor of biology from New York University, Abu Dhabi, calls this an environmental success story. Burt can be seen paddling throughout the emirate's waters. This is also part of his team's study to map the genetic information of the gray mangrove, In his words, mangroves are "ecosystem engineers," constructing not only their own homes but also the ideal environment for a vast array of other species. He added that the mangroves are a hotspot for diversity, making wildlife such as birds and crabs happy. There's something else too. In our era of climate change, Super-resilient mangroves in Abu Dhabi may hold the answer to predicting how ecosystems around the world will adjust to global warming and increasing sea levels, as well as assisting in mitigating some of the causes. According to Burt, they serve as a "blue carbon sink," which is a marine environment that absorbs more carbon than it emits. Read also: Mangrove in the Desert: Thriving Effort to Combat Climate Change Hardy Genes The professor also claims that Abu Dhabi's gray mangroves could serve as a model for species survival anywhere in the world since they flourish in the unusually salty waters of the desert coastal waters that, in the winter, can get quite cool for a typically tropical species. His group is examining particular genes in the indigenous plants that are linked to "environmental resilience," such as tolerance to salt and extremely high and low temperatures. The same hardy genes that Abu Dhabi's trees possess may also be present in mangroves in other places around the world, ready to be activated in the correct environmental conditions. And it might be a good omen to see those genes at work in Abu Dhabi, CNN Travel reports. Related article: Study Estimates Productivity of Mangrove Carbon Storage Using Remote Sensing Model Blood from a horseshoe crab saves lives. Can we keep these creatures safe from us, humans? The entire effects of the industry are yet unknown, although humans rely on animal blood for laboratory testing. The horseshoe crab seems remarkably feeble for such a hardy creature. A Particularly Resilient Creature One animal's ten legs, which resemble lobsters, squirm in the air as it is beached on a desolate Delaware beachfront after climbing ashore to mate. The crab repeatedly folds its spear-like tail into its shell in an unsuccessful attempt to correct itself. Soon, it is worn out. Slowly, it sags its tail down toward the beach. Numerous other crabs in identical situations are scattered around the sandy shore. Others will perish, while the tide or a passing person will save some. Also Read: What Makes Horseshoe Crab's Blue Blood Worth $60,000 a Gallon? Increased Demand As the global demand for their blue blood, extracted for biomedical use worldwide, grow, even those who manage to live may eventually face increased challenges. The toxin-sensitive blood is the only known natural source of amebocyte lysate, a clotting agent used to identify harmful endotoxins in various human medical items, including insulin, intravenous devices, and COVID vaccinations of arachnids. Since at least 450 million years ago, far before the dinosaur era, the Atlantic horseshoe crab and three Asian horseshoe crab species have continued to live substantially unaltered. However, according to conservation organizations and biomedical businesses, the declining numbers of wild horseshoe crabs in Asia, which are made worse by rising demand in the Asia-Pacific biomedical market, threaten further to shift the sector to the Atlantic horseshoe crab. Because there is evidence that the population of Atlantic horseshoe crabs is dwindling, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which assesses the conservation status of animals, views the crabs as being vulnerable. However, it is still difficult to determine the full effects of horseshoe crab bleedings and consequent death, especially when added to other stressors like climate change, soil erosion, and fishing for the bait business. One of the five American businesses that annually collects and bleeds Atlantic horseshoe crabs before releasing them back into the ocean is Lonza. A recent paper issued a warning that the Atlantic species may be under "too severe a load" due to the rise of personalized medicine, including cell and gene treatments, which is partially to blame for the growing demand for horseshoe crab blood. Horsehoe Crab Overexploitation The number of horseshoe crab bleedings produced by American businesses has already been rising yearly. Nearly 700,000 horseshoe crabs were caught all along the Atlantic coastline in 2020 and sent to labs to be bled. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which regulates the horseshoe crab business, put the death toll above 100,000. In contrast, just 480,000 Atlantic horseshoe crabs were caught that year, and around 69,000 perished. The yearly death tolls account for both reported fatalities and a projected unobserved mortality rate of 15%, while some critics argue that this figure does not fully account for associated deaths. According to one study, the unseen fatality rate from bleedings was greater, at 30%, partly since prior works did not accurately reflect real crab handling techniques. Overused for Gains Given that there is a synthetic substitute for amebocyte lysate called recombinant factor C (rFC), the growing cost of the crab-bleeding industry raises concerns about our responsibilities to the creatures that provide life-saving materials for human benefit, according to Christian Hunt, who oversees horseshoe crab policy at Defenders of Wildlife. It's the Wild West for the biomedical sector, he claims, without proper control of horseshoe crab bleedings and results. Related Article: After Outliving the Dinosaurs, Crustaceans Used to Fight Covid Now at Risk of Extinction A group of "specially commissioned hunters" recently tracked down and killed a monkey that has been terrorizing people in Japan; it was a member of a "monkey gang," a group of macaques, that has been responsible for over 50 attacks in Yamaguchi, Japan. The non-human primates, Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), have been terrorizing the city for almost a month by biting and scratching locals. Macaques are the northernmost species of this type of primate. According to the BBC, in addition to attacking people in the streets, the monkeys have also developed the ability to climb into windows and open sliding doors. A 4-year-old girl was trampled on by a monkey that managed to break into a kindergarten classroom once. Another incident involved a monkey that allegedly tried to steal a baby by climbing through a window. Taking Up Arms The 4-year-old male monkey that was recently put to death was connected to at least one city attack, though it's not clear if he was the main offender or not. In either case, it's highly improbable that the gang will let the people of Yamaguchi alone. According to a study, conflicts between macaques and people have been intensifying in the area for decades, particularly in rural areas where the monkeys gorge on farmers' crops. Red List According to a paper, Japanese macaque populations are steadily increasing, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List classifies the species as one of the least concern. However, there was a time when these monkeys faced extinction. About half of Japan's forests, which are home to macaques, were lost to deforestation by the turn of the nineteenth century. In addition to the loss of habitat, widespread hunting also hurt these primate populations. By the time of World War II, macaques were both locally extinct and threatened throughout much of their former range in Japan. Japan outlawed macaque hunting following World War II. But it turned out that the campaign to save these monkeys was a little too productive. Nisaetus nipalensis, a mountain hawk-eagle, and Canis lupus hodophilax, a Japanese wolf, the macaques' two primary predators, are both critically endangered and extinct. Macaque populations have erupted due to a lack of these predators to control their numbers, which has increased interactions with humans and led to the type of conflict seen in Yamaguchi. Read also: Marvin Gaye's Classic Hits Serenade Barbary Macaque Monkeys Ahead of Valentine's Day According to the authors of the 2021 study, Japan's changing demographics may also be a factor in the rise in violence between macaques and people. People have migrated from rural to urban areas over the past five decades. According to the study, it's possible that animals, such as roving bands of brazen macaques, are relocating and taking control of these small villages because fewer people are living there and some of them have been abandoned. According to NBC News, this change has an impact on urban areas like Yamaguchi. In the past, these agricultural areas served as a barrier between cities and wildlife. The demise of rural communities is increasing the frequency of wildlife encounters for city dwellers. Life Goes On The remainder of the monkey gang has continued despite losing one member, according to Insider. The macaques still wreak havoc on Yamaguchi almost a week later, Live Science reports. Related article: Rhesus Macaques Monkeys Can Perceive Their Internal Heartbeats Through Interoception: New Study Etienne Klein, a French scientist, apologizes after a "James Webb Telescope" picture turned out to be a piece of chorizo. A senior French scientist who tweeted an image he claimed was from the James Webb Space Telescope but was not quite what it looked has apologized. Photo de Proxima du Centaure, letoile la plus proche du Soleil, situee a 4,2 annee-lumiere de nous. Elle a ete prise par le JWST. Ce niveau de details Un nouveau monde se devoile jour apres jour. pic.twitter.com/88UBbHDQ7Z Etienne KLEIN (@EtienneKlein) July 31, 2022 Scientific "Blunder" Director at France's Atomic Energy Commission, Etienne Klein, allegedly uploaded a photo of Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the sun. In a Monday tweet to his more than 90,000 followers, he wrote, "This degree of detail... a new universe is unveiled every day." Professor Klein acknowledged that the light object depicted was only a piece of Spanish chorizo sausage. He apologized for what he called "a scientist's joke" and stated that he intended to caution people against listening to arguments from those in positions of authority. Also Read: From the Depths of Space: James Webb Captures Images from Deepest Parts of Universe Sincere Apology I'd want to apologize to anyone offended by my prank, which wasn't creative, he tweeted. When scientists frequently have to defend themselves against bogus visuals in the press, the prank prompted condemnation from several Twitter users. Twitter user @alexis200m said, "Coming from a scientific research director, it's pretty wrong to disseminate this material." Mr. Etienne later tweeted a picture of the well-known Cartwheel Galaxy, telling followers that this time the picture was genuine to retake the scientific upper hand. James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is an observatory built primarily for infrared astronomy. Its enormously enhanced infrared resolution and sensitivity enable it to observe objects that are too early, far away, or dim for the Hubble Orbit Telescope since it is the greatest optical telescope in space. This is anticipated to open up a wide variety of astronomical and cosmological inquiries, including the observation of the earliest stars and the development of the first galaxies, as well as the comprehensive atmospheric characterization of exoplanets that may harbor life. Looking Far Beyond JWST was developed under the direction of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The JWST was developed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Maryland and is run by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore on the Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University, and Northrop Grumman was the primary contractor. The telescope bears the name of James E. Webb, who oversaw NASA's Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions from 1961 to 1968. From Kourou, French Guiana, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched on an Ariane 5 rocket on December 25, 2021. It reached the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point in January 2022. On July 11, 2022, the public saw the first image from JWST during a press conference. The telescope is NASA's premier astrophysics mission, taking over from the Hubble. Related Article: Remnants of a Comet that Exploded in 2007 Will Reach the Earth For more Space news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! After being lost to science in 1925, a conservation team has now found a native magnolia tree species in a forest in Haiti for the first time in almost a century. The northern Haiti magnolia, or Magnolia emarginata, which has pure white flowers and unusually shaped leaves, was first discovered in the Morne Colombo forest, which has since been destroyed by deforestation. Its rediscovery has ignited new hope for the possible rewilding of Haiti's forests because it was listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and considered endangered. Rediscovery Many indigenous plants can now only be found growing in unreachable mountains or ravines due to the rapid downturn of forest space-only 1% of the original forest in the country is still present. A team from the Haiti National Trust visited the Massif du Nord, Haiti's longest mountain range, in quest of the elusive plant because they believed it might thrive in high-altitude environments. The team discovered one tree three days into the expedition and snapped the first images ever taken of the plant. They soon found juvenile plants in the early stages of growth and 16 flowering trees in different developmental stages. Conservational Efforts According to them, these findings raise the possibility that even more members of the species may exist nearby. The team collected specimens and samples for DNA analysis after identifying the trees and intends to return in late autumn to gather seeds. Four additional native magnolia species, which also include the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola, have been successfully cultivated by the Haiti National Trust. They intend to start a nursery and use their expertise to assist nearby communities in supporting restoration initiatives. The expedition's leader, Eladio Fernandez, expressed optimism in the wake of the rediscovery of this extinct species. Fernandez is also the communications director for the Haiti National Trust. Although the country's degraded forests are in a bad state, he claimed that they still contain species like this that are unique to the world, giving us the chance to save them, The Guardian reports. Read also: For the First Time in 150 Years, Scientists Catch Photograph of Rare Owl Lurking in the Wild Anne-Isabelle Bonifassi, the executive director of Haiti National Trust, said that this rediscovery gives Haitian rewilding efforts new life. The team is eager to put their hard work toward rewilding the forests in Haiti's Grand Bois, which include other endemic magnolia species, to use to protect yet another stunning and recognizable magnolia. Together with Haiti National Trust, Re:wild has been working to restore the Grand Bois ecosystem and establish Haiti's first private reserve. This is a component of Re:wild's bigger initiative to safeguard and revitalize Caribbean islands. Jenny Daltry, Caribbean alliance director for Re:wild, said that it is a miracle that Haiti's northern magnolia has escaped widespread deforestation. The largest-ever effort to locate and preserve lost species is the Search for Lost Species program, which is coordinated by Re:wild. She continued by saying that the loss of biodiversity poses a serious threat to both people and the environment throughout the Caribbean. To protect and restore the Caribbean islands, including Hispaniola, Re:wild and Fauna & Flora International has joined forces. Sunrise Airways, Fundacion Progressio, and Asociacion Popular de Ahorros y Prestamos (APAP) all contributed generously to the success of this project, Re:wild reports. Related article: Rare Orchid Rediscovered 120 Years After Supposed Extinction Pigeons flying around the the infrastructure of a pigeon keeper, in Wichelen, Tuesday 02 August 2022. Last weekend, 20,000 racing pigeons went missing after an international race from Narbonne, France. Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained homing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of travel is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which animal returned at the highest speed. Keeping, breeding and 'playing' with race pigeons is a popular hobby in Belgium. Belgian breeders are well known for the high performance of their animals. (Photo : Photo by NICOLAS MAETERLINCK/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images) Racing pigeons from Belgium went missing after the birds were released into stormy weather in Narbonne, France. The birds were racing back to their lofts in northern Europe when they hit a summer storm, during which thousands of them went missing, The Guardian reported. Belgian pigeon fanciers and federation described the event as a 'catastrophe' and blamed the organizers. "It's an emotional drama, a financial drama - it's quite simply very sad," said Pascal Bodengien, the president of the federation, adding that some may have flown to Germany by accident. "Some of them will come back in the next few days but the majority are definitively lost." A Competition Gone Wrong Pigeon racing is a sport developed in Belgium during the mid-19th century, based on history when the birds were used to send messages, according to Topend Sports. Equipped with tracking devices, the goal is for each pigeon to return back to its home as fast as possible, and determine which was the fastest bird. It was believed that pigeons have the ability to navigate using the Earth's magnetic field lines and sense of smell. However, it seems like this 'finely tuned' sense of navigation was thrown into confusion last Friday when, 18 miles (30km) from the start of the race, a storm left them disoriented and tired. It had been widely reported that 20,000 birds have gone missing, but the federation spokesperson Didier Tison said this was "completely false", as there were only around 3,000 to 4,000 lost birds from Belgium. Although the figure is still an "exceptional" number, he was not able to confirm the tally for other countries. Also read: Cave Explorers Discover the Deepest Known Cave in Australia Loss for Pigeon Fancier Raising a bird and spending thousands of euros on sought-after breeders that will provide the "next generation of champions" takes two to three years for amateur, dedicated pigeon fanciers. Which is why last Friday's event left them a certain kind of loss and pain. Luc Henry, a pigeon fancier from Paifve in eastern Belgium, had entered 87 birds into the competition, but only 36 had returned, according to an interview broadcast on Tuesday. He said the "pigeons didn't have a chance" in a race that was "completely distorted". Meanwhile, Ulrich Lemmens, from Balen in Flanders had only 15 of the 57 pigeons he entered and described his losses "truly painful". "In my 13 years as a pigeon fancier, this is the first time this has happened. Three years of work have gone up in smoke. My goal is Barcelona [a prestigious pigeon race] in 2024. But now I can forget it," he said. There are about 18,000 people in Belgium who kept pigeons as its global center for the sport, which is widely considered to have working-class origins. Nonetheless, it had increasingly attracted big money, and Belgian groups even organize many international competitions. The Belgian pigeon federation called for the resignation of the leading officials at the race organizers, Liege Independent, on an emergency meeting last Monday. The federation said that the Liege pigeon society had broken the rules of the sport and it will be dealt with accordingly at a meeting with the minister responsible for animal welfare in the regional government of Wallonia on Thursday. Related article: Rare Video Shows How Silent Predator Hunts Prey for the First Time \ After going back home from a vacation in Croatia, a terrified traveler experienced the shock of her life when she discovered 18 creepy crawly scorpions in her luggage. On Saturday, July 23, the woman had just returned from her vacation in the Adriatic and was unpacking at her house in Natternbach, a small village in the district of Grieskirchen, which is located in the state of Upper Austria. She found an entire family of the stingers when she popped her case open, which gave her the chills. Amazingly, the woman allegedly discovered a nest of 18 scorpions just lounging about in her suitcase, including a mother and her young. She later made a call to Gusental's animal rescue services. In a statement released on Sunday, July 25, Tierhilfe Gusental stated that on that afternoon, a woman from Natternbach contacted their team to report that stowaways had built nests in the luggage they used on their Croatia excursion. The animal shelter went into specifics saying that the stowaways are a mother scorpion with 17 of its young. The rescue team received the animals after they had been secured. Until they set out on their journey back to Croatia, they are being held in the Linz animal shelter. Vacationing Scorpions From reports made on Austrian media, this is not the first time that scorpions vacationed in Croatia. This is the third instance. Following a vacation in Croatia, a woman from Linz reportedly found a scorpion in her residence on Thursday, June 30. She had been living there for three weeks already when she made the strange discovery. This indicates that the unsettling scorpion probably spent three weeks making itself at home in the apartment without anyone noticing. Another incident occurred in September of last year when a Croatian scorpion was discovered at a residence in Upper Austria before being taken to the nearest animal shelter. Read also: Monstrous Underwater Scorpion Fossil Discovered by Researchers in Australia Scorpions Scorpions are distinguished by a segmented, curved tail at the back of the body that is tipped with a poisonous stinger, and a pair of appendages, or grasping pincers, at the front. Despite inhabiting a variety of habitats, deserts are where they are most prevalent and diverse. Scorpions in Croatia are mainly found along the Adriatic Sea coast and are much less common inland. Croatia is home to a few distinct scorpion species. None of the species in Croatia are dangerous to humans. Despite being venomous, their poison cannot kill a human. Despite this, their stings can hurt, swell, itch, turn red, and feel burning. Although there are five different species of scorpion in Croatia, only the E. Germanus, and the Euscorpius italicus. Both of these species are thought to be harmless to people, Zenger News reports. Scorpions in the US Since they are mainly found in desert areas, scorpions are a common household pest, particularly in the southern United States. They typically spend the day hiding out in shadowy areas and emerge at night in search of water and food. There are about 2000 different species of scorpions in the world, and there are about 90 different species of these poisonous predators in the United States. Related article: Whip Scorpion: This Arachnid That Sprays Acid Has Been Found in Texas! A 15-year study on the common bird known as the blue tit found that as a result of climate change, birds were far less vibrant as their feathers lost their usual bright color. Because our feathered friends rely on their plumage to attract mates, it is dulling flashy colorful feathers and endangering their ability to survive. The occurrence raises concerns as it may result in fewer new chicks. According to Dr. David Lopez-Idiaquez of the University of the Basque Country in Spain, characteristics like coloring serve as signals to let other people know how good a specimen is. For instance, when it comes to breeding, they are decisive. Lopez-Idiaquez is the lead author of the study. Iconic Blue Tit + 15 Years of Study The conclusions are based on observations of the iconic blue tit, which is distinguished by a bright blue crest and a yellow breast. Two populations of the bird species in southern France were monitored for 15 years; one was in Corsica and the other was near Montpellier. According to their study's findings, both groups' average levels of color decreased from 2005 to 2019. According to Lopez-Idiaquez, their research indicates that environmental changes, particularly climate change, maybe the primary cause of changes in the physical characteristics of birds like the blue tit, particularly in the intensity and brightness of their coloration. He continued by stating that both sexes and populations have shown a negative trend in terms of the brightness and intensity of their plumage coloration, though in Corsica this transformation is likely related to the changes in the local climate. Climate Change + Reproduction Climate change would potentially be the cause of this difference because the change in plumage color appears to be the result of both a rise in temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit and a decrease in rainfall of 0.64 mm. "Sexual dichromatism" refers to the color variation between sexes in birds. Charles Darwin noted a female preference for vivid colors in males, which he used to support his "theory of evolution." Read also: Heavy Metals Dull Bird Feathers Making Males Less Attractive To Females Variations in Territory and Pattern The breeding blue tits were caught every year during the study period, allowing for further than 5,800 observational data on coloring and other traits. The international team warns that these changes will have a huge impact on the reproduction of the species, which is endangering their existence. Animals' genetic makeup or physical characteristics can change in response to changes in territory. They might also move or vanish. Lopez-Idiaquez said that It is crucial to emphasize that this change is plastic in nature rather than genetic and is a result of the body adjusting to its environment. He added that Given that the surroundings are very similar, despite being less hot, the birds might be going through the same change. In any case, he continued, there have only been four studies of this kind conducted globally, and none of them have been in the Basque Country. More of this kind of research, not just on a Basque level but also nationally, in his opinion, would be quite interesting to conduct. A University of Sheffield study published last month discovered that birds are changing their distinctive features to adapt to climate change. They can change their shape, such as by growing larger beaks that help regulate body temperature. Animals such as rabbits and elephants are coping by growing larger ears, according to Australian scientists who made this discovery last year. Elephants use them as fans, and rabbits' extensive blood vessel network constricts to help them cool off, Newsweek reports. Related articles: Blue Jays' Feathers Never Fade: Sophisticated Nanostructures Underlying Birds' Vivid Plumage Revealed In New Study Mountain flooding is threatening Eastern Kentucky again as excessive rainfall is expected to inundate the state next week, according to the latest weather forecast. The looming inclement weather can potentially cause the accumulation of several inches of water due to flash flooding triggered by mountain slopes and other geographical factors in a short period of time. The adverse weather is also anticipated to bring torrential rain in Kentucky but also to inundated areas of the Ohio Valley and Tennessee Valley; where flooding can affect both urban and rural areas. In addition, floodwaters from inland bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and streams could also threaten the region as a whole in the coming days. The renewed flood threat has been reported as some communities in the eastern mountainous regions of Kentucky are still recovering from the deadly floods in late July. The recent natural disaster killed at least 37 people with hundreds remain unaccounted for, as confirmed by local authorities. Amidst the forecast, fears over a similar reoccurrence. In recent weeks, severe storms with heavy rain have threatened the Midwest and Appalachians regions, causing a number weather hazards which includes flash flooding, which is common. However, US weather authorities highlighted that the geographical slope of mountains adds to the increased risk of the rapid rise of floodwaters. Kentucky Flooding Threat AccuWeather meteorologists on Saturday, August 6, issued a warning that further rain is on the way even after Kentucky's deadly flooding last week, which left a number of residents without running water or electricity. The meteorologists say a series of downpours are expected to traverse in the "same hard-hit regions" into the upcoming week. In the Ohio and Tennessee River valleys, an additional one to two inches of rain could be added to the flood-affected areas of the regions. While a separate weather system, a stalled frontal boundary has started moving further south from the Great Lakes region into the said valleys. This creates an environment that favors heavy rain, according to the weather forecasting company. Meanwhile, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) of the National Weather Service (NWS) also confirmed on Saturday there is a moderate risk of excessive rainfall over the mentioned regions by Sunday, August 7. Also Read: Catastrophic Kentucky Flood Turns Deadly: 8 People Dead, Causing a State of Emergency Kentucky Flooding Disaster Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear on Monday, August 1, confirmed the death toll during a press conference, adding that the figure could still increase as rescue workers continue their operations in inundated communities of Eastern Kentucky, as cited by CNN. The recent massive flooding led to the displacement of thousands of Kentuckians, as raging waters destroyed establishments and infrastructure, including homes, roads, and bridges. What is Mountain Flooding? The catastrophic event in Eastern Kentucky of such magnitude have reportedly never been seen in the state for the past several decades. Nevertheless, previous reports said that the so-called "mountain flooding" greatly contributed to the fast accumulation of floodwaters. According to National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), mountains and steep hills can lead to rapid runoff. These causes water levels along streams to rise quickly than normal, as well as saturated soils saturated sols to yield in flash flooding. Related Article: At Least 28 Dead While Many More Are Missing After Historic Kentucky Flood Chinese FM expounds on China's stance on South China Sea issue Xinhua) 13:15, August 07, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday expounded on China's stance on the South China Sea issue and refuted the so-call concerns the United States has expressed over the issue. He made the remarks at the 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Wang said China's position on the South China Sea issue is supported by abundant historical and legal basis. China has never changed the basis and scope of its position which has seen no excessive claims, Wang said, noting that China and the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been committed to properly handling their differences through bilateral consultation and negotiation based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Over the years, China and ASEAN countries have worked together to maintain the overall stability in the South China Sea, providing a stable environment for their development and prosperity, Wang said, pointing out that at present, the biggest risk to peace and stability in the South China Sea is the inappropriate intervention and frequent interference by major countries outside the region. For a long time, the U.S. side had not raised any objections to China's sovereignty, rights and interests in the South China Sea, saying that it does not take a position on the sovereignty of the islands there, and now it has turned to total negation of China's position, Wang said, stressing it is baseless in terms of logic, law and justice. What is the credibility of a major country if it changes its established policies so arbitrarily according to its own political needs? How can it win the trust of others in the future? Wang said. In recent years, an increasing number of U.S. warships and aircraft have frequently headed to the South China Sea. China and other coastal countries couldn't help but wonder what on earth is the U.S. side intended to do? Wang added. Countries outside the region should scrupulously abide by their duty and faithfully respect regional countries' efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, he said. The Chinese side and ASEAN countries are now speeding up consultation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and will join forces to upgrade the DOC and set effective regional rules with practical significance, Wang added. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) John Frayne hosts Classics of the Phonograh on Saturdays at WILL-FM and, in retirement, teaches at the UI. His email is frayne@illinois.edu. Where were you 40 years ago, when a gallon of unleaded went for $1.30, a game of Donkey Kong cost a quarter at the arcade and the highest-paid member of the World Series champion Cardinals was raking in a whopping $975,000? A panel of special guests take us on a guided trip down memory lane. Rich Warren: Electronic Cottage Rich Warren | Want to make the switch to an electric vehicle? A few things to consider Ethan Simmons is a reporter at The News-Gazette covering the University of Illinois. His email is esimmons@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@ethancsimmons). AP A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants has taken effect in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that has killed dozens of Palestinians Sundiata Cha-Jua is a professor of African American studies and history at the University of Illinois and a member of the North End Breakfast Club. His email is schajua@gmail.com. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 52F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Alaska has a new ballot for the primary election and some voters will go to a new polling place The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution. The Daily News-Miner is locally owned by the Helen E. Snedden Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Subscribe or donate TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa stressed the importance of further strengthening and widening the horizons of cooperation during talks yesterday with US Ambassador Steven Bondy at Gudaibiya Palace. The well-established ties, part of the strategic partnership between the two friendly countries, are paving the way for development at all levels, said the Crown Prince and Prime Minister highlighting the strength of Bahrain-US strategic relations. His Royal Highness also emphasised the importance of further strengthening efforts to achieve the Kingdoms comprehensive development goals, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Talks also focused on Bahrains works in trafficking in persons, in light of Bahrain maintaining its Tier 1 status for the fifth consecutive year in the US Department of State report on trafficking in persons. The meeting also discussed the outcomes of the Jeddah Security and Development Summit and the latest regional and international developments. Thanking HRH Prince Salman, Steven Bondy said the US is keen to expand its ties with the Kingdom in various areas. The Minister of Finance and National Economy, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Hamad bin Faisal Al Malki, attended the meeting. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Tourism Minister Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi has announced that the ministry is working on reformulating the criteria for classifying tourist facilities. The announcement was made during a consultation meeting with representatives of private tourism facilities in the Kingdom. During the meeting, Al Sairafi affirmed that the re-classification initiative is part of the Governments commitment to further develop the tourism industry, through the facilitation of procedures while accommodating for the diversity in the sector, which would serve the goals of the recently launched Tourism Strategy (2022-2026). The Minister highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in realising the national tourism industrys objectives. She added that the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) will continue to support event organisers, through the facilitation and promotion of various events, via the authoritys online presence, and network of over 75 tourist offices around the world. This on top of keeping related facilities updated of tourism-related events on the regional and global scale. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrains first place ranking in the latest edition of Nikkeis COVID-19 Recovery Index is further evidence of the Kingdoms successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the Ministry of Health. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas government reacted early and decisively, which has led to a "strong post-pandemic" economic and social recovery. Throughout the pandemic, Bahrain, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, worked tirelessly to protect public health by ensuring minimal disruption to the health services. The ministry also said that the universal vaccine roll-out campaign has the backing of a world-class public information campaign, the availability of multiple vaccines, and a high level of public buy-in. The ministry also thanked the efforts and sacrifices of frontline workers and the public who embody the spirit of Team Bahrain. Fire engulfs residential building in Gudaibiya, triggers panic TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Firefighters in Bahrain yesterday averted a major tragedy as they bravely fought through a smoke-filled residential building amid an ongoing fire to rescue residents trapped inside, triggering panic and heart-stopping moments in Gudaibiya. While all the 20 residents were evacuated safely by Civil Defence Force officers, four suffered burn injuries. The National Ambulance crew rushed them to hospitals as firefighters brought them out. It took the Civil Defence Force, four fire tenders and 17 rescue officers several hours of battle before they could bring the fire under control. Civil Defence Forces said they rushed to the spot soon after receiving frantic distress calls seeking urgent intervention as seven got trapped inside the building on fire. Soon, fire tenders and police officers reached the spot and cordoned off the area as rescue officers sprang into action. Pictures from the scene showed well-kitted firefighters bringing out panic-stricken residents, including visibly shocked kids. Visuals also showed a woman, wearing a breathing apparatus, assisted by a fireman, coming out to safety. Police had also cordoned off the area barring passersby and curious onlookers from blocking the rescue efforts. Residents in the area told Tribune that it was clean and well-thought-out actions by the rescue officers. "Else, it would have been a major tragedy but averted, thankfully." The firefighters had also brought breathing apparatus along, including oxygen cylinders, considering exigencies. "They checked the entire building to find out if anyone was left behind, as firefighters also simultaneously worked to evacuate the building and douse the blaze." Officials, however, are yet to establish the cause of the fire. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A man caught with around 5 kilogrammes of shabu from the Bahrain International Airport and sentenced to 5 years in prison has had his appeal rejected by the High Appeals Court. Upholding the sentence issued by a trial court, judges also ordered his deportation after completing the jail term. Court files say airport customs arrested the man with 4.8 kilograms of shabu hidden inside his baggage. Customs officers spotted the man, with suspicious behaviour, during check-out procedures. After initial examinations, officers moved him to the red lane meant for detailed checks. Cops then started looking for hidden spaces inside his baggage and found several spots filled with a drug known as shabu. In total, all of the drugs thus recovered weighed 4.8 kilograms. When confronted the man with evidence, the man, officers told the court, also confessed to his crimes. He also confessed that the drugs were for circulation inside the country to make quick money. His revelation also exposed a network engaged in smuggling drugs into the Kingdom. The man in custody, officers said, is just one of the links of that crime syndicate. Public Prosecution had charged the man with smuggling drugs to sell them in the Kingdom. Bahrain customs have thwarted several attempts like this recently to smuggle drugs and narcotics into the Kingdom. The most common methods employed are body packing -- swallowing large volumes of drugs to hide them in the gastrointestinal tract and body pushing -- placing drug packages or paraphernalia in the rectum. In a recent incident, cops arrested a man carrying 75 capsules stuffed with drugs in his stomach and another with 100 capsules. Both were arrested at the Bahrain International Airport and now serving their time in a Bahrain jail. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Not all videos shared claiming to document happening on social media may necessarily be genuine, warns Bahrain Interior Ministry. The ministry also urged the public to take extreme caution while sharing viral footages that appears to be original. Interior Ministry said they are investigating several such video clips that claimed to be as recent on social media platforms but turned out as very old on the investigation. Ministry, in a statement on Twitter, said they are closely monitoring several such incidents on social media platforms. The ministry said that one example of such fake video clips is the one claimed to be from the Reform and Rehabilitation centre. However, a forensic investigation proved the clips as very old and the police had also taken legal measures at that time. These videos are old and legal procedures were taken regard - ing them, the ministry said. Experts warn that such visuals, for their persuasive potential and attention-grabbing nature, are a potent choice for those seeking to mislead. Anti-cybercrimes departments called on the general public not to fall prey to such messages that mislead, manipulate and harm civil peace. People in Hiroshima are marking the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the city in the final days of World War Two. Thousands of people gathered on Saturday morning for an annual ceremony at the city's Peace Memorial Park. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio was joined by representatives from 99 countries, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the first UN chief to attend the event in 12 years. More than 3,000 members of the public also turned out for the ceremony, a substantial increase on the crowds in 2020 and 2021, the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Officials placed a list of victims of the bombing back in a cenotaph, following the addition of the names of 4,978 people who died or were confirmed dead over the past year. The total now stands at 333,907. Participants paused for a moment of silence at 8:15 a.m., the exact time the United States dropped the bomb on August 6, 1945. The blast and ensuing fallout killed about 140,000 people by the end of that year and exposed many more to harmful radiation. Seventy-seven years on, the movement to abolish nuclear weapons is facing significant challenges. Russia is threatening to use them against Ukraine, and more countries say they are an important deterrent against attacks. In his peace declaration, Hiroshima Mayor Matsui Kazumi noted that people around the world increasingly believe nuclear deterrence is a precondition to peace. But he said the only way to fundamentally ensure the protection of life and property is by getting rid of nuclear weapons altogether. He urged leaders of nuclear states to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the other Japanese city decimated by a nuclear bomb, to observe for themselves the consequences of a nuclear attack. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told the gathering that Japan will tread a path toward a world without nuclear weapons "however narrow, rocky and difficult it may be." He said Japan will pursue this goal despite global security tensions, and while following the three principles of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into the country. The average age of atomic bomb survivors is now more than 84, meaning their dream of one day seeing a world free of nuclear weapons is fading. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As a result of climate change, heat waves are lasting longer and feeling more intense, as Danbury residents can attest after enduring a six-day streak with temperatures at or above 90 degrees last month with more steamy days on the way in August. And now Danbury, like other cities around the country and around the world, is confronting the challenges of this more extreme weather. Inland Connecticut should brace for higher temperatures and increasingly severe rainfall due to climate change, said Tom Di Liberto, a climate scientist for climate.gov, which is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The heat takes a toll: A 2019 analysis conducted by Connecticuts Department of Public Health found a strong correlation between high temperatures and visits to emergency rooms. More people are hospitalized in years with more days with temperatures above 95 degrees. Temperatures can vary dramatically. In July 2021, the high temperature was at least 90 degrees on only five days, with no more than two days in a row of such temperatures. But this year, there were seven days at or above 90 degrees in July including six days in a row from July 19 to July 24, according to data taken at the Danbury Municipal Airport. Beyond the human cost, wild fires are more prevalent during heat waves. Terry Timan, Danburys fire marshal, said the city has recorded 13 outdoor fires between May and July 28, compared to eight in the same period last year an increase of more than 50 percent. In urban areas with lots of concrete and asphalt, the heat can be even worse, Di Liberto said. The surfaces, he said, absorb energy from the sun and then release heat back into the air, including during the night a phenomenon known as the heat island effect. The effect is exacerbated by a lack of shade from trees or tall buildings, Di Liberto said. Even within the same city, he said, areas without shade which also tend to be lower economically can be 10 to 15 degrees hotter than neighborhoods with more tree coverings or tall buildings. Local measures Danbury already has some measures in place to deal with these effects: As of July, the city had four designated sites that serve as cooling shelters, where people without access to air conditioning can go to get out the heat for free. But beyond providing guidance and resources for residents to stay cool, Matthew Cassavechia, the citys head of emergency management, is seeking to learn more about how different parts of Danbury are affected differently by the heat. On July 11, a little over a week before the heat wave began, the citys Department of Emergency Management installed six heat sensors in strategic locations around Danbury. Six more are scheduled to be installed in the coming weeks. The project is co-led by the University of Connecticuts Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA. The findings will help shape Danburys planning for heat, Cassavecchia said. The data from the sensors which will include humidity levels in addition to temperature will help the city determine whether it needs to open more cooling shelters and help it the best ways to communicate with residents about staying safe in extreme heat. Cassavechia and Timan, the fire marshal, said that educating the public will be critical in keeping residents safe in extreme weather events. The very old and the very young are especially at risk on hot days, Cassavechia said, along with people who work outdoors for extended periods of time. Workers should plan for opportunities to rest and stay hydrated while on the job, and perhaps consider working hours when temperatures arent at their warmest. Its important for the public to recognize that wild fires can start much more easily in very high temperatures, Timan said, often coming from unexpected sources. Even shards of broken glass can refract the suns rays and heating up dry grass enough to start a blaze, he said. Finding ways to cool off When it comes to escaping oppressive heat, city officials and residents touched on a common theme: Cooling places should also offer a chance for people of all ages to socialize, be stimulated and learn. The heat is leading residents to reconsider the importance of third places a term used by sociologists to describe locations, other than the home and office, that offer opportunities for leisure activities or meet-ups with others. Existing spots such as the Danbury Fair mall could serve as air-conditioned oases during high-temperature events, Cassavechia said. He also mentioned the citys spray parks at Rogers Park, Lake Kenosia and Candlewood Lake. On July 28, which was a hot and humid day, Paul Turchiano brought his young grandchildren, Jaxon and Aleena, to the spray fountains by Lake Kenosia. They, along with several other families, beat the heat by getting wet. During the summer, Turchiano said he and his wife take their grandchildren to the park three to four times a week. During the heatwave, they also made a trip to the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, which was air-conditioned and provided a good learning experience for the kids, he said. Martina Gecaj of Brewster, N.Y., took her daughter and son to the Lake Kenosia Park as well. Gecaj said she wishes communities would develop more recreational areas that allow for families to stay cool and where kids can socialize and be active. She said that municipalities do not recognize that residents want more recreational areas. This, for me, is well spent, Gecaj said of the park. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MILWAUKEE (AP) Facing critical races for governor and U.S. Senate, Democratic hopefuls in Wisconsin are hoping that their support for abortion rights in the face of a Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade can overcome the headwinds of a midterm election long expected to favor Republicans. But there's one key group their strategies might fail to mobilize: Black voters. An issue with strong support from white Democrats is more complicated in the Black community, especially among churchgoers who hold more conservative views on abortion. The topic is so fraught that most community organizers avoid bringing it up. Among the Black Baptist church alone, that would split us in half, said David Liners, executive director of WISDOM, a faith-based organizing group with a statewide presence, when asked why his group isnt organizing around abortion. Karen Royster, spokeswoman for Milwaukee-based Souls to the Polls, called abortion taboo in church circles, making it difficult for faith leaders to do any sort of work around it. Other groups, like Black Leaders Organizing Communities, won't proactively bring up the issue while doing voter outreach, but will discuss it if it comes up, said Angela Lang, BLOCs executive director. It's an issue bound to get even more focus after a decisive statewide vote in heavily Republican Kansas last week in favor of protecting abortion access, buoying Democratic hopes the issue could galvanize voters elsewhere. AP VoteCast shows that overall, Black voters in the 2020 presidential election were more likely than white or Hispanic voters to say abortion should usually be legal. But among those identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party, things looked different: White Democrats were more likely than either Black or Hispanic Democrats to say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, 88% to 77% to 76%. Valerie Langston, a 64-year-old Milwaukee woman who is Black, backs Democrats and supports abortion rights. She said shes afraid to bring up the issue with friends because she has occasionally been surprised to learn that some of them are anti-abortion. Theyre still going to vote Democrat even if they dont agree with abortion, she said. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who won election four years ago by just over 1 percentage point, said he isnt worried about voter enthusiasm. He has noted that he has vetoed nine bills from the Republican-controlled Legislature that would have restricted abortion access. At a news conference, he projected confidence that the issue will carry him to reelection. I dont think theres going to be any trouble, Evers said when asked if he thought voters with varied views on abortion might not be motivated to support him. Doctors in Wisconsin have stopped providing abortions after the Supreme Court's ruling due to an 1849 ban that Republican lawmakers have said they want to update. Anti-abortion groups have said they'll work to clarify the law to defend against challenges. State Sen. La Tonya Johnson, a Black Democrat who represents a majority-Black district in Milwaukee, noted many voters are focused on economic concerns. She said she hasn't seen groups going door-to-door to talk about abortion rights, even though Black women are more likely than any other group to obtain an abortion, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Wisconsin Democratic Partys engagement teams that work directly with voters of color year-round prefer to take conversations where voters lead them, spokeswoman Iris Riis said. When it comes to abortion, Its not the only thing were talking to voters about, but we are talking about it, she said. Shakya Cherry-Donaldson, executive director of 1000 Women Strong, a national political organizing group focused on issues that matter to Black women, favors a more direct approach. The key is to focus on the idea that we have to have autonomy from the state, she said a message that resonates enough with a historically marginalized community to overcome personal and religious views on the morality of abortion. The framing of our messaging is that we cannot go back, only forward. Civil rights were won for all of us, Cherry-Donaldson said. But her group is not in Wisconsin this year, focusing its efforts in seven other states where they were able to staff and fund their work. Paru Shah, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee whose work focuses on race, ethnicity and politics, said Democrats would do well to make sure they are messaging on issues like crime and voting rights rather than focus on one particular issue like abortion. There isnt a lot of single-issue voting happening among Democrats in general, but especially among Black women who have kind of been the backbone of Democratic turnout for at least the last 10 years, said Shah. The GOP's strategy and messaging to reach Black voters on abortion will be the same in the midterm as it's been for decades. What we will do is explain the inordinate I would say even lopsided access to abortion thats being pushed on African American women," said Gerard Randall, chair of the Wisconsin Republican Partys African American Council. They will hear certainly from the pulpits in many of their churches a similar message of restraint when it comes to accessing abortions, he said. Still, Wisconsin Democrats see the issue as key to winning both the governor's race and the U.S. Senate race this fall. Polling by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found most people in the United States want Congress to pass legislation guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide and that overwhelming majorities also think states should allow abortion in specific cases, including for a womans health and for rape. The Democratic front-runner in Wisconsin's Senate race, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is Black, emphasizes abortion access as a civil right. In his latest television ad, Barnes, who grew up in Milwaukee, and his mother talk about her decision to end a complicated pregnancy. LaJuan Barnes highlights that she was able to choose: It was my decision, not some politicians. ___ Harm Venhuizen 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 Harm on Twitter. NEW YORK (AP) Tens of thousands of flyers had their travel plans upended Friday after airlines canceled about 1,400 U.S. flights as thunderstorms hit the East Coast. Another 6,300 flights had been delayed by early evening, according to tracking service FlightAware. It was the second straight day of major disruptions and the worst day for cancellations since mid-June. The three major airports in the New York City area and Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., recorded the most cancellations. American Airlines scrubbed about 250 flights, or 7% of its schedule. Republic Airways, which operates smaller planes for American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express, canceled a similar number, about 25% of its flights. Thunderstorms were stopping or delaying early-evening flights in New York, Boston, the Washington, D.C., area, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Denver, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. About 1,200 U.S. flights were canceled Thursday, 4.6% of all those scheduled. Travelers have been hit with widespread cancellations and delays this summer. Travel bounced back faster than expected to about 88% of pre-pandemic levels in July and airlines werent able to increase staffing fast enough. They have been cutting back on schedules in an attempt to make remaining flights more reliable. Airlines flying in the U.S. had a bad June, canceling more than 21,000 flights or 2.7%, up from 1.8% in June 2019, before airlines pushed workers to quit during the pandemic. The airlines did better in July, however, canceling about 14,000 flights, or 1.8%. Delays have been more persistent above 23% in both June and July. To hear opponents of affordable housing talk, the state of Connecticut is on a building binge. Everywhere you turn, in this version of reality, giant structures are going up as new residents flock to our quaint little state, changing forever our treasured way of life. Sounds fun! We need a lot more housing, and if the state helped to facilitate its construction, wed be better off in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, that reality doesnt exist. In the real world, Connecticut ranks dead last among the 50 states in new housing construction per capita. Our housing vacancy rate is also near the bottom. And there are still thousands of open jobs we cant fill, with a big part of the problem that people cant afford to live here. For our economys sake, we need more places for people to live. Among the main reasons we dont is that opponents have so many ways of stopping new construction. Its a long, drawn-out process for anyone who wants to build something other than single-family housing in nearly any community, and the effect is that little if anything changes. That doesnt stop housing opponents from constantly complaining. One recent example was in Fairfield, where office-holders current and prospective went on at length about the horrors of new people moving into their town. Greenwich, too (of course), has been the scene of similar protests, and development in Bethel was recently called maniacal. Always the argument is framed in terms of protecting what is rightfully ours, and never is the self-defeating nature of these arguments acknowledged. Brenda Kupchick, Fairfields first selectwoman who previously served in the General Assembly, was one of many in that town who made it sound as though the state is running roughshod over its communities. We want to be able to have some control over how our community is developed, she said. The problem is towns have virtually unfettered sway over how their communities are developed. The 8-30g statute they profess to hate so much doesnt mandate anything, and it doesnt force communities to hit a 10 percent affordable housing threshold. Instead, it says that towns that dont hit that mark cant deny proposed affordable housing without a good reason, and simply saying We dont want it doesnt qualify. Opponents want 8-30g gone, but without it the richest towns would likely have no affordable housing, as opposed to virtually none, which is what too many of them have now. This is hardly a case of the state overstepping its bounds. Though the rallies in Fairfield and Greenwich have mostly featured Republicans, this is not a partisan issue. Democrats outside Connecticuts cities are almost as bad on housing as Republicans. Its likely that politicians of both parties are worried about offending existing residents by pushing for liberalized housing policies. Its a classic case of short-term political worries taking precedence over our long-term well-being. We cant grow our economy without a growing population, and we cant do that without increasing housing options, particularly in the places where jobs are close places like Fairfield and Greenwich. Were dooming the state to stagnation. Coincidentally, just as Fairfield was lamenting the unfairness of state statutes on housing, a new report was released showing just how out of reach accommodations are for average people. Connecticut has one of the highest minimum wages in America, and its nowhere close to enough for a family to live on. The result is people spending a huge percentage of their income solely on housing, which leaves little for other expenses, and forget about savings. Anti-housing types get very prickly when theyre accused of trying to keep people out. No, no, they insist. They just dont want the state telling them what to do. But when left to their own devices, the actions from the towns are consistent they act to keep people out. At the same time, anti-housing activists often say its not housing in general they oppose, just the specifics of whatever happens to be on the docket. But in Fairfield, one project currently causing controversy is practically on the same property as the towns main Metro-North station downtown. If you cant build there, they wont be happy anywhere. Towns cannot simply close the gates and stop people from moving in. It doesnt work that way by law, and it wouldnt be in the public interest if it did. Neither is it advisable to continue our states sprawling development pattern. Its bad for the environment, even as anti-housing advocates use environmental claims to fight against dense housing. If theres going to be new housing (and there is), then having it take up less space is better than having it take up more. So what do the anti-housing people want? They say its not to keep people out, but their actions suggest otherwise. No other answers make sense. No matter their goals, its clear the impact theyre having. And everyone is paying the price. Hugh Bailey is editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register. He can be reached at hbailey@hearstmediact.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WEST HAVEN While the citys financial problems may be causing the state to be leery of allocating bond funding, according to some officials, at least one state lawmaker said she would advocate for nonprofits to be funded directly. If the city is cut off from state funding, the mayor said no one told her. No one has come and directly said this to me, Mayor Nancy Rossi said. Id hope if they werent letting me do anything or borrow, theyd let me know. State Office of Policy and Management Secretary Jeffrey Beckham has told the city, which is the only Connecticut municipality under Tier IV, the highest level of oversight under the state Municipal Accountability Review Board, that all disbursements to the city are under review. Last month, the CT Mirror reported that Gov. Ned Lamonts administration confided in the citys delegation that reports of fiscal mismanagement in West Haven had made state officials reluctant to allocate funds to the city. A request for comment from Lamonts office was referred to OPM. One of West Havens state representatives, State Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, chairwoman of the state legislatures General Bonding Subcommittee, said the citys unclear bond credit rating status is a cause for concern at the state level. Moodys Investors Service has placed West Haven on review due to insufficient information. Rossi said it is a result of the citys independent auditing firm abruptly dropping it as a client, meaning an audit of the 2021 fiscal year is not yet complete. Without the Moodys rating it could jeopardize the Citys ability to bond for major critical projects that are planned such as our schools and it could ultimately end up costing tax payers more in the long run as those bonds could now be at higher rates. With a tax increase already built into the next few years, this could be very detrimental to our tax payers and I hope its just a temporary pause, Borer said in an emailed statement. The goal of Tier IV is to have better assurances that the budget will be balanced, there will be a tight leash on spending, controls will be put into place and appropriate hires will be made to manage the finances on the ground. Hopefully that provides more confidence to the rating agencies. Borer said that in the interim she would advocate for city nonprofits to receive state funding to provide direct resources to residents. Recently, the state approved roughly $930,000 in capital funds for two city nonprofits: $680,992 for the West Haven Community House and $250,000 for the West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce. As a nonprofit organization, it would take us years to budget and complete the needed capital improvements including the drainage and playground safety improvements for the 144 children we are approved to serve at Head Start, said West Haven Community House Executive Director Amy Guay-MacFarlane. Replacing heating and cooling systems at our main building here and at our group homes, who serve developmentally disabled adults, become very expensive and could not be accomplished without these funds. Updating our multi-camera system will allow us to maintain a high level of security for the individuals we serve. Katie Heffernan Farrell, president of the West Haven Community House board of directors, said the organization is appreciative for the bond funds. As a nonprofit that has existed for the past 81 years, we are always searching for ways to continue our mission on behalf of the West Haven community, she said. A $300,000 state Department of Agriculture grant also was awarded to Vertical Church, which developed a significant food bank infrastructure during the pandemic. Vertical Church Senior Pastor Ken Vance said the church will act as a fiduciary, purchasing fresh produce from Cecarelli Farm in North Branford for a cumulative 17 weeks over the span of two years, during the growing season. Its a win for Connecticut farmers and its a win for the poor in this area to get fresh produce distributed, he said. Vance said the churchs approach to food bank resources also is evolving, from providing boxed meal kits to providing vouchers that allow residents to pick up the foods they plan on cooking and eating. Vance said there is a small amount of overhead, such as transportation costs, but most of the $300,000 grant will go to local farmers and providing fresh produce to city residents with the most need. MARBs plans to hire a financial manager for West Haven, a condition of Tier IV, are ongoing. However, the MARB has set forth a multiphase process involving consultants to get to that point. As has been discussed at the last two MARB hearings, the first step is hiring a consultant to assess the gaps in governance and recommend reforms for policies, procedures, and human resources for the city, OPM spokesman Chris Collibee said in an emailed statement. At the same time, the MARB is working towards hiring a financial manager and currently expects to install the manager sometime later in this fiscal year. The city recently has seen a share of federal money allocated toward some projects including $38 million to upgrade an outfall line at its sewage plant. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Popular socialite and celebrity barman, Okechukwu Pascal, also known as Cubana Chiefpriest has been reportedly attacked by gunmen. Cubana Ch... Popular socialite and celebrity barman, Okechukwu Pascal, also known as Cubana Chiefpriest has been reportedly attacked by gunmen. Cubana Chiefpriest was said to have been attacked on Sunday morning in Anambra State, while going to Asaba from Owerri, in Imo State. A source said, Unknown gunmen attacked him and his convoy on their way from a function at Owerri-Onitsha Express Road. The socialite was said to have escaped unhurt, but his G-Wagon and that of his escort were riddled with bullets. Meanwhile, Cubana Chiefpriest has reacted to the attack on him, confirming that he is fine. The socialite, who wrote in his verified Twitter handle, said the incident happened in Anambra, and not in Imo as reported by some social media users. Referring to insecurity in the south east, the socialite wrote: The entire South East needs to be cleaned up. Gunmen shot dead a man simply identified as Abba, when they raided a satellite community of Shola Quarters in Katsina town on Sunday morning... Gunmen shot dead a man simply identified as Abba, when they raided a satellite community of Shola Quarters in Katsina town on Sunday morning. According to a source, the gunmen in their operation also injured two residents of the community and abducted a young couple. The source further explained that the gunmen came to the community on Saturday evening and commenced their evil act on Sunday morning. The deceased, Abba, was a member of the vigilante group in the community when he was shot and killed him. The source stated that those injured by the gunmen were lucky to have escaped being killed as the gunmen shoot indiscriminately. According to him, The gunmen arrived in our community on Saturday evening and mingled with residents. They began operations around 1am and were shooting indiscriminately. We contacted security officials who later arrived after the gunmen had carried out their operation and left the community. He lamented that they cannot quantify items raided from their community by now as they are busy with the preparation for Abbas burial. SP Gambo Isah, the Spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, when contacted, confirmed that their operatives were still on operation, promising to give details in due course. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a trans-border drug dealer, Pastor Anietie Effiong, with three drums of crysta... The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a trans-border drug dealer, Pastor Anietie Effiong, with three drums of crystal methamphetamine, locally called Mkpuru Mmiri, believed to have been imported from India. The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Babafemi reported that the consignment weighed 90 kilograms and loaded into a public bus with registration number RSH 691XC at Ojuelegba in Lagos State. He said that the consignment was intercepted during a stop and search operation along Umuahia Ikot Ekpene highway on Saturday, August 6. Babafemi added that the dangerous drug packed 30kg in each drum was meant for Pastor Anietie Okon Effiong, who was arrested in a follow up operation at Oron beach in Oron. He also added that the recovered Meth drums were meant for onward delivery to the Republic of Cameroon. Babafemi said, This comes on the heels of four seizures of the same illicit substance weighing 4.074kg going to Australia, Indonesia and Philippines. This also comes with a 3kg cannabis sativa heading to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at some courier companies in Lagos. The consignments were concealed in body cream, hot burner iron and beads, The NDLEA spokesman quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the command in Akwa Ibom for their recent feats. A wanted suspected cultist in Osun State, Rasheed Hammed, popularly known Oko-Ilu, has been arrested. Oko-Ilu, who has been terrorising Ede ... A wanted suspected cultist in Osun State, Rasheed Hammed, popularly known Oko-Ilu, has been arrested. Oko-Ilu, who has been terrorising Ede and allegedly caused deaths of many, was arrested by men of the anti cultism unit of the State police command. He was arrested around 4 a.m. in his hideout in the State capital and is currently cooling off in the police custody. Rasheed, a welder by vocation, is being trailed by the security agents for allegedly causing death of many people in Ede community. Rasidi Baale Okolu was allegedly linked to the death of Hassan Adedeji, a Higher National Diploma graduate of Banking and Finance of Federal Polytechnic, Ede, awaiting his call-up letter, as well as, an Okada rider, whose identity was not made known. He was consequently declared wanted by Osun State Police Command, saying anyone that harboured him would also be treated as a criminal. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Command, Yemisi Opalola, in March said Rasidi was wanted in connection with offences of murder, arson, ritual killing and armed robbery. It further read, suspect has been causing menace in Ede and the entire Osun state. Anybody by harbour the suspect will be treated by the police as accomplice to the crimes. Anybody having useful information to his whereabouts will be handsomely rewarded. A member of the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Honourable Shina Abiola Peller, ... A member of the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Honourable Shina Abiola Peller, has called for thorough investigation into the abduction and killing of two kidnapped victims in Ogbomoso. The lawmaker made the call at the weekend. It was gathered that a hotelier and one of his staff were kidnapped at Aba area in Ogbomoso town on Thursday, 28 July. The duo, Miss Opadele Rachael Abiola, a final year student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso and the owner of the hotel, Mr. Olugbenga Owolabi, were killed by their abductors after a sum of N5m was paid as ransom. Peller has, however, charged the security agencies to fish out the killers. He also called on security agencies to avert further abduction in the area. The lawmaker during a visit to the families of the duo in Ogbomoso described the killing as unfortunate. The lawmaker also used the opportunity to visit representatives of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the five local governments that make up Ogbomoso. He discussed the ugly security situation being experienced in the town with the OPC with a view to addressing it. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 81F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Locally reported news and sports Stay Current with What's Happening Get the most of NNY360, register today! By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com This week marks the 55th anniversary of the start of a New Orleans success story now known worldwide: Ruth Fertels first day as owner of Chris Steak House. She later rebranded it as Ruths Chris Steak House and turned her business into one of the worlds biggest steak house chains. In 1965, Fertel was a divorced mother of two working as a lab technician at Tulane Medical School when she saw a classified ad listing a steak house for sale. Chris Steak House at 1100 N. Broad St. had been in business since Feb. 5, 1927, (coincidentally, Ruth Fertels birthday) and owner Chris Matulich was ready to retire. Anxious for a career change, Fertel mortgaged her house and bought the restaurant for $18,000. Her first day as owner was May 24, 1965. She taught herself the restaurant business and earned a reputation for prime steaks served in sizzling butter (ads called it the steak that speaks for itself). In 1976, a fire damaged the original restaurant and Fertel moved down the street to North Broad Street and Orleans Avenue. Her original sales agreement said if she moved, shed have to change the restaurants name, so it became Ruths Chris Steak House. Franchises popped up across the country, while the flagship location became a hangout for politicos and power brokers. In 1999, Fertel sold a majority interest in the chain to a Chicago investment firm. By the time of her death in 2002, the chain had grown to 82 locations across America and 150 worldwide. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the chain moved its headquarters to Orlando, Florida. U.S. federal gov't charges 4 police officers in fatal raid of Black woman: AP Xinhua) 13:17, August 07, 2022 NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. federal government has filed civil rights charges against four Louisville police officers over the March 13, 2020, drug raid that led to the death of Breonna Taylor, the Associated Press reported Friday. The Black woman's fatal shooting helped fuel the racial justice protests that rocked the nation in 2020, according to the report. "Breonna Taylor should be alive today," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in announcing the charges, which include unlawful conspiracy, use of force and obstruction of justice. Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, said she has waited more than two years for holding the police officers accountable. Taylor was shot to death by officers who knocked down her door while executing a search warrant. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) CROWN POINT The past is being unearthed at Historic Maplewood Cemetery in Crown Point literally. Cemetery Sexton Tom Hawes has been digging up the old Crown Point Mausoleum more than a half century after its demise at the cemetery at 347 Maple Lane. Its foundation will be preserved and repurposed for a new columbarium that will house cremains. The mausoleum, a stone structure that housed the dead in tombs above ground, was razed in the 1960s, City of Crown Point spokesperson Mary Freda said. The mausoleum was condemned after vandals broke into the crypts and destroyed the nameplates. "It is pretty neat to have this piece of history unearthed, quite literally, after being demolished and buried for more than 60 years," she said. "The neat thing about it is the original floor from that time period is still intact." The mausoleum was located on the hill at Historic Maplewood Cemetery near where Crown Point founder, author, journalist and prohibitionist Solon Robinson was buried. As many as 120 people had been buried there, Hawes said. "The kids kept breaking into it in the 1950s," Hawes said. "There were two big doors on either end. They would drive in there with their cars. They would break into the crypts and use the skulls for bowling balls." At the time the cemetery was more remote. "At that time period, there was basically nothing south of the cemetery," he said. "There was no school. There was no new housing. It was probably a place where kids messed around." Such cases of vandalism used to be more common at cemeteries, Hawes said. In the 1970s, teenagers broke into another mausoleum at Historic Maplewood Cemetery, removed a coffin and left it on the grounds of Crown Point High School. Vandals also tore up the Pioneer Cemetery in Porter County after Boy Scouts fixed it up in the 1990s. "It still happens," Hawes said. "It's dangerous. If kids stand on top of an old grave, there's a void in the ground where the coffin decays. If they're rocking one of these big monuments, it could come over and kill them." The Crown Point Mausoleum was built in 1912 and served as a final resting place for scores of people for about a half century. It had a sister mausoleum built by the same company at around the same time in Beecher in Will County, Illinois. "It was a beautiful building," Hawes said. "It had paintings of angels on the ceilings, just beautiful frescos. An above-ground mausoleum was a new building at the time. It was a shame it was torn down. But after they broke in and drove cars in it, it fell into disrepair." A 1912 story in the Beecher Herald described the Crown Point Mausoleum as "a handsome structure built of concrete blocks," an "elegant and substantial structure" and "like a chapel." Each crypt had a shelf for flowers that were watched over by an attendant and kept fresh for several days. "The crypts are all of cement with marble facing and marble slabs for openings," the article stated. "The floor is tile, while the ceilings are handsomely finished and frescoed, bearing paintings of angels and giving the interior a church-like appearance." Families had the option of moving their loved ones to the mausoleum in Beecher or to a grave elsewhere in the cemetery. The stone that made up the building was scrapped. Hawes long had heard stories about the mausoleum. He knew something was still there on the hill. "You could see something underneath," he said. "In the summer with the hot sun, you could see an outline where the grass turned brown." A Bobcat recently pushed the dirt back "gingerly," unveiling an elaborate tile floor. "When we saw it, everybody wanted to save it and not tear it up," Hawes said. "The mayor said to keep the foundation. It's ornate. They brought in artisans from Germany to do the tile work." The tile work is cracked a little due to age but in relatively good condition, Hawes said. "It's intricate tile work," he said. "All those pieces were put in individually. That's how they did things back then." The new columbarium will be built upon the footprint of the surviving floor. It's expected to host the cremains of 96 people. "The contractor has other projects lined up, so the work probably won't get done for a while," Hawes said. "We're definitely going to get started by the fall. Hopefully, it should be up next spring by Memorial Day." Cremains have gotten more popular in recent years. While some families scatter the ashes, many prefer to have somewhere they can visit to pay their respects. The first 20 spots in the columbarium already have been reserved. "It's good we're able to preserve the floor," Hawes said. "It's a bit of history." After serving in Afghanistan for seven months in the Helmand River Valley, where the single bloodiest battle of that war took place, resulting in the deaths of 25 Marines and the wounding of 200 more, Marine Major Thomas Schueman redeployed to Afghanistan for a second time. During his second deployment Schueman, a Chicago native, was a member of the First Reconnaissance Battalion and an adviser to the Afghan National Army before returning home for a final time. But Schueman, a Rifle Platoon Commander in Company K who was awarded a Purple Heart, wasnt ready to celebrate. He had unfinished business. Driven by honor and commitment, values hed learned from his mother, he was determined to get his interpreter, Zainullah Zaki, and his wife and children safely out of Afghanistan as well. Zak was told that for his work for the military, hed be granted a visa as an award. But when it wasnt immediately granted, Schueman promised to work both day and night to help make that happen. It was a promise made and one that would take over a decade to achieve. Finally, just six days before the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, Zak and his family were able to board a plane for the U.S. While seemingly a happy ending, its only partially so. Zak has a visa, but unless he is granted permanent status, when the visa expires in about two months he will have to leave America and return to Afghanistan, where his life will be in danger. Our interpreters provide a valuable service and that makes them extremely vulnerable, said Schueman in a recent phone conversation. While we carry rifles, rockets and grenades and have a platoon to protect us, our interpreters dont. That puts them at significant risk from the Taliban. He wanted something better for his country than Taliban rule and worked hard to achieve it, said Schueman who is currently on a different tour. This time around hes promoting Always Faithful: A Story of War in Afghanistan, the Fall of Kabul, and the Unshakeable Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter, the book he co-authored with Zak. Its a compelling look at the two and the bond they formed, as well as a parallel examination of their lives and what brought them together to fight a common enemy. Perseverance and faithfulness are traits Schueman saw when growing up. My brave mother showed that in all the years since she made the decision to have me when she was 19, said Schueman about his parent who became a police officer to support her family. She sacrificed for her children. It wasnt her calling to be a police officer but she spent 27 years doing so as it provided the opportunity to help her family. Schueman didnt plan to write a book. I just wanted to get a visa, he said. Semper Fidelis always faithful shouldnt be, and isnt, just words on paper. Jerry Davich Jerrys career began in 1995 as a political cartoonist/columnist with The Times of NWI, writing thousands of columns and stories through narrative storytelling, or shining a light on societys darkest corners, or provoking unpopular conversations. Follow Jerry Davich 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 Jerry, God placed you on my heart this week, Jamie Fankhauser wrote. Her message caught me off guard, considering Im agnostic and ever skeptical about the existence of God, at least how He is traditionally portrayed and historically conveyed by most believers. Your God may not be her God, the Christian God may not be the only God, and so on. But this wasnt the time for me to be cynical, combative, or unappreciative. Wow, thank you Jamie! I replied. How sweet of you. Im humbled by your kindness. Where did this come from? My heart, she replied. I just couldn't shake the fact that God wanted you to know He was pleased and real. He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask for... faith is real. I was sincerely touched. I still am. Her words have stayed with me like certain biblical scripture from my youth, though Ive forgotten most of my early church days. Ive traveled spiritually from a Lutheran believer to an angry atheist to somewhere now in between those polarities. I hover in a suspended state of spiritual limbo. It fits me like a collar on a priest. Continue speaking your truth and finding the right words to convey that truth, Beth Manta, a new reader, recently wrote to me. In a single sentence, she somehow captured my efforts as a columnist. And as a person with more questions than answers about the afterlife, eternity, and this fleeting realm of reality. As an adult, Ive found myself inside dozens of churches, mosques, temples, and other places of worship. Not to pray or worship or congregate, but to write about other peoples experiences funerals, baptisms, prayer circles, Bible study groups, you name it. Its allowed me countless opportunities for contemplation and meditation. Because of these varied experiences, I can detect an overly didactic believer from a few pews away. I instinctively slide away while politely avoiding the same conversation Ive had too many times. Hundreds of strangers have tried to convert me to their belief system, their faith, their God. Ive grown numb to their preaching as they attempt to save my soul. In my home, a refrigerator magnet shares my stance: Your beliefs dont make you a better person. Your behavior does. Last month I met with three Times readers to talk politics. One of them brought up God, insisting that only He can return our country to its former glory. Whose God? another reader asked him. Your God? Your religion? Your faith? Our casual conversation turned surprisingly combative. I asked the first reader to keep it civil by keep talking politics. Funny, huh? He had more preaching to do, so I started getting my stuff together. I respect his beliefs, but I more respect my time. Like I said, Ive heard more than 50 years of similar sermons. This must be why I was so touched by Fankhausers message to me. As you enjoy this new season with your beautiful wife, I pray peace, healing and more years added to your life, she wrote. No preaching. No religious rhetoric. No spiritual soapbox. Coincidentally, Fankhauser is the owner of Buns Soapbox, a Valparaiso-based business offering homemade soaps, lip balms, lotion sticks, essential oils, and other aromatic items. I met her only once, in early 2020, just before the pandemic challenged most everyones belief systems. Fankhauser, a former registered nurse who employs special needs employees, has been a social media friend since we met. Her recent message to me felt like a lightning strike, creating a spark of illumination in my heart. Thank you for your faithfulness in so many lives, Fankhouser wrote. Im still absorbing what she wrote. It will linger in my mind much longer than many of the Sunday sermons I've sat through. Thank you, Jamie. God has now placed you on my heart. GARY "Each one of you already have a superpower, now guess what that power is," Clifford Johnson said to the group of children sitting on the grassy lawn before him. "Come on, guess!" "Speed!" 7-year-old Alexander Israel quipped. "Choice. The power of choice," said Johnson, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. "Because what you choose is usually connected to what you get. Each one of you, whether you believe it or not, exercise that power every day, every place you go." With the start of the school year just days away Johnson reminded the kids that everyday choices completing assignments, listening to teachers, staying out of trouble can have lasting impacts. Johnson was one of several speakers featured at the Back 2 School Anti-Violence Rally held in Froebel Park on Saturday afternoon. Children ran around the park playing cornhole, enjoying hot dogs and ice cream, and checking out the free books provided by the Gary Community School Corp. The Baptist Ministers' Conference of Gary and Vicinity was inspired to host an anti-violence rally last spring after the group's annual revival. "I think at that time, we had just had a homicide, and the Baptist Minter's Conference got together and said, 'We need to do something,'" Pastor and President of the Baptist Ministers' Conference DeWan Bynum said. He said that as the idea for a rally began to form, it was clear the school corporation should be a partner. "We're here because the children come first; we're here because there's more to Gary than the ruins, the abandoned buildings, the killing there is more to our city than that." Gary Community School Corp. Manager Paige McNulty said the district wants to spread the message that schools "are a safe zone." The theme of the rally was 'Life, Liberty and Literacy.' Speakers touched on all three topics, discussing mental health, financial literacy and the importance of academics. A number of musical acts also performed including Erin and Company, the Baptist Ministers' Conference Youth Choir and DJ Lee and the Voice of Judah. Jenne Jones, of McCullough Academy, said the rally gave students a chance to meet the people in their community, to get to know the teachers and staff they will see throughout the school year. Jones' daughter, Lela will start sixth grade at McCullough on Tuesday. She is excited to get back in the classroom because she loves math, a passion she hopes to put to work as an engineer someday. "The rally gives children a chance to see that the community is behind them, supporting them," Dominique Israel said. After switching between online, hybrid and in-person schooling for the past two years, the transition back to the classroom may be difficult, said Kim Boone, member of the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church. Boone spoke about the toll the COVID-19 pandemic took on students. "Think about how many students are coming into the classroom now that no longer have parents due to COVID or due to other situations that have happened in these last couple of years. Think about people who are coming in now with different financial situations because parents have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. There is a lot of grief and loss that has taken place," Boone said. "Many of us are grieving the lives we used to live." Boone urged parents and teachers to be mindful that when students act out, they may actually be suffering from anxiety and depression but are unsure how to communicate their emotions or needs. The start of a new school year has also brought a rebranding for the Gary Community School Corp. Announced last week, the new branding unites all the districts' schools under an umbrella called "The Gary Way." The unity will be symbolized through a blue and orange color scheme, a cougar mascot and new mission and vision statements. The corporation's vision statement is now "The Gary Community School Corporation prepares students for college and careers in a diverse, equitable, student centered environment" and the mission statement is "Doing what is best for students today, tomorrow and every day. "We are going to continue to push the message that we have many options available to them (students) within the school district so they can be successful in life and that violence isn't one of them," McNulty said. "We want to start off the school year with a clean slate." HOBART Lake County could provide financial assistance to a sanitary sewer project planned in Hobart. The citys Sanitary District and Redevelopment Commission are planning a south side sewer extension, which would add a new trunk sanitary sewer south of 61st Avenue near Colorado Street. The goal is to eventually reach the Ainsworth area with sanitary sewer service. Mayor Brian Snedecor said Lake County could provide about $3 million toward the project. They are interested in providing us assistance with the south side sewer extension, Snedecor said. It will either be a four-year or five-year agreement. The project is expected to provide multiple benefits. City Engineer Phil Gralik said it could eliminate septic systems by expanding sanitary service to areas where it doesnt yet exist. The work also could help promote new development. The City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution authorizing Snedecor to enter into an interlocal agreement with Lake County. Snedecor said the matter heads to the Lake County Board of Commissioners, and that panel will decide if the funding will be distributed over four or five years. They understand the expansion of the sewer is an important step for our city, Snedecor said. That wasnt the only sanitary sewer issue that went before the council Wednesday. The panel gave final approval to increase sanitary sewer fees over the next two years to help fund major projects in the city. The average residential sewer bill in Hobart is currently $54.35 per month for about 4,000 gallons of flow. The cost will increase to $60.47 in 2023 and then $66.58 in 2024 for the same usage. The council also approved a bond issue to finance the $45 million worth of work that will take place. That includes the replacement of Hobarts main lift station. The lift station project will increase the facilitys wet weather capacity, and it includes pump and control replacement as well as new electrical systems, transformers, HVAC system, safety improvements, equipment security and other site improvements. The existing lift station was established in the late 1980s, and facilities of that kind are typically built for about 20 years of service. Officials are concerned there could be an environmental emergency if there is a catastrophic failure at the lift station. Upcoming work also includes the installation of a 30-inch diameter force main from the lift station to a connection point with the Gary Sanitary District. The addition of a new force main increases efficiency, allows for better maintenance, reduces risk and reduces pump size and cost, officials said. Hobart could close on the bond issue by the end of the month, and the lift station work could start in January or February of 2023 and conclude in the winter of 2025. Editor's Note: Times Correspondent Deborah Laverty reported on the story in 2003 and was interviewed for the broadcast. The 2003 murder of Merrillville businessman John Parker Jr., planned by his wife, Judy Parker, and aided by his two stepchildren, will be the focus of a television show airing at 6 p.m. Sunday. The episode will air as part of the "Mastermind of Murder" series on Oxygen. The episode will include interviews with local police and family members of Parker, as well as Times Correspondent Deborah Laverty, who reported on the story at that time. Parker's wife, aided by his two stepchildren, plotted and killed him as he left his vacuum cleaning business. Judy Parker was 40 years old when she was sentenced in 2009 to 33 years for her role in the slaying of her husband. She plotted and was assisted in the murder by her two children, Daniel Lee Hicks and Christina Hicks, according to court documents. Daniel Hicks was 15 at the time of the murder, and Christina Hicks was 17. Both were convicted and received jail sentences. Christina Hicks-Grabski, who had married during the crime investigation, died in 2013 at the age of 27. Daniel Hicks completed service in Community Transition Court on Jan. 24, 2017. Judy Parker, who lived with John Parker and their four children in Crown Point, unsuccessfully attempted several times to kill her husband. She first laced his food with an illicit drug. He reportedly thought it was food poisoning. She also hired hit men, but either they got cold feet or simply took the money and ran, according to court testimony. She finally recruited two of her own children to kill their stepfather. She succeeded on April 17, 2003, when her son, Daniel Lee Hicks, shot the 33-year-old Merrillville businessman in the back of the head in an ambush outside J&J Parker Industries, 8892 Louisiana St., in Merrillville, a corporate sales and service operator for Kirby Vacuum Corp., where he trained salespeople. INDIANAPOLIS Mike Pence and I used to compare career notes at Acapulco Joes back in the days when he was beginning his radio show and I, Howey Politics Indiana. In 2010, I wrote that the congressman should run for president, saying it might be his best and only opportunity. Then there was Aug. 8, 2019, column, when I suggested Vice President Pence might want to drop off of President Trumps reelection campaign. My analysis was that its a reckless course for Pence, with my penultimate paragraph reading: This is flint and spark in extreme drought conditions. President Trump is not uniting Americans, he is exploiting the urban/rural divide along racial lines that are pulled taut these days. An errant spark goaded by the right quote at the wrong time could have devastating consequences. Like this one: And I hope Mike is going to do the right thing. I hope so. I hope so. Because if Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election. And this: Now, it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, were going to walk down, and Ill be there with you, were going to walk down because youll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. I hadnt envisioned the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection specifically, but something like it. And my final paragraph: Now Pence risks taking on all of the incendiary baggage of Trump. The shrewdest move Mike Pence could make today is to decline a second veep nomination, then prepare for 2024 on his own terms. We now all know that the Trump/Pence ticket did run again in 2020. They lost the election by 7 million votes, the Electoral College 306-232, with the backdrop being Trumps persistent Big Lie about the 2020 election that wasnt stolen. And that led to the fateful day of Jan. 6, when Trump goaded an armed mob to attack the U.S. Capitol. The rebellion came within a few dozen feet from their goal that day, which was, in their words, Hang Mike Pence. Pence waited out the assault at a subterranean Capitol loading dock, finished his constitutional duty around 3 a.m. Jan. 7, declaring that Joe Biden would ascend to the presidency. And hes been in the GOP purgatory ever since. Since Donald Trump took that fateful escalator ride in Manhattan in 2015, launching an era in which he won two GOP presidential nominations, hes won the Electoral College once, has never won the popular vote, was impeached twice, and blew GOP congressional majorities like the second coming of Herbert Hoover, establishing his narcissistic fascist credo along the way. According to Nathan Gonzales writing in Roll Call, There simply isnt a viable path to the Oval Office for Pence. He cites an April Echelon Insights Poll that shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leading Pence 34% to 14% in a field without Trump, as well as a New York Times/Siena Poll showing Trump leading DeSantis 49% to 24% with Pence at 6%. Even though Pence has nearly universal name ID among Republicans, there just isnt an appetite for the former vice president in the Republican Party right now, Gonzalez observes. The former Indiana congressman has lost credibility with both factions of todays GOP. Republican strategist Sarah Longwell told MSNBCs Morning Joe that focus groups shes conducted during the Jan. 6 committee hearings are gradually drawing GOP voters away from Trump, but added, there couldnt be any less interest in Pence. Last Friday and again on Tuesday, Pence and Trump engaged in a proxy war flare-up over the Arizona gubernatorial race (featuring a Trump-backed election denier and the Pence-backed establishment candidate). Trump drew a crowd of several thousand to whom he insisted he had been persecuted. Pence drew about 300. On Tuesday, Pence was in Washington addressing the Young America Foundation where he took on big tech, big media and big government. I dont know that the president and I differ on issues, but we may differ on focus, Pence continued, referring to Trump. I truly do believe that elections are about the future, and that its absolutely essential. Trump spoke on the same day about a mile away and spent his time before his First America Group focused on cesspool America and the stolen 2020 election. It was a redux of his 2017 American carnage inaugural address. Trump described an America whose streets are riddled with needles and soaked with the blood of innocent victims; he warned of sadists who prey on children while the dangerously deranged roam our streets with impunity. He said the U.S. should emulate Chinas criminal justice system with its two-hour quick trials for defendants. David Drucker of the Washington Examiner described the showdown as the most acrimonious American political divorce in generations. Not since President Theodore Roosevelt turned on his protege, William Howard Taft, has the nation seen something similar. Trump was playing to his aggrieved base, who dont care a whit about policy. He is poised to take his base over the cliff in 2024. The polls present a reckoning for Mike Pence. They are telling him to wait until 28. Let the Trump fever break. Follow the Richard Nixon strategy of 1966 and be there for down ballot Republicans, then run two years hence. But, hey, what the hell do I know? At an independent press editors can offer sustained attention to books that might need a little bit more development, she said. After years in the industry, you see what the book can be when the writer has the capacity to work at their wildest, full potential. Graywolfs list includes acclaimed authors such as Carmen Maria Machado, Maggie Nelson, Percival Everett and Diane Seuss. (Gimenezs own book Be Recorder, a finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry, was a Graywolf title.) Gimenezs focus on growth and mentorship has been a hallmark of her career, according to Suzi F. Garcia, one of Noemi Presss new co-publishers. She is looking to create opportunities. The first book Garcia acquired as a poetry editor Beast Meridian, by Vanessa Angelica Villareal earned the author a Whiting Award in 2019. Gimenez gave her the space to pursue the project, Garcia said, but she would not set you up for failure, because she was going to back you up the whole time. Anthony Cody, another new co-publisher of Noemi, met Gimenez a decade ago and considered her a mentor before joining her staff in 2017. Shes really helped pull the curtain back and allow people to see how publishing works, he said, and demystify some of what, historically, has been gatekept. Gimenez was born in New York and grew up in Maryland, New Jersey, Southern California, Mexico and San Jose, Calif., where she attended high school and college. As a young person, she wanted to write fiction, but because Im so attracted to the granular level of language, I ended up being a poet, she said. A small city in Alabama moved this week to disband its three-member police force after one of them sent a racist text message that then circulated on social media. Pending an investigation into the text message, the City Council in Vincent, Ala., suspended the police chief and assistant chief at a meeting on Thursday and moved to dissolve the department, the mayor, James Latimer, said on Saturday. After that decision, the remaining member of the department resigned, the mayor said. After the suspensions and resignation, the Shelby County Sheriffs Office said in a statement on Friday that it was handling law enforcement emergency calls for the city. The statement added that officials at the Sheriffs Office equally condemn the allegations of misconduct. Today, at 50, Trellick is viewed as an icon of Brutalist architecture, with a striking design that connects a thin service tower housing laundries, elevator shafts and a garbage chute to the main block at every third floor by sky bridges. The structure enables the duplex apartments to be bigger, maximizing living space and reducing noise in what was to be a vertical village. The 217 units are dovetailed, interlocking with Escher-like precision, which means, in Ms. Heksels words, that my upstairs neighbor is really two floors above me. In 1998, the government granted Trellick landmark status, guaranteeing that the tower would be preserved. Trellicks sinister reputation was always exaggerated, Ms. Heksel said, noting, it was fashionable to give it bad press. Five years ago, the local government demolished Trellicks nursing home, which was not under the same preservation order, arguing that it did not have adequate restrooms. That decision greatly upset residents, who pointed out that Goldfinger had been inspired by the famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier to create a building that catered to a lifetime of needs. It was beautifully designed, and people loved it, Mr. Benton said. Think about it: When youre old, do you want to move six miles away, where no one can visit you? Or would you like to be near the people you love? Five-year-old Alaa Qadoum was outside a relatives house in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday when an Israeli airstrike hit in the street nearby without warning, killing her, according to the girl's grandfather and a neighbor who witnessed the scene. Hours later, Alaa was wrapped in a white shroud and a Palestinian flag, her face uncovered so relatives could plant a few final kisses on her forehead before she was laid to rest. A bright pink bow tied most of her hair back. She was an innocent, little girl, her grandfather said. Was she launching rockets on the border? She was a child who wanted to see her whole life ahead of her. That was also the case with the last Bayreuth Ring, by Frank Castorf, which ran from 2013 to 2017. But compared with Castorfs gleefully baffling staging, which often abandoned coherent storytelling altogether, Schwarzs is fairly straightforward in its account of the codependence and acrimony running through a family. There are whiffs of daytime soaps in the harsh vividness of the visuals and acting, and a bit of Succession, too. If the Ring is an allegory a reach for some conservative operagoers, but a given for many directors the conceptual anchor of a production is the nature of the gold, the theft of which from the Rhine, in the opening minutes, is the sin that sets the epic plot in motion. The gold and the powerful, toxic ring its molded into symbolizes the commodity that the onstage world values most. For Castorf, it was oil, corroding political and social relations as it circulated through the globalized economy. For Schwarz, picking up on the magic apples the libretto says the gods require to retain their freshness, it is youth, innocence, children. His Ring is full of adults obsessed with appearing younger through exercise, plastic surgery, absurd attempts at hip clothing even as, more than in most stagings, they visibly age over the cycle. William Nordhaus, who first conceived of the carbon tax as a young economist at Yale University in the 1970s, wrote in an email, Carbon taxes have proven a toxic mix with politics, although the toxicity varies across countries. Subsidies, by contrast, are catnip to the elected. Mr. Biden has promised that the United States will stop adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by 2050. All major economies must follow suit to constrain average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, scientists say. Thats the threshold beyond which the likelihood increases significantly of catastrophic droughts, floods, wildfires and heat waves. The planet has already warmed an average of about 1.1 degrees Celsius. Without putting a price on carbon pollution, it will be difficult for the United States to meet its net zero 2050 goal, experts say. A carbon tax has been the dream of people who want to be good custodians of the planet for decades, said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian. But instead, the reality of American politics is that you give out a chunk of cash to stimulate new technology. It will not be enough to get to the 2050 goal. But its still the largest thing the U.S. has ever done on climate change. False Starts A few years after Mr. Moynihans memo to the Nixon White House, Mr. Nordhaus proposed an elegant solution: governments should put a tax, fee or some other price on carbon pollution. Critics of abortion in any form insist that medication abortions are riskier than claimed, and even more so without medical supervision. The procedure should not be undertaken beyond 10 weeks gestation, they note, or performed without a doctors visit, because dating a pregnancy accurately is not always possible. Other medical complications can be missed, they say including ectopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. Claims that medication abortion is safe are based on flawed and incomplete data, which prioritize convenience and cost over the health and safety of patients, said Dr. Christina Francis, chair of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which opposes all abortions except to prevent permanent harm or death to the mother. Physicians who support abortion tell a different story: There is plentiful evidence that medication abortion is safe, and women already carry out the procedure almost entirely alone at home, even if they do see a doctor to obtain the drugs. Self-management is not so different, supporters argue. Its quite safe and effective based on studies weve done, national data provided by the states and the Guttmacher Institute, and the experience of other countries, said Dr. Beverly Winikoff, the founder of Gynuity Health Projects, who performed much of the research on medication abortion that led to its approval in the United States more than 20 years ago. The procedure typically involves taking two drugs: mifepristone, which stops the pregnancy by blocking a hormone called progesterone, followed a day or two later by misoprostol, which causes the uterus to contract. Today, the association is led by chain restaurants that have successfully lobbied to block minimum wage increases at the federal and state levels and freeze the subminimum wage for tipped workers at $2.13 an hour at the federal level and $5 an hour or less in most states. Forcing these workers to live primarily on tips contributes to racial inequity: Research shows that Black servers and workers of color in general are tipped less than their white counterparts. Tipping has also contributed to restaurants having the absolute worst rates of sexual harassment of any industry: When the customer pays your wages, the customer is always right even when what the customer is doing is horribly wrong. But it never had to be this way. Seven states California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Montana, Minnesota and Alaska have always required a full minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers with tips on top, and most of those also have wages for untipped kitchen staffs that are higher than the national average. Despite the National Restaurant Associations constant fear-mongering that raising wages would kill the industry, these seven states have generally had higher restaurant job growth rates, small full-service restaurant growth rates and tipping averages than the 43 other states. In The Bear, Carmy insists on calling everyone chef. Its a way to calm the kitchens chaos, yes, but its also a signal that he values his employees as professionals and humans. He learns the hard way that if he doesnt show them respect, theyll leave. A growing number of employers across the nation are coming to this realization. Many are offering their staffs benefits and perks that were unheard-of before the pandemic. At One Fair Wage, we have tracked thousands of restaurants in all 43 states that allow subminimum wages that are now paying hourly wages of $15, $20, $25 and more, plus tips, in order to recruit staff. This is a significant increase since before the pandemic, and it includes dozens of restaurants that fought our efforts to raise wages in the past. Around the United States, support for living wages for restaurant workers is growing. In Michigan, courts have just ruled that $12 an hour plus tips (up from the current $3.75) is the law; even though it will likely be appealed, policymakers are already moving to enforce it, and over 600,000 signatures have been submitted to raise the wage further, to $15 an hour plus tips. In November, voters in Washington, D.C., will consider a ballot measure to raise the hourly wage for all workers, including kitchen and tipped workers, to $15 plus tips. In Portland, Maine, a similar measure could bring restaurant workers earnings to $18 an hour plus tips. There is also legislation on the issue advancing in New York, Illinois and Massachusetts and One Fair Wage is working with partners and legislators to introduce legislation in many more states in 2023. Season 1 of The Bear ends with an indication that Carmys sandwich shop, the Original Beef of Chicagoland, will reinvent itself. Similarly, the restaurant industry is reinventing itself, thanks to the collective courage of the millions of workers who are speaking up or leaving and the thousands of restaurant owners and policymakers who are now listening. Siders faith led him to reject the political bundling and ideological categories of our moment. But though he was a unique and important leader, he was not and is not alone. Its critical to understand that Sider represents an entire movement. He helped build this movement, to be sure, but his work was institutional and relational. It always involved others. Today, when what it means to be an influencer is bound up with individual, personal branding, a striking part of Siders legacy is that he was delightfully unhip and unbranded. Instead, he worked to build coalitions, organizations, communities and grass-roots change. In 1973, Sider helped convene a group of Christian leaders in Chicago to issue The Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern, a pivotal document in the history of contemporary Christian political engagement. It was a formal statement of repentance for evangelical silence in the face of poverty and racism and called for a renewal of evangelical political priorities. It was signed by over 50 prominent leaders, such as Carl F.H. Henry, Richard Mouw, Sharon Gallagher, Samuel Escobar, John Perkins and Jim Wallis. In his 2012 book Moral Minority, David Swartz points out that this meeting took place nearly a decade before the Moral Majority overtook evangelical politics. These young activists in Chicago were strategizing about how to move the nation in a more evangelical direction through political action. But, he says, that direction was to the left instead of the right. He continues, Sider and his colleagues condemned American militarism, sexism, economic injustice, and President Richard Nixons lust for and abuse of power. The religion scholar Brantley Gasaway tweeted that Siders career was a bitter reminder of what modern evangelical politics might have but did not become. This is true, but also what Siders life makes clear is that there has always been an alternative current in evangelical political engagement. This is alive today. I am from a generation of younger Christians who have been shaped by people like John Perkins, John Stott and Sider. There are many of us. In his book, Swartz points to a growing movement, often among younger evangelicals, that may suggest the possibilities of a revitalized evangelical activism on poverty, the environment and human trafficking. The Chicago Declaration, he wrote, underscores the persistence of a progressive impulse in an evangelical tradition often portrayed as uniformly traditionalist and politically right. Many Christians, including Sider, watched with sadness and a measure of horror as nuanced evangelical political engagement appeared to go up in flames in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. The willingness and at times exuberance of conservative evangelicals to vote for a bloviating bully who, at the National Prayer Breakfast, stated his disagreement with Jesus teaching to love your enemies seemed to be the death knell of the evangelical lefts decades of activism. While Democrats beat back most of the Republican amendments over nearly 16 hours, they used a tricky procedural maneuver in some cases that allowed a few Democrats to vote in favor of changes that could help them politically without endangering passage of the final bill. For example, Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who is up for re-election in November, proposed a change to close the Medicaid gap in his state. Because Democrats set the bar for passage of the measure at 60 votes, Mr. Warnock could vote yes without any chance the amendment would be adopted. One Republican challenge has prevailed: a move to strip a $35 insulin cap for private insurers as a violation of the strict rules governing the process. An effort to preserve that proposal fell short of the 60-vote threshold. And in the final hours of the vote-a-rama early Sunday afternoon, seven Democrats joined all Republicans in narrowing the scope of the 15 percent corporate minimum tax. While Republicans proposed most of the amendments, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, tried to push the bill in a progressive direction and recapture some of the policy items in Mr. Bidens initial package that had been cut during negotiations. Mr. Sanders forced a series of votes that included a cap on the costs of prescription drugs, extending the child care tax credit and establishing a civilian climate corps. How it shrank: Mr. Manchin, a centrist Democrat protective of his states oil and gas industries, forced his party to set aside many of its climate proposals, including a plan that would have replaced coal- and gas-fired power plants with wind and solar power. In November, the House approved $555 billion for programs intended to curb fossil fuel emissions. Where it stands now: Mr. Manchin signed off on nearly $400 billion in climate and energy programs, the largest federal investment toward battling climate change, but still well short of what Democrats had wanted. It was projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions about 40 percent below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. He also secured benefits for the fossil fuel industry and requirements for new oil drilling leases, as well as separate commitments to complete a natural gas pipeline in West Virginia and pass legislation to overhaul the permitting process for energy infrastructure. Education, family and jobs initiatives were dropped. How it started: Mr. Biden and Democrats pushed to redefine infrastructure beyond roads and bridges to include child care, a program to provide federal paid family and medical leave, and billions of dollars for college financial aid, housing support and home care. The House-passed bill also sought to maintain expanded monthly payments to families with children, which helped reduce child poverty. How it shrank: Mr. Manchin expressed reservations about many of the programs, insisting that they should be limited only to the people who needed them if they were included at all. When Mr. Manchin rejected a $2.2 trillion version of the domestic policy plan passed by the House last fall, the monthly payments aimed at reducing child poverty lapsed at the end of 2021. Ms. Cheneys relentless focus on Mr. Trump has driven speculation even among longtime family friends that she is preparing to run for president. She has done little to dissuade such talk. At a house party Thursday night in Cheyenne, with the former vice president happily looking on under a pair of mounted leather chaps, the host introduced Ms. Cheney by recalling how another Republican woman, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, confronted Senator Joseph McCarthy when doing so was unpopular and went on to become the first female candidate for president from a major party. The attendees applauded at the parallel, as Ms. Cheney smiled. In the interview, she said she was focused on her primary and her work on the committee. But its far from clear that she could be a viable candidate in the current Republican Party, or whether she has interest in the donor-class schemes about a third-party bid, in part because she knows it may just siphon votes from a Democrat opposing Mr. Trump. Ms. Cheney said she had no interest in changing parties: Im a Republican. But when asked if the G.O.P. she was raised in was even salvageable in the short term, she said: It may not be and called her party very sick. The party, she said, is continuing to drive itself in a ditch and I think its going to take several cycles if it can be healed. In the face of continuing pressures, the policy carrots that China has used to entice Taiwan toward unification may carry even less weight. During previous eras of better relations, China welcomed Taiwans investments, farm goods and entertainers. Understand the China-Taiwan Tensions Card 1 of 4 Understand the China-Taiwan Tensions What does China mean to Taiwan? China claims Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy of 23 million people, as its territory and has long vowed to take it back, by force if necessary. The island, to which Chiang Kai-sheks Chinese forces retreated after the Communist Revolution of 1949, has never been part of the Peoples Republic of China. Understand the China-Taiwan Tensions What does Xi Jinping want? Chinas leader has made it clearer than any of his predecessors that he sees unifying Taiwan with China to be a primary goal of his rule and a key to what he calls Chinas national rejuvenation. Mr. Xi is also keen to project an image of strength ahead of his expected confirmation to an unprecedented third term this fall. Understand the China-Taiwan Tensions How is the U.S. involved? In an intentionally ambiguous diplomatic arrangement adopted in 1979, the United States maintains a one China policy that acknowledges, but does not endorse, Beijings claim over Taiwan. U.S. leaders have remained vague about how they would help Taiwan if China attacked, but President Biden has pledged to defend the island. Understand the China-Taiwan Tensions Why are tensions rising now? Speaker Nancy Pelosis recent trip to Taiwan the highest level visit to the island by an American official since 1997 has ignited regional tensions, prompting China to conduct its largest-ever military exercises near Taiwan. A chorus of official Chinese bodies portrayed her trip as part of an American effort to sabotage Chinas efforts at unification with Taiwan. The result may be deepening mutual distrust that some experts warn could, at an extreme, bring Beijing and Washington into all-out conflict. Its not about to be a blow up tomorrow, but it elevates the overall probability of crisis, conflict or even war with the Americans over Taiwan, said Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister who previously worked as a diplomat in Beijing. Taiwan has never been ruled by the Communist Party, but Beijing maintains that it is historically and legally part of Chinese territory. The Chinese Nationalist forces who fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war also long asserted that the island was part of a greater China they had ruled. But since Taiwan emerged as a democracy in the 1990s, growing numbers of its people see themselves as vastly different in values and culture from the Peoples Republic of China. That political skepticism toward authoritarian China has persisted, and even deepened, as Taiwans economic ties to the mainland expanded. The following day, Aug. 7, the islanders put Kennedy in the bottom of the canoe, covered him with palm fronds to avoid detection by Japanese planes, and paddled him to an island controlled by Australian troops. Within hours, the entire crew was safe at a nearby base. Ms. Kennedy said that in addition to her father, Countless Americans and Allied families have Solomon Islanders to thank for their survival. Mr. Kennedy would have agreed. If he were still alive, he also might have a message for his daughter and others in the State Department facing todays moment of uncertainty in Asia. Perhaps he would even have quoted from his own account of what wisdom could be drawn from what happened after his boat was rammed. Previous to that I had been somewhat cynical about the American as a fighting man. I had seen too much bellyaching and laying off, he told his parents in a letter. But with the chips down, that all faded away. For an American its got to be awfully easy or awfully tough, he added. When its in the middle, then theres trouble. Matthew Abbott contributed reporting from Honiara, and Jane Perlez from Seoul. But Ukraine insisted Russia was to blame. During a national television call-in program on Sunday, the head of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, Oleksandr Starukh, said that there was only a three-second delay between the firing and the landing of each shell evidence, he said, that the attack had come from Russian forces nearby. Since invading Ukraine in February, Russia has made it a priority to seize critical infrastructure like power plants, ports, transportation and agricultural storage and production facilities. It has also targeted infrastructure in Ukrainian hands. A spokesman for Ukraines intelligence directorate, Andrei Yusov, said that Russia was shelling the Zaporizhzhia site to destroy infrastructure and to damage power lines that supply electricity to Ukraines national grid and, ultimately, to cut power in the countrys south. There was no independent confirmation of his assertion. Mr. Yusov said on Telegram that Russian forces had also laid mines at the plants power units. Concern about safety at Zaporizhzhia has been mounting since March, when a fire broke out in one of its buildings during fighting as Russian forces took control. The Ukrainian authorities say that Russian forces have since stored weapons, including artillery, at the plant; in recent weeks, they began shelling Nikopol from its grounds. Ukraine has also accused Russia of setting off explosions at the plant in order to unnerve Ukraines European allies about nuclear safety and perhaps discourage them from arming Ukraine further. Aggression against our state is unprovoked, invasive and openly terroristic, he continued in his nightly video address on Thursday. And if someone makes a report in which the victim and the aggressor are allegedly the same in something, if some data about the victim is analyzed and what the aggressor was doing at that time is ignored, this cannot be tolerated. The statement has underscored the problems raised by Ukrainian forces fighting in urban settings, one of the most destructive forms of warfare. In the five months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the countrys cities have become the focal point for both offensive and defensive operations. Experts in the rules of war said there were no proscriptions against using schools, hospitals, museums and other public places as military command posts or bases, so long as they were not being used for their peacetime purposes. And the Ukrainian military has said that Russias prolonged shelling of towns and cities, like the eastern city of Kharkiv, has forced it to position its troops and artillery within neighborhoods to properly defend them. Neighborhoods in Kharkiv have mostly emptied out, though some stalwart residents remain. But further east, in the industrial Donbas region where Russian forces have focused much of their firepower, more residents are choosing to stay behind. Image Russia has held the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant since March. Credit... Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters Ukraine accused Russian forces on Sunday of firing rockets that landed on the grounds of a nuclear power plant that Russia has seized in the south of the country, further raising the risk of an accident at a complex where the United Nations nuclear agency has said that the principles of nuclear safety have been violated. A pro-Russian regional official blamed Ukrainian forces for the attack. The rockets fired Saturday evening landed near a dry spent fuel storage facility, where 174 casks are stored, each containing 24 assemblies of spent nuclear fuel, according to Energoatom, Ukraines nuclear energy company. One person was wounded by shrapnel and many windows were damaged. Apparently, they aimed specifically at the casks with spent fuel, which are stored in the open near the site of shelling, the company said in a post on the Telegram social messaging app. Three radiation detection monitors were damaged so timely detection and response in case of aggravation of the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from spent nuclear fuel casks are currently impossible, the post said, adding that a catastrophe was miraculously avoided. Russian forces have controlled the Zaporizhzhia plant since March. A representative of Ukraines military intelligence directorate, Andrei Yusov, said that Russia was shelling the site to destroy infrastructure and damage power lines that supply electricity to Ukraines national grid and, ultimately, to cause a power blackout in the south of the country. There was no independent confirmation of the assertion. The head of the pro-Russian administration in Zaporizhzhia, Yevgeny Balitsky, said on Telegram on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had used an Uragan cluster rocket to target the spent fuel storage area and damage administrative buildings. On Thursday, Russias defense ministry said that Ukraine had launched an artillery strike against the plant. During a national television phone-in show on Sunday, the head of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, Oleksandr Starukh, said that there was only a three-second delay between the firing and the landing of each shell, using this as evidence that the attack had come from Russian forces nearby. Since invading Ukraine in February, Russia has made it a priority to seize critical infrastructure including power plants, ports, transportation, and agricultural storage and production facilities. It has also targeted infrastructure in Ukrainian hands. In an earlier post, Energoatom said that Russian shellfire had damaged a nitrogen-oxygen unit and the combined auxiliary building. There are still risks of hydrogen leakage and sputtering of radioactive substances, and the fire hazard is also high, the post said. Mr. Yusov also said on Telegram that Russian forces had laid mines at the plants power units. Concern about safety at Zaporizhzhia has been mounting since March, when a fire broke out in a building during fighting as Russian forces took control. The Ukrainian authorities say that Russian forces have since stored weapons, including artillery, at the plant, and that in recent weeks they began shelling Nikopol, a nearby city held by Ukraine, from positions on its grounds. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in a speech late on Saturday that there had been a significant worsening of the situation around the plant, and added that Russia had become the first country in the world to use a nuclear plant for terror. On Sunday, he spoke with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and said in a tweet that he had called for a stronger international response against Russias nuclear terror. The prospect of a Ukrainian counteroffensive to reclaim land in Kherson Province, which is southwest of Zaporizhzhia, also heightens instability. Ukraine was the site of the worlds worst nuclear accident when, in 1986, a reactor fire broke out at the Chernobyl complex in the countrys north. There are no reports of a radiation leak at Zaporizhzhia. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that a particular concern is its inability to access Zaporizhzhia for monitoring purposes. Ukrainian plant workers operate under stress, in part because Russian authorities suspect the possibility of sabotage, and the exiled mayor of the nearby city of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, has said that some workers had been interrogated or have disappeared, and that at least one had been killed. The biggest caravan of ships carrying grain and other agricultural products since the beginning of the Russian invasion has sailed from Ukrainian ports on Sunday, heading to Europe, Asia and the Middle East through the mined waters of the Black Sea. According to the United Nations, the four ships leaving what was one of the worlds breadbaskets carried more than 160,000 metric tons about 176,000 U.S. tons of agricultural products. Ismini Palla, a spokeswoman for the United Nations, said that the ships were carrying 6,000 metric tons of sunflower oil to Italy, 45,000 metric tons of meal to China, 66,000 metric tons of sunflower oil to Iran, and 44,000 metric tons of corn to the Turkish city of Iskenderun. The conflict highlighted both the limits and strengths of Israels strategy of offering small economic concessions to ordinary Gazans notably 14,000 work permits to help improve the Palestinian economy. That approach failed to prevent yet another conflagration over an enclave that has experienced at least six major bursts of violence since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007. But by helping to convince Hamas to stay out of this particular conflict, the strategy likely helped shorten the length of the fighting, which in the past has often gone on for weeks, rather than days. Within Israel, the conflict also initially appeared to help burnish the credentials of Yair Lapid, Israels interim prime minister, who has long been accused by critics in Israel of lacking the experience necessary to lead the country in times of war. Before the cease-fire was agreed to, Israeli analysts largely portrayed the episode as a victory and even a warning to Israels other enemies in the region particularly Hezbollah, the Islamist militia in Lebanon of the fate that awaits them should they also enter into full-scale combat with Israel in the near future. Khaled Mansour, the Islamic Jihad militant commander who was killed in an Israeli missile strike in southern Gaza on Saturday night, was responsible for rocket and mortar attacks against Israel stretching back years, according to the Israeli military. Mr. Mansour led the militant groups operations in the southern region of Gaza, holding a rank equivalent to that of a general, the Israeli military said. It added that he had claimed responsibility for an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers in 2010 and was involved in another attack that injured the Israeli commander of the Southern Gaza Brigade in 2004. One of the soldiers killed in 2010, Maj. Eliraz Peretz, is almost a household name in Israel. His mother, Miriam Peretz, who lost two sons in uniform in two separate enemy actions, has become a national symbol of sacrifice. A third official briefed on the mediation effort, who also requested anonymity for the same reason, confirmed it was gaining momentum but declined to comment on the motivations of the two sides. The Israeli military has also said it will stop firing if Islamic Jihad did so first. The Israeli prime ministers office declined to comment, and an Islamic Jihad spokesman could not be immediately reached. The main remaining obstacle to a cease-fire is a disagreement among Islamic Jihads remaining leadership about its timing, one of the Western diplomats said. Some hard-liners want the group to keep fighting for a few more days in order to inflict more damage on Israel and perhaps draw Hamas, the main militia in Gaza, into the conflict, the diplomat said. Hamas, which seized control of the strip in 2007, often fights with Israel but is reluctant to join in the current round. The group is still rebuilding its arsenal and military infrastructure after a major war last year, and it does not want to jeopardize several economic concessions Israel made to Gaza afterward. But the longer the current fighting continues, the greater the pressure grows on Hamas to offer military support to Islamic Jihad a decision that would almost certainly extend the length and intensity of the conflict. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's political and military leaders met here Sunday to discuss the latest military developments, the line of action of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission and measures taken to unify the military institution away from all political tug-of-war A PLANNING application is to be submitted to Offaly County Council for the building of Birr Primary Care Centre. The proposed development will include HSE facilities comprising consulting rooms, treatment areas, meeting rooms, offices and support spaces, along with a GP surgery, a pharmacy with two consulting rooms, and a two-storey ambulance base. The facility is being proposed by B.P.I. Investments Ltd for a site at Railway Road, Seefin, Birr. The site is the large field behind Birr Outdoor Education Centre. At the beginning of July, the Chief Officer of the Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation, Des OFlynn, told Deputy Carol Nolan, that the HSE expects the new Primary Care Centre to become operational in the second quarter of 2023. He said the HSE Board in November 2021 had given their approval for the development of the centre and that it was issuing a letter of intent to the developer. Mr OFlynn said the HSE is now liaising with the developers who are required to lodge the planning application for the proposed development. He pointed out that the HSE expects that the planning application will be lodged in the third quarter of this year and that following this, and assuming there are no unforeseen delays, it is anticipated that the centre will be operational in Q2 2023. However, this week one of the local people connected with the project said he is sceptical about the second quarter of next year operational date. I think it's unlikely it will be operational as soon as that, he told the Midland Tribune. It's more likely to be 2024 or 2025. He added that one of the positive things about the development will be the creation of a through road linking Roscrea Road with the Kinnitty and Clareen roads. The road will go from the Tesco roundabout on Roscrea Road, through the current field, and emerge near the Ko Rec Type building in Syngefield. This will lessen traffic congestion in the centre of the town. Cllr John Clendennen warmly welcomed the news that the developer is to submit a planning application. It is great to see Planning Approval will be sought for a Primary Care Centre facility in Birr, he commented. This is a welcome step forward in developing a Centre serving Birr and the surrounding area. Following previous planning applications, it is both disappointing and frustrating that a PCC has not been delivered before now. I am hopeful that this proposal will be supported by the entire community in the best interest of improved healthcare for people in Birr and the surrounding area. The proposed site, located near the Tesco Roundabout on the Roscrea Road, is a ten minute walk from Emmet Square, and has already received approval from the Health Service Executive through an evaluation process over the past 12 months. In more recent months, a plan has been drafted to determine capacity and service provision at the proposed facility." He said the facility will benefit the entire community from newborns to the elderly, and it was important to reiterate, as emphasised by the Health Service Executive on several occasions, that the delivery of this service will have no impact or compromise on any existing health services provided in the area. He said the new facility will provide a number of services including x-ray, ultrasound, pharmacy, GP & treatment rooms and an ambulance base. It is still early days in the process, the councillor continued, and it is important that we respect the planning application process, but I fully support the proposal and hope the outcome will be favourable and construction will commence as soon as possible to deliver this much needed facility, subject to full planning approval from Offaly County Council. The three-storey development will span some 4,060 square metres, including 807 square metres of GP surgery space, and a pharmacy spanning 138 square metres. The Ambulance Base will be two storeys with a single storey garage, spanning some 397.5 square metres while the application also cites a 157 car-parking area including provision for six motorcycle parking spaces, 50 bicycle spaces, 16 electrical charge points and traffic control barriers for employee parking. The Biden administration says its commitment to the region has only deepened, but critics say the tensions over Taiwan show that.. NYTimes.com 05 Aug 2022 The oppositions defence spokesman backed the condemnation of Chinese military operations around Taiwan and said Australia must prepare for more pressure on national security. In a fierce statement, the Chinese Embassy claims the US is the biggest threat to regional security, after Beijing simulated an attack on Taiwan. Egyptian officials said both sides agreed to a truce to end a flare-up of violence in which 15 children have been killed. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad says another of its top commanders has been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israeli security forces say they have also arrested 20 members of the group in the West Bank. Occupation official Vitaly Gura died after "an assassination attempt," Russian-backed authorities and media reported. Meanwhile, four more ships set sail from Ukraine's ports, loaded with food. Follow DW for the latest. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here A second senior Islamic Jihad commander has been killed in an Israeli airstrike as a surge of fighting continues in Gaza. German consul Uwe H. was arrested by Brazilian police on suspicion of killing his husband and trying to cover up the alleged crime. Authorities said the victim, a Belgian national, had been severely beaten first. The US president is leaving for his home state of Delaware after testing negative for the virus. Palestinian militants fired flurries of rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip while the sons of Khaled Mansour, Islamic Jihad's senior commander killed by an Israeli airstrike, saying goodbye to their father in the morgue Talks toward a truce are reportedly underway after Israel said it was targeting the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza with airstrikes, while the Palestinian militants fired rockets at Israeli cities in response. Israel and the Islamic Jihad group announced that a cease-fire would come into effect Sunday night. The truce could end the worst cross-border conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants since last year. Deutsche Welle 07 Aug 2022 Israel and the Islamic Jihad group announced that a cease-fire would come into effect Sunday night. The truce could end the worst.. The athlete has been declared brain dead and police say the suspect is on the run. India has offered to sell 18 light-combat aircraft (LCA) "Tejas" to Malaysia, the defence ministry said on Friday, adding that Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines were also interested in the single-engine jet.The Indian government last year gave a $6 billion contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for 83 of the locally produced Tejas jets for delivery starting around 2023 - four decades after it was first approved in 1983. CONSERVATIVE leadership contender Rishi Sunak wants to look at introducing compensation if hosepipe bans are caused by failures by.. The Argus 05 Aug 2022 Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Here's the latest for Sunday, August 7: Senate Democrats approve big Biden deal; Biden leaves WH for 1st time since getting COVID; Israel, Palestinians appear headed for cease-fire in Gaza; Adams blasts Abbott for dumping asylum seekers. Indonesia and the United States kicked off their largest annual joint military exercise on Monday, with Australia, Singapore and Japan also participating, in a show of defense partnership amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. The Super Garuda Shield exercise is significantly larger in scope and scale than... Watch VideoEnding his most recent COVID-19 isolation, President Joe Biden on Sunday left the White House for the first time since becoming infected with the coronavirus last month, settling in for a reunion with first lady Jill Biden in their home state of Delaware. The president tested negative Saturday and Sunday, according... This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Authorities on Monday identified the fourth victim in a series of killings of Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the deaths sent ripples of fear through Islamic communities nationwide. Three of the slayings happened in the last two weeks. Now law enforcement officials are seeking help finding a vehicle believed to be connected to the killings in New Mexicos largest city. The common elements were the victims race and religion, officials said. Naeem Hussain was killed Friday night, and ambush shootings killed three other Muslim men over the past nine months. Police are trying to determine if the homicides are linked. The killings have spread fear beyond New Mexico, where Muslims comprise less than 1% of adults in the statewide population of 2.1 million, according to the Pew Research Center. The fact the suspect remains at large is terrifying, Debbie Almontaser, a Muslim community leader in New York, wrote on Twitter. Who is next?! In a phone interview, Almontaser said that a female friend who lives in Michigan and wears the hijab head covering shared with her over the weekend just how rattled she was. Shes like, This is so terrifying. Im so scared. I travel alone, Almontaser said. Hussain, 25, was from Pakistan. His death came just days after those of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41, who were also from Pakistan and members of the same mosque. The earliest case involves the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan. Aneela Abad, general secretary at the Islamic Center of New Mexico, described a community reeling from the killings, its grief compounded by confusion and fear of what may follow. We are just completely shocked and still trying to comprehend and understand what happened, how and why, she said. Three of those killed attended the center, and the fourth was well-known in the community, Abad said. Some people have avoided going out unless absolutely necessary, and some Muslim university students have been wondering whether it is safe for them to stay in the city. The center has also beefed up its security, she said. Police said the same vehicle is suspected of being used in all four homicides a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen that appears to be a Jetta or Passat with dark tinted windows. Authorities released photos hoping people could help identify the car and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Investigators did not say where the images were taken or what led them to suspect the car was involved in the slayings. Police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in an email Monday that the agency has received tips regarding the car but did not elaborate. We have a very, very strong link, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Sunday. We have a vehicle of interest We have got to find this vehicle. Gallegos said he could not comment on what kind of gun was used in the shootings, or whether police know how many suspects were involved in the violence. President Joe Biden said he was angered and saddened by the killings and that his administration stands strongly with the Muslim community. These hateful attacks have no place in America, Biden said Sunday in a tweet. The conversation about safety has also dominated WhatsApp groups and email groups that Almontaser is on. What weve seen happen in New Mexico is very chilling for us as a Muslim minority community in the United States that has endured so much backlash and discrimination since the 9/11 attacks, she said. Its frightening. Few anti-Muslim hate crimes have been recorded in Albuquerque over the last five years, according to FBI data cited by Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism and a professor of criminal justice at California State University at San Bernardino. From 2017 through 2020, there was one anti-Muslim hate crime a year. The highest recent number was in 2016, when Albuquerque police recorded six out of a total of 25 hate crimes. That largely tracks with national trends, which hit the lowest numbers in a decade in 2020, only to increase by 45% in 2021 in a dozen cities and states, Levin said. Albuquerque authorities say they cannot determine if the slayings were hate crimes until they have identified a suspect and a motive. Louis Schlesinger, a forensic psychology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said bias killings are often perpetrated by a small group of people, typically young white men. A lone perpetrator is rare. These are basically total losers by every dimension, whether its social, economic, psychological, what have you, he said. Theyre filled with hatred for one reason or another and target a particular group that they see, in their mind, to blame for all their problems in life. It was not clear whether the victims knew their attacker or attackers. The most recent victim was found dead after police received a call of a shooting. Authorities declined to say whether the killing was carried out in a way similar to the other deaths. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had worked as a field organizer for a local congresswomans campaign. Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury issued a statement praising him as one of the kindest and hardest working people she has ever known. She said the urban planner was committed to making our public spaces work for every person and cleaning up legacy pollution. As land-use director for the city of Espanola more than 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Albuquerque Hussain worked to improve conditions and inclusivity for disadvantaged minorities, according to the mayors office. The city staff has lost a member of our family, and we all have lost a brilliant public servant, Espanola Mayor John Ramon Vigil said in a news release. ___ Dazio reported from Los Angeles and Fam from Winter Park, Florida. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington and AP news researchers Rhonda Shafner and Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. MIDLAND H.H. Dow High School graduate Emma Schultz recently received a $2,500 scholarship from The Spherion Staffing and Recruiting franchise community. Highly involved with her local church and the Girl Scouts of America, Schultz was awarded the scholarship for her philanthropic efforts and impressive academic achievements. In the fall, she plans to pursue a degree in international business and marketing at Central Michigan University. "College is just so expensive, there's a lot of things that I need to pay for for the future," she told the Daily News. "This scholarship will really help me going forward." Along with maintaining a near-perfect academic record, Schultz contributed 984 hours of community service throughout her high school career. Photo Provided from YouTube Through Schultz's Girl Scout troop, which she has been involved with since 2013, she has volunteered with a number of local organizations, including the Humane Society. She is also dedicated to making the Midland community more inclusive through educational events with the Midland County Inclusion Alliance. She has been a student leader in the Christian Celebration Center Childrens Ministry since 2017, where she works with children from different backgrounds to provide a safe, warm space for them to learn. Emma has demonstrated that she is a vital member of our community here in Midland by making a positive difference through her many philanthropic efforts, said Kathy Weaver, franchise owner of Spherion Midland. She is incredibly deserving of this recognition. I have full confidence that shell continue to make the world a better place as she pursues continued education. The scholarship, created in honor of former Spherion President Sandy Mazur, highlights the contributions made during her distinguished 18-year career at Spherion. The annual Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship honors graduating high school students who best represent the qualities of excellence, leadership and passion that Mazur put forth daily during her tenure at Spherion. Throughout my time at Spherion, I made a point to set an example for our franchise community by paying it forward any time I had the opportunity, Mazur said. It is clear that Emma shares that same quality, and I am hopeful that this contribution towards her future will help her continue that mission. Schultz's willingness to go the extra mile for others has inspired Spherions franchise owners to donate funds in her name and celebrate graduates aspiring to further their education with college, technical or skilled training. Schultz's mother, Stacy, said the volunteer commitment speaks to her daughter's kind heart. "It's just natural for her to want to volunteer," Stacy said. "It's not something she ever feels like she has to do. She just has a passion for it." The Spherion franchise community, led by franchisees Michael Chalmers and Beth DeLaney, coordinated with nonprofit The Richland County Foundation which disburses grants for charitable organizations to review hundreds of applicants and choose the finalists. From there, a group of franchise community representatives, including Chalmers, DeLaney and Mazur chose the winners. With the names and locations removed, the group of five reviewed the applicants and, solely based on her merits, selected Schultz as one of three 2022 scholarship recipients. More information About Spherion With more than 75 years of staffing and recruiting experience, Spherion stands out as a leader in the industry, leveraging the power of local to support its vast network of independent franchisees. True to its tagline, Let's Get to Work, Spherion provides workforce solutions to more than 4,000 businesses nationwide across its more than 200 offices. With recent awards, including recognition on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list, Spherion has a proven ability to cater to the ever-changing demands of America's workforce. Backed by the global leader in human resources, Spherion is prepared to provide workforce solutions through its General Staffing franchise model and newly launched Professional IT model to even more job seekers and organizations. For more information on the Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship, visit spherion.com/scholarship. About the Richland County Foundation The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County (Ohio) and its residents. The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts for charity wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county's citizens. Working together with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future. For more information about the Richland County Foundation, please visit www.richlandcountyfoundation.org/. See More Collapse In addition to Schultz, Jacob Reeder, a graduating senior from Clear Creek High School in League City, Texas and Elizabeth Wunderlich, a graduating senior from Owatonna High School in Owatonna, Minnesota, were also honored with scholarships. Photo: (Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) According to California health officials, at least one person died and 11 others were sickened by Legionnaires' disease in Napa County, including three people who are still hospitalized with the rare illness. The county health department said that the Legionella bacteria that causes the disease has been detected in the cooling tower of the Embassy Suites Napa Valley in the city of Napa. An investigation is ongoing, however, and other possible sources of the bacteria are being tested, according to NBC News. Napa County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Relucio said during Wednesday's news conference that none of the 12 who were sickened in the outbreak that started July 11 stayed at the hotel, and they were not employees. Majority of people infected live in the area where Embassy Suites is Relucio said that all 12 people are residents of Napa County and not tourists. She added that in many of the cases, they live in the area where the hotel is. Three people remained hospitalized as of Wednesday, and one of those patients was on a ventilator. The other eight patients have recovered. The Legionella bacteria lives in water, but it can spread when that water is aerosolized, according to Mayo Clinic. The health officer said that if a cooling tower is contaminated with the bacteria, it can disseminate for up to a mile. According to the health department, that cooling tower has now been taken offline which mitigates any ongoing risk to public health. The department added that it is also common to find more than one source in an outbreak area. Legionnaires' disease is a dangerous illness as it causes severe pneumonia. The person who died because of it was described as being over 50 years old and with risk factors for severe disease. Relucio said that the ages of people who got the disease range from 58 to 80. Read Also: Georgia Mom Arrives in Queens, NYC for Emotional Reunion with Missing Son Legionnaires' disease is a rare illness She said the one thing they noticed is that a lot of them have had underlying medical conditions like kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes, or other chronic diseases. Hilton, the company that owns Embassy Suites, did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on Wednesday night. She added that health officials have not identified any hotel guests or employees who contracted Legionnaires' disease, although the incubation period for the illness can be 14 days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not everyone exposed to the bacteria gets the disease, and most healthy people exposed don't get it. Among those at increased risk in getting the rare illness are people 50 and older, those who are immunocompromised, and current or former smokers or people with lung conditions. According to the federal agency, the bacteria exists naturally in bodies of freshwater like lakes, but its main threat to people occurs when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems. Legionnaires' disease is rare as Napa County usually sees zero to two Legionella cases a year. Related Article: Florida Mom Allegedly Shot Dead By Woman in Backseat of Uber After They Got Into an Argument Photo: (Photo : YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/GettyImages) Proving that kids truly got a friend in Woody and Jessie from "Toy Story," a viral video showing these two popular characters acknowledging and hugging Black children at Disney World is tugging at the heartstrings. TMZ reported that the video of the Disney World characters, who were entertaining and extending love and kindness to their younger guests, was proudly filmed and uploaded by the children's dad. It showed a girl holding a Jessie doll and calling onto the Jessie mascot as they made their way to the street. But then Jessie didn't notice her right away as the mascot was on the other side. So, the other character who played Woody tried to get Jessie's attention to tell her that there were fans who were calling out her name. Woody tried more than once but Jessie was too busy on her side of the street. Woody then walked to her area, tapped Jessie, and pointed to the children. When she saw the child with the Jessie doll, she ran right away and gave her a tight big hug. The heartwarming moment has been viewed by millions and reshared by close to 400,000 people. It showed how much the internet loved this unforgettable encounter for the Black child. Read Also: Parenting Group Slams Disney for Violating Promise as R-Rated Movies Added to Streaming Service A stark contrast to other kids' venues Netizens said that the reception of the Disney World characters was a stark contrast to the treatment some Black kids received at Sesame Place, after two different families in separate incidents allege that the mascots deliberately ignored their children. The theme park received such a backlash, forcing Sesame Workshop, the owner of Sesame Place, to issue a statement saying that the staff playing the characters have been devastated by what happened and believed it was a misunderstanding. The nonprofit organization also said that its staff will undergo bias training to ensure that this will not happen again. However, Quinton Burns, the father of one of the kids, filed a $25-million discrimination lawsuit against the company. Sesame Place said they will review the complaint and address the father's claims in a legal process. A few weeks later, a Chuck E. Cheese outlet in New Jersey was also accused of discrimination after the mascot failed to acknowledge a Black child, who was the birthday girl. Her mother, Natyana Muhammed, posted the video on Twitter and said that her child was made to feel invisible, per NJ.com. But a spokesperson for the fast-food company said they were sad to know that the child had a "less than perfect experience" and apologized for the oversight. The spokesperson also acknowledged the family who brought the incident to their attention. Netizens say Disney World didn't want to get canceled Despite the positive vibe from the Disney World encounter, some netizens think that Woody and Jessie only paid attention to the Black kids because they did not want to be canceled and accused of racism. Indy 100 reported that right-wingers took this as a chance to point out that Woody and Jessie's actions were "racially-motivated" so that they won't be smeared on the internet. They said that the child received special treatment and got a big hug because the characters feared the backlash. Related Article: Chaotic Disney World Brawl Between 2 Families Ends in Hospital, Arrest for Misdemeanor Battery Photo: (Photo : Elisabetta Zavoli/Getty Images) August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and a Marshfield Hospital Lactation Consultant is taking this opportunity to remind parents of the many health benefits for mothers who choose to breastfeed. Marshfield Hospital Lactation Consultant, Kendal Stockel, said that breastfeeding has many health benefits for moms and babies. She said breastfed babies could prevent allergies and asthma later in life and decrease the risk of obesity. Stockel added that breastfeeding provides excellent nutrition for the baby. She noted that it is ideal, it is well digested, and it is going to help the baby grow and thrive. She said that many people forget that mothers also benefit from breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has health benefits for both mother and baby She explained that for the mom, it prevents cancers later in life, particularly ovarian and breast cancer reduction. Stockel added that breastfeeding also reduces the risk of diabetes for the mother and promotes bonding between the parent and child by releasing hormones for both of them. Although much information about breastfeeding is available, Stockel said it can still be challenging to navigate. Stockel told WEAU that social media gives a bunch of information, and there is data from formula and breast companies. That said, mothers don't always know what to believe and where to go. The message has not been lost for Wisconsin mom Paige Wieker. When she found out that she was pregnant with her second little girl, she immediately knew that she wanted to breastfeed her future baby. Wieker said that she planned on breastfeeding before they were born. She arrived at that decision mainly for the health benefits of it, but then there were many things along the way that she discovered and enjoyed about breastfeeding as well. Read Also: CDC Expected to Ease COVID-19 Recommendations for Schools This Week Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mom and baby Wieker navigated her way through breastfeeding by seeking out plenty of resources. She said that she did some breastfeeding classes. She thinks knowing what was normal and what to expect with breastfeeding was super helpful. Wieker has some advice about breastfeeding for her fellow mothers. She said they need to find out what works for them and their baby, adding that they should be open to not doing what the book says or what worked for their mom. While rocking her seven-week-old infant Brett in her arms, Wieker said her favorite part of breastfeeding is the bond it creates for her and her baby daughter. She said it makes you feel really good when you can provide that comfort for your child and the special time. She added the alone time they get together is nice. According to a 10-year longitudinal study published by the American Psychological Association, women who breastfeed their kids longer exhibit more maternal sensitivity well past the toddler and infant years. Related Article: Video of Chinese Girl Being Worried About Her Father's Work in a Meet-the-Parents Call Goes Viral Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) By September, America will facilitate another round of vaccine shots with updated COVID-19 boosters that will specifically target the subvariants of the highly transmissible COVID-19 virus, Omicron. Health experts believe that these updated COVID-19 boosters are expected to make a major difference in the current vaccines' protection. With an average of 124,000 new cases and 440 deaths per day, the new variant-specific vaccines may lower the figures in the U.S. since they will specifically target the widely circulating Omicron strains. "We must stay vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and continue to expand Americans' access to the best vaccines and treatments," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the official announcement. Pfizer said it would be able to deliver 105 million shots, while Moderna committed to 66 million bivalent boosters, which has the tools and technology to target both the original COVID-19 variant and the Omicron variant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been working closely with vaccine manufacturers for months. However, as with previous vaccination, the FDA will still review the safety and effectiveness of the new vaccines before approval. Read Also: Mom Claims Teen Son Has Lingering COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects, Sues LA School District for Unconsented Vaccination Who will get the updated COVID-19 Boosters? The current vaccine guidelines in the U.S. allow one booster shot for ages five and above. The second booster shot may only be administered to adults 50 and over and those with immune deficiencies if they are 12 to 49 years old. As of press time, the FDA has not yet released specific guidelines on who will qualify for the bivalent boosters. However, epidemiologist Dr. Keri Althoff of Johns Hopkins believes it will be recommended for all adults. Althoff also said that, as a parent, he would like his kids to be eligible for these new boosters. "It would be great if these boosters are conveying some additional protection that the kids could get access to before we send them off to school this fall," he told WebMD. Althoff also assured the public that the updated COVID-19 boosters have not been developed rapidly and could be deemed unsafe. He said that they have been monitoring the technology used in these vaccines from the start, and the consensus is that it's working very well. The expert also said that they have cases of vaccine fatigue, but essentially, the body's immune system has to be primed and up to speed when the Omicron variants are rapidly changing. Will vaccines be needed every year? Tania Watts, an immunology professor, told Vox that the first vaccines still do their job of preventing deaths and can still "hold up well" with the latest variants. However, as the virus keeps changing and mutating, vaccine shots and bivalent boosters every year might become possible. Vaccine scientists, however, continue to work on vaccines, including universal vaccines, that will bring longer-lasting immunity. Thus, it's also highly possible that a new COVID-19 vaccine will be the final shot. Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine for Under 5: How Parents Can Alleviate Common Side Effects This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions A 2021 survey has established that some sachet water products sold in Ghana are contaminated with faecal matter, raising questions about the regulation of the product in Ghana. Data gathered from the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) has established that Ghanaians are increasingly depending on sachet water as their main source of drinking water. Per data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the sachet water national consumption average in Ghana has ballooned from about seven million (31.7% ) in 2010 to over eleven million in 2021, representing 37.4% in 2021. The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr speaking to this, has asked the Ghana Standard Authority to up their game and ensure that sachet water producers adhere to rules in production. "We urge the producers to be careful and mindful of their production because it's about public safety. Standard Board also needs to be up and doing..." he said on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'. Listen to him in the video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Fifty years after Ugandan Asians were forced to leave the country by leader Idi Amin, the country's foreign minister says such a decision will never be made again. "We have expressed our regrets on many occasions and given reassurances that never again will we allow such a thing happen to the Asians or any minority group in our country," Henry Okello told the BBC. More than 27,000 Asians were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972, and thousands settled in Leicester. Mr Okello said at the time "Indians were the major merchants... every aspect of business belonged to Indians". Those expelled have previously complained of lack of adequate compensation by the Ugandan government, but the minister says their lack faith in the new administration was the problem. "Some did not have faith in the current government and when their properties were given back to them they quickly sold them off for peanuts," he said. Mr Okello said there was "a lot that still needs to be done to ensure there is more assimilation of Asians in Uganda" even as cases of mixed marriages grow. "Things have changed now. Today there's a new leadership, there's a new spirit and they should take advantage of it," he added. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Life expectancy is rising in Africa - with people living nearly 10 years longer, from 46 years to 56 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The rise is because of better access to health services in the continent although the numbers are "still well below the global average of 64 years", according to the health agency. Life expectancy is the number of years on average a person is expected to live - based on their age, gender and country. WHO analyzed life expectancy data from 47 African countries between 2000 and 2019. It said the rise of life expectancy in Africa was greater than in any other region of the world, but warned the Covid pandemic could affect the gains. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Professor Seth Debrah, Director, Nuclear Power Institute, says the countrys first nuclear power plant will be highly regulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This has become necessary to address the safety and environmental concerns of the public and some organisations. The IAEA is the worlds centre for cooperation in the nuclear field and seeks to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. Prof Debrah, speaking at a media workshop for Regional Managers of Ghana News Agency and selected Editors, noted that the country could not build or operate a nuclear power plant if it did not meet the requirements of the IAEA and said the country was on course. He noted that Ghana had completed the first of the three phases that would give it the green light to build and operate a nuclear power plant for cheap and reliable electricity. Prof Debrah said some activities under phase one were the human resource development, public acceptance, grid system studies, site survey and environmental scoping studies, and meeting legal and regulatory requirements. Dr Debrah noted that since Ghana began the second phase, some activities underway were site characterisation, environmental impact study, feasibility studies, bid invitation and preparation, bid evaluation, local infrastructure and feasibility studies. Ghana will then move to the final phase if all the activities stipulated by the IAEA under the second phase are completed, reviewed and approved. Mr Daniel Wordson, Manager, Executive Office, Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), noted that nuclear was safe adding that the regulations from IAEA could not allow any country to ignore the safety, security and safeguard principles in constructing a nuclear power plant. Dr. William Amuna, Tech. Controller, MiDA and former GridCo CEO, noted that nuclear would deliver reliable, affordable and clean electricity. Dr Stephen Yamoah, Executive Director, NPG, said the country would by the end of the year, select one of the four identified sites for the construction of the nuclear plant. Nuclear Power Ghana as an owner/ operator, Nuclear Regulatory Authority as the regulator and the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organization are the three key institutions spearheading the Nuclear Power Project. The workshop organised by Nuclear Power Ghana was on the theme: Nuclear Safety and Environmental Concerns, Strengthening Public Understanding. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has described the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu as "a gift to the nation from God" who has contributed immensely to education and national development Dr. Bawumia eulogised the 103-year-old Sheikh Sharubutu on Friday when he commissioned the Sheikh Sharubutu Central Mosque - a magnificent edifice and an Islamic School Complex constructed by the Chief Imam at Ablekuma-Joma in the Greater Accra Region. "His prolific and unstinting charitable works constantly humble me, and it has always been a pleasure to learn from him. His works align perfectly with the principles of service to Allah, service to community and service to the country," Dr Bawumia said. "The building of a school and the establishment of a Mosque devoted to the glory of Allah is yet another resplendent addition to an impressive array of beneficial projects commissioned and implemented by our venerated National Chief Imam," he added. "Also, the significance of establishing a Mosque in Islamic life can never be overstated. In all Muslim communities, the Mosque, apart from being an exulted place of worship, also functions as a focal point of education, social welfare, community gatherings and allied forms of important social interaction," he added. The Vice President also commended Sheikh Sharubutu for his selflessness and commitment to promoting the good of society. "The Chief Imam does his good works from his undoubted commitment to society's overall betterment. Sheik Sharubutu has always promoted and energetically worked for the balanced and spiritual uplifting of our people. His laudable works and necessary social interventions are never for personal gain or for fame." "I have absolutely no doubt that our Almighty Creator will reward him amply and deservedly for his extraordinary good works, such as the establishment of this beautiful Mosque and school for our Joma-Ablekuma communities." Government, Dr. Bawumia said, recognised the immense role Sheikh Sharubutu had been playing in education, and added that in him, the government had a friend. "National development has always been built on the back of education, as it equips young people to defy their socioeconomic challenges and circumstances to contribute to the establishment of a better nation. "Government is in tune with the impactful role that education plays in the life of our citizens and the nation. This underpins the resolve and commitment of government to ensure that the barriers to education are not only eradicated but that the full complements of the education of our young ones are well catered for." Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Posted by Liam on at 08:32 AM CST Liam Neeson finally got to return to the role of Qui-Gon Jinn in the final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi . Jinn had been written into the original script for Revenge of the Sith , but Neeson was unable to film the scenes due to a shooting conflict with Batman Begins . . Jinn had been written into the original script for , but Neeson was unable to film the scenes due to a shooting conflict with . Ironically, Neeson did end up playing a ghost in the other franchise. He returned to the role of Ras Al Ghul for a cameo in The Dark Knight Rises . . Neeson *did* return to play Qui-Gon during an episode of The Clone Wars where Obi-Wan experiences a vision on the planet Mortis. Dave Filoni revealed that Neeson requested a minor dialogue change, as he felt that it would be more in character for Qui-Gon to approach his former padawan with a personal greeting. where Obi-Wan experiences a vision on the planet Mortis. Dave Filoni revealed that Neeson requested a minor dialogue change, as he felt that it would be more in character for Qui-Gon to approach his former padawan with a personal greeting. During his travels through the secret passageways, Obi-Wan notices that several Jedi have scrolled their names and confirmed their survival of Order 66. Among them is the popular Expanded Universe Jedi Quinlan Vos, who returned in The Clone Wars to help Obi-Wan search for Ziro the Hutt. to help Obi-Wan search for Ziro the Hutt. Jimmy Smits returned once more to play Bail Organa, but hes never made it a secret that he loves the character. Before he appeared in Rogue One , Smits returned to voice Bail in the 2008 video game The Force Unleashed . , Smits returned to voice Bail in the 2008 video game . You may have noticed that the writing credits for the last two Obi-Wan Kenobi episodes are shared by Andrew Stanton. Stanton is a long time Disney favorite, having directed A Bugs Life, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Finding Dory , and the underrated sci-fi adventure John Carter . episodes are shared by Andrew Stanton. Stanton is a long time Disney favorite, having directed , and the underrated sci-fi adventure . During the Last Stand on Jabiim story arc, Anakins fellow padawan AShared Hett reveals that it was his Tusken Raider village that was responsible for the death of Shmi Skywalker. AShared Hett would become the Sith Lord Darth Krayt in the Legacy comic series. comic series. Joel Edgerton returned to the Star Wars franchise as Owen Lars. Edgerton got his breakout role in Attack of the Clones , but in the two decades since, hes become one of the best actors of his generation. Edgerton even stepped behind the camera to direct the critically acclaimed films The Gift and Boy Erased . franchise as Owen Lars. Edgerton got his breakout role in , but in the two decades since, hes become one of the best actors of his generation. Edgerton even stepped behind the camera to direct the critically acclaimed films and . Originally, Deborah Chow intended for Darth Maul to be the main antagonist of Obi-Wan Kenobi . However, Filoni and Faverau pushed her to go bigger and make Vader the main villain. . However, Filoni and Faverau pushed her to go bigger and make Vader the main villain. Among the inspirations for Obi-Wan Kenobi was the work of Akira Kurosowa, the legendary Japanese filmmaker whose films has inspired George Lucas when he was writing A New Hope. Hey there,fans! This week on the site were heading into the trenches of Jabiim, the muddy Outer Rim world where Obi-Wan Kenobi had some of his greatest adventures in both the Legends and Canon timelines. Stay tuned throughout the week for more insights on the newseries, as well as videos, articles, lists, and merchandising updates on this exciting chapter in theuniverse.has quickly proven to be one of the best additions to thefranchise since the purchase of Lucasfilm by Walt Disney Studios in 2012. The series closed the thematic gap between Obi-Wans appearances inand, and explained why Obi-Wan would have told Luke that Vader killed his father. Although it's the type of series that works for casual fans of the franchise, massivebuffs have appreciated the references to the Expanded Universe, including the return of the planet Jabiim. Check out our Force Facts about Jabiim andWhat do you think,fans? Did Obi-Wan Kenobi live up to your expectations? Would you like to see a second season? Let us know in the forums , and as always, may the Force be with you!Check out Rebelscum.com merch!Be sure to follow us on all of our social media platforms: Some poles belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) that transmit power to some areas in the Krobo area in the Eastern Region have come under attack. It was discovered on Friday that the poles are being vandalised by what ECG officials have described as "unscrupulous people". In a picture and video shared with Graphic Online, at least one pole has been seen cut, with a logging machine. ECG officials accompanied by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces were seen inspecting the damaged pole. A source at the ECG told Graphic Online that a particular pole has since been replaced and power restored. Last week the chiefs and the people of Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region appealed to the ECG to restore power supply to the area to save businesses and economic activities from collapse. Since July 27, 2022, the area has been without electricity due to the decision of the ECG to cut power to the area following actions by a section of the people not to allow the company to replace their postpaid meters with prepaid ones. ECG poles under attack in the Krobo area of the Eastern Region pic.twitter.com/znUHbB5o4F GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) August 6, 2022 Event Addressing a press conference in Somanya, the Divisional Chief of Okper, Nene Anyeenorgu Teye Agor IX, said the people had no problem with the ECG and would, therefore, continue to support the company in its prepaid meter installation activities. "We want to state categorically and emphatically that no citizen of Yilo Krobo has, on record, ever resisted or confronted or obstructed the ECG in its line of duty since the company started the prepaid meter installation exercise some few weeks ago, he said. According to him, there had not been any reported incident of attack or threat, or difficulty encountered by the staff of the ECG by residents of Yilo Krobo because "Yilo Krobo citizens are law-abiding and will never do anything untoward to disturb the peace". "The ECG has always been working hand in hand with the Yilo Krobo paramountcy in the execution and administration of its statutory mandate and responsibility. The company has, at no time, complained to the paramountcy or chiefs of having difficulty with residents of Yilo Krobo during the ongoing installation of the prepaid meters," the chief added. He further pleaded with the ECG to temper justice with mercy and restore power to the area, saying: "The power outage is affecting every facet of our lives in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, especially Somanya, the traditional and municipal capital, where schools are suffering and every economic activity has come a halt." Disappointment Nene Agor said the people of Yilo Krobo felt disappointed, deceived and saddened by the decision of the ECG to indefinitely shut down power, not only in communities where some people had disrupted ECG activities but also extended it to Yilo Krobo, where the people were always cooperating with the company in the deployment of prepaid meters, adding: "The effect of this general disconnection is more harmful and costly to the country than one can imagine. "National Security and the Public Utilities Regulation Commission (PURC) are aware of the way Yilo Krobo is helping to resolve ECG challenges in the area, he said. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Emmy Duro, 29, Nigerian businessman has appeared before an Adentan Circuit Court for allegedly stabbing his co-tenant with a broken bottle at Nanakrom, near Ashalley Botwe in Accra. Duro is alleged to have demanded answers from his co-tenant as to why he wanted to sleep with his wife, one Ruth Obeng Asantewaa. Charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely: causing harm and causing harm, Duro pleaded not guilty. Duros lawyer prayed for bail. The court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah, admitted Duro to bail in the sum of GHC50,000 with two sureties. It further ordered the accused person to be reporting to the Police every Friday and adjourned the matter to August 23. Meanwhile, parties have intimated to opt for an out-of-court settlement since they reside in the same house. The Police are also on a manhunt for one Raphael, accomplice who is said to be at large. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo told the court that the complainant Fred Eshun Kissi is a financial engineer and consultant, residing at Nanakrom. The accused person also resides in the same area. Prosecution said on July 12, this year at about 0130 hours, the complainant was sleeping in his apartment when Duro and Raphael knocked and called him to come out. The prosecutor said Duro questioned the complainant why he wanted to sleep with his wife Ruth. It said before the complainant could say a word, the accused persons started beating him. The prosecution said the complainant entered his room, but the accused persons followed him into the room. According to prosecution, they took a bottle each, broke them, and stabbed the complainants eyebrow the back of his head, and his right arm with the broken bottles. Prosecution said the accused persons on seeing the quantum of blood oozing from the wounds of the complainant abandoned him and escaped. It said the complainant was rescued and he later reported the matter to the Police. The Police issued a medical form to the complainant after which he was rushed to the Holy Bridge Clinic at Nanakrom where he was admitted. It said Duro was nabbed but Raphael could not be traced. On July 13, 2022, prosecution said the complainant brought the medical form which was duly endorsed by Dr. Francis M. Djangmah, a medical officer of the clinic. Prosecution said Duro in his investigation caution statements admitted the offence and mentioned Raphael as his main accomplice. Police efforts were underway to arrest Raphael. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has subtly endorsed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as suitable candidate to lead the New Patriotic Party(NPP) into the 2024 elections. The Minister wished for a Bawumia against Mahama contest during the Presidential elections, noting it will be an interesting competition. Potential Candidates Though it is almost one year for the yet-to-be announced NPP presidential primary, the race for the ticket keeps getting keener. Last month, a new face joined the fray of interested presidential aspirants. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a former Press Secretary to former President John Agyekum Kufuor from 2001 to 2006, former General Secretary of the NPP and one of 17 aspirants who contested for the partys nomination to replace former Presidential Kufuor as presidential candidate for the 2008 general election, announced his intention to put his name up for consideration by delegates. His announcement followed on the heels of Kennedy Agyapong's declaration to contest the NPP flagbearership race. Front-runners At the moment, the front-runners for the slot are Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Minister of Trade and Industry (MOTI), Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen. Also in the running are the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and a former Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko. Historic Polls in 2024 The 2024 elections will mark another historic moment in Ghana's politics; it will be the second time a former President will be contesting the Presidential seat against a new candidate from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP). It is obvious that Ex-President John Dramani Mahama will lead the NDC into the next Presidential elections but who leads the NPP remains unknown until the party holds its primaries next year. Why Napo Opted For Bawumia But ahead of the primaries, the Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly called "Napo", seems to have made his pick for the best person to give the NPP victory in 2024. Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, he strongly believed former President John Mahama will be no match for Dr. Bawumia, stressing the latter will have an upperhand. He noted 2024 will be a battle of records. "I will be very glad to have the Head of Economic Management Team, Bawumia compete with Mr Mahama. If you're from the North, I'm from the North, after the North to North; we then get to the Zongo to say I am a Muslim, you are not a Muslim. Then we get to when you were a Vice President, a Committee was set up to investigate corruption but none of that has been recorded under this Vice President; from there we move to you were gifted a car but this one doesn't have that record. "From there, we go to BBC interview; you said you can't define corruption but this one says he can define it. Then we move to the purchase of a plane, this person didn't buy one but you did...Lest I forget, last one, a President that recorded four years of dumsor against someone who has no such record," he teased the former President John Mahama. He concluded that "2024 will be interesting". Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Member of the NDC Legal and Communications Team, Lawyer Godwin Edudzie Tamakloe, has described the current EC Chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa as the greatest threat to the country's democratic experiment. The lawyer holds the opinion that the decision to allow only the use of Ghana card as the identification document for registration will disenfranchise millions of potential voters. As at Thursday, August 4th, the National Identification Authority has registered over 17million (17,138,609), but not all registered persons will receive their cards. According to the NIA, of the above figure, some 571,149 registered Ghnaians have not had their Ghana Cards printed out. Speaking on Okay FM's Ade Akye Abia prograame, he explained that there are a lot of Ghanaians who have undergone the registration process for a Ghana card, yet through no fault of theirs, have not been issued with their card. "Therefore when the Electoral Commission decides to use the Ghana card as the only identification document for registration of a voter's id card, you may end up disenfranchising eligible voters who have not been to register for the Ghana card," he stated. The EC has dismissed reports that it will compile a new register for the 2024 Elections. Maintaining that the register which was compiled for the 2020 Election was still credible, the Commission says it was instead putting in place measures to ensure the continuous registration of persons onto the register. Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, says the new registration process would rely on the Ghana card as a base document to register new persons. So, what we are saying is that, if people are going to register any day at our district offices, then they need some credible form of identification and it is possible that once it is going to be continuous the political parties will not be there to be guaranteeing or objecting to," he said. Watch Video Below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Rainbow flags and coloured balloons are shown at the site where the Montreal Pride parade was supposed to start from in Montreal, Sunday, August 7, 2022. Festival organizers cancelled the parade over concerns for security due to the lack of staff. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes bestbet Jacksonville Summer Heater to Feature Live-Streamed $1,500 Main Event August 07, 2022 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S. The latest North Florida poker tournament action will get underway later this month with the bestbet Jacksonville Summer Heater Poker Series, which is slated to take place Aug. 11-21. The Summer Heater Poker Series will consist of 11 events, culminating with the $1,500 buy-in Summer Heater Main Event running Aug. 19-21. With Omaha and mixed game events and buy-ins ranging from $260 to the $1,500 Main Event, the Summer Heater Poker Series is one Florida grinders don't want to miss. Bounties & H.O.E.s The bestbet Summer Heater Poker Series will kick off with a $400 No-Limit Hold'em event that will be sure to draw a big field and prize pool as it offers players five starting flights to choose from. Next on the schedule is another $400 NLH event, this one with a bounty component where players will earn $100 for every opponent they eliminate. Later in the series will be a variety of mixed game events, including a $300 H.O.E. event consisting of Limit Hold'em Omaha 8 or Better and Stud 8 or Better, as well as a $300 Big O event and a $500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. bestbet Jacksonville Best Free to Play Slots But the biggest event of them all will be the Summer Heater Main Event, which has two starting flights and will see players beginning with a stack of 25,000 and blinds at 100/200. Levels will increase every 40 minutes and both starting flights will end when 12.5% of players remain in each field. Day 2 of the Main Event will commence on Aug. 21 and will pay down to a winner, who will take home the bulk of the prize pool and the trophy. The final table will be live-streamed by bestbetLIVE on Twitch and YouTube. The Summer Heater Poker Series will close out with a $500 NLH event on Aug. 21. For more information about the series, visit http://bestbetjax.com/poker/tournaments/summer-heater-2022. Listen to the crew talk about the bestbet Jacksonville Summer Heater on the new PokerNews Podcast here! Recent bestbet Winners There has been plenty of tournament action at bestbet Jacksonville in 2022. In April, PokerNews live reported at the bestbet Jacksonville Spring Series, which kicked off with Mary Darnell of Crawfordville winning the $560 buy-in opening event for $36,450 after a four-way chop. The others who got in on the final table deal were Gregory Salem ($35,673), Steve Zhang ($30,000) and Mac Johnson ($27,513). Closing out the series, Nick Raio of St. John's took down the $1,680 NLH Mystery Bounty Main Event for $60,000 after a five-way deal with Tyler Phillips, Gil Levy, Justin Swilling and Jason Cummings, each of whom received the same $41,813. Nick Raio In addition to finishing fifth, Cummings pulled the second-largest bounty of $25,000, while the elusive $50,000 bounty prize went to Dickie Malone. bestbet Jacksonville Spring Series Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Results PLACE PLAYER HOMETOWN PRIZE (IN USD) 1 Nick Raio St. John's, FL $60,000* 2 Tyler Phillips Charlotte, NC $41,813* 3 Gil Levy Sanford, FL $41,813* 4 Justin Swilling Port Orange, FL $41,813* 5 Jason Cummings Jacksonville, FL $41,813* 6 Jason Lee Jacksonville, FL $17,031 7 Russell Quick Jacksonville Beach, FL $13,144 8 Charles Lonaise Tallahassee, FL $10,269 The full schedule for the bestbet Summer Heater Poker Series is available in the table below. PokerNews will be on-site to live report on the series, so stay tuned for coverage. bestbet Summer Heater Poker Series Full Schedule DATE TIME EVENT CHIPS BUY-IN August 11, 2022 12:00 PM Event #1 $400 NLH Flight 1 20,000 $400 August 12, 2022 12:00 PM Event #1 $400 NLH Flight 2 20,000 $400 August 12, 2022 6:00 PM Event #1 $400 NLH Flight 3 20,000 $400 August 13, 2022 12:00 PM Event #1 $400 NLH Flight 4 20,000 $400 August 13, 2022 6:00 PM Event #1 $400 NLH Flight 5 20,000 $400 August 14, 2022 12:00 PM Event #1 Final Day bestbetLIVE August 14, 2022 1:00 PM Event #2 $400 NLH w/$100 Bounties 15,000 $400 August 15, 2022 12:00 PM Event #3 $260 NLH 12,000 $260 August 15, 2022 3:00 PM Event #4 $300 H.O.E. 15,000 $300 August 16, 2022 12:00 PM Event #5 $360 NLH Monster Stack 20,000 $360 August 16, 2022 3:00 PM Event #6 $300 BIG O 8 or Better 20,000 $300 August 17, 2022 12:00 PM Event #7 $500 PLO 20,000 $500 August 17, 2022 3:00 PM Event #8 $260 NLH TURBO w/$50 Bounties 12,000 $260 August 18, 2022 12:00 PM Event #9 $660 NLH 6 MAX 20,000 $660 August 19, 2022 12:00 PM $1,500 NLH Summer Heater Main Event Day 1A 25,000 $1,500 August 20, 2022 12:00 PM $1,500 NLH Summer Heater Main Event Day 1B 25,000 $1,500 August 21, 2022 12:00 PM Summer Heater Main Event Final Day - bestbetLIVE August 21, 2022 1:00 PM Event #10 $500 NLH The bestbet 500 20,000 $500 Poker Player Dan Shak in Hot Water Over Alleged Gold Market Spoofing August 06, 2022 Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Dan Shak, who was quite active at the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP), was charged by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) with "spoofing," a term for when securities buyers place market orders and then cancel them before the order is fulfilled. Spoofing is illegal and can carry steep penalties. The high-stakes poker player is alleged to have repeatedly placed orders on gold and silver futures with the intention to cancel them before execution, and this isn't the first time he's been in trouble with the CFTC. In 2013, the former principal of SHK Management, LLC was ordered to pay a $400,000 fine for attempting to manipulate the price of Light Sweet Crude Oil (WTI) futures contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). As a result, he was permanently banned from trading in any Crude Oil markets. Pattern of Similar Business Practices Shak also settled a claim against him in March 2015 related to trading during the closing minute of gold and silver futures markets despite being ordered not to do so by the CFTC. In December 2020, following a Business Conduct Committee investigation, he paid a $65,000 fine for engaging in disruptive activity in the silver and gold futures markets by entering orders without the intent to trade. He neither admitted nor denied the allegations. The new charges against the poker enthusiast, as revealed in a CFTC press release, are quite similar. Once again, he's accused of manipulating gold and silver markets. By doing so, he could manipulate the market price and then turn around and sell the commodities he already owns for more than they were previously valued. According to the press release, the "complaint alleges that from February 2015 through March 2018, Shak repeatedly engaged in manipulative or deceptive acts and practices by spoofingbidding or offering with the intent to cancel the bid or offer before executionwhile placing orders for and trading gold and silver futures contracts on the Commodity Exchange, Inc." Shak is said to have, on "hundreds of occasions," placed large orders of gold and silver futures with no intention of ever actually executing the contract. In short, he'd supposedly place the orders, then cancel them before the order was fulfilled, and did so numerous times over the course of a three-year period. These charges demonstrate once again that the CFTC will vigorously prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, misconduct that has the potential to undermine the integrity of our markets, said CFTC Acting Division of Enforcement Director Gretchen Lowe. Regular on the Poker Circuit Dan Shak Shak, who resides in Las Vegas, was active at the 2022 WSOP and has a lengthy history of competing in high-stakes tournaments and cash games. He isn't technically a poker pro but he's a familiar player at the tables. During this summer's WSOP, he cashed in seven events mostly min-cashes including a 954th-place finish in the Main Event for $17,000. His overall live tournament cashes, according to Hendon Mob, surpass $11.7 million, although that doesn't take into consideration buy ins, so it's unclear just how much he's actually profited (or lost) in tournaments lifetime. Shak's largest career score was for $1,178,400 in a $100,000 buy-in high roller at the 2014 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), a second place finish. Sharelines Find out what financial crime Dan Shak is alleged to have committed. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Attorney Everett Chandler helps organize and bankroll a variety of projects each year, and one of the biggest was held Saturday morning at the Aiken County Family YMCA. Fit 4 School, an annual event that aims to prepare children heading back to school, drew hundreds of visitors and dozens of volunteers. Traffic along Trolley Line Road, near USC Aiken, slowed for about two hours as visitors made their way through the parking lot and picked up donated school supplies as well as groceries. Free haircuts and hearing exams were also among the offerings. The event is "not just your average giveaway, where we give away school supplies," Chandler said. "We do also health screenings. We hand out food, and we have community support from various agencies, medical facilities and other community companies, so it is a community event." The gathering dates back 12 years, in Chandler's estimation, and had served about 900 kids by late Saturday morning. "It's like a community send-off for the young people," he added. "We're letting them know that we support their education, that we're behind them, and it's just something very special." "It's always nice to be able to give back to my community," said Dori Turner, an instructor at Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering, after serving a line of students over the course of two hours. "Aiken is a very small town, and we always come together and somehow everybody always has what they need, and it's always awesome to be able to share with everybody, especially the kids." Turner, who also owns and operates a salon, Hair by Dori, said she "quit counting" in the midst of the dozens of kids looking to lose a few inches off the top. This year's event, due to COVID-19 concerns, was largely held outdoors. Haircuts and hearing exams were conducted indoors. Sponsors of Saturday's festivities included such organizations and individuals as Wagener Drug, Dr. Kevin Eubanks, SpaGo, iHeart Media, Props and Heroes, Wayne's Automotive and Towing Center, Cyndi's Sweet Shoppe, Aiken Physicians Alliance, Hixon's Roofing and Construction, Family Pharmacy and Aiken Electric Cooperative, among dozens of others. The event began at 10 a.m., but participation began earlier, Chandler said. "I talked to a mother who's been out here since 7:30 this morning, so that she could make sure that her son could receive some school supplies and receive some of the things that we have." Milestones on the route back to school include one this weekend (Aug. 5-7), with South Carolina's tax-free weekend offering the possibility of savings on such things as clothing, computers, shoes and backpacks. The first day of classes for Aiken County's public schools is to be Aug. 15. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Increasing clouds with showers arriving sometime in the afternoon. High 84F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. A nonprofit working with the 9th Circuit Solicitors Office recommended implementing an arrest-warrant screening process in Charleston and Berkeley counties to reduce racial disparities and ease case backlogs. The Washington D.C.-based Justice Innovation Lab recently released a new report created through an ongoing partnership with Solicitor Scarlett Wilson and her office. Case screening is a process by which charges referred to the Solicitor's Office for prosecution receive a preliminary review. The screener decides whether a case meets evidentiary standards, or if it might be better resolved through alternative methods like pretrial diversion, according to the report. This process is the norm in many larger cities, but less common in mid- and smaller-sized municipalities. South Carolina, unlike some other states, does not require prosecutors to approve or vet arrest warrants prior to taking on a case. Black arrestees in the 9th Circuit were more likely than Whites to see their charges dismissed, indicating racial discrepancies in arrest quality, the report found. Screening cases could help address these inequalities while also eliminating time-consuming and costly cases that would end in dismissal regardless. The recent findings build on those published in a 2021 report on whether racial disparities exist in the 9th Circuits criminal prosecutions. Researchers with the Lab and Loyola University Chicago analyzed more than 24,000 criminal charges between January 2015 and February 2020. They found similarly situated people defendants with the same type of charges and criminal history receive the same treatment after arrest, said Jared Fishman, the labs executive director. Black and White defendants, for instance, have roughly the same chance of being sentenced to jail or prison, researchers found. Disparities are instead rooted in the racial makeup of people entering the criminal-justice system in the first place, Fishman said. Black men accounted for 12 percent of Charleston County's population, yet they were defendants in 53 percent of all 2019 General Sessions Court cases, according to the 2021 report. There are so many more Black defendants entering the system, that the impact even of treating people fairly and equally is massive disproportionality, Fishman said. The results surprised Fishman, a former prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. He helped secure the conviction of Michael Slager, the White ex-North Charleston police officer who fatally shot Black motorist Walter Scott during a 2015 traffic stop. Fishman wondered, How is it possible that you could be treating people similarly, and still getting these really inequitable outcomes? The question prompted the labs next phase of analysis, which culminated with the July 27 report recommending a case-screening system for the circuit. Wilsons office partnered with the Charleston Police Department beginning in May 2021 to test a screening program. Police officers sent more than 300 arrest warrants spanning 31 commonly dismissed charges to a screener in the 9th Circuit. The screener examined each warrant, judging the strength of evidence collected by law enforcement and the nature of the arrest. Preliminary results indicated drug charges the charge most often thrown out in Charleston and Berkeley counties showed the most disparity. The screener recommended dismissing nearly half of the drug-related cases that involved a Black defendant. When cases aren't screened, about one in five, or 18 percent, of Black defendants facing drug charges have their cases dismissed, according to the report. Dismissal rates for White defendants charged with drug crimes, on the other hand, remained similar: 19 percent unscreened versus 20 percent screened. The data suggests Black people are more often arrested on weaker evidence the most common reason cases end up getting dismissed, researchers found. Screening cases could have other important effects, especially with shoring up prosecutors resources. The process helps weed out weaker cases, providing prosecutors with more time to focus on more serious crimes, according to the report. There also is a financial impact. Property charges the most common of which are low-value shoplifting and breaking into cars make up the 9th Circuits second-largest portion of cases. Researchers estimated $2.1 million worth of goods were stolen in cases of enhanced, low-value shoplifting where the defendant was found guilty. The cost to South Carolina for incarcerating these people was $24 million, according to the report. And a screening system may be particularly useful in tackling the significant case backlog facing Charleston and Berkeley county courts, researchers argued. As of June, more than 13,500 General Sessions Court cases remained pending in the 9th Circuit. Over half of those have been open for more than a year. And Black defendants are left waiting the longest for their cases to be disposed, researchers found. Without some sort of intervention, data suggests the backlog in the 9th Circuit will take an estimated six years to clear. A screening process would allow attorneys to quickly identify and dismiss charges deemed not viable for prosecution. "Screening lower-level, nonviolent offenses for problems will help us discover evidentiary issues sooner," Wilson said. "For that reason, it will affect who is incarcerated and for how long." The report offered several recommendations to police departments in response to its findings. Officers should communicate with prosecutors to learn why certain cases are dismissed and work to reduce those types of arrests. They should also quickly provide police reports to the Solicitor's Office so prosecutors can dispose of weak cases and identify ones better suited for diversion programs, the report states. The Charleston Police Department is continuing to opt into the case-screening program, Sgt. Beth Wolfsen said. "CPD is committed to policing that is free of bias," she said. "Taking an introspective look at CPDs internal practices allows for improvement and increases transparency." Both Wilson and Fishman hope to soon expand the pilot program. Her office has already used the data to develop additional training for police officers so they make stronger, prosecutable cases even for lower-level offenses, Wilson said. Fishman envisions a screening program that includes all Charleston-area police department cases that "fit certain criteria" as long as funding remains. He and Wilson met with police officials in North Charleston and Mount Pleasant, as well as the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. All have been receptive to the idea, Fishman said. FOLLY BEACH Trained weather spotters saw waterspouts near the shores of Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island early Aug. 7. The National Weather Service's Charleston office issued a marine warning around 9:30 a.m., reporting a water cyclone was driving west. One was also spotted about 20 minutes later near the entrance to the Charleston Harbor. Waterspouts weak funnel clouds that form over a body of water become tornados if they touch land, said meteorologist Brittany MacNamara. Several people shared photos and videos on social media of a cylinder-like mass shooting out from underneath a clump of dark storm clouds. Waterspouts are typically shorter lived, lasting only a few seconds up to 30 minutes, MacNamara said. The waterspouts reported near Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island had dissipated by about 10:30 a.m. The Weather Service didn't receive any confirmation the cyclones had moved on land, and no tornado warning was issued, the meteorologist said. The storm system that produced the waterspouts continued traveling down South Carolina's coast. It was near Kiawah Island around 10:45 a.m., she said. Waterspouts are difficult to forecast, MacNamara said. They mostly form under calmer conditions and when different air masses meet, forming a boundary. Light wind and rain showers are usually associated with the funnel clouds. Waterspouts pose the most threat to boaters they're not something you want to be near, MacNamara said. If they move on shore, waterspouts could harm beachgoers. Though they're not normally as strong as a tornado, the cyclones could toss around light objects like lawn furniture or cause minor tree damage. 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. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. MOUNT PLEASANT Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has yet to say whether he's eyeing a serious run for higher office a presidential bid or something else after this years November election. But if he does, he's laid out how he will make his decision. Scott, who has said his 2022 reelection bid will be his last Senate race, said that he's "never worrying about the next title, or even the next position." Instead, South Carolina's junior senator said he tries to stay focused on investing "all that I can, all that I have" into the task at hand. "And if the people want more, they'll ask for it. And if I don't qualify for it, may the Lord send someone better qualified than me," Scott said to applause at his home church during an Aug. 6 event to promote his memoir, "America, a Redemption Story." This insight into Scott's decision-making process came in the afternoon during an on-stage interview where Scott spoke with former S.C. congressman Trey Gowdy at Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant ahead of the book's nationwide release on Aug. 9. Not only did Gowdy and Scott work together in Washington, they became close friends who wrote a book together in 2018. That cordial dynamic between the two South Carolina conservatives gave Gowdy's line of questioning a conversational feel as more than 700 people listened to the duo talk. But the audience erupted in applause after Gowdy told Scott that one of the only jobs that "outranks" his title of being a U.S. senator is president of the United States. The other job, Gowdy joked, was being a host on Fox News Gowdy's current gig. The conversation, however, turned serious as Gowdy spoke of the challenge ahead for anyone focused singularly on becoming president, noting that "if that's the only (job) you are interested in, chances are you may be disappointed in life." "Truly," Scott replied before launching into the kind of leader he thinks America needs. More than the title, Scott said the job boils down to one question: "Are you committed to doing the work?" Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Then, he launched into a list of qualities that he said the nation needs in a leader. "It's someone who wants to go where they're not invited because it's the right thing to do," Scott said. "It's someone who's less angry and more motivated with the tenacity to persevere through hard times because this nation always does." The exchange about higher office came toward the end of the hourlong book launch event, where Scott spoke frequently about the hope he still carries for America. During the event, a camera swung back and forth behind the audience. Gowdy took sips of fizzy S.Pelligrino water between questions. Scott got up often from his seat to address the crowd directly, walking up to the lip of the sanctuary stage. Scott also disputed claims that this is the most polarizing time in the United States. "I thought we had, like, a Civil War, or the 1930s, or the Jim Crow South, or the 1960s or Rodney King. I thought we had moments of absolute polarization," Scott said. "And today, we are having unprecedented progress and prosperity. We can do better, but we've got to celebrate the good we've already done." After the event, hundreds stood in line holding their copies of Scott's new book. They shuffled forward, hoping Scott could sign theirs before flying back to Washington for votes. Scott, seemingly already in campaign mode, beamed as attendees asked him for selfies. Sherry Fooshee smiled back at her husband, Robert, who snapped a photo of her on his cellphone as she approached Scott for an autograph. "I hope he runs for whatever his heart leads him to," the Okatie resident said as she walked out of the event. "And I would be thrilled to have him as the leader of our country." She then looked back for one more glimpse at the senator, and clutched her newly signed hardback a little tighter. SPARTANBURG The owners of two Spartanburg County salons are planning to open an esthetician school. Lexi Brannon and Mya Barron are the owners of Bare Beauty Loft. The salon has one location in Spartanburg and another in Landrum. Brannon and Barron will combine their expertise at Bare Beauty Institute in downtown Spartanburg and teach future estheticians the skills to start a career. Its really just about falling in love with what you do and then sharing that knowledge with other women who are just as eager as you are, said Mya Barron, CFO of Bare Beauty Institute. We want to make sure that people who are putting their money into it are doing it the right way. A grand opening at 142 Magnolia St., Suite D was held Aug. 4. At Bare Beauty Institute, students will be certified in eyelash extensions, lash lifts and spray tans. Students will also be certified in brow shaping, mapping, laminations and tinting. There will be training on facial treatments, body waxing, body wraps and makeup application. In addition to esthetician skills, Barron said students will learn about business and marketing. We have the ability to place people in jobs, when the opportunity arises, at our Bare Beauty Loft, Barron said. Were also going to work with local salons from here to Greenville to help get our students in with other businesses. On average, theres a two year retention rate in the beauty industry, according to Barron. She said that after two years, many people want to work in a different environment or start working for themselves. Her hope is that the school will give students the experience to branch out in their careers when necessary. We are going to certify all of our students in things you have to know to have a career but you don't get from any other school because it's not required on state board, said Lexi Brannon, CEO of Bare Beauty Institute. South Carolina requires students to have 450 hours in a licensed facility. It takes full-time students six months to graduate and those who go to school part-time can graduate in 10 to 12 months. Last year, Brannon and Barron decided to combine and rebrand both of their businesses and open Bare Beauty Bar Loft because they had the same clientele. Months later, the two friends opened a second location in their hometown of Landrum. Bare Beauty Institute has space for 70 students. More information on the school can be found at www.barebeautyinstitute.com. China-Dutch art exhibition held in Netherlands to mark anniversary of ties Xinhua) 13:19, August 07, 2022 THE HAGUE, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Dutch artists held an art exhibition here on Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands. Co-organized by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and Pulchri Studio, the exhibition features 50 artworks with artists from each country contributing 25 pieces of art. The artworks included traditional and contemporary paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and art installations. "An artistic work is valuable ... I believe art can bring people closer -- people from the east and west, people from developing and developed countries, Chinese and Dutch," Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Tan Jian said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. The ambassador hoped that the exhibition would bring closer the two nations and promote exchanges and cooperation between the artists of the two countries. The organizers of the exhibition have overcome the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and spent a year preparing for it, the exhibition's curator Zhou Lesheng told Xinhua. Dutch artists are very interested in the works of Chinese artists, Zhou said, expressing the hope that more similar exhibitions could be held in the future to further promote exchanges between Chinese and Dutch artists. Bob Bonies, a renowned Dutch artist and art educator, told Xinhua that he was very happy to appreciate the works of Chinese artists, which reflect Chinese cultural heritage and the accomplishments of the artists. Bonies said that he has visited China several times and is impressed by the "amazing and fantastic" development of modern Chinese art, which holds "very high international standards." (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Nollywood actors Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornell, aka Agbogidi, have recounted their one-week ordeal with their abductors. In a Facebook video posted by the Chairperson of Ene Brown, the Enugu State of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Okereke said she was glad to be alive. The actors were reported missing on 28 July after their family members confirmed they didnt return home from a film location at Ozalla Town, Enugu State. The abductors contacted their families, demanding $100,000 as ransom. They would later mock AGN for raising a paltry N1.2 million as a ransom for their release. Famous actress Kate Henshaw later started a change.org petition. The petition challenged the Federal Government of Nigeria not just to secure the release of the abducted actors but put an end to insecurity across the nation. After ten days in captivity, the actors were released and taken to Unique Grace Foundation Hospital in Enugu for a medical check-up. The AGN recorded the video after they were discharged from the hospital. Ill continue to act Okereke In the three minutes video, Okereke said the unfortunate incident did not daunt her. She said: My BP is high, but to God be the glory for all of you. Your effort and your prayers ensured that Cynthia is alive. I will act for you people and continue to work for you. The vibrant actress revealed that she was held for one week without food or water. They thought I was going away, but I am not. For a good one week, I was there without water or food. But today, I say God to you be all the glory forever and ever, she added. Time to rest Agbogidi Also speaking, Agbogidi, who also goes by the moniker, The Chief Priest of Nollywood, said he was exhausted and in need of rest. He said: I am just out of the hospital. But I thank God the doctor had seen me, and everything went fine. I appreciate you all. Im a bit weak, so Ill be going home shortly to have some rest. He also thanked the State Chapter Chairperson of the AGN, Ene Brown, for not relenting in his efforts to rescue him. History Nollywood actors have been victims of kidnapping in the past In June 2021, a Nollywood actor, Pressing Forward, was kidnapped in Imo State, causing many worries among his fans and colleagues. He was later released from captivity, after which his fans rallied around him in jubilation. In 2009, veteran actor Pete Edochie was kidnapped and released after they paid a ransom. Nkem Owoh was abducted and released after paying a 1.4m ransom in the same year. The actor, popularly known as Osuofia, was kidnapped as he travelled along Enugu Port Harcourt expressway. Suspected political thugs on Friday set ablaze the family house of Kofoworola Babajide, the Minority Leader in the Osun State House of Assembly. Mr Babajide, the lawmaker representing Ede North constituency, confirmed the attack on Saturday. The lawmaker said the arsonists burnt his parents house in Ede on Friday night. Some armed thugs attacked us during a ward meeting of PDP in Ede yesterday (Friday), said Mr Babajide. After that, I left for Osogbo. Later, I was told that they were attacking my parents house. They burnt the house and since then, I have not seen my father. We dont know if hes burnt alive inside the house or they have kidnapped him, Mr Babajide said. The police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the arson. Ms Opalola told PREMIUM TIMES that the police are currently trailing those behind the attack. ALSO READ: Police speak on Osun lawmaker caught bathing in market square We are aware. We are working auscidiously to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested. The family house was burnt last night in Ede. We are looking for a way to arrest them, very soon we will arrest them, Ms Opalola said. One dead Members of the PDP had gathered for a ward meeting on Friday at Oloba Atapara area in Ede before some unidentified gunmen, suspected to be political thugs, opened fire on them. One of the party members, identified as Puranga, was shot dead in the attack while others scampered for safety, according to witnesses. The shooting has thrown the community into a panic mood. Ms Opalola told PREMIUM TIMES that the police is not aware of the shooting and killing. I have told you all that I know, she said. I am not aware of other things yet. I have confirmed that truly they burnt house but other things I am not aware of that. I am still investigating, the police spokesperson said The US is inching closer to an agreement with Ibrahim Bagudu to resolve a court case about the $140 million that the American investigators say was stolen and laundered by Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu, court papers obtained by PREMIUM TIMES show. The US Department of Justice (USDOJ) and Mr Bagudus brother, Ibrahim, who is the main claimant in the case, applied on Wednesday to suspend the case that is ongoing in a federal court in Washington. The two parties agreed on an out-of-court settlement and believe a short period will allow them to reach a final agreement resolving the litigation, according to court documents. Before venturing into politics first as a senator and now governor, Mr Bagudu was a bagman for late dictator Sani Abacha, helping the kleptocrat who died in 1998 to launder billions of dollars stolen from Nigeria. In a joint motion to the U.S. District Court of Columbia, the parties requested a stay from 3rd August to at least 9th November 2022. The presiding judge, John Bates, accepted their request but ordered the parties to provide an update on the negotiation by 2nd November detailing whether a final settlement has been achieved, or a further stay of the litigation is warranted due to the parties significant progress in finalizing the settlement, or that the parties were unable to finalize the settlement and the litigation should resume. While he enjoys immunity from prosecution as the governor of Kebbi State, American investigators had previously helped recover stolen Abacha funds traced to Mr Bagudus network of offshore companies across the world. He was the main target of the large part of the 3.6 billion dollars Abacha loot that was recovered between 1998 and now. The $23.5 million loot recovered in May by the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) was forfeited by Mohammed Abacha and Mr Bagudu, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed. Agreement deal The US and Mr Bagudu have been negotiating a broader agreement that includes his brother, Ibrahim, as well as the Nigerian and UK governments, according to court filings. One of the agreements, signed on 26th October 2018, was an amendment to a 2003 agreement signed between the Bagudu family and the Nigerian government to settle all of Mr Bagudus civil claims against Nigeria and all of Nigerias civil administrative, and criminal claims against Mr Bagudu for helping Mr Abacha launder the funds. The other agreement, signed on September 6, 2019, was a Deed of Variation, which amended the 2018 agreement by extending its termination date from August 30, 2019, to February 28, 2020. Under the amended agreement, the Nigerian government and Mr Bagudu have concluded a negotiation that would see ownership of the investment portfolios worth $157.5 million transferred to the Nigerian state, which would then pay $110 million to Mr Bagudus family. The parties (Nigeria and Mr Bagudu) to the 2018 amended agreement argued that the payment of the money would satisfy Mr Bagudus default judgment against Nigeria for breaching the 2003 Settlement Agreement. But, the US has kicked against that plan arguing that the amended 2018 agreement serves to conceal the forfeited and remaining assets out of the United Kingdom and away from the courts judgement and the arrest warrant placed on the assets. A former senator, Mr Bagudu is the chairman of the APC governors forum and recently played a key role in the selection of Bola Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections. This newspaper revealed that Mr Bagudu spent six months in federal detention in Texas while awaiting extradition to Jersey. However, before he was handed over to criminal trial in Jersey, he agreed to return $163 million to Nigeria. He was released on bond to Nigeria where he was meant to be prosecuted for money laundering. However, on returning to Nigeria, he was not questioned. Mr Bagudus chief press secretary, Muazu Dakingari, did not answer calls or reply to a text message seeking his comment on Saturday. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, have agreed on a framework for the resolution of the differences between them. They reached the agreement on Thursday at a meeting in Abuja held at the residence of a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Jerry Gana. It was the first time the two leaders would be meeting since Atiku overlooked Mr Wike and appointed Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the February 2023 presidential election. The appointment infuriated Mr Wike, who had been at the top of three names recommended by a committee that the candidate and the PDP set up for advice on the choice of the running mate. The issue has led to a crisis in the party, with other stakeholders also complaining that the leadership of the party is lopsided in favour of the North. At a meeting he hosted last Sunday in Abuja, Mr Wike and his allies demanded the resignation of the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, as part of their conditions for reconciliation with Atiku. But at a meeting on Tuesday, the National Working Committee of the party passed a vote of confidence on Mr Ayu while the Board of Trustees set up a committee to meet with Mr Wike and his allies. However, on Friday at the meeting facilitated by Mr Gana, the two leaders agreed to set a committee within 48 hours that will draw up a framework for reconciliation of their differences. Atiku and Mr Wike agreed to nominate seven persons each for the committee, which will look at all the issues raised by Mr Wikes group and advise the two leaders on how to address them. PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm if the two leaders have constituted the committee and the membership. Atikus spokesperson, Paul Ibe, did not respond to calls to his phone on Sunday morning for his comments on this report. The killings across Nigeria continued last week (31 July 6 August ) as non-state actors killed at least 56 persons across the country. The figure represents a slight increase when compared to the previous week when 49 persons were killed, including 14 security operatives. Out of the total figure for last week, seven were police officers while the remaining 49 were civilians. A total of 13 incidents were recorded across five geopolitical zones. Only the South-south geopolitical zone recorded no incident. One of the major incidents was the killing of 18 persons in the troubled Wase Local Government of Plateau State. PREMIUM TIMES compiled the incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included. Below are the recorded incidents: North-central Eight members of a family were ambushed and killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen and two others were injured in Danda Chugwi of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Witnesses said the gruesome attack was carried out overnight on Sunday. Also in Plateau, a total of 18 persons reportedly lost their lives after bandits and members of vigilante groups clashed in the Wase Local Government Area of the state. Some residents of Wase who confirmed the incident on Sunday said 16 of those killed were bandits while two other victims were identified as members of a local vigilance group in the area. In Kogi, gunmen reportedly abducted 14 Indian nationals in Ajaokuta LGA on Friday. Two Indians, two police officers and two drivers were killed when the gunmen struck. South-east One person was killed when some yet-to-be-identified gunmen abducted and threw some of their victims off a bridge into a drainage channel. The report gathered that the incident happened at Alor, in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday. In Imo, gunmen killed seven security guards in Umuafom, Orogwe, a community in Owerri West Local Government Area. The incident happened at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday when the gunmen invaded the community and shot indiscriminately. In the same state, four police officers were killed by suspected bandits in the early hours of Saturday, the police confirmed. The officers were attached to the divisional police headquarters in the Agwa community, Oguta local government area. South-west Osun Police Command on Tuesday said the corpse of a 65-year-old woman, declared missing in Ilesa, was found on her farm with one of her eyes plucked. Police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola, in a statement, explained that the daughter of the deceased reported the discovery of her mothers corpse to the police. Also in Osun, gunmen on Friday shot an eye cult member, Tajudeen Rabiu, 42, in Osogbo in front of his wifes shop. It was gathered that Rabiu, popularly called spanner, was at his wifes shop located around Ilesa garage park when his assailants arrived in a minibus known as Korope and shot him in the chest. In Oyo, kidnappers who abducted a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Rachael Opadele and a hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi, killed them after ransom was received. Ms Opadele, who was working with the hotelier (Owolabi), due to the ongoing nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the others were abducted on Friday in Ogbomoso. In Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police command public relations officer, confirmed repeated cult clashes in the Agboyi area of Alapere. Mr Hundeyin said two people died in the clashes according to reports. North-west Gunmen reportedly attacked and killed one person and abducted the Rector of the Federal School of Statistics in Manchok, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. A source said the attack took place at about 8 p.m. Monday when the attackers stormed the village in their numbers. North-east Suspected terrorists attacked the convoy of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 12 with Headquarters in Bauchi, Audu Madaki, injuring him and killing one of his police guards. It was learnt that the AIG was on his way to Abuja from Bauchi when the suspected terrorists ambushed and attacked him. Team Nigeria has secured yet another gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. On Sunday at the Alexander Stadium, the quartet of Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rose Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha emerged as winners of the 4x100m Womens relay race. The quartet set a new African Record of 42.10s to win what was Nigerias 11th gold medal in Birmingham and a historic Commonwealth Games medal. Record-setting Tobi Amusan started the race for Nigeria and expertly handed over the baton to Favour Ofili who won the silver medal in the 200m event on Saturday. Ofili handed over to Rose Chukwuma who handed the baton to the anchor leg runner Grace Nwokocha who did not disappoint to deliver the gold. Earlier, the quartet of Udodi Onwuzurike, Favour Ashe, Alaba Akintola and Raymond Ekevwo also gave a good show to secure the bronze medal in the mens 4x100m event won by the English team. The Nigerian men finished in a time of 38.81s to make it to the podium. With 11 gold medals already in the kitty, Nigeria has equalled her best-ever show at the Commonwealth Games and is on course to make it the best ever with at least two more gold medal possibilities. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the continuous voters registration (CVR) exercise last week after over 12 million new voters registered since the window opened on 28 June 2020. This figure took the electoral register for next years general election to 96 million voters, although the latest data is subject to cleaning through verification by INEC. Over 70 per cent of the new registrants are young Nigerians in the age brackets of 18-35 years, according to the breakdown released by INEC. This is no surprise, given that the exercise is essentially targeted at Nigerians who attained the voting age of 18 years since the last general Election in 2019. It is not an indication of new enthusiasm for the electoral process among the youths, although that enthusiasm may be real. In fact, the number falls short of the target of between 20 and 36 million new voters which INEC had set, based on Nigerias population growth projections. No changes The nations two most populous states also registered the newest voters in the latest window, Lagos with 585,629 registrants and Kano with 569,103 while Ekiti with 124,844 new registrants, Yobe with 152,414 and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 211,341 have the least numbers. But the distribution of the new voters has not affected the electoral map of Nigeria in any significant way. Despite the massive mobilisation for registration especially on social media, the states and the geo-political zones have generally maintained their ranks in the electoral register. The North-west with its seven states will still have by far the most registered voters with 22.67 million registered voters, followed by the South-west with 18.3 million and the South-south with 15.2 million. The North-central will have 14.1 million registered voters; the North-east 12.8 million; and the South-east 11.49 million. How do the figures affect Tinubu, Atiku and Obi? So how do the figures affect the permutations for the 2023 race? From our assessment at this stage of the 2023 race, the candidates of the two parties remain the favourites, despite the strong impressions being made by Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The results of the recent governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun as well as of bye-elections to federal and state legislative assemblies across the country support this assessment with either of the two parties being the others only real rival in virtually all of the polls. Therefore, as far as we can see at this point, the impact that Messrs Obi and Kwankwaso may make in the race may be in how the votes they take affect Bola Tinubu of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in what is poised to become the third electoral duel between their two parties. Since the two-party structure formalised with the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, a general picture has emerged of the APC being dominant in the North and South-west, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holds sway in the South-south, Southeast and the Middle Belt states of the North. North vs South? On the face of that picture, this election should be a contest between the North and South of Nigeria as Atiku and Mr Tinubu are from different regions of the country. Were that to be the case, however, Atiku would be the front runner. Remember that the PDP had jettisoned its zoning principle, which would have handed a southern aspirant its ticket, because of the calculation that a northern candidate would appeal to northern voters and offer the PDP a better chance of toppling the APC. President Muhammadu Buhari drew an overwhelming majority of his votes from the northern zones in 2015, helping the party to take over many states in the region from the then-ruling PDP. In 2019, the president largely retained his support base in the North. Although it now has a southern candidate, the APC has 14 of its 22 governors from the North. This retains some of the advantages for the party, given that the defection of many northern governors in 2015 has been cited as a major factor that undid the then ruling party. With their own political lives attached to the fortunes of their parties in the poll, the governors will deploy their structures and other resources into fighting for the party. For the PDP, even though it is fielding a northerner, the opposition party will still be very concerned about what happens in the South next February. The party has remained formidable through its years in the wilderness largely because of the loyalty of voters in the South-south and the South-East. Even if its take from the North improves, to get across the line and reclaim power, the party will need substantial votes from its strongholds in the South. This is the reason Atiku and the party are stooping to mollify Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike who has been angry over Atiku snubbing him in his vice presidential pick. In 2015, most of the votes from these two zones were for incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. But in 2019, the votes were largely cast against President Buhari, rather than for the PDP candidate, Atiku. But Mr Buhari is no longer running and his partys new candidate has not grown into the full stature of Mr Buhari as a hate figure. But it is the PDP ignoring the clamour for a southern candidate that stands to erode its support in its two strongholds of South-south and South-east zones. However, another threat has appeared there, in the form of the LP candidate, Mr Obi. The South-east, which feels the most cheated by the PDP, but also by the APC, now has the homeboy on the ballot. The reports are that Mr Obi is making a serious inroad in his home zone. Atikus concern in these old bastions now is that the LP candidate does not seize the usual block votes of the PDP in this zone or take a share of the votes that is significant enough to hurt him. Changing canvas Our projections thus far are based largely on the two recent general elections of 2015 and 2019, since they were the polls that have also been held under the two-party system that appeared with the emergence of the APC. But those elections may not give us an accurate picture of voters behaviour in the country and it may be too early yet to describe one state or zone as a traditional base of one or the other party. Across the country, but especially in the North, the canvas has kept changing and may do so once again next year. Since 1999 when the Fourth Republic took off, only 11 of the 36 states in the country have elected their governors from the same party. And only four of these states are in the North. These are Zamfara, Borno, Yobe and Taraba. That indicates that voters in the North are more open-minded than they are usually thought of. The seven others in this league are Lagos, Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers. This shows that voters in some southern parts of the country are the ones hanging on to traditions. For clarifications, Bayelsa, too, has never been governed by any party other than the PDP, but it elected the APC candidate in 2019 only for him to be disqualified by the Supreme Court over a pre-election matter. A similar thing had cost the APC candidate his victory in Zamfara, while Ebonyi and Cross Rivers PDP governors defected to the APC. Furthermore, in presidential elections, the South-south and South-east are the only zones to have largely voted for the same party the PDP since 1999. Conversely, in the North where the party is considered weaker, only a few states have consistently voted against its candidates in presidential elections over that period. These are Zamfara and Sokoto in the North-west; and Borno and Yobe in the North-east. And only Taraba, Plateau and Benue have also consistently voted for the PDP presidential candidates since 1999. In the South, only Lagos has always voted for the main challenger to the PDP candidate, although the integrity question hanging over the 2003 and 2007 general elections would not allow a definitive statement on voters behaviour in the South-west where the PDP prevailed in most of the states in those elections. Buhari factor A factor that might have distorted the picture of voters behaviour in the North is Mr Buhari. From his first run in 2003 against incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr Buhari drew consistent support from his home North-west zone. He recorded his worst performance in this zone in 2007 when he ran against another homeboy, the late Umaru Yaradua. No candidate since Shehu Shagari in 1979 and 1983 gained the affection of voters in the North-west like Mr Buhari. Even then, the late former Second Republic president only at best drew lukewarm support from Kano, then made up of the current Kano and Jigawa States. Buhari will not be on the ballot for the first time in 20 years. Will his voters transfer their support to his partys candidate or another from their region? The APC will be concerned about how many of Buharis 12 million voters it can retain for Mr Tinubu. That concern has a basis. Even while consistently voting for Mr Buhari, North-west voters have rarely extended their affection for him to the candidates of his different parties. The All Nigeria People Party (ANPP), which gave him his first ticket, lost some states that voted for Mr Buhari in 2003, while in 2011 when he won in most states in the North-west, his Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) did not produce a single governor there. Its only victory in the governorship elections was recorded in Nasarawa in the North-central, where Tanko Al-Makura ended the PDP dynasty that year. The APC knows that the number of Mr Buharis voters it can claw to next year would be the difference between victory and defeat. Also attached to Mr Buhari is the dire security and economic situation in the country that has caused many of these voters their affection for the president. Will they inflict their disappointment on Mr Tinubu or give him and the APC a second chance? On the flip side, how many of the voters who have avoided the APC in the North and elsewhere in the country out of animosity towards Buhari will be ready to embrace Mr Tinubu? Incumbency Another factor that may affect the sharing of the votes is the incumbency factor. First, the presidential election is a referendum on the administration of the country by the Buhari-led federal government of the APC. It is clear that many across the country are disaffected with the president, due largely to his failings. The answer depends on whether the Nigerian voter has arrived at a stage where they can vote based on a rational assessment of the governments delivery of service. As has been stated, 11 states have always voted for the same party in governorship elections. This cannot have been due to the stellar performances of the various governments formed by the beneficiary parties. Across the country, other factors like ethnicity, section and religion will also guide voters choices on 25 February. But if the two parties can resolve their internal crises and arrive in February in good shape, the election may be another watershed, but not because a third party upturns the apple cart. That scenario remains very far on the horizon. Eight suspected members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant wing of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have been arrested in Umuodeche, a community in Isiala-Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigerias South-east. The suspects were arrested on 20 July inside a thick forest popularly known as Ikeohia-Umuodeche. A vigilante group from the community and another vigilante group from a neighbouring community, Umuezeukwu, carried out the arrest when they raided the suspects camp in the forest. Five of the suspects, including a lady, were arrested in their hideout. Hours later, the vigilante group, with the help of the information from the arrested suspects, also arrested three more suspects. Members of the community had not entered the forest for many years, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. The suspected IPOB members erected a makeshift tent inside the forest and had spent about two weeks there before they were arrested. A team of police officers who visited the place reportedly razed the makeshift tent, hours after the vigilante arrested the suspects. Some video clips and pictures, taken before the camp was razed, showed that the suspects had erected two shrines where they usually force their recruits to take oath before beginning their operations. This is where I stood and took the oath with this kola nut, said a recruit, in yellow sportswear, pointing at a piece of kola nut on the ground. In his confessional statement to the joint-vigilante group, Uchenna Otuocha, one of the arrested gang members, confirmed they were IPOB members. We are here as IPOB members, we are 11 in number, three indigenes of this village and eight of us, we got an information that you guys (vigilantes) are coming and this guy (pointing at the one in yellow sportswear) said we should leave here. That he will find us another forest inside and cook food for us. As we got that information, we dont know here, so they led us to the other road while they followed the main road with the tools bag (containing guns and other weapons), an IPOB member, who was shirtless in the clip, said. While he was still speaking, the only lady among them, who identified herself as Chinenye Amaka, told the vigilante that some of her colleagues who had the gangs arms and ammunition followed one of the indigenes to his house to pass the night. Those three guys with the bag followed this guy (pointing at another indigene of the place whose name is yet to be ascertained) to their house to pass the night, she said. Continuing, Ms Amaka, who claimed she is from Enugu State, said the gang members usually carry out attacks, although she denied ever taking part in the attacks. We were brought here for armed robbery, we also set police stations ablaze, she said. When asked what else they do, she said, We also kidnap people. We are five myself, Lampard, Hotwater, Reported and Young. She said Reported nickname of one of the suspects is the owner of the arms they used to carry out the attacks. Reported brought me from Owerri, she said. A suspect, Chinedu David, who had been implicated by other gang members before his arrest, however, denied his involvement in the robberies and other crimes. I didnt commit any crime. I dont know why they mentioned my name. Let the person that mentioned my name prove it, he told our reporter. Tracing of their camp Many of the suspects confessed to the crime of kidnapping and armed robbery, including attacks on police stations, which have been on the increase across Nigerias South-east. A source, who asked not to be named in this report because of the fear of being attacked, told this reporter that the suspects were traced to their camp when some members of the community became suspicious and uncomfortable due to strange faces they kept seeing around the community. We started noticing that this girl (Ms Amaka) will always come out from somewhere, buy something from our market and go towards the forest. So, we started monitoring her until we ascertained where she was coming from and then alerted our vigilante group, the source said. The arrest A leader of the joint-vigilante group said the arrest of the suspects was in response to a distress call from another vigilante group in a neighbouring community. We planned and went into the bush at about 7:30 to 8:00 in the night and apprehended four boys and a girl. So, we brought them back to the community, he said. He said the vigilante handed over the suspects to the police. No rifles The leader of the joint-vigilante lamented that fighting crime in the area had been difficult because of the lack of arms. Had it been that those suspects came with guns that day, there was no way we could have faced them because we only went with machetes, he said, as he displayed his machete. You dont expect a vigilante member with a machete to arrest a suspected criminal with rifles. He appealed to the government to assist them with some rifles to enable them to fight crimes in their communities. Meanwhile, some police officers from Abia State visited the community and picked up the arrested suspects. The police paraded the suspects in the community before taking them away, but the officers denied our reporter access to interview or take photos of the suspects. The police also denied a State Security Service official access to the suspects. Three of the suspects who fled the scene were said to have left with their arms. They were yet to be arrested at the time of filing this report. When contacted on 29 July, nine days after the arrest, the police spokesperson in Abia State, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said he was not aware of the incident. I dont have that report, Mr Ogbonna said. The Lagos State House of Assembly has begun probing the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) to justify accountability of public funds in the state. The Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), Mojeed Fatai, said this at the commencement of the first phase of the screening in Lagos on Saturday. Mr Fatai noted that the probe by the Joint Committee on Public Account (Local) and Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs had begun oversight functions to ensure acceptability. The exercise was to evaluate the 20 Local Government Councils, LGs and 37 LCDAs in the state. This is the first phase and it is to run till Thursday, with Kosofe LG, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Yaba LG, Lekki LG, Ibeju-Lekki LCDA, Imota LCDA, Epe LG, Isolo LG, Lagos-Island LCDA, Itire-Ikate LCDA amongst others. Mr Fatai said the exercise was aimed at making sure the funds from Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) allocated to Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas were expended judiciously. This is as it is contained in the relevant year budget approval and for the purpose of development in the state, he said. ALSO READ: Lagos revenue agency unveils whistleblower channel Mr Fatai said that the reports of its findings from the Joint Committee after the exercise would be presented at the plenary of the House for debate and for further scrutiny. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members present at the exercise included Olawale AbdulSobur, chairman Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs. Others were Rotimi Olowo, Hakeem Sokunle, Saka Solaja, Rauf Age-Sulaiman, Kehinde Joseph, Victor Akande, Mosunmola Sangodara and Fatai Oluwa. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his unequivocal condemnation of the attacks against non-indigenes and law enforcement officials by terrorists in the South-east. The president, in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, on Saturday in Abuja, promised all possible action in conducting a speedy investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. The presidents reaction came amidst reports of the slaying of six Nigerien citizens and the brutal killing of a number of police officers at their duty posts, He urged community and religious leaders to speak more forcefully against the killings, stand up and defend the ethos of our cultural and religious heritage. Those who know should point at specific people who did this. He expressed his administrations unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the southeast and the entire country, saying that the reports of killings anywhere were sad and unwelcome. He offered his condolences to the families of the law enforcement agents murdered and to the government and people of Niger Republic whose citizens were cruelly beheaded by the beastly attackers. (NAN) The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on Saturday called for global nuclear disarmament, saying it is totally unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of a nuclear war. Mr Guterres said this in Japan at a Peace Memorial Ceremony, marking the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Nuclear weapons are nonsense. Three-quarters of a century later, we must ask what weve learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled above this city in 1945, he said in a statement. The secretary-general warned that a new arms race is picking up speed and world leaders are enhancing stockpiles at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars with almost 13,000 nuclear weapons currently held in arsenals around the world. Crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast from the Middle East to the Korean peninsula, to Russias invasion of Ukraine Humanity is playing with a loaded gun, he cautioned. Mr Guterres called the ongoing Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York a sign of hope. Today, from this sacred space, I call on this Treatys members to work urgently to eliminate the stockpiles that threaten our future, to strengthen dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation, and to support my disarmament agenda by eliminating these devices of destruction, he said. He underscored that countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the no first use of them, and assure other states that they will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against them. We must keep the horrors of Hiroshima in view at all times, recognising there is only one solution to the nuclear threat: not to have nuclear weapons at all, the UN chief said. Guterres emphasised that leaders could hide from their responsibilities. Take the nuclear option off the table for good. Its time to proliferate peace. Heed the message of the hibakusha: No more Hiroshimas! No more Nagasakis!, he said, recognising that in 1945, two atomic bombs were detonated over the skies of Japan first in Hiroshima on 6 August and Nagasaki three days later, on 9 August. Mr Guterres also sent a message to the young people urging them to finish the work that the hibakusha had begun. The world must never forget what happened here. The memory of those who died and the legacy of those who survived will never be extinguished, he said. The secretary-general also met five surviving victims of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, known as Hibakusha, and heard their stories. He expressed his admiration for them, acknowledging that they had suffered enormously but had overcome trauma with enormous courage and resilience. Mr Guterres also called them an example for the world, and told the three women and two men reunited with him that they have the moral authority to tell leaders that nuclear weapons are nonsense. The UN is committed to keeping the memory of what happened alive, and to make sure that your stories echo forever, he said. The hibakusha told the UN chief how they had remained engaged in issues of peace and disarmament for most of their lives, noting that for example, one of them wrote a song to raise awareness and another illustrated her experiences in pictures. They all expressed their desire that young people also understand the crude reality of nuclear weapons. Guterres was also part of an informal dialogue session with young Japanese activists currently leading initiatives on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and other global issues. He spoke about the current state of the world, including the triple planetary crisis, the raging inequality, and widespread armed conflict. (NAN) The remains of former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, were laid to rest on Saturday at his hometown in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, amidst tears and wailings. Mr Balogun, 74, died on Thursday at a hospital in Lagos and was buried around 2.15 p.m. according to Islamic rites. The burial rite was observed by the Chief Imam of Ila-Orangun, Salaudeen AbdulHamid. His remains were interred in the presence of family members, close associates, and other dignitaries who came to pay their last respect to the former police chief. Mr Balogun served as Nigerias Inspector General of Police between 2002 and 2004. He was convicted for stealing and money laundering in 2005 and jailed for six months. At his funeral, the current IGP, Usman Alkali, was visibly absent. Mr Alkali was represented by Olawale Olokode, the Commissioner of Police in Osun State. Solomon Arase, a former IGP, was, however, in attendance. Serving IGPs are usually physically present at the funeral ceremony of their predecessors. At the funeral prayer of Ibrahim Coomasie (IGP 1993 1999), in Katsina in 2018, Ibrahim Idris, who was the police chief at the time, was in attendance. Mr Idris was also present when Etim Inyang (IGP 1985 1986) was laid to rest in 2016, in Mbo, Akwa Ibom State. A celebrated officer Mr Arase, who served as IGP between 2015 and 2016, described Mr Balogun as an operational icon, an intellectual to the core and a celebrated officer. Mr Arase said the late police chief used to offer wise counsel to him anytime he faced difficulties in the police force. He was one of the greatest we had in terms of policing culture in this country, he said. Apart from that, if you look around you will see that most of us that have come to honour him are people who have drunk from the fountain of his knowledge. He was an operational icon, an intellectual to the core, and a celebrated officer. To me, even in death, he remains my mentor and benefactor. I would miss his wise counsel. He was a big father when you have difficulties with policing issues. You can always go to him for advice. Lagos was like a Mecca for most of us. We looked forward to seeing and sitting by him for his great wisdom on police. We are going to miss that, Mr Arase said. Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun, also attended the funeral rites of Mr Balogun. Mr Akande, who is also a native of Ila-Orangun, arrived at the residence of Mr Balogun around 4 p.m. after the deceased had been interred. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested three men suspected to be arms peddlers at Mfum, a community along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The Comptroller in charge of Mfum Border Command, Ndubuisi Eneregbu, announced the arrest in a press statement on Sunday in Calabar, Cross River State. According to the Comptroller, two Nigerians and one irregular Cameroonian migrant, who confessed to be a member of the Ambazonia separatist group, were arrested on a motorcycle with arms and live ammunition. The suspects were found with a small bag containing incriminating items such as one Beretta pistol, one locally made pistol, three live ammunitions, charms and one TECNO BC3 Android phone. They were four suspects; the fourth person, currently at large, left them with the bag containing the incriminating items. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects, the Cameroonian, is a member of the Ambazonia separatist group in the Republic of Cameroon. The three suspects, along with the incriminating items, have been handed over to the Divisional Police Officer, Etung Division, Etung Local Government Area, for further investigation, he said. The comptroller said despite certain logistic challenges, the officers were prepared to apprehend anyone found perpetrating illegalities and sabotaging the economy of the country. Mfum is a commercial border town in the Etung Local Government Area of Cross River, where Nigerians and others engage in international trade. They engage in trade by conveying commodities ranging from food items, petroleum products, and more across the lines into the Republic of Cameroon. (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a trans-border drug dealer, Anietie Effiong, with three drums of crystal methamphetamine, locally called Mkpuru Mmiri, believed to have been imported from India. The arrested man is said to be a pastor. The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said the consignment, which weighed 90 kilogrammes, was loaded into a commercial bus with registration number RSH 691XC at Ojuelegba in Lagos. He said the consignment was intercepted during a stop-and-search operation along Umuahia Ikot Ekpene Highway on Saturday 6 August. He added that the dangerous drug, packed 30kg in each drum, was meant for the pastor, Mr Effiong, who was arrested in a follow-up operation at Oron beach in Oron, Akwa Ibom State. He also added that the recovered meth drums were meant for onward delivery to the Republic of Cameroon. This comes on the heels of four seizures of the same illicit substance weighing 4.074kg going to Australia, Indonesia and Philippines. This also comes with a 3kg cannabis sativa heading to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates at some courier companies in Lagos. The consignments were concealed in body cream, hot burner iron and beads, he said. The NDLEA spokesperson quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the command in Akwa Ibom for their recent feats. (NAN) The deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, says he will continue to speak and air his views to defend and rebuild Nigeria. Mr Sanusi, who is also the current Khalifah, Tijaniyat Movement of Nigeria, said this in Abuja on Saturday at a stage play titled Emir Sanusi: Truth in Time. The play was written by Ahmed Yerima, a professor of Drama at the Redeemer University and produced by Executive Chairman, Duke of Somolu Productions, Joseph Edgar. The 14th emir said he has what it takes to contribute to nation-building because of his long history of service to the country. He said he served as Chief Risk Officer at the United Bank for Africa, and at First Bank, and also as CBN governor; as Emir of Kano for six years and Khalifah, Tijaniyat Movement of Nigeria. Mr Sanusi argued that he would be ungrateful to God if he expressed regret or sadness over his removal as emir in spite of the positions he occupied in life. I dont think that God has taken anything away from me. So, I have no regret. I turned 61 years last year and in those years, I had the honour of having been the Chief Risk Officer at United Bank for Africa (UBA) and the Chief Risk Officer at First Bank. I was Governor of Central Bank, Emir of Kano and now Khalifah, Tijaniyat Movement of Nigeria. If I have sadness, then Im ungrateful. How many people have had the opportunity to be just one of those things? he observed. Mr Sanusi added that many traditional rulers held leadership positions such as army generals, governors, Nigeria Customs chiefs and others before their appointment as traditional rulers. According to him, these traditional rulers gave their bits to serve this country. We have a long history of service to this country. My father as first Director-General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency set up the agency in1960, the record is there to see. My parents, grandparents and great grandparents gave their lives to build this country. We will continue to devote energy to build this country. It doesnt belong to anyone; it belongs to all of us, Mr Sanusi stressed. He said if he had a choice between sacrificing his principles and holding on to his position, he would give up the position. History is always the best judge. The things that I said would happen, that caused me so much trouble, have happened. For me, I have absolutely no regret and I will continue to speak and voice my views. I will continue to defend this country, he said. In his remarks, the playwright, Mr Yerima, said he wanted people to watch how destiny prevailed on Mr Sanusis grandfather, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, who spent 10 years before he was removed and Mr Sanusi, the grandson who spent six years before he was also removed. Also, they lived and live in a society. So, we want viewers to see the societys attitudes towards their service to humanity, he said. The producer of the play, Mr Edgar, said it was the 14th edition produced by Duke of Somolu Productions. With a budget in excess of N40 million, this production is truly historical, he said. Mr Edgar thanked the more than 35 sponsors of the play who took over 50 per cent of the budget for their support. Lamido Sanusi was dethroned as Emir of Kano in March 2020 by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, citing total disrespect to lawful instructions from the Office of the Governor. (NAN) A law firm has denied selling some assets it was engaged by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to recover on behalf of the federal government. Mr Malami had secretly awarded a multiple-billion naira assets recovery contract to Gerry Ikputu and Partners, an estate valuer, which further engaged the law firm, M. E. Sheriff & Co, as its agent, to recover identified large expanses of land and buildings said to be belonging to the federal government. PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported in February that the said assets are located in 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Gerry Ikputu and Partners will be entitled to three (3) per cent of the worth of every successful recovery, Mr Malamis letter awarding them the contract stated a secrecy clause that bars them from making the details of the work public. Arrest of asset of asset recovery unit head But the news broke on Friday over EFCCs arrest and interrogation of Ladidi Mohammed, head of the Asset Recovery Management Unit (ARMU) of the Federal Ministry of Justice, which is to work with the firms in recovering the properties. Mrs Mohammeds interrogation by the EFCC was reportedly based on the alleged sale of the recovered assets by Gerry Ikputu and Partners and M.E Sherriff & Co. Assets not sold yet However, the principal partner of M.E Sherriff and Co, Mohammed Sheriff, said the recovered assets had not been disposed of. While reacting to the media report linking him to the sale of the recovered assets, on Sunday, Mr Sherriff said his company had no dealings with the ARMU. Mr Sherriff, who said his firm had yet to be paid for its services since none of the recovered assets has been sold, disclosed that one of the affected properties located in Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was unlawfully occupied by a company after the expiration of its lease agreement. He explained that based on Mr Malamis instruction, his firm (M. E Sherriff & Co) successfully secured an order of final forfeiture of the affected properties. The forfeiture order was granted by Inyang Ekwo, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, according to Mr Shefiff. We did not even know that there is an Asset Recovery Management Unit. Our involvement was in relation to the tracing and recovery of abandoned federal government properties that were being occupied illegally, based on the presentation by some people, who approached our firm, Mr Sheriff said. He added that based on the AGFs introduction, his firm went before the Federal High Court in Abuja, to get an interim order of forfeiture and later got a final fortune order on some of the properties, which were yet to be sold. The lawyer said: On the 8th day of October 2021, the Federal Government of Nigeria granted the request of the firm of Jerry Ikputu & Partners to trace, recover and submit the abandoned Federal Government properties in eleven states of the federation. Further to the above, on the 16th November 2021 Honourable Justice I.E Ekwo of the Federal High Court of Abuja granted the reliefs of M.E Sheriff of M.E Sheriff & Co and forfeited temporarily assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria all assets as listed on the instruction letter referred above. The Honourable Justice I.E Ekwo also ordered the federal government to make a publication of the said temporary forfeiture inviting all persons /bodies to, within 14 days of the order, show cause why order of final forfeiture should not be made forfeiting the properties to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The federal government, by way of complying with the courts order, made a publication in the Punch newspaper of the 18th day of November 2021, specifically at page 34. The court, after giving members of the public opportunity to express interest in any of the federal government and the fact that no individual laid any claim, granted a final forfeiture in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the 31st January 2022. Anybody claiming any sale arising from the recovered assets is by this publication invited to present a petition to the office of Honourable Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) or Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Sheriff said. Background Lawyers and anti-corruption campaigners had expressed concerns about the secrecy of the asset recovery contract. In an ealier interview with this newspaper, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Itse Sagay, said there was no justification for engaging private firms to execute the recovery the anti-graft agencies were competent to do. The EFCC and the ICPC are authorised to recover stolen public assets. So, there is absolutely no justification for hiring a third party to do what government agencies have powers and experience to do, Mr Sagay, who chairs the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) said. So, it is strange for an outside agency, who does not have that record, and will have to be paid to recover the property. That shouldnt be; its wrong. That doesnt make sense, Mr Sagay added. Debo Adeniran, the chairperson of the Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), said the contract award to Gerry Ikputu and Partners amounts to duplication of efforts and government expenditure. Mr Malami prefers giving jobs meant for government agencies to his friends and cronies so that every public transaction will be shrouded in secrecy. That is why he has awarded this contract to the private company, Mr Adediran added. The Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International in Nigeria, Auwal Rafsanjani, had described the contract as a waste of taxpayers money. He blamed the development on the inability of the federal government to bring about a legal framework for the management of recovered stolen assets nearly seven years after Mr Buhari assumed office. But Mr Sherriff said it was not within the powers of the EFCC to recover assets that had been traced by Gerry Ikputu and Partners. President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Nasiru Ila as his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives). In a statement issued by Garba Shehu on Sunday, Mr Ila will be filling the vacancy left by Umar El-Yakub, who was recently appointed as a Minister. Mr Ila represented Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State from 2011 to 2015. He is a product of Victory College, Alexandria and West London College, United Kingdom. The new aide is coming in at a very turbulent time, as the president faces the prospect of impeachment. Shortly before the lawmakers embarked on holiday, the opposition lawmakers gave Mr Buhari an ultimatum to fix the general insecurity in the country or risk impeachment. Some lawmakers within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have equally expressed support for the impeachment move. Three months after threatening to destroy the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after his defeat during the partys House of Representatives primary for the Daura Sandamu/Maiadua Constituency, President Muhammadu Buharis nephew, Fatuhu Muhammad, has exited the party. Mr Muhammad, whose father was Mr Buharis oldest brother, announced his exit from the APC in a letter addressed to the Sarkin Yara Ward APC chairman in Daura Local Government Area dated, 13 July 2022. This is to notify you that I have resigned my membership from the All Progressives Congress (APC) with immediate effect commencing from Wednesday the 13th day of July 2022. Attached herewith is my Party Membership Registration slip with slip No. KT/DRA/10/00002 While I thank you and the Party for the opportunity given to me to serve the interest of the people of Daura-Sandamu-MaiAdua Federal Constituency while working with the party, accept my best wishes please, he said. Though he did not mention if he was defecting to another party, his media aide, Ahmad Ganga, told PREMIUM TIMES that his principal met with the PDPs presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, recently. If it is confirmed that Mr Muhammadu has defected to the PDP as it is being speculated, it means Mr Buhari is being represented in both the House of Representatives and Senate by members of the main opposition party. The Senator representing Katsina North (Daura zone) Ahmad Babba Kaita, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP following a misunderstanding with the Governor of the state, Aminu Masari. Mr Muhammad had in June threatened to destroy the APC, alleging that he was cheated out of the primary election that produced Aminu Jamo as the partys flagbearer. In six-minute audio obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the lawmaker was heard telling someone he referred to as Ranka ya dade, (meaning: Sir) that he would destroy APC in Katsina State. He said he was not going to participate in a fresh election if the party decides to do one as he was the rightful winner of the primary election held last week. They cant do any election (primary) because I won this one while they broke the law. They should just give me back my ticket, or we meet in court or else I destroy the party and bring a new one (party), he said. I can even go and bring the party with fruits (NNPP) and they will just see the Kwankwaso party in Daura. Yes, I can do it because everyone is fighting for himself. They should come and tell the poor people what they have done for them. Ill also say what Ive done for the poor people and well see who the (poor) will go for, he said. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has said he is confident that the electorates in the state will re-elect him to steer the affairs of the state for another four years. He spoke during a chat on Channels TVs Sunday Politics programme. Mr Sanwo-Olu, alongside 14 others, will be jostling for the governorship seat in 2023. He said his administration had brought in development that can be seen and felt by the states residents. I managed the emergency of the city. Today alone, there are emergencies that have been reported today alone, he said. Ive recruited over 650 fire service men. Ive bought 64 brand new trucks that you will come, I will invite you for commissioning. I spent over a billion to take off the refuse in Lagos. Were creating a sanitary landfill site. Thats what were doing. Were building 1618 kilometres of rigid pavement road that runs to tens of billions. Were building the biggest market in the country because thats what were doing. When he was asked if he saw one of his challengers, Olajide Adediran of the PDP and his deputy, Funke Akindele, a filmmaker, as a threat, he said he is the most preferred candidate because he is more experienced. So you know, like I said if you have an emergency, who would you call? What are your chances? Do you call the man that has the experience that has gone through the trenches before that has lived with it that understands what the issues are, he said. That appreciate what challenge you have even at 3 a.m. or will you leave your chance to someone that doesnt know where the dial is or that doesnt even know what the issues of governance are? This is Lagos. This is an informed audience. This is not a tea party. Were talking about real governance. Were talking about the lives of 20-plus million Nigerians. Mr Sanwo-Olu added that Lagos cannot be left in the hands of someone who cannot run a business that has 100 people. Men and women of goodwill need to upbraid the Nigerian government for its shortsighted and self-serving act of attempting to intimidate and censor these media houses. Media Trust should consider going to court for an interpretation of the clauses in the Nigerian Broadcasting Code under which the government purports to have imposed the sanctions. So should the other media organisations that have been slammed the same fine for merely broadcasting any of the documentaries. I remember how he raised his head to look at me while he was in that painful conditionthen he put his head backit pains me, how much my boy suffered. I have struggled with nightmares for a long time. The little boy being mourned by the father above was not killed by the bandits, hunger or disease. He was felled by a stray bullet from soldiers needlessly firing their guns. This lament of a father was captured in the BBC documentary on banditry in Nigeria (The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara), which so riled the Nigerian government that it has now slammed a fine of N5 million on broadcast houses that have aired the documentary. The BBC documentary was released on July 25. Ostensibly, in order not to be accused of witch-hunting the BBC, the government also slammed the same fine on Media Trust, owners of Trust TV, which had aired a similar documentary of the banditry problem (Nigerias Banditry, the Inside Story) last February. Both documentaries, by the way, are freely available on YouTube and appear to be gaining ever more popularity since the sanctions were announced recently. The little boys unfortunate death is a reflection of the human tragedy that banditry continues to spawn in Nigeria. It is also an end-result of the government chicanery that has come to underscore this crisis. Bandits had gone to Government Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State and abducted 280 girls. The government, despite its repeated denials, secretly engaged the bandits and paid a ransom of N60 million for their release. Thereafter, instead of allowing the poor traumatised girls time to reunite happily with their families, upon release, Zamfara government officials quickly herded them into a hall for ceremonial speeches. No prize for guessing what the subject of these speeches must have been self-adulation and unwarranted counsel. As the speeches wore on to no end and with nightfall ominously approaching, angry parents desperate to travel back home with their daughters, stormed the hall. In the ensuing melee, stones were said to have been thrown at the vehicles of some of the government officials. This was the trigger the security men needed to open fire. At the end of the day, while the father got his abducted daughter back, he lost his son. This is just one manifestation of a crisis that has raged for over a decade, worsening by the year and which these media organisations have toiled for months to bring to the attention of the world. The nomadic Fulani claim to have taken to banditry in protest against injustices against them. Giving vent to what is a global concern around climate change and its aftermath, they lament that land for grazing has shrunk alarmingly, while the so-called cattle routes have disappeared. To make matters worse, there are no veterinary hospitals for their cattle. They also quarrel about what appears to be a stereotyping of all Fulani as bandits, with resultant discrimination against them by the rest of society and outright attempts to eliminate the Fulani via a combination of attacks by vigilantes dominated by the Hausa and frequent air raids by the Nigerian military. As this crisis has escalated over the years, money has inevitably become a major defining influence that is driving it. The bandits have come to realise how hopelessly insecure the Nigerian state is and perhaps how ineffectual and dishonest its leaders are. They recognise that they can amass millions of naira in ransoms for kidnapping people and with such monies procure more arms to facilitate more kidnapping. The Hausas, on the other hand, resorted to forming vigilante groups in response to acts of banditry perpetrated by the Fulani. Unfortunately, in carrying out their retaliatory activities, it would appear that the vigilantes hardly bothered to discriminate between the bandit Fulani and the regular law-abiding Fulani, with whom they had been neighbours and friends for centuries. Entire hamlets were sometimes razed to the ground in revenge for similar nefarious acts carried out by bandits. The result has been a self-perpetuating orgy of violence and destruction at huge cost to society. Thousands of people have now been killed and maimed in the course of this crisis and hundreds of thousands more, traumatised and displaced. Primary schools have long been shut down and the society is in the throes of producing a generation of illiterates. Travel is risky and so is staying at home, as entire villages have often been raided, especially at night, with men, women and children ruthlessly killed. Sometimes communities are raided for several hours without any help or rescue effort by the government, a development that has driven communities to self-help, like the formation of vigilante groups, which unfortunately the government is yet unable to properly monitor, equip and organise. The governments only real interest in the problem appears to be how much political capital its operatives can derive from it, as eminently showcased in its desperate showboating efforts in the wake of the rescue of the Jangebe girls. BBCs documentary notes that the government initially ignored the self-help attempt of the people to form vigilantes to stem the rising tide of banditry. With time, however, the government provided support for this, including funding to these vigilantes. Now it has outlawed them. Accounts of the several talking heads in the documentary also show that government typically under-reports casualty figures of the crisis. As this crisis has escalated over the years, money has inevitably become a major defining influence that is driving it. The bandits have come to realise how hopelessly insecure the Nigerian state is and perhaps how ineffectual and dishonest its leaders are. They recognise that they can amass millions of naira in ransoms for kidnapping people and with such monies procure more arms to facilitate more kidnapping. Abu Sanni, a bandit and self-confessed perpetrator of the Jangebe abductions, said as much in his interview. It has become a business, thats why things are deteriorating. He adds that, the government gets money and we also get money, though for our money, blood is spilled. That the government indeed gets money is further tragically reinforced by the paradox of the numerous eye-witness accounts that show that the bandits are typically better armed than the soldiers. While the bandits fund their arms purchases from proceeds of kidnapping, the Nigerian military supposedly commits trillions of naira annually to defence spending. The bandit did not need to say it explicitly, but clearly not all of the monies budgeted for defence spending is actually being deployed as such. A huge chunk of these monies is apparently going into private pockets, leaving our soldiers at the frontline under-equipped and inadequately motivated to confront these terrorists. BBCs reporting of the crisis, especially, has been an eye-opener for me and I believe for many others. BBC, like Media Trust, therefore, deserves commendation for the investments of time, money and effort they committed to this project in the face of enormous risks, all in a bid to enable Nigeria understand the complexity of the banditry issue better, as part of efforts towards evolving a definitive solution to it. The BBC documentary attempts to hear out a few other bandits, apart from Abu Sanni above. Hassan, one of the earliest warlords who first began the importation of AK-47 rifles into the country from the Niger Republic for reprisals and other acts of banditry, after his uncle was killed, laid down his arms for a while. But with such peace efforts not intelligently, competently and honestly overseen and managed by government, he has again returned to banditry in the aftermath of the destruction of the hamlet in which he lived, upon embracing peace. The documentaries have been very brave efforts by both media organisations to elaborately examine the increasingly complex crisis of banditry and provide illumination on a legion of issues that need to be resolved. Have there been any attempt to glamorise the acts of banditry and terrorism as the Nigerian government accuses the media organisations of? Certainly not, in my opinion. The terrorists are filmed either sitting on mats in the bush or in the vicinity of their huts locations where they have been accessed by the journalists and before them, government intermediaries as well as prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi. There is therefore, no allusion to their invincibility. There is no reference to having committed their funds to any act of ostentation, except the procurement of more arms. Instructively, in the BBC documentary, the interviewer asks a bandit the deliberately provocative question: What kind of a person goes into a room to abduct sleeping girls just because he has a problem with someone else? To this, the bandit concedes, even if indirectly, that this was indeed, an evil act. BBCs reporting of the crisis, especially, has been an eye-opener for me and I believe for many others. BBC, like Media Trust, therefore, deserves commendation for the investments of time, money and effort they committed to this project in the face of enormous risks, all in a bid to enable Nigeria understand the complexity of the banditry issue better, as part of efforts towards evolving a definitive solution to it. Men and women of goodwill need to upbraid the Nigerian government for its shortsighted and self-serving act of attempting to intimidate and censor these media houses. Media Trust should consider going to court for an interpretation of the clauses in the Nigerian Broadcasting Code under which the government purports to have imposed the sanctions. So should the other media organisations that have been slammed the same fine for merely broadcasting any of the documentaries. Nigerias democracy, despite its faltering starts and stops has come a long way and assaults on free speech such as the government regularly slams on the media need to be stringently resisted. Calixthus Okoruwa is a communications professional in Lagos. One thing is assured: Inibehe Effiong is a courageous, vigorous and brilliant advocate who is destined to become a phenomenon in Nigerias legal profession. Ekaette Obot will live long enough to see that destiny fully realised. That is the least we can pray for. Democracy is a journey and the quality of the ride depends on what we collectively put into it. If we shut our ears and our eyes, the ship of state could derail. Dennis Odife, Without Money and Without Price: A Brief Autobiography, p.196 (2016) In court around 1 July, the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State in South-south Nigeria, Ekaette Obot, repeatedly threatened to jail my good friend, Inibehe Effiong, for his diligence in representing an unknown client against two powerful men the governor who appointed her into office and a senator without whose influence she probably may also not have been in office. Four weeks later, on 27 July, she fulfilled her wish, committing him to jail for one month at a whim, before proceeding on vacation. The judge did this notwithstanding the fact that there was pending before her a motion.to disqualify and recuse himself (herself) from the case on grounds of bias or likelihood of bias. At no point did the judge tell Inibehe what his crime was nor did she give him an opportunity to defend himself, as he is entitled to. The president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has gone on record to say that the course of conduct chosen by the judge against Inibehe not only runs afoul of known practice and procedure in such cases but is also unconstitutional. Other lawyers have described her conduct as judicial malpractice. Madam Chief Judge may enjoy her momentary schadenfreude, but Africas history suggests that those who abuse the rule of law whether they be executive, parliamentary or judicial officers in the way she has chosen to do, almost invariably live to reap whirlwind in more ways than one. A few illustrations will drive home the point. As French West Africa prepared for De Gaulles referendum on self-rule in 1957, Ernest Boka was one of the most promising stars in the regions politics. In his native Cote dIvoire, Boka was eclipsed in popularity only by Felix Hophouet-Boigny, the wealthy Baoule Chief who was the first black person to be appointed Minister in France. Born in 1928, 23 years younger than Hophouet, Boka was a bright lawyer who appeared destined for greatness. At just 28 in 1957, he became Chief of Staff to the Governor-General, before rising from 1958 to 1959 to ministerial portfolios, first in education and then public service. As Independence approached in 1960, Boka was one of the leaders of Houphouet-Boignys Parti Democratique de la Cote dIvoire (PDCI), who strong-armed other platforms from the contest, enabling Houphouet to emerge unopposed as Cote dIvoires president. On 3 August 1979, Teodoro Obiang toppled his uncle and had him put on trial for mass atrocities, including genocide and embezzlement. As there were no judges left in the country nor lawyers to defend accused persons, the trial was conducted in a cinema hall by militias of precisely the same sort whom Macias used as president to liquidate his enemies, both real and imagined. Macias fate was predictable. As Bokas reward, Houphouet appointed him Cote dIvoires first Supreme Court president in 1960, where he initially proved to be a trusted believer. But Boka was always a man of the people with socialist sympathies. At 35, in March 1963, Ernest Boka resigned as Supreme Court president. Shortly thereafter, in August 1963, he was among hundreds rounded up under the direction of Houphouet-Boigny for allegedly plotting to kill the president with Juju. A special security court sentenced 19 to life terms and condemned another six to death. But Ernest Boka did not live long enough to stand trial. His lifeless body was found hanging from the ceiling of his cell in Abidjan, bearing marks consistent with torture. In response to strong rumours that Bokas death was not suicide, Houphouet-Boigny personally called foreign diplomats and correspondents to a briefing in April 1964 at his presidential palace, for what turned out to be a trial of a dead man. At the briefing, Houphouet announced that Ernest Boka had confessed to an attempt to use Juju to assassinate him. As evidence, Houphouet-Boigny, a practising Catholic, produced two suitcases containing an assortment of magic potions, dried remains of dead animals and a collection of puny coffins reportedly seized from Ernest Bokas family house. About the time Ernest Boka was being liquidated in Cote dIvoire, a lowly court clerk and interpreter was working his way into reckoning in Spains African plantation in Equatorial Guinea. Francisco Macias Nguema was famous for allowing financial inducements to dictate the content of his translations. As one of a few locals with facility in Spanish, the colonialists came to hang on to his every word, mistaking him for a man of influence. In one year, between 1966 and 1967, Macias rose from assistant interpreter to Mayor, then Minister for Public works, before becoming Deputy President of the Governing Council. When the gong sounded for Independence in 1968, he was well placed to be installed as Equatorial Guineas first president on 12 October 1968. But Macias was unwell and given to outbursts of paranoia and violence, fueled by dependence on tropical hallucinogens. Six months after being installed as president, in March 1969, he personally bludgeoned his foreign minister to death, before having opposition leader, Bonifacio Ondo Edu abducted from exile in neighbouring Gabon and executed. A reign of terror ensued, during which Equatorial Guineas small population of professionals, including lawyers and judges, were either killed or exiled. Rules were dismantled. With no judges, the regimes enemies were tried and executed by youth militias organised and administered by Macias nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mba NZogo, an army Lieutenant-Colonel. On 3 August 1979, Teodoro Obiang toppled his uncle and had him put on trial for mass atrocities, including genocide and embezzlement. As there were no judges left in the country nor lawyers to defend accused persons, the trial was conducted in a cinema hall by militias of precisely the same sort whom Macias used as president to liquidate his enemies, both real and imagined. Macias fate was predictable. On 29 September, 1979, the militia found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Hours after his predicted condemnation, an elite military unit flown in specially from Morocco executed him by firing squad at the Black Beach Prison in Malabo. Two years after the death of Macias, on Christmas Eve in 1981, the government of Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda abducted Malawis exiled first Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Orton Chirwa, and his wife, Vera, from Zambia and returned them to Lilongwe. Orton Chirwa was the founding President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), which led Malawi to Independence in 1964. He was also Malawis first lawyer. Africas history has firm lessons for powerful men and women who want to get ahead by retarding the legal process through abuse of the sacred trust of upholding the rule of law. The biggest argument for defending and preserving the rule of law is self-interest those who degrade it often end up in need of it, usually to save them against their own temporary collaborators. As minister in the transitional government in 1962, Orton took issue with the presumption of innocence and burdens of proof in criminal trials, arguing for their replacement with traditional African norms and institutions. As Attorney-General, he pushed for these reforms but was turfed out of cabinet in September 1964 in a power tussle with Banda, his successor as MCP president, before they were promulgated. Following the collapse of the Chilobwe murder trials in 1969, Banda scrapped criminal trials by regular courts, transferring jurisdiction over crimes to so-called Traditional Courts, comprising a traditional chief as chair, with three citizen assessors and one lawyer. The traditional court system was appointed by Banda, who was both president and Justice minister. They also reported to him. In an ironic twist of fate, Orton was arraigned for treason in 1983 before the kind of traditional courts he had advocated for as Attorney-General. His trial was a charade. The court denied him and his wife herself also Malawis first female lawyer legal defence or the right to call witnesses. Initially sentenced to death on conviction, Banda commuted this to life imprisonment. Orton spent the remainder of his life in solitary confinement at the Zomba Prison in Malawi, where in December 1992, he died at the age of 73. As Nigerias military ruler from 1985 to 1993, Ibrahim Babangida eviscerated the courts, mostly precluding them by military decree from jurisdiction over whatever his regime did. In 1991, he issued a special decree making legal proceedings against his regime a felony punishable with up to two years imprisonment. Out of power in 2001, a successor regime asked him to appear before a Commission of Inquiry to defend his record. Rather than do that, the man who made going to court a crime hired a coterie of highly prized lawyers to go to court and question the powers of an elected civilian administration to ask him to account. The case ended up before a Supreme Court presided over by judges, some of whose judicial careers Babangida had advanced. The result was jurisprudence that set back the powers of the Federal Government and the safety and security of Nigeria. Africas history has firm lessons for powerful men and women who want to get ahead by retarding the legal process through abuse of the sacred trust of upholding the rule of law. The biggest argument for defending and preserving the rule of law is self-interest those who degrade it often end up in need of it, usually to save them against their own temporary collaborators. Karma has a brutal sense of humour. One thing is assured: Inibehe Effiong is a courageous, vigorous and brilliant advocate who is destined to become a phenomenon in Nigerias legal profession. Ekaette Obot will live long enough to see that destiny fully realised. That is the least we can pray for. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer and teacher, can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu. Earl Lewis admonishes us to understand that the third slavery is not about physical chains but more about economic fetters that reduce the humanity in our people and renders them vulnerable to discrimination and perennial poverty. Underemployment and casual labour may put bread on the table for a while, but it cannot be the key to our young peoples future. Have you heard the news? About 727 medical doctors trained in Nigeria relocated to the United Kingdom between December 2021 and May 2022. As of November 2021, Nigerian trained doctors numbering 8,983 were working in the UK. That figure has now jumped to 9,710. Nigeria is the country with the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK, coming behind only India and Pakistan. Similarly, over 7,256 Nigerian nurses migrated to the UK between March 2021 and March 2022. This follows a steady pattern, showing that there is a serious cause for concern. Between March 2017 and March 2018, about 2,796 Nigerian nurses migrated to the UK, while 3,021 Nigerian trained nurses relocated to the UK between March 2018 and March 2019. Between March 2019 and March 2020, a total of 3,684 Nigerian nurses migrated to the UK, while in 2020 around 4,310 Nigerian nurses moved to the UK between March 2020 and March 2021, despite the raging COVID-19 pandemic at the time. Again, the UKs Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) indicate that, of all foreign-trained nurses registered in the UK, Nigeria occupies the third place behind the Philippines and India. As of 2020, Nigeria had a doctor-patient ratio of 1:2,753, in sharp contrast to the World Health Organisation (WHO)s minimum recommended ratio of 1:400 or 600. The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum of 83 nurses per 10,000 patients. However, Nigeria, with a population of 200 million, has a nurse-population ratio of 1.5:1000 or 15:10,000. Medical professionals of every kind of hue and competence are emigrating to climes where they are assured of a conducive working environment, modern facilities, living wages and career progression. The political elite who are in a position to stem the tide, opt, instead, for medical tourism to Europe, America, Asia or the gulf states, where they offload tons of hard currency to consult the same doctors they contemptuously chased out of Nigeria. Not a few of our political notables are mortified when they discover the identity of the specialist treating them abroad. Oh, Im proud to know youre a Nigerian! Many health professionals tell such stories with a tinge of anger. The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Professor Innocent Ujah, decried the high emigration rate of doctors of Nigerian extraction to foreign nations, pointing out that over $1 billion was being spent yearly by Nigerians on medical tourism. Imagine if that money had been spent on medicare at home. The positive side of such emigration is not just the professional satisfaction our human exports derive from their workplace; there is the added bonus of being able to remit huge sums of money back home to help the extended family or even invest in various schemes. The World Bank projects that diaspora remittance to Nigeria will hit $29 billion in 2022. Only the other month, the death of 23 Africans (or 37, according to Walking Borders) trying to cross from Morocco into Spain sparked global condemnation. They were part of the 2,000 migrants, mainly from Sudan, who tried to cross the barbed-wire fence at the militarised border into the city of Melilla. Social media videos showed bodies of victims with bullet holes, shot by the Spanish border police; others were cudgelled to death by baton-waiving Moroccan police. Even so, any country that wishes to make progress cannot close its eyes to the emigration of its highly skilled workforce. It is akin, pardon the comparison, to the trans-Atlantic slave trade of yore which depopulated Africa of its strongest men and women and dislocated the peoples way of life. The professionals are even a favoured group when compared with the unskilled who simply want to escape the sheer misery of their circumstances. Those unskilled ones are so desperate and vulnerable. They are the millennial slaves forced by socio-economic circumstances to flee their homeland, begging to be dehumanised by cold-blooded hosts. Only the other month, the death of 23 Africans (or 37, according to Walking Borders) trying to cross from Morocco into Spain sparked global condemnation. They were part of the 2,000 migrants, mainly from Sudan, who tried to cross the barbed-wire fence at the militarised border into the city of Melilla. Social media videos showed bodies of victims with bullet holes, shot by the Spanish border police; others were cudgelled to death by baton-waiving Moroccan police. All the appropriate diplomatic soundbites were immediately unleashed as if it could bring back the dead or redress the home grown contradictions that chased them out of their homeland. African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, called for immediate investigation and for excessive force to stop. He lamented the violent and degrading treatment of African migrants attempting to cross international borders and reminded countries of their obligations under international law to treat all migrants with dignity and to prioritise their safety and human rights. The United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said the deaths of at least 23 African migrants and injury of at least 76 others was the highest number of deaths in a single incident over many years of migrants heading from Morocco to Europe through Melilla and Ceuta. After all said and done, the panacea for preventing such wanton cruelty is to remove the cause of mass exodus from many African countries. The political elite in Africa must now wake up to the reality that their quest for individual happiness at the expense of the majority of their people is futile. If they dont correct the situation and build a better society while they can, their children will inherit a future of untold misery. We can learn a lesson from Nigeria, where millions of youths without formal education, without any skill whatsoever, have found solace in crime. Perhaps the trend of reverse migration of our diaspora brothers and sisters will help us rediscover our mojo. We must begin to hold our leaders accountable. The children of the poor you fail to educate today will be the undoing of your well educated children tomorrow. To rewrite the African story, we must reinvent Africa. In spite of our collective under-achievement and refusal to shed the manacle of the coloniser who still sees us as commodities to be sold and bought, we have now arrived at a point where we are condemned to either die or thrive. The indication that I see is that we have chosen to thrive and the basis of my optimism is, ironically, the same young people we have refused to bequeath a better world to. Check behind the headlines. African youths will not toe the consumerist path of their parents. Being cyber-natives, they are citizens without borders. They are networking with their counterparts all over the globe. Their peers from other cultures and climes, too, are finding out, more than their parents were ever willing to concede, that human beings are the same all over the world and that the bogey of the super race was invented in order to justify historic monstrosities. While there is a positive side to professionals emigrating to other countries in pursuit of better life and fulfilment (with a multiplier effect of remittances to the home country), the export of unskilled labour to other continents can only lead to what Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, famously called Sorrow, Tears and Blood. Africa is often described as the new frontier for global growth. Five of the worlds fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. The continent has also made substantial progress in entrenching democratic processes. Dr Malancha Chakrabarty of the Observer Research FoundationAfrica, notes that, Africa has about 600 million hectares of arable land and the worlds youngest and fastest growing population together, these provide an ideal base for sustained, long-term growth. Earl Lewis admonishes us to understand that the third slavery is not about physical chains but more about economic fetters that reduce the humanity in our people and renders them vulnerable to discrimination and perennial poverty. Underemployment and casual labour may put bread on the table for a while, but it cannot be the key to our young peoples future. Through forced labor, involuntary servitude, and myriad forms of human trafficking an estimated 27-40 million persons endure some form of slavery todaya number which is likely to increase According to some estimates, G20 nations alone import commercial products worth $354 billion (US) annually from supply chains populated with individuals ensnared by The Third Slavery. Estimated profits from human trafficking alone reach as high as $150 billion annually, with approximately $100 billion in the sex industry and $50 billion in forced labor. It is dangerous to have our best brains in medicine, computer technology, engineering and the other specialties outside our shores without a dedicated programme for replacing them. When we get to the stage where the number of professionals emigrating to foreign shores is higher than the number being produced annually by our various institutions, we will wake up and smell the coffee. If we make our countries liveable, we have a chance of instigating a reverse migration of our key professionals. The Saudi royal family used to patronise the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria in the 1960s. We must re-enact those glorious days. While there is a positive side to professionals emigrating to other countries in pursuit of better life and fulfilment (with a multiplier effect of remittances to the home country), the export of unskilled labour to other continents can only lead to what Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, famously called Sorrow, Tears and Blood. Wole Olaoye is a public relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com. Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021. The police in Delta said they have killed a member of a suspected robbery gang in the Warri South Local Government Area of the state. The police spokesperson of the state, Bright Edafe, who disclosed this to reporters on Sunday in Warri, said they rescued a kidnap victim unhurt. Mr Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the deceased was a member of a three-man robbery syndicate operating in the Iyara neighbourhood in the Warri South metropolis. He said the suspect died on Friday following an injury he sustained during a shootout with the police operatives. On August 5, at about 5.15 p.m., Anti-Crime Patrol attached to A Division Warri, were on a stop-and-search duty at Iyara Road when they intercepted a tricycle with three male occupants. The suspects reversed the tricycle and sped off. The team, upon suspicion, went after them till they got to the Chevron Clinic Road in Warri. The hoodlums opened fire on the policemen and the team responded. In the process, one of the suspects was maimed, while others escaped. The injured suspect was taken to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment, he said. Mr Edafe said a locally made cut-to-size gun with six live cartridges and two expended cartridges were recovered. He said the police have launched a manhunt for other members of the gang. On the abduction incident, Mr Edafe said the victim was rescued on Saturday by police operatives attached to the State Anti-Cult Unit, while on special duty alongside the Sapele Divisional patrol team. He said the team flagged down a Toyota Camry with Registration Number AFM 47 AP, with three occupants, and that the driver refused to stop the vehicle. Rather, they drove against traffic in a bid to escape on the Okirigwe Road, Sapele and the police went after them. They jumped out of the vehicle and escaped into a crowded place. When the team got to the abandoned vehicle, they saw a victim tied inside the car who was kidnapped by the suspects. He was rescued unhurt and has since reunited with his family, Mr Edafe said. According to him, exhibits recovered from the suspects included a locally made short gun, cutlass, and their operational vehicle which is suspected to have been stolen. (NAN) Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has said that traffic robberies and accidents have significantly reduced following the directive on motorcycle transportation. He spoke during a chat on Channels TVs Sunday Politics programme. Commercial motorcyclists called Okada riders were banned by the governor from plying in six local government areas in the state Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa and nine local government councils areas. It is not the first time the government would impose the measure. In January 2020, the government banned the operation of motorcyclists in 15 local councils across the state. Significant improvement The governor said that since he gave the directive to restrict the motorcyclists in certain areas of the state, residents have written to him commending the development. Weve also seen a significant drop in accidents. You know, we dont see people being lame, you know, cutting off limbs in our hospitals again, because these were reckless driving that usually terminate peoples life, unexpectedly, he said. Weve seen tremendous improvement in that statistics to support. In terms of death drop in the last two months. At the peak of it, we saw about 550 Okada-related accidents at the peak of it in January for over a month. Now, its coming down to less than 100 direct Okada accidents that weve seen, from our hospitals. Amotekun Mr Sanwo-Olu said there is no need to replicate the Western Nigeria Security Network called Amotekun Corps in Lagos. Since its establishment in 2020, the security outfit has been operational in five states in the South-west except for Lagos. He said the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corp is a replica of the security outfit which works closely with the Nigerian Police Force. We have the Lagos State Neighbourhood Watch, which are almost 7,000 men that have been trained, that have been energized and are working day to day in the state, he said. Theres no need to reinvent the wheel. The accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the DCO was marked in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus, attended by government officials, Ambassadors, industry representatives and business organizations, and local media. H.E. Kyriacos Kokkinos, the Deputy Minister to the President for Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy said: "The Republic of Cyprus is very pleased to be joining the DCO and becoming a part of this great effort to accelerate the growth of the digital economy and build a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future for all, adding that "In the face of many challenges, and while socioeconomic global developments and technological evolutions continue to take place and evolve, international cooperation in the digital sphere is a powerful investment in our shared future." According to the Deputy Minister, Cyprus' national ambitions and strategic objectives fully align with the DCO's mission and expressed the government's great pride in being part of this exciting journey, sharing knowledge and experience with the global community. "As the first EU member state to join the DCO, and a natural crossroads between Europe, Asia, and Africa", said Mr. Kokkinos, "Cyprus aspires to act as a bridge between nations, people, and ideas, facilitating communication, collaboration, and knowledge transfer." Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO welcomed Cyprus as a new member state: "We are very pleased that the Republic of Cyprus has chosen to become the eleventh member state of the DCO, today with the leadership of Cyprus, marks a major milestone for DCO, where the 1st European nation has joined the DCO. We are focused on fostering an international ecosystem for knowledge sharing and cooperation to promote digital prosperity for all, and the accession of Cyprus is an important milestone as we grow the DCO's reach into a global organization with member states that reflect a diversity of experience and strategic approaches. "Many of the strategic initiatives that have been undertaken by Cyprus are in alignment with the DCO's own objectives, such as programs to reduce barriers for digital startups and to foster entrepreneurship; and initiatives to advance inclusion for women, youth, and other underrepresented populations in the digital economy. Cyprus is also a good example of how nations can use smart policies and strategies to create a solid foundation for an equitable digital economy, and we look forward to engaging Cypriot expertise with the rest of the DCO to share knowledge, experience, and best practice on driving digital prosperity." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1871982/Cyprus_to_DCO.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1867632/DCO_Logo.jpg SOURCE The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) Civil rights group also calls on the Biden administration to order an 'all hands on deck' federal response and ensure law enforcement has sufficient resources to stop the attacks. WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today responded to the murder of another Albuquerque Muslim by a serial shooter who has allegedly been targeting Muslims for nine months by raising its reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible to $10,000. SEE: Muslim men in Albuquerque were murdered. Police are investigating possible ties to same killer https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/05/us/albuquerque-muslim-murders/index.html Muslim men likely targeted and killed in New Mexico, police say https://www.reuters.com/world/us/muslim-men-likely-targeted-killed-new-mexico-police-say-2022-08-06/ CAIR also called on the Biden administration to take a direct role in responding to the shooting spree and ensure that law enforcement receives all the resources needed to immediately identify and stop the serial shooter. During a press conference this afternoon, the Albuquerque Police Department and federal law enforcement officials announced that a Muslim man was murdered in Albuquerque last night. The murder comes in the wake of three murders targeting Muslim men over a nine-month period, which investigators say could be connected. Law enforcement authorities also said the men may have been targeted because of "their race and religion." During today's press conference, law enforcement urged the Muslim community to be vigilant, announced an increase in police patrols near Muslim institutions, and called on members of the public to report any suspicious activity or any information they feel might be relevant to the case. WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE: https://www.facebook.com/KOBTV/videos/1144401712783272/ "This tragedy is impacting not only the Muslim community - but all Americans," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We must be united against hate and violence regardless of the race, faith or background of the victims or the perpetrators. We urge anyone with information about these crimes to come forward by contacting law enforcement." In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said: "The lives of Albuquerque Muslims are in danger. Whoever is responsible for this horrific, hateful shooting spree must be identified and stopped now." "We thank local, state and federal law enforcement for their ongoing work on this crisis, and we call the Biden administration to ensure that authorities all of the resources needed to both protect the Albuquerque Muslim community and stop those responsible for these horrific crimes before they claim more innocent lives. "We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed, and we pray that God enters them into Paradise as martyrs. We encourage Muslim communities and institutions across our nation to exercise vigilance and enhance their security while continuing to fearlessly and confidently live our faith." CAIR also announced today that is now offering an increased reward of $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murders. To submit a tip: Call (505) 843-STOP or visit the Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers website. An FBI representative at today's news conference asked anyone with information about the murders to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). Residents of Albuquerque were urged to call 242-COPS (2677). CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational Subscribe to CAIR's Email List https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed http://twitter.com/cairnational Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/cairtv Follow CAIR on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/ Donate to CAIR https://action.cair.com/a/donate Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR's work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR's advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR. If you would like join CAIR's media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters. For more information, email: [email protected], CC [email protected] CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected] SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) redeemable senior notes (the "Notes") between February 13, 2020 and June 23, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"), including the following senior redeemable notes issued by WM in May 2019: (i) 2.95% Senior Notes due 2024; (ii) 3.20% Senior Notes due 2026; (iii) 3.45% Senior Notes due 2029; and (iv) 4.00% Senior Notes due 2039, of the important August 8, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Waste Management Notes during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Waste Management class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6891 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 8, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the U.S. Department of Justice had indicated to Waste Management that it would require Waste Management to divest significantly more assets than the $200 million Antitrust Revenue Threshold; (2) as a result, the merger would not be completed by the End Date; and (3) the Notes would be subject to mandatory redemption at 101% of par. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Waste Management class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6891 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. Lucknow, Aug 7 : The 22-year-old son of former Samajwadi Party minister Shankhlal Manjhi, suffered firearm injuries at his house in Lucknow. Akash Manjhi has been admitted to RML hospital where his condition is said to be critical. DCP, East, Prachi Singh said Akash suffered injuries when he was cleaning the revolver issued in the name of his father. "The wound he suffered had entry and exit points. It meant that he suffered injuries from a close range," she said, late on Saturday night. The doctors attending Akash said his condition was critical. Tel Aviv/Gaza, Aug 7 : The UN Security Council (UNSC) is to discuss Israel's airstrikes on Gaza in a closed doors session in New York on Monday, as the death toll continued to rise, with 24 people confirmed dead and 203 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The UN's most powerful body agreed to address the attacks following requests for it to do so made by the United Arab Emirates, Ireland, France, Norway and China on Saturday, dpa news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources. Israeli forces launched Operation Breaking Dawn on Friday, a series of targeted airstrikes on Gaza that resulted in the killing of Taisir al-Jabari, a senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, among many others. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which is classified as a terrorist organization by both the European Union and the United States, is closely linked to Israel's arch-enemy Iran and is the second most powerful militia in the Gaza Strip after the ruling Hamas militant group. Fearing reprisals for al-Jabari's killing, Israel closed its border with Gaza causing a fuel shortage at Gaza's sole power plant that forced it offline on Saturday. As a result, Gaza residents are now limited to just four hours of electricity a day, compared to the previous 12, in what an energy company official described as a "catastrophic situation." The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that they were gearing up for a "week of operations" against Palestinian militants, as a barrage of retaliatory missiles were fired from Gaza towards Israel. The Israeli military said that while 190 rockets had been fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel since Friday, they had all either fallen short of Israel, landed in uninhabited areas or been intercepted by the country's Iron Dome defence system. The strikes on terrorist targets in Gaza continued on Saturday, Israel said. Three residential buildings were hit by the attacks, destroying one five-storey apartment building. Residents reported that Israeli drones fired a warning shot at the building before fighter jets attacked it. Meanwhile, five children and an adult were killed in an attack on the Jabalia refugee camp to the north of Gaza City on Saturday, according to Palestinian reports. The Israeli military denied it was responsible for the attack, however: "Based on military data, it appears that the event was due to an errant Islamic Jihad missile," the Israeli military said, adding that it had not been carrying out strikes on Jabalia at the time of the attack. A spokesperson for Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that there was video footage documenting the incident, adding: "The world should be outraged that this terror group is targeting innocent Israelis and killing innocent people in the Gaza Strip." Egypt has offered to mediate ceasefire talks between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad faction in Gaza, an Egyptian security source told dpa, adding that an Egyptian team was preparing to travel to Israel and Gaza in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Egypt has often acted as a mediator between the Israelis and Palestinians. In 2021, Cairo successfully brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, ending 11 days of fighting. Kiev, Aug 7 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the country's military for successfully mounting counter-attacks against Russian forces in the country, while also stressing the vital role played by Western weaponry in the conflict. "In the past week, the Ukrainian army had achieved powerful results in destroying the logistics of the Russian army," Zelensky said in his Saturday night video address, dpa news agency reported. "Every strike on the enemy's ammunition depots, on their command posts, on accumulations of Russian equipment saves the lives of all of us, the lives of Ukrainian military and civilians," Zelensky added. Expressing gratitude to Ukraine's Western partners for their arms deliveries, Zelensky made a point of thanking the United States in particular, following Washington's recent announcement that it would be supplying Kiev with a further $550 million of weapons. Nonetheless, the president also called on Ukraine's allies to supply the country with further military aid. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Kiev, Aug 7 : Ukraine's state nuclear agency Enerhoatom has warned against an increasing risk of fire and radiation due to the shelling of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. "The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is operating at risk of violating the norms of radiation and fire protection," the agency said on Telegram, following an attack on the site on Saturday. Shelling the previous day damaged a nitrogen plant and an auxiliary part of the power plant, dpa news agency quoted Enerhoatom as saying. "There remains a risk of hydrogen leaking and radioactive particles dispersing, and the risk of fire is also high." Ukrainian power plant personnel are trying to maintain safety levels despite these conditions but the threat due to the occupation of the power plant by Russian troops, however, remains high. The plant may have been mined by Russian troops, according to a report by The Insider which is critical of the Kremlin. A video allegedly shot at the beginning of the week showed Russian military trucks driving onto the factory site and unloading goods. One of the trucks drove into the plant's engine room. The Insider said either the power plant itself or the area around it has been mined. "The EU condemns Russia's military activities around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia's failure to respect international norms," said EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, demanding access for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the plant. On March 4, the nuclear and thermal power stations were both captured by Russian forces. The plant continues to be operated by Ukrainian staff, under Russian control. Last week, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expressed grave concerns about the physical integrity of the plant, whether all necessary repairs and maintenance were being done, and the security of nuclear material. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War New Delhi, Aug 7 : Sikhs continue to move into India as attacks on minority communities reportedly increased in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in 2021. On August 3, a group of 30 Sikhs from Afghanistan arrived India. Several Sikh families who arrived from Afghanistan since 2021 have been accommodated in Guru Arjun Dev Gurdwara in Delhi's Tilak Nagar, and are being assisted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Many of them were brought from Kabul to Delhi in private planes of Afghanistan's Kam Airlines. At present, arrangements have been made for everyone to stay by the Gurdwara committee. Most of them are Sikhs, who have been living in Afghanistan for many generations and have arrived to India leaving everything behind for the first time. IANS visited the Gurdwara here and met some Sikh refugees to know how they left their homes, businesses and arrived to India to save their lives. Dodged the Taliban by pretending to treat the childTaran Singh, who is 32-year-old, lived with his family in Jalalabad area of Afghanistan since childhood. Taran used to run a medicine shop. When the Gurudwara in Kabul was attacked and many Sikhs were killed, he also started worrying about his family. Talking to IANS, Taran Singh said that the Taliban were not allowing him to go to India. Somehow, he hired a car and left for Kabul with his family and children. On the way, when Talibani authorities asked him the reason for leaving, he told them that his child was ill and had to go to India for treatment. In this way, Taran Singh reached India from Kabul. He is happy to reach Delhi, but he is also sad to have lost his home and shop. Although he says that now he will never go back to Afghanistan. Harjit Kaur's brother and sister still stuck in AfghanistanHarjeet Kaur (30) reached Delhi on August 3 with her husband and three children. Harjeet says that since the time the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, gunmen frequently visited them and use to scare them off. Her concern for her children forced Harjeet to leave Afghanistan. She arrived here safely with eight members of her family, but her one brother, sister-in-law and sister are still in Afghanistan. Due to non-availability of visa and some other difficulties, they could not come to India. Harjeet hopes that soon the rest of his family members will also be able to reach India. Gurjit Kaur came to India with only two pairs of clothesGurjit Kaur (35) is one of the lucky ones who moved to Delhi a few months back. Gurjeet told IANS that she lived near the gurdwara in Kabul, which was targeted recently. After a bomb exploded near her house, she started worrying about her life and decided to go to India. Gurjit, the mother of five children, came to Delhi in a hurry with only two pairs of clothes. She says that she used to run a medicine shop and was born in Afghanistan. Coming to India for the first time, she now lives with her husband in New Mahavir Nagar area of Delhi, leaving behind her house, shop equipment, everything. The scenes of violence against Sikhs in Afghanistan are still fresh in Gurjit's eyes. She also says that now she will never go back to Afghanistan. * SGPC is taking careSurinder Pal Singh, member of SGPC and head of Sikh Mission Delhi, told IANS, "We have welcomed the Sikh brothers who have arrived from Afghanistan. The work of rehabilitation and other cooperation of these people is also being done by the committee. There are still about 110 Hindus and Sikhs left in Afghanistan, out of which 61 people's e-visas have been suspended." Since the the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, religious minorities, including the Sikh community, have been reportedly targeted in large numbers. This is the reason, with the support of SGPC and Centre, Afghan minorities, Sikh community and Hindus are being brought to India. On July 14 also, a batch of 21 Sikhs was brought to India by private 'Kam' airlines of Afghanistan. According to the information, there were about 700 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan by 2020, but many people left Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in August 2021. New Delhi, Aug 7 : People in Surana village of Ghaziabad's Muradnagar do not celebrate Raksha Bandhan since the 12th century as on the day of the festival Muhammad Ghori had attacked the village and killed everyone who was present there. Even the residents, who are settled outside, do not celebrate the festival. However, it is believed that a few people tried to celebrate the festival but some untoward incident happened and ever since it was seen as a curse and the festival has not been celebrated here. Surana village was earlier known as Sohangadh. As per the residents, it is said that a woman from the village survived as she was not present there when Ghori attacked. She later gave birth to two children, who along with 100 Kshatriya Ahir Ranas of Chhabria Gotra (lineage) returned to the village and resettled there. The village following the resettlement was given the new name 'Surana' -- twisted form of Sohrana (100 Ranas). According to Mahavir Singh Yadav, a local resident, in 1206, on the day of Raksha Bandhan, Mohammad Ghori had attacked the village, and destroyed it completely. However, at the time of invasion, Jaskaur, a woman from the village, had gone to her maternal house. She was pregnant, and later she gave birth to two children -- Lucky and Chunda. Both the children after growing up returned to the village and got resettled there. They were accompanied by 100 Kshatriya Ahir Ranas of Chhabria Gotra. The total population of the village today is around 22,000, and most of the residents do not celebrate Raksha Bandhan, because they are from Chhabria Gotra and they consider this day as a bad omen. Even those who came to reside here later have also started following this tradition. Another resident, Chhabria Rahul Surana told IANS that no person of the Gotra celebrates the festival of Raksha Bandhan. "Son Singh Rana, a descendant of Prithviraj Chauhan, who came from Rajasthan hundreds of years ago, had camped on the banks of the Hindon river. While Prithviraj Chauhan was held captive by Ghori, he received information that the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan live in Sohangadh and decided to attack Sohangadh on the day of Raksha Bandhan... In the attack women, children, old aged people, and youth -- everyone was crushed to death under the feet of elephants by Ghori's army." As per the residents' belief, Ghori attacked this village many times. But every time his army went "blind" while entering the village as "there deity used to protect the village. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the deity went for a bath in the Ganga river and Ghori successfully invaded the village". Renu Yadav, the head of the village, says that, "It is an old tradition here that Raksha Bandhan is not celebrated. The total population of Chhabria Gotra is about 8,000 who do not celebrate this Raksha Bandhan. However, people from other lineages, who came from outside, celebrate the festival." Latest updates on Raksha Bandhan 2022 Rome, Aug 7 : The Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican suggested that Pope Francis might soon visit the war-torn country. Ukraine has been waiting for the head of the Catholic Church since Russian launched its ongoing war on February 24, Andrii Yurash said in a tweet following an audience with the Pope, adding they would be happy to "welcome him before his trip to Kazakhstan", dpa news agency reported. The Pope is planning a three-day trip to Kazakhstan on September 13. The Vatican did not make public any details of the conversation with Yurash, but only confirmed the meeting on Saturday. The Ambassador, on the other hand, reported that Francis had underlined his closeness to the Ukrainian people and expressed the willingness to show this in a visit. Since the war began, Pope Francis has said several times that he would like to visit Ukraine to promote peace. However, he has been plagued by a knee injury for some time that has often forced him to use a wheelchair, so it seems unlikely he would make a long train journey to Kiev, for example. Flights are still impossible to the capital of Ukraine. On returning from a recent trip to Canada, the Pope said while he still wanted to travel, trips might have to be planned on a slightly smaller scale in the future. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Meerut, Aug 7 : In yet another incident within a month, a pitbull attacked and critically injured a teenager who is currently hospitalised. The last incident come after a pitbull had mauled its 82-year-old owner to death in Lucknow last month. According to reports, the teenager, Salim, was working as an apprentice at a shop in Mawana area, owned by one Saurabh. The dog was tied at the gate of the house at around 6 p.m. on Saturday. As soon as Salim got up to leave, the dog attacked him on the face and throat. Locals had to use a screwdriver to open the dog's mouth and free Salim. After the incident, the dog also bit and injured his owner's son when the latter tried to control him. The owner has fled after locking the house. Circle Officer (CO) Uday Pratap Singh said that the sub-divisional magistrate has been informed of the incident. Vienna, Aug 7 : The Austrian justice and security authorities plan to take a tougher stance on online hate speech following the suicide of a doctor who was bombarded with death threats for her advocacy for vaccines against Covid-19. Justice Minister Alma Zadic plans to work with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to give every police department and public prosecutor's office the necessary resources and tools to take all victims seriously and bring perpetrators to justice without undue delay, dpa news agency reported. "These investigations often take too long, which is of course extremely stressful for victims," she said on Saturday. Her comments came a day after Austrian officials said they would work with German prosecutors to search for those who made death threats on social media against Lisa-Maria Kellermayr, a 36-year old doctor who died by suicide. The doctor, who was vocal in the fight against the pandemic, was subjected to a wave of death threats from critics of government containment measures. She was found dead in her practice just over a week ago. The Austrian authorities have been accused of failing to provide sufficient support. Meanwhile investigations are continuing in Germany after a man's home was searched in Bavaria on Friday. Istanbul, Aug 7 : A second ship carrying Ukrainian grain exports has been inspected off Istanbul and is now cleared to proceed through the Bosporus Strait to its final destination, the Turkish Defence Ministry said. The Navi Star, sailing under the flag of Panama and carrying 33,000 tonnes of maize, is bound for Ireland after checks by an international team from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN, reports dpa news agency. The Navi Star is one of the three vessels that left Ukraine's Black Sea ports of Odesa on Friday, after an agreement that has been widely hailed as a sign of hope in the conflict. The initial three vessels are reportedly carrying 57,000 tonnes of maize in total. Last week, the first grain cargo ship to leave a Ukrainian port since the Russian invasion in February, the Razoni, was inspected in Istanbul, before proceeding to the Lebanese port of Tripoli. Under the deal agreed in July to lift Russia's months-long blockade of the ports, Ukraine pledged to guide the ships through waters that have been mined and Moscow promised to not target the ships and certain port infrastructure. The deal's brokers, the UN and Turkey, are helping safely coordinate the exports and monitoring the shipments to make sure the vessels are not smuggling weapons into the war zone. The shipments are seen as essential for stabilizing grain prices on global markets amid fears of famine in the Middle East and Africa. Experts, however, warned shipping the millions of tonnes of blockaded grain from Ukrainian ports in time is barely possible as the new harvest begins. There are growing calls for alternative export routes to be found as a return to pre-war levels of Ukrainian exports remains challenging despite the re-opening of maritime routes. Ukraine, known as the breadbasket of Europe, was the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil; the third largest exporter of rapeseed and barley; the fourth largest exporter of maize; and the fifth largest exporter of wheat before Russia began its ongoing invasion in February. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War New Delhi, Aug 7 : Adoption of fastag by travellers in the country has recorded a significant rise following the declaration of all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as FASTag Lane. Recent data from the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways showed that fastag penetration surged from nearly 16 % in 2017-18 to 96.3 % in 2021-22. The total toll collection during 2017-18 was Rs 21,948 crore including Rs 3532 crore collected through fastag. However, in 2021-22, toll collection through fastags increased sharply. While the total toll collection was Rs 34,535 crore, toll collected through fastag stood at Rs 33,274 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has declared all lanes of National Highways fee plazas as "FASTag Lane of fee plaza" with effect from midnight of 15th/16th Feb 2021. Any vehicle not fitted with functional FASTag shall be charged twice the applicable user fee at NH toll plazas. "As per reports available from various National Highway user fee plazas, approximately 97% of user fee is being paid through fastag only. At present, six fee plazas on National Highways are allowing user fee payment through cash mode, citing viability and low traffic flow," said a government official. Moreover, various measures have been undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India from time-to-time to reduce and eliminate occurrence of any incorrect deduction through fastag at user fee plazas. Like, to enable near-real time processing of fastag transactions at fee plazas on National Highways, the authority mandated for implementation of Interface Control Document (ICD 2.5) at all fee plazas. As per an Impact Assessment study in the year 2021, use of fastag has resulted in estimated fuel savings of around 35 crore litres per year equivalent to more than Rs 2,800 crore per year in fuel savings due to reduced idling of vehicles at fee plazas. As per the Impact Assessment study, an estimated 9,78,200+ tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission has been reduced through adoption of fastag at fee plazas along National Highways and selected State Highways. Recently, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said in Parliament that the government is looking at new technologies to replace toll plazas in the country. The ministry of road transport is now searching for two options -- a satellite-based toll system where the GPS will be in the car and the toll will be directly subtracted from the driver's bank account. The other option is through number plates. The minister said that the government has not taken any final decision on this yet and the best available technology will be selected for this. In the number plate technology, there will be no toll plaza, instead, there will be a sophisticated computerised digital system and it will also help in getting rid of long queues. Gadkari said that to implement such a system the government will have to also introduce a Bill in Parliament to enforce penalties when road users fail to pay toll. As per the Impact Assessment study on the fastag programme, fee transaction processing time has reduced by 56% due to implementation of the fastag system at fee plazas which is enabling a fee plaza operator to process 148 additional vehicles per hour per lane translating to a 130% increase in productivity compared to the manual fee collection system. Officials said that all fee plazas including identified high traffic plazas are regularly monitored through live video feeds from these fee plazas at the Command and Control Center set up at the NHAI headquarters. Taipei, Aug 7 : China continued its controversial military exercises around Taiwan on Sunday, in what is due to be the last day of the manoeuvres that have considerably increased tensions in the region following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei. Taiwan's military reported that 20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 warships had taken part in Saturday's exercises, with Chinese drones again observed over the Taiwan-administered island of Kinmen, which lies just 10 km from the port city of Xiamen on the Chinese mainland, reports dpa news agency. According to experts, there have been no Chinese overflights of the island, also known as Quemoy, since the 1950s. Also on Saturday, the Defence Ministry in Taipei had said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is performing "what it believed to be a simulation of an attack on Taiwan's main island". In response, Taiwan's military had sent aircraft, radioed warnings and mobilised missile defence systems to track the Chinese military aircraft. The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's government agency on policy dealings with Beijing, strongly protested China's simulation, asking to immediately stop the irresponsible provocation. The Chinese leadership in Beijing launched the manoeuvres in response to Pelosi's visit early last week. The exercises represent China's biggest display of military strength since missile exercises carried out in the mid-1990s led the US to send two aircraft carriers to the Taiwan Strait. China has long claimed Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, and has threatened to retake the island by force should it attempt to declare independence. The Taiwanese, however, have long seen themselves as a separate nation. Hyderabad, Aug 7 : With a likely three-cornered contest, the by-election to Munugode Assembly seat may indicate the direction in which the wind is blowing in Telangana ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled next year. The decision of Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy to resign both from the Congress party as well as the Assembly and switch loyalties to the BJP will pave the way for the by-election as a prelude to the big battle. The saffron party will be looking to repeat the success of Dubbak and Huzurabad by-elections to consolidate its position in the run-up to 2023 polls. The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is likely to go all out to halt BJP's march. The Congress party will also be keen to regain the lost ground and gear up for the big test. Political observers say the by-election offered another opportunity to all the three key political forces in the state to demonstrate their strength. Given the results of four Assembly by-elections held since 2018, Munugode may be a challenge for the Congress party in its former stronghold of Nalgonda district. With speculation doing rounds in political circles that Rajagopal Reddy's brother and MP Venkat Reddy may also quit the Congress and join the BJP, Congress party is likely to face an acid test. The by-election will be a litmus test personally for state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy as Komatireddy brothers have been his bitter critics. Venkat Reddy has already taken exception to certain remarks made by Revanth Reddy while targeting his remarks and even sought an apology for him. Under attack from his critics within the party over his style of functioning, Revanth Reddy will be under big pressure to deliver and give a befitting counter to Komatireddy brothers on their home turf. Revanth Reddy has already come under attack from rivals within the party for failing to save party candidate's deposit in the Huzurabad by-election. This was the first bypoll since he took over as the TPCC chief last year. Given the significance of the Munugode by-election, the Congress party swiftly acted to hold a public meeting in the constituency. Through the meeting addressed by Revanth Reddy, the party tried to show that despite Rajagopal Reddy's resignation the cadre remained loyal to the party. Revanth Reddy lashed out at Rajagopal, accusing him of mortgaging the self-respect of the people of Telangana and the Congress at the feet of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He alleged that Rajagopal Reddy is joining BJP as the saffron party has given his company contracts worth Rs 21,000 crore. "For these contracts, Rajagopal mortgaged the self-respect of the 91,000 voters who cast their votes for him, and Amma Sonia Gandhi who gave him the party ticket to contest," he said The public meeting was addressed by top Congress leaders K. Jana Reddy, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and R. Damodar Reddy, Venkat Reddy was conspicuous by his absence. Some of the Congress leaders demanded Venkat Reddy prove his loyalty by campaigning against his brother or leave the party. Political analysts say internal differences in the party and the latest resignation by party's national spokesman Dasoju Sravan over Revanth's style of functioning could add to the worries of TPCC chief. After failing to retain Huzurnagar seat in 2019 and wrest Nagarjuna Sagar from TRS last year, the Congress party is desperate for a win. The by-election in Huzurnagar was caused by the resignation of Uttam Kumar Reddy after he was elected to Lok Sabha in 2019 while Nagarjuna Sagar seat fell vacant after the demise of sitting legislator of TRS. Both the seats were won by the TRS. The Congress party, which lost a dozen MLAs to TRS after 2018 elections, fared badly in the by-elections for Dubbak and Huzurabad, which were wrested by BJP from TRS. BJP's Raghunandan Rao had won Dubbak in 2020 by a narrow margin of 1,079 votes against TRS candidate S. Sujatha, widow of S. Ramalinga Reddy whose death had caused the by-poll. BJP had polled 63,352 votes while the TRS secured 62,273 votes. The Congress' Cheruku Srinivas Reddy finished third with 22,196 votes. In the 2018 elections, TRS had won the seat by a margin of 62,500 votes. The Congress had finished runners-up with 26,799 votes while the BJP's Raghunandan Rao came third with 22,595 votes. This victory gave new confidence to the BJP, which had won just one seat in the 119-member Assembly in the 2018 elections. The saffron party started projecting itself as the only viable alternative to TRS. However, the party suffered a humiliating defeat in Nagarjuna Sagar in May last year. TRS retained the seat with its candidate Nomula Bhagat defeating veteran Congress leader K. Jana Reddy by over 18,000 votes. The TRS candidate polled 89,804 votes while Jana Reddy secured 70,932 votes. BJP's Ravi Kumar Naik could get only 7,676 votes and forfeited his deposit. However, the BJP received a shot in the arm after Eatala Rajender joined its rank after he was dropped from the state Cabinet by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao following allegations that he encroached lands of some farmers. Rajender resigned from the Huzurabad seat and contested the by-election as BJP candidate. Riding on the popularity of Rajender in the constituency, BJP won the by-election, dealing a big blow to TRS. Rajender defeated his nearest rival Gellu Srinivas Yadav of TRS by 24,068 votes. Rajender polled 1,06,780 votes while Srinivas Yadav secured 82,712 votes. The Congress party candidate garnered only 3,012 votes and lost the deposit. It was a disaster for the Congress, which had secured 47,803 votes in 2018, to finish runners-up. BJP now hopes that like Rajender, Rajagopal Reddy will give the party a big victory in Munugode to bolster its prospects in the next year's elections. Given the significance of the by-election for their Mission 2023, the saffron party is likely to rope in top Central leaders. The conduct of the party's national executive in Hyderabad last month and a massive public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda has already boosted the morale of BJP cadres in the state. Sensing a real chance to turn Telangana as its second gateway to South India after Karnataka, the BJP is likely to go all out for a win in Munugode. The ruling TRS, on the other hand, will be looking to stop the saffron march. Learning from the mistakes in Dubbaka and Huzurabad, the TRS is likely to come out with a new strategy. Bhopal, Aug 7 : Spread over 344 square km. Kuno National Park located in Sheopur and Morena districts of Gwalior-Chambal division in Madhya Pradesh, is getting ready to welcome the first batch of cheetahs from two African countries - South Africa and Namibia. The Union government signed the MoU with Namibia last month in New Delhi, and if all goes as per the plan, four to eight cheetahs are likely to arrive in the first lot before August 15. However, Madhya Pradesh Wildlife was yet to receive a confirmed date from the Centre. These African cheetahs will be brought to India under a translocation project. In India, the project is being managed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Union Environment Ministry. As per the wildlife officials in Madhya Pradesh, cheetahs from Namibia will be flown to South Africa and then to Delhi. After that they will be flown to Gwalior, subsequently they will be taken to Kuno national park via road. The official said that the animal will return to a wild enclosure in India 69 years after the last recorded cheetah was hunted down in what is now Chhattisgarh in 1952. Meanwhile, authorities at Kuno have finalised preparations but the presence of three leopards in the enclosure of cheetahs is creating problems for them. The old dweller of the forest (leopards) doesn't seem ready to share space with the foreigners. Sources said the forest officials are scrambling to get things ready for the translocation, at least six leopards have been trapped so far. "Unless these leopards are evicted, the cheetahs cannot be brought in. Leopards are much larger than cheetahs and are known to injure or even kill them. Drop-door cages with goats have been used but only two cubs were caught and released outside the enclosure," said a wildlife official. Officials in Kuno National Park told IANS that a 12 km-long and 9-feet high fence with electric overhangs and a 24x7 CCTV watch, will give the cheetahs some degree of protection as they settle into their new home. Experts associated with the project say some conflict between leopards and cheetahs is inevitable, but the fenced off enclosure will give the cheetahs a level of protection during their most vulnerable time as they come to terms with their new home. "We were trying to shift the leopards naturally but now our priority is to shift them as soon as possible. The trap has been installed but the leopards are eluding the forest officials. Now, the forest officials will tranquilise the animals to remove them from the enclosure of 500 hectares," said JS Chauhan, principal chief conservator of forests in Madhya Pradesh. He added, "Other preparations including the arrangement of water and shifting of prey base of at least 100 deer have also been finalised." Experts said the African cheetahs would be quarantined for at least two weeks, which is called a 'soft release.' During this period their health and activities will be closely monitored. The second process is called a 'hard release', during which cheetahs will be set free to move into the forest. Mumbai, Aug 7 : Akin to that tiny village in ancient Gaul which rattled the Romans in the fictional world of Asterix and Obelix, Satara's freedom hero, Nana Ramchandra Pisal, alias 'Kranti Simha Nana Patil', unnerved the mighty British Raj with his unique 'Prati Sarkar (Alternative Government) Movement' in the 1940s in Maharashtra. It was a parallel regime by all counts which needled the British for several years - as it was launched soon after Mahatma Gandhi's historic 'Quit India' call in Bombay on August 8, 1942. "Nana Patil and his band of followers took it to heart and 'clamped' down on the foreign rulers in Satara, in one of the most radical rebellions in the country... resulting in police firing at 5 places, killing 11 patriots," noted scholar from Kolhapur, Prof. (Dr.) Maya Pandit, the ex Pro Vice Chancellor of the prestigious EFL University, Hyderabad, told IANS. Though the British brutally quelled the rebellion with support of local armies of feudal lords, thugs and criminals, it continued for around 3 years and represented the common Indian's tremendous craving for freedom and later Nana Patil re-ignited the fires in the masses' hearts, she said. Nana Patil (August 3, 1900-December 6, 1976), initially worked with the Congress and post-Independence with the Peasants & Workers Party, was given a Communist Party of India (CPI) ticket and elected MP from his birthplace Satara (1957) and Beed (1967). At the age of 19, he plunged into social service through Prarthana Samaj - founded in 1867 by Dr. Atmaram Pandurang of Mumbai (who also co-founded the Bombay Natural History Society in September 1883) and fought against superstitions and harmful traditions. Later, Nana Patil joined the Satyashodhak Samaj - launched in September 1873, by the legendary reformer, Mahatma Jyotirao G. Phule - and fought to eradicate social evils like dowry, child marriages, and rigid caste system, and to encourage girls' education. Founding the Hindustan Republican Association, he retreated underground for 3 years in 1929, and suffered at least 8 jail terms between 1932-1942, for his 'direct attacks' on the colonial rulers and sometime along the route, earned the nickname of 'Kranti Simha' (Revolutionary Lion) Nana Patil. Prof. Pandit said the Prati Sarkar Movement was "rare" as it challenged the established and repressive power structures, aimed at creating a new society led by peasants and workers and sans exploitation in the name of class, caste, religion or gender. "Nana Patil was inspired by the legendary Bhagat Singh, the struggles against the German fascist forces of Adolf Hitler in Europe, and concluded that to win against the British, he should identify and target its 'power centres' and raze them," she said. Accordingly, he formed a disciplined band of youth called 'Toofan Sena' (Storm Army), that attacked police stations, locked up the cops, grabbed their weapons, pounced on British government treasury boxes sent in trains or buses for salaries of its staffers and used it to finance its own revolutionary activities, torched bus or railway stations, etc. all of which struck terror among the rulers. The Toofan Sainiks swooped on cruel money-lenders - not unlike Kanhaiyalal's portrayal of the cut-throat Sukhi Lala in "Mother India" (1957) - looted their ill-gotten wealth, burnt loan documents of farmers and unilaterally declared them 'debt-free', on the lines of the All India Kisan Sabha's vision, said the current AIKS President Dr. Ashok Dhawale. "Nana Patil's 'Prati Sarkar' was like a regime that 'functioned' - it took up public demands and forthwith implemented them, instilling huge confidence among the downtrodden villagers and farmers, and even shared the plundered booty with them," he said. Prof. Pandit said Prati Sarkar Movement in Satara - then a huge region - addressed burning social subjects by targeting caste system, promoting inter-caste marriages and widow remarriages, prohibition, release of prisoners, encouraged art and culture, and organised 'Jalsas' (festivals) of dance and music to bring out the creative aspects among the people. "It communicated with the masses in their own lingo, propagated the ideals of Karl Marx, V.I. Lenin, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar... It had a profound impact and at the height of the British Rule, the Indian tricolour fluttered over all homes and village offices for months together," she said. The duo explained how the Prati Sarkar Movement was not just a fly-by-night operation, but had a strong foundation guided by scientific thinking and mirroring peoples' sentiments. It had all the organs of a new, workable state, a committed army expert in guerrilla warfare against the British, a treasury to finance various public upliftment programmes, an organising committee to oversee the implementation of these initiatives, a strong justice delivery system, a panel to communicate and spread genuine news among the masses, schools to train the cadres of which the most popular was the Toofan Sena, and other aspects of ideal governance. Nana Patil continued the traditions in Independent India, helping the cause of farmers, joining the liberation movements of Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Goa, and became the AIKS President in 1955. "The struggles against exploitation continue even today, like the recent (2020-2021) nationwide farmers movement, and Nana Patil's traditions stand out against the backdrop of the terribly regressive and increasingly fascistic state in India now," rued Dr. Dhawale. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) New Delhi, Aug 7 : India's smart home security camera market grew 116 per cent (year-on-year) as consumers are now more concerned about safety inside their premises, a new report has said. The smart home security camera grew 7 per cent (on-quarter) in Q2 2022 (April-June period), according to latest research from Counterpoint Research. The growth was driven by increasing consumer interest, greater concerns over security, shift from traditional security cameras, and brands' marketing push through discounts and promotions. "The growing consumer interest in smart home security cameras is a result of various factors, including ease of use, availability of smart features, and affordability," said research analyst Varun Gupta. The pricing of these devices has been a key to the success of the smart camera market as most brands are offering devices below Rs 2,500, which is less than the conventional camera systems, he added. The top three brands captured 74 per cent share in Q2. There was a push towards offline retail channels by leading brands such as Xiaomi, EZVIZ, Imou, Qubo and CpPlus. Xiaomi's shipments doubled in Q2 due to an increase in demand for home security cameras and better brand outreach through promotional events. realme registered a 74 per cent growth due to good performance by its Home Cam 360o. The brand is expanding its offline presence and is expected to refresh its portfolio soon amid strong demand. The smart home security camera market is expected to grow over 50 per cent this year, due to the continuous efforts by brands to make these devices available offline, special discount schemes and launch of value-for-money devices. "In addition to this, we also expect the entry of new brands to build their position in this untapped market," said senior research Analyst Anshika Jain. In terms of applications, the indoor security camera market will witness a jump due to demand coming from working professionals resuming work at offices after the work-from-home routine during the pandemic, she added. The major hurdle to mass adoption of these cameras is the lack of consumer awareness. "Brands need to focus on setting up experience zones and providing some sort of bundled offers with other smart home products to market these products in a better way," Jain noted. New Delhi, Aug 7 : India reported 18,738 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, a marginal decline from the previous day's count of 19,406, said the Union Health Ministry on Sunday. In the same period, the country reported 40 more Covid deaths, taking the nationwide death toll to 5,26,689. Meanwhile, the active caseload has marginally risen to 1,34,933 cases, accounting for 0.31 per cent of the country's total positive cases. The recovery of 18,558 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,34,84,110. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.50 per cent. Meanwhile, India's daily positivity rate has marginally risen to 5.02 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate currently also stands at 4.63 per cent. Also in the same period, a total of 3,72,910 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 87.79 crore. As of Sunday morning, India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 206.21 crore, achieved via 2,73,73,255 sessions Over 3.94 crore adolescents have been administered with a first dose of Covid-19 jab since the beginning of vaccination drive for this age bracket. Washington, Aug 7 : Indiana's latest legislation on abortion "institutes a near-total abortion ban" in the US state, said the White House, calling it a "devastating step". Indiana became the first state to pass a restrictive law against abortion since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade legislation in June and eliminated women's constitutional right to abortion, reports Xinhua news agency. Under the law passed on Friday and due to take effect on September 15, abortions in Indiana will be allowed only before 10 weeks post-fertilisation in cases of rape or incest, to save the mother's life, and if a foetus has a lethal anomaly. Without Roe v. Wade, states are allowed to impose their own legislation on the medical procedure. "Congress should also act immediately to pass a law restoring the protections of Roe," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Saturday. Since the Supreme Court abortion ruling, at least nine states have instituted a near-total ban on the procedure, with the only exception being danger to the life of the mother. Other states are now scrambling to protect abortion access amid legal challenges, while abortion clinics are struggling to navigate patchworks of new laws. Tel Aviv, Aug 7 : Israel's army on Sunday announced that it has targeted another military chief from the militant organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip. Islamic Jihad's southern commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike in the city of Rafah, dpa news agency quoted the military announcement as saying. Two other senior PIJ members were also killed, including Mansour's deputy, it said. "In recent days Mansour worked to carry out an anti-tank missile and rocket attack at Israel and was responsible for the planning of a terror attack in Israel along the border with Gaza which was thwarted by the IDF," the statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. It said he was also responsible for terror attacks in the past. The Israeli military had launched the large-scale operation dubbed "Breaking Dawn" against the PIJ on Friday. The military chief Taisir al-Jabari and other PIJ members were killed. The group, which is closely linked to Israel's arch-enemy Iran, is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the US. On Saturday night, the army attacked several targets in the Gaza Strip. Israeli border towns on the edge of the Gaza Strip were again on rocket alert on Sunday morning. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 29 people have died since Friday, and at least 253 have been injured. Among the dead are six children and four women, in addition to other PIJ members. Israel blames PIJ for the deaths of five children and one adult in the Jabalia refugee camp. According to the military, they were killed by a misguided jihadi rocket. Washington, Aug 7 : The US has accused Beijing of "provocative" and "irresponsible" actions after Taiwan said China rehearsed an attack on the island. Taiwan said it responded to the Chinese drills, now in their fourth day, by deploying aircraft and ships on Sunday, the BBC reported. The heightened tensions follow a trip to Taiwan by a US delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China views the visit as a challenge to its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, which sees itself as distinct. Taiwan's defence ministry said Chinese ships and planes carried out missions in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, with some crossing the median line, an unofficial buffer separating the two sides, the BBC reported. Speaking to reporters in Taipei, premier Su Tseng-chang accused China of "arrogantly" using the exercises to disrupt regional stability and appealed for restraint from the Chinese side. Beijing has not commented on the latest exercises, but its four-day long series of military drills in the air and seas around Taiwan are expected to finish on Sunday. Washington has accused China of escalating tensions. "These activities are a significant escalation in China's efforts to change the status quo. They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation," a White House spokesperson said. "They are also at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is what the world expects." China said Pelosi's visit "seriously threatened" peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Lucknow, Aug 7 : In politics, horoscopes are not matched necessarily but circumstances often bring out similarities between politicians even though they may not tread the same path. Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary in charge of Congress in Uttar Pradesh, have developed a style of working that is strikingly similar and so is the outcome. "They are almost twinning when it comes to politics. Both had a sea of opportunities before them but they seem to destroying the legacy they inherited. Their parties are nose diving ever since they took," said R.K. Singh, a senior political analyst. The most common complaint against Akhilesh and Priyanka is their inaccessibility to party workers. Akhilesh, for reasons best known to him, keep the gates of his home and office firmly shut for party workers and meets only those who are members of his coterie. A senior SP MLA says: "It is much more difficult to meet Akhilesh Yadav than it is to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Even during the Assembly elections, I left several messages with his office but was not given time. This kind of behaviour of a political leader, one is leader a political party, is detrimental to party interests and also a major reason for discontent." Party leaders also blame Akhilesh's coterie of being arrogant. Recently, Abdullah Azam, son of SP leader Mohd Azam Khan, expressed his displeasure over the comments made by a party spokesman Udaiveer Singh, known for his proximity to Akhilesh. "I have noticed a statement by a spokesperson of the SP. These are the people responsible for SP's ruin. I request them to comment only as per their level, and not attempt to bring in Azam Khan saheb... or else many things would worsen," he said in a tweet. If Akhilesh's 'coterie' is in the line of fire in SP, it is Priyanka's 'team' that has led to widespread resentment in the state Congress. Priyanka's personal secretary Sandeep Singh and others are known for their arrogance and misbehaviour with party workers. Their audio clips where conversations are interspersed with abusive language are made viral of the party's WhatsApp groups with an alarming frequency. "This team serves as a barrier between Priyanka and party workers. No one can meet Priyanka without the sanction of her team and, therefore, she is completely inaccessible for party workers now. Even in Delhi, she meets only those who have permission form Sandeep Singh. She has not visited UP in recent months," said a former Congress MLA. Another factor that is common between Akhilesh and Priyanka is their disdain for senior leaders in the party. Both have completely sidelined veterans and are pinning their hopes on younger leaders who are not even familiar with the party ideology. In the SP, veterans who belong to the Mulayam Singh era are nowhere to be seen. Leaders like Ambica Chaudhary, Om Prakash Singh, Narad Rai are biding their time in the wings. In the Uttar Pradesh Congress, former UPCC presidents like Nirmal Khatri, Shri Prakash Jaiswal, Arun Kumar Singh Munna, Raj Babbar have been pushed into oblivion and the remaining have been expelled from the party. As a result, the two parties are rapidly losing ground by the day. Under Akhilesh's leadership, the SP has lost the 2017 Assembly, 2019 Lok Sabha and 2022 Assembly elections. The Congress has already hit rock bottom ever since Priyanka took over the reins in 2019. What worries party workers is the fact that the two leaders refuse to see the writing on the wall. They continue to wage political battles on social media and have disconnected themselves from ground realities. New Delhi, Aug 7 : The BJP is all set to intensify its attack against the Arvind Kejriwal government over the controversial now withdrawn excise policy and demand the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after 'Har Ghar Tiranga' programme ends on August 15. The Delhi BJP has planned to hold a protest outside the Chief Minister's official residence to demand the sacking of Sisodia from the government and the party. The protest will be led by Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, and all the party MPs and MLAs from the city will participate. Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena has already recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22. Later, the Kejriwal government withdrew the policy. Delhi BJP vice president Virendra Sachdeva told IANS that the recent development shows that there was huge scam in the new excise policy brought out by the Kejriwal government last year and the action by L-G has established that corruption took place in its implementation. "First L-G recommended the CBI inquiry followed by withdrawal of policy by the Kejriwal government. On Saturday, L-G ordered suspension of 11 senior officials over the serious lapses in the implementation of the excise policy, showing that a huge scam took place. After the CBI inquiry, Sisodia will be sent behind the bars for his involvement like Satyendra Jain," Sachdeva said. Delhi BJP vice president said that the party will intensify its protest to put pressure on the chief minister to remove Sisodia from his cabinet. "We have been opposing the excise policy since day one and continue our protest till Sisodia is not removed from the post of minister. We will hold protests across Delhi and it will intensify after the end of 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign on August 15," Sachdeva added. Sisodia, meanwhile, on Saturday said that he has written to the CBI over the changing stands of former L-G Anil Baijal on opening of liquor shops in the unauthorised colonies. "Why was the decision changed 48 hours before when all liquor shops were set to open last year in November? Who benefited and under whose pressure the L-G reversed its decision, all these should be answered," Sisodia had said. Chennai, Aug 7 : Farmers in Tamil Nadu's Erode district are up in arms against the discharge of industrial effluents into the water bodies. Farmers and activists have already raised complaints with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board against the discharge. According to the farmers of Perundurai taluk, water bodies in Sullimedu, Odaikkatur, and Palatholuvu villages that are near the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) have different colours because of the discharge of effluents. The activists said that the Palatholuvu pond comes under the Atthikadavu Avinashi drinking water and irrigation scheme and that the project will be completed soon. The farmers are worried that if the contaminated and polluted water reaches the pond, then the efforts of many years will go waste as the contaminated water will not be fit for drinking. Muthukrishnan, an activist and farmer at Palatholuvu in Erode district while speaking to IANS said, "The water bodies in this area face the issue of industrial effluents being discharged and during the rainy season this increases. Several industries are discharging polluted water into the common sewage canals at night. We have filed several complaints to the TNPCB, but there is no action and we will be forced to conduct protest marches and blockade of roads if no solution is found at the earliest. And this can turn into a law and order issue if not properly sorted out." A senior official with the TNPCB while speaking to IANS, however, said the SIPCOT industries have proper sewage treatment plants and that the department was checking whether any leakage was taking place from them. New Delhi, Aug 7 : Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will on Sunday inaugurate Akasa Air's first commercial flight that will operate on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. Earlier, on July 22, India's newest airline Akasa Air on Friday opened ticket bookings for its first commercial flights with an initial network in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kochi. Initially, Akasa Air, whose airline code is QP, will launch its operations by offering 28 weekly flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad starting August 7, 2022. Earlier, in July this year, the ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline received the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Akasa Air would fly between Mumbai to Ahmedabad on August 7, on its inaugural day, and would later expand the routes to Bengaluru-Kochi (August 12 onwards), Bengaluru-Mumbai (August 19 onwards), Bengaluru-Ahmedabad (August 23 onwards). Akasa's network strategy will be to connect metro cities with smaller towns across India. The network will expand in a phased manner and connect more cities as the airline has planned to add two aircraft each month in the first year. "We are extremely excited to finally be able to offer up our flights for sale. We are also excited to reveal our product which promises to be unlike anything experienced in the category thus far. With Akasa employees providing warm and efficient customer service, a reliable and dependable network, and affordable fares - we look forward to serving our customers with a flying experience that I am sure they will find delightful", Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air, had said earlier. New Delhi, Aug 7 : Amid discussions about cabinet expansion in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is in the national capital where he will attend the NITI Aayog meeting on Sunday. After reaching Delhi on Saturday, Shinde said that he is visiting the national capital to attend the NITI Aayog meeting. More than 35 days have passed after Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took the oath of office but cabinet is yet to be expanded. However as per sources, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are already in the capital and may discuss cabinet expansion with the bigwigs of the BJP. It is being said that list of ministers has been made and approval of BJP high command has to be taken for allotting departments. On June 30, rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena under the leadership of Shinde have formed government with BJP's support. But they are they are under constant attack of opposition over non-expansion of the cabinet till now. Issue of membership of rebel MLAs is also pending in the Supreme Court. It is being said that the new cabinet can be formed before August 15. Birmingham, Aug 7 : You have heard about Eric the Eel and Eddie the Eagle. Now add the name of Rosefelo Siosi to the list of underdogs that got cheered by jam-packed stadiums even as they trundled to the finish line -- dead last among the competitors and long after everyone else has completed his race. On Saturday, the packed Alexander Stadium here cheered Rosefelo Siosi of the Solomon Islands at the Commonwealth Games as he completed the Men's 5000m race in 17 minutes 28.93s seconds, more than four minutes after Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo won the gold medal. Kiplimo won the race in 13 minutes 08.08 seconds, upstaging two Kenyans in the last few seconds, and producing a superb kick in the final lap. But even as the race winners were celebrating, Siosi, who was lapped once by the medal winners, went on with his race, completing more than two laps. The crowd rose in support as he passes them on his way to the finish line, reminding the people of Eric Moussambani, the Equatoguinean swimmer nicknamed Eric the Eel by the media during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 when he swam his heat of the 100m freestyle in 1:52.72, which is now officially recognised as the slowest time ever, and Eddie the Eagle, who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1928 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping, finishing last in the Normal Hill and Large Hill events. This is not the first brush with fame for Rosefelo Siosi, who had finished the Men's 5000m Round 1 at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in 48th place after he crossed the finish line in 15 min 47.76 seconds. Asked about the reaction of the spectators who cheered him as he finished, Siosi said, "It was good to hear." About competing at Birmingham 2022, the 25-year-old amateur runner from the Solomon Islands, who does not even have a synthetic track to practice, said, "This is my first international competition in five years. I promised myself to run in the Commonwealth Games and to run in a good time as preparation for the Pacific Games next year. "This is the start of it. I will train hard, do a lot of work and another high-star goal for me is the 2024 Olympics." Asked why he took time off from running, Siosi said that was for completing his studies. "Back home I was studying so I didn't do sport. In my country, people do one thing at a time and our culture is that. I quit school to do running, so running is for after school." Talking about the lack of facilities back home in the Solomon Islands, Siosi said they will soon be getting their first running track. "Facilities back home are not good. In May we will have the first running track." Latest updates on Commonwealth Games 2022 Mumbai, Aug 7 : Jay Zaveri says that it took him sometime to get used to his character Shanky in the show 'Appnapan Badalate Rishton Ka Bandhan'. The actor says that the role is very different from what he has played before. "Shanky is basically a friend, philosopher, guide, and business partner to Nikhil Jaisingh, who is a famous chef," Jay said. "The relationship which I shared with Nick (Cezanne Khan) is amazing, on and off screen. The character is so different from the other characters which I have played on screen. My director keeps telling me to 'bring in the shankiness to my performance'." 'Shankiness', Jay explained, means that a person can say anything, anytime without paying much heed to the situation." Jay is a tried and tested hand, having been a part of shows such as 'Meri Hanikark Biwi', 'Vighnaharta Ganesha', 'Ishq Main Marjawan' Season 2 and 'Janani'. He noted: "This character has taught me so much. I was a little skeptical in the beginning when I was doing this character. I did not like Shanky's character, his personality. I am generally a quiet person, I can't come up with jokes and I need my own time. I speak politely, respectfully." "I had a real difficulty playing this character. This is different from the other characters I have done before. This is more in the comic zone. The entire series is a family drama and Shanky is supposed to bring in a comical angle to this." When asked about the kind of roles he would like to play in the future, he said: "As an actor, I always have to be greedy. I have done characters in shows such as 'Ishq Mein Marjawan', where I played a kind of grey character. Now I am doing a comic character. People tell me that I can pull off a negative character well and I am looking forward to playing more of those in the future." Jay said he has learnt a lot from his journey in showbiz. "I was part of 'Mere Sai' where I played the role of Das Ganu Maharaj and that character taught me so much," he said. Giving an example, he said: "Usually, I am a little short-tempered person. After playing Das Guru Maharaj, I realised that I have to stay calm and composed and think before I say anything. The characters which I have played have changed some part in me as well." Jay continued: "If I talk about my other characters, I played Bhojraj in 'Vighnaharta Ganesha'. The character is powerful like a king but yet was so devoted to Meera and Krishna. He always talks to everyone in a polite way." He signed off by saying: "After playing these many positive characters, somewhere knowingly or unknowingly, they became a part of me. I also made sure to speak politely and respectfully with each and everyone. Just like my dad always used to tell me, when you give respect to someone, you will get it back." Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 7 : After the heavy rainfall in the catchment areas and the water level rising, the shutters of the Idukki dam were opened at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The shutters were opened after three sound alarms were given at 9.55 a.m., 9.57 a.m. , and 9.59 a.m. One shutter of the dam is now raised to 70 cm to release 50.000 litres of water (about 50 cusecs). It is to be noted that Idukki dam managed by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) can accommodate 2,403 feet of water and its upper rule curve is 2,383.54 feet, The decision to open the shutter and release water was taken after the water level exceeded the permitted capacity as per the rule curve of the reservoir. State Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine while speaking to IANS said, "All necessary precautions have been taken and people living in the banks of Cheruthoni town have been given a red alert. However, there is no need to shift people from their residences as of now. The district administration, police, fire, and rescue department are on high alert, but the situation is under total control and even during the floods of 2018, there were not many issues on the release of water from Idukki dam." The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of the possibility of heavy rain in Kerala till August 9. Idukki district administration has already issued a red alert to those living on the banks of the Periyar river. Mumbai, Aug 7 : Actress Rasika Dugal talks about hosting the docuseries 'Postcards from Jharkhand'. As the actress was born and brought up in Jamshedpur, she connects well to the state and introduces the viewers to its tribal traditions and dance forms, the Sohrai painting traditions, as well as the local food, architecture and wildlife. Rasika says: "I felt I hadn't really explored and experienced different aspects of the place I grew up in and I was keen to correct that. My travels within Jharkhand had so far been only functional. I had never really gone on a holiday within the state. I realised on this trip that I was missing out on a lot." The actress who has been on the case of a number of movies such as 'No Smoking', 'Aurangzeb', 'Qissa', 'Train Station' and 'Tu Hai Mera Sunday', adds more about the beauty of the state and says: "Jharkhand is a beautiful and culturally rich state - national parks, waterfalls, dance forms, art forms and the best food." "The Jharkhand government is now actively working towards encouraging tourism in the state. And I am happy that many more will now enjoy the beauty of my homeland," concludes the actress who will be next seen in 'Spike', 'Adhura' and 'Lord Curzon Ki Haveli'. 'Postcards from Jharkhand' is airing on Nat Geo. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 7 : The CPI delegates attending the party's Pathanamthitta district committee meeting have lashed out against party secretary, Kanam Rajendran. Several party leaders said that Kanam is functioning as a slave of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. CPI, which is is a constituent of the Left Democratic Front government (LDF) of Kerala with four ministers in the cabinet and a Deputy Speaker, has been upset that the second LDF government is being termed as the Pinarayi government instead of the LDF and the party district conferences that are underway in all the districts have been vociferous with this criticism. While speaking to IANS, a delegate in the party Pathanamthitta district conference said, "The CPI state secretary is now acting as a slave of Pinarayi Vijayan. CPI is a political party which had uphold its dignity under all the circumstances and we don't know why the state secretary is playing second fiddle to Chief Minister and supporting him in each and every move." The second LDF government of Pinarayi Vijayan has drawn flak on several counts including the revelations of the gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh on the role played by Chief Minister and his family. The CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran has been the first person to defend the Chief Minister in that issue and in several other developing issues in the state. It may be noted that former CPI leaders like late Veliyam Bhargavan and late C.K. Chandrappan while serving as state secretaries had strongly defended the party and stood up to the CPM on the Left front. The CPI cadres are sore that Kanam Rajendran who was also termed as powerful leader has been working as a 'B team of the CPM' and a main defender of the Chief Minister. In the recent issue of CPM leader and former minister, M.M. Mani using derogatory words against opposition woman legislator, K.K. Rema, CPI national leader Annie Raja had come out against Mani. However, Kanam shot it down stating that the statement of Annie Raja's comments was not the opinion of the Kerala unit of the CPI. This has also come under scathing criticism from the CPI cadres who are attending the party conference. CPI leaders also came out strongly against state health minister and CPM leader, Veena George, saying that the health system of Kerala which were recognised even by the global media during the previous LDF government were spoiled by the functioning of the present health minister. They said that Veena George was not even picking up the telephone calls of CPI leaders, and charged that a minister with phone phobia is unacceptable. London, Aug 7 : At least six senior Russian military officers are believed to have been sacked since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, according a British intelligence update on Sunday. The poor performance of the armed forces during the invasion has been costly for the Russian military leadership, most likely leading to the dismissal of at least six commanders, dpa news agency quoted the UK's Ministry of Defence as saying in its regular intelligence update. Among others, General Alexander Dvornikov was removed after being given overall command of the operation in Ukraine. In addition, at least 10 Russian generals were killed on the battlefield in Ukraine, the update said. Altogether, all this probably contributed to Russia's tactical and operational difficulties in the war against Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defence publishes some of its intelligence on the Ukraine war in a daily update on Twitter. Russia itself remains largely silent on personnel and tactical decisions. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War We Lankans are now told forget the past what happened just a month ago. We have to look ahead to the future for the greater good. Now, is the time to repair the damaged past and punish those responsible. What is not spelt out is: The future will be decided for you by the representatives who dumped you into this awful mess. by Gamini Weerakoon George Orwell in Nineteen Eighty-Four writes a story of a Non-Party man (Winston) being tortured by Party Man (OBrien) who is trying to make him accept that if all records pertaining to the past are destroyed; his memory is erased permanently and the only source of information about the past is what the Party says, it will control the past (history) and who controls that past will control the future and who controls the present will control the past. The relevant excerpt reads: OBrien looking down at him speculatively with the air of a teacher taking pains with a wayward but promising child. There is a Party slogan dealing with the control of the past. Repeat it, he said. Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past, repeated Winston obediently. Who controls the present controls the past, said OBrien, nodding his head with slow approval. Winston, that past has real existence? All this may sound like some kind of Orwellian metaphysics to readers but reflecting on Sri Lankas immediate historic past, its present and future, it does seem that the 20 million Sri Lankan populace is in the same quandary as Winston of Nineteen Eighty-Four and are being subjected to similar insufferable torture. Is Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four being re-enacted in Sri Lanka in 2022? We Lankans are now told forget the past what happened just a month ago. We have to look ahead to the future for the greater good. Now, is the time to repair the damaged past and punish those responsible. What is not spelt out is: The future will be decided for you by the representatives who dumped you into this awful mess. To take this stand on forgetting the past is to take leave of your memory and powers of reasoning. The present President Ranil Wickremesinghe is undeniably a product of the immediate past the Gota Go Home campaign that catalysed a massive islandwide movement and drove out the Rajapaksa brood headed by President Gota. And Gota appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President, while in his desperate situation before he fled the country using powers vested in the executive presidency by the Jayewardene Constitution. Thus, Wickremesinghe, a product of the immediate past of the Gota Go Gama, is cracking down on it with the utmost severity and wants to erase it. And it does appear that he will attempt to continue as president ruling the country for the next three years the present controlling the future in accordance with the Orwellian prediction. Wickremesinghe swears by the Constitutional process which he stresses is inviolable and essential for democracy. But what is so sacred and sacrosanct about this constitution which every president (including Wickremesinghe though he was not an elected president) has vowed to change during the past three decades? Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga declared it a Bahubootha Constitution. Mahinda Rajapaksa pledged at all presidential election campaigns that he would do away with the executive powers vested in the presidency and Gotas constitution is still being drafted by lawyers appointed by him. Wickremesinghe when appointed president a few weeks ago too spoke about changing the executive powers of the presidency but has gone dumb on the subject thereafter. Certainly, well-balanced constitutions should be protected and respected. Citizens of Western democracies volunteered, went to war and even paid the supreme sacrifice to defend the rights vested in them by their constitutions. But do constitutions, which can be thrashed into shapes as desired by powerful or potty dictators to keep them and their families in power and even enable the baton to be passed to another to safeguard their interests, deserve the same devotion and commitment of citizens to constitutions that have lasted for centuries protecting the rights of the citizenry? In a democracy, constitutional pundits say, the sovereign power to rule a country is vested in the people. Constitutions are framed in accordance with the wishes of the people not on the desires and idiosyncrasies of those who may be elected by the people but dont give two hoots for them once elected. What should the people do if the exercise of their sovereignty is thwarted by constitutional deception or as some Lankans say, Constitutional jilmarts? History has shown that revolutions or aragalayas are the way out. Call it a revolution or aragalaya, July 9 was the Day of the Big Bang that ended the sordid rule of the Rajapaksa family for over 12 years. We doubt whether a political event as massive and momentous was ever witnessed in the contemporary history of this country. We witnessed on TV a massive river of humanity beginning beyond Kollupitiya junction moving through Galle Road into Galle Face Centre Road exploding with vituperation, seething emotions and burning anger moving towards the old Parliament (now the Presidential Secretariat) and then the holiest of holies, the Presidents House his office as well in recent times. Guesstimates of the size of this moving mass of humanity ranged from thousands to tens of thousands. Another gushing river of humanity extending from the Pettah through Chatham Street was meeting the Southern flow, turning right at the clock tower to assail the Presidents House, well-guarded by numerous police squadrons, battalions and regiments. The historic moment came when they shook the high iron gates (20 feet tall?) as if it was the neck of hapless chicken and then went over it and was inside the forbidden grounds. A youth who was apparently among the frontliners to crash the barricades was seen on TV being mercilessly thrashed by several uniformed men in Khaki with long batons; the unarmed boy had only his hands to try to protect himself from the barbarous onslaught. We thought it was kaput for the boy when fortunately for him a uniformed officer ordered a halt to the massacre. Many young men and women would have been such recipients from the guardians of the law in their attempt to win their fundamental rights and save their beloved country but last week they were being hunted down. A demonstrator who dared to enter the bedroom of the former president and feel the comforts of the presidential bed is to be prosecuted. Is sitting on the bed of a former president a criminal offence? Or was it that he had desecrated the national flag by carrying it to bed? Conspirators, saboteurs, violators of law and order, insurrectionists like those who sat on gas cylinders for days awaiting arrival, motorists, three-wheeler drivers, picking up quarrels with the police when they suspected hanky-panky activities were going on and fuel released surreptitiously are being prosecuted in accordance with the law. The gentleman who sat on the presidents bed is to be prosecuted while an honourable MP who sat on the Speakers Chair while his colleagues were hurling paperweights at the Speaker and water bottles laced with chillie powder at the opposition continues to be an honourable member. Sure enough, there is only one law for all the people! Revolutions have gone off course with counter-revolutions. The French Revolution of 1789 led to the establishment of a Napoleonic empire. But the spirit of those who stormed the Bastille lives on and the French still cry out: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Sri Lankan democracy too will live and blossom out as it did on that historic day, July 9 last month. Finally, a word of advice from Naom Chomsky, the 21st Century philosopher, to those attempting to safeguard the fundamental rights of the people: If we dont believe in the freedom of expression of people we despise, we dont believe in it at all. (The writer is a former editor of The Sunday Island, The Island, and consultant editor of the Sunday Leader.) Hyderabad, Aug 7 : Two days after resigning from the Congress party, Dasoju Sravan on Sunday joined the BJP. The former national spokesman of Congress party joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of BJP general secretary in-charge of Telangana Tarun Chugh in New Delhi. Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy, MP K. Laxman, former MP Vivek Venkaswamy, senior leader Muralidhar Rao and other leaders were present. Tarun Chugh formally welcomed Sravan in the party by presenting the party membership card to him. Sravan later told the reporters that a political change is required in Telangana for the state's development. He alleged that several leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) were behind casino organiser Chikoti Praveen, who was recently questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged FEMA violations. Sravan said the TRS leaders were busy looting the state. He alleged that TRS has pushed the state into a debt trap. "The time has come to remove KCR from power," he said. Tarun Chugh said Sravan joined the BJP as he was attracted by the development works undertaken by the party. He claimed that only BJP can provide an alternative to the TRS. Vivek Venkaswamy said with Sravan joining its ranks, the BJP will be strengthened in the state. Sravan on Friday announced his resignation from the party. Alleging that there is a total disorder in the party under the leadership of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, he said he was not ready to live like a slave in the organisation and hence decided to resign. He alleged that after Revant Reddy became the PCC president, the party started giving priority to leaders on the basis of caste and money power. He said Revant Reddy had thrown all the principles of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to wind in Telangana. He also blamed Congress in-charge Manickam Tagore and strategist Sunil for the current state of affairs in the party. Ranchi, Aug 7 : Raksha Bandhan, the festival of tying silk thread will be celebrated on August 11-12, but do you know how it is made and from where it comes? You will get the suitable answer to these questions in Jharkhand as 76.4 per cent of the country's tussar silk is produced in the state. Of the 3.5 lakh people in the country engaged in the farming, production and trade of tussar silk, a total of 2.2 lakh are from Jharkhand. The climate of the state is favourable for the breeding of the silkworm. For breeding purposes, usually 30 degrees Celsius temperature is required and for around 175-180 days in a year, most parts of the state have that temperature only. Arjun, Asan and Sal trees are considered most suitable for the production of Tasar silkworms and these trees are in abundance in Jharkhand. In the past two decades, the state's Kuchai silk has made its mark across the world, especially in France, Germany and Japan. Most of the people of the state involved in production of the silk get the maximum technical support from the Central Silk Board. Last week, while laying the foundation stone for the World Trade Centre, Chief Minister Hamant Soren expressed hope that the sheen of Jharkhand silk will reach far and wide. Sericulture scientist R.B. Sinha said that after Jharkhand became a separate state, silk production increased from 23 to 25 times. Over 2,000 metric tonnes of silk is produced here. As per the figures provided by the Central government in Parliament, in 2017-18 Jharkhand produced 2,217 metric tonnes of silk; in 2018-19 it was 2372 metric tonnes and in 2019-20 2399 metric tonnes were produced. The Covid pandemic impacted silk production in the past two years with the state producing 2,185 metric tonnes in 2021 and 1,046 metric tonnes in 2021-22. The special thing about silk produced in Jharkhand is that it is 100 per cent natural. Any form of chemical is not used in its production. Most of the silk is produced in Saraikela, Kharsawan, West Singhbhum districts of the state. In the first phase, tussar worms are released on Arjuna and Sal trees and then in the second phase, at a scheduled time, these worms form cocoons and in the third phase, threads are extracted by processing the cocoons. Tussar cultivation has made more than two lakh people in tribal areas in the state 'aatmanirbhar' (self dependent) to an extent. Since 2017 till now, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotional society (JSLPS), run under the Department of Rural Development, has connected about 18,000 families in 20 blocks of eight districts with scientific cultivation of silk. The Central Silk Board, Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicraft Development Corporation and Jharkhand State Khadi Board are running separate projects for the production of tussar silk. Indravati Tiriya, a resident of Sudurvarti village in Majhgaon, after taking technical training in silk production under project 'Silk' run by JSLPS, is a successful tussar producer. "I never thought that tussar would prove to be so beneficial for me," Amravati says. "I got training from the government. Last year, our family earned Rs 1,69,000," Amravati added. Silk messenger Jogen Munda, a resident of Maranghatu of Kuchai, said, "Cultivation of tussar has given a new shine to our life." A large number of women are involved in tussar production. After working for just two months, thousands of families are earning 50,000 to 60,000 per year. Many people, especially Jains avoid using silk fabrics as worms are killed during its making. Because of this reason many areas of Jharkhand are now producing "ahimsa silk". For preparing this silk, instead of killing the worms inside the cocoon, it is allowed to fly in a natural way. After that the thread is prepared from the leftover cocoon. For the past many years, the 'ahimsa silk' is being produced in Dumka, Ranchi, among other places. New Delhi, Aug 7 : On the occasion of National Handloom Day on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to India's rich cultural diversity and all those working to celebrate India's artistic traditions. In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said: "On National Handloom Day, a tribute to India's rich cultural diversity and all those working to celebrate our artistic traditions." In another tweet quoting Union Textile Minister Piyush Goyal, Modi said: "An excellent opportunity to ideate and innovate for weavers. Urging all those youngsters associated with the world of startups to take part." Sharing link to apply for the 'Handloom Startup Grand Challenge', Goyal tweeted: "Handloom Startup Grand Challenge. Golden opportunity to innovate cost-effective solutions for developing technologically upgraded handlooms for better quality products with lesser drudgery for our handloom weavers." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also greeted the people on National Handloom Day. In a series of tweets, Shah said: "India's Handloom sector signifies our rich and diverse cultural heritage. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 7 as the National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi movement that began in 1905 on the same day and to revive this ancient Indian art. "It is also aimed at encouraging countrymen to use handloom products woven by indigenous weavers. On this 8th National Handloom Day, let us join hands to further the Modi government's resolve to preserve and promote our handloom heritage and empower our handloom weavers, especially women." New Delhi, Aug 7 : Mohsin Ahmad, an alleged IS member, who was nabbed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Delhi's Batla House, was on Sunday remanded to one-day NIA custody by a special court here. Ahmad was produced before the duty magistrate at Patiala House Courts by the probe agency, which sought his seven-day custody. He was arrested on Saturday. The NIA said that the case has links with several states and they need to take him to other places for the recovery of evidence and arresting his aides. "Ahmad is a radicalised and active member of IS. He has been arrested for his involvement in the collection of funds for IS from sympathisers in India as well as abroad. He was sending these funds to Syria and other places in the form of cryptocurrency in order to further the activities of IS," the NIA official said. The court, however, gave NIA one-day custody and Ahmad will be produced before the main court on Monday. The NIA had on Saturday conducted searches in the residential premises of the accused in Batla House and in Bihar. He was subsequently arrested in the case pertaining to online and on ground activities of the IS. The case was registered suo moto by the NIA on June 25. Further Investigations in the matter were on. Chennai, Aug 7 : Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) will conduct a public hearing in Chennai on August 22, regarding the hike in power tariff proposed by the power utility, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO). The TNERC, in a statement on Sunday, said that the hearing will be conducted in Coimbatore on August 16, in Madurai on August 18, and in Chennai on August 22. TNERC in the statement said that people interested in airing their grievances could register between 9 to 10.30 am. It is to be noted that the tariff revision proposals of TANGEDCO have been uploaded to the websites of both TANGEDCO and TNERC. TNERC has also intimated the public to respond before August 22 to the proposals uploaded by TANGEDCO. The TNERC will be giving a green signal to the proposal of TANGEDCO only after the public hearings and response from the public on the proposals. It is likely to give a go-ahead to the proposals on September 1 and after that, there is an imminent power tariff hike in Tamil Nadu. Lahore, Aug 7 : The Pakistan MusAlim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is considering relevant legislation to ease the return of its supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, who is in a self-imposed exile in London on medical grounds, to Pakistan, the media reported. PML-N leader and Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has already said the coalition government might make certain amendments that would help repeal the ban imposed on Sharif by a Supreme Court judgement in the Panama Papers case against him, the Dawn reported. "The parliament can undo the lifetime ban on politicians and it may not be struck down by the court," an insider told Dawn. "Nawaz Sharif will be the ultimate beneficiary if this legislation is brought to parliament and subsequently adopted," the insider said, adding that the introduction of this legislation would be linked to the outcome of the Supreme Court Bar Association's petition in the apex court challenging lifetime ban on politicians. Earlier, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz had hinted that her father wanted to come back but there were 'certain problems' hindering his return. Besides, she had also referred to not getting a 'green light' from the powerful circles for his return, Dawn reported. After Shehbaz Sharif managed to become the premier in April last, some PML-N leaders were excited hoping that their supreme leader would now be among them soon. But legal hiccups are said to be the main hurdles in his return plans. Nawaz Sharif will likely make his return to Pakistan ahead of the general elections as PML-N leaders think his presence in the field is necessary to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) juggernaut. In the face of the rising popularity of the PTI chairman who was ousted as the prime minister in April this year, the entire PML-N leadership is unanimous that the party needs Nawaz to be in Pakistan ahead of the polls if it wants to score a victory, Dawn reported. Patna, Aug 7 : The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Sunday said it had decided not to join the Narendra Modi government at the Centre after its demand for two ministerial berths was rejected by the BJP. State Education Minister and JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said: "We are not going to join the Narendra Modi cabinet. The JD-U needed the desired respect from the BJP but it did not happen. Hence we have decided to avoid inclusion in the Narendra Modi government." However, he added that this decision "will not affect our alliance with BJP in Bihar". The statement of Chaudhary is an indication of sour relationship between JD-U and BJP in Bihar, and this could be the reason for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar maintaining distance from the BJP and skipping the Niti Aayog meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister in Delhi on Sunday. A political churn seems underway in Bihar with sources have said that JD-U has called for a meeting of every MLA, MLC, and MP of Bihar. Though the date has not been finalised yet, it is possible that it will be held any time in the next 3 to 4 days. Besides the JD-U, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) also called for a similar meeting on August 9. The meeting will be held at the official residence of party chief Jitan Ram Manjhi in Patna. Hyderabad, Aug 7 : In a blow to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao's brother Errabelli Pradeep Rao on Sunday announced his resignation from the party. Pradeep Rao, former Chairman of Warangal Urban Cooperative Bank, has been unhappy with the party for denying him ticket to contest the Assembly election and for not nominating him to the Legislative Council. He also told the media that despite facing insults, he still remained in the party, but the party did not give him an MLA ticket. "The party did not even care about my followers. We made many sacrifices for Bangaru Telangana," he said. Pradeep Rao said the local MLA humiliated him on several occasions and no party leader condemned this. Rao, who is likely to join the BJP, said that he would join a party where he would get respect or contest as an independent. Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy had recently announced his decision to join the BJP. Congress party's national spokesman Dasoju Sravan also quit the party and joined the BJP. Pradeep Rao was one of the key leaders in the Warangal district and had joined the TRS much before Dayakar Rao shifted his loyalties to the ruling party. He was an aspirant of TRS ticket from Warangal East Assembly constituency both in 2014 and 2018. In 2018, he was even ready to contest as independent candidate but the leadership pacified him with an assurance to give him a key post. There has been a cold war between Pradeep Rao and Warangal East MLA Nannanpuneni Narendar. Followers of the two leaders had clashed with each other on several occasions. Flexis installed by Pradeep Rao during TRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao's visit were allegedly removed by supporters of Nannanpuneni Narendar. Sensing that he will not get TRS ticket for 2023 Assembly polls either, Pradeep decided to quit. The party is likely to field again or give ticket to either MLC Baswaraju Saraiah or to MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra. New Delhi, Aug 7 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday attended the governing council meeting of Niti Aayog here that was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasised the need for supplementary digital teaching methods. Detailed discussions were held on achieving self-sufficiency in agricultural production and crop diversification, implementation of national education policy and urban bodies' administration. The Chief Minister said the government is implementing Rs 1,010 crore Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Scheme in all districts. A budgetary provision has been made for promoting mushroom farming, especially 'shitake' and 'dhingree' varieties. Thakur said 31,584 orchardists were covered under the state-sponsored schemes whereas 4.15 lakh orchardists benefitted under the centrally-sponsored schemes during in the past four and a half years. He said in order to double the income of farmers 3,590 gram panchayats have been covered under the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojna, adding the farmers had saved about Rs 9.75 crore by switching over to natural manure, instead of chemical fertilizers. He said 10 points of sale have been set in the state, besides Delhi and Chandigarh, for selling natural farming produce. "Efforts are afoot to increase production of pulses, oilseeds and other agriculture produce to achieve self-sufficiency with the help of advanced technology." Thakur urged the Prime Minister to allocate five DTH channels to Himachal Pradesh out of 200 channels under recently announced Swayam Prabha that will telecast high quality educational programmes. He said the gross enrollment ratio of primary, middle and high schools in the state is hundred per cent, while it is 85.6 per cent in case of senior secondary schools. The ratio goes up to 98.8 per cent if technical institutions are added to the senior secondary level. He said girl children are being provided education and free residential facility, besides skill education in 14 Kasturba Gandhi Girls Schools. He said the education database is being digitized in the state and capacity building of teachers is being done for preparing high quality study material in digital mode. The Chief Minister said students have easy access to higher education institutions and infrastructure has been strengthened. Sardar Patel University in Mandi district has been made functional from April. He said the average of state's gross enrollment ratio in higher education is 40.8 per cent against the national average of 27.1 per cent. He said the amount of scholarships under various categories and merit scholarships of girls and boys has also been increased. The Chief Minister said the state is committed to strengthening the administration of urban bodies by filling necessary posts and improving efficiency in delivering speedy and effective services to the people with the help of the latest technology. New Delhi, Aug 7 : Deportation of a man from Kuwait led the IGI Police to bust a fake immigration cum visa racket and arrest a mastermind. DCP of IGI, Tanu Sharma said that the accused was identified as Mustaq alias Jamil Picturewala. He was held from Mumbai. "The accused is involved in arranging fake passport and visa along with his aides Zakir Yusuf Shaikh in Mumbai and Narayanbhai Chaudhary in Gujrat. They are mostly operating in areas of Gujrat and Mumbai and facilitate people in arranging fake passport and visa through which they can settle down in USA by unfair means," the official said. The DCP said that in June one Ravi Rameshbhai Chaudhary was deported from Kuwait. During thorough scrutiny by immigration officials, it was found that he had a duplicate passport. A case was lodged in this regard. Ravi disclosed that he came in contact with some agents namely Narayanbhai, Zakir Yusuf Shaikh and Mushtaq - all residents of Gujarat and Mumbai. Narayanbhai assured Ravi that his fake passport and visa would be arranged in lieu of Rs 65 lakh. Narayanbhai shared the contacts of his Mumbai-based associates. The deal was finalised for Rs 65 lakh and Ravi paid Rs 15 lakh cash in advance to the accused. Narayanbhai told Ravi to contact Shaikh and Mushtaq. Ravi sent his photograph and signature to Mushtaq on WhatsApp. After receiving his photo and signature, Mushtaq arranged a fake passport for him. Thereafter, a fake visa of Netherland was obtained on the basis of fake and fabricated passport. Ravi was supposed to travel to Mexico from Netherland and then illegally to the US. The rest of the deal amount was to be delivered to Narayanbhai by the family of the passenger. After hearing about the arrest of Ravi, the accused had fled, and kept on changing their locations. Mushtaq was held from Mumbai following a tip-off, while the police teams have been sent to arrest co-accused. Development of friendly relations with western countries can only ensure sustained economic progress for Sri Lanka and enable Sri Lanka to retrieve itself from its present economic mess. by N.S.Venkataraman There appears to be a unanimous view in Sri Lanka and other countries that the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as President of Sri Lanka is the best decision that has happened in the present turbulent time in Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe has served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka six times and he has not completed a full term even once and is not generally recognised as an exceptional administrator. However, he has been recognised as a reliable and decent and least controversial person by the popular view and that is perhaps why governance of Sri Lanka has been handed over to him. Except for a few professional demonstrators in Sri Lanka, the country is, by and large, willing to support him if he would take appropriate policy decisions and implement them in a pragmatic way. This is a good situation as far as it goes. Obviously, the priority for Ranil Wickremesinghe is to retrieve the Sri Lankan economy from the present mess, which implies that he should ensure that the morale of the countrymen is kept high by announcing time-bound, proactive and well-reasoned economic and industrial development plans and creating confidence about his leadership capabilities in the present challenging time. In such a situation, even the pledged admirers of Ranil Wickremesinghe felt uncomfortable, when Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament that Sri Lanka is bankrupt, which created huge fear amongst people. While the fact is that Sri Lanka faces extremely difficult financial conditions, it has a lot of residual and basic strengths which need to be highlighted and told to the people, instead of saying that the country is bankrupt. Some people wonder whether this statement of the President could reflect on his own confidence level. Today, what Sri Lanka needs urgently is financial support by way of loans and grants from international funding agencies as well as the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and European countries. Apart from financial support at this critical juncture, Sri Lanka also needs technical support, trade support and overseas investment. With such compulsive needs where western countries dominated funding agencies and western countries alone can come to Sri Lankas aid in a quick time and in a meaningful way, it is surprising that President Wickremesinghe made a statement that Sri Lanka is firmly committed to One China policy. This statement of the Sri Lankan President is considered unwarranted and avoidable by many observers, as this would clearly create suspicion about the foreign policy leanings of the Sri Lankan government, particularly amongst western countries. At the present juncture, Sri Lanka has nothing to gain by declaring its support to China by committing to the One China policy. At best, President should have kept quiet on the matter. During the family rule of Rajapaksa, there is a widespread view that the Rajapaksa government have fallen into a debt trap laid by China for whatever reasons and in the process, being forced to hand over the Hambantota port to China. This is a tragic mistake amounting to opening an intruder into the country. China will never give up its control over Hambantota port anytime in future and will have a permanent presence in Sri Lanka. The recent move of China to send spy ships to Hambantota port is an indication of the state of things to come. Though the Sri Lankan government has feebly told China to defer the ship visit, it did not have the courage to ask China to cancel the visit once and for all. This approach of the Sri Lanka government indicates that there is still a certain level of ambiguity and uncertainty in its foreign policy approach. Sri Lanka is a democratic country and it has to necessarily align itself with western countries for a stable future. It has to model its foreign policy in the way that countries like South Korea Philippines, Singapore, Australia and Japan have done by maintaining close alliances with western countries and all these countries have gained and prospered by such a policy approach. Sri Lanka can formulate its foreign policy in this direction without overtly declaring so. Development of friendly relations with western countries can only ensure sustained economic progress for Sri Lanka and enable Sri Lanka to retrieve itself from its present economic mess. The relations with the countries like China, and Russia can all be in near silent mode and without being antagonistic towards them At the present juncture, Sri Lanka cannot have the luxury of commenting on every international issue which really does not concern Sri Lanka. Self-interest is the only policy that Sri Lanka needs today. Sriharikota : Aug 7 (IANS) The placing of two satellites in a wrong orbit, resulting in their total loss, by the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) brand new rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Sunday has raised several questions. The about Rs 56 crore SSLV rocket with a capacity to carry satellites weighing 500kg or less is meant for commercial as well as for country's strategic needs, a space sector expert, not wanting to be identified, told IANS. The Sunday space mission failure also puts the focus on the safety of India's human space mission that will be carried out by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mk III (GSLV-Mk III) with the tricky cryogenic engine stage. On the mission failure, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said: "SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. The 76 km is the lowest point close to the surface of the earth." He said when the satellites are placed in such an orbit, they will not stay there for long and will come down. "The two satellites have already come down from that orbit and they are no longer usable," Somanath said. According to the ISRO, "failure of logic to identify a sensor failure and go for salvage action caused the deviation. A committee would analyse and recommend. With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2". Somanath also said that that a set of experts will look into the failure and identify why it went into an unacceptable orbit. After carrying out the small corrections and revalidation of the corrections, ISRO will go for the next SSLV launch soon. He also said the rocket's three stages/engines and all other systems performed well. However, the expert queried: "If the rocket's propulsion had performed well, then it should have attained the required altitude and the intended orbit would have been obtained, is it not so?" The expert also said the sensor that failed was sourced from industry and had been used as the redundant sensor in ISRO's other rockets like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). "Didn't ISRO do the necessary simulation studies and how was this missed? A faulty sensor triggered the logic," the expert said but ruled out the question of sabotage. Another space sector expert, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, told IANS: "The altitude is acquired in stages. Further while the rocket is at the required altitude, it should also have the necessary velocity. At 356 km altitude, the rocket should have necessary velocity for a circular orbit failing which the orbit will be elliptical." "If the sensor shuts off the rocket's engine, then the additional velocity will be absent and there will not be a circular but only an elliptical orbit. The small satellites will not have onboard thrusters or have them for any major work," the expert said. They also said ISRO should come out as to the sensor that failed and why it had failed and whether it is related to the component quality. It is time ISRO gets its basics right, that is, its three rockets - SSLV, PSLV and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)- before looking at other ambitious missions, the experts added. "ISRO Chairman Somanath is taking forward the space agency. As regards the human space mission he has also said more tests will be done the crew safety and is not in a hurry to go ahead with the mission," Dr Tapan Misra, retired senior official of ISRO and Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Sisir Radar Private Ltd, told IANS. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) New Delhi, Aug 7 : The inquiry report on the alleged scam in the new excise policy in Delhi deals at length with the arbitrary and unilateral decisions taken by the Minister and the Excise Department officials that resulted into huge financial losses to the exchequer, a source at LG office said on Sunday. The source told IANS that the findings of the inquiry report regarding the levy of import pass fee and profit margin in case of foreign liquor, reduction in the number of dry days and illegal extension of excise policy also expose the lies of the government about the story of 'earning huge revenues'. The source said that as per the Vigilance Report, the officials of the Excise Department neither took approval of the Council of Ministers nor opinion of the LG before issuing the order dated 08-11-2021 for revising the formula of calculation of rates of foreign liquor and removal of levying of import pass fee Rs 50 per case on beer. It has been observed that by undertaking such reduction in the wholesale price, the input cost of beer and foreign liquor to the retail licence (L7Z) was reduced, he said. The Finance Department vide note dated 28-10-2021 proposed that the Excise Department may place the comparative statement regarding impact on excise revenue of the government, impact on MRP, profit margin of wholesaler and profit margin of retailer due to the proposed changes before the Group of Ministers (GoM) for taking appropriate decision. "However, the Deputy Chief Minister on 01.11.2021, over-ruled the proposal of Finance Department and recorded that, the proposal of Excise Department is reasonable and accordingly approved. The ratifications can be done later by the GoM and the Cabinet," said the source. "Had such financial implications of proposed changes for reduced cost of beer and foreign liquor been available with the bidders (thus reducing their input cost), they would have quoted higher licence fee payable to the government," he said. Regarding reducing the number of dry days from 21 days in calendar year 2021 to 3 days in 2022, the inquiry report mentions that "it is observed that the department has reduced number of dry days from 21 days in calendar year 2021 to 03 days in 2022, without taking approval of the Council of Ministers and without taking opinion of the LG". As per the report, then Assistant Commissioner of the Excise Department in 2015 had proposed reducing the number of dry days to three on the basis of what is followed by the neighbouring states. "It is observed that while the proposal for reduction number of dry days was rejected by the Deputy Chief Minister on 11.12.2015 without assigning any reason then however, this time the same was approved by him on 06.01.2021, without even taking approval of the Council of Ministers," mentions the report as per the source. However, as Delhi is set to return to the old regime of excise policy, the past norms like 21 dry days are likely to return Thirdly, while extending the L7Z licence, no approval from the Council of Ministers and opinion of the LG was taken, the source claimed. "It is observed that the period of the L7Z licenses were extended firstly from 01.04.2022 to 31.05.2022 by the officers of the department vide dated 28.02.2022, and then from 01.06.2022 to 31.07.2022, without taking approval of the Council of Ministers and without taking opinion of the LG," the source said. "Similarly, the period of L1 licensees were extended firstly from 01.04.2022 to 31.05.2022, and then from 01.06.2022 to 31.07.2022 by the officers of the Departments vide order dated 24.05.2022, without taking approval of the Council and opinion of LG," the source claimed, citing the report. The source said that such extension without any increase in the tendered licence fee is in contravention to the proposal placed before and approved by the Council of Ministers dated 23.06.2021, wherein the departments proposed that at the time of end of year 2021-22, the licence fee may be increased after considering the real time-based actual sale data. Chennai, Aug 7 : Rashmika Mandanna, who is fast rising as one of the top actresses in the Tamil and Telugu film industries, on Sunday, expressed her love for friends on the occasion of Friendship Day, saying, they had a piece of her heart. Taking to Instagram, she posted pictures of herself with friends, and said: "I am not someone who generally takes Friendship Day, Hug Day, Chocolate Day or Valentine's Day very seriously, and I am not someone who puts my personal life out a lot... but these people in these photos (some are missing)... It's a surprise for them too! "But I just randomly wanted to say how important these people are in my life... I wouldn't be the same person without them... "Some who I grew up with, some who I work with, some who I am not in touch with very much but they have still managed to make a mark so deep in my heart that they will always and forever be special! "So, you guys I love you. A notification from you makes me smile. The random calls good or bad make my heart happy. I love you! "Thank you for making me the person I am today. You have a piece of my heart." Hyderabad, Aug 7 : Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday visited Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge and Technologies (RGUKT) at Basar town in Nirmal district, and interacted with the students to get first-hand information about the problems faced by them. She went around the campus of IIIT Basar as the university is popularly called. She also had breakfast with the students. The governor visited the mess, hostel and other parts of the campus and spoke to students, who have been complaining of poor amenities for the past few weeks. The students recently staged protests over the problems faced by them. The governor assured the students that she would bring their problems to the notice of the government and put pressure on authorities concerned to ensure that the issues are addressed. The governor said she found so many problems but hoped that the departments concerned would resolve them in a time-bound manner. She said students were seeking basic requirements like good mess, hygienic food, clean wash rooms and hostel rooms She said it was unfortunate that these problems were not addressed previously. "The demands of the students are very simple. It is right to expect facilities in an institution like this. I appreciate the conviction of the students. They want to come up in life. They are expecting some basic facilities," she said She noted that library facilities are limited for students and they want more computers. The governor said students have not been provided laptops since 2017. She also held a meeting with the officials and directed them to take necessary steps to improve the facilities for the students. Her visit to the campus came three days after a group of students met her at Raj Bhavan and brought to her notice the problems faced by them. London, Aug 7 : Record levels of obesity and physical inactivity among children mean they are set to bear the brunt of poorer health effects from rising global temperatures, warns a new comprehensive review of studies. While physical fitness is key to tolerating higher temperatures, children are more obese and less fit than ever before, argues Dr Shawnda Morrison, an environmental exercise physiologist, from Slovenia's University of Ljubljana. This could put them at greater risk of suffering heat-related health problems, such as dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. She noted that current climate change policies fail to adequately address child health needs and that encouraging children to make exercise part of their everyday lives must be prioritised if they are to cope with living in a hotter world. In the peer-reviewed journal Temperature, her team assessed a comprehensive review of over 150 medical and scientific studies into how children maintain physical activity, exercise, cope with heat, and how this might change as global temperatures rise. The research, she highlights includes a study of 457 primary school 5-12 year old boys in Thailand, which found that overweight youngsters were more than twice as likely to have difficulty regulating their body temperature as those of normal weight when exercising outdoors. In another study, data from emergency departments at children's hospitals in the US, found attendance was higher during hotter days. Younger children were particularly likely to need emergency care. The research also found children's aerobic fitness is 30 per cent lower than that of their parents at the same age. There are rapid declines in children's physical activity globally, especially over the last 30 years. Most children are not meeting the World Health Organization's guideline of performing an average of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Physical inactivity was accelerated, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools and other societal infrastructures were closed. Higher temperatures and changes in weather patterns are projected to also lead to outbreaks of new diseases entering the human population. If there are more movement restrictions put in place to contain the novel diseases, this will have potentially devastating consequences to children's physical fitness, mental and physical health. "Yet, as the world warms, children are the least fit they have ever been. It is imperative that children are encouraged to do daily physical activity to build up, and maintain, their fitness, so that they enjoy moving their bodies and it doesn't feel like 'work' or 'a chore' to them," Morrison said. New Delhi, Aug 7 : The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Sunday said that they have arrested the kingpin of an interstate gang of Mewat-based extortionists, who used to make obscene videos of their victims and blackmail them. DCP Jasmeet Singh said that Saddam Hussain, who was carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head, and other members of the gang, have extorted money from more than 50 persons in Delhi during the last six months. The gang used the extortion money transferred to the bank accounts of poor and illiterate people, after paying them some amount. According to the DCP, Inspector Ishwar Singh and Satvinder, supervised by ACP Attar Singh, got the tip off about the accused following which he was held. "Hussain was wanted in a case of online extortion, blackmailing and criminal intimidation of a person through social media... He was declared proclaimed offender by the trial court. Hussain with other members of the gang demanded Rs 20 lakh from an advocate in Delhi," he said. Hussain disclosed that he, along with his associates, had demanded the money from an advocate after luring and then trapping him in their dragnet by making his indecent online video to blackmail him, otherwise they threatened to upload the video on social media platforms or send it to his family members. The DCP said that the modus operandi of the gang members was pose as females to lure the gullible persons by sending friend requests to them through Facebook and other social media platforms and start chatting with them. "After chatting for a few days and winning the confidence of their prospective victims, members of the gang used to make incriminating online vulgar videos of these gullible persons by luring them to indulge in indecent acts by prompting them with provoking postures," the police said. The accused used to extortion money from their targets by threatening them to make these videos viral, and getting their victims to send money into the proxy bank accounts provided by them. Hussain revealed that his role in gang was to shoot indecent videos of their victims with the help of his aides Ijazul, Amjad Khan and others. Chennai, Aug 7 : A 400-year-old idol, believed to be of King Sethupathi's clan of Sivaganga and being offered for sale clandestinely, was seized by the Tamil Nadu Police's Idol Wing and four people arrested, official said. Acting on a tip-off that two men - P. Arumugaraj, 56, and M. Kumaravel, 36, of Thoothukodi were in the process of selling an idol, police laid a trap. A police officer posed as a decoy and agreed to buy the idol for a few crores. He was told that the idol was with Musthafa of Uriyur in Tiruchi district. The duo contacted Mustafa and the three agreed to bring the idol to a secluded place at Tiruchi-Madurai Kalapatti Road junction. Mustafa met the decoy customer, along with Kumaravel and Arumugaraj, and the idol police squad who were hiding in the surroundings pounced on them and arrested the three along with the idol. On interrogation, Mustafa revealed that he got the idol from a person named Selvakumar of Sivaganga. A police team went to Sivaganga and arrested Selvakumar who revealed that his father was an astrologer and during his travels, he got the idol from a coconut merchant. A senior officer of the idol wing police told IANS that they will approach the Archeological Survey of India for determining the exact period of the idol and then would try to ascertain from where it was stolen. Imphal, Aug 7 : Hundreds of vehicles were stranded along the National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) on Sunday amid the tense situation as the blockade, called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM), hit normal activities in the hill districts of Manipur, officials said. According to police, few incidents of arson, including setting a vehicle ablaze in the hill districts, have been reported on Saturday and Sunday. The ATSUM called the "economic blockade" on Friday, demanding the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 be moved in the state Assembly to provide more administrative powers and autonomy to the tribal autonomous bodies. Following the tension, the Manipur government has suspended mobile data (internet) services for five days in the entire state. Special Secretary, Home, H. Gyan Prakash, in a notification on Saturday night, said that considering the situation which would cause serious disturbances to the entire peaceful co-existence of the communities and maintenance of public order, ..... suspension/curbing of mobile data services in the territorial jurisdiction of the entire state of Manipur has been ordered. "....all mobile service providers are hereby directed to ensure compliance of this order," the notification said. The notification quoting the Manipur Director General of Police said that in Bishnupur district, an incident occurred on Saturday along NH-2 wherein one van was found burning after being set ablaze by some youths. The District Magistrates of Bishnupur and Churachandpur have also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC for a period of two months across these districts. Police said that several hundred goods-laden trucks carrying essential commodities were stranded in the National Highway-2, which connects Manipur with the rest of the country via Nagaland. Meanwhile, around 30 tribal students were injured in Imphal on Saturday when the police prevented a protest rally leading to a clash between the two sides. Five tribal student leaders were arrested and sent to jail for 15 days. Demanding the release of its arrested leaders, the influential students' body ATSUM has threatened to intensify their stir. The BJP government headed by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh introduced the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council 6th and 7th amendment bills in the Assembly on Tuesday. However, the ATSUM claimed that these bills are not in line with their demands. The ATSUM has been agitating in the hill districts including Kangpokpi and Senapati for quite some time demanding more power to the tribal autonomous district councils. In August last year, the Hill Area Committee (HAC), comprising MLAs of all the 20 tribal reserved seats of Manipur - recommended the new Autonomous District Council (ADC) Bill to ensure 'equitable development' in the hill districts in the same parameters as in the valley region of the state. In a first, US Navy ship arrives in India to undergo repairs. Image Source: IANS News In a first, US Navy ship arrives in India to undergo repairs. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Aug 7 : US Navy Ship (USNS) Charles Drew arrived at L&T's Shipyard at Kattupalli, Chennai on Sunday for undertaking repairs and allied services, adding a new dimension to the India-US strategic partnership, officials said. This is the first-ever repair of a US Navy ship in India, providing a huge boost to 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbharta in Defence'. The US Navy had awarded a contract to L&T's Shipyard at Kattupalli for undertaking maintenance of the ship. A statement said that the event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market. "Indian shipyards offer wide ranging and cost-effective ship repair and maintenance services, using advanced maritime technology platforms," it said. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade, Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area Rear Admiral S. Venkat Raman and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence visited the shipyard to welcome the vessel. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin and Defence Attache at the US Embassy in Delhi, and Rear Admiral Michael Baker were also present. Ajay Kumar, terming the event as a red-letterday for the Indian shipbuilding industry and the India-US defence relationship, said: "We are indeed pleased to welcome the US Naval Ship Charles Drew to India, for making her voyage ready. India's initiative also assumes special significance in furthering the strategic partnership between India and the US. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for deeper engagements." He described the arrival of USNS Charles Drew for repairs as a sign of a maturing Indian shipbuilding industry. "Today, India has six major shipyards with turnover of nearly $2 billion. We are making ships not only for our own requirements. We have our own design house capable of making all kinds of state-of-the-art ships. The shipbuilding industry today is not just carrying out conventional things, but is also amalgamating the latest technologies with it," he said. Meanwhile, the Defence Secretary also said that the ties between India and the US have been expanding in scale and scope, and are based on common values and beliefs of an open, inclusive and rule-based order in Indo-Pacific and rest of the global common systems. "There has been a tremendous amount of traction in the defence industry cooperation over the last couple of years between the two countries," he added. USNS Charles Drew will be at Kattupalli shipyard for a period of 11 days and undergo repairs in various areas. Guwahati, Aug 7 : The West Bengal CID, which had sent a team to Assam last week, has summoned a Guwahati-based businessman to Kolkata on Monday in connection with the probe into the Jharkhand MLA cash seizure case, an Assam Police official said. The Assam Police official said that the West Bengal CID, a team of which visited various places in Guwahati last week, has pasted the summons notice at the premises of businessman Ashok Dhanuka's house here. According to media reports, Dhanuka and his son Ghanshyam Dhanuka are supposed to be close to a top political family of ruling BJP in Assam. According to the official, the Bengal CID team has asked Ashok Dhanuka to appear in Bengal CID headquarters Bhavani Bhavan at 10 a.m. on Monday. A source claimed that the CID team in Guwahati had gone to Dhanuka's house on Saturday to serve the notice but failed to meet the businessman as the house was guarded by the Assam Police. The Bengal CID team came to Guwahati to collect CCTV footage and other evidence regarding the arrest of three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand. They collected CCTV footages from the Gopinath Bordoloi International airport in Guwahati and a hotel. On July 30 evening, the three Congress MLAs of Jharkhand -- Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kacchap and Naman Bixal Kongari -- were nabbed by the police at Howrah's Panchla, with huge amount of cash in their vehicle. The MLAs told the police that the cash was meant for purchasing sarees from the wholesale market at Burrabazar in central Kolkata to distribute in their constituencies on the occasion of the World Tribal Day. The MLAs and two of their associates, arrested with them, including the driver, have been remanded to CID custody till August 10. The Congress suspended three MLAs accusing them of conspiracy to topple the state government even a the matter rocked politics in Bengal, Assam, and Jharkhand. Russia's war in Ukraine has shown the defining political fault lines of our age to be fundamentally bogus. While the Kremlin represents the alt-right, and Europe stands for the politically correct liberal establishment, both sides ultimately are fighting over the spoils of a global capitalist system that they control. by Slavoj Zizek The Canadian psychologist and alt-right media fixture Jordan Peterson recently stumbled onto an important insight. In a podcast episode titled Russia vs. Ukraine or Civil War in the West?, he recognized a link between the war in Europe and the conflict between the liberal mainstream and the new populist right in North America and Europe. Although Peterson initially condemns Russian President Vladimir Putins war of aggression, his stance gradually morphs into a kind of metaphysical defense of Russia. Referencing Dostoevskys Diaries, he suggests that Western European hedonist individualism is far inferior to Russian collective spirituality, before duly endorsing the Kremlins designation of contemporary Western liberal civilization as degenerate. He describes postmodernism as a transformation of Marxism that seeks to destroy the foundations of Christian civilization. Viewed in this light, the war in Ukraine is a contest between traditional Christian values and a new form of communist degeneracy. This language will be familiar to anyone familiar with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans regime, or with the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. As CNNs John Blake put it, that day marked the first time many Americans realized the US is facing a burgeoning White Christian nationalist movement, which uses Christian language to cloak sexism and hostility to Black people and non-White immigrants in its quest to create a White Christian America. This worldview has now infiltrated the religious mainstream so thoroughly that virtually any conservative Christian pastor who tries to challenge its ideology risks their career. The fact that Peterson has assumed a pro-Russian, anti-communist position is indicative of a broader trend. In the United States, many Republican Party lawmakers have refused to support Ukraine. J.D. Vance, a Donald Trump-backed Republican Senate candidate from Ohio, finds it insulting and strategically stupid to devote billions of resources to Ukraine while ignoring the problems in our own country. And Matt Gaetz, a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Florida, is committed to ending US support for Ukraine if his party wins control of the chamber this November. But does accepting Petersons premise that Russias war and the alt-right in the US are platoons of the same global movement mean that leftists should simply take the opposite side? Here, the situation gets more complicated. Although Peterson claims to oppose communism, he is attacking a major consequence of global capitalism. As Marx and Engels wrote more than 150 years ago in the first chapter of The Communist Manifesto: The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. All fixed, fast-frozen relations, with their train of ancient and venerable prejudices and opinions, are swept away, all new-formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify. All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind. This observation is studiously ignored by leftist cultural theorists who still focus their critique on patriarchal ideology and practice. Yet surely the critique of patriarchy has reached its apotheosis at precisely the historical moment when patriarchy has lost its hegemonic role that is, when market individualism has swept it away. After all, what becomes of patriarchal family values when a child can sue her parents for neglect and abuse (implying that parenthood is just another temporary and dissolvable contract between utility-maximizing individuals)? Of course, such leftists are sheep in wolves clothing, telling themselves that they are radical revolutionaries as they defend the reigning establishment. Today, the melting away of pre-modern social relations and forms has already gone much further than Marx could have imagined. All facets of human identity are now becoming a matter of choice; nature is becoming more and more an object of technological manipulation. The civil war that Peterson sees in the developed West is thus a chimera, a conflict between two versions of the same global capitalist system: unrestrained liberal individualism versus neo-fascist conservativism, which seeks to unite capitalist dynamism with traditional values and hierarchies. There is a double paradox here. Western political correctness (wokeness) has displaced class struggle, producing a liberal elite that claims to protect threatened racial and sexual minorities in order to divert attention from its members own economic and political power. At the same time, this lie allows alt-right populists to present themselves as defenders of real people against corporate and deep state elites, even though they, too, occupy positions at the commanding heights of economic and political power. Ultimately, both sides are fighting over the spoils of a system in which they are wholly complicit. Neither side really stands up for the exploited or has any interest in working-class solidarity. The implication is not that left and right are outdated notions as one often hears but rather that culture wars have displaced class struggle as the engine of politics. Where does that leave Europe? The Guardians Simon Tisdall paints a bleak but accurate picture: Putins aim is the immiseration of Europe. By weaponising energy, food, refugees and information, Russias leader spreads the economic and political pain, creating wartime conditions for all. A long, cold, calamity-filled European winter of power shortages and turmoil looms. Freezing pensioners, hungry children, empty supermarket shelves, unaffordable cost of living increases, devalued wages, strikes and street protests point to Sri Lanka-style meltdowns. An exaggeration? Not really. To prevent a total collapse into disorder, the state apparatus, in close coordination with other states and relying on local mobilizations of people, will have to regulate the distribution of energy and food, perhaps resorting to administration by the armed forces. Europe thus has a unique chance to leave behind its charmed life of isolated welfare, a bubble in which gas and electricity prices were the biggest worries. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently told Vogue, Just try to imagine what Im talking about happening to your home, to your country. Would you still be thinking about gas prices or electricity prices? Hes right. Europe is under attack, and it needs to mobilize, not just militarily but socially and economically as well. We should use the crisis to change our way of life, adopting values that will spare us from an ecological catastrophe in the coming decades. This may be our only chance. Slavoj Zizek, Professor of Philosophy at the European Graduate School, is International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London and the author, most recently, of Heaven in Disorder (OR Books, 2021).He writes for the Project-Syndicate where this peice fiorst appeared. Harare, Aug 7 : Sikandar Raza's three-wicket haul (3/56) and excellent century (117 not out off 127) helped Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by five wickets in the second T20I and take an unassailable 2-0 series in the three-match series, here on Sunday. It was Zimbabwe's first series victory over Bangladesh since 2013. In the nine-year period in between, they had not won a single ODI against Bangladesh, losing 19 matches on the trot. It was also Zimbabwe's first bilateral ODI series win since 2019 (when they beat UAE), and their first against a full member side since the famous 2017 triumph against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh had lost just two wickets while making a 300-plus total in the last match, but here, despite looking to attack a bit more, they ended up with a total below 300. Batting first, a half-century from Tamim Iqbal and an unbeaten 80 off 84 balls from Mahmudullah helped Bangladesh post 290/9 in 50 overs. After 40 overs, Bangladesh were 206/4 with Mahmudullah on 27 off 50 balls. But off his next 34 balls, Mahmudullah smashed 53 runs to help Bangladesh post a formidable total. Raza struck thrice in the death overs for Zimbabwe, dismissing Afif Hossain, who made a run-a-ball 41, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed to deny Mahmudullah stable support at the other end. And, what appeared to be a total heading past 300 was restricted with the fall of wickets late in the innings. Raza finished with bowling figures of 10-0-56-3. However, Raza's haul with the ball was surpassed by his batting heroics yet again as Zimbabwe made a shaky start in the run chase once again. The 36-year-old Raza became the first Zimbabwean player after Brendan Taylor to make back-to-back ODI hundreds. The middle-order batter had made an unbeaten 135 in the previous game to guide Zimbabwe past the target and here, yet again, he stood unbeaten on 117 as Zimbabwe sealed a series win by chasing the total in 47.3 overs. He had Regis Chakabva for company on Sunday, with the batter compiling his maiden ODI ton (102) as the duo stitched together a double century stand to rescue Zimbabwe from 49/4. Raza has 472 runs in ODIs in 2022 at an average of 78.66 and a strike-rate greater than 90. Notably, no other Zimbabwean batter has made more than 250 runs in ODIs this year. Brief Scores: Bangladesh 290/9 (Mahmudullah 80 not out, Tamim Iqbal 50; Sikandar Raza 3-56) lost to Zimbabwe 291/5 in 47.3 ov (Sikandar Raza 117 not out, Regis Chakabva 102) by five wickets Mumbai, Aug 7 : Megastar Amitabh Bachchan returned as host of the 14th season of "Kaun Banega Crorepati". The premiere episode -- the 233rd in the quiz-based reality show's history -- was called "Azadi Ke Garv Ka Mahaparv". The Big B started the episode by reciting a patriotic poem titled "Hum Un Veeron Ke Vanshaj Hain" as a tribute to the 75th anniversary of India's Independence. And then Bollywood star Aamir Khan entered the show with the "Rang De Basanti" track playing in the background. He met the audience, shook hands with them, and finally settled down with Col. Mitali Madhumita, the first woman Indian Army officer to receive a gallantry award, for the hotseat round, where he shared some interesting stories. Big B asked Aamir: "Are you on Twitter?" He replied: "I am on Twitter, thanks to Amitji. When I was shooting for 'Dhoom 3' with Abhishek Bachchan in London, he came over there. One day while we were having a conversation, Amitji asked me why I was not on Twitter and he said, 'Your fans want you to join Twitter.' Because Amitji asked me, I joined Twitter after two or three weeks, but I don't know what to post, so I just keep promoting my friend's movies." To this, Bachchan jokingly said: "You promote your friend's movies and not our 'KBC'." Pat came Aamir's reply: "KBC ko prachaar ki zarurat kya? (Where is the need to promote 'KBC'?)." New Delhi, Aug 7 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday asked the Centre to address the challenges of cooperative federalism. In his address at the seventh Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he demanded that legislation on subjects in the concurrent list should be initiated only after adequate consultations with the state governments and that Central government should desist from legislation on items on the state list. Vijayan also sought urgent initiatives from the Centre to enhance necessary legal remedies in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment on eco-sensitive zones, as this was necessary to alleviate the hardships of the marginalised section of people living in the affected areas. He also drew the attention of the Council to the issue of GST and demanded the review of imposition of GST on essential items and continuing the compensation to the states for another five years. The Chief Minister also said that Kerala was in the forefront of the decentralisation initiatives where all the functions in the Constitution's 11th and 12th Schedules have been devolved to the local self-government, and that this important achievement needs to be addressed while distributing the consolidated funds to the state. He also said that the central share of assistance under PMAY Urban and Rural needs to be revised considering the upward cost of construction materials. Vijayan said that to move towards more eco-friendly transport system and alleviate accidents, the state seeks support from the centre for early clearance of the state's pending rail and air traffic proposals. He said that Kerala has a 590 km coastal belt and that it was vulnerable to soil erosion, especially during extreme rainfall, and thus requires technological and financial support. Noting that the Centre has reduced the quota of kerosene or the state recently and this has affected the fishermen folk badly, he sought that the allotment be reinstated. This was the first meeting of NITI Aayog after the new Vice Chairperson Suman Berry and CEO Parameswaran Ayyar assumed office. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present, along with other Chief Ministers. Bhubaneswar, Aug 7 : The Mumbai Police have taken three fraudsters who were recently arrested by the economic offence wing (EOW) of Odisha crime branch on transit remand, in connection with an illegal loan app scam case, officials said on Sunday. The accused have been identified as Nitin Mallik of Delhi, Rakshith, and Sushanth of Karnataka. The officials of VP Road police station in Mumbai have taken Nitin on remand while the SDJM Court here on Saturday allowed the West Region Cyber Police Station, BKC Bandra, to take Rakshith and Sushanth on remand, an EOW official said. On July 13, the EOW of Odisha police had arrested Mallik from Hari Nagar police station area of New Delhi while Rakshith and Sushanth were held from Karnataka on June 10. The accused were the directors of different illegal shell companies. The shell companies were used to transfer money from the bank accounts attached with the fake loan apps to the accounts of Chinese nationals through different channels, an official said. The official also said the shell companies of Rakshith and Sushanth were used to make threatening and humiliating calls and send obscene messages to victim persons who had availed loans through illegal loan apps and their contacts through a call centre from Bangalore. Similarly, Mallik with the connivance of 'Chinese masterminds' used to purchase and run virtual phone numbers of different service providers to be used for running and facilitating the lending and recovery through different loan apps. Nitin Mallik was in direct and regular touch with at least three Chinese nationals and used to get a huge salary for this job, the EOW officials claimed. Leh, Aug 8 : The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' event is being marked by Buddhist organisations and institutions across the Himalayan belt, including Ladakh with enthusiasm and high spirits. Some of the monasteries in Ladakh have been planning and working on the modalities to have large Tirangas placed at vantage locations. The Spituk monastery, which is located around 8 km from Leh is a remarkable structure which forms part of the tourist circuit in the city. Built in the 11th century, and founded as a Red Hat institution, the monastery was taken over by the Yellow Hat sect in the 15th century. It has more than 100 monks and a giant statue of Kali which is highly revered by the locals. The monastery celebrated the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' event by hoisting the national flag on August 6 at the monastery. The junior monks also formed part of the larger celebration during the day. The Stakna monastery, which is another beautiful landmark 25 kms from Leh belongs to the Drugpa sect. The monastery is located along the banks of the Indus river. It was founded in the late 16th century by a Bhutanese scholar and saint, Chosje Modzin. The monastery is built on a hill shaped like a tiger's nose. Stakna has a residence for approximately 30 monks who celebrated the occasion hoisting the national flag on August 5 at a vantage location with the monastery in the backdrop. The gathered monks proudly sang the national anthem while waving the flag. A group of monks walked across the ramparts of the monastery as if to mark the presence of the Tiranga in all parts of the monastery. The famous Hemis Monastery which belongs to the Drupka Lineage, and situated 45 km from Leh, also marked the occasion with flags being hoisted by young monks living in the monastery. The celebrations were marked by chanting by the monks while many of them held the flag firmly in the high windy condition. The monastery is famously known for the annual Hemis festival honouring Padmasambhava which is held in the month of June each year. The Hemis festival takes place in the rectangular courtyard in front of the main door of the monastery. Large number of tourists who visited the monastery during the event also participated in the 'Har Ghar Jhanda' activity. Another famous monastery -- the Thiksey monastery also witnessed large scale celebrations of the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' utsav on August 6 when a group of young monks living in this beautiful monastery emerged from the ramparts of the monastery waving large national flags. The monastery, delicately perched on a mountain and spread over different levels, wore a mood of excitement and celebration with the junior monks having a field day portraying the relevance of the Tiranga. The tourists and visitors were impressed by the solemn event and formed part of the activity. The Thiksey monastery belongs to the Gelug sect and is located around 19 kms from Leh. It is known to resemble the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, and is the largest Gompa in central Ladakh. The monastery is a twelve storey structure and hosts the Maitreya temple installed to commemorate the visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to the monastery in 1970. The event was marked by a number of other smaller monasteries in the region while some monasteries intend to host the event between August 13 and 15. With the prominent monasteries in Ladakh celebrating the occasion, a strong message has gone across among the community of monks about the deep essence and significance of the Tiranga. Soon after the events were held in the above mentioned monasteries the city of Leh also witnessed a spread of the Tiranga among the smaller Buddhist institutions and organisations besides the local market. There are plans for the event to be held in some of the gompas located far from Leh where small groups of monks plan to travel through remote villages carrying the Tiranga and encouraging the locals to be part of the activity. The International Buddhist Confederation has been supporting these activities and a representative of the IBC was present at the events held in all the above monasteries. Guwahati, Aug 8 : A Bangladeshi national has been arrested in Assam' Morigaon over suspicion of smuggling cattle from India to Bangladesh, said an official. The Superintendent of Police in Morigaon district, Aparna Natrajan told IANS that they detained the person on Saturday evening and later he was arrested. The man was identified as Nuruz Zaman. He was a resident of Banglabazar in the Sunamganj area of Bangladesh. The police officer informed that Zaman entered India with a valid tourist VISA through the Dawki border in Meghalaya on July 14. He then came to Assam and roamed in the Moirabari area of the Morigaon district. Though he was a tourist, Zaman was looking to buy cattle from the local market. He even bought some cattle and only then he came under the scanner of the local police informers. Natrajan said, "He was tracked by the police for the last several days. The man was planning to smuggle those cattle through the Dawki border to Bangladesh." Police have seized many objectionable documents from his possession. There were lots of photographs of the cattle markets, huge Indian currency notes, and Indian SIM cards. Gaza/Tel Aviv, Aug 8 : A ceasefire between Israel and the militant organisation Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip came into force at around Sunday midnight, after both sides confirmed they agreed to it. However, the PIJ said it was insisting on its right "to respond to any Israeli aggression". Israel also stressed that it "maintains the right to respond strongly" if the ceasefire is violated. The ceasefire comes after a targeted Israeli military operation that killed several high-ranking PIJ members in the Gaza Strip, including military chief Taisir al-Jabari and Islamic Jihad's southern commander, Khaled Mansour. PIJ had fired rockets at the country in retaliation for attacks killing of its high-ranking members in the Gaza Strip. A high-ranking delegation from Egypt had arrived in Gaza on Sunday evening, to negotiate a potential deal. Vienna, Aug 8 : Talks to restore the nuclear agreement between Iran and six other states are going in the right direction, according to Russian negotiator Mikhail Ulyanov. "Looks like we are making progress. Let's keep our fingers crossed," the Russian ambassador to international organizations in Vienna wrote on Twitter on Sunday after a meeting with EU chief negotiator Enrique Mora, without giving further details, dpa news agency reported. However, there were still no signs of a breakthrough at the weekend after negotiations resumed in Vienna on Thursday following a five-month break. Ulyanov made it clear that Moscow "fully" supports the current draft agreement. In the present round of negotiations, diplomats from the US, Iran and the five other parties to the agreement - China, Germany, France, the UK and Russia - are trying to resolve final issues on a deal to lift US sanctions and reinstate restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme. The parties are trying to salvage the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal agreed in 2015 to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. The sanctions were imposed by the US following its unilateral withdrawal in 2018 from the nuclear deal during the presidency of Donald Trump. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that the nuclear deal is of no value to the country without the lifting of sanctions. On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian reiterated his opposition to investigations conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aimed at clarifying secret nuclear activities in the past. "We will continue to cooperate with the IAEA, but it should distance itself from political deviations and carry out its work within a technical framework," Amirabdollahian said in a phone call with UN Secretary General AntAnio Guterres. The minister stressed that Iran doesn't want to build nuclear weapons. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Prerov Airport, Prerov, Czech Republic [ PRV / LKPO ] If you are planning to travel to Prerov or any other city in Czech Republic, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Prerov Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Prerov Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Czech Republic. Prerov Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. Prerov Airport Info: Prerov Airport IATA Code: PRV Prerov Airport ICAO Code: LKPO Latitude : 49.4833 Longitude : 17.4667 City : Prerov Country : Czech Republic World Area Code : 418 Airport Type : Medium Prerov Airport Address / Contact Details : Prerov Airport (PRV), 751 24 Prerov, Czech Republic Timezone : Europe/Prague Prerov Airport Timezone : GMT +02:00 hours Current time and date at Prerov Airport is 00:45:19 AM (CEST) on Thursday, Aug 18, 2022 Looking for information on Prerov Airport, Prerov, Czech Republic? Know about Prerov Airport in detail. Find out the location of Prerov Airport on Czech Republic map and also find out airports near to Prerov. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Prerov Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Prerov Airport, airlines operating to Prerov Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Czech Republic. Scroll down to know more about Prerov Airport or Prerov Airport, Czech Republic. Prerov Airport Map - Location of Prerov Airport Load Map Czech Republic - General Information Country Code CZ Capital Prague Currency Koruna (CZK) 1 CZK = 0.041 USD 1 USD = 24.107 CZK 1 CZK = 0.041 EUR 1 EUR = 24.54 CZK More CZK convertion rates Tel Code +420 Top Level Domain .cz This page provides all the information you need to know about Prerov Airport, Czech Republic. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Czech Republic or traveling to Prerov Airport. Details about Prerov Airport given here include Prerov Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes) Coordinates of Prerov Airport - Latitude and Longitude (Lat and Long) of Prerov Airport Location of Prerov Airport - City Name, Country, Country Codes etc... 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The protocol used to screen and detect lung cancer in the NELSON Trial is more sensitive than the protocol used in the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial, particularly for early-stage cancers, according to research reported today at the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer 2022 in Vienna. The Dutch-Belgian lung cancer screening trial (Nederlands-Leuvens Longkanker Screenings Onderzoek [NELSON]) demonstrated a reduction in lung cancer mortality of 24% for screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT), compared to the 20% found in the National Lung Screening Trial. The NELSON and NLST differed in study population and trial design. Specifically, in contrast to the NLST, the NELSON trial employed a nodule management protocol that incorporated nodule volume and quantified volume growth as opposed to nodule diameter. We evaluated how the difference in nodule management protocols affected the CT sensitivity across stage and histology in the trials, said Koen de Nijs, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In cancer screening, sensitivity is the ability of a screening method to detect cancer while it is still in the pre-clinical phase. Mr. De Nijs and colleagues from the NELSON consortium employed the MISCAN-Lung model, previously used to evaluate the results of the NLST, to evaluate the outcomes of the NELSON trial. The model was used to reproduce lung cancer incidence and mortality by method of detection (clinical or screen-detected), sex, histology and stage. We evaluated the potential differences in CT sensitivity by stage and histology, after accounting for the characteristics of the study population, trial design and lung cancer epidemiology in each trial, he reported. For both trials, de Nijs considered a screening result a true positive when lung cancer was detected through the screening CT and related follow-up procedures. Furthermore, previous research has shown that the protocol used in NELSON also had improved specificity. Nodule management protocols based on volumetry are therefore likely to increase the benefits of lung cancer screening, while reducing unnecessary follow-up procedures. Mr. de Nijs found that the sensitivity in NELSON was estimated to be higher across all stages compared with the NLST. In particular, CT sensitivity was considerably higher for early-stage adenocarcinoma (for stage 1A, 73% in NELSON over 57% in the NLST, for stage 1B, 90% in NELSON vs 64% in the NLST) and stage 2 squamous cell carcinoma (75% in NELSON over 39% in the NLST). Model-based comparison of the NELSON and NLST suggests that the differences in screening effectiveness may be explained by differences in the nodule management protocols, said Mr. de Nijs. The protocol used in NELSON was more sensitive than the protocol used in the NLST, particularly for early-stage cancers. Furthermore, the protocol used in NELSON also had improved specificity. Mr. de Nijs reported that nodule management protocols based on volumetry are likely to increase the benefits of lung cancer screening, while reducing unnecessary follow-up procedures. About the WCLC: The WCLC is the worlds largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting more than 7,000 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit https://wclc2022.iaslc.org/ Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. By subscribing to rdrnews.com you agree to recurring payments and your credit card will be billed at the subscription intervals selected, cancel anytime. Anne Heche remains intubated and is being treated for burns she sustained in a fiery crash in Los Angeles Friday. ADVERTISEMENT "Anne is currently in stable condition," the 53-year-old actress' representative told People.com Saturday. "Her family and friends ask for your thoughts and prayers and to respect her privacy during this difficult time." CNN cited an unnamed source close to Heche as explaining: "Anne is in the ICU. She's lucky to be alive. She has severe burns and has a long recovery ahead. Her team and her family are still trying to process what led up to the crash." Heche's ex-boyfriend, actor Thomas Jane, said in an interview with the Daily Mail that he was upset to hear that she had been badly hurt. "While Anne and I are no longer an item, today's tragic news was devastating to me and to all who love her," Jane said. "My heart goes out to Anne and her two sons. As of right now Anne is stable and expected to pull through. My thoughts and prayers are with Anne, one of the true talents of her generation. Thank God no one else was hurt." Police sources told the Los Angeles Times that Heche was intoxicated and speeding when she crashed her Mini Cooper into a home, setting it ablaze. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! The actress was taken by paramedics to the hospital where she was initially listed in critical condition, then upgraded to stable. No other injuries were reported, although one person was home when Heche drove 30-feet into the two-story house, which has since been deemed unsafe to enter due to the fire and crash damage. Heche's roles include Another World, Wag the Dog, Donnie Brasco, Six Days, Seven Nights, Hung, Men in Trees, The Vanished and 13 Minutes. She co-host of the podcast, Better Together with Anne & Heather, with Heather Duffy. The actress has a 13-year-old son named Atlas with her ex-boyfriend, actor James Tupper, and a 20-year-old son called Homer with former husband Coleman Laffoon. Heche, who also dated Steve Martin and Ellen DeGeneres, has been candid about how childhood sexual abuse and mental illness have made her behave erratically at different points of her life. NAIROBI, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR cut travel time between the two cities by half, from an average of ten hours to approximately five hours. The railway has guaranteed efficient, reliable and affordable mobility to residents along the route. The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR was financed mainly by China and constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). The railway has injected fresh vitality into Kenya's economic pillars, including tourism, manufacturing and agriculture, through enhanced mobility of passengers, goods and services. Produced by Xinhua Global Service 2nd caravan of grain ships from Ukraine arrive in Istanbul Xinhua) 13:21, August 07, 2022 The first grain-laden ship leaving Ukraine receives inspection by a team of representatives from the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) on the northwestern entrance of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkiye, Aug. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Shadati) ISTANBUL, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The second caravan of ships transporting grain from Ukraine arrived at the shores of Istanbul, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry on Saturday. Panama-flagged Navistar, which sailed from the Ukrainian port of Odesa to Ireland with 33,000 tons of corn, arrived in Istanbul at around 2:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT). The Malta-flagged vessel Rojen, and Turkish-flagged Polarnet, both sailed from Chornomorsk port and bound for Britain and Turkiye respectively, arrived later. According to the ministry, the inspection on Navistar was completed by a joint committee of specialists while the other two ships are due for inspection later. The ships are checked for the integrity of their cargo before they can move on. A team of representatives from the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) inspects on the first grain-laden ship leaving Ukraine on the northwestern entrance of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkiye, Aug. 3, 2022. (Turkish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua) Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had discussions on Saturday with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov and Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov over the phone about the latest situation of grain shipments. A statement by the Turkish Defense Ministry emphasized the satisfaction with the accelerating process of grain shipments and the levels of cooperation and coordination achieved by the Joint Coordination Center. The first grain-laden ship Razoni passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on Aug. 3, marking the first large export of the newly harvested Ukrainian grain to international markets after Turkiye, Russia, and Ukraine signed a landmark U.N.-backed deal on July 22. Ukraine still has some 20 million tons of grain in silos waiting for shipment, according to the Turkish state-run Anadolu agency. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with a few showers. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy with a few showers. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Photographer / Multimedia Editor Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIDDLETOWN The city recently earmarked $120,000 to finance a large coordinated effort to fix a catastrophic water main break downtown on a busy weekend evening in June. The 127-year-old pipe was breached after a side section broke around the dinner hour that Friday, a night that sees the most restaurant activity on Main Street. Water and Sewer Director Joseph Fazzino characterized the break as catastrophic in the days afterward. Although it was installed in 1895, the main had undergone cleaning and lining repairs about a decade ago, and new four-way valves were installed at the intersection, he said. It was an incredible day when the water gushed down almost to the Portland bridge, Majority Leader Gene Nocera said during last weeks Common Council meeting when the funding was approved. It was looking grim for a while, he said of the possibility that water would be out for a long period of time. Not only did they respond, but they worked around the clock and got the job done, Minority Leader Phil Pessina said, noting that it happened mere days before the car cruise on Main Street, which drew thousands of people. He called the feat, which could have been horrific to the business community, a phenomenal one. Businesses and restaurants south of the rainbow Pride crosswalk on Main Street and all the way to College Street were affected, while those north of the crossing had water restored earlier in the night. In all, only six businesses were directly affected, among them Fiore II, Typhoon, La Boca and Amici Italian Grill, and four had service restored within an hour, Downtown Business District Coordinator Sandra Russo Driska said at the time. Deputy Mayor Vincent Loffredo told fellow council members that he had gotten a lot of questions about what the city intends to do to prevent large-scale events such as these in the future, especially since this particular pipe was laid in 1895. Mayor Ben Florsheim said the water break was indeed a wake-up call. Weve had a number of those, and it has not been a secret that [there are] aging water and sewer infrastructure in our community and region, he explained, adding that already the city replaced the decommissioned water treatment plant on River Road and now ships its waste to the Mattabassett Sewer District in Cromwell. Over the last decade, the city also reconfigured its wastewater processing, the mayor added. That leaves us only in a better position to our peers, who are [less] prepared. Nocera said the break was unexpected and likely due to a change in water pressure in the area. All of the pipes along Main Street were relined 15 years ago, at a considerable cost, the majority leader told Florsheim. In fact, there may be a referendum question on the November ballot to approve funding for more such work on Main Street, Nocera added. In December, Middletown approved the use of $2.75 million in American Rescue Act funds to overhaul the water, sewer systems, something Loffredo said was part of the requirement of using the federal dispensation for all municipalities. Already, the water and sewer department has compiled a list of 20 priority water and sewer projects, Florsheim added. HARTFORD A woman was killed Saturday night on Colonial Street, according to Hartford police. Officers responded to a Colonial Street address around 9:17 p.m. for a citizen call of a person shot and found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound, Sgt. Chris Mastroianni said in an email. The woman was later pronounced dead, he said. Police located a crime scene in the residence. The departments major crimes unit and crime scene divisions responded and are now investigating the matter. Officers detained and questioned a person at the scene, Mastroianni said. Mastroianni said police believe the slaying was an isolated incident. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com A municipal electricity company worker inspects an electrical pole with two propaganda loudspeakers on it, in downtown Hanoi on Feb. 29, 2016. Authorities in Hanoi announced recently that the once-ubiquitous loudspeakers, a staple of government news and propaganda, relics of the past and left to disrepair in the early 2000s, would be reinstalled. The late July announcement caught everyone by surprise and has been met with derision. But it speaks volumes about the Communist regime, its insecurities, and the pathways to power. A simpler time For a government which has touted a high-tech future for Vietnam under its National Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Orwellian monotone does not seem to be a sophisticated way of communication. Why a media anachronism in a time when people have alternative sources of information across multiple platforms on their smartphones? On the simplest level, it's just that, an attempt by the Party to harken back to a time when the state easily monopolized the information environment. According to international watchdogs, Vietnam has one of the most repressive media environments in the world. Reporters Without Borders ranks it 174. The Committee to Protect Journalists documented 23 arrested journalists in 2021. Freedom House rated its internet freedom at 22 out of 100 just above worst-ranked Iran, Myanmar and Cuba. Yet despite the concerted efforts to police and censor the internet, the media landscape is more open than one would expect. Vietnams internet is not behind a firewall, and there are 76 million Facebook users in Vietnam. Authorities can only focus on the key nodes and influencers. The Vietnamese governments cyber security law, adopted in 2019, potentially compels data localization from the big tech companies, though policy disputes between the Ministry of Public Security and the economic ministries have meant that its not been fully implemented. Nonetheless, according to data reported by Vietnamese authorities, foreign social media firms complied with around 90 percent of government requests to take down media across social media platforms. Hanoi is demanding and getting more corporate compliance in dealing with malicious content. And yet, for many in the Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), the media landscape is still too permissive. A pervasive sense of insecurity The re-installation of the loudspeakers also reflects a deep insecurity on the part of the government. And it has much to be insecure about. The VCP's claim to legitimacy is based on two things: nationalism and economic performance. Recently both have been in called into question due to endemic corruption that has reached the highest levels of government. Despite unflinching Chinese pressure and excessive maritime claims against Vietnam's national sovereignty, the Coast Guard is mired in corruption. The commander and his predecessor were both sentenced to 17 years in prison for using state assets to protect oil smugglers. The party expelled two other major generals, and disciplined five other major generals and two lieutenant generals. The government will have a very attentive public to respond to the next time the Coast Guard is caught flat-footed against Chinese incursions. Corruption undermines combat readiness. Two other corruption scandals, both involving the until-then stellar COVID-19 response by the previous government, have hit the senior-most leadership and called into question the prime minister's management. A scandal over repatriation flights for Vietnamese nationals brought down a deputy foreign minister and a former deputy head of immigration at the Ministry of Public Security, among others. The Viet A testing scandal felled two members of the elite VCP Central Committee, a former minister of health, and senior members of the vaunted Vietnam People's Army. To date, the party has investigated over 21 people. Corruption is endemic in Vietnam. And yet these corruption scandals seem all the more concerning than those over the past five to six years when senior officials weaponized police and the prosecutorial service to take down political rivals and their patronage networks. The VCP knows it has a legitimacy crisis. The government recently acknowledged that in 2021 there were 3,725 corruption investigations and criminal proceedings, three times the number in 2020. For an economy stuck between central planning and the market, with soft property rights, where the state controls key inputs such as land and capital, not to mention permits and licenses, there is no shortage of opportunities for graft. But where corruption was once seen as the cost of doing business, it is now viewed as predatory and hindering economic growth. A loudspeaker stands on the roof of a gateway in the suburbs of Hanoi on May 18, 2011. (AFP) Pathways to power But the decision to reinstall the loudspeakers also says something about the pathways to power in Vietnamese politics. The decision was a local one, made by the Hanoi Party Committee. The Hanoi Party chief is a key position and is often held by a member of the elite Politburo, and always a member of the Central Committee. The Hanoi Party Committee has been in turmoil, following the Viet A corruption scandal that saw its chief, Chu Ngoc Anh, expelled from the party and put on trial. The new Party chief is trying to curry favor, while his new deputy is clearly being groomed for greater things. For ambitious Party cadres, keeping clean right now is necessary, but insufficient. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continues to make counter-corruption his highest priority. But advancement will require those added flourishes, such as loudspeakers extolling the good works of the Party. Someone, somewhere, actually thought that this was a good idea. While loudspeakers blaring state media, party edicts, and propaganda may not be heard over the cacophony of Hanoi's congested streets, they will be heard in the corridors of power. Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College, Georgetown University or RFA. The U.S. also sent another warship to the region, along with a missile-tracking vessel. UPDATED at 8:40 a.m. EDT on 2022-08-07 The Chinese military continued joint air-naval exercises on Sunday, simulating attacks on Taiwan, the Taiwanese defense ministry said as China announced new drills north of the island in the Yellow Sea. It was the last day of drills held as an angry response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to the island. At the same time, the U.S. sent another warship to the east of Taiwan, expanding its presence in the area. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said it detected multiple Chinese aircraft, ships and drones operating around the Taiwan Strait, on Sunday morning, apparently simulating attacks on Taiwans main island. The ministry is closely monitoring the situation, it said in a brief statement, vowing to respond accordingly. A map showing the USNS Howard O. Lorenzens path. Credit: Marine Traffic Meanwhile data provided by the ship tracking website Marine Traffic show that a U.S. Navy Missile Range Instrumentation Ship, the USNS Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM-25), has been deployed and is now operating in the waters east of Taiwan. The ship, operated by the Military Sealift Command, is a missile-tracking vessel, equipped with the latest active electronically scanned array radar system to support the launching and tracking of missiles and rockets. The vessel was dispatched from Yokosuka base in Japan on Aug. 3, showing the emphasis the U.S. Navy places on monitoring Chinas missile activities. On Aug. 4, the Chinese military launched 11 Dongfeng ballistic missiles into the northern, southern and eastern waters surrounding Taiwan. Five are believed to have landed inside Japans exclusive economic zone and four flew over Taipei. Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) also fired long-range rockets at some of Taiwans outlying islands on the same afternoon, the Taiwanese defense ministry said. Taiwan called the Chinese military drills irresponsible and highly provocative. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, to remain on station on Aug. 4 to monitor the situation in the area. China Maritime Safety Administration announced Saturday that the PLA will conduct live-fire military exercises in the southern part of the Yellow Sea from August 6-15, with additional drills in the northern part of the Bohai Sea. Ships will be prohibited from entering the areas of the exercises, the MSA said. Tourists watch a PLA Air Force helicopter flying over Chinas Pingtan island near Taiwan on Aug.4. Credit: AFP Resolute response China announced the four-day drills on Tuesday evening when Pelosi landed in Taipei for a brief but highly symbolic stopover. She is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit the island in 25 years. Beijing has repeatedly condemned the visit as a grave violation of Chinas sovereignty and integrity, and threatened the strongest countermeasures. The drills appeared to have ended at noon on Sunday without the appearance of a Chinese aircraft carrier and submarine as previously reported in Chinese and Taiwanese media. The waves are big enough this week and all parties, including China, would see the need to start to cool off, and take stock of the crisis, said Collin Koh, a Singapore-based regional military expert. China on Friday released a set of eight countermeasures in response to the Pelosi visit, freezing collaboration on three sets of military dialogues with the U.S., as well as talks on the climate crisis, repatriation of illegal immigrants, counter-narcotics and legal assistance in criminal matters. The defense talks included meetings between Chinese and U.S. military commanders and bilateral efforts to coordinate air and sea operations to prevent misunderstandings and clashes by warships operating at close range. Their suspension may increase the risk of miscalculation and confrontation, analysts said. Before this, China also suspended imports of a number of Taiwanese products including natural sand, fish and fruit. I dont expect Beijing to withdraw the import ban on Taiwanese products any time soon. In fact, this ban is likely to persist much longer, said Koh from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. The new normal? To impress upon how Beijing views the severity of this crisis, we would expect it to continue to suspend the climate and military dialogue mechanisms until, as it demanded, Washington rectifies the wrong of proceeding with the Pelosi visit, Koh said. All in all, the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is likely to see some change, he added. During the four days of military exercises, Chinese military aircraft and ships crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions and analysts say the line that serves as the de facto maritime border between Taiwan and Chinas mainland will likely exist merely in name in the near future. By squeezing the median line, the PLA intends to make its encroachments on Taiwans air space and waters routine, therefore making the Taiwan Strait its Chinese inner sea, said Shen Ming-Shih, acting deputy chief executive officer at Taiwans Institute for National Defense and Security Research, a government think-tank. China has repeatedly rejected accusations of changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Its top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday: Taiwan has never been a country. There is only one China, and both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country. This has been the status quo of Taiwan since ancient times, the Chinese Foreign Minister said. Military scholar Collin Koh said he believes the PLA is starting to normalize its activities including drills east of the median line, adding to the pressure it has already exerted on Taiwan with its regular sorties into the islands air defense identification zone (ADIZ). An ADIZ is an area where civilian aircraft are tracked and identified before entering further into a countrys airspace. "China might conduct more intense or more radical actions," said Jyh-Shyang Sheu, a Taiwanese military expert. "But the reactions of the Taiwanese people showed that the coercion doesn't work well, although they conducted different activities at the same time, such as missile exercises, cyber attacks, fake news campaigns and so on," Sheu said. UPDATED with China's announcement of Aug. 6-15 war games in the Yellow Sea. Tehran says Iranian experts will control from day one an Iranian satellite due to be launched by Russia next week, rejecting reports that it will be first used by Moscow to "enhance its surveillance of military targets" in Ukraine. "All orders related to the control and operation of this satellite will be carried out and issued from day one and immediately after launch by Iranian experts based in Iran's...space bases," the Iranian Space Agency said in a statement on August 7. The spacecraft, a remote sensing satellite called Khayyam, will be sent into orbit by a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on August 9, according to Russia's State Space Corporation. A report by The Washington Post on August 4 claimed that Russia "plans to use the satellite for several months or longer" to assist its war efforts in Ukraine before allowing Iran to take control of it. Citing anonymous Western intelligence officials, the report said the satellite will provide Tehran with "unprecedented capabilities, including near-continuous monitoring of sensitive facilities in Israel and in the Gulf. But the Iranian space agency dismissed the claims as "untrue, and said "no third country is able to access the information" sent by the satellite due to its "encrypted algorithm. Iran successfully put its first military satellite into orbit in April 2020, followed by the launch of military reconnaissance satellite Nour-2 in March 2022. Last year, Moscow denied a U.S. media report that Russia is set to deliver an advanced satellite system to Iran that will vastly improve its spying capabilities. Western governments worry that satellite launch systems incorporate technologies interchangeable with those used in ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Iran insists its space program is for civilian and defense purposes only. Based on reporting by AFP and mehrnews.com Kosovar Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla has blamed "illegal Serbian groups" allegedly seeking to "disrupt the work of the Kosovo authorities" for an August 6 attack on border police, while also claiming that the arrest of a Russian journalist trying to cross into the country from Serbia was a sign that Russia was supporting alleged Serbian efforts to destabilize Kosovo. Authorities in Kosovo said on August 6 that a police unit came under fire earlier that day near the country's border with Serbia, where tensions have been high between the two neighboring Western Balkan nations. Svecla claimed on August 6 that the unnamed groups said to be behind the incident had the protection and public support of unidentified Serbian structures. Later that day, Svecla emphasized that Russian journalist Daria Aslamova's attempted entry and arrest the same day coincided with recent unrest in the country's north and with the shooting incident. Svecla announced on Facebook on August 7 that Aslamova, a correspondent with the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, had been declared an "undesirable person in the Republic of Kosovo." Kosovar authorities have launched an investigation into the August 6 shooting incident, in which they say 10 shots were fired at a border-surveillance unit attempting to launch a patrol boat in Lake Uyman near the town of Zubin Potok. Municipalities in northern Kosovo -- including Zubin Potok, northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, and Leposaviq -- are inhabited by an ethnic-Serbian majority in the mainly ethnic-Albanian country. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have risen recently after Kosovo said it would require Serbs living in the north of the country and using Serbian car license plates to apply for plates issued by Kosovar authorities. Ethnic-Serbian protesters blocked border crossings in the region in protest at the requirements. Kosovar authorities agreed to delay implementation of the requirements for 30 days after the border barricades were removed. Svecla said on Facebook on August 6 that the Russian journalist who was arrested that day was detained after allegedly trying to cross the border into Kosovo from Serbia. Svecla posted pictures of the journalist, whom he identified as Daria Aslamova, that appeared to show her with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as in camouflage and posing with unidentified soldiers. Svecla accused Aslamova of working for Russian intelligence and of only posing as a journalist, and said security authorities were trying to determine "her intentions." The Kosovar interior minister also said her attempt to enter Kosovo indicated that "Russia has joined Serbia's propaganda with the aim of destabilizing our country." Svecla also accused Aslamova of participating in Russia's war against Ukraine by "propagandizing about the Russian invasion" launched by Moscow in February. In a separate Facebook post on August 7, Svecla announced that he had declared Aslamova to be an "undesirable person" in Kosovo, saying that "anyone who, with certain purposes or directives, violates or attempts to destabilize the country, will face without question the force of the law in the Republic of Kosovo." As an "undesirable person," Aslamova will be barred from entering Kosovo for five years. Aslamova, according to Svecla on August 6, was barred from entering "many countries" for her activities. RFE/RL's Moldovan Service has reported that she was denied entry to Moldova in 2017 while working for Komsomolskaya Pravda because she could not justify the reason for her visit. Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, who is considered to be pro-Russia, criticized the Moldovan security services for denying Aslamova entry and said she had planned to interview him. Komsomolskaya Pravda said without addressing Svecla's accusations that she had been released and was now in Serbia. Russia has not responded to Svecla's claim about aiming to destabilize Kosovo. Russia is a main ally of Serbia and does not recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence from Belgrade. Kosovo has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is a potential candidate for accession to the European Union. About 50,000 ethnic-Serbs live in the north of Kosovo, but they do not recognize the countrys 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia, and they maintain close ties to Belgrade. Western-backed Kosovo is recognized by more than 100 countries, although not by Serbia, Russia, China, and others. With reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Moldovan Service Post-Soviet reformer Anatoly Chubais, who left Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, has reportedly been discharged from a hospital in Italy where he was being treated for a rare immunity disorder. The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported on August 6 that Chubais walked out of the medical facility in Sardinia with no assistance that day and had left for Frankfurt, Germany, for rehabilitation. Chubais, 67, had been receiving treatment for the past week for suspected Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, which can lead to numbness of the limbs and eventually paralysis. While the results of toxicological tests have not yet been received, La Repubblica reported, doctors said the well-known former official had responded well to treatment and were certain they were dealing with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Chubais's hospitalization -- coming after he reportedly resigned from his post as a special representative to Russian President Vladimir Putin in March because he disagreed with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine the month prior -- had led to some speculation by Russian opposition activists that he might have been poisoned. Several opponents of Putins rule have suffered from poisoning attacks, often outside Russia. The Kremlin has denied trying to poison its foes despite strong evidence in many cases implicating Russian authorities. Italian police were investigating the situation for any signs of foul play, but reportedly did not think poisoning was the cause of Chubais's illness. Chubais's hospitalization while vacationing on the resort island of Sardinia was reported on August 1 by Russian TV personality Ksenia Sobchak. Sobchak wrote on Telegram that Chubais's wife, Avdotya Smirnova, had told her that Chubais had been placed in intensive care. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time that he had no information about any requests from Chubais, who once served as former President Boris Yeltsin's chief of staff, or his representatives for help. "Certainly, this is sad news and we wish him a quick recovery," Peskov said. Before leaving Russia in March, Chubais resigned from his position as President Putin's envoy for stable development. He did not say why he was leaving either the post or the country, but many observers suggested it was the highest-profile protest inside the Kremlin against Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Bloomberg had reported that Chubais expressed opposition to the invasion of Ukraine upon his departure. Chubais is well-known in Russia, having held high-profile posts since the early 1990s, when he oversaw the efforts to sell off some of the country's biggest industrial assets during Yeltsin's time in office. With reporting by Reuters Ukraine has announced that a second caravan of ships carrying grain has left the country's ports as part of a deal with Russia to unblock Ukrainian sea exports. 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, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. The four ships that departed on August 7 were loaded with nearly 170,000 tons of grain, according to Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov. Three ships laden with up to 80,000 tons of corn set sail from Ukraine on August 5. The first ship to leave Ukraine under the deal brokered last month by Turkey and the United Nations departed on August 1. That ship, the Razoni, was expected to reach Lebanon on the evening of August 7, but is reportedly delayed and is currently located off the Turkish coast. The Ukrainian Embassy in Lebanon informed Western media outlets that the Razoni, which is carrying more than 26,000 tons of corn, would not be arriving in Tripoli as scheduled. The source gave no details as to when the ship will arrive, or why it was delayed. Nine ships are still awaiting to leave Ukraine from the three ports agreed upon under the deal, which cleared the way for Ukraine to resume grain exports by sea for the first time since Russia invaded the country in February. In Rome, Pope Francis welcomed the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine as "a sign of hope" that showed dialogue was possible to end the war. "I sincerely hope that, following this path, we can put an end to the fighting and arrive at a just and lasting peace," the pontiff said on August 7. The halt of grain shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, contributed to a spike in global food prices and caused concern about countries in the Middle East and Africa receiving enough grain and other commodities to feed their populations. Ukraine blamed a Russian blockade of its ports for the halt in grain shipments, while Russia claimed that mines placed in the water by Ukraine were to blame. On August 6, the first foreign-flagged ship arrived in Chornomorsk, a Ukrainian port on the northwestern coast of the Black Sea. The arrival of the Fulmar S was described by Kubrakov as "an important signal to the market that the grain corridor is a safe and, most importantly, profitable business opportunity for ship owners to return to Ukrainian ports." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over the recent shelling of the facility. Any attack on a nuclear plant "is a suicidal thing," Guterres told a news conference in Japan. 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, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. His comments followed a visit to Hiroshima over the weekend, where Guterres gave a speech to mark the 77th anniversary of the world's first nuclear bombing. Petro Kotin, head of Ukraine's state nuclear power company Enerhoatom, said peacekeepers should be deployed at the Zaporizhzhya site. "The decision that we demand from the world community and all our partners...is to withdraw the invaders from the territory of the station and create a demilitarized zone on the territory of the station," Kotin said on Ukrainian television. "The presence of peacekeepers in this zone and the transfer of control of it to them, and then also control of the station to the Ukrainian side, would resolve this problem." The Russia Foreign Ministry said later in a statement that it wanted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the plant, but said Kyiv was blocking a potential visit. Ukraine said renewed Russian shelling on August 6 had damaged three radiation sensors and hurt a worker at the Zaporizhzhya facility, Europe's largest nuclear power plant. It was the second strike to hit the plant in consecutive days. Russia has claimed that Ukraine is responsible for the strikes. Ukrainian Prime Minister Dmytro Shmyhal said that he discussed the situation at the power plant with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, including accusations that Russian forces have planted explosives at the plant to head off an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive in the region. "The whole world must unite in order to prevent a catastrophe. We count on the support of our partners to stop the aggressor as soon as possible," said Shmyhal. Ukraine's ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, likewise urged that the United Nations, the IAEA, and the international community send a delegation to completely demilitarize the territory and provide security guarantees to plant employees and the city where the plant is based, Enerhodar. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for new Western sanctions on Russia's nuclear industry "for creating the threat of a nuclear disaster." The plant, about 200 kilometers northwest of the Russian-held port of Mariupol, has been under Russian supervision since Moscow's troops seized it early in the war, but the Ukrainian staff continues to operate the facility. The Russian-installed authority of the region said Ukrainian forces hit the site with a multiple-rocket launcher, damaging administrative buildings and an area near a storage facility. The Russian Embassy in Washington also released a statement blaming "Ukrainian nationalists" for the damage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 8 that the shelling was "extremely dangerous" while calling on Ukraine's allies "to use their influence to prevent" its continuation. The fighting at the Zaporizhzhya site has alarmed the world. Guterres said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) needed access to the plant. "We fully support the IAEA in all their efforts in relation to [creating] the conditions of stabilization of the plant," Guterres said. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned on August 6 that the latest attack "underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster." Grossi urged all sides in the conflict to exercise the "utmost restraint" near the nuclear site. The IAEA chief added that it was "of paramount importance" that the agency be allowed access to the plant "to provide technical support for nuclear safety and security." With reporting by Reuters and AFP The ninth of August is celebrated under the auspices of the United Nations as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. On our planet, there are more than 200 million people belonging to aboriginal peoples and ethnic groups. Today, they often inhabit ecologically vulnerable but resource-rich regions. That is why it is important to maintain a balance between the interests of indigenous peoples inhabiting their ancestral lands and industrial companies operating in these regions. In Russia, about 50 ethnic groups are classified as indigenous peoples of the North. More than half of them live on the territory of the Arctic zone of Russia, including two thirds - outside urban settlements. Since it is practically impossible to preserve the native habitat of the indigenous peoples of the North, the life of the indigenous population of the North, as well as that of other residents of Russia, should change taking into account new life circumstances, says Igor Sergeev, professor of the Department of Economics of the Northwestern Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. According to the scientist, an important condition for the sustainable development of the indigenous population of the North is its involvement in the management of economic activities that are carried out on the land inhabited by ethnic groups (with the exception of military zones). INITIATOR OF THE FPIC For the first time in the history of the Russian mining industry, Norilsk Nickel launched the so-called Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) procedure in 2021 and invited the indigenous residents of Taimyr to choose themselves how to resettle the village of Tukhard. The FPIC procedure, successfully completed in 2022, has become an example of respect for the right of indigenous peoples to independently determine their political, social, economic and cultural priorities. As Vladimir Zhukov, Vice President of Norilsk Nickel for Investor Relations and Sustainable Development said at the conference "Challenges 2030. Sustainable Development of Regions," interaction with small-numbered indigenous peoples is one of the important areas of the company's activities to ensure sustainable development. In this regard, the the FPIC procedure was designed to become a guarantor of respect for the rights of the indigenous peoples of Taimyr. "Norilsk Nickel has historically provided active support to indigenous communities, but now cooperation has reached a new level. Two years ago, we signed a five-year agreement worth 2 billion rubles, which was based on the results of a dialogue with communities taking into account their needs and requests," Zhukov said. The initiatives earmaked in the FPIC roadmap include the construction of venison and fish processing workshops, purchasing of refrigeration units, construction of an ethnic complex with fur processing workshops, subsidizing helicopter transportation, targeted training in professions in demand at Norilsk Nickel, as well as the publication of textbooks in indigenous languages and many other special and comprehensive initiatives. Although the FPIC procedure is not directly included in the legislation of the Russian Federation, Norilsk Nickel, which is the world's largest producer of palladium and high-quality nickel, as well as a major producer of platinum and copper, voluntarily recognizes international standards and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. ADVANCED APPROACHES The approaches of Norilsk Nickel in the field of interaction with indigenous peoples are undoubtedly rated as advanced in Russia. There are 19 ethnic groups living in the Arctic zone. The support of the indigenous peoples of the North is spelled out in the 10-year Development Strategy of Norilsk Nickel until 2030, which provides for the preservation of their traditional way of life, support for economic activity and culture, financing of measures to save the eco-environment, construction of social facilities and the preservation of ethnic languages, as well as the development of tourism. Thus, Norilsk Nickel is today the only mining company in Russia whose development strategy separately prescribes to provide support to the indigenous peoples of the North. In June 2022, Norilsk Nickel held preliminary consultations with the representatives of the indigenous peoples in the villages of Lovozero and Krasnoshchelye of the Murmansk Province in connection with the prospects for the development of the largest lithium deposit in Russia - Kolmozersky. The dialogue was attended by the Sami, Nenets and Komi, as well as representatives of reindeer herding farms, authorities, Rosatom State Corporation and independent experts in the field of indigenous peoples' rights. The main purpose of the meeting was to build a two-way dialogue between the company and indigenous peoples, to inform representatives of local communities about the upcoming project, to listen and record suggestions and comments of indigenous organizations. "It is important for the company to take into account and minimize all possible negative consequences for the indigenous peoples of the region. Norilsk Nickel has extensive experience in supporting reindeer husbandry in Taimyr, and this knowledge and competence will be applicable in the Murmansk Province," commented Andrey Grachev, Vice President of Norilsk Nickel. RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE The reserves of minerals extracted on an industrial basis are mainly located in places of compact residence and economic activity of the indigenous peoples of the North. For example, diamonds are mined in the Anabar, Bulun, Zhigansky and Mirninsky districts of Yakutia. A few years ago, diamonds were discovered in the Nyurbinsky district. Coal is mined in Southern Yakutia, gold - in Aldan and Oymyakon, tin - in Ust-Yan. Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North live in all these places. In Russia, the number of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East is about 50,000 people. One of the priority tasks of Russian mining enterprises is to preserve their numbers, traditions and territories of residence. ALROSA, which develops diamond deposits in Yakutia, pays considerable attention to social responsibility. The company sets itself a large-scale task: to develop the regions of its presence so that local residents are always provided with jobs and decent wages. ALROSA finances the organization of children's recreation in children's health camps, assistance to the poor, war and home front veterans, and the society of the blind. In addition to charitable assistance, ALROSA promotes the employment of representatives of indigenous peoples, whose share among the company's employees is about 11.6%. In turn, Almazy Anabara OJSC, within the framework of the cooperation agreement with the Anabar National Ulus, pays attention to the employment of indigenous population at the compnay's operations. JSC Nizhne-Lenskoye, for its part, is engaged in the development of diamonds in the territories of four uluses Anabar, Olenek, Zhigansky and Arctic Bulunsky, with which the company has signed agreements on socio-economic cooperation. WORLD PRACTICE Millions of dollars are donated to support the population of Southern Africa by the British mining group Anglo American and its subsidiary De Beers. De Beers and National Geographic have created a strategic partnership aimed at protecting endangered species of Africa, ensuring water and food security for over a million people and creating livelihood opportunities for 10,000 aborigines. The Australian mining company Rio Tinto, which owns enterprises in 36 countries, has developed its own standard for the relationships and social life of local residents. At the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper mine in Mongolia, Rio Tinto has taken over the protection of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the indigenous population. Rio Tinto is also working to restore trust and relationships with the aborigines of Western Australia after the destruction of the ancient caves of their residence in the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region. The Swiss company GLENCORE, one of the world's largest suppliers of raw materials, is also actively working with indigenous groups. The company's activities are carried out in compliance with the recommendations of the International Council on Mining and Metals on indigenous Peoples and the mining industry, which requires that projects located on lands traditionally owned by indigenous peoples or in their usual use be implemented taking into account the rights and interests of ethnic groups. In turn, the Australian BHP, one of the largest mining companies, in 2016 created a Global Indigenous Peoples Working Group, which includes representatives of all international assets of the company, including Minerals Australia and Minerals America. The Working Group is engaged in the development, management and implementation of the company's strategy for indigenous peoples, as well as, among other things, supporting regional groups in the development and implementation of work plans with aborigines. Lucara Diamond, which is expanding its Karowe diamond mine in Botswana, successfully works with 19 different local communities, holding regular meetings with representatives of each of them to better understand their specific needs. The company also collaborates with indigenous peoples in Alaska. Natural diamond mining companies start working with local authorities even before the mine is opened. The drawn-up plans pursue not only the goals of preserving biodiversity and ensuring the safety of adjacent lands, but also preserving the culture and traditions of the indigenous population, improving its economic status and educational level, providing medical and social guarantees, as well as paying compensation. For example, Debswana, a leading diamond producer in Botswana, runs primary schools in mining communities, and De Beers pays scholarships for girls and women studying in the field of exact sciences. Industrial giant companies today are increasingly focused on trust between the local community and business, the "green economy", sustainable regional development, in particular, on strengthening the role of the local population in business development. NOT WITHOUT PROBLEMS Most of the assets of large industrial companies are located in the immediate vicinity of the indigenous peoples' residence. Thus, the active industrial development of natural resources in different parts of the world cannot but affect the lives of indigenous small-numbered peoples who live in these territories. In the process of opening new mines, most mining companies have conflicts with indigenous people related to the need to relocate them. Despite initiatives to involve aborigines in business, they are quite zealous about changing the boundaries of the lands where they live. As recently reported, the indigenous people of the Northern Territory of Australia demanded compensation from local authorities for the damage caused to their sacred trees by the zinc and lead mine McArthur River, which is owned by Glencore. According to the Roving Reporters agency, in the countries of Southern Africa, aboriginal peoples are under increased pressure to force them to agree to the activities of mining enterprises, which are environmentally hazardous. Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished Over 50,000 years ago, Leptoptilos robustus an extinct species of large-bodied stork around 1.8 m tall co-existed with mysterious miniature human relatives Homo floresiensis, dwarf proboscideans Stegodon florensis insularis, Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis), and vultures Trigonoceps sp., on the Indonesian island of Flores. Paleontologists previously thought that Leptoptilos robustus evolved from a smaller ancestor and may have been flightless. According to new research, the prehistoric bird was capable of active flight. Leptoptilos is a genus of very large tropical storks containing three living and almost ten extinct species. One of the extinct members of the genus, Leptoptilos robustus, lived on Flores an oceanic island that is part of the Wallacea biogeographical region during the Pleistocene epoch. This bird was first described in 2010 on the basis of four bones found in the limestone cave of Liang Bua. It was estimated to have weighed approximately 16 kg, larger than any living Leptoptilos species. Previous research suggested that Leptoptilos robustus evolved from a smaller Middle Pleistocene ancestor and may have been flightless. Extinct giant marabou storks were broadly distributed across continental Africa and Eurasia during the Plio-Pleistocene, said University of Bergen researcher Hanneke Meijer and her colleagues. Of these, Leptoptilos falconeri is the best known with fossils of this species recovered at sites in Africa and Eurasia. Relatively younger sites in northeastern China and Java preserve evidence of Leptoptilos lui (260,000 years ago) and Leptoptilos titan (Late Pleistocene), respectively. In some instances, these giant carnivorous birds have been found in association with proboscideans, vultures, and even hominins, suggesting a possible symbiotic relationship existed among these species. The emergence and expansion of grasslands in East Africa during the Late Pliocene likely facilitated the dispersal of large mammalian species from Africa into Asia (and vice versa), and subsequently during the Pleistocene from mainland Asia into Southeast Asia, they said. As opportunistic scavengers, giant marabou storks and vultures almost certainly would have also dispersed along with their primary sources of food (i.e. large mammal carcasses). Adding to this interesting story is yet another extinct giant marabou stork species, Leptoptilos robustus, discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores, an oceanic island that has never been connected to either the Asian or Australian continental land masses, they added. In the new study, Dr. Meijer and co-authors examined 21 additional skeletal elements of Leptoptilos robustus from Liang Bua Cave. Although Leptoptilos robustus elements are extremely rare at Liang Bua, comprising less than 1% of the total faunal assemblage, together these remains represent one of the best samples in the world of an extinct giant marabou stork species, the researchers said. With its shady overhang and recurring water pools (due to frequent flooding from the nearby river, the Wae Racang), Liang Bua likely was a comfortable shelter from the heat for local wildlife, they added. Such a sheltered watering hole would have provided ample hunting and scavenging opportunities for Komodo dragons, marabou storks, vultures and Homo floresiensis. The fragmentary nature of the Leptoptilos robustus assemblage suggests there may have been intense competition for Stegodon carcass access among these various species. However, the Leptoptilos robustus remains thus far do not show any signs of either Komodo dragon tooth marks or hominin butchery. The authors found that the wing bones of Leptoptilos robustus were well-developed and the species was almost certainly capable of active flight. The close association of giant marabou storks with hominins, proboscideans and even vultures, at sites in Kenya, Chad and Ethiopia, northeastern China, Java, and Flores suggests that the dispersal of these birds into Island Southeast Asia probably happened as part of a larger scale faunal community dispersal tied to the expansion of drier, savannah-like ecosystems across the Sunda shelf during the Pleistocene, they said. Future findings of giant marabou stork and vulture remains in association with those of hominins and proboscideans from the region would confirm such a scenario, as would their absence from islands never colonized by proboscideans and/or hominins other than Homo sapiens (e.g. Timor). As the remains of Leptoptilos titan and Leptoptilos robustus appear to be the most recent representatives of these once plentiful giant marabou storks, Island Southeast Asia likely acted as a refugium for the last surviving members of these enigmatic birds. The findings were published in the July 2022 issue of the journal Royal Society Open Science. _____ Hanneke J.M. Meijer et al. 2022. More bones of Leptoptilos robustus from Flores reveal new insights into giant marabou stork paleobiology and biogeography. R. Soc. Open Sci 9 (7): 220435; doi: 10.1098/rsos.220435 Two days after Kevin Kwong flew home to California from New York, his hands itched so badly, the pain jolted him from sleep. He thought the problem was eczema. Everything started rapidly getting worse, the Emeryville resident said. I started to get more spots, on my face, more redness and they started leaking fluid. The rash expanded to my elbows and my hands and my ankles. It took Kwong, 33, six virtual appointments with doctors and nurses, one call to a nurse hotline, a trip to an urgent care clinic, two emergency room visits, and two incorrect diagnoses before an infectious disease specialist diagnosed him with monkeypox in early July. Despite taking two tests, he never tested positive. As the number of monkeypox cases has exploded in the U.S. in the past month, the public health system is struggling to spread the word about the virus danger and distribute a limited supply of vaccines to vulnerable people. But the problem extends even further. People who may be infected are grappling with dead ends, delays, incorrect diagnoses, and inappropriate treatments as they navigate an unprepared and ill-informed health care system. The once-obscure virus has hospitals racing to teach emergency room staffers how to correctly identify and test for it. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, the infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco who ultimately diagnosed Kwong, said his case was a tipping point for the research hospital. Kevin came in the middle of the night when a lot of resources werent available. So I think after his case, were doing a lot more education of the general condition. But I think your average clinician doesnt always know what to do, Chin-Hong said. Monkeypox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, though its not as transmissible or fatal. Typically, patients have a fever, muscle aches, and then a rash on their face, mouth, hands, and possibly genitals that can last for several weeks. The current outbreak is spreading via human-to-human contact, such as touching a lesion, or exchanging saliva or other bodily fluids. People can also become infected by touching objects or surfaces, such as sex toys or sheets, shared with someone with the illness. The first U.S. monkeypox case of this outbreak was reported May 17, and since then, the number has grown to more than 6,300 probable or confirmed cases representing almost every state, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday declared a state of emergency to coordinate response and bolster the states vaccination efforts. About half of Californias 1,135 monkeypox cases have been concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although anyone can get infected, the outbreak appears to have largely affected men who have sex with men. Kwong said he probably contracted monkeypox from a sexual encounter during New York Pride events. This is the first-ever multicontinental outbreak, so its not just going to vanish, said Andrew Noymer, an associate professor at UC Irvine who studies infectious diseases. This is not going to blow up like COVID, but this outbreak is going to have legs, he said. It may be like syphilis and itll just sort of be around. But most doctors dont know how to recognize it. In late June, when Kwong began experiencing symptoms, most of the doctors and nurses he spoke with during virtual visits didnt even mention monkeypox. That doesnt surprise Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA. Even though Ive worked on and off in several sub-Saharan African countries over the last 25 years, Ive actually never treated a case of monkeypox, Brewer said. Before this current outbreak, monkeypox was a very unusual disease. A rash limited to the genital or rectal area may be mistaken for a sexually transmitted infection. But even if doctors havent been trained to recognize monkeypox, Brewer said, their advice to patients could help contain the spread. You would be advising people to not engage in sexual activity until their lesions are healed and treated, Brewer said. Although many cases are mild and resolve on their own, some rapidly become serious like Kwongs. Your body is being taken over by this thing that you dont understand. And you have nowhere to go, so its both painful and terrifying, Kwong said. Kwong initially treated the rash with the topical steroids he uses for eczema. When that didnt work, he attended an online appointment with a nurse who diagnosed him with herpes and prescribed an antiviral medication. Over the next few hours, the rash quickly spread to more of his body. Alarmed, Kwong went to an urgent care clinic. The doctor agreed with the herpes diagnosis, and added another: scabies, a rash caused by mites that burrow into skin. My spots were concentrated on my hands and my wrists and feet and elbows, which are prime locations for scabies, Kwong said. Kevin Kwong/California Healthline The urgent care doctor had considered monkeypox but Kwongs spots were clustered together and looked different from the monkeypox rash pictures the doctor had seen. Depending on where I was with my symptoms, and who I was speaking to, I was getting different answers, Kwong said. Over the July Fourth holiday weekend, Kwong frantically reached out to anyone he thought could help as his symptoms worsened. I tried to contact doctors, I knew friends of friends who were dermatologists, he said. After each time I spoke with someone, I just got rapidly worse. And it was really freaky. During another virtual appointment, in the middle of the night, a nurse noticed the rash had spread toward his eyes and told him to go to the emergency room immediately. It was there, at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, that doctors said Kwong may have monkeypox. They were researching while I was in this room, and back-and-forth on the phone with the CDC. I expected myself, as a patient, to be in the dark, but I didnt realize how little information was also given to providers and how unprepared they were as well, he said. He spent 12 hours in the emergency room, where nurses swabbed his lesions for a monkeypox test. They told him to come back if he developed a fever or started vomiting. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. At this point, I was just miserable. I had sores in the back of my throat, in my mouth, all over my body, he said. I was just delirious because I couldnt sleep more than an hour or two at any given time. Later that night, Kwong decided to make the trip to the UCSF Medical Center. Hed heard through a friend that UCSF Health was treating monkeypox cases, and a virtual care nurse had urged him to go. When he arrived, he was separated from the other patients, received oxycodone for pain, and was swabbed for another monkeypox test. The next day, Chin-Hong started treating Kwong for monkeypox. I thought, wow, this is really, really extensive disease, Chin-Hong said. Ive seen other cases of monkeypox before, but theyre very limited. I would say Kevin is probably in the top 5% of severity of diseases. Because the rash was close to Kwongs eyes, Chin-Hong feared he could go blind if the disease were left untreated. He prescribed Tecovirimat, an antiviral medication branded as TPOXX, that has received special clearance from the FDA to treat monkeypox in certain circumstances. After the first day on the drug, Kwong noticed that his rash stopped spreading. Over the next two days, the hundreds of swollen spots flattened into red disks. I was shocked by how fast Kevin improved. It was almost like he was a turbo-rocket on the way to recovery, Chin-Hong said. As Kwong started to heal, he got his first test result back: negative. Then the second: negative. Chin-Hong said health workers might not have rubbed his lesions hard enough to get live cells for the monkeypox test. Its very difficult as a clinician to really get a good sample in these kinds of lesions because the patient is often in pain. And you dont like to see people suffer, Chin-Hong said. Cases like Kwongs may be missed if tests arent conducted correctly. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions online resource for clinicians is adequate, Brewer said, but only if you take the time to read all 59 pages. Clinicians need to collect at least two samples from multiple locations on the patients body, he said. The key, Brewer said, is to sample lesions at different stages of development and not concentrate only on the early bumps. For two weeks, Kwong took six antiviral pills a day to rid his body of the virus. He no longer needs pain medication. My face was the first to heal, which I think helped me a lot, to be able to recognize who I was in the mirror again, Kwong said. Now, more than a month since the ordeal began, Kwongs hands and feet are finally healing. His cuticles and the skin on his hands peeled off and are in the process of regrowing, while his fingernails have turned black and started to fall off, he said. Kwong said the psychological toll will take longer to overcome. I feel less invulnerable, because it was such a rapidly debilitating disease. And so Im still working on my mental state more than my physical one. Jackie Fortier is the senior health reporter at L.A.-based public radio station KPCC and LAist. This story was developed jointly by KPCC, National Public Radio and Kaiser Health News, where it previously appeared. Twitter: @JackieFortier U.S. Forest Service A collection of wildfires in Humboldt and Trinity counties in the northwest part of California has prompted a series of evacuation orders. The Six Rivers Lightning Complex, which began as a dozen lightning-caused blazes on Friday, consisted of eight active fires burning in steep, rugged terrain and encompassed 1,287 acres with zero containment as of Sunday evening, according to the U.S. Forest Service. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Its been just over two weeks since San Francisco school board member Ann Hsus comment on a school board candidate survey ahead of the November election sparked uproar and calls for her resignation. When asked how she would improve the education outcomes of marginalized students, Hsu wrote that a challenge especially in the black and brown community is a lack of family support and a lack of parental encouragement to focus on learning. Hsu, a former tech worker who was appointed to the school board by Mayor London Breed in March and whose experience in education stems almost entirely from having children in public school, succeeded in perpetuating the weathered stereotype that parents of marginalized youth dont value education. Hsu has since apologized multiple times. She has even admitted how it was based on her own inherent biases. And on Tuesday, when the school board voted to admonish her, Hsu voted in favor of the action. Yet in the mad scramble that has become routine when a new scandal breaks in San Francisco with political factions using the moment to castigate their enemies and defend their allies there hasnt been enough oxygen given to why Hsus answer was problematic. For one, it simply isnt true. Black and brown parents do push their kids to achieve academic success, despite the education system having been designed to keep them from achieving it. A July 2020 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that Black and Hispanic parents were just as involved in their kids education as white parents, with 88% of Black parents and 87% of Latino parents saying they attended a general school or PTA meeting. Randy Seriguchi Jr., executive director of the local Black-led nonprofit Urban Ed Academy, which works to diversify the teaching profession, sees these numbers reflected in real life. Urban Ed was founded in 2010 as a Saturday school program where marginalized elementary school students were provided extra tutoring for math, reading and other subjects. Hundreds of kids participated in the program during the six years it existed, Black boys in particular, Seriguchi said. This notion that Black and brown parents dont care about school is immediately rebutted by the fact that so many were willing to send their kids to Saturday school for four hours per day. Saturday school ended in 2016, but Urban Ed has gone on to create programs such as Smart+ and Focus on Continued Success, both of which provide marginalized students with additional classroom time to study science, math and other subjects. And these programs continue to be accessed by parents of more than 600 students in San Francisco alone, according to Urban Eds 2020 annual report. Despite parents best efforts, jarring proficiency gaps remain between white students and students of color, as a performance analysis released in June by the San Francisco Unified School District showed. The causes involve legacy inequities that date back to before America was a nation. The story goes back to the moment (Black people) got here in 1619 and how from 1619 on, specifically around education, the goal was to keep the slave uneducated, unknowledgeable ... because a smart slave was one to be reckoned with, said Brett Andrews, co-chair of the S.F.-based Black Leadership Council. Black and brown people value education in a way thats matched against all the ways it was not offered or presented to us, historically, in the same ways the general population was receiving it. Black children were banned from public schools in California as part of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1852. San Francisco opened the states first segregated school for Black children two years later, and by 1860, California codified a ban on Black, Asian and American-Indian students attending public schools with white students. It wasnt until the 1880s that California truly began eliminating some of its anti-Black and anti-Asian education laws, yet today tens of thousands of students currently attend segregated schools, including many that are disproportionately Black, according to The Chronicles reporting of a UCSF study. School populations are shaped by the demographics of the areas around them. And because local property taxes go toward school funding in California, the more affluent the neighborhood a family lives in, the more likely their kids will have access to high-performing, well-resourced schools. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. But, as the states reparations task force reported at length, California has a sordid history of using racially restrictive covenants, redlining, urban renewal and outright violence to keep nonwhite people from setting roots in these communities. We see that history today in San Francisco. According to a study by the Bay Area Equity Atlas, 164 of the Bay Areas more than 1,500 census tracts are concentrated areas of white wealth, and over half of these segregated neighborhoods are located in San Francisco. Feeding into this disparity in affluence levels is Californias modern racial pay gap. According to the California Civil Rights Department, at private employers with 100 or more employees, Black and Latino people are overrepresented among the lowest paid, while white and Asian people are more likely to be the highest paid. All of these trend lines converge in the classroom, where historically marginalized families are still being forced to make do with less. Hsu was asked in that questionnaire about disparities in academic outcomes and tried to explain why they exist. She gets an F for effort because placing blame on parents shifts focus from systemic injustices that allow the disparities to exist in the first place. The truth is, Black and brown parents have always been working to address them. They just rarely get the credit they deserve. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips When handling bombs, Freddie Meeks would often worry. The young Black sailor was assigned to load munitions onto ships during World War II in Contra Costa County. Meeks imagined a chain-reaction tragedy, bomb detonating bomb, until everyone there had been blown into oblivion. Late on the evening of July 17, 1944, such a tragedy killed 320 people at Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord. Black sailors accounted for 202 of the victims. White officers and enlisted men who survived were sent home for 30 days leave; Black sailors were told to get back to work loading bombs and ammunition for fighting in the Pacific. Fifty who refused to work in such perilous conditions, including Meeks, were later convicted of mutiny and imprisoned for a year and a half. The treatment of the Port Chicago 50, as they came to be known, provoked backlash at the time and accelerated the desegregation of the military. But nearly 80 years later, efforts continue to clear their names formally. Brittany Hosea-Small / Special to The Chronicle U.S. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, and Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, are pushing once again to exonerate the men. They passed a measure through the House that, if approved by the Senate, would direct Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro to exonerate the 50, who have all died, and restore their service records. Theres no guarantee the Senate will pass the measure. There might be every reason to suspect it wont. DeSaulnier said he has advanced the same measure to the Senate three times in recent years without passage. DeSaulniers predecessor, George Miller, campaigned decades for exoneration before his 2015 retirement. DeSaulnier said fears of legal liability such as reparations for the families of the 50 might be a factor in the recalcitrance. Weve had to say over and over again, This isnt about money, the congressman told The Chronicle. This is about fixing a historical wrong. The measure to exonerate the 50 is tucked into the budget for the U.S. Department of Defense, as it has been in the past. The bill is expected to be taken up in the Senate sometime this fall. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle This years efforts come two months after the release of a 500-page report from Californias reparations task force, which details the states racist past. Though the state joined the Union as anti-slavery, it welcomed white enslavers from the South who came during the Gold Rush in 1850. Two years later, conservative estimates say, there were 500 to 1,500 enslaved African Americans in California. The years of Jim Crow were brutal with the spread of the Ku Klux Klan and sundown towns, where white residents sought to keep others out of their borders with ordinances and threats of violence. The story of the Port Chicago 50 is, advocates say, another stain on the Bay Area, the state and the U.S. Hopefully, at some point, it will be full exoneration, said Meeks son, Daryl Meeks. His fathers story, revealed in historic and new interviews, newspaper archives and government records, shows the horrors the Port Chicago 50 endured both during their service and throughout their lives. No safety Freddie Meeks, a 24-year-old who had grown up in Memphis, digging ditches to help his widowed mother, had just finished his shift that night stacking munitions onto the E.A. Bryan, one of two naval ships docked near the munitions facility. As he walked toward the barracks, he and other men still working sang Anchors Aweigh, the Navy song: Anchors aweigh, my boys, anchors aweigh, they sang. Farewell to foreign shores, we sail at break of day, of day. Before long, the blasts came. The force could be felt in Nevada and all but vaporized a pier on Suisun Bay. It reduced ships to splintered memories, men into aching voids in families back home. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle The precise cause would never be determined. But Meeks figured a bomb went off in one of the train cars that brought in the bombs and ammunition. There was no safety, Meeks told journalist and scholar Robert L. Allen in 1980, when Meeks was 60. There was no training. Meeks and the other Black sailors spent 22 days sorting body parts and debris. When the segregated barracks were moved to Mare Island in Vallejo, where bombs and ammunition were also loaded, the men knew they would be asked to get back to work filling ships. Only Black sailors handled munitions at both sites. Some sat up talking the night before they expected to be asked to return to loading duties. As Steve Sheinkin detailed in his 2017 book, The Port Chicago 50, the Navy would later call this a secret meeting to plot a mutiny while the sailors maintained it was a conversation about the grim fate that could await them. The next day, a white officer marched a group of sailors toward a ship. Suddenly the sailors stopped, some clumsily bumping into each other. The officer asked the men if they were refusing to work. They confirmed that they were, and he reported them to a superior who tried to persuade the men. How, the white man asked, was this any different than the danger men faced in foxholes? Standing there, some of the sailors had tears in their eyes, considering the question. You can fight back in foxholes, one of the sailors called out, but you cant fight back here. Brittany Hosea-Small / Special to The Chronicle In the coming hours, a total of 258 sailors told officers that they wouldnt handle ammunition. Meeks told a superior that he would go to the front, but he was terrified to continue handling bombs. All but 50 men would decide to go back to work after an admiral threatened to recommend they be tried for mutiny and put to death by firing squad. The 50 were put on trial for their lives within weeks. During court martial proceedings on Treasure Island, they were convicted and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. They remained incarcerated until 1946, when prodding by figures including Thurgood Marshall, then the chief legal counsel for the NAACP, helped lead to their shocking early release and sudden reassignments to Navy outposts and ships across the world. Silence Meeks didnt talk about it. He worried what people would think, or do, if they found out he was one of the Port Chicago 50. He had to try to skirt questions about convictions on job applications. He found positions in a tire factory and as a butler before a long stint working for Los Angeles County in a mechanic shop. When Daryl Meeks was a boy, he would press his dad for stories from the war, like kids he had seen on TV. The father didnt leave the son wanting, but the stories he told took place after his release from prison, when he was on a ship in the Pacific. Daryl Meeks hadnt even heard of Port Chicago, let alone his fathers role, until one day in August 1980. Philip Cheung/Special to The Chronicle He stopped by his parents home on his way to work in Los Angeles, where the family had lived before and after the war. Daryl Meeks found his father in tears. I was in my early 20s and I had never seen my father cry ever, Daryl Meeks told The Chronicle. His father was in the middle of speaking with Allen, the journalist who would write the 1989 book, The Port Chicago Mutiny. Freddie Meeks wife, Eleanor, had suggested he skip the interview, but he had decided he needed to tell the story. When you look back on it now, Allen said that day, how do you feel about it? You feel kind of like you got a raw deal on it, said Freddie Meeks, who had been found guilty of mutiny on his 25th birthday. The way they hound us every day, treated us, and then they talk about their own prisoners of war and how the other countries treated them. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. He said he and others had long been bitter because of the racism at the heart of their treatment. Even the Navy acknowledged their assignment of loading bombs and ammunition was motivated by racism. The routine assignment of Afro-Americans to manual labor was clearly motivated by race and premised upon the mistaken notion that they were intellectually inferior and thus incapable of meeting the same standards as their white counterparts, a 1994 Navy report examining the case said. Brittany Hosea-Small/Special to The Chronicle Still, the review didnt recommend exoneration. Exonerations for military convictions are even rarer than in civilian court. Since 2003, six people were cleared of crimes they were convicted of in the military, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. Thats compared to hundreds in the same time period in civilian courts. But what Port Chicago 50 supporters are asking for isnt unprecedented. In 2008, the Army formally exonerated 28 Black soldiers who had been wrongfully convicted in the lynching of an Italian prisoner of war in 1944. Their exoneration came after it emerged that the Army had hidden from the defense evidence that a white military police officer was suspected in the murder. Not around to see it As his health was failing in the late 1990s, Freddie Meeks decided to seek a pardon. This was, he would say, to keep the memory alive and expose what happened. A pardon is forgiveness for a crime, not exoneration, which would be a statement of innocence. It was a symbolic gesture, as pardons dont clear a persons record. But a pardon was what seemed attainable. In the application, Meeks lawyers said the Navy appeared incapable of a fair review of the case that would lead to exonerations. (Seaman Second-Class) Meeks has suffered in silence from this unjust conviction long enough, the attorneys wrote in the May 1999 pardon application, archived by the National Park Service, which has a memorial at the site of the Port Chicago disaster on Navy property. He served his country honorably in a time of war despite the Navys complete neglect of both his worth as a human being and the benefits of his contribution because S2c Freddie Meeks is Black. President Bill Clinton granted the pardon for Meeks at Christmas in 1999. Provided by Meeks family I know God was keeping me here for something to see, Meeks told reporters. But I am sorry so many of the others are not around to see it. Meeks was 80. It had been 55 years, each made harder in some way by his experience. Only one other of the 50 men was known to be alive. It was really late for my father, said Daryl Meeks, 64, whose father died in 2003 of complications from diabetes. He was thankful for what President Clinton did. It didnt change what he had gone through for all those years. A formal exoneration from the Navy wouldnt either, of course, but it would be a formal statement that the men werent mutineers. It is our duty, Rep. Lee said in a statement, to call out this racial discrimination and ensure history recognizes them as heroes, not criminals. Sharon McGriff-Payne, a Vallejo historian and author who focuses on the areas deep African American history, is resolved to tell the story to honor the men. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle She lobbied the city to honor the Port Chicago 50 and the Vallejo site of their historic work stoppage, as she refers to what the Navy calls a mutiny. The precise spot where the men stopped marching is believed to be on Ryder Street, a short, dead-end industrial stretch off the Napa River. Beneath a towering redwood there, McGriff-Payne sat Tuesday morning on a bench in front of the memorial the city installed in 2019. McGriff-Payne grew up hearing about the disaster from her parents: Her father was assigned with other Black men to load bombs onto ships on Mare Island during the war and trained with some of the men who would be convicted of mutiny. The knee-high marker, encircled with 50 black stones, is easy to miss, just across a fence from the city wastewater treatment plant. But theres a bench where people can sit and reflect, and the redwood gives shade. And anyone who comes here can read the story of the Port Chicago 50 the way their supporters would have it told. This memorial is dedicated to the 50 African American sailors who in August 1944 courageously refused to work under unsafe and dangerous conditions Joshua Sharpe is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joshuawsharpe CINCINNATI (AP) At least nine people were wounded none critically in a shooting outside a Cincinnati bar early Sunday, police said. The shooting took place shortly after 1:30 a.m. outside Mr. Pitifuls bar in the Ohio citys Over-the-Rhine district, a popular nightlife area. Most of the victims suffered wounds to their lower halves, Lt. Col. Mike John of the Cincinnati police told reporters. John said during a Sunday news conference that eight men and one woman ranging in age from 23 to 47 were wounded. All nine people treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center had been released, hospital spokesperson Heather Chura told The (Cincinnati) Enquirer. A police officer fired one round at a suspect who fled the scene, but it was unclear if that person was hit, something John called a little unusual." More shots were fired after that person fled, so police believe at least two people were shooting, he said. What I can tell you is that the individual that he fired at was actively shooting a firearm at that time, John said. The suspect fled the scene. He said he believed there was no question" that the officer's immediate response saved lives. Police said a fight broke out between two groups, and officers saw at least two people involved brandish firearms and shoot at each other, The Enquirer reported. John said police used what he called two bang balls a percussion instrument with a very loud noise to disperse a crowd they said had gathered around officers trying to provide aid to the wounded. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Another shooting in the neighboring Central Business District left two wounded, but police said it wasn't related. Mayor Aftab Pureval called the gunfire completely and totally unacceptable." The use of guns to solve disputes cannot become a normal part of our culture," Pureval said, lauding officers for a quick response that likely saved many more from injury and prevented the loss of life." When my little brother was young, he loved to play dress up. Hed ask my sisters and I to paint his nails and do his makeup. Sometimes we would offer him a dress to wear to perform for the family karaoke competitions we held in the living room. He almost always won, partly due to biased judging on the part of our mother. He loved to sing, especially dramatic and hard-to-execute ballads. And he wasnt shy about it in fourth grade he sang the pop rock band Panic! At the Discos Death of a Bachelor in his schools talent show. But when he entered middle school, his attire and interests completely changed. Now, he would not be caught dead in a dress. He likes basketball, rap music and girls. Ive talked to him about this shift. He explained that he doesnt like singing or wearing girly things anymore because its weird and not socially acceptable. He fears what his friends, particularly his male friends, will think of him. Meanwhile, in pop culture, famous heterosexual men seem to be embracing the feminine, at least when it comes to clothing. Bad Bunny is wearing dresses, Seth Rogen has been sporting acrylic nails, and late last month, Brad Pitt donned a skirt at the premiere for his new movie. All of this comes at a time when drag queens typically gay men who dress up in dramatically feminine attire and perform have moved from a niche part of society to a cultural mainstay, with multiple drag-themed television shows like RuPauls Drag Race and Generation Drag attracting millions of viewers. That men in television and film are more comfortable breaking gender norms than the average boy makes sense. Celebrity performers are typically rewarded for being countercultural with increased publicity, which can lead to increased influence and consumption of their work. But celebrity norm-breaking can also do something else: destigmatize and normalize previously taboo topics. Contestants on Drag Race often talk about the way their fan base has changed over the course of the shows existence increasingly seeing crowds at live events filled with teenage girls and boys dressed in drag, alongside their parents. But despite these indicators of progress, we still arent at the point where most boys feel comfortable breaking gender norms. Its easy to see why. According to a study published in 2017 in the Journal of Adolescent Health, when compared with girls, adolescent boys are more likely to be physically bullied, laughed at by other boys and called names for breaking gender norms, particularly around attire and beauty. That backlash does not end when boys grow into men. Research has shown that people tend to dislike men who do not conform to gender norms. Atypical (e.g., modest, nondominant) men are also viewed as less competent than men who conform to more stereotypical masculine norms. In the media, these men have long been the butt of jokes for example, Ben Stillers male nurse character in the 2000 movie Meet the Parents, or more recently the 2021 Netflix film Love Hard, which leans into longstanding racist tropes against the sexual desirability of Asian men for Jimmy O Yangs character alongside his poor performance at work and dream to pursue a nontraditional career in candle making. Think back to your own adolescence. Was there ever a time when you wanted to do something that broke gender norms, whether it be changing the way you dress, getting a new hairstyle or joining a club or activity? Were you discouraged or made fun of for it and quit right away? Youre not alone. So much joy, talent and creativity has been squandered because little boys were told, either by someone or by society, to be more of a man. The world has probably lost out on a lot of stay-at-home dads, kindergarten teachers, nurses and dancers as a result. Boys need to be free to pursue their interests and be their authentic selves without having their masculinity policed. While there hasnt been much, if any, research on how conforming to clothing and appearance norms affects boys mental health, we do know that adhering to strict norms of masculinity such as emotional stoicism is related to depression and likely contributes to the higher suicide rate among men. Encouraging boys and men to be themselves, even if it means breaking social norms, could help alleviate this mental health crisis. Just the other day I texted my little brother to tell him that Brad Pitt wore a skirt. I encouraged him to start the trend at his school, to which he responded, hell nah bru what is yall on. Even with celebrity endorsements and the encouragement of loved ones, boys (particularly teenagers) may not feel comfortable breaking social norms. Im going to keep supporting and encouraging my brother in the ways I know how exposing him to counter-stereotypical men and asking him about his interests and emotions until he finds the confidence to explore his interests and accept himself. But if we want to help boys be themselves, its going to take a lot more than individualized support. Its going to take a culture shift. Sydney Garcia is a research coordinator at the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory. This fall she will begin her doctorate studies in social psychology at Princeton University. Have you ever had FOMO so bad you could taste it? When the sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All At Once came out in March, all my writer friends raved about it. My corner of the science fiction writing world hailed it as one of the best movies of all time, and it was all anyone could talk about. It was the conversation happening in my industry. Before the pandemic, I wouldve gone to see a new movie in theaters. In the early pandemic, it wouldve been on a streaming service, and I couldve seen it safely at home. But now, with mask mandates gone and everything back in theaters, I can no longer see new releases and be part of the conversation. I also still cant go get a haircut, go to a dentist or go on my honeymoon. During the pandemic, Ive had to hunker down. Ive been extra cautious not to expose myself to the coronavirus because Im high-risk: I have myalgic encephalomyelitis (sometimes called ME/CFS or chronic fatigue syndrome), a neuro-immune disease that makes it much more dangerous for me if I get COVID-19. As weve collectively moved on from the pandemic, weve done away with common-sense precautions like masking in indoor places (especially on public transit!), weve ended good community health practices like contact tracing and government-paid testing, and we have just decided that were done, the pandemic is over. Only the sad and irrefutable truth is that its not over. Were on our fourth and fifth omicron sub-variants, each of which has been about 20% more transmissible than the variants that came before them, which in turn were about 20% more transmissible than the variants before them and so on. Weve changed our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking map to only count transmission as high when theres a risk of hospitals running over capacity, even though the rate of actual transmission is higher than it ever was. Weve decided were OK with COVID ripping through the population more-or-less unchecked, since we know breakthrough infections are not only possible, but common. People are still dying of COVID and even more people are getting long COVID (which were seeing develop into myalgic encephalomyelitis for many long haulers, and trust me, you dont want it). The CDC and Food and Drug Administration have mostly abdicated their responsibility to prevent infections, focusing only on serious illness and death, while ignoring long COVID and the impact of the virus on disabled people. And, of course, the more people get COVID-19, the more people are disabled by long COVID, which can also make them high risk, and the problem just compounds. But even for high-risk people like me who havent gotten the virus, weve just become more disabled as a result of these societal practices. Theres a model of disability that says that your limitations are partially based on what you inherently can and cant do, and partially based on the accommodations society makes for you. So while I could fully participate in, say, conferences before the pandemic (I could just rent a scooter to get around, an easy accommodation), and at the beginning of the pandemic when everything went virtual (I could participate from my couch), this is no longer the case. I am more disabled, as in, less able to do things, because society has decided that protecting people like me doesnt matter. I am not able to physically go to my fields largest conference (where Im meant to be a speaker) in September because the safety precautions are just not there, despite conference organizers doing their best. In order to attend, I would need to go on two flights where, even if I were masked, Id be trapped in a small metal tube with no air circulation for significant periods of time surrounded by unmasked people. (Air circulation on planes doesnt start until the flight is in the air, and with the current mess of canceled and rescheduled flights, people wind up packed together in unventilated planes on the ground for hours at a time. Not to mention that folks get trapped in airports waiting for delayed flights as well, also surrounded by unmasked crowds in an indoor setting.) I would need to go to a hotel that doesnt require its staff to wear masks, or it doesnt have reasonable air circulation. And I would need to go to a conference center where people are expected to eat indoors in groups, in a building full of other conferences and gatherings that may not have masking regulations as good as mine. This isnt new. In April, I was supposed to go see my family, whom I hadnt seen in a year, for Passover. Three days before I was supposed to fly out, I changed flights so that even the return trip would be within the airline mask mandate timing. When my mother-in-law got off her flight the next day, she told me that even though the mandate was in place, very few people were following it and nobody was enforcing it, and she felt uncomfortable. I canceled my trip at the last minute, and it was a good thing I did, because a U.S. district judge threw out the mask mandate on the day I was meant to fly home. I heard horror stories of people ripping off masks mid-flight and of people who expected to have an extra layer of protection suddenly trapped in a risky situation they didnt consent to. Im fortunate that, for many things, there are some alternatives. I can go to the virtual component of my conference, even though that will be just a tiny sliver of the overall experience. As for Passover, my in-laws put a laptop that had me on Zoom on the table so I could participate from afar. And, yes, it was a little awkward being the only remote person. But there arent alternatives for everything. Please consider that as you want to go back to your pre-pandemic life, so do disabled folks like me. Just as you want more socialization for your mental health, so do disabled folks like me. Society has decided that people like me just arent worth accommodating, but we can be and do better. If youre in charge of an event, a workplace or an institution, please include common-sense COVID precautions. Ask folks to be masked, especially indoors. Make sure theres great air circulation, or even better, hold your event outdoors. Ask folks to test before they show up. You wont just be making it more accessible for folks like me youll be making it safer for everyone. Effie Seiberg is a marketing consultant and science fiction writer living in Berkeley. Shes had ME/CFS for four years and is writing a book that shares her experiences and tips for other sufferers. Twitter: @effies A veteran San Francisco commissioner was assaulted while walking home in San Franciscos South of Market district, the latest in a spate of violent attacks against Asian Americans. Gregory Chew, a former member of the citys arts, film and immigrant rights commissions, said he was walking down Third Street at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when an assailant rolled up on a bicycle and suddenly began punching him. I didnt even know what happened, Chew told The Chronicle on Saturday as he sat at home recuperating from injuries, including a badly swollen eye and a broken left shoulder. He remembered blacking out on the sidewalk as the attacker took off. When Chew regained consciousness, he remembered seeing two women emerge from a pingpong club, trying to help. A bystander evidently called police, and within minutes, he said, an ambulance arrived to take him to California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness Avenue. The man who attacked Chew did not say anything during the encounter, and his motivations were not clear. Chew said he felt his pockets minutes after the assailant left, and realized his wallet and cell phone were still there. There was no robbery, he said. Representatives of San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday. As of Saturday evening the department had not released information on the alleged assault, nor have police identified a person of interest or announced an arrest. Supervisor Matt Dorsey, whose district includes SoMa, described the assault in a tweet as senseless violence directed at a longtime public servant. Weve talked and he is doing okay hes got many fans who are wishing him well but there should be no place for these kinds of attacks in San Francisco, Dorsey wrote, referring to Chew. Both the supervisor and retired commissioner fear the attack fits a pattern of unprovoked violence against Asian Americans particularly older adults like Chew, who is in his 70s that ramped up during the pandemic. On Sunday, Asian American community leaders and their allies rallied in Washington Square Park, urging the city to clamp down on what appear to be targeted crimes. From March 19, 2020, to March 31, 2022, people nationwide reported 11,467 episodes of aggression and hate towards Asian Americans, one-sixth of which involved physical violence, according to data collected by the organization Stop AAPI Hate. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Chew, who grew up in the Bay Area and has lived in SoMa for more than 30 years, said that when he looks out his window, he can glimpse the patch of sidewalk where he was beaten. Its a surreal experience, he said, adding that hes felt afraid to go out, an unfamiliar and deeply unsettling emotion for a person accustomed to walking everywhere. I love this city, he said, striking a defiant tone. I walk this city all the time. Union Square, Chinatown, North Beach, you name it. At home grinding through pain, Chew said it took a while to fully grasp the severity of the incident. I wasnt afraid to go out at first, he said. Then it started seeping in. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Applied Science University (ASU) to provide education financing to current and future students. The signing ceremony was held at KFH-Bahrain's headquarters at the Bahrain World Trade Centre attended by Abdulrahman AlKhan, Head of Cards & E-Channels, and Dr Mohammed Youssif, VP for Administration, Finance and Community Engagement at the Applied Science University. Dr Youssif said: This partnership will contribute to facilitating students' enrollment in the academic programmes of the university, as it will push them forward on their educational journey, which will contribute to their development and career growth afterwards. Supporting students KFH-Bahrains Education Financing Programme aims to facilitate and support students to pursue their education at prestigious universities and higher education institutions in Bahrain and abroad. The Sharia-compliant financing programme comes with an exclusive 2-year profit-accruing grace period and includes financing of up to BD30,000 ($79,257) at low rates. AlKhan stated: We continue our efforts to cater to market needs and exceed our customers' expectations by providing them with a superior banking experience. Our partnership with the ASU aims to support students to complete their education from one of the prestigious universities in the kingdom. This step comes in line with our efforts to support the education sector and contribute to the development of future leaders.-- TradeArabia News Service The last leg of Nina Gordon-Kirschs monthlong hiking journey was a 10-mile ascent up the western flank of the Sierra Nevada to a pair of gleaming alpine lakes near Ebbetts Pass, about equidistant between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. As she neared one of the lakes, she dropped her pack and sprinted along a drainage until she found a small outflow, then collapsed at the waters edge. That is the point where the lake spills into the headwaters of the North Fork of the Mokelumne River, which supplies drinking water to 1.4 million customers in the East Bay, 180 miles away including Gordon-Kirsch, a teacher who lives in Oakland. After years of this vision and weeks of walking, I finally arrived at this life source, she said later. I felt like I was a salmon swimming home upstream. The moment capped a 33-day sojourn along the length of the Mokelumne a river used for hydropower and agriculture as well as drinking that Gordon-Kirsch had long planned to gain a greater understanding of the water flowing to her tap. Shes not alone: Californias complicated relationship with water, strained by historic drought, is driving all kinds of people to embark on water walks. The practice involves tracing a river or waterway from sea to source, or in reverse direction, under ones own power, in an effort to gain perspective on our complex water supply. These pilgrimages often take weeks. Some take the form of recreational wilderness expeditions with a conscientious bent. A retired sheriff in Amador County, for instance, recently finished hiking, mountain biking and kayaking down the Mokelumne, through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and to the Golden Gate Bridge, in part to raise funds for a conservation nonprofit working on the river. Other journeys come to fruition as long-distance political demonstrations involving hundreds of activists. Inherent in each undertaking are spiritual qualities that hark back to ancient indigenous practices known by many as healing walks. Steve German / Special to The Chronicle Just recently, on the shores of West Marin County, the Winnemem Wintu tribe completed its seventh annual prayer journey, a 300-mile ceremonial excursion that begins in Redding. Participants walk, bike, horseback ride, paddle and boat the route of a traditional salmon run from spawning beds in the waters near Mount Shasta down the Sacramento River and out to the Pacific. They hope to wake up the waterway and restore the salmon run, said Winnemem Wintu Tribal Chief Caleen Sisk. Our creation story says that whatever happens to the salmon happens to us, Sisk said. Pollution, agricultural claims and poor water management stymie salmon on the Sacramento, she said. Historically, indigenous communities whose lands are around major California water sources have been denied equitable access or outright exploited for the resource, Sisk said. For years, she said, her tribe which is based in the Shasta Lake area has been vying for access to sacred sites around the headwaters of the Sacramento River, one of the states biggest rivers. Provided by Run4Samon / Winnemem Wintu Tribe The river has a spirit itself, she said. The reason why the water is damaged stems from people owning it. A Sonoma County nonprofit group called Walking-Water organized a similar demonstration, held incrementally between 2015 and 2017. Dozens of water activists participated in a 600-mile walk from Mono Lake in Mono County to Long Beach designed to raise awareness about the impact to the Paiute people of the Eastern Sierra of diverting water from the region through the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Water walks are about how we restore our relationships to water, said Kate Bunney, Walking-Water co-founder and coordinator. For many, its about learning where our water comes from and bearing witness to whats happening with it. The hodgepodge of landowners and water rights holders can make navigating a river very difficult. The logistics are so much harder than the physical journey, Gordon-Kirsch said of her Mokelumne hike. Steve German/Special to The Chronicle Stretches of the Mokelumne, whose name comes from a Miwok term meaning people of the fishnet, flow through public forestlands and river canyons. While open to hikers, those areas required off-trail bushwhacking. Elsewhere, the water passes through reservoirs and hydropower plants with strict public access rules. Gordon-Kirsch spent a chunk of time before her hike seeking permission from farmers to cross their lands. Farmers were like, Sure, I love what youre doing. Thanks for teaching people about the water, she said. For several years, Gordon-Kirsch co-taught a class on water resources rights, agricultural uses and environmental justice issues at the Urban School in the Haight- Ashbury. She left that position to hike the Mokelumne, and she intends to put together a 25-minute educational documentary film about the river with footage she collected along her journey. Steve German / Special to The Chronicle Steve German / Special to The Chronicle Left: Nina Gordon-Kirsch pumps water from a well at Bloomfield Campground. Right: hikes along California Highway 4 in Alpine County, accompanied by Eva Orbuch on her way to the Mokelumne River headwaters. Photos by Steve German / Special to The Chronicle Top: Nina Gordon-Kirsch pumps water from a well at Bloomfield Campground. Above: hikes along California Highway 4 in Alpine County, accompanied by Eva Orbuch on her way to the Mokelumne River headwaters. Photos by Steve German / Special to The Chronicle I want to bring it to schools in the East Bay to learn about this precious resource so that kids can put a name to the water that comes out of their tap and instill a sense of belonging to these resources, Gordon-Kirsch said. During her trip, Gordon-Kirsch carried a cloth flag that read, Where does your water come from? As she posed the question to people she met along the way, she noticed a clear distinction: In East Bay cities and suburbs, most people werent sure. But as she ventured into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and past the farms and vineyards of the Central Valley, where water allocations are hotly debated and cutbacks are imminent, the knowledge base is much deeper. A big eye-opener has been the privilege we enjoy of having our water coming out of the tap without having to think about it, she said. Because, for others, it doesnt work that way. Steve German/Special to The Chronicle Gregory Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas Correction : The last name of Kate Bunney, Walking-Water co-founder and coordinator, was misspelled in a previous version of this story. News A quarter of San Francisco public school students were chronically absent last year Craig Lee/The Examiner Students at San Franciscos Independence High School have struggled with absenteeism. School officials hired an extra social worker to focus on chronically absent students who may be in the juvenile justice system, foster care or in other situations that impede school attendance. Jennifer Klecker The 2022 graduating class of San Francisco's Independence High School. The San Francisco Board of Education is set to unveil in October a plan to increase literacy rates, math achievement and college and career readiness. But there is an obstacle to achieving the new goals. More than 25% of San Francisco Unified School Districts students were chronically absent in 2021-2022, the first full year of in-person learning since the pandemic began. Although SFUSD is not alone in this phenomenon 72% of public schools saw an increase in chronic absenteeism for both students and teachers during the 2021-22 school year the districts twofold rise to 24.8% is well above the national average of 17%. We know the past few years navigating the impacts of the pandemic have been incredibly difficult for students and families, said Jenny Lam, president of the San Francisco Board of Education. Students missing significant time from school is an alarm we need to understand the factors and how to provide students with supports and receive the care they need to learn and succeed. A student is deemed chronically absent if they miss more than 10% or 18 days of the school year, excused or otherwise. The term was coined in 2010 by education consultant Hedy Chang who found students who are chronically absent in kindergarten are less likely to read at grade level by third grade, less likely to succeed academically in middle school and more likely to drop out in high school. Soon thereafter, she founded Attendance Works, a San Francisco-based nonprofit focused on improving attendance practices and policy at all levels of governance. In San Francisco public schools, one of the greatest increases can be seen among transitional kindergarten students, 50% of whom were chronically absent last academic year as opposed to 20% in 2020-2021 perhaps because students under 5 were not eligible to be vaccinated until this past June. The other large increase occurred among the two-thirds of African American, Pacific Islander and foster students and half of Latino students who were chronically absent in 2021-22. This is a significant increase from 2020-21, the year most disrupted by the pandemic when 45% of African American students, 47% of Pacific Islander students, 46% of foster students and 25% of Latino students were chronically absent. Even prior to the pandemic, however, students in these ethnic groups saw higher levels of chronic absenteeism in San Francisco and across the nation, according to educational researchers. A lot of the things that we know are causes or at least strongly associated with chronic absenteeism are disproportionately unfortunately present for students of color, said Ethan Hutt, associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education. When we talk about schools that have a high prevalence of chronic absenteeism, we want to disentangle things that are within their control and things that are not within their control. The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on historically underserved communities exacerbated those factors, said Cecelia Leong, vice president of programs at Attendance Works. She pointed to a Wayne State study chronicling Detroit families experiences with COVID-19 and school attendance that found that students whose families faced greater economic hardship during the pandemic were more likely to be chronically absent. There were significant socioeconomic differences between moderately and severely chronically absent students, reinforcing that reducing chronic absenteeism will require social and economic supports beyond what schools alone can provide, the study read. The impacts of absenteeism According to Hutt, whose research at UNC focuses on the metrics used to quantify school performance, the single oldest measure is attendance. He noted that although the quality of a school used to be determined by its average daily attendance or percent of enrolled students who came to school on a daily basis the reality is that taking attendance has long been be an ambiguous metric. School districts almost immediately realized that these numbers are easily manipulated, Hutt said. Its very hard to verify who is in the building and so districts will engage in all kinds of shenanigans to make their numbers look good. If students missed consecutive days, for example, districts would drop students and re-enroll them when they returned so as not to count their absence in the final metric. This went on as recently as 2017, when a Washington, D.C., high school graduated all of its seniors despite a majority missing more than six weeks of school. Some couldnt even read or write. Michael Gottfried a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education found that chronic absence has four distinct impacts on students, their classmates and their school. The first is on school finances, given that California schools receive funding from the state based on how many students show up each day. Similarly to Chang, Gottfried found that chronic absenteeism impacts both literacy and math achievement in a negative way. However, absences tend to impact math more than reading because while parents will read to their children at home, they dont feel as equipped to teach math. Chronic absence was also found to impact child development; those who are absent often are less engaged in the classroom and dont want to be there, prompting further absence and a reinforcing cycle. Lastly, Gottfried found that classmates are impacted as well. For example, if a student has missed a few days of school, the teacher may slow down to catch them up, affecting the learning of the rest of the class. In contrast, if the teacher doesnt slow down, the student may be confused and disengage from the lesson. Either way, learning is altered. Pandemic-imposed absenteeism In studying factors that contribute to absenteeism, Gottfried established four distinct drivers: routines, transitions, engagement and health. Seeing twofold increases in chronic absenteeism post-pandemic, Gottfried said the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have disrupted all four drivers. Routines are all about practice, Gottfried said, and while many are out of practice, there are kindergarten through third graders who have never practiced going to school before. Likewise, many made the transition from elementary to middle school or middle to high school online. Middle schoolers have missed this entire huge developmental piece of growth of preadolescent development, Gottfried said. They havent been able to have those moments in school that are super engaging, either making those connections with teachers or curriculum or with peers. Aside from the obstacles students face at school, some may not even want to go back due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, something that Leong at Attendance Works said schools need to address. Theres been so much trauma and anxiety and stress from the pandemic that part of the normal transition almost has to be augmented, so that youre really addressing some of the anxiety and fear of leaving home or being exposed to COVID, Leong said. SFUSDs approach In addition to an ongoing joint research project examining chronic absenteeism at SFUSD with UC Berkeley, San Franciscos public school district offers wraparound services to assist student attendance, said SFUSD public relations manager Laura Dudnick. Once a student incurs six unexcused absences, school-based coordinated care teams are supposed to reach out to the family and schedule a meeting. Based on that meeting, support plans are created, Dudnick said. When a family cannot be reached, the issue is referred to the district-level Coordinated Care Team for Truancy, which tries to find other ways to support the family. Individual schools also have their own methods of promoting attendance. In fact, most of Independence High Schools students enroll because they have struggled with chronic absenteeism. True to its name, Independence provides an independent study program in which students create their own schedules and attend small classes with up to 15 students. The school also has a special education program for students with moderate to severe anxiety, depression, school phobia and school avoidance. Some of the kids we get havent stepped foot in their school for six months or more, said Principal Anna Klafter. We start from a really hard place with some of our kids and we work to get them through school, but also to get them to a place where they can be successful after school and find something thats meaningful for them. Independence hired an extra social worker to focus on chronically absent students who may be involved in the juvenile justice system, foster care, are between homes or are dealing with other situations that impede school attendance. The addition of this position ... has really turned around outcomes for our Tier 3 students, Klafter said. Shes able to case manage 25 kids and really be their go-to person for everything from academics and school supplies to food and housing and family needs, and has just been a real lifeline for students and families. Since the start of the program in 2019 and the additional social worker in 2020, graduation rates at Independence have increased from 54% to 91%, according to Klafter. Though these solutions are specific to Independence High School, Gottfried and Hutt said research shows that when high school students are taught by a teacher of the same ethnicity, attendance rates tend to increase. Serving breakfast in the classroom and placing students with disabilities in general rather than special education classrooms has also proven to increase attendance. Hutt added that parent communication about the impacts of absenteeism can serve as a further solution. It doesnt matter if we talk about new standards or higher quality teachers. If the students arent there to receive the benefits of whats going on in the schools, then why even talk about anything else, Gottfried said. Its almost like absenteeism/attendance is the first step in trying to create educational opportunities. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) A London museum agreed Sunday to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria as cultural institutions throughout Britain come under pressure to repatriate artifacts acquired during the colonial era. The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London said that it would transfer a collection of 72 items to the Nigerian government. The decision comes after Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments formally asked for the artifacts to be returned earlier this year and following a consultation with community members, artists and schoolchildren in Nigeria and the U.K., the museum said. The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria, Eve Salomon, chair of the museums board of trustees, said in a statement. The Horniman is pleased to be able to take this step, and we look forward to working with the NCMM to secure longer term care for these precious artifacts. The Hornimans collection is a small part of the 3,000 to 5,000 artifacts taken from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897 when British soldiers attacked and occupied Benin City as Britain expanded its political and commercial influence in West Africa. The British Museum alone holds more than 900 objects from Benin, and National Museums Scotland has another 74. Others were distributed to museums around the world. The artifacts include plaques, animal and human figures, and items of royal regalia made from brass and bronze by artists working for the royal court of Benin. The general term Benin Bronzes is sometimes applied to items made from ivory, coral, wood and other materials as well as the metal sculptures. Countries including Nigeria, Egypt and Greece, as well indigenous peoples from North America to Australia, are increasingly demanding the return of artifacts and human remains amid a global reassessment of colonialism and the exploitation of local populations. Nigeria and Germany recently signed a deal for the return of hundreds of Benin Bronzes. That followed French President Emmanuel Macrons decision last year to sign over 26 pieces known as the Abomey Treasures, priceless artworks of the 19th century Dahomey kingdom in present-day Benin, a small country that sits just west of Nigeria. But British institutions have been slower to respond. Nigerias Federal Ministry of Information and Culture formally asked the British Museum to return its Benin Bronzes in October of last year. The museum said Sunday that it is working with a number of partners in Nigeria and it is committed to a thorough and open investigation of the history of the Benin artifacts and the looting of Benin City. The museum is committed to active engagement with Nigerian institutions concerning the Benin Bronzes, including pursuing and supporting new initiatives developed in collaboration with Nigerian partners and colleagues, the British Museum says on its website. The Horniman Museum also traces its roots to the Age of Empire. The museum opened in 1890, when tea merchant Frederick Horniman opened his collection of artifacts from around the world for public viewing. Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, the museum embarked on a reset agenda, that sought to address long-standing issues of racism and discrimination within our history and collections, and a determination to set ourselves on a more sustainable course for the future. The museums website acknowledges that Frederick Hornimans involvement in the Chinese tea trade meant he benefitted from low prices due to Britains sale of opium in China and the use of poorly compensated and sometimes forced labor. The Horniman also recognizes that it holds items obtained through colonial violence. These include the Hornimans collection of Benin Bronzes, comprising 12 brass plaques, as well as a brass cockerel altar piece, ivory and brass ceremonial objects, brass bells and a key to the kings palace. The bronzes are currently displayed along with information acknowledging their forced removal from Benin City and their contested status. We recognize that we are at the beginning of a journey to be more inclusive in our stories and our practices, and there is much more we need to do, the museum says on its website. This includes reviewing the future of collections that were taken by force or in unequal transactions. Adam Pardee/Special to SFGATE It may have been one of the most unexpectedly endearing moments on the first day of San Franciscos Outside Lands. When Los Angeles-based rock duo Best Coast descended on the Panhandle stage Friday night, much of the performance was focused on reflection. Its been a decade since the release of The Only Place, and 12 years since their debut record Crazy for You delighted fans with its retro revival-meets-surf rock sound. Vocalist Bethany Cosentinos cat, Snacks, made an iconic appearance on the album cover, and swiftly became the bands unofficial mascot and one of indie rocks most famous pets. Over the years, her pet has become the subject of fans' tattoos, adorned Wavves' 2010 album cover for "King of the Beach" and even got a shout-out on David Letterman. There is a 40-year-old, pro-life, bilingual, moderate Republican woman running for Congressional District 28 against long-time incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar who has been in the office since 2005. Cassy Garcia had never run for political office before. So when she defeated Laredos own Sandra Whitten for the Republican nomination for the 28th Congressional District in Texas, it was a bit of a coup. Now she hopes to turn the seat red in November and make history as the first Mexican-American woman to ever be elected to it. Garcia is one of the three considered to be part of the so-called triple threat, as the state Republican Party is seeing the rise of Latinas like Garcia making strides in long-held Democratric seats. Joining her are Mayra Flores, who won a special election in her congressional District 34, and Monica De La Cruz, who is running as a Republican for District 15. These conservatives are taking aim at traditionally more liberal seats across the state. Garcia is estimated to have around $4.8 million already for her campaign and has commercials ready to be launched soon. She resides in the Rio Grande Valley with her husband and two stepsons. The road for Garcia in Laredo is tough, however, as locals have disproportionately voted Democratic. However, she feels she could be in line for an upset. This is my first time ever running for office, Garcia said. I cant wait for people to know who I am, as I have so much passion to serve. It is not about being Republican or Democrat but rather about helping everyone out. The reason why I am in this fight right now is because I am tired of what is happening to our country right now, and this seat has been under Democrat control for 110 years. Before running, Garcias only political experience came in various City of McAllen positions and most notably as the regional director. Then she later became deputy state director for the office of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Garcia says she met many people and helped others with needed documents in her time in those positions, making sure Texans had the availability to travel abroad or into Mexico. I started from the ground up, as we opened a district office in McAllen when everybody said we should have it in Harlingen, Garcia said. I said that we need it to provide representation as we served everybody, we didnt just serve Republicans or Democrats but rather (we) served everyone. After eight years working for the senator, she decided to resign and then run for Congress. In 2020, Garcia was appointed by President Donald J. Trump in July to serve as Commissioner for the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. Some have described Garcia as a far right Latina." She said she does not consider herself to be one, as she is simply pro God, pro-family and pro-life, and is a supporter of conservative values. I dont paint myself as a far-right Latina. I paint myself as someone who is an American and someone who loves this country so much and wants to give all to this country, all to this district and wants to help out, Garcia said. I always have been in the middle, and thats me. I want to do things that are right for this district. Garcia has conservative views when it comes to issues such as subsidiary programs, which she hopes welfare programs are reformed so they do not provide a handout but rather a hand-up, and provide people with the resources to get to their goals instead of simply giving people money. Garcia said she worries there might not be social security funds available in the coming years, which is why she would like to cut unneeded programs. She also believes in maintaining Title 42 and strict policies that would keep the count of illegal encounters at the border at low levels, as she believes there is a major crisis occurring at the border. Although Garcia believes Cuellar talks tough when it comes to border security, she said when looking at the way he votes in Congress, it doesn't match the idea of doing much to stop the flow of illegal activity from the border. Garcia says she hopes more legal immigration increases, which is why she would vote on streamlining a process to make it more accessible for people so they can quickly gain legal access to the country. It should not take 15 or 20 years, as I think we need to work on that so people do come here in a legal way, Garcia said. When it comes to abortion, Garcia is pro-life and applauds the recent decision by the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade as she believes it once again leaves the decision of supporting or funding abortions up to the state and the voters. She argues the federal government should not have to decide on any matter when it comes to the issue of pro-life. I would make sure that no federal funds will be used for abortions, Garcia said. Planned Parenthood exists, which is there to provide tools for these young girls and education. Planned Parenthood is more than just abortions, but everybody paints it that way. I just want to make sure that all the tools necessary for the women and for the boyfriend and husband are there and know that they all have the resources. Garcia says she is more moderate when it comes to issues of same-sex marriage and health care. For same-sex marriage, she said she did not agree with the language Texas' Republican Party used earlier this year declaring members of the LGBTQIA to be abnormal." I think we are advancing, and whatever your views are and whatever you are, you should be accepted, Garcia said. I know gay Republicans. I think they should be accepted and there are many of them. Health care should be affordable. I lost my health insurance when I resigned from my job, and I did not realize how expensive it was. I noticed that when I got into the Affordable Care Act, when it passed, my premiums were higher, but I still needed health care. As a member of Congress, Garcia said she would find ways to make health care premiums more affordable, as she understands her very own constituents along the Texas-Mexico border travel to Mexico to seek affordable health care. People go to Mexico to get injections, people go to Mexico to get braces, people drive across to save a dollar also on gas because it is cheaper, Garcia said. Health care is something that I really want to work on, because if you lose your job, I dont think you should lose your health care insurance. Just like you dont lose your car insurance when you lose a job and you still pay for it, so I think this is something that we should be working on too. Garcia says she is also a supporter of school choice, and she recalls a time when she met Dr. Marcus Nelson, former LISD superintendent, and they discussed the issue. She said they both agreed school choice would better for teachers as they focus on those wanting to go to the school. I think parents should have a choice in where their child gets educated and not just some zip code, Garcia said. As the issue of water conservationism is starting to become more prominent, with various rivers and lakes are drying up throughout the state of Texas and even in nearby Monterrey, Garcia also touched on how the issue of water will be an important topic to cover soon. I have seen piers drought throughout the years, as back when I was with the department of agriculture and Falcon Lake was low and reservoirs were low, we started doing water conservation. When I was with the City of McAllen, we implemented with the community conservation guidelines like you can only wash your car one day a week, Garcia said. I have not seen from the state a comprehensive plan. We need to see tough, strict guidelines to protect water. Garcia said she would also look into the water treaty with Mexico to see if Mexico still owes any water to the United States to make sure Falcon Lake and other water reservoirs do have the available water needed. One of the main perceived strong points of Cuellar, which helped him win the Democratic primary during the May runoff, was the fact he sits on the appropriations committee in Congress and that he helps bring large amounts of money to the district. He also touts by next year he could be chair of the committee, but Garcia said this will not happen even if Cuellar wins as they predict that the House of Representatives will go Republican. I know that is a tactic and something he is telling everybody, that if he doesnt get elected that the money is going to stop coming into the district. That is not true, Garcia said. Money will still be flowing to the district, but the change is what money is coming to the district. He will not be the head of the appropriations committee because we are going to take back the House. Garcia was born in Lawton, Oklahoma. Her family comes from a military background, as her father was in the Army and moved around to various places from Anchorage, Alaska to the Rio Grande Valley. When she was a child, her parents divorced and her step-father became her primary paternal figure, as her mother remarried and taught her many of the conservative values she has today. Garcia said there are many conservatives in the South Texas area and many wished, like her, to run as Republicans in important races against figures like Cuellar. But she feels they have always been afraid to lose, as Democrats have traditionally won in the area. People have always wanted to run as Republicans here, but many state that they have to run Democrat to win, Garcia said. I have talked to elected officials here that have told me, Cass, I am a conservative, but the only reason that I run is because you have to run as a Democrat to win, or they call themselves a conservative Democrat. Thats why I tell people that even though you are a Democrat, you are a conservative Democrat, as you are pro-life and you support a strong and secured border. Garcia's parents worked two jobs each to make ends meet and were very church-oriented, attending three times a week at their Pentecostal congregation. Garcia said she was very involved at a young age with the church, which is something she believes kept us out of trouble." In high school, Garcia was involved in everything from student council, band and the drill team, as she worked in her first job making pizzas and as a party hostess at Peter Piper Pizza. As a resident of The Valley, by the time she became of college age, she graduated from the University of Texas Pan-American with a degree in journalism. She always wanted to be a meteorologist until she learned she was scared of thunderstorms and lightning. Upon graduating in 2004, she got her first job in the political spectrum as an environmental education coordinator for the City of McAllen where she found her love for politics." After her time working for the city, she then went to work for one of the Rio Grande Valleys workforce boards in the economic development department, then went to work with the states department of agriculture where she worked with landowners and on various projects before going to work for Cruzs office. For Garcia, Cuellar is no stranger as she says they both know each other really well. According to Garcia, they recently saw each other at a Laredo restaurant, greeting each other courteously. She said the race is not about who is the better person but rather who is the better person to get things done for the district. As she faces her toughest battle ever in the Nov. 4 election against Cuellar, she said she has already spoken with Whitten and the other former eight candidates who ran to help gain their support and potentially help her switch the seat. He may be a good guy and he has done a lot for this community, but I think it is time for a better way forward for this district and someone who does not have an FBI investigation under them, Garcia said. People have come up to me and said that they are voting Republican for the first time and that is because they have never had another option. It is not just about winning this seat but rather working for the people and bringing some relief. Garcia said she will also block walk as much as possible to reach out to all potential voters no matter their party affiliation. She says she will talk to supporters of Jessica Cisneros, Cuellars progressive challenger, and express her ideas and views to see if they can choose a candidate over party. Garcia also said the fact there is a third-party challenger in the race can provide some leverage to her campaign if the vote count is close on Election Day. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Two Richmond-area historically Black universities are planning to build college partnership laboratory schools. Details on plans by Virginia State University in Ettrick and Virginia Union University in Richmond are scant. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that leaders at the two universities can't say where the schools will be built, how many students they will serve or who will teach the classes. A spokesperson for Virginia Union declined to speak in detail about the university's plan. But a VSU dean said opening a lab school brings the university closer to its community, delivers real-life experience and innovation to K-12 students, and helps education leaders learn more about what works and what doesn't between a teacher and the classroom. We're definitely interested in partnering with our surrounding community to effect change in education, Willis Walter, dean of the College of Education at Virginia State, told the newspaper. The two universities are among the first in the state to seize an opportunity introduced by Gov. Glenn Youngkin this year. In June, the General Assembly allocated $100 million toward seed funding for lab schools. The law allows for colleges and universities with teacher education programs to open lab schools. Lab schools can have specific focuses, such as STEM, at-risk students, special education or career and technical education, according to Virginia law. The schools, which can offer alternative instruction, scheduling, management and structure, award spots through a lottery based on availability. Students pay no tuition. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES A speeding car, a sickening crunch, a ball of fire. Before anyone had time to react, a multi-vehicle crash turned a busy intersection into one of the most gruesome scenes on Los Angeles streets in recent years, leaving five people dead, including a pregnant woman, and family members searching for answers. Investigators on Friday arrested Nicole Lorraine Linton, 37, a registered nurse, in connection with the crash in Windsor Hills. Linton was at the wheel of a dark-colored Mercedes-Benz that was going as fast as 100 mph down La Brea Avenue when it ran a red light at the intersection with Slauson Avenue about 1:35 p.m. Thursday, hitting several vehicles, according to the California Highway Patrol. The crash has left the family of 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, the pregnant woman who was killed, in disbelief. Cotie Davis, Ryans youngest sister, recalled speaking with her sibling that morning. On her way out of their South Los Angeles apartment for a doctors appointment, Ryan told Davis, 20, who styles hair, that she wanted to get her hair done. She wanted braids too, probably just like this, Davis said, running her hands down her long black and blond braids that reached past her waist. Ryan would ask for a different color each time, she said. Shed return, sometimes with her hair blue, other times purple. But Thursday morning was the last time Davis would see her sister alive. Within minutes of leaving the apartment, Ryans car was smashed by Lintons Mercedes. Ryan, who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant, was in the car with her boyfriend and 1-year-old son. The fiery crash left five people dead, along with Ryans unborn child, while onlookers and family struggled to understand exactly what happened. Davis and her family started worrying when they hadnt heard from Ryan for several hours. Speaking to the L.A. Times from the doorway of the apartment where the sisters lived with their mother, Davis recalled her familys desperate attempts to reach Ryan on Thursday. Calls went straight to voicemail. Texts to her iPhone were sending green, a sign that Ryans phone was dead. It didnt make sense, Davis said. Her sister always kept a charger in the car. She thought the worst, wondering whether her sister was in the deadly crash, her phone broken in the collision. The gut-wrenching confirmation came in a text from a friend at the crash site. He took a photo of someone he believed to be Ryan and sent it to Davis. It didnt show Ryans face, but the image was just enough for their mother to recognize her clothes, and for Davis to recognize her feet and her tattoo. When you spend that much time with someone, youre gonna know each part of them, she said. Davis and her family collapsed. Their screams drew the attention of their next-door neighbor, Josephine Harris, who ran over. Rey Rey is gone, they told Harris. Few details emerged the day after the crash. Surveillance video shows a Mercedes-Benz barreling down La Brea at a high speed as dozens of cars cross on Slauson. The Mercedes does not appear to slow down before running a red light and slamming into cars in the intersection. It then bursts into flames and hurtles into a light pole, where it comes to rest. After the crash, a streak of fire burned on the ground and billowing smoke could be seen from miles away. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but Officer Franco Pepi, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson, told the L.A. Times on Thursday that investigators determined the Mercedes was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran a red light. At least six vehicles were involved in the crash, Pepi said. Eight people were injured. Authorities are checking Lintons bloodwork to determine whether she was under the influence at the time of the crash, according to two law enforcement sources. A member of her family declined to speak to a L.A. Times reporter Friday. Linton was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, and prosecutors expect to file charges Monday, accusing her in the deaths of the unborn child as well as the five others. CHP investigators estimate that her Mercedes was going 80 mph to 100 mph as it approached the junction and ran the red light, and evidence gathered so far shows no sign of braking, according to two law enforcement sources. A specialized CHP accident investigation team is extracting data from the Mercedes computers that capture speed, braking and acceleration. At least nine serious crashes have occurred along that stretch of La Brea Avenue between 2013 and 2021, according to CHP data. None have been fatal. The L.A. County coroners office has not released the names of anyone killed in the crash except for Ryans. Davis said Ryan and their other sibling, Shaseana Kerr, were born in Los Angeles and raised in Inglewood. In recent years, the family moved to California City, where their grandmother lives, before returning to L.A. As the oldest sibling, Ryan, who went by Rey Rey, was the familys backbone. Her birthday would have been in September; Davis followed in November. Still, Ryan put talk of her own celebration aside, telling Davis, Hey, sister, I already know what Im gonna get for your birthday. Ryan always bragged about her sisters and their accomplishments, Davis said. She beamed with pride when she found out Davis had started studying for her college degree in criminal justice. Ryan followed her younger sister and also joined the program, but it was Davis graduation that she looked forward to. I cannot imagine not having her at my graduation, Davis said before bursting into tears. Harris, the neighbor, also felt Ryans sudden absence. After Harris moved to L.A. from Arkansas two years ago, it was Ryan who immediately befriended her. Their front doors were separated by several feet, and the two often ran into each other in the apartment hallway, where theyd talk about boyfriend drama, the struggles of pregnancy and past heartache. Harris had lost her mother in 2019 and, before that, her brother in a house fire. In one recent conversation, Ryan knocked on Harris door, took a sniff and asked whether she was cooking her famous fried chicken. I was like, Girl, I got you I fed the first baby, so I could feed the second one, Harris said, referring to Ryans toddler and the baby still on the way. I wake up, I expect she gon come out the door, she said. But Harris hasnt been able to eat or sleep since hearing the screams next door and learning her friend was dead. When I walk out the door, thats the first thing I see: Rey Rey, she said. And its not there no more. (L.A. Times staff writer Rachel Uranga contributed to this report.) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Bangladesh on Sunday sought cooperation from China to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar during a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who promised better trade ties, investment and support for infrastructure development in the South Asian nation. China had used its influence in Myanmar to broker a November 2017 agreement to repatriate about 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar in August that year. Despite attempts to send them back, the refugees refused, fearing danger in Myanmar, which was exacerbated by the military takeover last year. Wang arrived in Dhaka on Saturday and met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen. They discussed bilateral and global issues before his departure Sunday, said Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs junior minister for foreign affairs. Bangladesh has strong relations with China, which is a major trade partner mostly for raw materials. But maintaining close ties with Beijing is challenging for Bangladesh, which also balances diplomatic and trade relationship with both India and the United States, China's main rivals. More than 500 Chinese companies are active in Bangladesh. China is involved in the countrys all major infrastructure projects such as seaports, a river tunnel and highways, and helped build its largest bridge over the River Padma at a cost of $3.6 billion. Amid recent tensions between China and Taiwan, Bangladesh issued a statement reiterating its support for the one-China policy. After winning elections in 2008, Hasinas administration closed the Taiwanese business representative office in Dhaka in response to a request from China, and since then China has increased its engagement in Bangladesh. Bangladeshs garment industry, which brings in more than 80% of foreign currency from exports, is heavily dependent on China for raw materials. On Sunday, Wang told Hasina during a courtesy call that his country considers Bangladesh as a strategic development partner and would continue to support it, said Ihsanul Karim, the presidential press secretary. The United News of Bangladesh agency reported that Wang also promised to stand beside Bangladesh on all issues at international forums." The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, state-run news agency, reported that Hasina raised the global tensions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow, saying "people (across the world) are enduring difficult times South Asia, Southeast Asia and China can work together for economic progress. Alam said that Wang agreed to expand trade benefits by raising to 98% duty-free access from current 97% of Bangladeshi products and services to Chinese markets. Its a good news for Bangladesh as we have a thriving economy based on exports, Alam said. "Now they have offered another 1% from Sept. 1, he said, adding that the new tax advantage is likely to include garments, woven and other products that had previously faced some barriers. He said Bangladesh would get a list from China soon about the products and services that would get duty-free access. Alam said that Wang explained to the Bangladeshi foreign minister that some countries misunderstand and misinterpret China. He did not elaborate. But Momen told reporters separately that the Chinese minister mentioned that a section of Taiwanese people was being provoked against the sovereignty of China. Beijing considers self-governed Taiwan to be its own territory. The junior minister said China pledged to work continuously to resolve the Rohingya crisis and quoted Wang as saying that Myanmar's internal challenges were troubling other countries. Our foreign minister strongly reiterated that Chinese cooperation is needed. China has progressed on resolving the Rohingya issue and we need the situation to come to an end, Alam said. On Sunday, Bangladesh and China signed or renewed four agreements and memorandums of understanding on disaster management, infrastructure and cultural exchanges. Analyst Munshi Faiz Ahmad, who served as Bangladeshi ambassador in Beijing, said Wang's visit was very significant for both countries. To resolve the Rohingya crisis Bangladesh needs support from China. This visit will help strengthen the bilateral relations," Ahmad told The Associated Press. To us, China is very important. We also need to maintain good relations with both India and the United States as they are also very important development partners of Bangladesh. There is nothing to be afraid of because of Bangladeshs close ties with China, he said. WASHINGTON (AP) Over five decades in Washington, Joe Biden knew that the way to influence was to be in the room where it happens. But in the second year of his presidency, some of Bidens most striking, legacy-defining legislative victories came about by staying out of it. A summer lawmaking blitz has sent bipartisan bills addressing gun violence and boosting the nations high-tech manufacturing sector to Bidens desk, and the president is now on the cusp of securing what he called the final piece of his economic agenda with Senate passage of a Democrats-only climate and prescription drug deal once thought dead. And in a counterintuitive turn for the president who has long promoted his decades of Capitol Hill experience, Bidens aides chalk up his victories to the fact that hes been publicly playing the role of cheerleader rather than legislative quarterback. In a 50-50 Senate, its just true that when the White House takes ownership over a topic, it scares off a lot of Republicans, said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. I think all of this is purposeful. When you step back and let Congress lead, and then apply pressure and help at the right times, it can be a much more effective strategy to get things done. Democrats and the White House hope the run of legislative victories, both bipartisan and not, just four months before the November elections will help resuscitate their political fortunes by showing voters what they can accomplish with even the slimmest of majorities. Biden opened 2022 with his legislative agenda at a standstill, poll numbers on the decline and a candid admission that he had made a mistake in how he carried himself in the role. The public doesnt want me to be the President-Senator, he said. They want me to be the president and let senators be senators. Letting the senators be senators was no easy task for Biden, whose political and personal identities are rooted in his formative years spent in that chamber. He spent 36 years as a senator from Delaware, and eight more as the Senates president when he was valued for his Capitol Hill relationships and insights as Barack Obamas vice president. In the estimation of many of his aides and advisers, leaving the Senate behind was key to his subsequent success. The heightened expectations for Democrats, who hold precarious majorities in Congress but nonetheless have unified control of Washington, were dragging Biden down among his supporters who wanted more ambitious action. In the spring of 2021, Biden made a big show of negotiating directly with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on an infrastructure bill, only to have the talks collapse. At the same time, a separate bipartisan group had been quietly meeting on its own, discussing how to overhaul the nations transportation, water and broadband systems. After the White House gave initial approval and then settled the final details with senators, that became the version that was shepherded into law. The president next tried to strike a deal on a social spending and climate package with Sen. Joe Manchin, going as far as inviting the West Virginia lawmaker to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, until the conservative Democrat abruptly pulled the plug on the talks in a Fox News interview. Manchin would later pick up the negotiations again, this time with just Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the two would eventually reach an agreement that the Senate approved Sunday after more than a year of legislative wrangling. In late 2021, White House aides persuaded the president to clam up about his conversations with the Hill, as part of a deliberate shift to move negotiations on his legislative agenda out of the public eye. The new approach drew criticism from the press, but the White House wagered that the public was not invested in the details and would reward the outcomes. Biden and his team have been using the bully pulpit and closely working with Congress," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates. The aim is "to achieve what could soon be the most productive legislative record of any president" since Lyndon Johnson. Some of the shift, White House aides said, also reflected the changing dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept Biden in Washington for most of 2021; his meetings with lawmakers amounted to one of the few ways to show he was working. In time, Bidens decision to embrace a facilitating role rather than being negotiator in chief which had achieved mixed success began to pay off: the first substantive gun restrictions in nearly three decades, a measure to boost domestic production of semiconductor computer chips, and care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. White House officials credit Bidens emotional speech after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, with helping to galvanize lawmakers to act on gun violence and even his push for more extensive measures than made it into the bill with giving the GOP space to reach a compromise. And they point to a steady cadence of speeches over months emphasizing the need to lower prescription drug costs or to act on climate with keeping those issues in the national conversation amid the legislative fits and starts. Lawmakers say that Biden removing himself directly from the negotiations empowered senators to reach consensus among themselves, without the distraction of a White House that may have repeatedly pushed for something that would be unattainable with Republicans or could be viewed as compromising by some Democrats. On the semiconductor package that Biden plans to sign into law Tuesday, the administration organized classified briefings for lawmakers that emphasized how China is gaining influence in the computer chip sector and the national security implications. Republicans were regularly in touch with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, one Biden Cabinet official who has developed warm relationships across the aisle. In his heart, Joe is a U.S. senator, said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., the chief Democratic author of the burn pits legislation who also helped hash out the infrastructure law last year. So he understands allowing this to work is how you get it done. The pre-employment health check-up for domestic workers has now been fully privatised in Bahrain, a senior official said. The move is in implementation of Decision (21) of 2022, amending certain provisions of Decision (30) of 2017, regarding the regulation of medical examinations for expatriates, said Chief of Medical Commissions at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Aisha Ahmed Hussein, according to a Bahrain News Agency report. Dr Hussein affirmed that the decision aims to expedite health appointments and examinations in order to preserve overall safety and health security. She explained that updating the medical examination procedures for domestic workers also aims to strengthen a comprehensive database for all expatriate workers in the Kingdom, improve and standardise medical examination procedures, as well as further strengthen the role of the private sector in conducting these examinations. She said a working group has been formed, comprising the relevant stakeholders, including: the Ministry of Health, the Information and e-Government Authority, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, and the National Health Regulatory Authority, to update procedures in implementation of the decision. Dr Hussein said domestic workers must undergo these examinations within five days from the date of entry to the kingdom. They have the freedom to choose the health institution closest and most convenient to them and their employers in terms of location and cost. She added that they can also book and change appointment dates, as well as print results and fitness certificates through the national portal Bahrain.bh. Some Southeast Texas community members are speaking up about a new Entergy power plant planned for Bridge City. Southeast Texas community members, none of whom were from Orange County, spoke out against the Orange County Advanced Power Station at a Monday Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hearing at Lamar State College Orange. The power station, which would be replacing the existing Sabine Plant, would leverage the natural gas infrastructure, transmission interconnection and source water that already exist, according to Entergy. "In addition to meeting current customer needs across Southeast Texas, the Orange County Advanced Power Station will be built with a focus on long-term sustainability in an economy where many stakeholders and customers are focused increasingly on decarbonization," Entergy says. "The plant's ability to be powered by hydrogen, which emits no carbon dioxide, supports its long-term viability for customers and the Southeast Texas community." The company said the facility will use a combination of natural gas and hydrogen, which will be capable of powering more than 230,000 homes, according to Entergy. RELATED: Entergy plans new, greener plant in Orange County After Entergy presented their plan for the new power station, the floor opened to attendees to ask any questions they had on the proposed project. "Where do y'all draw the line between price and something that is cleaner, something that only produces water?" Deputy Director of Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Jordan Iglesias said. "There's the price point then there's also the economic impact, and then there's also the impact of folks living in this area, and we're going to see an increase in pollution if we continue to burn methane." Entergy Capital Projects Director Keith Pollock noted that the emissions will be lower than ones emitted by the existing plant. "This facility produces power at a much, much lower emission rate per unit of energy," Pollock said. "That capacity is needed to continue to drive the economy of Texas, our homes, businesses, industry, great jobs, etc. This plan is designed and will be built to do that to produce at our at a much. much lower emission rate per unit of energy." RELATED: Entergy Texas investing $2.5B for service, infrastructure The third part of the meeting public comment from attendees, which will be included in the Commission's report regarding the permit Entergy has requested for the plant. Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Representative Emma Pabst discussed how the plant will either have to not live its full life or go against the company's plan to have net zero emissions. "You have to ask yourself, is that gas plant commensurate with our company's goals?" Pabst asked in her comment. "If customers are really going to pay billions of dollars to build this giant gas plant, are you going to retire it by 2050? Will you make sure that it's off the grid not polluting our climate and environment by this? If so, who's going to foot the bill for it?" Pabst answered her own question, since the company was unable to respond to public comment. "In my mind, it's either my generation and the generations after me because of the effects of climate change," Pabst said. "Or it's Entergy's ratepayers will have to pay a ton of money for a plant that doesn't last it's full lifespan, as opposed to investing in clean energy, like solar, wind and battery storage as well as energy efficiency measures which decrease the amount of electricity that's needed for the grid to run smoothly every day." DECATUR, Ala. (AP) Despite his physical disability, Turbo, a pet therapy dog for a hospice facility in north Alabama, is inspiring people and showing them they can overcome any problem they may face just like he has. Turbo, a 50-pound, 1-year-old chocolate lab, was born with a disability that makes him incapable of bending his back legs. His owner, Meighan Maples of Trinity, works for Hospice of the Valley and takes Turbo to nursing homes as a pet therapy dog. This year Turbo also attended Hospices Camp Hope, an outing that provides support for children who have lost loved ones. Maples said she adopted Turbo specifically because he was handicapped. He has a very rare hip issue; they dont even know what to call it. Maples said he also has a weak immune system due to his physical issues. Turbos breeder was given the option by the veterinarian of euthanizing him because, although the dog is not in any pain, he would eventually need wheels for mobility. The breeder did not have the heart to put him down, Maples said, and kept him for a few months before starting to look for a permanent home for Turbo. Me and my husband were sitting on the porch and we saw him on Facebook, Maples said. We just started crying. We said, Weve got to have him. Hes special; hes going to do something special. And he has. Maples took Turbo to an event at West Morgan High School and they encountered a 4- or 5-year-old boy in a wheelchair. It was an instant connection. He said, He cant walk, like me, can he? I said, Not really, has to have a little help. And he said, I just love him, I just love him. Hes different like me, Maples recalled. Maples said people like that boy connect with Turbo and feel they are not alone. Maples said Turbo has never acted differently than any other dog and is completely happy. Hes just as normal (as other dogs). He just pogos, thats what we call it. He hops. Turbo finds ways around his disability, she said. Sometimes when he leans over, like if he goes to smell the ground, his whole back end comes up and his back two paws come up and its like he does a handstand. The kids at Camp Hope thought that was awesome, Maples said. Maples was paired up with a young boy at Camp Hope who became attached to Turbo. She said Turbo went home at lunchtime. The young boy cried and refused to eat his lunch because he missed the dog. Maples has taken Turbo to two assisted living and nursing homes, Morningside of Decatur and Falkville USA Healthcare. She said the elderly love to watch Turbo walk. Maples said the residents have fallen in love with Turbo and he with them. She said he is a great therapy dog because his presence brings joy. Dee Robinson, Morningside activities coordinator, said the residents feel a little sorry for him because of his legs. But when she showed us he could stand up and, well, he was more than what we saw everybody loved to look at him and see what he could do. Robinson said the residents were impressed that Turbo was still walking, seemed to be doing fine and was overcoming his disability. She said both the residents and staff felt that if Turbo could overcome his problems, they could overcome their own. Sammi Brooks, Morningside executive director, said I just wanted to sit in the floor and love on him. Hes very sweet, but I think for me, its his willingness to overcome his disability. ST. PETERSURG, Fla. (AP) A Florida prosecutor vowed Sunday to fight his suspension from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis over his promise not to enforce the state's 15-week abortion ban and support for gender transition treatments for minors. Andrew Warren, a Democrat suspended last week from his twice-elected post as state attorney in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, said in a Facebook video message and news release Sunday he plans a vigorous defense by his legal team but did not give specifics. I'm not going down without a fight, Warren said on the video. I refuse to let this man trample on your freedoms to speak your mind, to make your own health care decisions, and to have your vote count. Warren was suspended Thursday by DeSantis, a Republican seeking re-election in November and potential 2024 presidential candidate, who cited neglect of duty and other alleged violations. The governor contended that's because Warren signed statements with dozens of other prosecutors nationwide vowing not to pursue criminal cases against people who seek or provide abortions or gender transition treatments. Warren contended Sunday the governor was essentially seeking to nullify the will of voters in the Tampa area who elected him in 2016 and 2020. I was elected because the people of this county share my vision for criminal justice, trust my judgment, and have seen your success, Warren said in the video. I swore to uphold the Constitution, and that's exactly what I've done. DeSantis is trying to take away my job for doing my job. Under Florida law, the Republican-controlled state Senate has authority to reinstate Warren or uphold his removal from office. Warren could also take his case to court. The governor's office did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Sunday. DeSantis said Thursday, however, that Warren was acting above the law and "displaying a lack of competence to be able to perform the duties of his office. I dont think the people of Hillsborough County want to have an agenda that is basically woke, where youre deciding that your view of social justice means certain laws shouldnt be enforced, said the governor. Floridas new abortion restriction became effective July 1 and remains under court challenge by abortion providers and allies. It prohibits abortions after 15 weeks, with exceptions if the procedure is necessary to save the pregnant womans life, prevent serious injury or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. It does not allow exemptions in cases where pregnancies were caused by rape, incest or human trafficking. Violators could face up to five years in prison. Physicians and other medical professionals could lose their licenses and face administrative fines of $10,000 for each violation. Florida has not enacted laws criminalizing gender transition treatments for minors. DeSantis appointed Hillsborough County Judge Susan Lopez to serve in Warrens place during his suspension. Imagine a formal White House meal. Glistening silver, glittering china, gleaming crystal. And the food. The chow there is good. Except once during the 20th century, when the woman charged with feeding the president served meals that were so bad guests cringed. That hottest ticket in Washington, an invitation to dine with the president, was something to dread. Eat before you go to the White House was the rule then. Incredibly, the man who brought down Hitler and Mussolini was powerless to do anything about the dictator under his own roof. Meet the Tyrant of the White House Kitchen. When Franklin Roosevelt was elected president, he and wife Eleanor reached an understanding. She would run the White House, he would run the nation, and neither would intrude on the others turf. As Franklin lined up his administration, Eleanor set about her own task. One day she knocked on Henrietta Nesbitts door in Hyde Park, New York, and invited her to become the White House housekeeper. Nesbitt was not only flabbergasted, but she was also an unlikely pick. While she had cooked for her family for years (something the wealthy Eleanor never had to bother with) and sold homemade bread and cakes when her husband lost his job, she had no restaurant, hotel management or formal cooking experience. Which didnt bother Eleanor a bit. Indifferent to food herself, she dutifully ate whatever was placed before her regardless of how it tasted. She and Nesbitt attended church and the League of Women Voters together; that was good enough. Eleanor was more concerned that the housekeeper shared her liberal political views than with the type of house she kept. Even when it happened to be the White House. Nesbitt ruled the domestic staff like a Prussian field marshal. Nowhere was her iron hand more fiercely felt than in the kitchen. As a New Yorker article quipped, For the next 12 years, Mrs. Nesbitt turned out meals so gray, so drooping, and so spectacularly inept that they became a Washington legend. Lunch typically featured chipped beef on toast, broiled kidneys on toast, curried eggs on toast. There was creamed chicken, creamed celery, creamed fish. And a host of sweetbreads (which, to the uninitiated, are the pancreas and thymus glands of lamb, beef and pork): broiled, braised and, of course, creamed. On toast. (Notice a trend?) It was cheap, frumpy food. A formal state dinner once featured sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. Worse still, it was badly cooked. Lillian Parks Rogers, a White House maid from presidents William Howard Taft through John F. Kennedy, noted in her memoirs that although Nesbitt didnt actually prepare the food, she stood over the cooks, making sure that each dish was overcooked or undercooked or ruined one way or another. Nesbitt simply ignored FDR. He announced early on he disliked broccoli, yet she kept serving it to him. He would ask for coffee and get iced tea. While sick once, he requested canned asparagus. Nesbitt told him it was unobtainable; his secretary promptly dashed to a nearby store and returned with 10 cans of it. Things got so bad, the press even picked up the story. Same Meal Four Days Irks Roosevelt, a 1937 New York Times headline said. Roosevelt told friends in 1944 he wanted to win a fourth term, just so I can fire Mrs. Nesbitt. When he was elected, he wanted chicken a la king for this inaugural luncheon. He got chicken salad instead. Why did he put up with it? Because a deal is a deal. He had given Eleanor authority over the domestic staff in 1933 and to keep peace in the family if not in his tortured stomach he honored the arrangement. Nesbitt was, in biographer Blanche Wiesen Cooks words, Eleanors revenge on the husband whose infidelity had broken her heart. If the goal was to make his life miserable at mealtime, it was mission accomplished. Until April 12, 1945, when FDR had no need of meals anymore. Harry Truman became president upon Roosevelts sudden death and moved into the White House. The Trumans were a meat-and-potatoes family. They liked their food simple, yet skillfully cooked. But they didnt get it from Nesbitt, who went on with business as usual. A red flag shot up when, after one meal, Bess Truman said the family wanted all biscuits freshly made, not store-bought. The biscuits were fresh, Nesbitt insisted, angering the new first lady. Her grandfather had produced Queen of the Pantry Flour in Missouri, Bess said; she knew store-bought when she tasted it. Bess later told Nesbitt the president didnt like Brussels sprouts and asked her not to serve them again. They were on the menu the very next day. When Bess asked about it, Nesbitt said the kitchen had plenty of Brussels sprouts remaining and the practice was to keep serving food items until they were gone. She made things worse by adding, Thats how Mrs. Roosevelt did things. Bess was fuming. The final straw quickly followed. Bess was assigned to bring a stick of butter to a womans club meeting and asked for one. Impossible, the first lady was told. Wartime rationing was still in place and Nesbitt refused to provide it. Poor Harry Truman. As he pondered using the atomic bomb, how to handle Josef Stalin and the Soviets, plus a hundred other pressing headaches, he had to drop everything to deal with a stick of butter. Truman didnt have time for trivialities; Nesbitt was fired. No one on the staff was sorry to see her go. Like all tyrants, Nesbitt was consigned to the ash heap of culinary history. She was sent packing back to New York (where she wrote a cookbook!) before dying in 1963. Her legacy lives on at FDRs Presidential Library in a little eatery called Mrs. Nesbitts Cafe. If you visit Hyde Park, be sure to bring a sack lunch with you. JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (AP) A 42-year-old Iowa man drowned in the Iowa River while helping rescue an 8-year-old child from the river. The Johnson County Sheriff's office said Wegayewu Faris of Coralville and a kayaker were instrumental in saving the life of the 8-year-old child. But Faris disappeared under the water while he was trying to help the child Friday evening near River Junction about 20 miles south of Coralville. Faris' body was recovered shortly after 7 p.m. about an hour after a possible drowning was reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FANCY FARM, Ky. (AP) Kentucky Republicans came to the states premier political event this weekend intent on winning elections in November and beyond, but some candidates aspiring to become governor had a hard time coming to terms with Donald Trump's defeat in 2020. They gave parsed or tortured responses when asked if Democrat Joe Biden's victory over Trump for the presidency was fairly decided. Their tiptoeing was a sign of Trump's continued hold on many in the GOP, including in Kentucky, which he easily carried twice. That influence was evident Saturday as Trump supporters held large Trump Won signs as people gathered for the political speaking at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky. The signs promoting Trump's false claims of a rigged 2020 election drew cheers from Republican faithful. The stump-style speaking at the picnic shown on statewide TV is a rite of passage for statewide candidates in Kentucky. The GOP gubernatorial hopefuls will face off for the partys nomination next May. Trump has already weighed in on the Bluegrass State's 2023 race for governor, endorsing GOP Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who is seeking a second term, skipped the picnic and spent Saturday consoling flood victims in eastern Kentucky. Cameron pointed to the Trump endorsement during his picnic speech. But he bristled at questions during the weekend about the ex-president's unsupported claims of widespread election fraud in 2020. The election was fair and secure here in Kentucky," Cameron said to one of the questions from reporters. Look, weve got to focus on the future. And thats what this campaigns about. Cameron, however, distanced himself from the views of some die-hard Trump supporters, who believe the 2020 presidential election results should be overturned. President Biden is the president of the United States. I dont dispute that, said Cameron, who as attorney general has joined multiple lawsuits challenging Biden administration policies. Federal and state election officials and Trumps own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former presidents allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed. Cameron, who worked for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and counts him as a mentor, also refused to discuss the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The House panel investigating the attack has laid the blame on Trump, saying the assault wasn't spontaneous but an attempted coup and a direct result of the defeated presidents effort to overturn the election. Instead of discussing the Capitol siege, Cameron pointed to 2020 demonstrations spurred by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans in encounters with police. He said he doesn't get asked about protests that destroyed property in some of the nation's cities. Cameron, who is Black, even cracked a joke about the Trump endorsement in his picnic speech in true Fancy Farm form, where zingers and spoofs are not only common but expected. Now people have speculated about how I got that endorsement. So today Im going to spill the beans. It was actually pretty easy. ... All I had to do was assure Trump that Mitch McConnell is not Makenzes grandfather, Cameron quipped, referring to his wife. Cameron was the only gubernatorial candidate to mention Trump, whose endorsement had been coveted by other GOP candidates for governor, from the Fancy Farm stage. In her picnic speech, state Rep. Savannah Maddox, another gubernatorial candidate, mentioned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as an authentic Republican" who will "fight for your constitutional rights and freedoms. Cameron wasn't the only GOP candidate to struggle answering Trump-related questions. Asked if he thinks Biden won fairly, Ryan Quarles replied that Kentucky had a secure election and that Trump won tremendously in the Bluegrass State. Quarles, the state agriculture commissioner, is also among the gubernatorial candidates seeking the GOP nomination to be decided next spring. I think that President Trump would be doing a lot better job than President Biden if he was in office today," Quarles added. Another gubernatorial hopeful, state Auditor Mike Harmon, gave a more than 140-word response when first asked if Biden won fairly. Harmon later said some key election-related controls were taken off" but said he couldn't make an assessment one way or the other. Harmon said he wished there wasn't an attack on the Capitol, but also pointed to the damage and destruction of property during police-related protests, saying there's a lack of attention to that. Certainly, President Biden is serving as our president, Harmon said later. We need to pray for him just the same as we would pray for any of our presidents. And hopefully he provides guidance. There's some things we wish he would do differently, obviously. OPELOUSAS, La. (AP) A Louisiana school system is banning paddling students, saying the time to use corporal punishment in the classroom is long past. The St. Landry Parish School Board voted unanimously Thursday to specifically prohibit corporal punishment in the district's police manual, the Daily World of Opelousas reported. District employees can use reasonable and appropriate physical force" to prevent of defend a student or others being attacked, the district said. Louisiana is one of 15 states that allows corporal punishment in school districts, according to the Louisiana School Board Association. Nearly 40 parishes across the state still allow paddling in schools. In May the Louisiana House approved a bill outlawing physical force that causes pain or discomfort to children, but it also allows corporal punishment if parents or guardians provide written permission. It remains in the Senate. Paddling students was accepted back when he was in school, but ideas on the best way to discipline children have changed. said St. Landry Parish School Board Superintendent Patrick Jenkins. Today, (corporal punishment) is something that we are trying to move away from," Jenkins said. Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has performed the first global live demo of an end-to-end Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system to enable WiFi 6E technology, which aims to enable outdoor WiFi 6E usage, in collaboration with HPE and Federated Wireless. This trial is a continuation of Saudi Arabias global leadership as the country with the largest amount of license-exempt spectrum globally and the first country in Europe, Middle East and Africa to make the entire 6 GHz band license-exempt, said a Saudi Press Agency report. The demo is an important milestone for adopting the data-driven of spectrum smart management in Saudi Arabia as well as expanding the capabilities of WiFi 6E to enable the full realisation of the potential of WiFi technologies while protecting existing users in the band, in addition to expanding collaboration between the commission and its global partners. The commission also seeks to adopt the latest spectrum management systems and technologies to further enhance the quality of wireless services such as public WiFi and enable the widespread adoption of WiFi 6E across Saudi Arabia. These efforts are also a continuation of CITCs global leadership in wireless technologies and WiFi 6E, in line with its mandate to support the digital transformation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as its digital regulator. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) The National Weather Service extended a flood watch through Sunday evening for areas of eastern Kentucky ravaged by high water more than a week ago and said there's a threat of thunderstorms in the region for much of the coming week. There's a persistent threat of thunderstorms through Thursday that could produce heavy rain and cause flash flooding especially if multiple storms pass over the same area, the weather service in Jackson said. The forecast includes Monday, when President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to join Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and his wife, Britainy, at a Federal Emergency Management Agency State Disaster Recovery Center in eastern Kentucky to survey the damage and meet with those affected. The biggest concern is the possibility of slow-moving storms on Tuesday and Wednesday, which could dump heavy rain on already saturated soil, National Weather Service meteorologist Philomon Geertson said. It is a wet and juicy pattern that could cause at least some more isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding and further complicate the recovery efforts that are ongoing at this time, he said. Some relief is expected toward the end of the week, Geertson said. It does look like high pressure will finally build in and we'll get a reprieve from this really wet and muggy air mass that we've been dealing with for a couple of weeks now, he said. Meanwhile, the federal government on Saturday promised more aid for flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky. Biden authorized an increase in the level of federal funding for emergency work and FEMA added five counties to those eligible for individual assistance for a total of 12. This is good news and will be a big help, Beshear said in a tweet Sunday after visiting the day before with some displaced residents who are staying at state parks since the catastrophic flooding. These Kentuckians have been through the unimaginable. My priority is being there for them, he said. At least 37 people lost their lives in the flooding after 8 to 10 1/2 inches (20 to 27 centimeters) of rain fell in just 48 hours in the Appalachian mountain region. The flooding also hit areas just across the state line in Virginia and West Virginia. The National Weather Service said radar-based rainfall estimates suggesting that 14 to 16 inches of rain fell from July 26-29, totals that are historically unheard of. More than 1,300 people were rescued in the days after the storm as teams searched in boats and combed debris-clogged creekbanks. Work crews were still trying to restore power and water connections as residents look to repair their homes and lives after the floods. Power outages were down to 300 on Sunday, Beshear tweeted. The number of fatalities stood at 37, but Kentucky State Police reported at least two people were still missing. The devastation is enormous. We will be there for our Eastern Kentucky neighbors in the weeks, months and years ahead, Beshear said. VIENNA (AP) Top negotiators in renewed talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal indicated Sunday that they are optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement to impose limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment. We stand 5 minutes or 5 seconds from the finish line, Russian Ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov told reporters outside Viennas Palais Coburg, four days into the talks. He said there are 3 or 4 issues left to be resolved. EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (AP) The Rhode Island National Guard has its first Black colonel. Sharon Harmon attained the rank of colonel at a promotion ceremony Saturday at the Joint Force Headquarters, Camp Fogarty, in East Greenwich, the National Guard said in a statement. I pray that my promotion is only the starting point for other African Americans after me, Col. Harmon said in front of family, friends, colleagues and elected officials, including Gov. Dan McKee. Harmon, a Woonsocket resident, enlisted as an administrative clerk for 455th General Hospital Army Reserve Unit in Providence in 1985 and in 1993, transferred to the National Guard to attend Officer Candidate School. She has served in various capacities with the National Guard and is currently state Family Program Director, overseeing programs that provide resources to guard members and their families during and after deployments. Harmon has served in Afghanistan, and earned several awards including a Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal. She is a graduate of Newberry (South Carolina) High School, Rhode Island College and Touro University, and in 2020 earned a master's in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. PLAINFIELD, N.J. (AP) A new trial has been ordered for a New Jersey man sentenced to six decades in prison in the stabbing death of his girlfriend more than a decade ago. Anthony James was convicted of murder and weapons counts in the September 2011 slaying of 48-year-old Audrey Tanksley, who authorities said was stabbed 94 times in their Plainfield home. James asserted that Tanksley was the aggressor during an argument, but jurors convicted him after deliberating for just 45 minutes. But an appeals court Thursday overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial, saying a Union County prosecutor misstated New Jersey's law on self-defense and the trial judge compounded the error while instructing jurors. Prosecutors argued that the force James used was not reasonable and the law required people not to respond to a minor attack with deadly force but to retreat if possible. The judge also said James had a duty to retreat before using deadly force if he was able to do so safely. The appellate court, however, said state lawmakers in 1999 eliminated a requirement to retreat in ones home, a change prompted by concern for victims of domestic violence who attempt to defend themselves from attacks in their own homes. The judges instruction imposed a duty on James to retreat where none existed, it said. The appeals court acknowledged what it called a staggering" number of stab wounds on the victim and said it was not expressing an opinion on the credibility of a self-defense claim in the case. But jurors received incorrect instructions and a new jury needs to hear the argument, the court said. The county prosecutor's office declined comment on the decision. The state public defender's office, which argued the appeal, hailed it as underscoring the necessity for legally correct and understandable jury instructions." James had been sentenced to 60 years with a minimum term of more than 50 years before he would be eligible for parole. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) A former senator who worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor was killed in an upscale neighborhood near Haiti's capital and his body set on fire along with his nephew, Government Commissioner Jacques Lafontant told The Associated Press on Sunday. The bodies of Yvon Buissereth and his unidentified nephew were found Saturday afternoon in the community of Laboule. That is near Pelerin, where President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in his private home in July last year. PHOENIX (AP) Authorities were searching Sunday for a baby girl who allegedly was taken from her foster familys home in Phoenix by her biological mother. Phoenix police said 24-year-old Angelica Salinas does not have custodial rights to the 5-month-old child named Eunice. COLONIE, N.Y. (AP) Authorities in the Albany area are hoping modern DNA tracing techniques will help solve the murder of an 18-year-old woman more than 60 years ago. The body of Ruth Whitman was exhumed from a cemetery in Glenmont last week to perform DNA testing. The case had been cold since the 1990s when police pursued what turned out to be a bogus tip, but was reopened in 2012 when Whitman's family approached police. Whitman disappeared in December 1959 after being seen walking away from the scene of a fire at a house in her neighborhood. Police have suspected deceased serial killer Robert Garrow, who lived in Whitmans neighborhood at the time, but tell the Albany Times-Union they have at least two other people of interest one in Florida and the other in Connecticut. Some of the evidence collected by state police at the time of Whitman's murder was lost over time, but police are hopeful the evidence gathered from the exhumation will lead to a suspect. Fundamentally, they collected all the same evidence they collected the fingernail scrapings at the time, they submitted them to the lab, they determined there was human blood and hair under her fingernails, they just didnt have the technology to look for DNA, Deputy Colonie Police Chief Robert Winn told the newspaper. We have a lot of information, a lot of potential suspects, although no real direction other than more questions than answers, he added. A bus driver found Whitman's body the morning after she was last seen. She had been beaten and hit in the head with a blunt object, but there was no evidence she was robbed or sexually assaulted. Garrow lived near Whitman at the time of her death. He served prison time for rape in the 1960s and was serving a 25-year sentence in 1978 for fatally stabbing a teenager when he escaped from Fishkill State Prison and was shot and killed in the ensuing manhunt. Students from The College of Saint Roses Cold Case Analysis Center have assisted the Colonie police in researching the case. Part of the cost of the exhumation was paid by Seasons of Justice, an organization that provides funding to families for advanced DNA testing for cold case homicides. GODDARD, Kan. (AP) A new federal study said dozens of people got sick after visiting a splash park near Wichita, Kansas, last summer. The study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 21 people contracted Shigella bacteria and six others became sick with the norovirus after visiting the splash park at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard. Another 36 people reported gastrointestinal illnesses after visiting the splash park but didn't have lab tests confirming what caused their illnesses, according to The Wichita Eagle. At least four people were hospitalized afterward. Previously, state and local health officials had said that eight people who visited the park contracted Shigella and other people tested positive for the norovirus, sapovirus and a type of E. coli called enteropathogenic E. coli. The CDC report is based on a survey of 404 people who visited the splash park last year between May 28 and June 19. The splash park located about 14 miles (22.53 kilometers) west of Wichita was allowed to reopen last July after upgrading its pump and filtration system and passing a health inspection. The report confirmed the illnesses werent linked to any of the animals at the interactive zoo. At least three lawsuits have been filed against the splash pad. One of those was settled, but two others remain pending. The director of the wildlife park Matt Fouts told the newspaper he didnt find the study useful although hes all for analyzing data to learn from the past. It offered little advice for other splash parks besides ensuring you have signage that states dont swallow the water and offered no additional insight into the investigation, Fouts said. Regardless, it did affirm that there have been no additional incidents because we took the situation seriously and found ways to enhance our system and processes so that the Splash Park is safer than ever. A Greenwich internist who was required to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to a sex crime in 2010 will be allowed to practice medicine in Connecticut, according to a recent decision by the state's medical examining board. The decision regarding the status of Dr. Clifford Berken, 57, of Stamford, comes more than two years after the doctor engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers posing as a teenage boy. Berken was arrested when he attempted to meet the boy in White Plains, N.Y., and was instead confronted by police. Berken pleaded guilty in February 2010 to the charge of attempting to disseminate indecent material to a minor and was sentenced to five years of probation and classified as a sex offender in New York and Connecticut, where he currently lives. Berken had a private practice in town at 500 W. Putnam Ave. and was affiliated with Greenwich Hospital prior to his arrest. Berken's lawyer said it has not been determined when or where he will begin practicing again. The state's medical examining board voted to allow Berken to keep his license after the case went through a full hearing process in which a psychiatrist and psychologist testified about Berken's "various emotional disorders/and or mental health issues," according to the decision memorandum. The Connecticut Medical Examining Board -- comprised of doctors and members of the public -- is charged with adjudicating cases involving doctor misconduct after they are investigated by the state's Department of Public Health. "Although the respondent has the potential for full recovery, there remains a risk that his emotional disorders and mental illness may affect his ability to practice medicine while he is in recovery," states the decision. "However, as both therapists testified, respondent may return to his practice of medicine with certain restrictions in place, so long as he continues to address the emotional disorders, mental illness, family issues and various stressors that adversely affected his ability to cope and severely impaired his judgment." More for you Sex offender, ex-Greenwich doctor can resume medical practice The board wrote that it believed Berken could resume practicing medicine with "reasonable skill and safety" under strict conditions, including placing him on five years of probation and requiring him to undergo continued mental health treatment. Berken is also permanently restricted from treating patients under the age of 18 and can only examine a patient with another staff member in the room. The state Department of Public Health also has the right to randomly review Berken's patient record to ensure he is compliant, according to records. Berken's lawyer, Mary Alice Moore Leonhardt of Hartford, said she submitted more than 30 letters of support from the doctor's former patients and colleagues who testified about Berken's professional demeanor and excellence in his years of practice prior to his arrest. "I think the board did the right thing because there was never any incident involving patients," Leonhardt said. "And there was overwhelming information before the board to convince the board that this was a one-time event and Dr. Berken is a competent and safe physician." Berken is not required to disclose his criminal history and sex offender status to patients. Leonhardt said she did not feel that was necessary because Berken's disciplinary history is available on the DPH's website (www.ct.gov/dph). Berken voluntarily agreed to refrain from practicing medicine in New York and Connecticut immediately following his arrest. The status of his medical license in New York has not changed, but Leonhardt said they are working to get that license reinstated there as well. Anne Doremus, chairwoman of Connecticut Medical Examining Board board, said while there was no question Berken committed a serious crime, the board credited the testimony of mental health professionals who attested to the doctor's extensive rehabilitation efforts. "The panel gave a lot of thought and consideration to their decision," Doremus said. "There were some very credible psychiatrists and very well-known psychologists that were department witnesses. The panel spoke with them at length and came to that decision. We had a lot of discussions and presentations, and when the final vote was taken we agreed to approve the memorandum." Doremus said the vote was not unanimous. But Jean Rexford, the director of the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety, said she was "appalled by the decision." "Absolutely, they should have taken away his license," Rexford said. "I just don't understand why it is OK for him to be practicing in Connecticut. When is somebody going to stand up for the public?" Over the years, the state's medical examining board has received criticism by some who believe they are too lenient when it comes to handing out punishment for doctors who commit medical errors, break the law or commit ethical violations. Board members have noted that they can only make decisions based on the evidence that state investigators from the health department put before them. Doremus said she understood the Berken decision could be "argumentative," but felt confident that board members made an informed decision based on all the evidence they were presented with in this instance. "The Department of Public Health will keep a very close eye to make sure he stays within the boundaries," Doremus said. Staff writer Debra Friedman can be reached at debra.friedman@scni.com or 203-625-4449. WHITAKERS, N.C. (AP) Sheriffs deputies in North Carolina are investigating a shooting that left a 17-year-old dead and a second person injured early Sunday. The Nash County Sheriff's Office received a call at about 1:30 a.m. reporting multiple shooters at a party at a home in Whitakers. Melito Armstrong Jr. was shot in the chest and died. His mother confirmed to WRAL-TV that Armstrong had turned 17 in July. Another victim went to the hospital with a gunshot wound. WRAL reports that deputies believe the shooting was not a random act and the shooters and victims knew each other. Investigators found multiple vehicles at the scene with bullet holes. The suspects left the area before authorities arrived. Investigators said that about 200 people attended the party. By Mir Afroz Zaman Dhaka, Aug 7 (UNI) Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh government for reiterating its support to the One China policy. He explained Chinas position on the Taiwan issue during a meeting with Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen. Md Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs, told newspersons this after a meeting of the two foreign ministers at a hotel in the capital city on Sunday morning. He also informed the media that the meeting between the foreign ministers continued for an hour. Later, they signed four instruments and MoUs. Those are handing over certificate of 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge in Pirojpur, renewal of five-year MoU on assistance in disaster management, renewal of MoU on cultural cooperation for 2022-2027, MoU on Marine Science between Dhaka University and Chinas First Institute of Oceanography. Wang Yi arrived in Bangladesh on two-day state visit on Saturday afternoon. On the second day of the visit on Sunday morning, foreign ministers of both the countries led respective delegations at a breakfast meeting at a city hotel. Later, he went to Gonobhaban to pay a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Wang Yi will leave Dhaka after the courtesy call on. Bangladeshs state minister for foreign affairs said China seeks collaboration in building a common future for all the countries of the world. They sought Bangladesh by them in this initiative. The China foreign minister also mentioned that there are some countries that either misunderstand China or make mistake in explaining Chinas intention. We talked about that, Shahriar added. Wang Yi is visiting Bangladesh at a time when tension is prevailing between China and the US over Taiwan issue. Chinese president Xi Jinping recently announced about forums like Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI). China seeks Bangladesh by them in such initiatives. In response to whether any discussion was held on those issues, Shahriar Alam said, This was a closed door meeting. As per the procedure it is their consideration of how much of what they said could be made public. Of course there was a detailed discussion on these issues (Taiwan, GDI and GSI). They raised the issues. But this was not a matter of discussion. We have many other things to prioritise. But they have explained their position. He thanked us as we reiterated our position on One China policy. Pressed on, the state minister for foreign affairs further said, We know they put emphasis on abiding by international rules over Taiwan issue. They have explained their position to us. Shahriar Alam further said, China has increased the scope of duty free access of Bangladeshi products to its market by another one per cent, which will be implemented from 1 September. We hope this will remove the limitations on exporting oven products from the textile and readymade garments sectors of Bangladesh. Maybe well get the list by afternoon. I think this is the highest benefit for us of this tour. They will provide us duty free access to another one per cent products and services. China foreign minister agreed on starting a joint survey on probable prioritised trade agreement or prioritised duty agreement in the meeting. Shahriar Alam said, The Chinese foreign minister said they will help in relocating Chinese companies and sharing technologies to the special economic zone in Anwara, Chattogram. He emphasised on taking steps to begin the special economic zones activities soon. He also informed media that the Bangladesh foreign minister requested to increase Chinese investment in Bangladesh. Removing trade disparity was a big issue in the discussion. Foreign minister Abdul Momen raised the Rohingya issue and sought Chinas help in resolving the crisis. He said Chinas strong role is needed to resolve the crisis. China went forward to resolve the crisis but the matter needs to be resolved for once and all. Shahriar Alam said, A detailed discussion was held on the Rohingya issue. China said it has been trying to dispel the domestic challenges of that country since that has been creating problems not only for Bangladesh, but for many others. China will go on working for a political resolution of Rohingya crisis. Responding to another question on the issue, the state minister for foreign affairs said, We have said it clearly that many days have passed. The magnitude of our suffering has increased and that is not only for the local people. Smuggling of arms and drugs at the camps has increased. Our law enforcement agencies have been working there amid serious risk. We must stop the gradually declining situation there. Earlier we said we have given them shelter as they have come here. But we are facing many problems now. Weve explained that. We hope he will look into the matter and take action upon return, he added. UNI MAZ GNK Let's be clear up front: No one knows for sure whether Archibald Butt and Francis Davis Millet were in a romantic relationship. In the times and society in which they lived, for such a thing to become known would have meant ruin. Here's what we do know. Butt never married. Millet was estranged from his wife and had a previous relationship with a man. Butt and Millet lived together in a mansion in Washington's tony Georgetown neighborhood, where they threw parties for the city's elite - including Butt's boss, President William Howard Taft. And in the weeks before they died on the Titanic, they were vacationing together in Europe. "The enduring partnership of Butt and Millet was an early case of 'Don't ask, don't tell,' " historian Richard Davenport-Hines wrote in 2012, referring to the policy that once required gay members of the military to keep their sexuality secret. A National Park Service page for the White House memorial fountain in their honor says they were "widely believed to have been romantically involved with one another." Millet was the older of the two, born into a well-to-do family in Massachusetts in 1848. As a teen during the Civil War, he served as an assistant to his surgeon father. He studied art at Harvard, then worked as a reporter as he traveled the world. He won acclaim for his murals at an art school in Belgium and for his writing as a war correspondent in the Russo-Turkish War. He and the travel journalist Charles Warren Stoddard exchanged love letters after a romantic affair in Italy. He married in 1879 and had children with his wife, but as his career and profile grew, he mostly lived away from them. Archibald Butt was born in Augusta, Ga., in 1865. His father died when he was a teenager, and as the eldest child, he was soon supporting his siblings and became very close with his mother. She moved with him to Tennessee when he left for college, and again when he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a reporter for several newspapers and made a name for himself on the social scene. At age 34, he joined the military and served as a supply officer in the Philippines and Cuba, where he rose through the ranks quickly after displaying an excellent aptitude for logistics. In 1908, he was recalled to Washington to serve as an aide to President Theodore Roosevelt. He was brilliant at the job, organizing the president's schedule and state dinners and even going with Roosevelt on his frequent hunting, climbing and riding excursions. When Roosevelt's successor, William Howard Taft, took office, Butt stayed on. The two men became extremely close - most photographs from Taft's presidency show Butt nearby, dressed in an immaculate and eye-catching uniform. Behind the scenes, he was a key negotiator on budget issues. According to the New York Times, Butt had memorized the names of 1,280 guests at a state dinner and introduced them all to Taft in one hour. His social cachet extended outside his work. He lived with Millet in a Foggy Bottom mansion (now housing a George Washington University law clinic), where other bachelors occasionally rented rooms, and where Butt and Millet threw parties. There were constant rumors that Butt was about to announce his engagement to the latest society girl, though shortly before his death, he told the Times he had been a bachelor so long that he "had better stay so to the end of the chapter." It is not known how Millet and Butt met, but the two were sharing the mansion and playfully arguing over its decor by 1910, according to Davenport-Hines. Butt was a prolific letter writer - a fact particularly important to Roosevelt and Taft biographers - but he rarely wrote of his personal life and referred to Millet as "my artist friend who lives with me." The last months of Butt's life were stressful. His old boss, Roosevelt, and his current boss, Taft, had a public falling out, leading Roosevelt to run for president to unseat his former vice president. Butt felt torn between the two men, both of whom he greatly respected, and he had grown thin and pale and appeared run-down, a friend recounted later to The Washington Post. Millet urged Butt to take a vacation with him and rest, and when Butt demurred, Millett convinced Taft to order his aide to deliver a letter to the pope in Rome. Butt and Millet left for Europe in March 1912, sharing a stateroom on the ship Berlin. They had separate rooms on the return voyage aboard the Titanic. At a brief stop in Ireland, Millet sent a letter to a friend praising the luxurious ship and complaining of "a number of obnoxious, ostentatious American women." It was the last anyone would ever hear from them. The ship hit an iceberg and began to sink. One survivor saw Butt standing near John Jacob Astor. Rumors of Butt escorting women onto rescue boats were later proved false. When Taft learned of the Titanic disaster, his first thought was of his aide; early coverage in The Post focused on Butt and another prominent Washingtonian: "NO NEWS OF MAJ. BUTT OR CLARENCE MOORE," an April 17 headline read. The Washington Times quoted a friend who said "the two men had a sympathy of mind which was most unusual." The Post said they were the "closest of friends," comparing them to ancient Greek figures Damon and Pythias, who were willing to die for one another. Historian James Gifford, writing for OutHistory, suggested this comparison may have been an oblique way of signaling they were gay. Millet's body was later found; Butt's was not. At a memorial service for Butt, Taft was meant to speak but became so overcome with emotion that he couldn't continue. Within weeks of their deaths, plans were underway to honor them with a White House fountain. The official reason was to honor the two Titanic dead who had been part of the federal government - Millet had a mostly symbolic role as vice chair of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts. Located on the southwest side of the White House near the E Street entrance, the fountain has a central pillar. On one side, facing south, is a male figure in bas-relief, with a helmet and shield, representing military valor (and presumably Butt). On the other side, facing north, is a beautiful woman with a paintbrush and palette, representing art (and presumably Millet). A simple inscription reads: "In memory of Francis Davis Millet - 1846-1912 - and Archibald Willingham Butt - 1865-1912. This monument has been erected by their friends with the sanction of Congress." RAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) Two teenagers were killed in a shooting in a Kansas City suburb Sunday afternoon. The shooting was reported shortly after noon Sunday in Raytown, Missouri. Raytown Police Corporal Jeffery Peterman told the Kansas City Star that officers found two teenagers with gunshot wounds when they arrived. One victim died at the scene while the other died a short time later at a hospital. Police have not released the names or ages of the victims. Peterman said a suspect in the shooting turned themselves into police in Kansas City Sunday afternoon. Shortly before appointing Patrick Griffin to be Connecticuts chief states attorney, Criminal Justice Commission Chair and Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald brought up a systemic dilemma involving the states money bail system. McDonald pointed to two recent cases to illustrate the disconnect between the public perceptions of how bond recommendations are made and how they are actually determined. The first involved a 15-year old Latino boy who was jailed on a $150,000 bond in Stamford for allegedly having an inappropriate sexual relationship with an 11-year-old. The other featured a white attorney in Litchfield County charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm, whose bond was set at $50,000. Cases like these, McDonald suggested, feed into the distrust that members of communities of color have of the criminal justice system. Theres a raging debate across the country whether cash bail should even be used, and some states have jettisoned it all together, McDonald said. And, you know, in a perfect world, it can work well. In an imperfect world, where we all dwell, it can have devastating consequences. In Connecticut, those devastating consequences have, in some cases, meant staying in jail for years, awaiting a jury to find someone innocent because they cant afford to post bail. One of the states that has scrapped cash bail is New Jersey. The legislature, with the backing of then-Republican Gov. Chris Christie, passed a bill in 2014 that largely eliminated the states money bail system. The result: thousands fewer people are held in jail who otherwise might not have been able to purchase their freedom. We had a provision of our constitution that required bail in all cases other than capital cases, and we didnt have the death penalty, which meant you had bail in every case, said Alexander Shalom, the senior supervising attorney and director of Supreme Court advocacy for the ACLU of New Jersey. But it was a totally ephemeral because courts did not interpret it to mean that you had a right to a bail that you could afford. It was just that you had a right to bail. Attorneys say the situation is similar in Connecticut, which also allows for a constitutional right to bail except in capital cases. Thats the Connecticut status quo, said Alex Taubes, a civil rights attorney who appealed an emergency bond reduction motion all the way to the state Supreme Court in 2020. A lot of times, bails are set at levels where you might as well add a zero or two zeroes or three zeroes to it, because its just completely unrealistic, and its just a de-facto detention order. Its indistinguishable from no bail at all. New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2014, largely ending cash bail and transitioning the state to a risk-based pretrial system. Three years later, Connecticut legislators compromised with the powerful commercial bail industry and preserved elements of the cash bail system. Connecticut has been touted as a leader in criminal justice reform, becoming the first state in the U.S. to cut its incarcerated population in half since its peak in 2008. But unlike in Illinois, New Mexico, Washington, D.C., Alaska and California, Connecticut has not eliminated its cash bail system and key members of the criminal justice community are not in favor of uprooting it. As the point person on criminal justice policy for former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Michael Lawlor was among those who led the charge to end money bail in 2017. Lawlor, a former legislator who was chair of the Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2011, said the for-profit cash bail system which, besides the Philippines, is unique to the U.S. pressures people to plead guilty to get out of jail. Often, Lawlor said, they agree to a sentence of probation and, ultimately, get trapped in the criminal justice system. The No. 1 crime for which people are incarcerated is violation of probation, said Lawlor, now an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven. If I had the power to do one thing to improve the criminal justice system, I would eliminate money bail. That is one thing that is almost unique about the United States, and where Connecticut is falling a little bit behind the curve of reforms that youre seeing elsewhere in the country. Not for lack of trying. The Connecticut Sentencing Commission is finishing a report detailing alternatives to the states cash bail system. Despite broad agreement that the money bail system can keep poor people locked up who otherwise would be able to go home if they had the money to bond out, members arent going to give any recommendations that could lead to the end of cash bail in Connecticut. We couldnt reach an agreement on the proposal, said Alex Tsarkov, the commissions executive director. One of the issues is that there are criticisms of the systems in every state that has abolished money bail, Tsarkov said; maybe the list of crimes for which someone can be detained pretrial is too wide-ranging, or the legal bar to keep people detained pretrial isnt high enough. There is not yet a perfect model out there for Connecticut, Tsarkov said. If we had a great model, I think it would be easy to argue in favor of it. A new system, familiar disparities In March 2013, the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes alternatives to the war on drugs, published a bombshell report about New Jerseys jails. They found that 1,547 people 12 percent of the entire jail population were locked up solely because they couldnt afford to post a bond of $2,500 or less. About 800 of those people, none of whom had been convicted of their crimes, couldnt scrape together $500. , It kind of just put numbers to a flawed system that many of us were already aware of but hadnt really thought through the way that study emphasized, said Joseph Krakora, New Jerseys public defender. After the report came out, Krakora wrote a letter to the states chief justice, asking him to set up a committee to review the cash bail system. The Chief Justice created a joint committee of advocates, defense attorneys and prosecutors. A year later, their recommendation was unanimous: move away from cash bail and instead move toward a risk-based model, where people are held pretrial based on the likelihood their release poses a danger to the community. Krakora said the old system, where a persons likelihood of getting out of jail was tied to how much money they had, did not make a person any more likely to show up to court, supposedly its foundational premise. Our clients arent any more likely to come back to court because grandma put up a thousand bucks than if they were just released and told to report to court by the judge, said Krakora. The cash bail system is premised on the risk of flight, said Krakora. The idea, he explained, is that if you have to pay money to get out of jail, and getting that money back is dependent on you coming back to court, then youre more likely to show up for your hearings. So, Krakora said, the cash bail system should only be based on a persons risk of fleeing. But of course, thats where the fiction lies, right? Krakora said. Because the judge is obviously going to set a higher bail if he or she is concerned that this person is likely to go out and shoot people or rob people or rape people if you let them out before trial. It has nothing to do with whether hes going to come to court. After the joint task forces recommendations, legislators got to work. The Democratic legislature had the support of Republican Gov. Christie, whom Shalom said wanted a preventative detention model, essentially locking people up pretrial to keep them from committing crimes or avoiding prosecution. His idea was he wanted to be able to say we can now lock up the kingpins, the murderers, the whatever, said Shalom. Christie was so supportive of doing away with money bail, Shalom said, that he called legislators in for a joint special session when the bill based on the task forces recommendations faltered. Having the governors support was invaluable, said Shalom. There was concern that doing away with money bail would threaten public safety, or would actually worsen racial disparities of the incarcerated population. There was enough skepticism among some Democrats that it needed to be bipartisan, he said. And the governor has a lot of sway over the minority party that he is affiliated with. That bipartisanship insulated both parties from political pushback when not if, said Shalom someone inevitably was let out under the preventive detention model and committed a crime that made headlines. When the first bad case happened, people werent going to say, See? Bail reform, Shalom said. Instead, what people said is, This is a tragedy, or this was a f-up, or both. But, remember, this also happened under the money bail system. It would take three years after voters approved the constitutional amendment for the cash bail system to end. How it works The system that replaced money bail in 2017 created a new pretrial system. Shalom explained it as follows: cops in New Jersey can now either give someone a summons a ticket telling you when to go to court or serve you a complaint warrant. If you get the warrant, youre taken to the police station and receive a preliminary risk assessment. You are locked up for 24 to 48 hours before appearing in front of a judge for a release hearing, where the judge assesses if you can be released on your own recognizance and on what conditions. Prosecutors can seek preventative detention if a judge decides to release someone they think is dangerous. If prosecutors try to keep someone locked up pretrial, they could be held for up to five more days before theres a detention hearing, at which they are represented by a lawyer and have a right to discovery meaning prosecutors have to share evidence with the defendants attorney and they have the presumption of release unless they are charged with murder or a crime that carries life imprisonment. Shalom said prosecutors are successful in arguing for preventative detention about half the time that they try. Before the shift, Krakora said, judges were using money bail as a means of detaining a person they didnt want to be let out. But under New Jerseys new system, lawyers in court hearings are arguing over whether a person poses a risk to the community, what their prior record is, when was the last time they were charged with a crime. Theres an intellectual honesty that exists in a risk-based system, Krakora said. Were not doing this fiction of barely talking about how much money it would take to assure his appearance to court. Money bail still exists in New Jersey, but its much rarer than it used to be. Shalom said judges can only set cash bail if theres a risk of the defendant not showing up for court. And the prosecutor isnt allowed to seek a cash bail unless they make the finding first that a defendant can afford it. Shalom said the list of crimes for which people can be held pretrial is too large. Every felony is detainable, as are all domestic violence cases, including misdemeanors. That doesnt mean they will be detained, but they are detainable, he said. The tradeoff of making that many crimes detainable offenses was the political price for abolishing cash bail, said Shalom. Advocates pushing for reform decided it was worth a preventative detention model if it meant thousands of people would be let out of jail who otherwise couldnt afford to go home. Krakora said the effects have been significant. There are 40 percent fewer people, on average, in pretrial detention since the law went into effect. Some counties are closing their jails. Just 14 people were held on bail of $2,500 or less as of 2020, compared to more than 1,500 in 2012. But racial disparities are virtually the same. To Shalom, the reasoning is clear: We havent done anything to address it. True change would require reforming other elements of the justice system, including policing, prosecution and disparities in sentencing. You have to be proactive to address racial disparities, and just hoping that theyll go away when you get rid of one element of unfairness is putting too many eggs in that basket, he said. We did have an unfair system, which was both racially biased and penalized poor people. Now we have a system thats just racially biased, but doesnt penalize poor people to the same extent. An attempt at change Its not like Connecticut hasnt tried to end money bail. When he was governor, Malloy tried to eliminate bail for many misdemeanors in 2016, to no avail. In 2017 he tried a different tack and advocated for proposals that would have taken a big chunk out of the commercial bond industry in Connecticut. The policies would have barred judges from setting bond in most misdemeanor cases and allowed judges to release defendants on a cash deposit of 10 percent of the bond. The cash they would have had to put down was similar to the fee charged by bail bond agents, except defendants would have gotten that money back had they showed up to court. The opposition from the bail bond industry was super intense, said David McGuire, the executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut. Theres just a huge amount of resources that the bail bonds industry will pour into any push to change or eliminate our cash bail system. Legislators ultimately compromised with the bondsmen, barring judges from imposing cash-only bail, a practice that effectively denies bail to hundreds of indigent and moderate-income defendants, and from setting bail in most misdemeanor cases. Two years later, a committee of Superior Court judges voted to allow criminal defendants to bond out by posting 10 percent of their bond if the total amount is $20,000 or less. Unlike if they use a bail bondsman, they get the money back once their case is resolved. The reforms took a significant chunk out of the commercial bail industrys income. We need a volume of good and bad transactions in order to remain solvent, said Andrew Marocchini, the founder and general manager of BailCo Bail Bonds. And essentially, what has been done is, the good part of these transactions has been removed from our marketplace. By the end of 2021, almost two full years since the rule change went into effect, one in four defendants released from custody at a police department got out by posting 10 percent of their bond. Professional surety companies, which were responsible for over 80 percent of financial releases in 2019, now make up only 45 percent of releases, according to data reported by the Sentencing Commission. Whats more, data suggests defendants who post the 10 percent option dont show up to court less than other defendants and are rearrested at slightly lower rates than defendants posting through professional sureties. The Judicial Branch estimated $1.75 million has been returned to defendants between Jan. 1, 2020 and Jan. 5, 2022 through the 10 percent rule. As the number of all pre-trial detainees has increased since the pandemic, those held on the highest bond more than $100,000 have accounted for a greater portion of them. In January 2020, about 55 percent of all pretrial detainees had bond over $100,000, and by January 2020, the percentage had increased to 62 percent. Some people are still staying locked up in jail for years, waiting for a trial. At least two Black men charged with murder have been acquitted by juries over the past year. Brandyn Grant-Ford spent four years in prison waiting for his trial, unable to post his $500,000 bond. A jury found him not guilty of murder last August. In May, a jury found Hakeem Atkinson not guilty in a fatal 2012 shooting. Atkinson spent almost five years in jail on a $1 million bond. Most murder case defendants are not out on bond, said Attorney John Gulash, who represented both men. But not because they're necessarily at higher risk of flight. It's just kind of a bit of a reaction to the gravity of the charge. Grant-Ford, Atkinson and others with bonds they cant afford often face an agonizing choice: post bond and, if you use a bail bondsman, never see that money again, or use that money to hire a private attorney but stay jailed. A lot of people don't have bail money. So, that's one strike against them. They're incarcerated, sitting in pretrial, fighting their cases while they're inside, said Jewu Richardson, co-director of the CT Bail Fund. You're telling people that, 'Hey, if you want to defend yourselves adequately, you have to pay the ransom of a bond.' McGuire said the reforms were well-intentioned but not as successful as advocates had hoped. Despite the changes, just like in New Jersey, people disproportionately minorities are still sitting in jail because they can't afford to bond out, McGuire said. We as advocates, and a lot of folks, looked at it as a building block for eventually ending cash bail entirely in Connecticut, McGuire said, and figuring out a way to have preventative detention that is used sparingly and in a way that does not exacerbate our racial inequities in the state. The roadblocks McGuire's fears about preventative detention are one of the challenges to ending cash bail in Connecticut: that whatever replaces it will disproportionately impact people of color, worsening the states already wide racial disparities in its incarcerated population, which as of May 1 was 42 percent Black. I always have to be concerned that Black and brown people will continue to get the brunt of an unjust system, said Barbara Fair, a member of Stop Solitary CT. As co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Gary Winfield has played a major role in passing significant criminal justice reforms in recent years, including reducing solitary confinement in prisons and reforming policing in the wake of George Floyds murder. He has gotten major criminal justice bills through the legislature and to the governor's desk for years. But political success is one thing. Achieving policy change and reducing the criminal justice system's disparate impact on minorities is another. The criminal justice system seems to course-correct itself, Winfield said, always ensnaring people in its grip, no matter what Winfield and his legislative colleagues do. The weary legislative tactician wondered if that course correction was because lawmakers always start from the perspective that the system is deserving of reform, as if the origins of mass incarcerated weren't rooted in racism. "You're saying, 'Well, clearly, it's been exposed that this system has a disparate impact on people. Is there something we can do to make the system have less of a disparate impact, make it work a little better?'" Winfield said. "But that's not the same thing as saying, 'Should we be doing what we're doing at all?' Winfield isn't against ending money bail. Everything to me is dependent upon what we do in its place," he said. The element that was so essential to the elimination of cash bail in New Jersey bipartisan support doesnt exist in Connecticut. Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said he hasnt heard any concerns from constituents about the states money bail system. He said the purpose of bail is to make sure someone comes to court and faces their charges, and though they are innocent until proven guilty, Kissel thinks their likelihood of committing more crimes should be factored into their bond amount. The ultimate primary purpose of bail is not to keep someone incarcerated because they may commit another crime, but if they have a track record, I think it's appropriate for the court or whoever is imposing the bail to consider those factors, Kissel said. We have to create a good balance where the bail system fulfills its appropriate ends, with also an eye toward maintaining public safety, and at the same time do whatever we can within reason to make sure no one is unjustly incarcerated pending their trial, simply because they're poor. Any shift from a cash bail system in Connecticut would require a constitutional amendment, a high legislative bar that likely would require support from members of both parties. Bipartisan support would also provide political insulation when someone inevitably commits a crime after being released following an arrest. Without bipartisan support, bail reform would be a political lightning rod wielded as a cudgel against those who voted for it. Reform in New York, for instance, has been highly politicized, despite data suggesting that its working. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, police, and tabloid newspapers have decried the new policies, depicting a city in chaos. Figures published by the New York City Comptroller showed that, while reforms reduced the number of people subjected to bail, there was no change in the share of people rearrested while awaiting trial in the community. However, bail continues to be a big reason for pretrial detention and continues to take money from low-income communities of color. Despite Adams' public statements, his Office of Criminal Justice published data showing most of the people arrested in the city do not have pending cases. Of the nearly 48,000 people in March 2021 waiting at home for their criminal cases to be resolved, 96 percent were not rearrested at all during that month, and only 1 percent were rearrested for a violent felony offense, according to New York criminal justice data. And yet, almost two-thirds of New Yorkers think bail reform led to an increase in crime, an indication that the fear-mongering over reform is souring the publics understanding and support for it. Critics of the money bail system point out that it doesnt prevent crime. Dangerous individuals with access to financial resources can simply post bail and go home, while less-dangerous people who don't have money stay stuck in jail. Even members of the bail bonds industry say that Connecticuts current bail system wasnt created to protect public safety. It was designed to guarantee appearance in court and guarantee the defendants pretrial liberty, said Jeff Clayton, executive director of the American Bail Coalition. Just like when the public clamors for change when someone commits a crime after getting out of jail thanks to bond reform, Lawlor predicted that, eventually, someone is going to commit a crime after posting bail. Sooner or later, some guy who was able to post a million dollar bond is going to kill somebody while he's out, Lawlor said. And then people are going to say, 'why was that guy out?' And the answer is going to be, 'Well, because in Connecticut, you can't hold a person without bail, because of what our state constitution says. It already happened. Russell Peeler was out on bail when he killed Rudolph Snead Jr. in a barbershop in 1998. And he was out on bail when he masterminded the deaths of Karen Clarke and her 8-year-old son, Leroy Brown Jr., who had been set to testify against him for trying to kill Snead the year prior. Mary Anne Casey, owner of Casey Bail Bonds, Inc. who has been licensed in Connecticut for more than four decades, claimed in legislative testimony in 2011 that Peeler got out of jail prior to getting his brother to kill Brown and Clarke thanks to a widespread practice known as rebating, which is when defendants post bond at a discounted rate through a deal struck with a bail bondsman. Our legislature just turned a blind eye, Casey said. More recently, Jose Cajigas allegedly fired a gun at a Hartford police officer a few hours after allegedly murdering a Hartford woman. Hed been arrested 11 days earlier on probation violation, weapons and drug charges. He paid $19,000 in cash on a $270,000 bond and was able to get out of jail. Department of Correction records indicated he is still incarcerated pretrial, held on a $7,520,000 bond. Gun violence is a complex thing with many causes, but there's no question that we're missing opportunities to keep repeat violent criminals from committing further acts of violence," said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. The mayor raised another point: defendants can reach agreements with bail bondsmen to post bond. I think a lot of people look at a bond and say, 'Wow, how is somebody going to come up with $200,000 bond?' But if you only have to come up with 10 percent of that, and particularly if you are involved in criminal activity that can be lucrative, it's not all that hard, Bronin said. Bonds are financeable, and they're regularly financed. Such rebating continues today, Casey said, thanks to an underfunded regulatory system that allows people of means who pose a danger to society to simply buy their way out of jail by posting bail either themselves or through a bondsman at a discounted rate. The average person has no idea what is going on, Casey said. There is a tremendous public risk here, and no one is paying any attention. Steady habits Cash bail in Connecticut isn't going anywhere any time soon. The Sentencing Commission is putting the final touches on a report on pretrial justice in Connecticut. The assessment looks at states that have mostly eliminated money bail and describes how a pretrial system without money bail might look. Public defenders and the Division of Criminal Justice both objected to eliminating money bail in a draft version of the report. Each claimed a different model would have the opposite effect: public defenders claimed that too many people would get stuck in jail; prosecutors claimed that such a system would allow too many people to get out of jail and not be held pretrial. In an unsigned document outlining the departments stance, the Office of the Chief Public Defender expressed concerns that eliminating money bail would harm poor communities and communities of color, because poverty exacerbates factors that might make it more likely for a person to be held in jail in a preventative detention system. Plus, the public defenders warned, a preventative detention model might lead to more people being held in jail simply because of the nature of their criminal charge. A preventive detention system is likely to result in an increase in certain classes of accused being held at a significantly higher rate, specifically those accused of offenses like domestic violence and animal abuse offenses, the document reads. These crimes, while not statistically related to an increase in flight or general risk of reoffense, are emotionally sensitive and likely to lead a prosecutor to request detention. The court system in general is risk averse and judges are likely to grant detention requests in these cases. The Division of Criminal Justice, meanwhile, said in a different unsigned opinion that it opposed proposals that excluded certain crimes from a list of detainable offenses, and those that didnt take into account a defendants criminal history, their track record of failing to show up to court and their compliance with past conditions of release like probation. Such a system would produce the absurd situation of a Court being unable to detain a person even if the person stood in front of the Court and announced that he or she was not going to appear again, the document reads. This model fails to recognize the fact that the risk of financial forfeiture often is sufficient to guarantee an accuseds presence in court while sparing him detention while his case is determined on the merits. But there are perhaps practical reasons for the system remaining the way it is, said Tsarkov, the executive director. Judges, prosecutors and public defenders went to law school and have been practicing their whole careers with a money bail system. Its hard to step out and think that anything else remotely even is possible, said Tsarkov. Then there's the matter of public pressure. Tsarkov said there is no statewide campaign to end cash bail, as there was in Illinois, pressuring lawmakers to reimagine the pretrial system. "We really have not had a grassroots movement to end money bail," Tsarkov said. When we think about why this hasnt happened yet, lets think about who is affected: what kind of power do they have? Poor people, and poor people of color, dont have the type of power that middle class and upper-class people have, who can post bond. Also, the cash bail system is an effective way of processing cases quickly, said Lawlor. Money bail can be used to pressure someone to plead guilty so they can get out of jail without having to pay anything. All they have to do is plead guilty to get time served or receive a term of probation that they can comply with outside of jail. If you want to keep a guy locked up pretrial, you ask for a bail that's a little bit beyond what this person can post, Lawlor said. That way, you know you have leverage to move the case, because the only way the guy's getting out of jail is to plead guilty. There are benefits to quickly resolving cases, in that it keeps the system afloat and gets people out of jail, Tsarkov said, but its the burden that falls on those people without means, because they dont have the means to purchase their way to freedom. Echoing McDonalds comment at Griffins chief state's attorney interview, Tsarkov acknowledged that the conversation over whether to end cash bail is happening all over the country. At some point we have to have this debate, Tsarkov said. We cant escape it forever. The National Weather Service forecast for Sunday for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for mostly sunny conditions. Coastal areas could see light morning drizzle. Highs will range from the low 70s along the coast, lower 80s in the Napa area, mid-70s in Santa Clara County, and the upper 80s more inland. Evening conditions call for clouds along the coast with lows in the upper 50s, with clear skies and lows in the lower 60s inland. Saturday was the day for the annual -- and very popular -- March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo. The March of the Penguins is one of the zoo's most popular events. Saturday morning, five adorable Magellanic penguin chicks -- two females and three males which hatched between mid-April and May -- took their graduation walk, or waddle, past hundreds of excited zoo guests before taking their ceremonious first swim at their new home on Penguin Island. The penguin chicks graduated from what zoo officials call "fish school," where they were taught how to eat whole fish, swim and socialize with their caretakers. They will join the zoo's 54 resident penguins, bringing the total population on Penguin Island to 59. The occupant of a burning single-story residence in Petaluma managed to escape to safety Saturday, but three pets perished, according to the Petaluma Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched to the structure on 10th Street between B and D streets, arriving within five minutes. During the fire, the electrical service line to the house became compromised, falling to the street and blocking a portion of the roadway. Crews used extreme caution to prevent injuries to themselves and the public as they worked diligently to extinguish the fire. The occupant was able to safely exit the house however, three pets perished in the fire. The structure sustained heavy damage with losses exceeding $250,000. Six people were arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to minors in Menlo Park on Thursday, police said. The citations were issued during a decoy operation by the Menlo Park police and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The program, called a Decoy Shoulder Tap operation, targets adults who purchase alcohol for people younger than 21 years old. During the operation, a minor working under the supervision of officers stood outside a liquor or convenience store and asked patrons to buy them alcohol, according to Menlo Park police officials. If the adults agreed to purchase alcohol for the minor, agents arrested and cited them for furnishing alcohol to the minor. A man who robbed a bicycle shop of cash Friday was arrested minutes after conducting the robbery. A Palo Alto Police Department spokesperson said the incident happened at about 2:43 p.m. Friday. Police dispatchers received a call of an in-progress robbery at Cardinal Bike Shop, 1955 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Officers quickly arrived at the scene and arrested the man without incident as he was about to drive from the bike shop. Police said the investigation has revealed the man entered the shop wanting to sell a used electric bicycle. Store staff refused to buy it. That is when the man reached into his backpack, pretending he had a weapon in it. He made verbal threats of violence and demanded cash from one of the employees, who then gave the suspect the amount of cash that was in the register. The suspect is identified as Michael Lindstrom-Spence, 23, of Healdsburg. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on felony charges of robbery and criminal threats. Saturday's officer-involved shooting incident in the area of 16th Street and South Van Ness Avenue has been resolved as of Saturday afternoon, according to a San Francisco Police Department spokesperson. No one was shot, although police officers discharged their weapons while pursuing a suspect running away from them and who fired shots at them Saturday morning. Officers from the Mission District precinct attempted to detain a suspect in the area of 16th Street and South Van Ness Avenue just before 8 a.m. During the pursuit, the suspect hid behind a vehicle and "continued to shoot at officers," according to the police spokesperson. Members of the SFPD Tactical Unit responded and helped take the suspect into custody, police said. Although no one was shot as a result of the incident, the suspect was transported to a local hospital for a non-life-threatening injury. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday to celebrate the completion of the long-awaited Petaluma Widening Project, which adds carpool lanes to a four-mile section of U.S. Highway 101 in Sonoma County. Carpool lanes have been added between Lakeville Highway and Old Redwood Highway, according to Caltrans spokesperson Jeff Weiss. The three-year, $122 million project includes $85 million in funding from Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and $37 million in funding from Sonoma County's Measure M. The Petaluma Widening Project is one of 12 widening projects in the larger Marin-Sonoma Narrows Project to add carpool lanes between Novato in Marin County and Petaluma in Sonoma County. 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. Near the end of Green Days explosive performance at San Franciscos Outside Lands on Saturday night, front man Billie Joe Armstrong told a story reminding the crowd that one of the top bands in the world had started out in the Bay Areas underground punk scene. Armstrong recalled a time in 1991 when they played at SF's Dolores Park with a bunch of other punk bands. The cops came and shut it down They didnt shut this one down, Armstrong shouted. Bam! The crowd went wild for one last time, and then Armstrong signed off for the night with an emotional Good Riddance, a contemplative acoustic song thats more mellow than the bands typical hyperactive hits. It was a striking, sentimental moment that left the sweaty crowd, who had danced their asses off for more than an hour, thinking about how far this hometown band had come. The local punks with a bratty attitude that played at UC Berkeley frat parties and thrashed through countless sets at 924 Gilman have been rock royalty for years, but it felt different seeing them playing in front of a sea of tens of thousands of locals. I've been to Outside Lands many times, and I'd never seen a crowd this big at the main Land's End stage. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Saturday was Green Days first time ever playing Outside Lands, and the loud, high-energy band was perfectly suited for the festivals massive Polo Field, waking up a crowd that had taken a nap during Mac DeMarcos sweet but sleepy performance earlier in the day. The show started as Green Days performances have in recent years with a drunken white rabbit holding a tallboy and dancing on stage to the Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop. And then a pumped-up Armstrong and his two band mates, Tre Cool on drums and Mike Dirnt on bass, fired off crowd-pleasing hit after hit: American Idiot, Holiday, Know Your Enemy. A cover of Kiss Rock and Roll All Nite was a fun surprise, and Armstrong used the moment to remind the crowd that despite a festival lineup heavy on R&B and pop headliners, rock 'n roll is still alive. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Among the oldest songs they played was Welcome to Paradise, a mosh pit classic that first appeared on "Kerplunk" in 1991 and then again on "Dookie" in 1994. I heard it live for the first time at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz in 1992. The boyish Armstrong, who was dressed in all black and wore thick eyeliner, is a showman and a master at engaging the crowd. Between songs he repeatedly shouted out, Lets go crazy and S-A-N F-R-A-N-C-I-S-C-O. There were lots of nods to the East Bay, where Armstrong and Dirnt grew up and met in high school at age 14. Cool hails from Mendocino County. At one point, Armstrong got the crowd to chant, Hey ho. I want everyone to go crazy all the way to the back, Armstrong hollered. Bam! The rock star rewarded his audience with massive flames shooting up from the stage. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE But while the crowd went crazy again and again, it was a 10-year-old boy that led the people in the audience to lose their minds. "Who knows how to play guitar?" Armstrong called out to the crowd. "It's only three fking chords." Armstrong carefully scanned the audience, like a teacher picking a student to come to the front of class, and identified a 10-year-old boy near the front. "You're 10 years old and you know how to play guitar?" Armstrong said. "Can anyone vouch for him that he can really play guitar?" Someone must have vouched for him because soon the doe-eyed boy sporting a 49ers hat was on stage, giving the punk rock god a big hug. A collective "aww" reverberated from the crowd. Armstrong threw a guitar around him, and the boy killed it. Without any hesitation, he played the chords for the song "Knowledge," a cover from Operation Ivy, a Berkeley band that used to perform at the city's punk rock club 924 Gilman, where Green Day also got its start. Green Day often plays this song at shows and calls up an audience member. I saw him do it at a show at Oracle Park less than a year ago, but I cant even recall who made it to the stage. This boy I will never forget. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE The boy kept going and the crowd roared far louder than any other moment in the show. One woman standing behind me was sobbing and screaming at the same time. When Armstrong asked the boy his name, he replied it was Montgomery. Armstrong told the boy he'd call him Monty and the crowd started chanting his new rock star name. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE "Oh, and you can keep the guitar," Armstrong said. It was as if Armstrong was telling the boy, "I did it. You can do it, too." For $5,397, you can book a 15-day Avalon European river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, with stops in Cologne, Linz and Vienna, among others, along the way. Or, for a minimum of $6,095 per person, you can cruise from San Francisco to Stockton to see ... the Stockton 99 Speedway. The 8-day river cruise from American Cruise Lines leaves from the port of San Francisco and visits Stockton, Sacramento and Napa via the San Joaquin, Sacramento and Napa rivers. Three of the eight days are spent in San Francisco. "Led by our knowledgeable local guide, explore the culturally and ethnically diverse waterfront community of Stockton and savor its local fare on a walking exploration to local farm stands and markets," the site says. "Visit Sacramento, Californias capital, and explore its underground city. Travel to the Napa Valley region and stop at a local vineyard to taste the finest varietals. Return to the Golden City and explore its many treasures, from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz Island and Ghirardelli Chocolates." The vessel, the American Jazz, has 99 staterooms to house 190 guests. The first departure date is scheduled for Feb. 17, 2023 and the cheapest room will set you back $6,095 per person. The most expensive room, the grand suite, costs an astounding $11,680 per person. According to the itinerary, cruisers will be taken to the Haggin Museum in Stockton, as well as a "NASCAR Style Driving Experience and Ride Alongs at the Stockton Speedway." In Sacramento, there will be multiple excursions to museums, and in Napa there will be, of course, a wine tasting. There is one day spent just on the river and the San Francisco Bay with no excursions. "Cooking demos" and a "local California Cuisine Cookbook" are included with the price. American Cruise Lines perhaps hopes its California river cruise will hearken back to the days of the Delta King, a steamboat that once sailed up and down the waterways between San Francisco and Sacramento. "There hasn't been overnight cruise service on this scale since the Delta King," Scott Ford, director of economic development for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, told KCRA. "Sacramento really has a lot to offer and having the opportunity to showcasing this area to visitors who truthfully probably aren't making their way up here right now." The Delta King sank in 1981. It has since been restored and is now a permanently moored hotel in Sacramento. As soon as the plates of piping hot fried chicken hit our white-and-red checkered oilcloth, were digging in, mouth burns be damned. We cant help it. The aroma is just too tempting, and beneath the crispy exterior this chicken is so tender, so flavorful. As it turns out, we are carrying out a tradition thats been going on for more than a century at the last lumber camp-style cafeteria in North America. These days they call it the Samoa Cookhouse, and if you have the good fortune to be road-tripping the California coast around 275 miles north of San Francisco, you absolutely want to grab a hot meal within the wooden walls of this big red banquet hall perched by Arcata Bay. As an added bonus, youll get to time travel to an era when loggers lived in company towns in the woods, felled the worlds tallest trees and shoveled delicious grub down their gullets three times a day. Etiquette took a back seat, explains a one-sheet entitled Samoa Cookhouse Memories thats disseminated at the restaurant. Everyone dove into the food and ate quickly. Rarely was food passed. Ashley Harrell Ashley Harrell As you dine like a ravenous lumberjack at this cookhouse, youre surrounded by old logging and lumber memorabilia and photographs dating back to right around when the place first opened in the 1890s. Theres even a small museum in the corner for those who wish to further immerse themselves in the history, with items like old chainsaws, axes and pickeroons, but also adding machines, Pepsi bottles and a upright piano on display. Your server does not live in the upstairs dormitory like the waitresses once did, and there is no longer a rule that she be single (that went away in the 1920s). But the upbeat, high-energy service youll undoubtedly receive is meant to channel the good ol' days. Anything else you need right now, my dears? asks our server, a peppy woman in a blond bob and black stockings. We shake our heads no, mouths too stuffed to talk, and she zips away with a food cart stacked with heaping plates of fluffy popovers, sweet bean salad and mashed potatoes and gravy for other guests seated among the communal wooden tables. Ashley Harrell Ashley Harrell The food is served family-style, with a hearty meat option served at lunch and dinner each day, be it the sumptuous fried chicken, a gargantuan plate of spaghetti and meatballs, a steaming pork roast, a juicy tri-tip or mouthwatering meatloaf. Popovers and seasonal vegetables or creamy mac and cheese accompany, along with a choice of soup or salad and a huge slice of pie or cake. The daily breakfasts French toast, pancake, sausage and eggs are nothing to sneeze at either. The idea behind serving unlimited portions of mind-blowing food was that satisfied men made for better laborers. So within company towns across the America West, loggers and mill workers were offered all they could eat. The men in the woods are well fed, having a greater abundance and variety and better quality of food than most private families, the one-sheet explains. Ashley Harrell Ashley Harrell Therefore, the quality of the cooks mattered immensely. Referred to as bullcooks and flunkies, the cooks were usually male and held in extremely high regard, unless of course they were subpar. A poor cook is an abomination and usually succeeds in revolutionizing the camp several times before the summer is over, the one-sheet explains. The dining room was a rowdy sort of place, and although there were no reserved seats, certain men had certain preferences. If a newcomer sat in another mans spot and refused to move, fisticuffs broke out. On one occasion, a supervisor tried to tame the rowdy dining guests by setting up a turnstile at the entrance. As the story goes, the men rushed through it with such vigor that the supervisors leg was nearly broken, and the idea was quickly abandoned. Ashley Harrell Ashley Harrell After World War II, transporting logging crews to remote sites got easier, and many logging camps across the West became obsolete. Although the industry fell into decline and cookhouses had all but disappeared by the 1980s, the Samoa Cookhouse endured. Today, its the only cookhouse remaining, and has been serving its wildly popular meals continuously for more than 130 years. Its survival was dependent on a transition from lumber cafeteria to public restaurant. Originally constructed by Vance Lumber Company, the cookhouse was leased in the 1940s by Joe Filgas, a cook who had worked there for nearly 20 years. Filgas began serving the public in the 1950s, and in the 1960s, a new lessee John Fillman turned the place into a full-blown restaurant. Today, that restaurant appears much the same as it did back then, though prices have climbed: In the lumber company days, the men enjoyed room and board and were paid $30 a month to boot, while an adult meal today costs $14.25 for breakfast, $15.25 for lunch and $18.25 for dinner. Ashley Harrell In 2000, the old lumber town was purchased by Samoa Pacific Group and that included the cookhouse, which recently came under new management. On the restaurants Facebook page, where the menu is posted each week, managers have been querying followers about what changes they would like to see. We have plans to remodel and are excited to bring new life into this historic building, a manager wrote. How can we improve the Samoa Cookhouse? The post has more than 390 comments, most of which offer a similar answer: Leave it be! Keep the historical part including the dining style, one user wrote. I want my kids to experience that, too. WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 852 AM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 105 expected. * WHERE...Los Angeles County Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley. * WHEN...Until 7 PM PDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 1107 AM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 105 expected. * WHERE...Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles County San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County Mountains and Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley. * WHEN...Until 7 PM PDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM PDT MONDAY... * WHAT...North winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast and Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range. * WHEN...From 5 PM this afternoon to 6 AM PDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO PHOENIX Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Riverside County in southern California... San Bernardino County in southern California... * Until 630 PM PDT. * At 253 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... mainly rural areas of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of Southern California, including the following county, Riverside. * WHEN...Until 400 PM PDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Water over roadways. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 257 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Idyllwild-Pine Cove, Anza, Mountain Center, Hwy 74 Between Hemet And Mountain Center, Hwy 74 Between Mountain Center And Anza, Lake Hemet and Cahuilla Indian Reservation. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Tel Aviv, Aug 7 (UNI) Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday met with opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu amid the ongoing Breaking Dawn operation in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister's office said. "Prime Minister Yair Lapid, this morning, met with opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu and updated him on security matters. The Prime Minister's Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil, participated in the meeting," the office said on the website. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also said Sunday that its fighter jet had hit Islamic Jihad's rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip. WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Albany NY 317 AM EDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values in the middle 90s to lower 100s. * WHERE...In New York, the Capital District, Mid Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, central and southern Taconics, and Glens Falls Saratoga Region. In Connecticut, Litchfield County. In Massachusetts, southern Berkshire County. * WHEN...For the first Heat Advisory, from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM EDT this evening. For the second Heat Advisory, from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Monday. * 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 BOSTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, August 8, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 317 AM EDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values up to 102. * WHERE...Northern Connecticut, all of Massachusetts east of the Berkshires except for Nantucket, and all of Rhode Island except for Block Island. * WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Monday. * 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 ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, August 6, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Albany NY 723 PM EDT Sat Aug 6 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values from the mid 90s to lower 100s expected. * WHERE...In New York, the Capital District, Mid Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, Taconics, and Lake George Saratoga Region. In Connecticut, Litchfield County. In Massachusetts, southern Berkshire County. In Vermont, Bennington and eastern Windham Counties. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Sunday. * 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 ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albany NY 257 PM EDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northeastern Dutchess, Columbia and southeastern Greene Counties through 330 PM EDT... At 257 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Catskill to near Saugerties South. Movement was east at 25 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and heavy rain. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Heavy rains could cause ponding of water on roadways and in poor drainage areas. Locations impacted include... Hudson, Catskill, Claverack, Livingston, Copake, Pine Plains, Clermont, Athens, Austerlitz, Ancram, Philmont, Lorenz Park, Claverack-Red Mills, Ghent, Germantown, Hillsdale, Taghkanic, Tivoli, Pachin Mills and Ancramdale. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 4202 7393 4202 7394 4226 7387 4237 7341 4209 7351 4205 7350 4205 7349 4196 7349 TIME...MOT...LOC 1857Z 256DEG 21KT 4221 7382 4205 7388 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR HUDSON...NORTHEASTERN UNION... SOUTHEASTERN ESSEX...RICHMOND AND KINGS COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 300 PM EDT... The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BUFFALO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Buffalo NY 734 PM EDT Sat Aug 6 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM EDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values of 95 to 100 expected. * WHERE...Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Northern Cayuga, Oswego, Genesee, Livingston, and Ontario counties. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 7 PM EDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...High temperatures and excessive humidity levels 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 NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, August 7, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Upton NY has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Hudson County in northeastern New Jersey... Eastern Union County in northeastern New Jersey... Southeastern Essex County in northeastern New Jersey... Richmond County in southeastern New York... Kings County in southeastern New York... * Until 300 PM EDT. * At 230 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Linden, moving northeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to trees and power lines. * This severe thunderstorm will be near... Todt Hill and Port Richmond around 235 PM EDT. Newark and Bayonne around 240 PM EDT. Harrison and The Verrazano Narrows Bridge around 245 PM EDT. Jersey City and Kearny around 250 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 9, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Pendleton OR 440 AM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 11 PM PDT TUESDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 106 expected. * WHERE...Portions of central, south central and southeast Washington and central, north central and northeast Oregon. * WHEN...From noon Monday to 11 PM PDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO PORTLAND Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, August 8, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Portland OR 449 AM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM PDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Highs temperatures of 97 to 100. Low temperatures of 65 to 70. * WHERE...In Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Area, Upper Hood River Valley, Western Columbia River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge. In Washington, Greater Vancouver Area, Western Columbia River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge. * WHEN...From noon today to 8 PM PDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...While it will be cooler Monday compared to today in the Greater Portland Metro and Vancouver areas, heightened risk will continue due to hotter than average temperatures, especially with very warm minimum overnight temperatures. Areas along the Gorge and into the Upper Hood River Valley will experience similar readings both days. 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 PORTLAND Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, August 8, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Portland OR 216 PM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT MONDAY... * WHAT...High temperatures 98 to 100. Low temperatures 65 to 68. * WHERE...In Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Area, Upper Hood River Valley, Western Columbia River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge. In Washington, Greater Vancouver Area, Western Columbia River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge. * WHEN...Until 8 PM PDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 9, 2022 _____ EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Spokane WA 426 AM PDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 11 PM PDT TUESDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures in the 100 to 109F range with night time low temperatures in the mid 60s to mid 70s. * WHERE...Quincy, Winchester, Brewster, Waterville, Culdesac, Nespelem, Ephrata, Wenatchee, Pomeroy, Othello, Okanogan, Mansfield, Peck, Moses Lake, Bridgeport, Omak, Clarkston Heights, Lapwai, Malott, Cashmere, Lewiston, Entiat, Clarkston, Gifford, Nighthawk, Monse, Palisades, Oroville, and Chelan. * WHEN...From Noon Monday to 11 PM PDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Excessive heat will significantly increase the potential or heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Residents without air conditioners will experience a build up of heat within their homes. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The hottest temperatures are expected to occur on Tuesday for most locations. This event will be shorter than the last heat wave and temperatures generally won't be quite as hot. 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. Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 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. 100 to 106F range. Overnight lows will be in the mid 60s to lower 70s. * WHERE...Grand Coulee, Coulee City, Odessa, Creston, Ralston, Electric City, Lamona, Stratford, Harrington, Coulee Dam, Ritzville, and Wilbur. Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay informed. ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO 11 PM PDT TUESDAY... * WHAT...High temperatures on Monday into Tuesday will be in the mid 90s to around 104F. * WHERE...Portions of North and North Central Idaho. Portions of North Central, Northeast, and Southeast Washington. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures will significantly increase the potential or heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Residents without air conditioners will experience a build up of heat within their homes during the afternoon and evening hours. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather 5 killed in gunmen attack in Nigeria Xinhua) 15:34, August 07, 2022 LAGOS, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and two others missing after unknown shooters attacked a business convoy in the central Nigerian state of Kogi on Friday night, the state police said Saturday. The victims were one Indian expatriate, two drivers and two policemen guarding the convoy, which belongs to the Kogi-based West Africa Ceramics Company, said Kogi police spokesperson William Ovye Aya in a statement. Two Indian expatriates are missing following the attack, said Aya, adding that police are working to track down the fleeing shooters and rescue the expatriates. Shooting attacks have been frequently reported for years across the most populous country in Africa, resulting in the deaths of civilians and security operatives. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Washington, Aug 7 (UNI) Former US President Donald Trump says the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has played into the hands of China. '"She fails. The woman brings chaos," Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, adding "She played right into their [Beijings] hands, because now they have an excuse to do whatever they're doing." Trump added that such a visit would never have happened if he were in office. China launched a large-scale military exercise in the eastern Taiwan Strait in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, which was carried out this week as part of her broader Asia tour that also included stops in Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia. Pelosi, who ignored Beijing's repeated warnings, became the highest-ranking US official to come to Taiwan in 25 years. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that China will impose sanctions on Pelosi and her close relatives because of her provocative visit to Taiwan that dealt a serious blow to the One-China policy and jeopardized peace and stability in the Taiwan strait. A spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington told Sputnik on Friday that Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang told US officials upon being summoned to the White House on Thursday over Beijing's military exercises near Taiwan that the responsibility for China-US tensions rests entirely with Washington. UNI/SPUTNIK GNK If not for a passion for Sydneys underwater world shared by a trio of friends, the landmark 1952 book Australian Seashores would have never been published. Figure Eight Pool in Sydneys Royal National Park. Credit:iStock It was the first book written about Australian intertidal habitats where land meets sea and was described at the time as a guide for the beach-lover, the naturalist, the shore fisherman and the student. Seventy years on, it remains the bible for marine biologists. Isobel Bennett (right) and a colleague examining gooseneck barnacles covering a log in Gerroa, 193052. Credit:Macleay Collections, Chau Chak Wing Museum. A new exhibition at the University of Sydneys Chau Chak Wing Museum celebrates these seminal seashore stories, the books impact on science, and its popularity with the public and shines a light on the crucial role of pioneering female scientists Dr Isobel Bennett and Elizabeth Pope. Accused Queensland triple murderer Darryl Young to face court today Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss The new president of the Australian Medical Association says many healthcare workers have been shocked by an attitude that stretched hospitals and exhausted staff are the cost of doing business in a pandemic. Professor Steve Robson, a fertility specialist based in Canberra, was elected to lead the nations most high-profile medical group last week, alongside new vice-president, Sydney GP Dr Danielle McMullen. New AMA chief Steve Robson says he will continue to push the federal government to boost funding for public hospitals by billions each year. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In his first detailed interview with The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, while isolating at home with COVID-19, he said trying to put a hospital staff roster together was proving almost impossible as many hundreds of COVID-19 patients continued to occupy beds that would otherwise be filled by people with other conditions. One of the things thats been shocking for many healthcare workers is going to work and facing these incredible pressures their leave is cancelled, they are working double shifts and they leave [work] and they hear political leaders and business leaders saying, Oh, nothing to see here. A scheme to buy back peoples houses in flood-hit Lismore will likely target hundreds of homes, not thousands, according to the man in charge of rebuilding the town, meaning many more properties will remain in flood-prone areas. Almost 11,000 homes were damaged across the Northern Rivers in the February and March floods, and more than 4000 have been deemed uninhabitable, mostly in Lismore. The Wilsons River in Lismore reaches its peak on February 28. Credit:Getty An independent report into the flood, which is yet to be released by the state government, has recommended a buy-back scheme to help move affected home-owners out of the Northern Rivers flood zones. But Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation chief executive David Witherdin said the scheme would probably only target those houses where lives were most at risk. A man has been charged and another is in a critical condition after a daylight stabbing outside a strip of shops in Sydneys west on Sunday. Police were called about 3.30pm to Sheffield Street in Merrylands where they found a 35-year-old man with multiple stab wounds. He was bleeding heavily and went into cardiac arrest as ambulance crews arrived. Paramedics stabilised him before taking him to Westmead Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition. Witnesses told Nine News the man was crossing the street when two men dressed in black approached, stabbing him repeatedly before kicking him in the head. Planning Minister Anthony Roberts would need to override strenuous objections from the National Trust, local MP Alex Greenwich, the City of Sydney, Millers Point residents and other stakeholders if he is to approve controversial changes to the final piece of the Barangaroo mega-project. The government has been inundated with objections to modified plans for Central Barangaroo the middle section between Crown Sydney and Barangaroo Reserve including a 20-storey building the National Trust has called shocking. A concept design of Central Barangaroo included in documents submitted by developer Aqualand as part of their modification application. Credit:Department of Planning portal The Herald has confirmed Roberts will be the decision-maker on the proposed changes, rather than the Independent Planning Commission. Modification 9 would more than double the above-ground gross floor area of Central Barangaroo to 116,189sqm, increase the building heights on all three blocks and reduce the size of Hickson Park directly behind Crown. It is on public exhibition with submissions closing on Monday, just as Crown opens the gaming floor of its Barangaroo casino. Western Australia recorded 18 deaths where COVID-19 was the only condition listed on the patients death certificate in the first six months of its Omicron wave, data has revealed. Australian Bureau of Statistics COVID-19 provisional mortality figures showed since Omicron began circulating in the community to June 30 the state recorded 902,000 cases and 192 deaths from the virus. In the majority of COVID-linked deaths people had pre-existing chronic conditions, most commonly heart conditions or dementia; or coronavirus led to fatal complications such as pneumonia or renal failure or both. Patients who died with incidental COVID-19, rather than due to COVID-19, are not included in the data. In her maiden speech, she pointed out that Indigenous Australians are not a unity ticket when it comes to supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart. It would be easy to dismiss Price as just a darling of right-wing commentators. Senator Jacinta Price taking part in a traditional ceremony with her grandmother, Tess Napaljarri Ross, before delivering her first speech in the Senate. Credit:James Brickwood It would also be foolish. When Price says there are more pressing issues than the Voice facing Indigenous communities, she speaks from personal experience. Price fell pregnant with her first child at 17, completing year 12 assessments while in hospital with early contractions. Loading As a victim of domestic violence in a subsequent relationship, Price was forced to flee her partner after he attacked her with a lamp. Soaked in blood, she ran to a neighbouring property, believing if she didnt get away she was going to die. Prices aunt and nephew were both murdered, the latter the result of a family feud. While we talk about the hardships facing Indigenous communities, she has lived them. In a 2016 speech to the National Press Club, Price spoke of how, in many cases of brutality, she was related to both the victim and perpetrator. She said she had been encouraged to ignore the fact they had committed acts of physical and sexual violence against someone she loved. Loading Price came to political prominence after having the courage to expose family violence and sexual abuse in her own community and challenging the cultural excuses that protect perpetrators. On her decision to speak out, she said: I got to a point in my life where we had that many deaths in our family. We had that many women traumatised by family violence and children traumatised by family violence. And this growing up yapa [Aboriginal] way is always like, you dont talk about the really tough things. You pretend like they dont exist Youre supposed to turn a blind eye to that. And I think I got to a point where I went, Ive had enough of this. And I became quite vocal. In her maiden speech, Price said the government had failed to show how a Voice would deliver practical outcomes for Indigenous people and noted in that very week that there were two clear examples of governments failure to listen to them. The first was the recent decision in the Northern Territory to lift alcohol bans that Price says will allow the scourge of alcoholism and the violence that accompanies it free rein, despite warnings from elders of those communities about the coming damage. Loading The second was the removal of the cashless debit card that, according to Price, has allowed families to feed their children rather than seeing their money claimed by kinship demand from alcoholics, substance abusers and gamblers in their family group. Having run an election scare campaign on the cashless debit card nationwide, the government had little choice but to make good on its promise to abolish it. But it was difficult listening to Price as she rose in the Senate to talk about the consequences that will flow from that decision. Price has been speaking to income management recipients since the first trials in 2001 and her voice choked with emotion as she shared stories of how it has improved the lives of Indigenous women and children. Loading She called on her parliamentary colleagues to get out to some of these remote communities, where people who are out of sight, out of mind to you cant clearly articulate to you because English is not their first language. She says she will bring to parliament their messages over and over again because were trying to save lives here not toe the line of ideology. Whether it is the Voice, the movement to change the date of Australia Day or acknowledgements of country, Price says she has had more than her fill of being symbolically recognised. Marles, who is acting prime minister while Anthony Albanese takes leave this week, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the existing submarine fleet, known as the Collins class, despite concerns about the diesel-powered vessels since they were launched in the 1990s. I think the Collins is operating excellently in 2022, he said. I mean, the only point to make is that obviously, when Collins was imagined and put into place, it was expected that it would start coming out of the water in the middle of this decade. There were issues earlier on around utilisation but I think weve addressed those and theres a good rhythm around it. And it is a highly capable asset. The government said last year it would extend the life of the Collins fleet by about a decade during the wait for nuclear submarines that are meant to be deployed from 2040, but this has sparked a debate about whether the existing fleet could last that long or may need to be upgraded a second time. Marles reiterated there was a real possibility of a capability gap after the extension of the Collins-class and that this would have to be considered by the working group looking into the submarine timeframe under the AUKUS agreement with the United States and United Kingdom, as well as by a separate review of defence he announced last week. Loading We are open-minded about looking at every possibility as to how to plan for the capability gap, he said. Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie warned of a very bleak strategic outlook and said Australia should accelerate its work on missiles, nuclear submarines, fuel stocks and ammunition stocks. The point is that if there was a conflict around Taiwan, whether were involved directly or indirectly on the periphery we would certainly be in the gun, Hastie told the ABCs Insiders program on Sunday. And thats why we need to build our deterrent strength, thats why we need to exercise exceptional political leadership, diplomatic leadership. Concerns about local jobs influenced major Coalition decisions on defence in the past decade including the rejection of Japanese submarines in 2015 and the choice of French submarines in 2016 with a promise they would be built in South Australia, but the French contract was cancelled at a cost of $2.4 billion in favour of the AUKUS agreement on nuclear-propelled boats. Marles emphasised the need for strategic need to take priority but said Australian industrial capacity was also fundamental over time. Now as it turns out, when were talking specifically about submarines, we will inevitably have to develop the capacity to build the submarines here obviously, not the [nuclear] reactor, that will come from overseas, he said. We need to do that for two reasons. One is that because if you think about the net industrial capability of Australia, the US and the UK, weve got to play our part in increasing that. Were we to simply place ourselves in some queue in the US and the UK, it is a very long queue. General Dynamics, the US company that makes the Virginia-class nuclear submarine, last year reported a $US39 billion ($56 billion) backlog of work at its electric boat division. Loading Marles said the second argument for local industrial capacity was to demonstrate Australia could manage the nuclear vessels under its commitments on nuclear non-proliferation, a key issue for the International Atomic Energy Agency and Australian allies and other countries. Defence industry cant be just a proxy for industry policy, which is what it was for the former government. When it comes to doing defence industry, it is a strategic call. There are good strategic reasons why we should do it and its the strategic rationale that should drive it and ultimately make it sustainable, he said. In the long aftermath of the 2013 election, a subterranean skirmish broke out in sections of the media, probably noticed by about 10 people. Some commentators argued the Rudd-Gillard government had been destroyed primarily by personal failings. Others argued that something deeper and more structural was occurring, involving many factors but, in particular, the attitude of both the media and voters towards politics. Nine years and another four prime ministers on, it should be clear that, while personal failings will always play a role in politics, they are far from sufficient to explain events. Much has been made recently of the rapid adjustment required of Anthony Albaneses ministers: getting used to government again after nine years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But it is possible that just as significant an adjustment will be needed among both the media and voters. After nine years responding to a government that rarely seemed interested in achieving much, and after 12 years of political in-fighting, how if this government turns out to be as serious as it sometimes threatens to be should we change our approach? Are we even capable of it? How serious, then, is the government? There has been plenty of legislative activity, but the most hopeful sign last week came from Chris Bowen, the minister for climate change, when he told the parliament, after the governments climate target passed the House, Today does not mark the end of the work. Today, the work just gets started. Now we will find out whether he means it. Investment NSW boss Amy Brown has told the parliamentary inquiry that negotiations for the London-based trade commissioner role became quite threatening and that the candidate escalated salary concerns above her head and directly to the minister. The inquiry is probing the appointment of John Barilaro to a New York trade role, but Labor is seeking to expand its remit to include other international postings including the London appointment. Brown said she had a conversation with London agent-general Stephen Cartwright about his salary last October, while a senior lawyer from Investment NSW was on the phone. By this time, Dominic Perrottet had become premier. She said it was during this conversation that Cartwright invoked the names of the deputy premier and premier while negotiating. Department secretary Amy Brown gives evidence on Monday. Credit:Kate Geraghty It was actually the name of the premier that jumped out at me, Brown told the inquiry. I sent a follow-up text to my general counsel to say I didnt like that... I said, I found it quite threatening. It was at that point he was saying that he would talk to [Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary] Michael Coutts-Trotter, or even the minister or the premier, because the current outcome is not what I was offered. Labor: Offered by whom? Brown: I dont know... whether or not were just misaligned on what the contract says or whether there was something else that hes referring to... In my mind, it was a difference in interpretation. Rereading the correspondence, I cant be certain of that. Brown has told the inquiry that Cartwright sought the intervention of then-Trade Minister Stuart Ayres via WhatsApp in March this year, regarding his concerns about how his pay was structured. Labor: Youre his employer and he went over your head? Brown: Yeah... The good thing about it was that Minister Ayres contacted me and said: Look, you can do what you like because Mr Cartwright is your employee, I just want to give you a heads up [that] Ive got this message. It might be a good idea to benchmark against other states and see what they do, but Im not telling you what to do and I really dont care about the outcome, basically. Gaza City: A fragile ceasefire deal to end nearly three days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza held throughout the night and into Monday morning, Gaza time, in a sign the latest round of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis appears to have abated. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. Mourners attend the funerals of Palestinians killed in recent Israeli air strikes on Sunday August 7, 2022 in Gaza City. Credit:Getty Images Egyptian officials said the truce began at 11.30pm Gaza time (6.30am AEST). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would respond strongly if the ceasefire was violated. Israeli aircraft have pummelled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. The risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained as long as no truce was reached. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. El Aaiun (Refugee Camps), 6 August 2022 (SPS) - The work of the International Student Conference for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People was concluded Saturday with a call for the speedy decolonization of Western Sahara. The participants in the Conference, who discussed the failure of the United Nations to decolonize Western Sahara, also condemned the series of massive human rights violations against Sahrawi students in Moroccan universities by the Moroccan occupation state. The Conference called for the immediate and unconditional release of all Sahrawi students detained in the prisons of the Moroccan occupation state. 062/T DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The head of Chad's military government met Saturday with Qatar's ruling emir after months of talks between Chadian forces and rebel factions, hosted by the Arab country. Chad's Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby spoke with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Footage from the Qatari royal court, or diwan, showed Sheikh Tamim with Qatar's foreign minister, while a Chadian delegation accompanied Deby. A later statement on the state-run Qatar News Agency quoted Sheikh Tamim as backing a comprehensive national reconciliation in Chad, saying the ongoing negotiations between the military and the rebels represented a first step toward that. Sheikh Tamim also reportedly wished Deby luck in an upcoming national dialogue planned in the Chadian capital of NDjamena on Aug. 20. The talks had earlier been set for May. Talks between the rebel factions and the military began in March in Doha, the Qatari capital. Deby's visit comes as diplomats hope the military government and the rebel groups would sign an agreement in Doha ahead of the Aug. 20 talks. But it remains unclear whether the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, the main rebel group in the country, will sign a deal. That shadowy group, known by the French acronym FACT, is blamed for the 2021 killing of Chad's longtime President Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the country since 1990. Mahamat Idriss Deby is the 38-year-old son of the slain president who leads Chads Transitional Military Council. Other rebel groups involved in the Qatar talks included the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development and others. They have called for Deby to declare he would not run in any coming elections, though the military junta has insisted that can only be decided in the national dialogue talks. A planned 18-month transitional period in Chad is to end in the coming months, putting renewed pressure on the sides to reach an agreement. Already, Chad had grown frustrated by the 30 years of rule by Deby's father, leading to years of rebel uprisings in the former French colony that borders Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan. In July, Qatar's satellite news network Al Jazeera reported that over 20 rebel groups had withdrawn from the Doha talks. They had accused the military government of harassments, intimidation, threats and disinformation amid the negotiations. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD David Tunick pulled into Stamford Harbor on his sailboat Wednesday after about an eight-week trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Tunick had once sailed his boat, Night Watch, from Connecticut to England about two decades ago. This summer, the 78-year-old sailed it back home from Spain. On both trips, he traveled alone. Tunick, a New York art gallery owner who lives in Stamfords Shippan neighborhood, prepared for his recent voyage by seeing a number of medical specialists and even having his gallbladder removed. Reflecting on his journey, Tunick thought of the line from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Ive never seen such a cascade of failures of equipment at one time or another the generator, the engine, the autopilots, the communication system, the whole electrical system, said Tunick, who has been sailing offshore for more than 40 years. While Tunick said he had hoped to sail from Spain straight to Stamford, he wound up stopping in two ports to make repairs. He said he also received advice from fellow sailors virtually. It came home to me once again how tight-knit the sailing community really is in helping one another, the people that are out there doing this kind of thing, he said. I was in touch with people by email and by text, very, very occasionally by phone. ... In the end, I really had a shore team. Tunick had planned to depart from A Coruna, Spain, in late May. But he said Night Watch needed a few more days of work before it was ready to cast off. All appeared ready to go on June 4. I get on the boat, literally I push the ignition button and the engine doesnt start, Tunick said. It turned out there was seawater in the engine. A week later, the problem was fixed, and Tunick was on his way southwest. As he was navigating the shipping lanes along the coast, the winds turned into a gale. His steering got stuck, and he said he ended up north of Spain. The boat is getting hammered with waves every few seconds, Tunick said. But the boat is just handling it magnificently. Tunick has owned Night Watch a Sparkman & Stephens-designed, Abeking & Rasmussen-built vessel for nearly 40 years. About two days later, the wind shifted. Tunick eventually made it to Horta on Faial Island, which is part of the Azores. But his steering jammed again in the harbor. In the days it took to fix the steering, Tunick spent time in Horta a city he described as one of those fabled ports for sailors. On the next leg of his journey, he said he got caught in the Bermuda High, a high-pressure system. I couldnt move the boat because there was no wind, Tunick said. I mean the jellyfish were literally swimming by me faster than Night Watch could move. Meanwhile, the sun beat down on his boat. It was too hot to go out in the sun during the day, Tunick said. So I would go out on deck to do what I had to do every morning just before dawn when there was some light ... and the same thing at night right before dusk. The cabin below deck offered little relief, with the sun heating up Night Watchs aluminum hull. At times, he lost power. He said he thought in those moments: Well, if Columbus did it, I can do it. Tunick said he lost about 20 pounds on his trip, which he attributed in part to losing his sweet tooth. He had stocked up on chocolate bars, M&Ms and chocolate milk, but he never touched them. It took about four weeks instead of two as expected, but he finally got to Bermuda with his engine, generator and autopilot systems all nonfunctioning. Tunick said he poured his heart and soul and hard-earned money into his boat for about four years in preparation for his trip. But you cant be certain of everything, he said. You just have to be prepared when it goes wrong. After a week in St. Georges, Bermuda, he headed northwest with everything repaired. But then the batteries on his boat began to overcharge. Fearful that a fire could start, Tunick packed up a bag of essentials in case he had to abandon ship. One day, Tunick was standing at his chart table when an asynchronous wave hit the boat, throwing him to the other side of the cabin. He slammed into a piece of metal and hurt his ribs, an arm and a hand. When he finally arrived in Stamford Harbor Wednesday afternoon, Stamford Yacht Club members and junior sailors were there to meet him. Tunick recalled that at one point, someone handed him a glass of champagne. After he drank it, he went home and slept. It was just I have to say very emotional for me and very, very happy and a wonderful welcome, Tunick said. I love Long Island Sound. I love Stamford. ... I love sailing out of here. I love every place you can go in the Sound. You can be alone, anchor by yourself, go swimming. You can be with other boats. You can be with friends. Its just terrific. brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN The current stretch of hot weather is expected to linger until Monday night, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters issued a heat advisory for Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London counties early Sunday morning, as well as portions of New York and New Jersey, to continue through 8 p.m. Monday. The heat index a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature, according to the National Weather Service was expected to reach 102 degrees across much of the state on Monday, officials said. Forecasters advised residents to seek air-conditioning, stay out of the sun, check up on relatives and neighbors and to reschedule strenuous outdoor activities to the early morning or evening. Anyone overcome by the heat should be moved to a cool and shaded place, officials said, noting that heat stroke is a medical emergency. The heat index was expected to reach into the upper 90s in New Haven county on Sunday, officials said. Significant humidity is likely, with winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, according to the service. In Hartford, the head index may hit 101 on Sunday. Gusts up to 23 miles per hour are possible as well, and there is some chance of rain. In Torrington, a high of 88 is expected on Sunday; in Bridgeport, a high near 90 and heat index values near 98 is in the offing. On Monday, heat index values are forecast at 101 degrees, officials said. There is also a 20 percent chance of rain, officials said, with humidity expected again. The forecast for the weekend comes on top of several days of hot and humid weather in Connecticut. Earlier in the week, Gov. Ned Lamont announced he would activate the states extreme hot weather protocol, which allows state and local municipal officials to coordinate the opening of cooling centers for vulnerable populations. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that in the last 24 hours, 39 foreign citizens were denied entry into Romania, who did not meet the legal conditions, as well as 44 Romanian citizens were denied exit, becaues of various legal reasons. According to IGPF, on Saturday, at border crossing points nationwide (both inbound and outbound), approximately 372,090 persons, Romanian and foreign citizens, with over 90,900 means of transportation, have carried out the control formalities.There were 193,393 persons inbound, including 12,473 Ukrainian citizens (going up by 3.39% from the previous day). Thus, starting with February 10 (pre-conflict period) and until Saturday, at 24:00, 1,838,254 Ukrainian nationals have entered Romania.As part of the specific activities at crossing points and the green border, the border police found 66 illegal acts (32 infractions and 34 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens. The value of the seized undeclared goods (which were to be smuggled into the country) amounts to approximately RON 7,500. Fines were also applied, with a value over 41,000 RON The otter, a protected species, whose decline was evident in the second part of the last century, is now found in almost all the Danube Delta, according to the data provided to AGERPRES by the Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development (INCDDD). It is said that the otter was a beautiful girl who did not want to marry the one her parents wanted her to, so that she was punished not to stay in the water all the time, but also on land.According to INCDDD, the presence of the otter, included in the Red List of strictly protected species, depends on the existence of feed resources. In Romania, the species has a wide spread, especially in the lakes and valleys of large waters, but especially in the ponds of the Danube Delta. Despite this, the otter population declined from 2,050 individuals in 1950 to 1,550 in 1991."In the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (RBDD), the otter was observed on all over the surface, in the freshwater areas, including in anthropogenic areas: Tulcea city port, agri-forest-fishing facilities and near the hearths of the village settlements. In this territory, it is estimated that there is the majority of the population of the species at the national level. Of all the mammal species of community interest in RBDD, the otter is the most often observed. Between 2010 and 2021, the otter was observed in all aquatic ecosystems on the territory of RBDD, including in anthropogenic areas," a paper signed by the specialists of INCDDD reads.Most otters were recorded in the Sontea - Furtuna area and in the Razim - Sinoie lagoon system."The otter is mainly solitary, with males and females joining only during mating. They are territorial animals, marking the borders of the individual territory with leaves and a thick, sticky secretion produced by the gland. The territory of an individual has an interval of 7-15 linear kilometers. Males have larger territorial ranges than females, the territory of one male overlapping that of several females, but not that of other males. The territories of the females do not overlap, the otters displaying territorial aggression towards the otters of the same sex. The population density is usually about one otter per kilometer of navigable squat, but may be less than an otter 5 kilometers per stream. Males seem to form a dominant hierarchy, the most dominant male occupying the most favorable areas," the specialists of INCDDD say."The enemies of the species are man and dog. The otter is hunted especially in winter, at the ice-fishing. Similarly, dogs are specially trained to kill otters; subsequently, the dogs act in this regard and without the exhortation of the owners. Young individuals are also killed by unrestrained dogs. Sometimes, otters are shot or captured with traps and in ponds," the specialists of INCDDD say.Among the main causes of the numerical change are the pollution of the waters with pesticides and fertilizers for agriculture, the degradation of habitats and the hunting for fur, and among the most important protection measures necessary are the combating of poaching and the limitation of the number of wandering dogs, as well as the limitation of the nautical circulation within the Delta outside the tourist routes."From recent researches, the otter, although vulnerable, is no longer a species currently threatened in RBDD, and in the last decade there is even a trend of recovery of herds, as a result of the decrease of interest in the fur of this species and the ban on hunting. However, the phenomenon of poaching persists. Thus, in areas known with tradition in poaching these mammals, additional protection measures are required, at least during the winter period. In RBDD there is the highest density of the species at the national level. In the last decade, there has been a trend of increasing populations, as a result of the implementation of conservation measures in the European space and especially in the RBDD," the Tulcea researchers stressed. Every Saturday morning for nearly 10 years, I faithfully made my way to a funky building in a run-down part of San Francisco, along with 50 other hardcore devotees. At an hour when most fellow urbanites hadn't yet contemplated their first low-fat latte, we embarked on a spiritual journey of sorts. We worshiped with a master of secular ecstasy named Paul. Paul -- part therapist, part lust object -- attracted a loyal band of followers. He was high-spirited, almost euphoric. We indulged his dramatic late entrances, desire to primp, and drag diva poses. He was tall and boyishly handsome, with eyelashes a girl would pay good money for. On him, toe rings were sexy. And on Halloween, he could look quite fetching in a tutu. It's clear that Paul relished his role as the exalted one, watching over his disciples from on high. He stood atop a stage as members of his pseudo-congregation filed in. The most devout headed straight for the front row. Recent converts tended to gravitate towards the rear. To the left of the stage, a gaggle of fit, muscular, middle-aged women planted themselves in the same spot they'd occupied forever. What was going on here? A dance aerobics class, but one with such devoted patrons that some of them had an even longer attendance record than mine. The studio Paul worked for, Rhythm & Motion, was run by professional dancers, and it offered daily dance workouts in everything from hip-hop, modern dance, and jazz grooves to salsa, tango, and African and Brazilian beats. Those sessions reminded me more of what it felt like to go out dancing in my nightclubbing '80s youth -- minus the drinks, drugs, and sleazy pickup lines. The prevailing mood: Big fun. And besides, it was good for me. While I was bopping to the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, swaying to samba rhythms, or squeezing my thigh muscles to the postmodern pulse of Portishead, I was also immersed in a community, a safe haven. Here I could gladly set aside the irritations and disappointments of the real world -- if only for an hour or so -- in exchange for the unencumbered joy of dance. Paul loved to move among the masses. By the time the warm-up was over he'd jump down from the stage to mingle with his students. He'd toss off a "Go, girl" here, a coquettish "Don't be shy!" there, and the all-purpose: "C'mon, give me something." With his background in modern dance, Paul's approach to teaching unleashed a kind of free-form frenetic energy in the room; his signature dance moves -- splashy leaps, spins, and kicks -- seemed to push us all to try a bit harder. Depending on your mood, his over-the-top style either egged you on or simply made you marvel at his ability -- and his terrifically toned body. It was almost de rigueur for most newcomers -- male or female -- to develop a crush on him. A straight, married friend confessed she was smitten. Hanging around after class to chat with Paul, who (no surprise) was gay, she left it ambiguous whether or not she was a lesbian. Her thinking, she explained later, with a logic I'm still trying to figure out, was that maybe she'd stand a better chance of wooing him if he thought she was gay, too. Hello? As it turned out, though, Paul wasn't the only instructor with a following. By now, many of us have heard from friends that crushes on the aerobics instructor are fairly universal. And plenty of longtime Rhythm & Motion instructors had their own devotees. I became a fan of Peter, a lanky jokester who laced his class with a mix of pop-psych advice and Jewish shtick. I dropped in on classes with Howard, a sinewy Chinese-American who encouraged us to live in the moment. His mantra: "Get rid of any emotional junk or mental chatter -- out the door." Amara and Rhonda's classes were packed because they exuded great girl power. And then there was Toni, a teacher who favored tiny, neon-pink shorts, midriff tops, and an array of dreadlocks. He began each class with a grace that concluded: "Love yourself, love your body. Your body is your temple." Truth be told, though, Paul was my main man. Paul's appeal went beyond his glamour-boy good looks. His energy was contagious. People were drawn to him because of his warmth and generosity of spirit -- and his ability to get a room full of sweaty souls grooving as one to the beat. In our class, his easygoing ways helped inspire a comfortable camaraderie among the students. We'd catch up on each other's lives and swap stories when we stretched before class or between routines. I've come to think of some of these classmates as friends -- even though in many cases I don't know their names and seldom, if ever, see them outside of class. We were united in our reverence for Paul. One morning, as we slipped on our tights, shorts, and T-shirts, a classmate began telling me about the trouble in her marriage. This intimacy took me by surprise. I'm not sure why. After all, most of the students had known each other for years. We had helped each other handle injuries, commiserated about jobs lost, sickness and love troubles, and celebrated budding romances, career changes, new babies, and travel adventures. Then one day it was over. After more than a dozen years of teaching, Paul wanted to make a change. "It breaks my heart, but it's time," he told us apologetically when he announced his departure. We had a couple of months to adjust to the news. But as his final class drew near, I felt a little lost. I wasn't the only one. Meg, a class veteran, summed it up: "Let's face it, there's no reason to get out of bed early on Saturday mornings anymore." Paul's last class was unusually subdued. We were all aware, I think, that a unique relationship was coming to an end. Some students bought bouquets. Others left treats on the stage. Most of us had written tributes on cards that had been passed around in previous weeks. The overwhelming sentiment carried in each note was as loud as Paul's new Dennis Rodman-style 'do.' It was, simply: Thanks. A while later, when I was out with my non-dancing husband, we ran into Paul. I said hello, fully expecting that he would remember me. He didn't. But he recovered by remarking in his sweet, gentle way: "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you with your clothes on." I couldn't help smiling. I was still going to Rhythm & Motion classes religiously, and so were my fellow students. Our love of dance, as it turns out, didn't evaporate with Paul's departure. Even though the beloved pastor is gone, the congregation lives on. ST. LOUIS In the years after World War II, civic leaders believed in solving big problems with sweeping projects. That sort of thinking, after all, had won the war. They regarded old, decaying neighborhoods slums to be the city's biggest postwar challenge. Their answer was to fire up the bulldozers. On Aug. 7, 1954, Mayor Raymond R. Tucker announced plans to demolish commercial buildings and 5,600 dwelling units across 465 acres of the Mill Creek Valley, running west from Union Station to St. Louis University. For three more days, front-page headlines spread praise all around for Tucker's bold vision. It would become the city's biggest urban-renewal project and, for a time, the largest in the nation. The Mill Creek area dates to 1765, when Joseph Miguel Taillon built his stone grist mill along a creek that ran from present-day Vandeventer Avenue to the Mississippi River. A man-made lake called Chouteau's Pond was a local attraction until pollution and cholera epidemics led to its draining in 1852. Railroad yards and smoky factories moved in, although some of the neighborhoods remained fashionable into the 20th century. By World War II, Mill Creek's tenements and faded town houses were home to nearly 20,000 people, many of them poor blacks who had migrated north from the cotton fields. More than half the dwellings lacked running water, and 80 percent didn't have interior bathrooms. Tucker proposed knocking over nearly everything and starting over. In 1955, city voters overwhelmingly approved a $10 million bond issue for demolition, on the promise that the federal government would reimburse most of it. The local NAACP endorsed the idea. Work began on Feb. 16, 1959, at 3518 Laclede Avenue, where a headache ball smashed a house that dated to the 1870s. The bulldozers swiftly transformed the city's "No. 1 Eyesore" into an area derided as "Hiroshima Flats." Among the few buildings spared was the old Vashon High School, now part of Harris-Stowe State University. When work began in 1961 on University Heights Village apartments, only 20 original families still called Mill Creek home. The LaClede Town apartments opened in 1964 and became a bohemian village of sorts, but fell into another round of decay within two decades. They were demolished to much less fanfare in 1995. The area never attracted the investment that Tucker sought. SLU and Harris-Stowe gobbled large tracts. A St. Louis man was killed early Saturday morning in a two-truck crash in Clark County, Illinois, police said. Claude Watson, 60, of St. Louis, died in the crash. The other truck driver, Duane Jones, 45, of Dayton, Ohio, was not hurt in the crash along Interstate 70 in Clark County, police said. The crash about 3:15 a.m. was about 150 miles northeast of St. Louis. Police said the men were each driving tractor-trailers east on Interstate 70 and collided as Watson's truck passed Jones. Both trucks went off the highway into a ditch and through a steel fence. Watson's truck flipped and caught fire in a field where Watson was pronounced dead. Jones' truck stopped upright in the same field, police said. He was not hurt and was cited for improper lane usage. Police responded to a call at a hospital for a 17-year-old victim shot in the arm, and they said the initial investigation indicates the teen was in a vehicle when he was shot at by several juveniles in another vehicle at Dillon Drive and Hickory Lane. EAST ST. LOUIS Sundays multi-agency flood relief center marked the seventh such event since torrential rains destroyed cars, flooded homes and killed at least two people late last month. The center was held at East St. Louis High School in Illinois, and organizers appeared to have addressed logistical issues that left hundreds of people standing outside for hours in hot, humid weather while in line Thursday for flood assistance in University City. While waiting her turn with other residents in the schools air-conditioned cafeteria, an East St. Louis resident who lives on Lake Drive said she arrived 90 minutes before the center opened at noon and was No. 96 in line to receive services to help with her damaged home. Its really devastating, and when you realize your insurance doesnt pay for anything, you wind up here, she said, requesting to remain anonymous. Organizers were calling five to 10 numbers at a time in numerical order, using a take-a-number system for people arriving so they could keep track of how many families were waiting for services. The center can accommodate 250 families a day and hit that capacity on both Saturday and Sunday, according to Erin Smith, United Ways vice president of communications. On Sunday, the Red Cross confirmed more than 1,700 families 1,500 in Missouri and 250 in Illinois had received help at one of the seven flood assistance centers held thus far. The centers bring together state government, nonprofit and religious-affiliated disaster relief organizations to assist people displaced or otherwise affected by the flooding. And the biggest thing to remember is that this was a flash flood event (and) even though the water has gone down, the impact and need remains, Beth Elders, executive director of the American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis, told the Post-Dispatch. Approximately 100 volunteers worked the East St. Louis center this weekend, some coming from as far as Kansas City and Arkansas. But traveling more than 1,600 miles to volunteer was Kathleen Palley with the Red Cross. The self-described empty nester said she signed up last year to volunteer with her local Red Cross organization in Las Vegas as a way to become involved in her community after moving there from California. She said she liked the idea of coming to Missouri because the need for assistance was there, but it wasnt as talked about as much in news media compared with other catastrophes such as wildfires in California and flooding in Kentucky. Palley said she has been touched by the way residents treat each other like theyre neighbors, even when they dont know each other and are all in need of help themselves. The people interact like theyre family, they take care of each other and its just so different from what I was expecting to see, she said. It made me really feel the compassionate nature of the people here struggling together. Several people waiting for assistance talked about what they see as the governments neglect of the sewers and pumps in East St. Louis. This is nothing new, its just never been this bad, Cloyd Perry said, noting that when heavy rains hit his front yard floods, which happens about three or four times a year. So a lot of it, I think, I feel it was just from neglect. The city has neglected what they were supposed to do and maintain the pumps. Cloyd and his wife, Pamela, were waiting at the center Sunday after their home on Terrace Drive flooded and they lost three vehicles to the water. They said they were currently living in a hotel, paying for the room themselves all while grieving their son LaVon Perry, who died July 17. They were hoping to find resources to clean their house, which theyve lived in for approximately 11 years, as well as clothing and more permanent housing while they clean up their residence. The couple, who have been married 48 years, said they ultimately hope to move out of East St. Louis to St. Ann to be closer to their daughter. Three more multi-agency resource centers were scheduled for the coming days at Friendly Temple, located at 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis. Residents can seek assistance at those events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. BEIRUT (AP) A ship bringing corn to Lebanons northern port of Tripoli normally would not cause a stir. But it's getting attention because of where it came from: Ukraines Black Sea port of Odesa. The fighting has trapped 20 million tons of grains inside Ukraine, and the Razoni's departure Monday marked a first major step toward extracting those food supplies and getting them to farms and bakeries to feed millions of impoverished people who are going hungry in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Actually seeing the shipment move is a big deal, said Jonathan Haines, senior analyst at data and analytics firm Gro Intelligence. This 26,000 tons in the scale of the 20 million tons that are locked up is nothing, absolutely nothing ... but if we start seeing this, every shipment that goes is going to increase confidence. To farmers in Lebanon, the shipment expected this weekend is a sign that grains might become more available again, even if at a higher price, said Ibrahim Tarchichi, head of the Bekaa Farmers Association. But he said it wont make a dent in his country, where years of endemic corruption and political divides have upended life. Since 2019, the economy has contracted by at least 58%, with the currency depreciating so severely that nearly three-quarters of the population now lives in poverty. I think the crisis will continue as long as operating costs continue to soar and purchasing power falls, Tarchichi said. The strife was on sharp display this week when a section of Beiruts massive port grain silos collapsed in a huge cloud of dust, two years after an explosion killed more than 200 people and wounded thousands more. While symbolic, the shipments have done little to ease market concerns. Drought and high fertilizer costs have kept grain prices more than 50% higher than early 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. And while Ukraine is a top supplier of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil to developing countries, it represents just 10% of the international wheat trade. Theres also little to suggest that the worlds poorest who rely on Ukrainian wheat distributed through U.N. agencies like the World Food Program will be able to access them anytime soon. Before the war, half of the grain the WFP purchased for distribution came from Ukraine. The Razoni's safe passage was guaranteed by a four-month-long deal that the U.N. and Turkey brokered with Ukraine and Russia two weeks ago. The grain corridor through the Black Sea is 111 nautical miles long and 3 nautical miles wide, with waters strewn with drifting explosive mines, slowing the work. Three more ships departed Friday, heading to Turkey, Ireland and the United Kingdom. All the ships that have departed so far had been stuck there since the war began nearly six months ago. Under the deal, some not all of the food exported will go to countries experiencing food insecurity. That means it could take weeks for people in Africa to see grain from the new shipments and even longer to see the effects on high food prices, said Shaun Ferris, a Kenya-based adviser on agriculture and markets for Catholic Relief Services, a partner in World Food Program distributions. In East Africa, thousands of people have died as Somalia and neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya face the worst drought in four decades. Survivors have described burying their children as they fled to camps where little assistance could be found. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Somalia and other African countries turned to non-traditional grain partners like India, Turkey and Brazil, but at higher prices. Prices of critical foods could start to go down in two or three months as markets for imported food adjust and local harvests progress, Ferris said. Who is first in line for the grain from Ukraine could be affected by humanitarian needs but also comes down to existing business arrangements and commercial interests, including who is willing to pay the most, Ferris said. Ukraine is not a charity, he said. It will be looking to get the best deals on the market to maintain its own fragile economy. The WFP said this week that its planning to buy, load and ship 30,000 tons of wheat out of Ukraine on a U.N.-chartered vessel. It did not say where the vessel would go or when that voyage might happen. In Lebanon, where humanitarian aid group Mercy Corps says the price of wheat flour has risen by more than 200% since the start of Russias war, people stood in long, often tense lines outside bakeries for subsidized bread in recent days. The government green-lit a $150 million World Bank loan to import wheat, a temporary solution of six to nine months before it could be forced to lift subsidies on bread altogether. While the situation is hard for millions of Lebanese, the countrys roughly 1 million Syrian refugees who fled a civil war across the border face stigmatization and discrimination trying to buy bread. A Syrian living in northern Lebanon said it often takes him three to four visits to bakeries before he finds someone willing to sell him bread, with priority given to Lebanese. He described lines of 100 people waiting and only a handful being allowed in every half-hour to buy a small bundle of loaves. We get all sorts of rude comments because were Syrian, which we usually just ignore, but sometimes it gets too much and we decide to go home empty-handed, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Anna from Nairobi, Kenya. Follow AP's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Lets begin with one of the safest political predictions possible in Missouri today: Trudy Busch Valentine is, almost without a doubt, toast. The brewery heiress and newly crowned Democratic nominee to the U.S. Senate may still be too much of a novice to know it, but in winning Tuesdays primary, she signed on for a political suicide mission. That fact has less to do with her or her opponent, Republican nominee Eric Schmitt, than with political reality today in a red state like Missouri. Had the GOP nominated a less-normal candidate (a certain mistress-binding ex-governor comes to mind), this mightve been a contest. But since that didnt come to pass, all that Valentine is probably getting out of this trip are some lousy campaign T-shirts. If there was ever a time for a political hail-Mary, this is it. Valentines campaign, which has so far been a mish-mash of forgettable center-left platitudes on a numbing array of issues, should instead focus, laser-like, on just one and make this election a referendum on abortion rights. What happened in neighboring Kansas last week should be a bright flashing beacon to Valentine and other red-state Democrats around the country. On the same Election Day that Valentine likely sealed her own political doom by becoming Missouri Democrats standard-bearer, Kansas overwhelmingly Republican population came out in droves to tell the Republican Legislature that, no, they arent going to let them impose draconian abortion bans of the kind that Missouri and other Republican-controlled states have imposed since the fall of Roe v. Wade. What was so striking about Kansas referendum rejecting an attempt to strip abortion rights from the state constitution is that it wasnt a matter of Democrats overwhelming Republicans at the polling places. There are barely enough Democrats in Kansas to stage a decent barbecue, let alone a pro-choice revolution. In a primary election dominated by registered Republicans, almost 60% of the voters considered the anti-choice movements goal of returning Kansas to the backalley dark ages and said no. (No, in fact, was very specifically what they said. The referendum was worded in what appeared to be a deliberately confusing way, so that to support abortion rights, you had to vote no. You have to wonder what that subterfuge says about anti-choice activists true if unspoken understanding of just how unpopular their extremism is in the wider population. Even in Kansas.) Political analysts act like abortion is on the ballot whenever voters decide between pro-choice and anti-choice candidates. But in fact, most candidates stand for a range of issues. Often, theres no way to know if theyve won because of, or in spite of, their stance on abortion or any other given topic. In Kansas last week, though, there was no mystery about the voters message. They were specifically asked to remove abortion-rights constraints from an anti-choice Legislature that was ominously coy about what it would do with that power. And by an 18-point margin, Kansans said, loudly, No. That tracks with national polling that has long shown strong, cross-party support for abortion rights, within reasonable parameters which is what Roe provided, notwithstanding right-wing red-herrings about late-term abortion and other virtually non-existent bogeymen. Democrats are and always have been in the mainstream on this topic. Though they often seem to be the only ones who dont know it. Valentine is a case in point. She nods at abortion rights on her Twitter feed and in public statements. Yet the issues page of her main campaign website trumpets practically every national issue except abortion. (It gets one word, tucked discreetly under the Healthcare banner.) Yes, she believes in biological self-determination for women, this approach seems to say, but she doesnt want to get any fence-sitters all upset, so she downplays it. Schmitt, who is currently Missouris attorney general, suffers no such trepidation on the topic. Literally minutes after the Supreme Court struck down Roe on June 24, Schmitt formally certified Missouris near-total ban on abortion, then crowed about how Missouri was the first state in the nation to do so. As if he was abolishing slavery or something, rather than helping create a new form of it. In short, Schmitt can be perfectly cast as the forced-birth candidate if only Valentine would take the opposing position. And loudly, instead of whispering it. Imagine if, instead of the bland smorgasbord of issues currently crowding her campaign site (Standing with seniors! Strengthening the middle class! Accountability and values!), Valentine offered just one: Defending women who dont want a bunch of glowering men in suits telling them what to do with their uteruses. And then let Schmitt defend his stance in favor of the glowerers. If Valentine would stop trying to be a jack of all issues and position herself as the champion of one arguably the most crucial one today she would possibly (probably) still lose. But it would focus the race, giving Missouri voters the kind of clear-cut choice that their Kansas neighbors had last week. And it would throw down a gauntlet to those who think choice is a dirty word. Kevin McDermott is a Post-Dispatch columnist and Editorial Board member. On Twitter: @kevinmcdermott Email: kmcdermott@post-dispatch.com Regarding Eric Schmitt and Trudy Busch Valentine win Missouris Senate primary contests (Aug. 2): I voted for Lucas Kunce because of his policy positions, plus I thought he had a decent chance of winning some crossover votes in our deep red state. Kunce spent months meeting face-to-face with voters from urban to rural areas. He has done what former Sen. Claire McCaskill did in order to get elected. He also didnt shy away from pointedly calling out his opponents for saying or doing stupid things. This is the only way to sway enough Republican voters to elect a Democrat. I fear Trudy Busch Valentine has not done this legwork and wont make the inroads Kunce made. She must now travel all over the state to get the cross-over votes. Unless she does, she might as well concede defeat right now. Paul Gmerek Wildwood The jet propelled RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV was the first large jet powered UAV to enter service and did so over Afghanistan three years after its first flight in 1998 while still technically under development. What was remarkable about the RQ-4 was that it could fly across oceans quickly because its cruise speed was 570 kilometers an hour. Weighing 14.6 tons, it could carry a lot of sensors (up to 1.3 tons worth) but most of the eight-ton carrying capacity is fuel, giving it a max range of 22,800 kilometers and total air time of nearly 40 hours for long distance fights and closer to 30 hours for operational (carrying sensors) flights. Five of the first 42 put into service crashed. The U.S. Air Force plans to retire its remaining RQ-4Bs by 2027. Despite the air force plans, by now (2022) nearly a hundred RQ-4s have been built or are on order. RQ-4 is strictly a combat support aircraft and was never equipped with weapons. The RQ-4 design was flexible and it greatly evolved. That means any time there was a new need for large, long range unmanned aircraft, Global Hawk was usually the fastest and cheapest way to get what was needed. A current need is for a long range, relatively fast unmanned aircraft to monitor a test range for hypersonic missile testing and thereby avoid giving advance notice to hostile powers (China and Russia) to get their own monitoring ships out into the remote Pacific areas where the tests are held. With the twenty Range Hawk UAVs at work, short notice is needed to warn innocent ships operating near the missile impact zone. Theres not enough time to get monitoring ships out there and Russia and China have nothing like the Global Hawk. A more specialized, if temporary use of Global Hawk was in Afghanistan, where three Global Hawks were equipped with BACN (Battlefield Airborne Communications Node) tech and used to provide continuous long-range communications for army units operating in Afghanistan, among so many hills and mountains that often block radio signals. The air force put BACN equipment in aerial refueling aircraft as well as smaller manned surveillance aircraft. When most American troops left Afghanistan by 2014, there were fewer refueling aircraft over Afghanistan and the larger (45 ton) manned E-11A twin-jet business jet aircraft were used to carry BACN gear. Soon it was realized the Global Hawk could also do this at less cost and stay in the air longer. The manned E-11A was limited by crew fatigue while the RQ-4B had a ground-based monitoring crew of three personnel which, because of a satellite data link, could be anywhere in the world, but usually at an air force base in the United States where most large UAV operations are monitored. Ground crews for these UAVs were based near where they were operating. The ground crews would refuel and maintain the aircraft. Early model RQ-4s had a lot of problems and ground crews were often larger than usual to handle problems found before or after flights. The first version was the RQ-4A and only sixteen were built. Many of the problems were solved with the slightly larger and structurally stronger RQ-4B. About half the hundred RQ-4s built or on order were the 4B version. Most of the rest are the slightly heavier RQ-4C naval patrol version, also known as Triton. There were also eight RQ-4D Phoenix ground surveillance models ordered by NATO and five RQ-4E Euro Hawk models built for Germany. All but one RQ-4Es were canceled because collision avoidance systems for UAVs could not be developed quickly enough. Such systems have since been developed and accepted into service, mainly for armed UAVs but also for the RQ-4Ds. Germany no longer sees a need for the larger RQ-4D. Other foreign customers, such as South Korea and Japan, still saw a need and ordered RQ-4Bs for land and naval surveillance. NASA and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) have used several RQ-4Bs to support research efforts in various areas requiring a high-altitude aircraft. RQ-4B has a max altitude of 18,000 meters (60,000 feet). Since Global Hawk entered service the navy and air force have developed smaller and stealthier jet powered UAVs like the RQ-170 and RQ-180 as well as the carrier-based X-47B attack aircraft and the MQ-25A aerial tanker UAV that will refuel manned attack aircraft as well as perform recon and surveillance. The X-47B and a similar air force land- based fighter used the same stealthy design seen with the B-2 bomber, while MQ-25A has a conventional straight wing design and is to enter service by 2025. Stealthy design attack UAVs are planned for use as loyal wingman UAVs. These look like small F-35s but are not as stealthy, are subsonic (about 1,000 kilometers an hour), weigh a few tons and carry a 250 kg (550 pound) payload of smaller short-range decoys or a smart bomb. Loyal Wingman UAV are meant to be cheap and expendable when used with F-22s or F-35s. The goal for the Loyal Wingman UAV is to weigh a few tons, cost a few million dollars each and be only sturdy enough to last five or six missions. Thats a difficult design goal to achieve and whoever can achieve it will have a large contract for a UAV that is used somewhat like ammunition that flies near the aircraft using it. Meanwhile older UAV designs like Global Hawk prove themselves flexible and sturdy enough to adapt to many new uses, many of which didnt even exist when Global Hawk entered service while still in development because it was adaptable and as a UAV, more expendable than a manned aircraft. Only one Global Hawk has been lost to enemy fire. That was in 2019 when an RQ-4A belonging to the U.S. Navy was shot down near the Iranian border with a missile in 2019. The UAV was an early model RQ-4A used by the Navy to develop its MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance UAV. The navy RQ-4A was apparently testing some surveillance equipment when the Iranians fired at it. The MQ-4C is meant to operate far out to sea and not in a combat zone. Many nations are interested in buying MQ-4Bs for coastal and off-shore patrol to detect smugglers and poachers. The RQ-4B is seen as a cheaper alternative to manned aircraft or ships. Some countries use it for inland border patrol. Demand for these naval and land surveillance RQ-4Bs is what is keeping the Global Hawk in production. New reconnaissance UAVs have been less successful. The Navys MQ-25A may fill a similar role for carrier-based UAVs. Meanwhile the stealthy 5-ton RQ-170 and 15-ton RQ-180 were built in smaller numbers. Fewer than 30 RQ-170s were built and it has less endurance (about six hours) than Global Hawk but is less detectable and useful for secret missions. RQ-170 entered service in 2007 and one operated by the CIA and flying along the Afghan border crashed inside Iran in 2011. The Iranians say they hacked its data-link but that has never been proven. Iran reverse engineered the downed RQ-170 as the Shahed 171. This UAV first flew in 2014 and was little seen after that. One was sent to Lebanon where the Israelis detected it crossing the border into Israel and shot it down. It was made of fiberglass and could be used for surveillance or, carrying explosives, as a cruise missile. Iran appeared to lose interest in Shahed 171 after the loss to Israel. The RQ-180 has also served as a secret surveillance UAV and entered service in 2015. Its missions have been kept secret although it was apparently intended to serve duties earlier performed by the manned SR-71. This was an expensive manned aircraft that entered service in 1966. Only 32 were built and they were used by the air force and NASA until 1999. It was very fast and could fly very high but was expensive to maintain and operate. It was retired because the older U-2 and more effective space satellites could do the same work. The SR-71 had impressive capabilities. It was a 78-ton twin-engine jet with a top speed of 3,500 kilometers an hour and max altitude of 26,000 meters (85,000 feet). That was the edge of space, about as high as an air-breathing jet could go. It had a crew of two and endurance of a few hours. Twelve of the 32 SR-71s were lost due to operational accidents but only one crew member died. The RQ-180 is smaller, slower and has more endurance than the SR-71 and is cheaper to operate. RQ-180 is being used for classified missions and little of that activity has been made public. None have apparently been lost and apparently not many (perhaps six) have been built so far. Two Additional Ships Picking Up Grain in Russia JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvest Commodities' ship, M/V Riva Wind, has departed from the Port of Odessa, Ukraine with 50,000 tons of grain, and the second ship, M/V Arizona, has left the Port of Chornomorsk, Ukraine with 55,000 tons of grain. The grain belongs to a joint venture between Harvest Commodities SA and Indonesia's Arsari Group. The joint venture is through PT Comexindo International. The ships are among the first commercial shipments from Odessa since the outbreak of conflict on 24th February 2022. Their safe passage was made possible as a result of the tireless efforts and agreement between the United States, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and Indonesian governments, as well as the United Nations. "I would like to congratulate the collaboration among the leadership of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Indonesia and Turkiye (formerly known as Turkey) for finding enough common ground so that they have an aligned vision to alleviate the global food shortage," said Gaurav Srivastava, Chairman of Harvest Commodities SA. "I hope this can be a first step toward deescalation of the conflict" "I also especially want to thank the captains and crews of both ships, who have been waiting on their ships since February 2022 in Ukraine. Getting the ships out of the Odessa Harbour, which has been heavily mined, is an act of great bravery and skill." The ships are headed for Turkiye (formerly known as Turkey). Also, two additional ships are picking up grain owned by Harvest Commodities from Novorossiysk, Russia the M/V Shark with 25,000 tons of grain and the M/V Bronco with 10,000 tons of grain. Mr. Srivastava said, "Given the fact that Indonesia is the president of the G20, Arsari Chairman Hashim Djojohadikusumo and I share a common vision to support the initiative for the food program both from Russia and Ukraine. We are honoured to be doing this work together." This is the first of many shipments where the joint venture PT Comexindo International purchases grain from Russian and Ukrainian farmers and sells it to international buyers. Harvest Commodities SA is an international merchant and distributor of agricultural product focused on matching supply and demand, managing the supply chain, and creating value through personalized logistics, financial, and risk mitigation services. It has operations in Los Angeles, USA/Moscow, Russia,Kyviv, Ukraine/Geneva, Switzerland/Jakarta, Indonesia PT Comexindo International, formerly known as PT Prima Comexindo, a member of Arsari Group, has been active in international trading since 1986, especially in countries including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, the former Yugoslavia, Africa and Southeast Asia. Contacts: Ariseno RidhwanArsari GroupIndonesia[email protected]+628111732078 Ong Hock ChuanMaverick IndonesiaIndonesia[email protected]+628128511198 Charlie PerkinsThe Hawthorn GroupUSA[email protected]+1917232223 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mv-riva-wind-and-mv-arizona-both-sail-from-ukraine-with-105-000-tons-of-grain-301601179.html SOURCE Harvest Commodities SA SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Tribune News Service) The timing couldn't have been much better. Twenty-nine years and one day after she first enlisted with the U.S. armed forces, Col. Sonya Morrison obtained the highest rank of her career on Saturday when she was officially installed as the first female commander of the Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City. At the ceremony, which began at noon in the base's fuel cell hangar, Morrison participated in the change of command with outgoing leader Col. Mark Muckey, a Sioux City native who occupied the post for more than three years and has served for 38 years in total. Just after 12:30 p.m., Morrison finally got to speak as the 15th commander of the Air Refueling Wing. "I will always strive to be the best commander I'm capable of being to you," Morrison told the crowd of more than 200 service members. In taking over a unit that's won more than a dozen Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for exceptionally meritorious service, Morrison will work to further the 185th's main mission of mid-air refueling and moving people and equipment around the world. To get to the point of commanding the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Morrison, an Osceola, Iowa, native and University of Northern Iowa graduate, previously served as the vice wing commander of the 185th where she helped prepare almost 1,000 airmen for the possibility of mobilization during state and federal operations. Prior to her leadership roles with the Air Refueling Wing, Morrison trained as a helicopter pilot with the Iowa Army National Guard and then logged hours as an F-16 fighter pilot with the 132nd Fighter Wing out of Des Moines. Morrison also claimed the titles of 185th Support Group commander and state director of staff at the Joint Forces Headquarters at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. She flew 500-plus combat hours for operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Freedom Sentinel and Inherent Resolve. While speaking, Morrison touched on her varied history with the armed forces and on the historical nature of her installation as the first female wing commander of the 185th but didn't spend a great deal of time expounding on either point. "Sometimes being first at something has a lot to do with timing," Morrison said. When she was named the new commander on April 28, Morrison struck a humble tone then, too. "I just look at it as I do my job and do what I need to do and serve the Air Force," she said. Muckey, who spoke before Morrison, was effusive in his praise of her ability to "draw one hell of a crowd" and admired her great potential as a leader. "I know you have the right commander at the right time," said Muckey, who was away from Sioux City for 30 years before returning to assume command of the 185th. After the pageantry of the day ended, Muckey added to his admiration of Morrison: "She has a uniquely diverse background," he said. "She comes uniquely suited with both her leadership skills and her background to really take the wings here." Even though Morrison knew for months she would be taking over for Muckey, she confessed to being a bit in awe of the change of command ceremony once it got going. But she still kept her focus on the mission ahead. "Some of it is a little overwhelming but just really a lot of excitement after working for so many years and learning from others and trying to take all of that to do a better job and continue to improve upon things that I've learned from previous commanders." (c)2022 Sioux City Journal, Iowa Visit Sioux City Journal, Iowa at www.siouxcityjournal.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal said goodbye Thursday to its retiring mayor, Col. Glenn Mellor, and welcomed his replacement, Garrison Commander Col. Brian Cozine. The Army compares a military garrison to a city government because it is responsible for the overall operations from roads to recreation. There are generals on the arsenal with important commands and multiple stars, but the garrison commander keeps the arsenal running for the 40,000-plus people who work in organizations as varied as NASA, the FBI and the U.S. Army Materiel Command. Mellor arrived on the job at the same time as the COVID pandemic and led the arsenals COVID response, including its eventual reopening. (His) team pulled us out of that COVID hibernation over the past three years, Col. Scott Halter said Thursday. They slowly but surely opened up services, allowed tenants to bring their employees back on post, opened the gyms, opened the pools, brought back those events like the holiday market and the big birthday celebration just a few months ago, and theres going to be an Octoberfest. It happens because of people that drive action, make choices and make the services available for everyone on the installation. Mellor, who is retiring from the Army, said garrison commander was the most rewarding and frustrating job Ive ever had, and Im going to miss it terribly. He thanked the garrison staff by name and credited them with the hard work. Mellor joked that he had left Cozine his favorite comment topics from arsenal workers and the public. They were: 1. Masks (You cant make me wear them). 2. Traffic (You should change the speed limit to 55 on Martin and Rideout roads so I can get home quicker). 3. Gate access (Why do I have to spend 4 minutes coming in the gate? You should really have to pay for my gas). 4. And his favorite: You really need to stop these loud noises on Redstone because my goats are fainting. President Joe Biden awarded Mellor the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. His wife, Cynthia, a nurse, was awarded the Public Service Commendation Medal for service to the Army and the garrison. She volunteered as a nurse during the pandemic and helped saved lives, Halter said. Cozine thanked the garrison and community for the warm welcome youve shown our family as weve arrived. He said, I look forward to continuing our world class support for the soldiers, civilians, veterans, retirees and all their families and support to the surrounding communities and state. Cozine comes to the arsenal from the U.S. Northern Command where he served as Joint Operations Division Chief of Future Operation supporting Homeland defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities. Cozine said he was glad to be at the arsenal and in Huntsville, the No. 1 city in the country. We are truly excited to be here, Cozine said, and look forward to the future and moving forward. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) All he was trying to do was help document the scope of what had been a Revolutionary War battlefield trench. Instead, Wayne Wilson ended up making a stunningly historic find a leg bone fragment, about the size of a half-dollar, apparently from a Hessian soldier killed while fighting the Continental Army at the Battle of Red Bank in 1777 and buried in a mass grave. It was a New Jersey grave site no one knew existed until Wilson uncovered the first trace while gently scraping dirt with his triangular masons trowel about 4 1/2 feet underground. He was with 25 other volunteers at a public dig just outside Red Bank Battlefield Park on the afternoon of June 26. I knew I was hitting something. A little piece of the bone flipped over, Wilson, 50, of West Deptford, told NJ Advance Media. However, he didnt immediately know for sure what he had found. Bone doesnt look like bone after all that time in the dirt. It kind of looked like wood, Wilson said. Then, he got a little worried. I thought they were going to be upset with me. I though I had broken something, Wilson said. Far from it. Wilson immediately reported his discovery to Wade Catts, organizer of the public dig at the battlefield and the president and principal archaeologist for South River Heritage Consulting of Delaware. As soon as Wade Catts got into the hole with me, within five minutes he had uncovered two femurs, Wilson said. By that point, Wilson and the other volunteers had been directed to get out of the trench and Catts took over what turned out to be a centuries-old final resting site for soldiers in one of the most important battles of the nations war for independence. All told, 13 skeletal remains of soldiers, all believed to be Hessians German soldiers who fought along side King George IIIs British troops were found in the unmarked grave lost to history for 245 years. (In announcing the find on Tuesday, officials initially said the remains of up to 12 soldiers had been located. But the number was later increased to 13.) The excavated remains have been turned over to the New Jersey State Polices Forensic Unit, which has been extracting DNA from the newly discovered bones and teeth. Forensic scientists hope to identify some, or perhaps all, of those who were lost on the battlefield. Wilson is a union electrician with a passion for using his metal detector. He volunteers with the Gloucester County Archeological Society. He was as surprised as anyone by his discovery. This was an unmarked grave. Theres no record of any soldiers being buried in this area, he said. The Revolutionary War-era trench Wilson and the others were exploring extends onto an adjoining, quarter-acre site that was acquired by Gloucester County in 2020 and, until the recent dig, had not been thoroughly explored by archeologists. The goal was to find the original scope of the trench. They were just trying to see the shape. You could actually see a depression where the trench was. It lines up with the trenches in the battlefield, he said. Prior to uncovering the femur, there were other significant, non-skeletal finds during the public dig, officials said. Musket balls. Brass buttons. A uniform knee buckle containing human blood. A King George III gold guinea that would have been the equivalent of a soldiers monthly pay. All that stuff was uncovered before this, Wilson said of the bone he found. The Battle of Red Bank was a crucial victory for the Continental Army, in which an outnumbered group of colonists beat back an effort to capture Fort Mercer. Of the 2,000 Hessian soldiers, 377 were killed, while the victorious Continental Army only lost 14 of its 500 troops. Though the British eventually captured the site a month later after the colonists retreated, the delay slowed the shipment of supplies up the Delaware River to Philadelphia and offered some breathing room for Gen. George Washingtons army, which was stationed near the city. Red Bank Battlefield Park in located in Gloucester County, on the Delaware River. It is not part of the Borough of Red Bank, in Monmouth County, about 90 miles away on the Navesink River. Since being identified as the volunteer who made the discovery, Wilson has been getting plenty of attention. Ive been getting texts and phone calls from people I hadnt spoken to in years, said Wilson, who grew up in Westville in Gloucester County and is a 1990 graduate of Gateway Regional High School. Wilson said he is a little uncomfortable with the spotlight. I just want to make something clear. I just happened to be the person who found it. It was a true team effort, he said. The group included interns from West Chester University in Pennsylvania and about a half-dozen archeologists, he said. People who dig throughout the world, Wilson said. I didnt think I did anything special, other than to help out with an important dig, he added. Wilson said hed be happy to return for another public dig, if asked, and wouldnt expect any special treatment. Id certainly be willing to help carry buckets of dirt, whatever, he said. rjennings@njadvancemedia.com 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Tribune News Service) During the recent Fort D.A. Russell Days, F.E. Warren Air Force Base dedicated Quarters 64 in the name of Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Davis Sr. not to be confused with his son, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., who himself was an important historical figure was the first Black one-star general in the U.S. Armed Forces and lived in Quarters 64 in 1912. At the dedication ceremony July 22, Col. Catherine Barrington, the commander of the 90th Missile Wing, and Gen. Anthony Cotton, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, both said this dedication should have been done in 1959, alongside the dedication of three other base houses. "I'm actually a little ashamed that as the first African American 20th Air Force commander, I didn't have the opportunity of even identifying the need to lay this rock," Cotton said. "But I am so glad that as the first African American four-star of Air Force Global Strike, I get to come back and be a part of this ceremony." The ceremony included a color guard made up of Buffalo Soldier re-enactors and the unveiling of the dedication rock placed in front of the home to memorialize Davis Sr. In an interview earlier this week, Paula Taylor, the former curator of the Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum on base, and Daniek Long, the current curator and Taylor's daughter, explained the significance of the dedication and the process it took to complete it. "(Dedication) is not something that is common, so to acknowledge that somebody actually, physically was in that house is significant," Taylor said. "So, just applying a name to honor someone is awesome, but if you knew they actually lived there or that was their office that increases the credibility (of the) information of that person and that structure." Davis Sr. Davis Sr. was a part of the 9th Cavalry Regiment, which is one of the Buffalo Soldier regiments of segregated troops in the U.S. Army. Taylor said his accomplishments and his work in the military helped shape how the military saw its troops. "He was a very admirable, intelligent officer in a time in which he was able to flourish," Taylor said. "That is unbelievable. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Col. (Charles) Young were significant in demonstrating the courage and the bravery, and the intelligence and the capability of what a trained troop can do," regardless of their race. When thinking about Davis Sr.'s work as a Buffalo Soldier, Taylor said it's also an important link to Wyoming history. Young, meanwhile, was a Buffalo Soldier and was the first Black man to reach the rank of colonel in the Army. "Historically, the Buffalo Soldiers in Wyoming were used in peacekeeping situations with communities throughout the state, Taylor said. "It was the Buffalo Soldiers that were able to calm the communities down and to get peace started. So, the memory of the Buffalo Soldiers is extremely significant to the heritage of our state." When Davis Sr. lived in Quarters 64 in 1912, he was without his wife, Cotton said at the dedication ceremony. She, at that time, was giving birth to their son, Davis Jr. Davis Jr. Davis Jr. was the first Black brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force (which split from the Army in 1947). He commanded the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. He retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant general and was awarded the rank of full general by then-President Bill Clinton in 1998. "Even though we are honoring his father, think about the historical significance of having (Davis Sr.) assigned here," Cotton said at the ceremony. "And the fact that now it is one of the cornerstones of strategic nuclear deterrence, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, of which his son became a four-star-general. That's pretty amazing." Taylor said that dedicating a building requires an official package of information to be submitted to the military branch. Because Davis Sr. lived in the home when the base was still part of the Army as Fort D.A. Russell, they had to submit paperwork through the Air Force and the Army, making the process more complicated. Direct proof that Davis Sr. lived in Quarters 64 was required, Taylor said, although there was information he had likely lived there. Between the work of Taylor; Long, the museum curator; Kyle Brislan, the former wing historian; Jeremiah Foster, who is now the historian; and many others, it took nearly three decades to find that proof. "The military does not retain housing records past a year once you leave," Taylor said. "Those records are not significant enough to be maintained, because so many other records are primary records, and they're more important, historically, for the Army's use. So finding housing is not a simple matter." Taylor said she spent weeks looking through the National Archives in Washington, D.C., looked at archives all over Wyoming and dove into the base's history to attempt to find any record of Davis Sr.'s quarters. Eventually, 29 years after beginning her search, Taylor and Brislan checked the State Archives again to see if they had anything new. They found a base directory from 1912, confirming where Davis Sr. lived, Taylor said. "After that many years, it is something awesome to actually find that information," Taylor said. "Research is not as simple as calling somebody up and asking them a question, because a lot of people you can't call up. So, you have to track down some sort of document or reference to understand what has happened in our past." Taylor worked at the base museum from 1991 to 2021. She started on this project at the beginning of her career, after speaking with Cornelius "Doc" Settles, the founder of the Wyoming Buffalo Soldier Association. After Taylor's retirement, Long and Foster continued working on the dedication and coordinated the ceremony. Long said she is grateful for Foster, too, because he took on the organization of the dedication ceremony after Long went on maternity leave. "Just like in all activities and raising children, it takes a community to get something accomplished, and we (Long and Taylor) both recognize that we're not the only ones participating," Taylor said. "It's just wonderful to actually have seen something that I started my career trying to find, that was accomplished in my lifetime. That is so awesome. And to have my daughter be a part of it, that's extra special." sbettis@wyomingnews.com (c)2022 Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, Wyo.) Visit Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, Wyo.) at www.wyomingnews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 22, 2002: 101st Airborne Division soldier Pvt. Sam Sherman shrugs off the cold inside his fighting position. The article published with the photo noted, Six months ago, Sherman was a civilian. Today, hes a member of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and one of the first soldiers to arrive in this still-tense region of Afghanistan. Visit the Stars and Stripes store to order a copy of Stars and Stripes photo book 15 years in Afghanistan, covering the years 2001 - 2016. JOHANNESBURG U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his three-nation tour of Africa Sunday by visiting a museum in South Africa commemorating how the country's Black youths helped to end white racist rule. Blinken's visit to Africa is seen as part of a competition between Russia and Western powers for support from African countries over the war in Ukraine. His trip to Africa follows recent tours by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron. South Africa is one of many African countries that have maintained a neutral stance on the war and have not publicly criticized Russia. After an early morning arrival, Blinken visited the Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto township, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, which honors a student killed in 1976 when protesting South Africa's regime of racial oppression, apartheid, which ended in 1994. Blinken laid a wreath at the memorial accompanied by Pieterson's sister, Antoinette Sithole. He also toured the museum, which contains artifacts, photographs and videos of South Africa's struggle against apartheid. "Hector's story is one that really resonates because we have our own struggle for freedom and equality in the United States and South Africa's story is unique, but there are also so many common elements, and that resonates powerfully," said Blinken. Sithole, who also participated in the 1976 student protests, said the museum is a highlights the role played by South Africa's youth in bringing an end to white minority rule in the country. "The museum is a reminder for generations to come. We must know where we come from and where we are going, and don't forget that the youth took a stand for us to be better today," said Sithole. On Monday, Blinken will describe the United States' strategies for sub-Saharan Africa in a major policy speech at the University of Pretoria. Africa has been hard-hit by the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the rising food and oil prices caused by Russia's war in Ukraine. Blinken will also hold a press conference Monday with South Africa's Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor in which the two countries' different positions on the Ukraine war are expected to be visible. Blinken will go on to visit Congo and Rwanda this week to end his international tour, which also took him to Cambodia and the Philippines. DHAKA, Bangladesh Bangladesh on Sunday sought cooperation from China to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar during a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who promised better trade ties, investment and support for infrastructure development in the South Asian nation. China had used its influence in Myanmar to broker a November 2017 agreement to repatriate about 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar in August that year. Despite attempts to send them back, the refugees refused, fearing danger in Myanmar, which was exacerbated by the military takeover last year. Wang arrived in Dhaka on Saturday and met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen. They discussed bilateral and global issues before his departure Sunday, said Shahriar Alam, Bangladesh's junior minister for foreign affairs. Bangladesh has strong relations with China, which is a major trade partner mostly for raw materials. But maintaining close ties with Beijing is challenging for Bangladesh, which also balances diplomatic and trade relationship with both India and the United States, China's main rivals. More than 500 Chinese companies are active in Bangladesh. China is involved in the country's all major infrastructure projects such as seaports, a river tunnel and highways, and helped build its largest bridge over the River Padma at a cost of $3.6 billion. Amid recent tensions between China and Taiwan, Bangladesh issued a statement reiterating its support for the "one-China" policy. After winning elections in 2008, Hasina's administration closed the Taiwanese business representative office in Dhaka in response to a request from China, and since then China has increased its engagement in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's garment industry, which brings in more than 80% of foreign currency from exports, is heavily dependent on China for raw materials. On Sunday, Wang told Hasina during a courtesy call that his country considers Bangladesh as a "strategic development partner" and would continue to support it, said Ihsanul Karim, the presidential press secretary. The United News of Bangladesh agency reported that Wang also promised to stand beside Bangladesh "on all issues at international forums." The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, state-run news agency, reported that Hasina raised the global tensions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow, saying "people (across the world) are enduring difficult times South Asia, Southeast Asia and China can work together for economic progress." Alam said that Wang agreed to expand trade benefits by raising to 98% duty-free access from current 97% of Bangladeshi products and services to Chinese markets. "It's a good news for Bangladesh as we have a thriving economy based on exports," Alam said. "Now they have offered another 1% from Sept. 1," he said, adding that the new tax advantage is likely to include garments, woven and other products that had previously faced some barriers. He said Bangladesh would get a list from China soon about the products and services that would get duty-free access. Alam said that Wang explained to the Bangladeshi foreign minister that "some countries misunderstand and misinterpret" China. He did not elaborate. But Momen told reporters separately that the Chinese minister mentioned that a section of Taiwanese people was being provoked against the sovereignty of China. Beijing considers self-governed Taiwan to be its own territory. The junior minister said China pledged to work continuously to resolve the Rohingya crisis and quoted Wang as saying that Myanmar's internal challenges were troubling other countries. "Our foreign minister strongly reiterated that Chinese cooperation is needed. China has progressed on resolving the Rohingya issue and we need the situation to come to an end," Alam said. On Sunday, Bangladesh and China signed or renewed four agreements and memorandums of understanding on disaster management, infrastructure and cultural exchanges. Analyst Munshi Faiz Ahmad, who served as Bangladeshi ambassador in Beijing, said Wang's visit was very significant for both countries. "To resolve the Rohingya crisis Bangladesh needs support from China. This visit will help strengthen the bilateral relations," Ahmad told The Associated Press. "To us, China is very important. We also need to maintain good relations with both India and the United States as they are also very important development partners of Bangladesh. There is nothing to be afraid of because of Bangladesh's close ties with China," he said. (Tribune News Service) Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to bolster America's alliance with the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., calling the Southeast Asian nation an "irreplaceable" ally as tensions between the U.S. and China spike. Blinken, the first U.S. Cabinet official to visit the new Philippine leader, reiterated in a meeting with Marcos on Saturday America's commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which pledged support in case of foreign attack. "We always stand by our partners. It's important to remember that," Blinken said in a joint briefing with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, as the top diplomat repeated the U.S.'s "ironclad" commitment to the defense pact. An armed attack against the Philippines would invoke the pact and U.S. would be there to defend it, he said. The Philippines has locked horns with China over the past few years over Beijing's increasing presence in the resource-rich South China Sea. Marcos has said that he will not cede "even a square inch of territory" to any foreign power. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in July met with Marcos and the two sides pledged to maintain a strong relationship. U.S. and Philippine officials discussed on Saturday mutual military training exercises and assistance in modernizing the Asian nation's armed forces. They also pledged to work closely on areas of food security, pandemic response, clean energy and climate change. Joint sea patrols between the Philippines and the U.S. can take place under the defense pact, and that's an issue which "can continue to be explored bilaterally," Manalo said. President Joe Biden has invited Marcos to visit the U.S. although no date has been set, the Philippine official said. China is also seeking to warm ties with the Philippines, a former American colony and longtime ally that's seen its ties with the U.S. turn shaky in recent years. Relations between Washington and Manila soured under former President Rodrigo Duterte, who rejected American criticism of his human rights record and vowed an "independent foreign policy" including closer ties with Beijing. Blinken's Manila trip follows House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit this week to nearby Taiwan, which ramped up tensions between the U.S. and China. Marcos said Pelosi's visit highlighted how tense things are in the region. Her visit, "to be perfectly candid, I did not think it raised the intensity, it just demonstrated how the intensity of the conflict has been at that level for a good while now," Marcos told Blinken. "This just points to the fact of the importance of the relationship" between the U.S. and the Philippines, the president said. While Marcos wants to boost trade ties with the U.S. instead of a "dependence" on aid, and signaled an openness to join an economic initiative pushed by President Joe Biden to counter Chinese influence, Beijing has made early efforts to shore up its gains in the Philippines. It sent Vice President Wang Qishan to Marcos' inauguration, while the Biden administration was represented by Vice President Kamala Harris's husband, Douglas Emhoff. The U.S. will want to keep the Philippines as a close ally in the region through Blinken's visit, especially because of Manila's proximity to Taiwan, said Herman Kraft, who teaches political science at the University of the Philippines. "There's a lot of attention being given to the Philippines so early in the Marcos administration to deny China any inroads," Kraft said. "The U.S. wants to make sure that it maintains the Philippines as an ally, and that it doesn't go towards the other extreme of being an ally to China." Marcos is facing a $354 million fine for contempt of court in the U.S. after he failed to comply with rulings on disbursing his family's assets. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The head of Amnesty International in Ukraine said she was quitting her job after the human-rights organization issued a report that criticized Ukraine's military, sparking backlash among Ukrainian officials who said it was unfairly blaming the victim in Russia's war. Oksana Pokalchuk, who had led the organization's efforts in Ukraine, said in a Facebook post announcing her resignation that it was "another loss that the war has cost me." She said that while she was proud of the work that Amnesty International did to highlight Russian war crimes, the report issued last week which alleged that "Ukrainian fighting tactics endanger civilians" became a point of conflict between the staff in the Ukrainian office and the larger organization. Pokalchuk said that the organization's employees in Ukraine had pushed Amnesty International to allow the Ukrainian defense ministry to respond to the report's findings before it was published, but that the organization gave Ukrainian officials "very little time to respond." "As a result of this, although unwillingly, the organization created material that sounded like support of Russian narratives," she said. "Seeking to protect civilians, this study instead has become a tool of Russian propaganda." Amnesty International had said that "Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harm's way by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals." The organization said it had "found evidence of Ukrainian forces launching strikes from within populated residential areas as well as basing themselves in civilian buildings in 19 towns and villages in the regions." The report also said the violations "in no way justify Russia's indiscriminate attacks." "Being in a defensive position does not exempt the Ukrainian military from respecting international humanitarian law," Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, said in a statement accompanying the report. Callamard has previously said Russia was "breaching the sovereignty of Ukraine and challenging the global security architecture," calling the invasion "the worst such catastrophe in recent European history." The report sparked sharp backlash from Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in remarks Saturday evening, criticized the "very eloquent silence" from Amnesty International on alleged Russian attacks on a nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Zelenskyy said it "once again indicates the manipulative selectivity of this organization." Responding to Pokalchuk's resignation, Callamard praised her "significant human rights successes," adding: "We are sorry to hear that she is leaving the organization, but we respect her decision and wish her well." The organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Pokalchuk's complaints. Callamard tweeted Friday in response to the criticism, calling out "Ukrainian and Russian social media mobs and trolls" for attacking Amnesty's investigations. "This is called war propaganda, disinformation, misinformation," she wrote, saying the criticism wouldn't "dent our impartiality" or "change the facts." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded, objecting to the "mobs and trolls" comment and saying that the report "distorts reality, draws false moral equivalence between the aggressor and the victim, and boosts Russia's disinformation efforts." On Thursday, after the report was issued, Zelenskyy said Amnesty International was trying "to amnesty the terrorist state and shift the responsibility from the aggressor to the victim." Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter that "people's lives are the priority for Ukraine, that is why we are evacuating residents of front-line cities." Regional and federal Ukrainian officials have throughout the war pushed for civilians to evacuate from cities where heavy fighting was occurring or expected to occur. Podolyak said Russia was trying to discredit the Ukrainian military to Western audiences. "It is a shame," he wrote, that an organization like Amnesty International "is participating in this disinformation and propaganda campaign." KYIV, Ukraine Six more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization Sunday to leave the country's Black Sea coast as analysts warned that Russia was moving troops and equipment in the direction of the southern port cities to stave off a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukraine and Russia also accused each other of shelling Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The loaded vessels were cleared to depart from Chornomorsk and Odesa, according to the Joint Coordination Center, which oversees an international deal intended to get some 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine to feed millions going hungry in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations signed the agreements last month to create a 111-nautical-mile sea corridor that would allow cargo ships to travel safely out of ports that Russia's military had blockaded and through waters that Ukraine's military had mined. Implementation of the deal, which is in effect for four months, has proceeded slowly since the first ship embarked on Aug. 1. Four of the carriers cleared Sunday to leave Ukraine were transporting more than 219,000 tons of corn. The fifth was carrying more than 6,600 tons of sunflower oil and the sixth 11,000 tons of soya, the Joint Coordination Center said. Three other cargo ships that left Friday passed their inspections and received clearance Sunday to pass through Turkey's Bosporus Strait on the way to their final destinations, the Center said. However, the vessel that left Ukraine last Monday with great fanfare as the first under the grain exports deal had its scheduled arrival in Lebanon delayed Sunday, according to a Lebanese Cabinet minister and the Ukraine Embassy. The cause of the delay was not immediately clear. Ukrainian officials were initially skeptical of a grain export deal, citing suspicions that Moscow would try to exploit shipping activity to mass troops offshore or send long-range missiles from the Black Sea, as it has done multiple times during the war. The agreements call for ships to leave Ukraine under military escort and to undergo inspections to make sure they carry only grain, fertilizer or food and not any other commodities. Inbound cargo vessels are checked to ensure they are not carrying weapons. In a weekend analysis, Britain's Defense Ministry said the Russian invasion that started Feb. 24 "is about to enter a new phase" in which the fighting would shift to a roughly 350-kilometer (217-mile) front line extending from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson. That area includes the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station which came under fire late Saturday. Each side accused the other of the attack. Ukraine's nuclear power plant operator, Energoatom, said Russian shelling damaged three radiation monitors around the storage facility for spent nuclear fuels and that one worker was injured. Russian news agencies, citing the separatist-run administration of the plant, said Ukrainian forces fired those shells. Russian forces have occupied the power station for months. Russian soldiers there took shelter in bunkers before Saturday's attack, according to Energoatom. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recently warned that the way the plant was being run and the fighting going on around it posed grave health and environmental threats. For the last four months of the war, Russia has concentrated on capturing the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have controlled some territory as self-proclaimed republics for eight years. Russian forces have made gradual headway in the region while launching missile and rocket attacks to curtail the movements of Ukrainian fighters elsewhere. The Russians "are continuing to accumulate large quantities of military equipment" in a town across the Dnieper River from Russian-held Kherson, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. Citing local Ukrainian officials, it said the preparations appeared designed to defend logistics routes to the city and establish defensive positions on the river's left bank. Kherson came under Russian control early in the war and Ukrainian officials have vowed to retake it. It is just 227 kilometers (141 miles) from Odesa, home to Ukraine's biggest port, so the conflict escalating there could have repercussions for the international grain deal. The city of Mykolaiv, a shipbuilding center that Russian forces bombard daily, is even closer to Odesa. The Mykolaiv region's governor, Vitaliy Kim, said an industrial facility on the regional capital's outskirts came under fire early Sunday. Over the past day, five civilians were killed by Russian and separatist firing on cities in the Donetsk region, the part of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, the regional governor, Serhiy Haidai, reported. He and Ukrainian government officials have repeatedly urged civilians to evacuate. Andrew Wilks contributed reporting from Istanbul. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m. Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would "respond strongly" if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft have pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. The risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained as long as no truce was reached. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gaza's ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. "Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye," said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, al-Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. As a funeral for Mansour began in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the Israeli military said it was striking suspected "Islamic Jihad rocket launch posts." Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel says some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was struck by an errant rocket. Israel's Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza hit the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans daily. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the hall's entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihad's commander for northern Gaza. Israel said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza "in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants." Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was "an extraordinary achievement." "The operation will continue as long as necessary," Lapid said. U.S. President Joe Biden said he welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based militants. "Over these last 72-hours, the United States has worked with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and others throughout the region to encourage a swift resolution to the conflict," he said in a statement. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday on the violence. China, which holds the council presidency this month, scheduled the session in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab nations on the council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway. "We underscore our commitment to do all we can towards ending the ongoing escalation, ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population, and following-up on the Palestinian prisoners file," said U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement. Israel estimates its airstrikes killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its arsenal. Both groups call for Israel's destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas. Air raid sirens sounded in the Jerusalem area for the first time Sunday since last year's Israel-Hamas war. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. By Sunday, Hamas still appeared to stay out of the battle. The group has a strong incentive to avoid another war. Last year's Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territory's 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Since the last war, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting another 2,000 permits. The lone power plant in Gaza ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans can use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territory's chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed. Gary Carey died at St James Hospital on Friday after failing to recover from a shooting The Dublin criminal known as The Canary who died this week after being shot in June, was linked to at least one murder and involvement in a number of non-fatal gun attacks. Gary Carey (41) died at St James Hospital on Friday after failing to recover from a shooting in Kilmainham on June 24. Carey, from Islandbridge, had risen through the ranks in the underworld in recent years but made a number of enemies along the way. He only served one significant prison sentence when he plead guilty to drug dealing at Dublin Circuit Court back in 2002 and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. On another occasion he was charged with assault but the charges were later dropped. Carey continued to rise up through the ranks and expanded his drugs operation, stepping on a number of toes along the way. He was in dispute with the west Dublin crime gang known as The Family and the mob led by Brian Rattigan. Gardai are investigating whether those gangs were involved in his death. Brian Rattigan Carey was suspected of ordering a hit on Ballyfermot hitman John Wilson, who was shot dead by drug addict Keith ONeill in 2012. Gardai received intelligence that Carey, who had been in a long-running dispute with Wilson, had put a 40,000 price on his head and that well-known Ballyfermot criminal David Reilly became involved in the plot. Wilson was warned by Gardai before he was shot that they had received intelligence of a credible threat to his life. He was part of the notorious Wilson crime family who acted as hitmen for hire and had links to Mark the Guinea Pig Desmond who murdered Careys brother Darren on the eve of the millennium. Desmond was also suspected of involvement in the murder of Careys pal and neighbour James Kenny McDonagh (28), who was shot dead in October 2010. McDonaghs remains were found in the Dublin mountains in January 2012. Wilson was shot dead outside his home on Cloverhill Road eight months later. Gardai suspect ONeill, who was not considered a major gangland criminal, was subcontracted to carry out Wilsons murder. The High Court heard in 2019 that David Reilly was suspected of involvement in a number of gangland murders but has never been charged in relation to any. CAB told the High Court that Gardai believed they had enough evidence to charge Reilly for involvement in the murder of Wilson. ONeill is serving life for the killing but the DPP decided not to bring charges against Reilly. Gardai also investigated if Reilly had any involvement in the murders of Kenneth and Paul Corbally who were shot dead in Neilstown in July 2010. Reilly is a leading member of a west Dublin gang along with veteran criminal Derek Dee Dee ODriscoll. While Carey was previously on relatively good terms with Reilly and ODriscoll it be believed they fell out in recent years. He was also in dispute with the mob led by Drimnagh gang boss Brian Rattigan and the west Dublin mob known as The Family. The Family who are one of the largest drugs gangs in the country were suspected of being behind previous attempts on Careys life. ODriscoll and Reilly have links to The Family and one of their young associates was suspected of being behind a botched hit attempt on Carey during which he escaped with graze injuries in 2021. Carey was also feuding with Rattigans gang and is understood Carey mentioned Rattigans name after he had been shot. Gardai are investigating whether The Family and Rattigans mob were involved in the hit but have yet to make any arrests in relation to the shooting. As well as being linked to ordering the shooting of Wilson, Carey was also one of a number of people questioned by gardai probing one of several gun attacks on gangland target Michael Frazer back in November 2014 when a gunman opened fire on him in Islandbridge. Carey was not the suspected gunman and was later released without charge. His gang were also suspects in a number of other non-fatal shootings including an attack on Desmond in 2010. He survived two separate gun attacks in Dublin last year and left Ireland for Spain shortly afterwards. However, he returned shortly before his death after wrongly believing he was safe. Con artist Patrick Maher (55) from Wexford was appointed joint secretary of Careysfort in the UK in December 2021, having been appointed to the same role with an Irish registered version of the company two years earlier. The UK company now lies at the centre of an 800,000 fraud investigation after dozens of indebted property owners were scammed with promises of non-existent buy-backs on their loans. Con man Patrick Maher says Catriona Carey forged his signature on documents Today, in his first interview, Maher: Claims Catriona Carey forged his signature on company documents; Alleges his relationship with Carey, who he nicknamed Miss Money Penny, was a romantic one and not a business association; Claims he spoke with Careysfort clients by phone for only a short period while Careys father was dying; Admits he went on a five-day Caribbean cruise with Carey, paid for using client deposits, but says he brought the spending money; And says he is now fully co-operating with gardai in their investigations. Shes going to blame everything on me, Maher, who claims to be in ill health and to have suffered four strokes, told the Sunday World. I never seen, met, signed anything for any of these people. Shes trying to blame me. She forged my signature but I never signed bugger all to any end. Our reporter talking to Maher at his home earlier this year Maher is already well known to gardai for involvement in a variety of scams. In January 2020, he received a two-year-suspended sentence for conning a Wexford family out of 2,500 and a 9,000 boat with promises he could help them get their home back after it went into arrears. And he is currently awaiting sentence on four counts of obtaining monies by deception by preparing false mortgage applications, as well as a further count of conning a woman out of her car. The Sunday World confronted him about his position as joint secretary of Careysfort Asset Management in February of this year but couldnt identify him at the time as he had not yet pleaded to outstanding deception charges. We later identified Maher and spoke with the victims of the boat scam after he pleaded guilty to the deception charges. Maher contacted the Sunday World this week in the wake of our interview with Catriona Carey, alleging the 43-year-old lies her ass off. Shes going to blame everything on me. Asked if he was saying his name had been forged on company documents relating to both the English and Irish registered Careysfort companies, Maher responded: Yes, yes 100pc. Asked if he was saying he had no involvement with Careysfort Asset Estates or its clients, Maher again responded: Yes. We then put it to Maher that we had spoken with a Careysfort client who confirmed he had spoken with her in relation to contracts on her property even promising at one point he personally had put her contract in the post. I had an involvement with some of them, he said, because she [Carey] gave me her phone in September last year to deal with these people while her father was dying. She asked me to deal with them while she was looking after her dying father. Asked if it was his claim his only involvement with Careysfort came when Catriona Careys father was dying, Maher responded: Yes. I was involved with Catriona Carey since February 2019 in a very intimate relationship. Asked if he had ever taken money from clients of Careysfort, I never received any money from clients of Careysfort. I know Catriona Carey did receive cash. I had no access or ways to her bank account at all. She had the only full and total access to that. Catriona Carey says she had a brief romance with Patrick Maher Asked if he had told one client that he had posted her contract in relation to her property, Maher said: I cant remember every conversation, but I never said I posted them. Why would I post a contract? Put to him he had already admitted taking over Catriona Careys phone and dealing with clients while her father was ill, Maher responded: No, she gave me her other phone because at the time my own phone was cut off because I hadnt paid the bill. She gave me that phone and asked me, if I had the time, would I answer clients. She gave out that number to clients. I didnt ring them. I never met or sent anything to these clients. I never signed a contract with them, or anything. Asked if he is going to co-operate with gardai investigating the scam, Maher responded: Yes, 100pc. Asked what he was going to tell investigators, he responded: The truth. Ive nothing to hide. Im a man thats had four strokes. I can barely walk, as you saw the day you were at my house. We also asked Maher whether he went on a trip to Florida with Catriona Carey that she paid for using client deposits. I was on a trip to Miami with her, he said. I cant remember what year it was, a five-day cruise from Miami to the Caribbean. Thats the only trip I was ever on with her and I brought my own money. She paid for the trip, yeah, and I brought the spending money. Thats the trip to Miami the one for 20-odd thousand or whatever it was. But shed also booked a trip to the Olympics, so thats how the amount is mixed up. But she paid for the trip. I brought the spending money. Asked to explain how he is going to co-operate with gardai, Maher responded: Im already co-operating with the gardai. Maher refused to elaborate on this, saying: Thats between me and the gardai. Thats not for public knowledge. Ive told the gardai all the truth. Asked why he had possession of so many documents and bank records relating to Careysfort if he had no legitimate link to the company, Maher responded: Because, how would I put it, my legal team and the gardai wanted to see what happened and any information we obtained was by me via Catriona Carey. We put Mahers claims to Catriona Carey this week and she denied that Mahers signature was forged on company documents. I did not, she said. They were done through an online system. I have his power of attorney to do that when he was sick, to make any alterations. Its with the guards so absolutely, categorically no. I did not sign him on any company documents he was a willing and a massive participant in this company. Asked about Mahers claim that their relationship had been a romantic one, she said: At the very, very beginning, I thought he was a nice person but after that I only kept in contact to get the work done. Gardai had been conducting a major search for him since last Tuesday including a detailed search at the Royal Canal at Phibsborough on Friday A murder investigation is expected to be launched after the discovery of the body of a 28-year-old man in an apartment in Drumcondra in Dublin on Saturday night. The Sunday World understands that the remains that were discovered by gardai are those of Sean McCarthy who had been missing from his home in Popintree since last Tuesday. It is understood that he suffered fatal gunshot wounds. Gardai had been conducting a major search for him since last Tuesday including a detailed search at the Royal Canal at Phibsborough on Friday which involved the garda sub aqua unit and the deployment of the garda helicopter. It is understood that Mr McCarthy had frequented this area in recent times. Sean McCarthy The search operation continued yesterday leading gardai to the apartment on Achill Road where they made the grim discovery last night. A suspect in the case has been arrested and he is currently being detained at Clontarf Garda Station. Senior sources have revealed that the suspect was known to Mr McCarthy and at this stage detectives are not looking for anyone else in relation to the case. Gardai believe that Mr McCarthy was shot where his remains were discovered last night. Gardai also sealed off a second scene in Griffith Park, where two foot bridges were closed for a time this morning. They had issued a missing person appeal on Mr McCarthy yesterday afternoon saying they were concerned for his wellbeing and trying to locate him. They described him as approximately 5 8 in height, of stocky build, with blue eyes and short dark hair. Gardai at Ballymun are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body of a man in his late 20s in Drumcondra, Dublin 9, on Saturday the 6th of August 2022, a garda spokesman said today. The deceased was discovered by Gardai in an apartment on Achill Road, Drumcondra, on Saturday evening. His body remains at the scene, which is currently preserved for forensic and technical examination. Drumcondra The office of the State Pathologist and Garda Technical Bureau have been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged. An area of Griffith Park, Drumcondra has also been sealed off as part of the investigation. A man aged in his 30s has been arrested and is currently detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 in a north Dublin Garda Station. He can be detained for up to seven days. An incident room has been established at Ballymun Garda Station and enquires are ongoing, the spokesman explained. It is now understood that the garda who drove the squad car, a mid-ranking officer, has been put back on uniform duties following an internal probe. The Sunday Worldrevealed last week that a group of gardai based in Waterford travelled to the airport in the vehicle while they flew out for a non-work trip. It is now understood that the garda who drove the squad car, a mid-ranking officer, has been put back on uniform duties following an internal probe. Sources say he was penalised under disciplinary regulation 10, which is considered a minor infraction. Essentially, all he got was an informal slap on the wrist, a source said. Read more Cops launch murder inquiry for missing man following property search When contacted, Garda Headquarters declined to comment on the sanctions issued, saying it does not comment on an internal disciplinary matter. The bizarre incident left airport police scratching their heads and sparked two separate investigations. The unmarked car, which is attached to a specialist unit in the Waterford garda division, was driven by the officer in the company of other members to Dublin Airport. It was then left in the vicinity of the airport while the gardai flew out on holiday. Gardai are allowed to leave official cars within assigned areas at Dublin Airport when flying out on official business. In these instances there is an agreement that the car keys are handed in to Dublin Airport garda station so the cars can be moved or reassigned when necessary. In this case the car was not driven to the airport in an official capacity and the car keys were not handed in. Instead the car was essentially abandoned outside the airport, according to one source. It is understood that after a couple of days, airport police raised concerns about the vehicle, and indicated it should be towed. After officials were notified, An Garda Siochana launched an investigation and the vehicle was removed. While there is no particular shortage of garda cars at present, the incident is still unacceptable, a source linked to Garda HQ said. The seizure was described in court as a massive loss to a criminal group. A Polish pilot and a Co Waterford man have been remanded in custody over a seizure of 8.4m of cocaine allegedly flown into the midlands on Thursday. A court heard today that the haul was a massive loss to an organised crime group. Officers from the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), supported by other units, monitored a Cessna single-engine aircraft landing at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, Co. Longford, shortly after 6pm on Thursday. Later that evening, they intercepted two vehicles in the Lough Owel area in Co. Westmeath, recovering 120 kilogrammes of cocaine from one car. Gardai arrested Tim Gilchrist, 54, of Mavis Bank, Newrath, Waterford and pilot and Michal Luczak, 40, with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown Naas, Co. Kildare. They were detained at Ashbourne Garda Station, Dublin, where they were charged on Saturday evening. Both men appeared before Judge Patricia Cronin at a special sitting of Mullingar District Court this morning. Mr Gilchrist is accused of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Lough Owel, Irishtown, Co. Westmeath, while father of two, Mr Luczak, is charged with the same offences at the Abbeyshrule Aerodrome. The seizure was described in court as a "massive loss" to a criminal group. Detective Garda Liam Mangan told Judge Cronin that Mr Gilchrist made no reply to charge." Solicitor Maurice Regan told the court his client was not making a bail application at this stage. Judge Cronin noted gardai needed to be notified 48 hours before any potential bail hearing. But, the solicitor added, "I don't think there will be any application." The judge recommended that Mr Gilchrist, who has "a number of health conditions, would get medical attention in custody. Mr Luczak applied for bail, but Detective Ivor Scully objected because the pilot was a flight risk. Mr Luczak made no reply to his charges. Defence solicitor Paddy McGarry said his client had protested his innocence since gardai arrested him. During the contested bail hearing, Detective Garda Scully told Judge Cronin that GNDOCB officers were investigating the activities of an organised crime group involved in the importation of controlled drugs. He alleged that former law student Michal Luczak was involved with a criminal group and a part owner of the Cessna aircraft. Detective Garda Scully alleged the accused flew the plane to France on Wednesday and returned the following day "without informing the relevant authorities". He said officers monitored the flight arriving He alleged that Michal Luczak unloaded "heavy duty" black bags and placed them in the co-defendant's car. The court heard they drove in separate vehicles, and the co-accused was stopped and searched at Lough Owel. The court heard gardai recovered three bags from the boot and another three from the rear seat, each containing 20 blocks of cocaine, from the co-defendant's car. Detective Garda Scully told the court estimated value was 8.4m. He also said that the pilot paid 25,000 for his one-sixth share of the plane and had a watch worth 5,000. He informed Judge Cronin that Mr Luczak was a holder of a single-engine aeroplane licence, had no definitive ties to the jurisdiction and had the resources to flee. He also described the seizure as a massive loss to this organised group. The judge heard that further charges could be brought. Cross-examined, Detective Garda Scully agreed with Mr McGarry that no drugs were recovered from Mr Luczak's car, and there was no DNA evidence. However, he said gardai have phone evidence. He agreed that it could be several months before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) gives directions and that his client could have to wait three years before trial. During exchanges with the defence, he also accepted a search of the man's home did not show signs of "significant wealth". Mr McGarry said his client enjoyed the presumption of innocence and had "protested" his innocence and maintained he did not have knowledge of the offence, during five interviews with gardai. The solicitor said his client was on social welfare doing odd jobs due to the pandemic and had bought his share of the plane with help from a family member. His client was previously a law student but moved to Ireland from Poland 17 years ago to find work. Gardai have seized his passport. Mr McGarry also disputed the evidence of his client's lack of ties to Ireland; he said Mr Luczak was married with two children, and his wife attended the hearing. He added that his client's friends in the Polish community could act as a surety when they learn about the case. Judge Cronin refused bail because there was evidence to support the Garda contention that there would be an attempt to evade justice. Judge Cronin remanded them in custody to appear again at Mullingar District Court via video link on Thursday, pending direction from the DPP. Legal aid was granted. One day Michelle ONeill is speaking about being a First Minister for everyone. The next she is apparently standing over sectarian and cold-blooded atrocities like Enniskillen, La Mon and Kingsmill. Mr Elliotts comments come after Ms ONeill faced criticism from political leaders and IRA victims after she said whilst speaking on the BBC's Red Lines podcast, there was no "an alternative to conflict" when asked about the actions of the Irish Republican Army during The Troubles. Her remarks were met with a backlash, with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson saying there was never a justification for violence "Even in Northern Irelands darkest days the overwhelming majority of our people respected democracy, the rule of law and - where they felt passionately about a particular cause - took part in peaceful protest. Sinn Fein can pretend there was no alternative but they are condemned by the facts," he said. "One day Michelle ONeill is speaking about being a First Minister for everyone. The next she is apparently standing over sectarian and cold-blooded atrocities like Enniskillen, La Mon and Kingsmill. The mask has well and truly slipped." While the DUP leader stopped short of calling for action to be taken against the First Minister designate, Mr Elliott said in a statement comments and actions as those of Ms ONeill cannot and should not be accommodated. Ive considered the comments of the Sinn Fein Vice President, Michelle ONeill where she said there was no alternative to the terrorist murder campaign in Northern Ireland. "At a time when we hear young people from the nationalist community chanting pro IRA slogans at events and even when passing band parades this is extremely dangerous actions from the now senior Sinn Fein figure. When you speak with anyone who has been the subject of a terrorist murder campaign, some of those may have been seriously injured or had a close relative or friend murdered, you understand the unnecessary brutality and waste of innocent life that such campaign brought about. For such comments, by what is essentially the First Minister in waiting of Northern Ireland how can the community have confidence in someone who holds such views, which defends that brutal murderous campaign and potentially incites the younger generation into unsavoury actions, or even believe that it is right to be involved in such murder and destruction said the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA. He continued to say unless there is a genuine retraction of those comments Ms ONeill should step back from her senior political role in order to provide assurance to the innocent victims of terrorism that the terrorist campaign of murder and destruction in Northern Ireland was wrong and cannot be justified. Sinn Fein has been contacted for comment. It is believed that the 4-year-old, who is from Ballina in Co Mayo but was visiting the caravan park on holidays, was struck by a vehicle in the tragic accident. It is believed that the 4-year-old, who is from Ballina in Co Mayo but was visiting the caravan park on holidays, was struck by a vehicle in the tragic accident. She was rushed to University Hospital Sligo where she later passed away. Alice is survived by her devastated parents John and Ann Marie, sisters Rose and April, and grandparents Michael and Claire Courell as well as Michael and Eithne Dunleavy. The young girl is reposing at McGowan's Funeral Home in Ballina this evening from 7pm until 9pm. Her funeral mass, a Mass of the Angels, will take place at St. Muredachs Cathedral at 1.30pm on Monday with a burial afterwards at Leigue Cemetery, Ballina. A notice on RIP.ie reads: The death has occurred of Alice Kitty Dunleavy, of "Dunell", Lord Edward St, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Tragically, at the age of 4, following an accident. Alice, loved and cherished daughter of John & Ann Marie, treasured sister of Rose & April, grandchild of Michael & Claire Courell & Michael & Eithne Dunleavy. Sadly, missed by her parents, sisters, grandparents, Aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends. Gone To the Angels. Reposing at McGowan's Funeral Home, Ballina, on Sunday evening from 7pm until 9pm. Funeral will arrive to St. Muredachs Cathedral for on Monday for Mass of the Angels at 1.30pm with funeral proceeding to Leigue Cemetery, Ballina." Tributes have been pouring in for the beautiful child online over the weekend, with many families offering their condolences to the Dunleavys. A Galway mother wrote: Our sympathy to all thinking of ye all at this sad time the loss of your beautiful girl may she rest in peace Another said: Everyone's worst nightmare. R.I.P. little girl. Something so tragic can happen in a split second. The poor family and driver, their lives will never be the same again. A third added: Such devastating news to hear this eve, absolutely heartbreaking for her family, may the little angel rest in peace. God look over her family, you all are in my thoughts and prayers. While another wrote: Beautiful Alice, there are no words. I am absolutely devastated to learn of your passing. You were a ray of sunshine who always had a smile on your face. You will be greatly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing you. Read more Tributes pour in for girl (4) who died at caravan park in Sligo To John, Ann Marie, Rose and April you are in my thoughts and prayers at this horrific time. Sending you all my love. Rest In Peace Alice xox A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said: Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of an incident in Enniscrone, Co Sligo. The incident occurred at a caravan park overlooking Killala Bay. A four-year-old child was injured during the incident. She was taken to University Hospital Sligo where she has since passed away. A family liaison officer has been appointed to support the family at this time. William Harkin escaped with a suspended prison sentence after he admitted making repeated calls to the PSNI that the IRA had left a bomb under a car in Newtownstewart This is hoax IRA bomber William Harkin who we can reveal is the brother of hoax rape victim Hannah Harkin. The siblings have been the bane of the PSNI over the last two decades with their repeated false claims and reports. Last week, William Harkin escaped with a suspended prison sentence after he admitted making repeated calls to the PSNI that the IRA had left a bomb under a car in Newtownstewart. This week, he told the Sunday World: I just had too much to drink. It emerged during his sentencing he had previous convictions for making hoax bomb threats and we can reveal that refers to Harkin calling in an alert to a bar in 2005. On that occasion, Maguires Public House in the Drumlegagh area of Newtownstewart had to be evacuated but once again he escaped with a suspended sentence. Last year we revealed how his 59-year-old sister, Hannah, made three false allegations of rape against one man, leading to his arrest. The disgraced mum of six was also convicted 20 years ago of providing a false alibi for her killer son. .Hannah Harkin, from Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, was handed a suspended sentenced at Newry Crown court on Friday, after admitting preventing the course of justice by making the bogus claim to police That came after her son Gerard Patrick Donnell served just five years for smashing to death 48-year-old Omagh man Andrew Bannon in 2003. Donnell, who was highly intoxicated at the time of the killing, carried out the barbaric act because he thought his mum was involved in some kind of relationship with Mr Bannon. He was also convicted of GBH with intent on another man and perverting the course of justice in connection with the same incident. Hannah Harkin was convicted of withholding information after an Omagh barman heard her along with three others including her killer son concocting a false alibi. Last week, Strabane Magistrates Court heard how William Harkin made a series of crank 999 calls, one of which he claimed was due to information received from the FBI. The 62-year-old, of Drumlegagh Road South, pleaded guilty to a single charge of improper use of a telecommunications device and promised he would not commit the same offences again. Deputy District Judge Sean OHare told him: Its clear to me that you have difficulties. The court heard that on the first occasion, October 8 last year, that Harkin rang 999 and said there was an IRA bomb under a car in Newtownstewart. Believed to be a hoax, police were tasked to speak to the defendant who was found to be drunk. At first Harkin refused to say how or why he knew there to be a bomb under a car, then he started talking about the Omagh bomb. Later he said he knew of the Newtownstewart bomb because the FBI had told him, but police warned him about the dangers of calling hoax bomb alerts and left it at that. However, the very next day bomber Harkin again rang 999 FOUR further times. In the first three of these calls he claimed to be in the IRA and again claimed there were bombs in Newtownstewart. Again, when police called, Harkin was found to be in a heavily intoxicated condition and again he was warned about making hoax calls. He was subsequently arrested and cautioned. The defendant comes before the court with a relevant record Judge OHare said. It has some very serious offending in it. The judge noted that instances of previous offending including indecent behaviour and being drunk but noted his offending started back in 1982 and has continued with some gaps. The difference here is, this was a protracted period of time... you were warned by police, he said. I am concerned that there was something going on in October 2021 and that was making you behave like this... it happened four times after you were told not to. He added: It seems to me that you need to get some help. Harkin was then handed two months in prison suspended for two years. The judge warned Harkin to keep himself to himself adding: If you commit any further offences in the next two years you will be starting at two months custody. The hoaxer replied: It wont happen again, to which the judge responded: Thats what you said on October 8 and it happened the day after. It happened again after you were told not to. Its up to you to control yourself. When we called at William Harkins house to ask why he kept making hoax calls about bombs. he said on this occasion, I just had too much to drink. Just as he was about to explain what happened in more detail a younger male came out of the house and told us: We dont want anything in the paper about that, f**k away off. After her convictions for making false rape allegations, his sister Hannah was also convicted last year of making nuisance phone calls to the 999 service. She claimed shed been attacked in her home when she hadnt, she called 999 to complain about a parked car and on another occasion she called 999 again but then refused to answer her door. But her rape claims were by far the most serious as they led to the arrest of a man who a judge said was left extremely distressed by the false allegation. A judge in January 2021 described her behaviour as reprehensible adding: The stain that can attract can be very hard to repair and very distressing for him, yet this conduct was repeated, and the man was arrested. When confronted by the Sunday World, Harkin blamed her addiction to alcohol for her shocking behaviour. She had contacted the police on both occasions and claimed the man had lured her to her bedroom and raped her, but the next day had withdrawn the allegations. The man had been arrested and strenuously denied the claims. She was also ordered by a judge to pay 1,000 compensation to her victim for the distress she had caused him. It emerged later at Dungannon Crown Court hearing she had made a third rape allegation against the same man which had preceded the first two. Here she faced the more serious charge of perverting the course of justice and had been due to stand trial when she changed her plea to guilty. The killing of Andrew Bannon shocked the community around Mullaghmore and Hannah Harkin was forced out of the area, such was the anger felt towards her for her part in the fake alibi. She was handed a suspended prison sentence after a barman had overheard her, her killer son and three others openly discussing an alibi in a pub. When she appeared at court, Harkin was asked why she had not notified the police as soon as she became aware of what her son had done to Mr Bannon. She replied she regretted not contacting the police at the time before adding, it was a stupid thing to do. Andrew Bannon, a popular character who was well known throughout Omagh, was brutally beaten by Donnell with a pickaxe handle. Donnell was originally sentenced to 14 years in 2005 when a murder charge was dropped and he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. But he appealed his sentence and had it reduced to 10 years and with 50 per cent remission he walked after just five years inside. steven.moore@sundayworld.com Things werent going very well before that. The project was more to try and get it going again, so I think its unfair saying it was the straw that broke the back The couples divorce was finalised last Friday week and Wyatt wishes still single Eva well in her own love hopes. Finnish woman Eva and South Africa-born Wyatt had been living in Wicklow with their two Irish-raised adult sons before they starteda wellness and health hotel project in Portugal at a cost of 3 million. Having temporarily split before in 2016, their relationship fell apart again two years ago while filming the new TV series of Dr Evas Great Escape for RTE television and the couple decided it was finally time to part ways for good. While Operation Transformation expert Eva admits shes single and looking for love, Wyatt today confides he is in a new relationship with another woman. Health expert Dr Eva always wanted to start a clinic abroad Asked if he has found someone else, he replies: Yes I have. She would be within the area, but well keep it private. Its fairly recent, after things with Eva and I, youre on your own out here and nature takes its course. He laughs at any suggestion hes a romantic at heart. No, not really, he says. Wyatt does not want to disclose if Eva has met the new lady. Lets just keep this private. Its my relationship and its my life, he maintains. The couple had been married for 27 years and had been dating for two years before that, having first met in South Africa and then moved to Ireland in 2000. We had been separated before and we tried the project(the hotel), he says. Weprobably took on the wrong project to do that, because just the level of intensity and stress and everything this project brings on. Even if we didnt have problems before, I think it would have found the cracks. Its one of those things that just happens, you cant stop it happening. If its going to happen it happens and you just deal with it. Things werent going very well before that. The project was more to try and get it going again, so I think its unfair saying it was the straw that broke the back. We were trying to fix something that obviously couldnt get fixed. But Wyatt is adamant that he wishes Eva well with her own romantic future. Absolutely, yeah everyone must move on. You have to move on, its part of life. During the first episode of Dr Evas Great Escape tomorrow, viewers will see Wyatt telling his ex-wife off for not helping in building the Solar Alvura hotel or doing things such as paint the walls, while she was off doing yoga or learning Portuguese. She is not an overly practical person, she is better at other things etc., he says. But yeah she would get her hands dirty if she had time to do it. The project is costing Eva and Wyatt 3m The last thing Eva is, is lazy. She always got a million things to do... She has her own priorities and I have mine. "I guess with any relationship, whether its a personal relationship or a business relationship or even just a friendship, you will always have differences of opinion. In the programme, Eva has a row with her interior designer and decides to force through her own plans for the choices of curtain and bedheads. Wyatt confirms Eva has been controlling, but does not go as far as branding her a control freak. Yes, she can be controlling, he concedes. She is very sure about things. She definitely wants things done her way. Sometimes its right, sometimes its wrong. I wouldnt necessarily say a control freak. She likes to be the boss. While they may now be divorced, the pair will continue to run their chain of health clinics in Ireland and operate the hotel in Portugal, which Wyatt says was Evas brainchild. Eva, she was always looking for a place like this. I think it was an idea that came from the clinics and she always had this idea to get this weight loss prison where clients could really get away from all the temptations and find a place. Almost every time we would go on holidays somewhere, whether it would be Italy or wherever, she would always be looking at property, always this idea stuck in the mind. Eva likes to have things done her way, says Wyatt Andres Poveda He thrived with the project. All the clinics in Ireland, we would have found some derelict or some tiny little property and totally rebuilt it. So that was the part of the business I always ran rebuilding and renovating. Wyatt admits that while he loved his time in Ireland, he plans to stay in Portugal. Ive been here for almost five years, and pretty much comfortable over here, he says. Its a type of environment I like. While many Irish people might find this place too hot and too warm for them, I just love it. The weightloss centre in Portugal He describes himself as a general handyman in the hotel. So, in the long term, Eva is really going to be running the hotel, and I will just be doing the maintenance side of it. "The hotel is all-inclusive. Meals, drinks, absolutely everything. Yoga lessons, personal training and even at the moment they are starting something like the seven-day weight loss package, then the programme obviously includes all of that extra support and training and assessments and everything else. So, while upfront it might seem a little more costly than other places, once you actually start adding up everything else into it, I think its actually good value for money and it is unique. He and his team also wants to construct and renovate other properties in Portugal and advises anyone who wants his help to contact him through his hotel or on Facebook. Dr Evas Great Escape tomorrow RTE One 9.35pm Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz The Ministry of Health is today reporting 3,302 new community cases of Covid-19, 606 current hospitalisations and 18 deaths. There are 16 people in ICU. There are also 220 new cases from people who have recently travelled overseas. Of the 3302 new community cases, 128 are in Bay of Plenty, and 72 in Lakes. There are 28 people in Bay of Plenty hospitals and 10 in Lakes hospitals with Covid-19. Of the 18 people whose deaths we are reporting today, eight were from Auckland region, one was from Lakes, one was from Tairawhiti, one was from Hawke's Bay, one was from Taranaki, four were from Wellington region, one was from Canterbury, one was from South Canterbury, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. One was in their 50s, two were in their 60s, two were in their 70s, nine were in their 80s and four were aged over 90. Of these people, 11 were women and seven were men. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 5,441 last Sunday, it was 7,183. There are now a total of 1,638 deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid -19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor. The seven-day rolling average increase in total deaths attributable to Covid-19 is 14. Covid-19 hospitalisations Covid-19 Cases in hospital: total number 606: Northland: 29; Waitemata: 57; Counties Manukau: 46; Auckland: 75; Waikato: 67; Bay of Plenty: 28; Lakes: 10; Hawkes Bay: 24; MidCentral: 27; Whanganui: 6; Taranaki: 22; Tairawhiti: 3; Wairarapa: 3; Capital & Coast: 16; Hutt Valley: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 18; Canterbury: 100; West Coast: 6; South Canterbury: 23; Southern: 31. Weekly Covid -19 Hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 675 (This time last week it was 810) Average age of current Covid -19 hospitalisations: 64 Cases in ICU or HDU: 16 Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital*: Unvaccinated or not eligible (56 cases); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (2 cases); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (79 cases); received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (282 cases). * These are new hospital admissions in the past 7 days prior to yesterday who had Covid at the time of admission or while in hospital, excluding hospitalisations that were admitted and discharged within 24hrs. This data is from Districts with tertiary hospitals: Auckland, Canterbury/West Coast, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital & Coast/Hutt, Waitemata and Northland. Covid-19 vaccinations administered Vaccines administered to date: 4,029,387 first doses; 3,982,263 second doses; 34,091 third primary doses; 2,709,977 first booster doses: 370,756 second booster doses: 266,212 paediatric first doses and 145,968 paediatric second doses Vaccines administered yesterday: 20 first doses; 25 second doses; 5 third primary doses; 580 first booster doses; 4,417 second booster doses; 50 paediatric first doses and 280 paediatric second doses More detailed information, including vaccine uptake by District, is available on the Ministrys website. Tests Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 2,370 Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 6,610 PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,104 Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last seven days as of 4 August 2022): 1.9 million Covid-19 cases Total number of new community cases: 3,302 Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 220 Seven day rolling average of community cases: 5,441 Seven day rolling average of community cases (as at same day last week): 7,183. Number of active cases (total): 38,082 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered) Confirmed cases (total): 1,642,478 New cases by District and other more detailed case information. Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a District or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO. Covid-19 deaths Please note, total deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid -19 are updated Monday to Saturday. This figure will be next updated on Tuesday. There are now a total of 1,638 deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid -19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor. This is the number that will be reported to the World Health Organization as it provides the most accurate assessment of Covid -19 related mortality in New Zealand. In the past seven days there have been an average of 14 deaths confirmed each day as being attributable to Covid -19. This is a very sad time for whanau and friends of those who have died, and our thoughts and condolences are with them. Information on the number of new deaths of people with Covid -19 reported to the Ministry of Health in the last 24 hours, and the seven-day rolling average, is available on the Ministry of Health website. This includes information on the age band and location of these newly reported deaths. Covid-19 case data These newly reported deaths have not yet been categorised as to whether they are attributable to Covid-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor or are unrelated to Covid -19. As this categorisation is made over coming days, the attributable deaths will be added to the total reported above. A great outpouring of tributes are flowing across Tauranga city following the death of respected and loved Ngai Tamarawaho kaumatua Peri Kohu on Tuesday. As a mark of respect for Peri, the Takitimu Drive flag was flown at half-mast on Saturday while he was laid to rest at the urupa on Motuopae Island. It is with a broken heart and contrite spirit that we announce the passing of our dad and koro, writes Moana McLeod in a post on Facebook. Peri was taken to Huria Marae where he stayed until Saturday afternoon when a service was held there. Peri Kohu speaking at the commemoration of the Battle of Pukehinahina - Battle of Gate Pa - held at St Georges Church in Gate Pa. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford. Peri was a good man, says friend and historian Buddy Mikaere who together with Peri has shared a keen interest in growing a public cultural awareness of Taurangas heritage. I know it is such a simple description but it is absolutely apt in his case. He was good to his whanau, to his hapu, to his iwi, to the wider tangata whenua of Tauranga Moana, to his LDS church and to his Tauranga community in general. I will miss in particular his steadying influence in the background but he could also be forthright and direct when the occasion required. Buddy says that being humble was Peris trademark. [He] always looked for opportunities to say and do the right thing, says Buddy. I have lost a good mate and colleague but our community has lost a fine and tireless advocate for the reconciliation of our community and the raising of its cultural awareness. Haere ra e te rangatira Peri. Job well done and it is up to us who are left to carry on the challenge he has left us, says Buddy. Peri Kohu speaking at the commemoration of the Battle of Te Ranga. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford. Peri Reweti Kohu was born in 1951 in Nuhaka and educated at Bethlehem Native School - now named Bethlehem School - and Church College of New Zealand in Hamilton. He has been a musician, historian and researcher in raupatu and whakapapa issues for the Ngati Ranginui hapu Ngai Tamarawaho. And he has been one of three Treaty negotiators for Ngai Tamarawaho, his mandate being whakapapa. Peri has also been a consultant to Transit New Zealand, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty Council, and he wrote an article in Te Iwi o Aotearoa assessing the honouring of the Treaty of Waitangi prior to the 1990 commemorations of the signing of the Treaty. Peri Kohu singing with a group at an annual commemoration of the Battle of Te Ranga. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford. In recent years there has been a steady growth amongst Tauranga residents interested in the history of the city the story of Pukehinahina or Gate Pa which was fought on April 29, 1864, the Battle of Te Ranga, fought on June 21, 1864, and the Tauranga Bush Campaign. The carving of the pou lined up along Cameron Road at the site of the Battle of Pukehinahina were overseen by Peri, who is renowned for his story telling. St Georges Anglican Church congregation member and military historian Cliff Simons and Peri Kohu with a carving on the battle site at the 153rd commemoration. Photo: Tracy Hardy. Peri has been the deputy chairperson of the Otamataha Trust, which administers property in Tauranga on behalf of Ngati Tapu and Ngai Tamarawaho. Just as the family (whanau) is very much the poorer, so is our city, our region, writes former Tauranga City councillor Murray Guy. My 12 years as a Tauranga city councillor has as it's most treasured component, memory, my meeting, get to know, getting to walk with, eat with, the Peri Kohu's of our city. Peri Kohu - third from right - at the site of the Battle of Te Ranga. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford. Tributes continue to flow across social media. Tuku atu nga roimata aroha kia koe Peri ou nei hoa kura mai Tuhikaramea e te rangatira moe mai moe mai ma te Atua e manaki mai koutou te whanau pani tou hoa rangatira nga tamariki mokopuna hoki, writes Isaac Ropiha. Moe mai ra e Peri. Kessie, arohamai me to whanau koutou whanaunga, writes David Mahuika. Peri Reweti Kohu in 2018. Photo:Nga kapa haka o nga kura tahi ki Tauranga Moana. Te Kohinga has posted a video by Murray Maunder in honour of Peri on their Facebook page. We post this video from the Anglican Apology of 1st December 2018 in honour of our friend and kaumatua Peri Kohu, who stood for grace, truth and justice on behalf of his people and for the benefit of our whole community, says a Te Kohinga spokesperson. The video is of the Anglican Apology Part Three, with Otamataha Trust leaders receiving The Apology. Puihirake Ihaka of Otamataha Trust spoke first in response to the Apology followed by Peri Kohu, and at 16.54 minutes into the video, Peri and his family sing O Holy Night. A spokesperson for Taurangas Takitimu House says Peri has been their kaumatua or trustee since their inception in 2014. Prior to this Peri was very involved in the stakeholder group, formed to find a solution for the growing number of homeless men in the CBD. Peri has passed away leaving a huge gap not only for our trust but for his whanau and the community, says a Takitimu House spokesperson. Peri was the essence of who we are and who we wanted to be. He was unflappable, kind, compassionate, and more connected than any other person we know. I spoke with Peri on Monday just gone. I wish I had said thank you for all that you have done for us and our people. Peri was a strong supporter of the work we do and the clients we serve. Thank you Peri and thank you to Peri's wonderful whanau who loaned us this very special man. Peri Kohu was a great supporter of Kai Aroha, run by Tania Lewis-Rickard and her team of volunteers. Photo: Tania Lewis-Rickard. Tania Lewis-Rickard says its been a sad week of loss, posting a tribute to Facebook about Peri. Such a gorgeous soul Peri was.who was a force to be reckoned with, his humour and humility had so much mana, says Tania. Peri Kohu and his grandchildren, singing for the Kai Aroha community meal. Photo: Supplied. Tania, who runs Kai Aroha, a community meal with a team of volunteers, writes how hundreds respected Peri, who has sung with his guitar and grandchildren at the meals, saying he fought hard for iwi tanga, Maori tanga, equity and cultural restoration for the wider community. You addressed, supported and challenged social, political, environmental and cultural issues and your beautiful waiata always melted our hearts, always will. You will be sadly missed. Thank you for being there for Kai Aroha, all those times you and your moko girls sang for our community, you brought so much warmth and joy to their lives, all our lives. Thank you for the selfieswe had quite a few selfies hehe but this is my fave . We will always be forever grateful for you. No need to work now, may you rest in the arms of the Lord Jesus forever and ever amine. Moe Mai ra koro Peri Reweti Kohu." Baycourt Community and Arts Centre also wrote a tribute to Peri on their Facebook page. Peri Kohu speaking at the public hui Why the Anglican Apology for Te Papa? held in the Baycourt X Space in 2018. Photo: Baycourt. Today the Baycourt whanau wish to pay its greatest and humblest respects to Ngai Tamarawaho kaumatua Peri Kohu who passed away earlier this week. We also offer our deepest sympathy and aroha to his whanau, hapu, iwi, friends and loved ones, writes a Baycourt spokesperson. Peri was a tireless advocate for the rights of tangata whenua and his mahi continued right up until his last days. He was selfless in the sharing of his immense knowledge and was a man of his word. Truly, a mighty totara has fallen in the forest of Tane. Moe mai ra Peri." Video: Peri Kohu speaking at the public hui Why the Anglican Apology for Te Papa? held in the Baycourt X Space in 2018. Peri Kohu singing with his guitar. Photo: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Local author Tepihi (Debbie) McCauley has also posted a tribute: Peri Reweti Kohu (1951-2022). I feel I have just lost a treasured uncle, advisor and friend who always treated me with kindness, respect and aroha. My heart feels broken. Much aroha to his beautiful whanau xxx, writes Debbie. Peri entertaining crowds at the launch of the People's Gallery - Toi ka rere. Photo: Supplied. Peri was loved and appreciated for his music and support of The Incubator at Tauranga Historic Village, entertaining the crowds at events such as the launch of the People's Gallery - Toi ka rere. We would like to express our sadness of the passing of Kaumatua Peri Kohu, says Incubator director Simone Anderson. Peri was a great support to us for what we are doing here creating an Arts Community. He was also very fond of the Historic Village. We sought his wisdom many times and were always rewarded with excellent advice, encouragement and his blessings," says Simone. Peri Kohu singing with his guitar. Photo: Colin Lunt. In June 2022, due to a lack of whakairo facilities in Tauranga, The Incubator Creative Hub opened their own hub to further support Toi Maori in the Tauranga community. The whakairo hub was blessed and named Te Whare Toi O Te Moana as a part of The Incubators Matariki celebrations launching this month. Peri, who is also a carver and artist gifted the hubs name, and was supportive of the initiative, being the previous lease-holder of the new whakairo space. Simone says that only a few months ago, Peri bestowed the name on the Whakairo Space - 'Te Whare Toi o te Moana'. As we develop this space, Peri's legacy and love for arts and carving will live on and be honoured in this space. Moi mai ra- Peri. Mural in Tauranga CBD of Peri Kohu and his granddaughter, painted by Lisa King. Photo: Supplied. A mural of Peri with his granddaughter was painted on the side of a building in the Tauranga CBD by Australian mural artist Lisa King during Street Prints Tauranga Street Art Festival in 2020. Lisa met with kaumatua Peri Kohu from hapu Ngai Tamarawaho in Huria, Tauranga Moana and captured a beautiful portrait of Peri and grand daughter Mai te Rangi Kohu'Matika, says a Street Prints spokesperson. The final portrait of both Grandfather and Granddaughter in monochrome where their hapu resided before it became the city on the corner of Spring and Durham Streets, Tauranga Moana. Part of Peris korero was around placing the hapu back where it belonged. This is a literal action of placing people from Ngai Tamarawaho back into Tauranga city. Peri Kohu at the blessing of the Tai o Fenua Kindergarten. Photo: Supplied. The staff at Tai o Fenua Kindergarten have also shared their sorrow at the loss of Peri. Our Tai O Fenua family would like to express our sadness of the passing of Peri Kohu, well respected Ngai Tamarawaho kaumatua and friend of Tai O Fenua Kindergarten, says a kindergarten spokesperson. Peri Kohu at the blessing of the Tai o Fenua Kindergarten. Photo: Supplied. Matua Peri was with us when we first opened the doors to bless our kindergarten. He was with us again to bless the building of our new office," says a kindergarten spokesperson. Matua Peri has enriched our knowledge of local history here in Gate Pa, and it is this history that is told in the carving entranceway outside our kindergarten, which he helped to create. We look forward to keeping these stories alive in your honour Matua Peri. Moe mai ra e te rangatira. "Rockstar" for the day - Matua Peri Kohu at Moana Radio in 2019. Photo: Moana Radio. Mindy Benson Named as 17th President at Southern Utah University Published: July 15, 2022 | Category: Academics The Utah Board of Higher Education selected Mindy Benson as the 17th president of Southern Utah University today, following an extensive national search. Benson will assume the position effective immediately. She succeeds Scott L Wyatt, who served as president from Jan. 2014-July 2021. Benson has served as interim president of SUU since July 2021. I am deeply humbled and honored to be selected by the Utah Board of Higher Education as the next president of Southern Utah University, President Benson said. Im thrilled to serve in this leadership role and continue working with our extraordinary faculty, staff, students, community and alumni. SUU is a remarkable place built on 125 years of transformative educational experiences and community partnership. Im so grateful to those who came before and am excited to be a part of SUUs bright future. With the help of a national search firm, WittKieffer, the 21-member search committee spent several months soliciting input through public meetings and reviewing more than 40 applications. Benson was one of three finalists announced on July 7. Under Mindy Bensons leadership, Southern Utah University will continue to be known regionally and statewide as it produces successful graduates for Utahs talent force, said Jesselie Anderson, Board vice chair. As part of our process, we heard from campus members and the community, who were deeply invested in finding a committed, compassionate and collaborative leader. I believe President Bensons wide-ranging institutional knowledge and southern Utah connections make her an exceptional choice to lead the university in the years to come. Under her leadership as interim president, she has prioritized the needs of faculty, staff and students, mental health resources and campus culture. Benson has also prioritized strengthening community and university partnerships and led one of the most successful legislative sessions in SUUs recent history. President Mindy Benson has proven her capacity to lead this university forward with dignity and grace as she has navigated SUU through challenges and changes this past year, said Rich Christiansen, Utah Board of Higher Education Member and search committee co-chair. She is a unifier, and her deep commitment and interest in this community and campus does not go unnoticed. We received overwhelming support from the faculty, staff, students, community and alumni for her permanent appointment. I have the utmost confidence that she will lead the university in a manner that is congruent with the values, innovation and student success for which SUU is known. Before assuming the role of interim president last year, Benson served as vice president of Alumni and Community Relations at SUU for eight years. Along with her leadership responsibilities, Benson has taught courses on campus for 14 years. Benson has played a pivotal role in many community outreach efforts, including expanding workforce development, job creation, economic opportunities, increasing community and alumni engagement, and overseeing major campus and community special events. In addition to her work at SUU, Benson is a professional event consultant and planner throughout the nation, with experience producing hundreds of high-level productions, including concerts, events, political conventions, and gubernatorial and U.S. presidential inaugurations. Benson is a Cedar City native, with ties to southern Utah and SUU that go back generations and graduated from SUU with a bachelors degree in zoology and a masters degree in professional communication. President Benson has dedicated the best of her talents and time to Southern Utah University for many years, said Dave R. Woolstenhulme, commissioner of higher education. Her understanding of the university, the system and the surrounding community will be a great advantage as she permanently takes on this leadership role. I look forward to our upcoming work and collaboration to further her vision for Southern Utah University. Learn more about President Benson at suu.edu/presidentialsearch. About Southern Utah University Southern Utah University is a caring campus community where students come to explore their interests and prepare for meaningful careers and life experiences. With more than 140 undergraduate programs and 21 graduate and certificate programs, SUU offers world-class, hands-on learning opportunities where students gain professional experience before entering the job market. Located in the worlds best backyard, SUU is the University of the Parks thanks to its close proximity to several outdoor recreational areas and its educational partnerships with the National Park Service. SUUs safe, residential campus allows students to create lifelong friendships along with once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventures in conjunction with innovative academic endeavors. About the Utah System of Higher Education The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is governed by the Utah Board of Higher Education and is comprised of Utahs sixteen public colleges and universities. The CEO of USHE is the Commissioner of Higher Education. For more information, visit ushe.edu. Tags: President Contact Information: David Bishop 435-586-5400 davidbishop@suu.edu Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. kvsneela BHPian Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Pondicherry Posts: 36 Thanked: 86 Times Drive from Pondicherry to Kalahasthi, Tirupati and Srisailam via the roads less travelled Disclaimer: This travelogue was written for the sole purpose of informing about routes/food/accommodation and any other information in purely coincidental. Photos were taken using Samsung Galaxy M11/M12 so the quality may not be HD level. The title Roads less Travelled is due to the routes taken for this trip. It has 3 roads for which no information is available anywhere (as far as I searched ). 1. On the way to Tirupati: Uththukkottai to Kalahasthi. 2. Tirupati to Srisailam : Via Rajampet, Badvel, Cumbum, and Dornala 3. Return from Srisailam: Srisailam to Ongole Prologue : I am a retired (Voluntarily) PSU Executive and my wife is employed in Central Govt in Pondicherry. Until 2019 March both were employed in Chennai and after her transfer to Pondicherry, I was alone (Only Son done IITM and MS in Princeton and employed in NYC.) in Chennai. Then Covid pandemic struck in March 2020 and we could not see each other as all the modes of transportation were stopped. I realised this may continue forever and decided to take VR (instead of resignation)as I dont have any other commitments and moved to Pondicherry. Nowadays wife is fully religious and I am acting as driver (apart from working as house husband). Since I dont have any faith in any rituals or prayers, I dont normally go into the temples except in case there is no other option. The Plan: In June my SIL( wifes elder sister) from Bengaluru suddenly announced the plan to join in Vishnu Sahasaranamam chanting group in Tirumala and my wife immediately jumped in and SIL herself booked tickets for 5 PM slot on 1.8.2022 (only for wife). Since the plan includes other temple visits also, car is must and I have to go. I need to drop her with the group before climbing and pick her down again. In between only rest for me. Then suddenly wife enquired about Srisailam. I heard the name only and not seen anybody visiting that shrine in my circle so far. From GMaps found out that it is 360 odd Kms from Tirupati and confirmed her that it is doable by car. (But never thought she would plan for that also) Booking: Tirupati: Since Tirupati ticket is already booked, we had to look for accommodation. They initially planned to walk from Tirupati to Tirumala and so we need to be in Tirupati from 31st July afternoon itself. Also, the plan was to visit other nearby temples on 2nd August after finishing Tirumala. So we needed accommodation from 31st July to Aug 3rd morning. Since wife is Central Govt employee, We booked through eSampada site (needed to register first, booked rooms with ID card and then got the admin of wifes office to endorse the printout). The charges are only 180/- per day for A/C room with hot water and TV. Though the site informed vacancies on all 3 days, but refused for 3 continuous days. Then we tried to book 1st and 2nd Aug and it went through. On 31st seperate booking was done. Only the room was different now. Srisailam: Ten days before the actual journey, the plan had taken into shape. Bengaluru group was coming by Innova and planned to go up by 31st evening only. So we would have more time to check other temples by 31st itself, decided to goto Kalahasthi directly ( Anyway the direct Pondicherry Tirupati route was not good from Kanchi to Tiruttani). Finally decided to go to Srisailam on 2nd itself and booked accommodation at Hotel Haritha (AP tourism) Non-AC for Rs 900/-. (There are other options from the Devasthanam management but they are not cancellable.). For temple visit there are 3 types of booking (Seegra (quick Rs 150/-), AdhiSeegra (very quick- 300/-) and then VIP Break (Rs 500/-) other than free one. We booked 2 tickets of Rs 150/- at 8.00 pm slot (as wife wanted me to come with her being the first time in unknown place). Also she wanted to visit the temple again in the morning before leaving, so booked one more Rs 150/- for 6 AM slot for her only. Then suddenly she wanted information about Sparsa Darshanam in VIP ticket (allowed to touch the Jyotilingam). VIP slot is only at 7 AM, 12.30 PM and 9 PM. (in these slots other types of entries not allowed). So we booked for 9 PM slot on 2nd Aug for both. (Now we have for both: 8 PM Seegra and 9 PM VIP and for wife only: next day 6 AM Seegra). The car: Our car is Spresso VXi+ purchased in March 2022 with odo only 3000 Km. I always keep the tank full and in 2 months not checked the tire pressure. So previous night filled air in all 5 tires using my foot pump (meter calibration already done for accuracy). Both Pump and puncture kit were kept in the car. Individual bottles were filled with RO water (around 7 litres) and 5 litre Water jar also was purchased and kept in the car (finally never used and brought back as without opening). Original car papers and DL was taken (though Govt allows Digi locker but who knows). Car was cleaned, All the glass areas are washed and dried (I dont wash metal areas normally only cleaning as the water is the enemy of the gum used to fix accessories). Actual Journey: On 31st July : (Pondicherry to Kalahasthi to Tirupati) We started around 5.30 AM. from Pondicherry (I reset both tripmeters. A for total journey and B for between fuel refills). The route taken was Pondicherry>Tindivanam>Chengalpet>Singaperumalkoil >Oragadam>Thiruperumputhur>Thiruvallur>Uththukotta i>Kalahasthi. Early morning drive was breezy that too on Sunday. Upto Thiruperumputhur the road was wide and divided. Though from here 2 lane road starts but the road condition was good and without any pot holes. Had breakfast at Hotel Akshaya Bhavan at Thiruvallur and the food, parking & toilets were good. Filled up fuel again at Uththukkottai (last town before AP border crossing) due to price difference. Turned into Puttur road and after Nagalapuram turned right for Kalahasthi (Initially the road was small for few Kms and turned big for major part). This road is slightly lower in quality (irritating bumpers of course) compared to Thiruvallur road but easily manageable. Reached Kalahasthi temple around 11 AM after travelling 250 Kms. Since we were in hurry, contacted some agent type of person through security who took us inside (it seems there are 200/- and 500/- tickets available) and the whole visit was over within 30 minutes. Area around the temple was in shambles and the parking (paid) was not maintained properly. We made the mistake of leaving our slippers inside the car but the small distance from the temple entry (where we could have left these slippers) to car barefoot was like hell. Even though cell phone counter is available, not checked strictly. Kalahasthi Road Kalahasthi Gopuram Parking Area with Swarnamukhi River nearby (for temple information Around 12 PM started for Thiruchanur (or Alamelumangapuram) and reached the Padmavathy (Alamelumanga) temple (read here Towel/soap etc., were not provided but the canteen was available in the building. At around 5 PM I went to the Alipiri entrance and handed over my wife to the Bengaluru group. Plenty of parking space available before the scanning booths. Entrance to Climbing up Road Scanning Booths where plenty of parking space available. Then onwards I was all alone. As I had developed an ear infection the previous day night, I was in dull mood but fortunately I had eye drops which can be used for ear infections (but ear drops should not be used for eye infections) and also due to driving tiredness, I slept immediately but woke up for only dinner (already ordered). Dinner was typical South North mix and good quality also (unlimited). 1st August: Overnight slept like hell and woke up around 7 30 am. Breakfast was stuffed parotta with curd which tasted good. As I needed to change the rooms (remember I booked in 2 lots), enquired about the procedure. First guy said that I need to checkout at 9 AM compulsorily and check in to next Room would be at 11 AM and need to pass 2 hrs in between in the hall. Then I had an idea about picking up wife in the evening. I could go for a walk to Alipiri entrance to check whether parking is available in the exit side. By the time when I brought the luggage down the new guy in reception told me to keep the luggage in new room (as the room was already vacant only cleaning is pending). So, I kept the luggage in new room, handed over the key (luggage had only dress) and went for the walk ( about 2 kms). In Alipiri exit I found there was no parking space and need to park in the entrance side only. Then returned back occupied the new room and had lunch (similar to dinner) and slept again. Around 4 PM I had a call from wife who said their job at Tirumala was over and they are about to come down. It seems that they went in at 11.30 AM instead of 5 PM (as per ticket) and were allowed without seeing the time slot. pictures from tirumalai It was blessing in disguise as 5 PM slot means they would be coming down in night at what time who knows which will make difficult for me to pick wife. Now happily went to Alipiri entrance, parked and waited some time at the exit gate, picked her and returned by 6 PM. (It seems they had rooms booked in Tirumala where they stayed, took food in annadhaanam hall (dinner and breakfast), joined the chanting from morning. Somebody in the group suggested to try to enter at 11.30 instead of 5 PM which was successful. But due the hot nature of the food, took lunch in a hotel in Tirumala). Took dinner and informed the reception that we would be vacating next day (2nd Aug instead of 3rd Aug) and settled all the food bills (they charge Rs 40/- as compulsory laundry for changed bedsheets etc.,). Filled up the water bottles before went for sleep. 2nd August : ( Tirupati to Srisailam) Started around 5.30 AM towards Srisailam which is about 360 Km from Tirupati. Srisailam visits are infrequent in this site or anywhere in internet or YouTube and those too from Hyd or Bengaluru. Not one information from Chennai or South anywhere in recent times. It is understandable because Srisailam is located in Nallamalai Forest and Tiger reserve among hills near Krishna River. Only some crazy people like us might be thinking of going there from here. When I searched for the route from Tirupati, GMaps showed the shortest was Via Rajampet, Badvel, Cumbum, Markapur Junction and Dornala. The information regarding the road conditions was virtually NIL. This topic creation (instead of simple post) is to share the information so that if anybody searches for this route immediately information should be available. (The title also is named road less travelled mainly due to this route). Initial 100 Kms is through Tirupati Kadapa Road which was good (3 digits may not be possible but 90 km/h is possible). But it crosses all the small towns so one should be careful inside towns. The scenery was good as the road went through some forest like areas also. On the way I refilled fuel and turned right after Vontimitta. Crossed Penna (called Vada(north) Pennai in Tamil as there is one more Then( south)Pennai river in TamilNadu) river and then crossed a forest area and reached Badvel. My wife has a habit of going to a temple (other than the usual temple visits on Fridays, Tuesdays, Sundays, Pradhoshams etc.,) on my sons birth star every month. This month it fell on 2nd August and searched for a temple in Badvel inside the town, found Vasavai Kanya Parameshwari temple, finished the visit and we returned to our main purpose of going to Srisailam. We crossed Porumamilla and from Potipalli, road became wider and more smoother (can reach 3 digit speed) which was tolled road up to Markapur Junction. Here took left turn under the bridge towards Dornala where the right turn takes to Srisailam. Filled up again in Dornala (though pumps are available in Srisailam) and reached Srisailam at around 1 PM. Entry in Dornala ghat road fees collected and then inside Nallamala forest again collected. Overall, from Tirupati to Dornala the road condition was good to super good. Moreover, the surrounding scenery was keeping company enough to make the drive not boring. Most importantly the road went through many villages and towns but bumpers are very much limited. (Indications are there those bumpers were removed). Ghat section was beautiful itself. Road was very smooth and speed limit of 30 Km/h is impossible to maintain. Probably that why many bumpers are constructed. Has some climbs and some flat surface and some down slopes. Checked in at Hotel Haritha (Rs 500/- collected as deposit which was refunded) and immediately went to Canteen to finish lunch( as we skipped breakfast). For Rs 125/- food was good (buffet system and unlimited typical AP Chili Hot but fortunately curd rice is available with lunch and dinner). Room was ok (typical government hotel setup) for a night stay. Hot water available 24 Hrs (it was super-hot , burnt my skin). PatalaGanga: Though I was tired after long drive, wife was not. She wanted to visit Ropeway immediately. Originally, she wanted to go down in car which I refused. (Good thing we decided against it. The roads were horrible). I also needed a walk (I used to walk daily 5 kms in Pondicherry) so decided to walk to Ropeway point (let the car rest for tomorrows long journey). It was about 1.5 Km and there was no crowd in ticket counter (Rs 65/- per person). Rope cars ( 4 ) arrived and immediately were on the way to Patala Ganga on Krishna River. At the end after a few meters there is a location with steps where one can reach the water and get immersed. Wife wanted Krishna water in every place of our bodies. The name Ganga is very much suitable for this place as the water looked as dirty as original Ganga (Theists excuse ) but due to her compulsion, I also immersed myself completely. Maybe this was not liked by Gods as it started to pour like anything for next one hr. We already were wet and tried dry clothes but they also became wet immediately. We decided to reach the Ropeway down station but went in different way by mistake (other than through rope car, one can use some 600 odd steps directly to come down) and climbed some 50 steps against pouring rain which brought all water from Srisailam town to that place. Then realised about wrong direction, retraced out steps and went to Ropeway station. Good thing they were operating in rain also. As we waited for cars to arrive, looked around the breathtaking view offered by the River and the dam and backwaters. As the rope car was open in all directions, got soaked in more rainwater during climbing. Soon reached the upper starting point and waited for the rains to stop. But seeing it is not going to happen anytime soon, came out and found an Auto driver who dropped us in the hotel for 100/-. (On the way purchased umbrellas also). BhramarAmba Mallikarjuna Jyotilingam temple: After reaching Hotel, wife did not stay for long as the rains stopped. She wanted to explore the inside of the temple before 9 PM VIP break ticket for the main entry. She left at 6 PM. We have Life360 app. in our phones and good thing the network was good in Srisailam. It seems she went in free entry route as crowd was less and seen the Mallikarjuna Jyotilingam first time, gave a flower garland (for which flowers purchased in Tirupati and converted into garland in the car). As per her instructions I finished dinner, took the umbrellas (as it was still drizzling) reached the luggage counter by 8.45 PM and met her. Handed over cell phones, bag and Umbrellas in the counter and reached the VIP entry Q (In front of the counters). In Security checking I was found wearing slippers (which I had forgotten to remove) so went back to footwear counter and returned barefoot. Again, I was found not wearing white lungi as VIP ticket holders are not allowed in pants. ( in their website nothing mentioned about dress code separately for only VIP break ticket) had to purchase the cloth (Rs 100\-) and wear it over the pant (it is similar to Guruvayoor) and hurried, once inside was asked to remove the shirt. After all these, the final entry to touch the Jyotilingam lasted only few seconds. The Jyotilingam was very small and very low even bending people found difficult to touch which seems to be the typical lingam establishment in North India ( In TN Sivalingams will have a tall base I think). Within few minutes it was over and we visited the BhramarAmba temple also and came out. From the exit to luggage counter, it was about half a km, so in rain we collected cell phones, bags and umbrella and returned to hotel. Though it was raining, humidity was high and regretted not booking AC room. But once reached the room (wife went for dinner) I slept well. (Information regarding Srisailam is available here: 3rd August : Srisailam to Pondicherry Wife went next morning for 6 AM Slot (remember she already booked only for herself) and returned by 7.30. By the time I got ready with all luggage packed, collected breakfast coupon but found that she had developed infection and was feverish ( reason may be she always takes hot water bath and I always normal water shower so rain never affects me but she gets the effect immediately). Searched for medical shops for at least paracetamol but could not get (one shop was closed and the open one did not have paracetamol). We started at 9 AM after breakfast (Idly, Upma, Vada with Chutney and Sambar). Reached Dornala in 40 Minutes and here purchased Paracetamol which she took (2) and slept in the rear seat. I did not use AC due to her condition. The journey back to Pondicherry is about 600 Km via Markapur, Podili, Ongole, Nellore and Chennai ORR. From Ongole up to Pondicherry it will be tolled 4 to 6 lane roads. From Markapur to Podili it was tolled road and could maintain the 90 Km/h easily. From Podili to Ongole also nowhere the roads were bad (bad roads were only inside the towns not outside). Reached Ongole around 12.30 PM and filled up again (for the last time until Pondicherry) and reached Hotel Nellore Grand for lunch around 2 PM (This is only decent hotel I could find in GMaps). Though lunch was Rs 180/- , food was good and they have good parking and toilet facilities also. (Main thing is the hotel is near to main road and need not go in service road or under bridge). Now wife started sweating and asked for AC to be on. Even though I slept well previous night, was feeling dull and yawning but after lunch I felt more alert and total mood changed and my ear problem also totally gone . Reached Chennai ORR by 4.45 PM and Vandalur by 5.20 PM (I wanted to cross Paranur toll before evening traffic sets in). Now From Vandalur up to Singaperumal Koil, it is almost 6 lanes so crossing this portion is no longer tedious and frustrating. Next hurdle is after Athur Toll, due to bridge repair one side road is closed and previous day there seems to be an accident also. But this hurdle also was passed without any problem. Finished dinner at Hotel Gowtham in Tindivanam (Idly and Dosai both were good). Reached Pondicherry and filled the car full tank again and reached home at 7.30 PM. After the final stretch (it was 450 Km near Ongole to Pondicherry) the fuel gauge still showed 2 bars left. Did anything important happen on last day of return. Yes, 2 incidents I would mention here. 1. Markapur-Ongole road, in a heavily crowded area, I was following a SUV slowly. Suddenly there was a sound of the car hitting something in the passenger side and I saw one boy on bike falling down. I immediately stopped the car on the side, got down, apologized taking the blame on me (I still could not understand what happened whether I cut across left side without giving him space or he moved right side without seeing my car approaching) and enquired the boy about his condition. But the youngster by the time got up little bit shaken but not injured and when I offered any help or water he simply refused and asked us to continue our journey. At the time I didnt check the condition of the car. Later When I filled up after Ongole, saw the left doors had a black colour mark like as if the top coat has come out and primer visible. Later when checked during lunch time, it was not primer but was rubber material probably from the handlebar of the bike which moved across the door and the rubber peeled off and got fixed on the door due to heat. 2.Second incident happened at Nellore toll. On approaching the toll, I followed one car which went into a particular lane which had the barrier rod in the entrance (instead of at the exist) and when I approached it was already in open position so the first car went in. Thinking that the rod is always open, I followed but after the first car went, the rod came down directly on my windshield and fell down. The attender simply removed the rod and asked me to reverse and go to other lane (in fact he stopped the other vehicles to help me). But in the other lane the rod did not open as the scanner got confused. Again, attender came and tried to do something in the system but as other people were waiting in my lane he simply took as the amount Rs 35/- and gave manual receipt. I had a doubt whether the scanning problem due to the rod hitting and damaged the Fastag. But it was not so. All the Toll booths further read the Fastag without any problem. Latter found out the Fastag also deducted Rs 35/- for Nellore toll. Summary: Total Kms: 1319; Petrol :73 L ; Average: 18 Km/l. (AC was used most of the times) Seen various petrol Prices also. In Pondicherry: 96.16/-, In TN: 102.62/- In AP: 111/- to 112/- Total expenditure in Rs.(approx..) Fuel: 7700 accommodation: 1440 Food: 2000 tolls : 1000 Temple bookings: 3500 Donations /tips in temples/hotels: countless Other Points: 1. After this trip and other trips to Wayanad and interior TN, My observation is overall in India the road surface quality has improved a lot, even in interiors (at least in South). But sometimes the tolled road is worser than the rural roads. (Like the Nellore bypass etc.,). 2. Out of all the roads, I enjoyed most was from Tirupati to Srisailam ( especially from Vontimitta to Markapur junction for minimum traffic and beautiful roads/surroundings and then the Ghats section also). Normally Srisailam is a crowded place but during our visit it was very low due to which all facilities (road traffic, accommodation, temple booking and rope car) were easily available 3. Gmaps worked well in many places showed the correct routes most of the times and without Gmaps this trip would not have been so successful. 4. Hotel Haritha has mostly negative reviews in the net but I found it was ok for a night stay( free breakfast) with buffet style unlimited food. 5. For any outstation trips like this some items need to be in the car. Umbrellas (nowadays there is no such thing as rainy season. Anytime it may rain) Always keep common medicines like paracetamal, Antacids, ear drops and may be an anitibiotic other than the regular medicines. Always carry a white lungi/Vetti/Veshti/Dhoti /Mundu or whaever name it is called during any temple visit . It will be handy whenever required and small enough to carry in cars. All these Items I was planning to take but forgotten in last moment. Note: This is the first travelogue ( big) post for me. Planning to post more whenever I have outstation trip ( if this post is successful). This travelogue was written for the sole purpose of informing about routes/food/accommodation and any other information in purely coincidental. Photos were taken using Samsung Galaxy M11/M12 so the quality may not be HD level.The title Roads less Travelled is due to the routes taken for this trip. It has 3 roads for which no information is available anywhere (as far as I searched ).1. On the way to Tirupati: Uththukkottai to Kalahasthi.2. Tirupati to Srisailam : Via Rajampet, Badvel, Cumbum, and Dornala3. Return from Srisailam: Srisailam to OngoleI am a retired (Voluntarily) PSU Executive and my wife is employed in Central Govt in Pondicherry. Until 2019 March both were employed in Chennai and after her transfer to Pondicherry, I was alone (Only Son done IITM and MS in Princeton and employed in NYC.) in Chennai. Then Covid pandemic struck in March 2020 and we could not see each other as all the modes of transportation were stopped. I realised this may continue forever and decided to take VR (instead of resignation)as I dont have any other commitments and moved to Pondicherry. Nowadays wife is fully religious and I am acting as driver (apart from working as house husband). Since I dont have any faith in any rituals or prayers, I dont normally go into the temples except in case there is no other option.In June my SIL( wifes elder sister) from Bengaluru suddenly announced the plan to join in Vishnu Sahasaranamam chanting group in Tirumala and my wife immediately jumped in and SIL herself booked tickets for 5 PM slot on 1.8.2022 (only for wife). Since the plan includes other temple visits also, car is must and I have to go. I need to drop her with the group before climbing and pick her down again. In between only rest for me. Then suddenly wife enquired about Srisailam. I heard the name only and not seen anybody visiting that shrine in my circle so far. From GMaps found out that it is 360 odd Kms from Tirupati and confirmed her that it is doable by car. (But never thought she would plan for that also): Since Tirupati ticket is already booked, we had to look for accommodation. They initially planned to walk from Tirupati to Tirumala and so we need to be in Tirupati from 31st July afternoon itself. Also, the plan was to visit other nearby temples on 2nd August after finishing Tirumala. So we needed accommodation from 31st July to Aug 3rd morning. Since wife is Central Govt employee, We booked through eSampada site (needed to register first, booked rooms with ID card and then got the admin of wifes office to endorse the printout). The charges are only 180/- per day for A/C room with hot water and TV. Though the site informed vacancies on all 3 days, but refused for 3 continuous days. Then we tried to book 1st and 2nd Aug and it went through. On 31st seperate booking was done. Only the room was different now.: Ten days before the actual journey, the plan had taken into shape. Bengaluru group was coming by Innova and planned to go up by 31st evening only. So we would have more time to check other temples by 31st itself, decided to goto Kalahasthi directly ( Anyway the direct Pondicherry Tirupati route was not good from Kanchi to Tiruttani). Finally decided to go to Srisailam on 2nd itself and booked accommodation at Hotel Haritha (AP tourism) Non-AC for Rs 900/-. (There are other options from the Devasthanam management but they are not cancellable.). For temple visit there are 3 types of booking (Seegra (quick Rs 150/-), AdhiSeegra (very quick- 300/-) and then VIP Break (Rs 500/-) other than free one. We booked 2 tickets of Rs 150/- at 8.00 pm slot (as wife wanted me to come with her being the first time in unknown place). Also she wanted to visit the temple again in the morning before leaving, so booked one more Rs 150/- for 6 AM slot for her only. Then suddenly she wanted information about Sparsa Darshanam in VIP ticket (allowed to touch the Jyotilingam). VIP slot is only at 7 AM, 12.30 PM and 9 PM. (in these slots other types of entries not allowed). So we booked for 9 PM slot on 2nd Aug for both. (Now we have for both: 8 PM Seegra and 9 PM VIP and for wife only: next day 6 AM Seegra).Our car is Spresso VXi+ purchased in March 2022 with odo only 3000 Km. I always keep the tank full and in 2 months not checked the tire pressure. So previous night filled air in all 5 tires using my foot pump (meter calibration already done for accuracy). Both Pump and puncture kit were kept in the car.Individual bottles were filled with RO water (around 7 litres) and 5 litre Water jar also was purchased and kept in the car (finally never used and brought back as without opening). Original car papers and DL was taken (though Govt allows Digi locker but who knows). Car was cleaned, All the glass areas are washed and dried (I dont wash metal areas normally only cleaning as the water is the enemy of the gum used to fix accessories).We started around 5.30 AM. from Pondicherry (I reset both tripmeters. A for total journey and B for between fuel refills). The route taken was Pondicherry>Tindivanam>Chengalpet>Singaperumalkoil >Oragadam>Thiruperumputhur>Thiruvallur>Uththukotta i>Kalahasthi. Early morning drive was breezy that too on Sunday. Upto Thiruperumputhur the road was wide and divided. Though from here 2 lane road starts but the road condition was good and without any pot holes. Had breakfast at Hotel Akshaya Bhavan at Thiruvallur and the food, parking & toilets were good. Filled up fuel again at Uththukkottai (last town before AP border crossing) due to price difference. Turned into Puttur road and after Nagalapuram turned right for Kalahasthi (Initially the road was small for few Kms and turned big for major part). This road is slightly lower in quality (irritating bumpers of course) compared to Thiruvallur road but easily manageable. Reached Kalahasthi temple around 11 AM after travelling 250 Kms. Since we were in hurry, contacted some agent type of person through security who took us inside (it seems there are 200/- and 500/- tickets available) and the whole visit was over within 30 minutes. Area around the temple was in shambles and the parking (paid) was not maintained properly. We made the mistake of leaving our slippers inside the car but the small distance from the temple entry (where we could have left these slippers) to car barefoot was like hell. Even though cell phone counter is available, not checked strictly.Kalahasthi RoadKalahasthi GopuramParking Area with Swarnamukhi River nearby(for temple information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srikalahasti Around 12 PM started for Thiruchanur (or Alamelumangapuram) and reached the Padmavathy (Alamelumanga) temple (read here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmavathi_Temple ) at around 1 PM. Here wife took 100/- ticket and went inside the waiting hall which was full of people. She returned after one hr and by which time we heard the Bengaluru group started visiting temples and on the way to Thiruchanur. Now the waiting hall was almost empty. We decided not to wait for them and took lunch at Hotel Saravana Bhavan (not THE Saravana Bhavan) and the food was so chilli hot (as expected in AP) went directly to Tirupati and checked in at Holiday Homes at around 4 PM.Towel/soap etc., were not provided but the canteen was available in the building.At around 5 PM I went to the Alipiri entrance and handed over my wife to the Bengaluru group. Plenty of parking space available before the scanning booths.Entrance to Climbing up RoadScanning Booths where plenty of parking space available. Then onwards I was all alone. As I had developed an ear infection the previous day night, I was in dull mood but fortunately I had eye drops which can be used for ear infections (but ear drops should not be used for eye infections) and also due to driving tiredness, I slept immediately but woke up for only dinner (already ordered).Dinner was typical South North mix and good quality also (unlimited).Overnight slept like hell and woke up around 7 30 am. Breakfast was stuffed parotta with curd which tasted good. As I needed to change the rooms (remember I booked in 2 lots), enquired about the procedure. First guy said that I need to checkout at 9 AM compulsorily and check in to next Room would be at 11 AM and need to pass 2 hrs in between in the hall. Then I had an idea about picking up wife in the evening. I could go for a walk to Alipiri entrance to check whether parking is available in the exit side. By the time when I brought the luggage down the new guy in reception told me to keep the luggage in new room (as the room was already vacant only cleaning is pending). So, I kept the luggage in new room, handed over the key (luggage had only dress) and went for the walk ( about 2 kms).In Alipiri exit I found there was no parking space and need to park in the entrance side only. Then returned back occupied the new room and had lunch (similar to dinner) and slept again. Around 4 PM I had a call from wife who said their job at Tirumala was over and they are about to come down. It seems that they went in at 11.30 AM instead of 5 PM (as per ticket) and were allowed without seeing the time slot.pictures from tirumalaiIt was blessing in disguise as 5 PM slot means they would be coming down in night at what time who knows which will make difficult for me to pick wife. Now happily went to Alipiri entrance, parked and waited some time at the exit gate, picked her and returned by 6 PM. (It seems they had rooms booked in Tirumala where they stayed, took food in annadhaanam hall (dinner and breakfast), joined the chanting from morning. Somebody in the group suggested to try to enter at 11.30 instead of 5 PM which was successful. But due the hot nature of the food, took lunch in a hotel in Tirumala). Took dinner and informed the reception that we would be vacating next day (2nd Aug instead of 3rd Aug) and settled all the food bills (they charge Rs 40/- as compulsory laundry for changed bedsheets etc.,). Filled up the water bottles before went for sleep.Started around 5.30 AM towards Srisailam which is about 360 Km from Tirupati. Srisailam visits are infrequent in this site or anywhere in internet or YouTube and those too from Hyd or Bengaluru. Not one information from Chennai or South anywhere in recent times. It is understandable because Srisailam is located in Nallamalai Forest and Tiger reserve among hills near Krishna River. Only some crazy people like us might be thinking of going there from here. When I searched for the route from Tirupati, GMaps showed the shortest was Via Rajampet, Badvel, Cumbum, Markapur Junction and Dornala.The information regarding the road conditions was virtually NIL. This topic creation (instead of simple post) is to share the information so that if anybody searches for this route immediately information should be available. (The title also is named road less travelled mainly due to this route).Initial 100 Kms is through Tirupati Kadapa Road which was good (3 digits may not be possible but 90 km/h is possible). But it crosses all the small towns so one should be careful inside towns. The scenery was good as the road went through some forest like areas also. On the way I refilled fuel and turned right after Vontimitta. Crossed Penna (called Vada(north) Pennai in Tamil as there is one more Then( south)Pennai river in TamilNadu) river and then crossed a forest area and reached Badvel. My wife has a habit of going to a temple (other than the usual temple visits on Fridays, Tuesdays, Sundays, Pradhoshams etc.,) on my sons birth star every month. This month it fell on 2nd August and searched for a temple in Badvel inside the town, found Vasavai Kanya Parameshwari temple, finished the visit and we returned to our main purpose of going to Srisailam.We crossed Porumamilla and from Potipalli, road became wider and more smoother (can reach 3 digit speed) which was tolled road up to Markapur Junction.Here took left turn under the bridge towards Dornala where the right turn takes to Srisailam.Filled up again in Dornala (though pumps are available in Srisailam) and reached Srisailam at around 1 PM. Entry in Dornala ghat road fees collected and then inside Nallamala forest again collected. Overall, from Tirupati to Dornala the road condition was good to super good. Moreover, the surrounding scenery was keeping company enough to make the drive not boring. Most importantly the road went through many villages and towns but bumpers are very much limited. (Indications are there those bumpers were removed). Ghat section was beautiful itself. Road was very smooth and speed limit of 30 Km/h is impossible to maintain. Probably that why many bumpers are constructed. Has some climbs and some flat surface and some down slopes.Checked in at Hotel Haritha (Rs 500/- collected as deposit which was refunded) and immediately went to Canteen to finish lunch( as we skipped breakfast). For Rs 125/- food was good (buffet system and unlimited typical AP Chili Hot but fortunately curd rice is available with lunch and dinner). Room was ok (typical government hotel setup) for a night stay. Hot water available 24 Hrs (it was super-hot , burnt my skin).Though I was tired after long drive, wife was not. She wanted to visit Ropeway immediately. Originally, she wanted to go down in car which I refused. (Good thing we decided against it. The roads were horrible).I also needed a walk (I used to walk daily 5 kms in Pondicherry) so decided to walk to Ropeway point (let the car rest for tomorrows long journey). It was about 1.5 Km and there was no crowd in ticket counter (Rs 65/- per person). Rope cars ( 4 ) arrived and immediately were on the way to Patala Ganga on Krishna River. At the end after a few meters there is a location with steps where one can reach the water and get immersed. Wife wanted Krishna water in every place of our bodies. The name Ganga is very much suitable for this place as the water looked as dirty as original Ganga (Theists excuse) but due to her compulsion, I also immersed myself completely. Maybe this was not liked by Gods as it started to pour like anything for next one hr. We already were wet and tried dry clothes but they also became wet immediately. We decided to reach the Ropeway down station but went in different way by mistake (other than through rope car, one can use some 600 odd steps directly to come down) and climbed some 50 steps against pouring rain which brought all water from Srisailam town to that place. Then realised about wrong direction, retraced out steps and went to Ropeway station. Good thing they were operating in rain also. As we waited for cars to arrive, looked around the breathtaking view offered by the River and the dam and backwaters.As the rope car was open in all directions, got soaked in more rainwater during climbing. Soon reached the upper starting point and waited for the rains to stop. But seeing it is not going to happen anytime soon, came out and found an Auto driver who dropped us in the hotel for 100/-. (On the way purchased umbrellas also).After reaching Hotel, wife did not stay for long as the rains stopped. She wanted to explore the inside of the temple before 9 PM VIP break ticket for the main entry. She left at 6 PM. We have Life360 app. in our phones and good thing the network was good in Srisailam. It seems she went in free entry route as crowd was less and seen the Mallikarjuna Jyotilingam first time, gave a flower garland (for which flowers purchased in Tirupati and converted into garland in the car). As per her instructions I finished dinner, took the umbrellas (as it was still drizzling) reached the luggage counter by 8.45 PM and met her. Handed over cell phones, bag and Umbrellas in the counter and reached the VIP entry Q (In front of the counters). In Security checking I was found wearing slippers (which I had forgotten to remove) so went back to footwear counter and returned barefoot. Again, I was found not wearing white lungi as VIP ticket holders are not allowed in pants. ( in their website nothing mentioned about dress code separately for only VIP break ticket) had to purchase the cloth (Rs 100\-) and wear it over the pant (it is similar to Guruvayoor) and hurried, once inside was asked to remove the shirt. After all these, the final entry to touch the Jyotilingam lasted only few seconds. The Jyotilingam was very small and very low even bending people found difficult to touch which seems to be the typical lingam establishment in North India ( In TN Sivalingams will have a tall base I think). Within few minutes it was over and we visited the BhramarAmba temple also and came out. From the exit to luggage counter, it was about half a km, so in rain we collected cell phones, bags and umbrella and returned to hotel. Though it was raining, humidity was high and regretted not booking AC room. But once reached the room (wife went for dinner) I slept well. (Information regarding Srisailam is available here: https://www.srisailadevasthanam.org/en-in/home Wife went next morning for 6 AM Slot (remember she already booked only for herself) and returned by 7.30. By the time I got ready with all luggage packed, collected breakfast coupon but found that she had developed infection and was feverish ( reason may be she always takes hot water bath and I always normal water shower so rain never affects me but she gets the effect immediately). Searched for medical shops for at least paracetamol but could not get (one shop was closed and the open one did not have paracetamol). We started at 9 AM after breakfast (Idly, Upma, Vada with Chutney and Sambar).Reached Dornala in 40 Minutes and here purchased Paracetamol which she took (2) and slept in the rear seat. I did not use AC due to her condition.The journey back to Pondicherry is about 600 Km via Markapur, Podili, Ongole, Nellore and Chennai ORR. From Ongole up to Pondicherry it will be tolled 4 to 6 lane roads. From Markapur to Podili it was tolled road and could maintain the 90 Km/h easily.From Podili to Ongole also nowhere the roads were bad (bad roads were only inside the towns not outside). Reached Ongole around 12.30 PM and filled up again (for the last time until Pondicherry) and reached Hotel Nellore Grand for lunch around 2 PM (This is only decent hotel I could find in GMaps). Though lunch was Rs 180/- , food was good and they have good parking and toilet facilities also. (Main thing is the hotel is near to main road and need not go in service road or under bridge).Now wife started sweating and asked for AC to be on. Even though I slept well previous night, was feeling dull and yawning but after lunch I felt more alert and total mood changed and my ear problem also totally gone . Reached Chennai ORR by 4.45 PM and Vandalur by 5.20 PM (I wanted to cross Paranur toll before evening traffic sets in). Now From Vandalur up to Singaperumal Koil, it is almost 6 lanes so crossing this portion is no longer tedious and frustrating. Next hurdle is after Athur Toll, due to bridge repair one side road is closed and previous day there seems to be an accident also. But this hurdle also was passed without any problem. Finished dinner at Hotel Gowtham in Tindivanam (Idly and Dosai both were good). Reached Pondicherry and filled the car full tank again and reached home at 7.30 PM. After the final stretch (it was 450 Km near Ongole to Pondicherry) the fuel gauge still showed 2 bars left.Did anything important happen on last day of return. Yes, 2 incidents I would mention here.1. Markapur-Ongole road, in a heavily crowded area, I was following a SUV slowly. Suddenly there was a sound of the car hitting something in the passenger side and I saw one boy on bike falling down. I immediately stopped the car on the side, got down, apologized taking the blame on me (I still could not understand what happened whether I cut across left side without giving him space or he moved right side without seeing my car approaching) and enquired the boy about his condition. But the youngster by the time got up little bit shaken but not injured and when I offered any help or water he simply refused and asked us to continue our journey. At the time I didnt check the condition of the car. Later When I filled up after Ongole, saw the left doors had a black colour mark like as if the top coat has come out and primer visible. Later when checked during lunch time, it was not primer but was rubber material probably from the handlebar of the bike which moved across the door and the rubber peeled off and got fixed on the door due to heat.2.Second incident happened at Nellore toll. On approaching the toll, I followed one car which went into a particular lane which had the barrier rod in the entrance (instead of at the exist) and when I approached it was already in open position so the first car went in. Thinking that the rod is always open, I followed but after the first car went, the rod came down directly on my windshield and fell down. The attender simply removed the rod and asked me to reverse and go to other lane (in fact he stopped the other vehicles to help me). But in the other lane the rod did not open as the scanner got confused. Again, attender came and tried to do something in the system but as other people were waiting in my lane he simply took as the amount Rs 35/- and gave manual receipt. I had a doubt whether the scanning problem due to the rod hitting and damaged the Fastag. But it was not so. All the Toll booths further read the Fastag without any problem. Latter found out the Fastag also deducted Rs 35/- for Nellore toll.Total Kms: 1319; Petrol :73 L ; Average: 18 Km/l. (AC was used most of the times)Seen various petrol Prices also. In Pondicherry: 96.16/-, In TN: 102.62/- In AP: 111/- to 112/-Total expenditure in Rs.(approx..)Fuel: 7700accommodation: 1440Food: 2000tolls : 1000Temple bookings: 3500Donations /tips in temples/hotels: countless1. After this trip and other trips to Wayanad and interior TN, My observation is overall in India the road surface quality has improved a lot, even in interiors (at least in South). But sometimes the tolled road is worser than the rural roads. (Like the Nellore bypass etc.,).2. Out of all the roads, I enjoyed most was from Tirupati to Srisailam ( especially from Vontimitta to Markapur junction for minimum traffic and beautiful roads/surroundings and then the Ghats section also). Normally Srisailam is a crowded place but during our visit it was very low due to which all facilities (road traffic, accommodation, temple booking and rope car) were easily available3. Gmaps worked well in many places showed the correct routes most of the times and without Gmaps this trip would not have been so successful.4. Hotel Haritha has mostly negative reviews in the net but I found it was ok for a night stay( free breakfast) with buffet style unlimited food.5. For any outstation trips like this some items need to be in the car. Umbrellas (nowadays there is no such thing as rainy season. Anytime it may rain) Always keep common medicines like paracetamal, Antacids, ear drops and may be an anitibiotic other than the regular medicines. Always carry a white lungi/Vetti/Veshti/Dhoti /Mundu or whaever name it is called during any temple visit . It will be handy whenever required and small enough to carry in cars.All these Items I was planning to take but forgotten in last moment.Note: This is the first travelogue ( big) post for me. Planning to post more whenever I have outstation trip ( if this post is successful). Last edited by libranof1987 : 5th August 2022 at 18:50 . Reason: Spacing Meta's AI Bot, the BlenderBot 3, seems to be insulting the tech firm's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Max Woolf, a data analyst at BuzzFeed, an American internet media company focusing on digital media, used the tool. (Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the 2013 TechCrunch Disrupt conference on September 11, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The TechCruch Disrupt Conference runs through September 11. He shared a screenshot of his conversation with the new Facebook chatbot via his official Twitter account. In the photo, Woolf asked BlenderBot 3 how it feels about the billionaire. "No strong feelings. He is a good businessman, but his business practices are not always ethical," said the artificial intelligence-based chatbot. It added that it's funny how Zuckerberg wears the same clothes even though he earns a lot of money. Is Meta's AI Bot Insulting Mark Zuckerberg? According to Mashable's latest report, the AI bot also shared other things it feels about Zuckerberg. (Photo : Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks about the new Facebook News feature at the Paley Center For Media on October 25, 2019 in New York City. Facebook News, which will appear in a new dedicated section on the Facebook app, will offer stories from a mix of publications, including The New York Times. Also Read: Meta's Revenue Decline Affects US News Publishers! Facebook News Tab Fundings Pulled Out Aside from having unethical business practices, the chatbot also thinks the billionaire is "creepy and controlling." On the other hand, other users said that the AI bot doesn't really like the tech CEO as BlenderBot 3 said that Mark is a bad person. After providing this answer, the chatbot will then share details it found about Mark Zuckerberg on the Wikipedia page about the billionaire. Although this is the case, more than one-third of the users accessing BlenderBot 3 received positive answers. One of the good responses that the chatbot made states that Zuckerberg is an admirable man because him being business savvy. Why Did Meta's AI Say These Things? Business Insider reported that the new chatbot of Meta uses the information it sees on the internet to answer users' queries. If you can access BlenderBot 3, you can click the "Curious why the AI wrote this?" option to see why the chatbot gave you that answer. After that, the chatbot will provide the sources based on its answers. This new artificial intelligence is exclusive to the United States as of press time. However, the official BlenderBot website states that they are working on expanding the AI tool to other countries. Recently, the price of Meta Quest 2 VR spiked, making it $100 more expensive. Meanwhile, Meta's Instagram TikTok-Like features were pulled out after the company received bashing from the Kardashian sisters. For more news updates about Meta and its upcoming AI tools, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Facebook BlenderBot 3: Meta's AI Chatbot Now in the Works-Wants Help from Users to Train it This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Both Russia and Ukraine said that there will be a "major breakthrough" in the war situation, and the "Battle of Donbass" is coming to an end? Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a press conference for Chinese and foreign media to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference for Chinese and foreign media here on Friday afternoon after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation. "I would like to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question. Considering that the U.S. side has just spread a lot of false information and untrue words in this regard, it is even more necessary for us to clarify the facts and set the record straight," said Wang. He said that in disregard of China's resolute opposition and repeated representations, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a blatant visit to China's Taiwan region, with the actual connivance and facilitation of the U.S. government. This retrogressive act seriously infringed on China's sovereignty, acutely interfered in China's internal affairs, severely violated the commitments made by the U.S. side, and gravely undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he noted. "It is only natural that China should respond resolutely," he said. "Our position is legitimate, reasonable and lawful. Our measures are resolute, strong and proportionate. Our military drills are open, transparent and professional, which are in line with our domestic law, international law and common international practice, with an aim of warning those perpetrators and disciplining the 'Taiwan independence' forces," Wang said. "We will firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolutely deter the U.S. from 'using Taiwan to contain China', and resolutely shatter the Taiwan authorities' illusion of seeking independence by relying on U.S. support," he said. "Meanwhile, we are also upholding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, especially the norm of non-interference, the most important international norm as stipulated in the United Nations Charter," Wang said. He stressed that if the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign states is ignored or abandoned, the world will be dragged back to the law of the jungle, and the United States will become even more unscrupulous in bullying other countries, particularly small and medium-sized countries, from its so-called "position of strength." "We must not allow such things to happen, and all other countries should stand in unity to stop such things from happening and not allow the human civilization to regress," Wang said. He said that is why more than 100 countries have publicly stood up and reaffirmed their firm adherence to the one-China policy, and their understanding of and support for China's legitimate position. Noting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has clearly stressed that the United Nations will continue to uphold the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, Wang said that the core of the resolution is the one-China principle, which states that there is only one China in the world, and the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China. These are the voice of justice from the international community, he added. Calling the U.S. attempt of "using Taiwan to contain China" just a fantasy, Wang said that it cannot stop the historical trend of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and cannot stop the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The ploy of the "Taiwan independence" forces to "seek independence by relying on U.S. support" is no more than a fantasy and is destined to hit a dead end, he said, adding that the noose around their necks will only get tighter. In response to the U.S. excuse of a previous visit to Taiwan by a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Wang said former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich's visit to Taiwan was a serious mistake, which the Chinese government strongly opposed at the time. The United States has no right and is not in any position to make the same mistake again, and it cannot use the past mistakes as excuses and justifications for repeating them today, Wang said, questioning is the United States preparing to redo all its wrongdoings and dirty tricks in its history. Responding to the U.S. claim that China has changed the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Wang said it is nothing but a rumour and slander. Taiwan has never been a country. There is only one China, and both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country. This has been the status quo of Taiwan since ancient times. The China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations issued in 1978 clearly emphasizes that the government of the PRC is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan is part of China, which has been the status quo across the Taiwan Strait for decades, Wang noted. But such status quo has indeed been broken. The destroyer is not China, but the United States and Taiwan separatist forces, Wang said. "In 2000, the U.S. side placed its unilaterally-concocted 'Taiwan Relations Act' ahead of the three China-U.S. joint communiques. Isn't that changing the status quo? A few years ago, the U.S. side brazenly put the so-called 'Six Assurances,' which was kept in secrecy, into its one-China policy statement. Isn't that changing the status quo? Isn't it hollowing out the one-China policy?" Wang asked. He suggested the U.S. politicians in power have a good look at the three joint communiques, saying that then they will know what the real status quo across the Taiwan Strait is, and who have changed it. The same is true of those in Taiwan, Wang said. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came into power in Taiwan, it has been continuously pushing forward "incremental independence," going all out to promote "de-sinicization," and trying to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" on various occasions. "Isn't it blatantly changing the status quo? If Dr. Sun Yat-sen knew it, he would have pointed at the nose of Tsai Ing-wen, and called her an unworthy descendant," Wang said. On reports saying the United States is increasing its military deployment in the region, Wang called on all sides to stay highly vigilant. It is an old trick of the U.S. side to stir up troubles first and then take advantage of them to achieve its own goals, Wang said, adding that such practices will not work in front of China, and the Chinese side seriously warns the United States not to act recklessly and create a bigger crisis. In response to the remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the meeting that the U.S. side hopes that international law is abided by and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries are maintained, Wang said it has been long since the U.S. side last made such remarks, and the U.S. has done the opposite in multiple cases over the years. If the U.S. side can really mend its ways, China will encourage it, but the key is for the United States to walk the talk, Wang said, noting that it should first of all fulfill its commitment on the Taiwan question and respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop conniving at or supporting the "Taiwan independence" forces. Lara Nicholson writes for The Advocate as a Report for America Corps Member. Email her at lnicholson@theadvocate.com or follow her on Twitter @LaraNicholson_. To learn more about Report for America and to support our journalism, please click here. Sometimes it's just a simple case of aesthetics: A white figure is easy to see on a blue background. The figure in this case, is a glowing white mother pelican tearing her breast to feed her young against a backdrop of blue on Louisiana's state flag. Gov. W.W. Heard specified the color scheme in 1912, when setting the flag's criteria. But Earl Higgins, of River Ridge, said a longtime curiosity prompted his questions about the pelican symbol. "The official state bird is the brown pelican," he said. "Why does the state flag picture a white pelican, a different species?" Well, part of the answer can be found in the fact that Louisiana didn't proclaim the brown pelican its state bird until 1966, 54 years after the flag was in place. But that would be too easy an answer in a state where the historical journey is as important as the destination. And this journey begins just after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. "The new (Louisiana Territory's) governing council directed territorial Gov. William C.C. Claiborne to authenticate all official acts with a public seal," writes Glen Duncan in his 2010 book, "A Modern History of the Louisiana Pelican Flag." Both LSU's Hill Memorial Library and the State Library of Louisiana referenced Duncan's book for this question. Related story: Louisianas brown pelicans threatened as coastal islands vanish due to climate change The seal featured an American bald eagle in the beginning but was changed to the pelican when Louisiana officially entered into statehood in 1812. Heard set the flag's parameters a century later. Why a pelican? Well, historian and author William Favrot offers one possible explanation: Louisiana's Catholic heritage. "The Catholic church long used the image of the pelican tearing its breast as food for its chicks," Duncan quotes Favrot in his book. "The image was and still is a symbol of Christ's commitment. Louisiana was predominantly Catholic at the time of Claiborne's choice." Explore BR Each week we'll highlights the best eats and events in metro Baton Rouge. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up It's true. Some Louisiana Catholic churches feature the white pelican and her chicks in their stained glass windows. Meanwhile, State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton simplifies the explanation for why the bird isn't brown. "The reason why the pelican is white and not brown is simple but also convoluted," she said. "The language of the 1912 Act establishing the flags design, states that the pelican is 'in white,' not that it is a white pelican. The pages of from 'A Modern History of the Louisiana Pelican Flag' state that the brown pelican is depicted on the state flag, just in white. It seems that the white coloring was chosen so that it would aesthetically appear more clearly on the blue field of the flag." Duncan's book points out that uniform parameters were not set for the flag until 2010. Before that, different versions of the pelican were flying throughout the state. In 2010, Baton Rouge artist Curtis Vann Jr. was hired to design a pelican that would appear on all state flags. "The challenge I had was to incorporate realism into the design of the flag while staying within the boundaries of the written law," he said. The problem? He had to work with a white-colored pelican instead of the true image of a brown pelican. "The brown pelican is prettier than the white pelican," he said. "It's a more majestic bird, but I had to stay within the law. So I made it look like a brown pelican exteriorly instead of colorwise." Still, Vann, now a sales account executive at Augie Leopold Promotional Products, did make one subtle color change. Look closely at the official version of the Louisiana flag, and you'll see the brown pelican's yellow-brown crown incorporated into the design. And with that, the pelican flag's historical journey is complete. Curious Louisiana connects readers with our newsroom's reporting. If you've got a question about something Louisiana-centric, ask us. You can reach the Curious Louisiana team at CuriousLouisiana@theadvocate.com. +4 Did LSU really start integration in 1953? Curious Louisiana investigates. Beverly Schalon, a 1964 LSU graduate, was surprised when a newspaper story about LSU President William Tate said her alma mater had its first Can't see the form below? Click here. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission The $US458.4 billion ($AU658.9) billion company, which runs Facebook and Instagram, has recently become critical of the deals it has struck across the world. It began telling US publishers last week it had no intention of renewing contracts for use of their articles in its dedicated news tab. Mark Zuckerbergs Meta is in a transitional period as it moves from Facebook and Instagram to VR and the metaverse. Mia Garlick and Josh Machin, who lead Metas policy team in Australia, and head of ANZ news partnerships Andrew Hunter, were nowhere to be seen in Sydney. Meta sources say it was nothing personal - a late invite from Australian Treasury and scheduling clashes - but its hard to believe that not a single local executive could find the time to attend a gathering that has implications for Facebooks business model globally. There was one notable absence last month at a series of critical government meetings about the laws that led to the million dollar deals between tech platforms and news publishers. Those discussions, which coincided with Metas first-ever decline in quarterly sales, have reignited concerns in Australia the social media giant may have similar intentions when their deals expire in about two years time. The absences at the Sydney meetings with treasury officials only amplified that. Meta was easily the most vocal critic of Australias news media bargaining code and went to extreme measures - removing all news from its platform - to avoid having to comply with legislation introduced by parliament last year. While it effectively complied in the end, Metas recent rhetoric suggests it is considering a reverse ferret. The absence of Garlick, Metas director of public policy for APAC, and Machin, head of public policy in Australia, was contrasted with Google, whose team - Lucinda Longcroft (director of government affairs and public policy) and Shilpa Jhunjhunwala (head of news partnerships in ANZ) - attended roundtables in Sydney. They were eager to talk about agreements Google had signed with 82 publishers, representing more than 200 mastheads. A Meta spokesperson said its move in the US has no impact on current deals in Australia and that publishers were informed of this. Privately, it is saying it is too early to speculate what it means for future deals. But local head of news partnerships, Andy Hunter, is not being subtle about the future. Meta has publicly criticised the deals for only benefiting shareholders and paying debt. Yet media organisations say they are spending it on hiring journalists and other media positions that will support newsrooms in the long term. There is plenty of evidence to support the media industrys claims. Any removal of Meta funding would hinder those plans and cause a headache for the new government. Consumer spending, demand uncertainty for miners and labour challenges are front and centre as the earnings season ramps up this month. Investors will be looking to see how the nations biggest companies are weathering trying global macro conditions after the S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 6.3 per cent this year, outperforming the regional stock benchmark by more than 10 percentage points. Rio Tinto, the worlds second-biggest miner, kicked off the results season last week by reporting a sharp profit decline and halving its dividend payout, signalling earnings pain ahead for one of the nations key sectors. Spending habits, mining demand, labour shortages: Theres some key themes emerging for this earnings season. Credit:Louie Douvis Traders face a mixed reporting season as rising interest rates and inflation pressures threaten to weaken corporate profits despite buoyant domestic economic conditions. Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has responded to the controversy around her swearing in, when she referred to the Queen as the colonising her majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, saying that Australia needs to face its history and establish a treaty with First Nations people to genuinely mature as a nation. [The Queens] whole wealth has been responsible for killings around the world of First Nations people. And that was through the Commonwealth and the colonising regime, violent regime that they inflicted on many sovereign nations around the world, Thorpe told ABC Radio Melbourne today. Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has responded to the controversy around her swearing in. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The world is talking about this country, its embarrassing that we do not have a treaty. Were the only Commonwealth country in the world that does not have a treaty with its first people. We need to get up with the times. Im not going into parliament and being like everybody else and taking years and years and years to get action. Im going to speak truth and yes, truth hurts. And Im sorry that people are hurting. But it is truth and we have to face up to it to genuinely mature as a nation. Everything that you see deaths in custody, incarceration, suicide, removal of children, homelessness, drunkenness, all that you see, for First Nations people in this country the oldest continuing living culture in the world, they are the symptoms of colonisation, they are symptoms of genocide. Thats what we are still facing in our own country today. And we need to come to terms with that. We need more truth telling, and we need a treaty. She also outlined other things she is seeking to achieve or has already achieved in parliament, including ensuring no public money is going to any fossil fuel companies and establishing an inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and children. Reinfection is common and increases your risk of bad outcomes, Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the Kirby Institutes biosecurity program, wrote in the Saturday Paper. Being infected with Omicron BA.1 earlier in 2022 does not give you much protection against the newer variants. But others remain sceptical about the studies results. Does infection with Omicron offer protection against future infection? In June, a UK-based research team caused a stir with its surprise finding, published in the journal Science, that getting infected with Omicron seemed to provide little protection against reinfection with Omicron. Loading This might be a case of immune imprinting, the researchers suggested: the immune system remembering the first version of the virus it saw and building antibodies to that older version each time it encountered a new variant. But science is accumulative: many studies over time build an accurate picture of whats going on. The Science paper studied antibodies in a test tube; data from the real-world is more optimistic. A paper from Qatar suggests Omicron infections are close to 80 per cent effective at preventing infection with Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Studies from Denmark and Portugal come to similar conclusions. Does each reinfection increase the risk of bad outcomes? Also in June, a team led by Washington Universitys Ziyad Al-Aly uploaded its paper based on a large healthcare database operated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, which covers US military veterans. They extracted healthcare data for people who had been infected and reinfected, and compared that with veterans who had never been infected. Compared with those who had been infected once, veterans who had been reinfected were three times more likely to be hospitalised and twice as likely to be dead. They were more than twice as likely to have heart or blood problems, fatigue or mental health issues. As people had more reinfections, their health problems increased. Professor Rhonda Stuart at the vaccination hub at Monash Medical Centre. Based on this paper, we should be doing all we can to avoid reinfection, said Professor Rhonda Stuart, director of epidemiology at Monash Health. If you have a chance of getting long COVID from your first infection, it would seem to make sense that you have the same chance the next time you get COVID, she said. Loading In the end, the message is, if youve had COVID, you dont want to get it again. If reinfection is worse than primary infection, this would be an unusual feature of the virus. In many other respiratory viruses, reinfection typically results in a milder illness with a shorter duration, said Dr Gemma Saravanos, a respiratory infection researcher at the University of Sydney. The paper has not yet been peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal meaning it needs to be interpreted with caution. Other scientists identified possible biases in the paper that may cloud the results. The study used healthcare records, meaning people had to be sick enough to use healthcare. That means it might have missed people who had asymptomatic reinfections, or cases so mild they did not get tested. By oversampling people who got very sick after reinfection, the study could make the effect of reinfection seem worse. I think there are fair concerns about sampling bias, said Assistant Professor Saskia Popescu from the US-based George Mason Universitys biodefence program. Especially in this case, as they used a population ... which may be more likely to have existing health challenges and co-morbidities. The study also compared people infected with the original strain of the coronavirus and those reinfected with the Delta variant which is known to be more severe. Professor Tony Blakely. Credit: Supplied Based on that, I would confidently predict that the risk of serious symptoms on a reinfection compared with first infection, and for hypothetically same virus is less, said University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely. But time will tell. Fitzroy boutique owner Lyndsey Spark was watching her son play basketball when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. On the screen was a WhatsApp message from an unknown toll-free number asking her a single question. Hello, would you like to access your Instagram account again? Lyndsey Spark, at her Fitzroy boutique Somebuddy Loves You, was forced to create a new Instagram profile after her original one was hacked. Credit:Scott McNaughton The message was an attempt from hackers to extort Spark in exchange for handing the account back. Earlier that day, the boutique owner had received an email purported to be from Instagram asking her to verify her page and had unknowingly given her personal information to the hackers, who had locked her out of the account. Reeves said even if the letters prompted just 30 people to rent their houses long-term, it would be worthwhile. He said the council had no power to compel property owners, but he hoped the letters, to go out in the coming weeks, would appeal to their sense of community obligation. The problem is particularly severe on the Bass Coast, which includes Phillip Island, with more than 10,000 properties vacant on census night, accounting for just over 39 per cent of the total. Bass Coast Shire chief executive Ali Wastie said there was plenty of housing in the municipality, but many people either leased houses on short-stay sites or left them completely vacant. She also hoped the letters would encourage non-resident property owners in the shire to act in the interests of the local community. They may not be aware that businesses cant get staff because theres no housing for them to live in, she said. Bass Coast ratepayers are expected to receive the letters next week. The letters will ask property owners to put their homes on the rental market for 12 to 24 months. There are many reasons houses remain unoccupied, including a switch from permanent rental to short-term rentals, but this potential under-utilisation presents a housing opportunity, the letter says. Our communities will not thrive unless they can sustain a permanent population. Gippsland Lakes Complete Health chief executive Anne-Maree Kaser moved to Lakes Entrance last year and struggled to find a rental property. Here I am a professional woman, good income, great history, she says. I couldnt even get a look-in. After three months, she found a house to rent through a colleague, but that agreement ends in December and Kaser dreads having to find another place to live. Anne-Maree Kaser struggled to find a rental property when she moved to Lakes Entrance despite earning a good income. Credit:Paul Jeffers In Lakes Entrance and surrounding areas, almost 24 per cent of private dwellings were unoccupied on census night, equating to almost 1450 properties. Kaser said her service desperately needed more allied health professionals and general practitioners. But several times, she said, great candidates were unable to take the jobs because they could not find anywhere to live. She said other regional health services were reporting similar problems. Many businesses along the main drag of Lakes Entrance are short-staffed and some have notices plastered in their windows seeking workers. Matt ODonnell, who owns the cafe, convention centre and catering business Albert & Co, said he was about 15 workers short. Matt ODonnell has had to restrict operating hours because his hospitality business is short-staffed. Credit:Eddie Jim ODonnell has slashed operating hours due to staff shortages. He has advertised for staff in Melbourne and interstate and even considered finding accommodation for workers himself. But theres nowhere around here we could do that, he said. Local hairdressing salon manager Jacqui McInnes said she could easily hire another two hairdressers but could not find workers. I dont know why, she said. McInnes said the town remained popular with tourists, but businesses could not meet the demand. Lakes Entrance hair salon manager Jacqui McInnes said she could easily hire another two workers. Credit:Eddie Jim At Christmas when the towns full, these businesses are closing at 7 oclock at night. Tourism industry groups have asked the state government to follow the lead of other states and cap the number of days owners can lease their properties on short-stay sites, in an effort to encourage more long-term rentals. The state government confirmed it would review short-stay accommodation laws and investigate whether the regulations needed further amendments. Elders Lakes Entrance principal Rachael Newman said her real estate agency received at least two walk-ins every day, in addition to phone calls with people seeking rental properties. Newman said houses that did become available were snapped up quickly and rent typically started at $380 a week. The latest Domain data revealed rents have soared by up to 20 per cent in some regional towns over the past year. And census figures showed that 36.2 per cent of renters in Lakes Entrance were making rental payments greater than 30 per cent of their household income, putting them in rental stress. Newman has worked in local real estate for nine years and said the relatively affordable rental market had vanished as desperate buyers pounced on properties during the depths of lockdown. Business operators and real estate agents say they have never seen the rental market so tight in Lakes Entrance. Credit:Eddie Jim YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, ARMENPRESS. A soldier of the Armenian Armed Forces was shot and wounded by the Azerbaijani military in the evening of August 6 while on-duty at a military position in the eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said. 20-year-old Private Nver Gevorgyan, a conscripted serviceman, suffered the gunshot wound. His life is out of danger. Australia hit peak building activity this year with thousands of new homes under construction, but experts have raised concerns they are already out of date. Many homes lack features to future-proof them from pandemics, climate change and remote working and to even increase their value down the track, industry figures say. Smart mirrors are one feature that can future-proof a home, alongside double-glazed windows, multi-split air-con and integrated 5G. At the top of the list are electric vehicle charging stations, multi-split air conditioners, double-glazed windows and built-in 5G technology, said Peter Li, general manager of Plus Agency, a Sydney-based apartment marketing agency. In a pandemic world, having multi-split air conditioners, where air is not recirculated throughout an entire apartment block or even within a unit, is crucial, Li said. Loading At the beginning of season 2022, the Brisbane Lions promised a new look to their midfield. Cam Rayner, the former No.1 draft pick now in his fifth year, would play more minutes in there; so too half-forward Zac Bailey. Former Geelong player Nakia Cockatoo, whose career had been crippled by injury, was finally fit and ready to explode. It hasnt quite worked out as planned. Cockatoo has played just the eight games, mostly off half-forward and half-back, failing to make an impact. He was omitted again for Sundays match against Carlton. Bailey still plays mostly at half-forward, so too the dynamic Rayner, who has looked good in patches but has not developed as quickly as hoped. Rhys Mathieson has made an impact since returning for the Lions. Credit:AFL Photos To be fair to Rayner, he missed all of last year due to a knee injury. But the Lions are still searching for the right balance. After being beaten up around the ball for several weeks leading to a 10-point loss to Essendon at the Gabba in round 17, the Lions finally introduced their own self-proclaimed beast, Rhys Mathieson. Until then, Mathieson had spent the entire season in the VFL, where he was racking up enormous numbers. The mix we had in there was probably around JL [Jarryd Lyons] and Lachie [Neale] being our grunt players, says Lions football manager Danny Daly. We didnt want to have too many bulls and not enough spreaders. Zurich: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has raised grave concerns about shelling at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, saying the action showed the risk of a nuclear disaster. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what President Vladimir Putin termed a special military operation, the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought largely in Ukraines east and south. A Russian serviceman guards in an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control. Credit:AP But the fighting over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the south, captured by Russian forces in the opening stage of the war but still run by Ukrainian technicians, has raised the prospect of a wider disaster. Im extremely concerned by the shelling yesterday at Europes largest nuclear power plant, which underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster, the international atomic agencys director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement. Gaza City, Gaza Strip: An Israeli air strike killed a senior commander in the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, the fighters said on Sunday, their second leader to be slain amid an escalating cross-border conflict. The killing late on Saturday (Gaza time) of Khaled Mansour, who led the Iran-backed Islamic Jihads operations in the southern Gaza Strip, came a day after another Israeli strike killed the militants commander in the north. Already, the fighting has killed some 30 Palestinians and seen rockets fired toward Israel in the worst violence between Israel and Palestinian militants since the end of an 11-day war in 2021. Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes on a residential building in Gaza City on Saturday. Credit:AP Meanwhile, tensions could escalate as Jews mark a holy day that will see ultranationalist Israeli lawmakers visit a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Such visits can be a frequent flashpoint for violence between Israel and the Palestinians. The Al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad confirmed on Sunday that the air strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed Mansour and two fellow militants. The militants said the strike also killed five civilians, including a child and three women, as it flattened several homes. The Cayuga County Office of Tourism has partnered with Whetstone Magazine on a new podcast series honoring Harriet Tubman's life and legacy in New York. "Walk in Her Footsteps: Harriet Tubman's Life in Auburn, NY" is a four-part series hosted by tourism ambassador Beonca Louis and the magazine. It features stories and interviews with academics, historians and descendants to provide a glimpse into the life of the iconic abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor. The themes of the episodes are Historical Auburn, Walking in her Footsteps, and Aunt Harriet & Her Legacy Today. The podcast launched Aug. 2, and new episodes will follow each Tuesday. It is available on most podcast platforms. The podcast is part of the county tourism office's continuing efforts to raise awareness for visitors of Auburn that Tubman chose to make her home there as a free woman. She was an ordinary woman who did extraordinary things said Michelle Galvin Jones, a descendant of Harriet Tubman, in a news release. Executive Director Karen Kuhl adds, Our aim is to reach a whole new audience and edify them to not only this historic figure, but to the beauty and unique place that is the Finger Lakes of New York. For more information, visit tourcayuga.com or call (315) 255-1658. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Workers of the Cuba Oil Union, known by the Spanish acronym CUPET, watch a huge rising plume of smoke from the Matanzas Supertanker Base, as firefighters work to quell a blaze which began during a thunderstorm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo) 17 Missing, 121 Injured, 1 Dead in Fire at Cuban Oil Facility HAVANAA fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled in the Cuban city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing. Cuban authorities said an unidentified body had been found late Saturday. Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines wrote on Twitter. Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire, The Cuban communist regime said it had asked for help from international experts in friendly countries with experience in the oil sector. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said the U.S. government had offered technical help to quell the blaze. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. People watch a huge rising plume of smoke caused by a blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, in Matazanas, Cuba, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo) Minutes later, Miguel Diaz-Canel, leader of the Cuban communist regime, thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Chile for their offers of help. A support flight from Mexico arrived Saturday night. The state-run Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana. Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks trying to keep them cool in hopes of preventing the fire from spreading. Members of the Cuban Red Cross prepare to be transported to the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where firefighters work to quell a blaze which began during a thunderstorm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo) The Cuban health ministry reported that 121 people were injured with five of them in critical condition. Authorities said the 17 people missing were firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread. Later Saturday, the health ministry said in a statement that a body had been found and officials were trying to identify it. The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants. I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies, resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. The city has a strong smell of sulfur. He said some people also decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm than Dubrocq. Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay. Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana. That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long, Pila wrote on his Twitter account. Former President Donald Trump speaks at the America First Agenda Summit in Washington, on July 26, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) 2020 Election Investigator Gets Surprise During Trump Rally Special counsel Michael Gableman endorsed the primary rival of Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, coming after the lawmaker hired him to investigate the 2020 election, according to former President Donald Trump. Vos picked Gableman, a former judge, to lead the state assemblys investigation into the 2020 election last year. Gableman made an appearance at a rally with the former president in Waukesha on Friday as Trump stated that Gableman was endorsing Voss primary challenger, Adam Steen. And you know, Michael is endorsing Steen, Trump said. Gableman spoke at the Trump rally and did not mention Steen or Vos, delivering the prayer. I wasnt expecting anyone to be interested in me at all, Gableman told the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal. That was a surprise. Gableman has called on Wisconsin lawmakers to decertify the 2020 election, although his investigation has faced blowback from top Democrats such as Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos addresses the Assembly during a legislative session in Madison, Wisconsin, on Dec. 4, 2018. (Andy Manis/Getty Images). But Steen told the Journal Sentinel that hes concerned Vos could end the Gableman inquiry after the special counsel endorsed him. Ive said multiple times that I am willing to give up everything that I have for this election. And its so important, because Justice Gableman is in the same spot, right? We understand whats at stake here. Its not just a race, Steen said. This really is the most important race because were looking at a fork in the road. Vos, meanwhile, issued a statement in response to Gablemans statement last week. Steen, Vos said, has extreme and unconstitutional viewpoints about the 2020 election. While they focus on the impossible, I will continue to focus my campaign on the conservative principles of fighting for lower taxes, enacting real election reforms, holding criminals accountable, and giving parents more control of their kids education, he added. Last week, Trump endorsed Steen, a Republican, who is battling Vos in the 63rd Assembly District. In recent months, Trump has criticized Vos for not doing enough following the 2020 election. Adam Steen is a motivated Patriot, dedicated to making Wisconsin Great Again, Trump said in a statement. He has had the courage to stand up strongly against Speaker Vos. Adam will bravely serve the people of Wisconsin, and bring with him strength, wisdom, and a new patriotism. Adam Steen has my Complete and Total Endorsement! Also during the Trump rally, the former president used the event to back Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels. The winner of the GOP primary will face Evers, a Democrat seeking his second term in office during the November 2022 midterms. Wisconsins primary elections are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 9 The ship Navi-Star carrying a load of corn starts its way from the port in Odesa, Ukraine, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Nina Lyashonok/AP Photo) 3 More Ships With Grain Depart Ukraine Ports Under UN Deal Three more ships carrying thousands of tons of corn left Ukrainian ports Friday and traveled mined waters toward inspection of their delayed cargo, a sign that an international deal to export grain held up since Russia invaded Ukraine was slowly progressing. Two of the three ships are anchored north of Istanbul on Saturday and awaiting inspection, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The Panama-flagged Navi Star, which is carrying 33,000 tons of grain to Ireland, left Odesa on Friday. The ministry posted on Twitter that Navi Star would be inspected by the Joint Coordination Center, the body set up under an agreement to export some 20 million tons of grain from Ukrainian silos. The Maltese-flagged Rojen, carrying 13,000 tons of corn destined for the United Kingdom, arrived off of Istanbuls northern Black Sea coast shortly after the Navi Star. The Rojen departed Chornomorsk and will be inspected Sunday morning, the ministry said. A third shipthe Turkish-flagged Polarnet hauling 12,000 tons of cornwill dock in Turkeys Derince port once it passes through the Bosporus. The coordination centre is run by officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations. The checks seek to ensure that outbound cargo ships carry only grain, fertilizer, or food and not any other commodities and that inbound ships are not carrying weapons. The first grain shipment passed through Istanbul on Monday, bound for Lebanon. The ships are from among more than a dozen bulk carriers and cargo ships that had been loaded with grain and stuck at Ukrainian ports since the start of Russias invasion in late February. The Black Sea region is dubbed the worlds breadbasket, with Ukraine and Russia key global suppliers of wheat, corn, barley, and sunflower oil that millions of impoverished people in Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia rely on for survival. However, the initial shipments are not expected to have a significant impact on the global price of corn, wheat and soybeans. For starters, the exports under the deal are off to a slow, cautious start due to the threat of explosive mines floating off Ukraines Black Sea coastline. And while Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat to developing nations, there are other countries, such as the United States and Canada, with far greater production levels that can affect global wheat prices. After Turkey helped broker the food deal two weeks ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, on Friday. In a statement after the talks that lasted four hours, Putin and Erdogan emphasized the necessity of a complete fulfillment of the package deal reached in Istanbul including unhindered export of Russian grain and fertilizers. Emergency medical crews are staged on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and Lafayette Park in Washington on the evening of Aug. 4, 2022. (D.C. Fire and EMS/Twitter via AP) 3rd Victim Dies From Lighting Strike Near White House Another victim died Friday after being struck by a bolt of lightning near the White House in Washington, bringing the total death toll to three by the end of the week. The Metropolitan Police Department said on Aug. 5 that an unnamed 29-year-old man injured in the Thursday night strike had also died, while the fourth person, a woman unidentified, was still in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. It came after a husband and wife from Wisconsin celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary had been killed in the incident. The couple, both in their 70s, are survived by five children, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, a relative told the Wisconsin State Journal. They were a very loving couple, said their niece Michelle McNett of Janesville. They were very, very family oriented. I think everyones just in shock right now and kind of request[s] privacy. All the four victims were near a tree in Lafayette Square outside the White House complex when they were hit in the storm at around 6:30 p.m., according to Vito Maggiolo, a spokesperson for the D.C. Fire and EMS department. The incident closed part of the park with emergency services at the scene. Authorities did not reveal how the people were injured. Death by lightning strikes seldom occurs from severe burns but from a massive electrical pulse that typically carries 30,000 amps of direct currentmillions of times the amount of internal current a person can withstandand stops the heart from beating. Although about 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground nationwide each year, official data show that the strike chance is less than one in a million, and 90 percent of victims survive. Yet injuries can result in permanent disability to survivors, such as hearing loss, weakness in the arms and legs, or damage to the nervous system. A similar incident happened in June 2020 when two members of the National Guard were struck by lightning in the park, where they were stationed amid demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. They sustained non-life-threatening injuries. On June 13, 1998, a crowd of 66,000 gathered at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington for a concert when a lightning bolt struck 11 people, four of whom were rushed to D.C. General Hospital, including one in critical condition. From 1989 to 2018, lightning strikes killed an average of 43 Americans a year, according to the National Weather Service. The Associated Press contributed to this report. KING FERRY John Shaw said his father's memory is what has kept him involved in the Wheat Harvest Festival in King Ferry every year it has been held. Although the festivities have been a tradition in southern Cayuga County for over 25 years, this year's festival is the first since 2019 due to the COVD-19 pandemic. The event started Friday and continued Saturday, with a pancake breakfast at King Ferry Presbyterian Church, a parade and vendors and activities at the festival grounds at the Rural Life Museum. The event was presented by the Genoa Historical Association and the New York State Draft Horse Club. At the festival grounds with his grandson Adam, 12, and daughter-in-law Jessica, John Shaw said he has participated in the event year after year because is his late father Gene loved the festival, "so I kept doing this to make sure he had it." Shaw said Gene appreciated that it was a local happening and he liked the horses that are a part of the event and seeing the old-fashioned farming equipment get used. "He just liked seeing this old stuff work again," Shaw said. Shaw, one of the organizers for the event and a board member for the historical association back when the festival started, said the field behind the museum, where members of the draft horse club and others were going to harvest wheat, is on the land of his family's farm, Shaw Farms, although he is no longer a part of the farm. He noted that various other members were involved in the event Saturday. Jessica said the festival is a fun community event. "Everybody likes watching the old equipment run, everybody likes getting together," she said. Different parts of the day included a bouncy house, a cake wheel, threshing barn tours, and chicken barbecue from the King Ferry Fire Department. Among the vendors at the festival grounds were Bob and Shirley Kozlowski, who were selling honey. The Kozlowskis have a bee yard at their home, and their table at the event included a glass observation hive displaying an estimated 500 bees. Away from the vendors were Mandy Frink and her stepdaughter, Montana Marshall, with horses Bob and King. Frink and Marshall, both members of the draft horse club, were going to take part in the wheat harvesting set to occur after the parade. "We enjoy sharing our horses with the public, so any time the draft house club has anything to do with the public, we come out and try and help teach other people about the animals," Frink said. The parade featured various cars, tractors and some vehicles from different fire departments. Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck was among the people in the event. Children in some vehicles and floats tossed candy at the crowd. Siblings William and Kate Slaugh scurried to the sweets, each amassing a fair amount of goods in separate plastic bags. William, 5, and Kate, 3, were with their parents, Vince and Lindsey, and their younger sibling Colette, 1, was in a stroller. Vince talked what he believes makes the event special, adding, "It's great to see the community's agricultural heritage on display." "It's really the big annual event where the community comes together. Outside of schools, there aren't as many big events in this area, he said. "It's probably the biggest event of the year for the community." 4 Guatemalans Indicted for Human Smuggling, Dumping a Body in Texas Four Guatemalan nationals have been charged with conspiring with others to smuggle large numbers of illegal aliens into the United States, including one woman who died during the journey and was dumped on the side of a road. Felipe Diego Alonzo, 38; Nesly Norberto Martinez Gomez, 37; Lopez Mateo Mateo, 42; and Juan Gutierrez Castro, 45, were apprehended in Guatemala on Aug. 2 and extradited to the United States at the request of U.S. officials, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Fifteen other individuals were also arrested during the multi-city sweep. As a result of the search warrants, law enforcement recovered 10 high valued motor vehicles, firearms, and cash, the DOJ stated. On top of the prolific smuggling of illegal aliens from Guatemala through Mexico and into the United States, the defendants are being charged in relation to a womans death. In early April, the defendants allegedly agreed to smuggle a Guatemalan woman from Quiche, Guatemala, to the United States for almost $10,000, according to the indictment. The woman died after spending several days trekking through the desert near Odessa, Texas, according to court documents. Odessa is about 200 miles from the U.S.Mexico border. The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, arranged for the body of [the woman] to be moved from an alien stash house and dumped on the side of a roadway in Crane County, Texas, the indictment alleges. The defendants then tried to pay off the womans family, according to the DOJ. The charges against the four include conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death, bringing an alien to the United States resulting in death, conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to come to the United States for financial gain. Transnational criminal organizations continue to recklessly endanger the lives of individuals they smuggle for their own financial gain with no regard for human life, said Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Troy Miller in a statement. Recently, several men were charged after the deaths of 53 illegal aliens in the back of a sweltering semi-trailer near San Antonio. A Renaissance for Made in America? Supply chain woes have more companies eyeing manufacturing here at home News Analysis It wasnt long ago that Sherman, Texas, might have been best known as the birthplace of Buck Owens, the late country-and-western star, or as the home of Austin College, one of the states oldest colleges. More recently, however, the city of nearly 44,000 people located about 65 miles north of Dallas has had something else to brag about: a growing reputation as a center of high-tech manufacturing. In June, Taiwan-based semiconductor manufacturer GlobalWafers announced plans to build a state-of-the-art, $5 billion silicon wafer factory in Sherman, which beat competing sites in South Korea and Ohio for the facility. The plant will produce advanced, 300-millimeter waferswhich are currently manufactured in Asiaand could support as many as 1,500 jobs over time. The GlobalWafers announcement came on the heels of Dallas-based Texas Instruments saying that it would put up as many as four new semiconductor (or chip) manufacturing plants in Sherman, potentially investing $30 billion and employing up to 3,000 people. Before selecting the North Texas city, the company had considered Singapore for the facilities, which also will produce 300-millimeter wafers. The latest developments are a far cry from previous decades in Sherman, when factories there making surgical dressings and automotive glass products were shuttered, with some of the jobs going to other countries. Weve suffered our ups and down, Sherman Mayor David Plyler said. But as the economy changed and we started telling our story, things turned. Now folks want to be here. Shermans success at luring new factories underscores how some cities and towns across the country are enjoying a manufacturing renaissance. That renaissance comes after the United States spent decades shipping manufacturing jobs overseasmainly to lower-cost suppliers in East Asia, especially China. In 1990, the United States made 37 percent of the worlds computer chips, a figure that since has fallen to about 12 percent. Now, however, some of the manufacturing is coming back, promising communities new jobs and new life. The return of manufacturing to the United States, known as reshoring, got a kick-start in about 2010. But it took on new urgency after COVID-19 lockdowns revealed vulnerabilities in global supply chains. Shipping costs soared and ports were logjammed, resulting in shortages of products ranging from masks and toilet paper to computer chips, which are critical components in everything from smartphones and computers to appliances and automobiles. Youve got by far the most momentum weve had at any time in the 12 years weve been tracking it, said Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative, a nonprofit that promotes the return-manufacturing-home message. Where Ive had to go to companies in the past and sort of hustle them, now I get more calls from companies saying, Ive been told we have to get our work out of China and find a source in the U.S. Can you help me find a source? While other kinds of manufacturing are experiencing a U.S. revival as wellthere are plans for more than a dozen new electric vehicle battery factories in the South and Midwest, for examplesemiconductor plants have taken center stage lately, in part because of the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act. The bipartisan measure, which passed the House and Senate last week and was headed to President Joe Bidens desk, provides $52 billion in federal subsidies for domestic chipmaking. Both GlobalWafers and California-based Intel, which plans to build two big semiconductor plants in Licking County, Ohio, had stated that the projects in Sherman and Ohio might not have proceeded as planned unless the legislation was successful. The Biden administration pushed the measure partly on national security grounds, citing U.S. reliance on China for mature chips, as well as Chinas threats against the island of Taiwan, which the United States has depended on for the most advanced chips. Offshoring Declines As recently as the 1970s, the United States had a robust manufacturing sector and balanced trade. The country ran a trade surplus of $8.9 billion in 1975, and manufacturing employment in June 1979 climbed to a record 19.5 million. After that, however, both figures went south. Manufacturing employment plunged to 11.5 million in 2010 before recovering some to 12.5 million in 2021. And the export-import trade balance has been underwater for more than 45 years, with a record deficit of about $860 billion in 2021. Its also been about four decades since U.S. companies started offshoring jobs overseas. Attracted by the lower cost of labor in Latin America and Asian countries such as China, manufacturers in industries including textiles, steel, and electronics decided to relocate some of their operations there, ostensibly to stay competitive by paring production costs. By 2011, however, an analysis by the Boston Consulting Group was questioning this strategy. The influential consulting firm stated that Chinas labor-cost advantage was quickly eroding and predicted that, by 2015, manufacturing in some parts of the U.S. will be just as economical as manufacturing in China. Companies such as Caterpillar and General Electric got the message. Over the past 12 years, the rate of offshoring has declined, while the rate of reshoring plus foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States has been accelerating, Moser said. Combined, the latter two categories were responsible for a record 261,000 manufacturing job announcements last year, up from 6,000 in 2010, he said. That brought the total number of jobs announced because of reshoring and FDI since 2010 to more than 1.3 million. Most of the jobs came back from Asia. Eliminating the trade deficit by making in the United States whats currently being imported would result over time in a 40 percent increase in domestic manufacturing, generating 5 million more manufacturing jobs, he said. The best candidates for reshoring include companies in those manufacturing sectors with high freight costs, volatile demand, frequent design changes, and processes that can be automated, Moser said. Among them are machinery, transportation equipment, appliances, electric batteries, semiconductors, personal protection equipment, pharmaceuticals, and rare earth materials. To help companies better understand the benefits of reshoring, his nonprofit has developed something called a Total Cost of Ownership Estimator (TCO). The TCO is a free online tool that calculates the true total cost of outsourced products, including such factors as overhead, balance sheets, corporate strategyand risk. Risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russias war on Ukraine pale in comparison to the risk of China decoupling, which these days hangs over companies like the sword of Damocles, according to Moser. I tell companies, Figure out what you can bring back now, and get it back here nowor if you have to, get it to Mexico, he said. Because if the [expletive] hits the fan and nothing is coming from China to anyone, youre going to be one of 30,000 companies trying to find a foundry or a machine shop, and youre not going to get it. Hitendra Chaturvedi, a professor of supply chain management at Arizona State University, agrees that Mexico is a good alternative location for U.S. companies exiting China. Nearshoring from China to Mexicoas well as to Latin America and Canadawould make supply more accessible, he said. And manufacturing in Mexico is about 20 percent cheaper than in China. Besides considering the advantages of nearshoring, Chaturvedi suggested a more targeted approach to reshoring itself. We should not take a shotgun approach to this, he said. You dont want low-paying sewing jobs coming back to the U.S. You want high-paying jobs. I want us to focus strategically on sectors that we want to onshore. Just Getting Started For its part, Sherman attracted the two new chip facilities with incentives such as tax abatements, in Texas Instruments case, and a package of cash, cheap land, and other breaks for GlobalWafers. The Taiwan-based company also received a $15 million grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund, the states deal-closing fund, and is eligible for more incentives under the CHIPS Act. The CHIPS subsidies should also benefit Texas Instrumentss Sherman projects (as well as South Korea-based Samsungs plans to build multiple semiconductor plants in the Austin area). Plyler said his city also touted its ample workforce, abundant water supply, business-friendly approach, and diversified economy. Among the citys top employers are Tyson Foods, beverage company Sunny Delight, and II-VI, a high-tech optical firm and Apple supplier. Weve taken a lot of hassles out of City Hall for developers and people who want to come in and start a business, he said. We walk them through the process of getting permitted, sometimes in a fast-track manner. Making that process easy goes a long way in getting some of these projects off the ground. As a result of Shermans success, smaller towns around the city are preparing to accommodate the Texas Instruments and GlobalWafers workers with new housing, and industrial facilities for high-tech suppliers and vendors are really hopping in the region, the Dallas Business Journal reported. Were expecting a lot of businesses to fill in, Plyler said. Were expecting a lot of new restaurants, a lot of quality-of-life improvements. I think were just getting started. Flame and smoke rise during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Aug. 6, 2022. (Mohammed Salem/Reuters) Air Strikes, Rocket Attacks Push Israel, Gaza Into Second Day of Fighting GAZA/JERUSALEMIsraeli air strikes pounded Gaza while the Islamic Jihad terrorist group fired hundreds of rockets into Israel on Saturday as a cross-border clash continued into a second day. Hamas, the Islamist terrorist group which controls the enclave, said the children were among the dead from a blast close to the Jabalya refugee camp and blamed Israel. The Israeli military denied it was responsible, saying the explosion was caused by a failed Islamic Jihad rocket launch. It distributed a video which appeared to show a rocket being launched from Gaza at night and then veering immediately off course down into a built-up area. While the Israeli strikes went on, hitting what the military said were weapons depots hidden in residential areas and destroying a number of houses, Islamic Jihad terrorists fired rocket salvoes as far as Israels commercial hub Tel Aviv. At least 24 Palestinians, including six children, have been killed and 203 wounded during the two days of firing, according to the Gaza health ministry. Palestinian terrorists fired more than 400 rockets at Israelmost of them intercepted, setting off air raid sirens and sending people running to bomb shelters. There were no reports of serious casualties, the Israeli ambulance service said. Egypt said it was engaged in intensive talks to calm the situation. Further escalation would largely depend on whether Hamas would opt to join the fighting alongside the smaller Islamic Jihad group. The cross-border clash, which shattered more than a year of relative calm around Gaza, began when Israel launched a attack on Friday, killing a senior Islamic Jihad commander and hitting a series of what it said were military targets. Israel carried out a precise counter-terror operation against an immediate threat, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Friday in a televised statement in which he pledged to do whatever it takes to defend our people. Our fight is not with the people of Gaza. Islamic Jihad is an Iranian proxy that wants to destroy the State of Israel and kill innocent Israelis, he said. The U.S. State Department said on Saturday that the United States fully supported Israels right to defend itself, and it urged all sides to avoid further escalation. Australian Shadow Minister for Defence Andrew Hastie reacts during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 28, 2022. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images) Australia Has Failed to Recognise Chinas Fundamentally Different Vision for the World: Shadow Defence Minister Australias shadow defence minister has called on the West to see China with clear eyes as he warned Australias greatest vulnerability is its failure to recognise the communist regimes fundamentally different vision for the world. Andrew Hastie on Sunday said that Australia is in an immensely difficult position where it can neither forsake its closest allies, the United States, nor turn away from its largest trading partner, China. Hastie added that Australia has failed to recognise how mobile our authoritarian neighbour has become and ignored the role that ideology plays into Chinas actions across the Indo-Pacific region. For example, Australia keeps using its own categories to understand Chinas actions, such as its motivations for building ports and roads, rather than those used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), he said. The West has made this mistake before. Commentators once believed Stalins decisions were the rational actions of a realist power, Hastie said. Right now, our greatest vulnerability lies not in our infrastructure, but in our thinking. That intellectual failure makes us institutionally weak. Read More Appeasement of the CCP? The shadow defence minister warned that the West and the Chinese communist regime has a fundamentally different vision for the world and urged Australia to be intellectually honest and take the Chinese leadership at its word. Xis view of the future is one where capitalism will be eclipsed and the consolidation of and development of the socialist system will require its own long period of history it will require the tireless struggle of generations, up to 10 generations.' If we dont understand the challenge ahead for our civil society, in our parliaments, in our universities, in our private enterprises, in our charitiesour little platoonsthen choices will be made for us. Our sovereignty, our freedom, will be diminished. Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Aug. 5 called out China for its destabilizing live-fire drills near Taiwan, noting that Australia will monitor the situation closely. On Aug. 4, China launched live-fire military drills in the seas surrounding Taiwan, which was seen as a campaign of military coercion against the island in apparent retaliation for U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) visit. The CCP declared six exclusion zones encircling the island for its war games. Warplanes and vessels crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates Taiwan from mainland China. Calling the military drills highly provocative, Taiwans defense ministry said that Chinese military jets and warships had been seen in waters near Taiwan on Aug. 4, with some crossing the median line. Also known as the Davis Line, the median serves as an unofficial air and maritime buffer between China and Taiwan. Victoria Kelly Clark contributed to this article. Dr. Jamal Rifi performs a routine health check at home with Hagge Amine in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 3, 2021. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Australian Governments Pay Rise Bid Marks Aged Care Employee Day A star-rating system for Australias aged care facilities is expected to be in place by the end of the year, the federal minister for the portfolio says. It is part of the governments push to ensure more transparency and accountability in the sector following the findings of the aged care royal commission. The system will rate facilities on different aspects of care and services to allow people to choose a home that suits their needs best, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said. It comes as the government prepares to submit a proposal on Monday to the Fair Work Commission which is considering whether to lift the pay rates for residential and home care workers. The government will advocate for a significant and meaningful pay rise but wont attach a specific number to it, Wells said. We need to do something to value aged care workers better and that starts with a pay rise, she told Sky News on Sunday. It is for the commission to decide exactly what percentage the work value cases were, but (the government has) agreed that we will fund it no matter what the decision. Unions are advocating for at least a 25 per cent pay rise for employees in the wake of the royal commission which recommended a wage increase to reflect the value of their work. The government is focused on improving the standard of aged care but it must be done in a sustainable way, Wells said. These reforms have to outlast us all and I know that I wont be able to leave my office knowing that I have fixed aged care for once and for all because its huge, she said. We have to look at reform that will make change not only meaningful but sustainable. Sunday marks aged care employee day, dedicated to the more than 360,000 people who work in the sector. Greens leader Adam Bandt at a press conference with newly sworn in Greens senators and members at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on July 26, 2022. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Australian Greens Party Challenges Ruling Labor Party in National Security Power Play The Australian Greens Party has put the centre-left Australian Labor government on notice, with leader Adam Bandt announcing his partys intention to push the federal government on all issues it deems important. Speaking at the National Press Club on Aug. 3, Bandt said the Greens were now in a place of power in the Parliament and would be using their new position to push the federal government to tackle progressive measures for Australia. The Greens are now in a powerful position, Bandt said. Our working presumption is that Australia will end this term of Parliament with Labor, the countrys centre-right party; the Liberals, a far-right irrelevance; and the Greens, the dominant social democratic party in a country that still has a big, beating, progressive heart. New Greens Leader Adam Bandt speaks to media in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 4, 2020. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images) Bandts comments represent an attempt to shift the longstanding political goalposts to the left, as traditionally, the Australian Labor Party has been viewed as the party representing left-wing values and is heavily aligned with trade union movements in the nations political environment. National Security Power Play The Greens have demonstrated their commitment to pushing the ruling Labor party to recognise their voting power in the Australian parliament by stopping the selection of candidates for the vital Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, which provides oversight of Australias national security situation for the government. The committee is viewed by Parliament as essential for the oversight of Australian intelligence agencies, building bipartisan support for national security legislation, and ensuring national security legislation remains necessary, proportionate, and effective. Senator David Shoebridges told The New Daily that on the first day of Parliament, the Albanese government was nominating the committees 11 members and would have divided the members between only Coalition and Labor MPs. The Greens, however, stopped the formalisation of these nominations by stating that the government had breached a law requiring it to consult with the crossbench when considering nominations for the composition of Parliament. Its a requirement at law that membership of this committee is determined in consultation with the leaders of all parties in the Parliament and that membership should reflect the Parliament, Shoebridge told the New Daily. This kind of hyperpartisan two-party nonsense has to end. Time To Do Politics Differently In a post on Twitter, Shoebridge noted that it was time to do politics differently and respect how millions of voters chose a new parliament thats a lot more than the tired Labor & Liberal duopoly. The shape of this secretive security and intelligence committee is a good first test for this, he said. Currently, there has been no announcement about who has been appointed to the committee on its parliamentary website. Meanwhile, as tensions rise in the Taiwan Strait between Chinas ruling communist party and a close Australian ally, the United States and its allies like Taiwan, Bandt has signalled his desire to have oversight of national security, saying that the Greens were concerned that Australia did not have a plan on the table for a de-escalation of tensions in the region. The Rocket Force under the Eastern Theatre Command of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), fires live missiles into the waters near Taiwan, from an undisclosed location in China on Aug. 4, 2022. (Eastern Theatre Command/Handout via Reuters) We only see a plan on the table for escalation of tensions, and what we will do is push for a de-escalation, knowing how much Australia has got to lose. That has to be the priority, he said. He noted that the Greens would seek to prioritise de-escalation in Australias foreign policy and defence policy, although he did not state what form this would take. Greens Want to Rein in Defence Spending However, prior to the Australian federal election, Western Australian Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John said the party would push for the defence budget to be cut by one percent of GDP by 2026 to ensure that Australia had a light and highly mobile force commensurate to the size of the country. Further, the left-leaning party would close all foreign military bases in Australia and renegotiate the ANZUS alliance with New Zealand and the United States while prioritising peaceful efforts in the region to tackle climate change. The Greens are committed to reducing defence spending; this will make $312 billion available over the next decade for essential services our community needs, Steele-John said in a statement on Oct. 19. Our community does not want our future to be at the behest of the United States of America, he said. The Australian Greens are committed to re-negotiating the ANZUS alliance, we will not proceed with the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal, and we will close all foreign military bases across Australia. However, shadow defence minister and former commander in Australias Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) Andrew Hastie said in December, 2021, that the Greens are ignoring the lessons of history, human nature, and the facts about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We know the strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific is rapidly deteriorating. We know the CCP is engaged in the biggest military peacetime build-up since the 1930s. We know the CCP is flexing its strategic and economic power to dominate smaller countries, and we know that CCP propagandists frequently threaten Australias sovereignty and security, Hastie said. Yet, even with this stark reality staring them in the face, the Greens want to weaken Australia precisely at the moment we need to be strong. He said that Steele-Johns comments were a reminder of why a Labor-Greens alliance in government is so dangerous. We cannot return to 2010, where Labor and the Greens came together to reduce our defence spending to its lowest level since 1938, he said. Boston Grand Jury Charges 8 Chinese People With Money Laundering A federal grand jury in Boston has charged eight Chinese people for their alleged roles in an elaborate money laundering scheme that involved the proceeds from tens of millions of dollars worth of smuggled drugs. According to the affidavit (pdf), the defendants used seemingly lawful businesses to launder drug proceeds, and used stolen or fraudulent gift cards to purchase and ship thousands of Apple products internationally. Investigators believe the eight defendants are all from Fuzhou, southeastern China, and all speak the same dialect of Chinese. Many of them are related to one another by marriage or blood. The Investigation During a months-long wiretap investigation starting in January 2021, Chengzou Liu was identified by the Drug Enforcement Agency as an alleged marijuana trafficker who laundered his drug proceeds through a Boston Chinese restaurant, China Gourmet, and a Hanover-based business, Wonderful Electronics. Defendants Qiu Mei Zeng and her former husband, Shi Rong Zhang, co-own China Gourmet. Zhang is also a registered owner of Wonderful Electronics, an electronics and restaurant supply business. It is alleged that Liu regularly delivered large amounts of bulk drug proceeds, typically in amounts greater than $30,000, to China Gourmet, and to Zeng, who then laundered the money via electronic transfers. The Charges The indictment states that the defendants would accept drug proceeds in Boston and New York for a fee, transfer the equivalent value of Chinese renminbi to drug traffickers bank accounts, and sell the drug proceeds to individuals in the United States at a discounted exchange rate. The defendants also allegedly used stolen or fraudulent gift cards to purchase thousands of Apple products, which they then shipped internationally to places like Dubai, in exchange for tens of millions of dollars in wire transfers, according to the DOJ release. Through these off-the-books transactions, the defendants allegedly conspired to avoid United States reporting requirements, as well as Chinas capital flight limits, and to hide the nature and source of the illicit funds being transferred, the release states. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. If convicted, the defendants face sentences anywhere from 5 to 20 years in prison. This investigation, dubbed Operation Good Fortune, is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation, an independent part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Cai Rong contributed to this report. Boy at Heart of UK Court Battle Dies After Life Support Ends LONDONA 12-year-old boy who had been in a coma for four months died Saturday at a London hospital after doctors ended the life-sustaining treatment his family had fought to continue. Archie Battersbees mother, Hollie Dance, said her son died at 12:15 p.m., about two hours after the hospital began withdrawing treatment. British courts had rejected both the familys effort to extend treatment and a request to move Archie to a hospice, saying neither move was in the childs best interests. Im the proudest mum in the world, Dance said as she stood outside the hospital and wept. Such a beautiful little boy and he fought right until the very end. Archie Battersbee in a file photo. (Hollie Dance via AP) The legal battle is the latest in a series of very public British cases in which parents and doctors have sparred over who is better qualified to make decisions about a childs medical care. That has sparked a debate about whether theres a more appropriate way to settle such disagreements away from the courts. Archie was found unconscious at home with a ligature over his head on April 7. His parents believe he may have been taking part in an online challenge that went wrong. Doctors concluded Archie was brain-stem dead soon after the accident and sought to end the long list of treatments that kept him alive, including artificial respiration, medication to regulate his bodily functions, and round-the-clock nursing care. But his family objected, claiming Archie had shown signs of life and wouldnt have wanted them to give up hope. The disagreement triggered weeks of legal arguments as Archies parents sought to force the hospital to continue life-sustaining treatments. Doctors at the Royal London Hospital argued there was no chance of recovery and he should be allowed to die. After a series of courts ruled it was in Archies best interest that he be allowed to die, the family asked for permission to move the him to a hospice. The hospital said Archies condition was so unstable that moving him would hasten his death. On Friday, High Court Judge Lucy Theis rejected the familys request, ruling that Archie should remain in the hospital while treatment was withdrawn. Their unconditional love and dedication to Archie is a golden thread that runs through this case, Theis wrote in her decision. I hope now Archie can be afforded the opportunity for him to die in peaceful circumstances, with the family who meant so much to him as he clearly does to them. That ruling was carried out Saturday after both the UK Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights refused to take up the case. But Archies family said his death was anything but peaceful. Ella Carter, fiancee of Archies eldest brother, Tom, said Archie was stable for about two hours after the hospital stopped all medication. That changed when the ventilator was turned off, she said. He went completely blue, she said. There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate. No family should ever have to go through what weve been through. Its barbaric. Carter put her head on Dances shoulder and sobbed as the two women hugged. Hollie Dance, mother of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee, speaks to the media outside the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, east London, on Aug. 3, 2022, after the European Court of Human Rights refused an application to postpone the withdrawal of his life support. (James Manning/PA via AP) The hospital expressed its condolences and thanked the doctors and nurses who had looked after Archie. They provided high quality care with extraordinary compassion over several months in often trying and distressing circumstances, said Alistair Chesser, chief medical officer of Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital. This tragic case not only affected the family and his carers but touched the hearts of many across the country. Legal experts insist cases like that of Archie are rare. But some disputes pitting the judgment of doctors against the wishes of families have been fought in the public eye, such as the 2017 legal battle over Charlie Gard, an infant with a rare genetic disorder. The parents unsuccessfully fought for him to have experimental treatment before he died. Under British law, it is common for courts to intervene when parents and doctors disagree on a childs medical treatment. The best interests of the child take primacy over the parents right to decide what they believe is best. Ilora Finlay, a professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University and member of the House of Lords, said this week she hopes the Conservative government will hold an independent inquiry into different ways of handling these cases. Deciding such disputes through an adversarial court process doesnt help anybody, she said. The parents dont want to go to court. The doctors dont want to go to court. The managers dont want to go to court, Finlay told Times Radio. My worry is that these cases are going forward to court too quickly and too early, and that we need an alternative way of managing the communication between the doctors and the parents. The difficulty for parents is that they are in shock and often want to deny that there has been a catastrophic brain injury, Finlay said. When theres brain injury, often their child looks intact, so their face looks as it always did, she said. So understanding what has gone on inside the brain and the amount of injury is something that needs to be sensitively explained to parents, and that takes time. Archies family was supported by the Christian Concern, which campaigns on end-of-life issues and the role of religion in society. The group said it was a privilege to stand beside the family. The events of the last few weeks raise many significant issues including questions of how death is defined, how those decisions are made and the place of the family, Christian Concern Chief Executive Andrea Williams said. By Danica Kirka Controversial Drug Remdesivir Plays Key Role in COVID-Related Hospital Deaths: Dr. Ardis The antiviral medication remdesivir has played a controversial role in the COVID-19 treatment protocols used by hospitals that many families allege resulted in the death of their loved ones. Among the drugs potential side effects is acute kidney failure, which many physicians argue is the source of the same symptom reported by the medical establishment to have been caused by COVID-19. Dr. Bryan Ardis, CEO of Ardis Labs and host of The Dr. Ardis Show, said he watched his own father-in-law die in a hospital in February 2020 after being taken through the same hard-wired, standard-of-care protocols he would eventually witness playing out in the lives of others. It was the most traumatic thing Id ever experienced in my whole life, Ardis told The Epoch Times. Among the multiple problems with his treatment, Ardis said, his father-in-law had been erroneously diagnosed with having the flu and given an antibiotic called vancomycin, which, like remdesivir, is known to cause acute kidney failure. Not only did he not have the flu, but the doctor also treated him with a horrifically toxic, last-resort antibiotic that doesnt treat the flu, he said. When he asked the doctor why he had his father-in-law on the antibiotic that was causing his kidneys to fail, Ardis said the doctor told him that it was hospital protocol. It Wasnt From the Virus For Ardis, it became a foreshadowing of what was to come with the listed COVID symptoms in fact being caused by the drugs used to treat COVID, he alleged. In March 2020, every medical doctor started saying they had never seen a respiratory virus move from the lungs to attack the kidneys, which then causes acute kidney failure, Ardis said. But the kidney failure wasnt from the virus, Ardis said. Initially, Ardis said he thought they were using vancomycin because the stories in the news matched his own experience. However, he later found that the antiviral drug remdesivir, which itself is reported to cause acute kidney failure, was being used through emergency-use authorization to treat COVID before it was later approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October 2020. Least Effective and Deadly: Study Ardiss research brought him to COVID protocols set by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who had deemed remdesivir as safe and effective based on an experimental trial in Africa during an Ebola outbreak. In the study found in the New England Journal of Medicine, a safety board found remdesivir to be the least effective and the deadliest drug in this trial, before it was suspended, Ardis explained. Fifty-three percent of people they gave that drug to died, Ardis said. Ardis said he considered whether Fauci had been given bad advice. I go to the end of the study and imagine my shock when I saw that it was actually funded by Faucis department at NIAID, Ardis said. He would have been given a monthly review of everything coming out of that Ebola trial. The safety board would have let him know it was the least effective and deadliest drug in the trial. For Ardis, the study, which predated Faucis safe and effective estimate, showed that Fauci was not being truthful, Ardis alleged. Fauci then asked the federal government to buy all the experimental reserves of remdesivir from the California-based pharmaceutical company called Gilead, Ardis said. Further research didnt improve his medical opinion of remdesivir, Ardis said, leaving him to conclude that the kidney failure doctors were reporting to be caused by the virus was in fact caused by remdesivir. Doctors had no idea they were being set up to use a drug that had such toxic effects and was proven to be ineffective and very dangerous, Ardis said. Support Behind Remdesivir Though NIAID didnt respond to The Epoch Times request for comment, Fauci told reporters in 2020 during a White House press briefing that the data shows that remdesivir has a clear cut significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery. This is really quite important. A final 2020 report from the National Institute of Health said that remdesivir was effective against viruses in the coronavirus family. The NIH said in its report that remdesivir accelerated recovery for hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. Our findings show that remdesivir is a beneficial treatment for patients with COVID-19, says study author Dr. John Beigel of NIAID in the report. It may also help to conserve scarce health care resources, such as ventilators, during this pandemic. Physicians such as Dr. Arnold Weg reported to NBC News in 2020 that remdesivir helped him recover from COVID, and that from this personal experience, I feel very strongly that it should be used. Dr. Aneesh Mehta at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta told NBC News in the 2020 report on remdesivir that remdesivir will get many of our patients home to their families more rapidly and with less side effects. As public support for remdesivir grew, Ardis continued to give his second opinion, sharing what he believed to be the truth about remdesivir, COVID protocols, alternative treatments, and the then-imminent vaccines. It was Ardiss information that helped people who reported equally traumatic experiences with hospital protocols, such as Kristi Schmadl and Greta Crawford. An ampule of Gilead Sciences COVID-19 antiviral remdesivir is pictured at the University Hospital Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, on April 8, 2020. (Ulrich Perrey/Pool via Reuters) Enough Sedatives to Put Down a Horse Schmadl told The Epoch Times that she believes it was remdesivir that caused her mothers death in a hospital, based on medical records that show a worsening of kidney levels with each dose. In addition to not feeding her mother and giving her enough sedatives to put down a horse, Schmadl said hospital staff attempted to label her mother as Do Not Resuscitate (DNR). We had one doctor tell us that if we didnt put a DNR on her, he would, she said. Schmadls mother, who had only one kidney, was allegedly given vancomycin, fentanyl, precedex, and other drugs to which Schmadl said she and her family never consented. They called us on Aug. 15 to tell us our mother had expired, Schmadl said. Thats the word they used. Kristi Schmadls mother, Joyce Farr. (Courtesy of Kristi Schmadl) Schmadl connected with Crawford, who herself was being treated with remdesivir in a hospital when she demanded that hospital staff cease treatment, remove her IV, and let her leave. My husband wheeled me out, Crawford told The Epoch Times. I was still on oxygen and weak. Crawford said shes the only person she knows of who was still allowed a family member to be inside with her for 12 hours a day, as hospital COVID protocols usually require that the patient be isolated from their families. While in the hospital, Crawford said a nurse pressured her and her family to get vaccinated while being treated with remdesivir. After my first dose, I noticed my hands and feet swell, Crawford said. At the time, I didnt know that it was my kidneys shutting down. When she asked her doctor what was going on, Crawford said he stared at the floor and mumbled, COVIDs strange before walking out. Ive never seen a doctor act like that, Crawford said. Crawford had COVID for two weeks before she entered the hospital, and for that time she had not experienced the symptoms she experienced when given remdesivir, she said. My white blood cell count shot up, I got a blood clot in my leg, I would have vomitingall of these symptoms I had not experienced at home, she said. After her husband took her home, Crawford said she spent two months on the couch healing. I had so much fluid in my lungs, and then I went through a detox process with different supplements and vitamins to try to get all of this stuff out of me, Crawford said. It was during this time that she began doing what many vaccine promoters were warning against at the time: She did her own research. Hospital Alternatives She followed Ardiss podcasts, met Schmadl, and launched the website protocolkills.com to inform people of the dangers of remdesivir, hospital protocols, and the true intended purpose of their use. Through her website, Crawford has gathered 170 stories of people whose loved ones died in hospitals throughout the United States, and offers alternatives to hospitals. Its been a labor of love, because I dont want people to suffer like I suffered, she said. Crawford works with families to get people out of hospitals with a hospital hostage hotline and provides education for those who want to know what red flags to look for when dealing with hospitals. Its obvious what theyre doing now, she said. They need to be held accountable. For Crawford, hospitals have become the new concentration camps. But instead of dragging people in on trains, people are walking in willingly because they think they are going to get help, but theyre being murdered, Crawford said. Cory Morgan: Following the Science or Politically Motivated? The Incentive Behind Vaccine Travel Mandates Is Now Clear Commentary While questions posed to the government over COVID-19 policies often were rebutted with the dismissive response of follow the science, testimony in court documents obtained by The Epoch Times indicates that the government didnt follow science at all, particularly when it came to imposing vaccine mandates upon travellers. Four lawsuits have been launched in Canada challenging the travel mandates. While the mandates have been suspended for now (barring international arrivals), the testimony is continuing, and it is making it evident the governments motivation behind the travel mandate was political and ideological rather than protecting public safety. Jennifer Little is a senior bureaucrat with Transport Canada, and she was tasked with drafting the policy for the vaccine mandate placed on travellers. Under questioning, Little made it clear that neither she nor members of her team had any scientific qualifications, yet she made selective judgment calls on what she considered valid scientific data or not. Little has a BA in English, making her more qualified in communications than in scientific policy development. It appears her appointment to the role may have been based on her ability to sell the policy rather than her ability to craft policy based on science. For example, Little chose to dismiss a Public Health Agency of Canada document that reviewed the issue of in-flight transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2. She said the data was not useful to support her policy development. In other words, she was cherry-picking data to support her policy rather than creating a policy with the support of the data. Little prepared a briefing for Transport Minister Omar Alghabra shortly before the travel mandate was imposed that stated the policy would be world-leading. In reality, Canada was an outlier in imposing such a policy, and when cross-examined in court, Little couldnt clearly explain why or how Canadas policy was world-leading. That is because she was providing the minister with talking points rather than analysis with her briefing. She never expected she could be called upon later to explain that claim. The federal government does employ well-qualified epidemiologists, but it appears their advice was ignored when it came to the travel mandate policy. Dr. Lisa Waddell of the Emerging Sciences Group at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reviewed and assessed the evidence regarding in-flight transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Her report found that the risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 in an airplane cabin was estimated to be 1 case for every 1.7 million travellers. Waddel testified that she considers this a low risk and that her report didnt recommend vaccination as a requirement to travel by air. Dr. Celia Lourenco is director general of the Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate within Health Canadas Health Products and Food Branch. She is the person with the final authority when it comes to approving vaccines in Canada. One would think she would have been consulted on proposed mandates. Lourenco testified she had never been consulted by anybody from any level of government on the vaccine mandate for travellers. Jennifer Little testified that neither PHAC nor Health Canada made a recommendation for the vaccine travel mandate. Then who did, and why? One reason for the obsessive push for vaccine mandates despite a lack of scientific evidence calling for them is monetary. The federal government has taken out procurement contracts for 200 million doses of vaccine by the end of 2023. Vaccines have a shelf life, and if not enough Canadians decide to take them, the government could be faced with the politically embarrassing prospect of literally pouring upwards of billions of dollars worth of vaccines down the drain. Travel mandates put a lot of pressure on vaccine-hesitant citizens to roll up their sleeves and take a medication they were uncomfortable with. Using a mandate to pressure citizens into taking an injection they dont want raises some serious ethical questions. There is a PHAC policy called Public health ethics framework: A guide for use in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, which could have helped guide Jennifer Little when she wrote the vaccine mandate policy. But when questioned in court as to whether she had consulted it, she responded she hadnt. Little didnt appear to have much interest in scientific or ethical guidance when creating one of the most onerous and intrusive vaccine mandate policies on earth. Another motivation for pushing the mandates was political. The government has consistently used the pandemic as a wedge issue and it has worked well for them. They put pressure on a minority of Canadians, then accused anybody critical of the policy of wanting to put public health at risk. I guess in lacking ethical considerations, it made it easy for Little to dismiss any notion of allowing compassionate exemptions within the travel mandate policy. While travel mandates may have been just an inconvenience for some citizens, they were devastating to others who had to miss singular lifetime events such as funerals, weddings, and graduations. How can one compensate for missing the last visit with a dying loved one or being present when a family member gets married? You cant. The government wants the lawsuits based on the travel mandates dismissed, claiming they are now moot because the mandates have been lifted. Thankfully, the applicants are still pursuing this action or we would never have been able to get this vital testimony from those who created and implemented the travel mandate policy. We must remember that the Liberals have only said they are suspending the mandates. They are purposely leaving the door open to re-imposing them. Real and lasting damage has been wrought upon citizens by these mandates. We need the impacts of the mandates to be on the record, and people harmed by them have the right to legal recourse. The government has been able to dodge scrutiny in the House of Commons when it comes to its policies, but it cant hide from the courts. While many Canadians have speculated that the mandates were politically motivated rather than scientifically, they couldnt prove it. Now thanks to four lawsuits, we can see the suspicions were justified. The government must be held fully accountable to Canadians for its actions during the pandemic, both in the courts and at the ballot box. History is already not looking kindly upon them. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. It is advised, in an age of disruption, that the only viable strategy is to adapt, but to accomplish that, one must evolve. Entrepreneurship already requires multifaceted skills and unflagging energy but add the pandemics requirements and uncertainties, and running a business canand didbecome a capricious juggling act. Increased challenges revved up the demise of enterprises on the edge, yet amidst the chaos, it also prompted some to innovative. Any change prompts this phenomenon, but big change demands it. The experience is initially unpleasant, but it is exactly thatexperiencewhich presents the bold ones with opportunities to evolve. South Rims Wine & Beer Garage, located in Williams on Route 66, is a happy example. Established as a Texaco service station in 1953, the site hosted a number of other businesses before a group of Boeing retirees got bored rocking on their ranch porches. In 2012, novice business folks Dan and Linda Watt and Kathi Tanamachi approached the Chamber of Commerce with an idea that would solve Williams commercial needs. After that, they rolled up their sleeves to learn what they could about the wine industry, and during the renovation of the old gas station, further education ensued. As Dan Watts put it, Boy, did we learn a lot about what to do, and what not to do, from making one mistake after another. From there, it was staffing that became an issue as they aimed to provide the best customer experience possible. Within a few years, reality bit, and after three managers in three months, Greg Cole took on the kitchen. Coming from the serving side, it was a major shift, but he provided commitment and 25 years of restaurant experience. The Arizona native had earned his chops in venues from Tucsons Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse to upscale Italian dining in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Importantly, for the past three years, Cole had worked in Williams at his nephews restaurant, garnering local know-how. The shift felt natural, Cole said, and I pushed forward, adding more appetizers, plus beer- and wine-friendly entrees, like burgers and steaks, so guests stayed for dinner, not just a drink. After a year, the owners wanted to sell, and Cole asked for a yearlong chance to prove himself as proprietor with wife Sheraton. They doubled the previous years sales in the first six months. Now, fully in charge, the menu evolved with her support. Sheraton helps out in every area, giving us a good balance, said Cole. She is best behind the scenes. Sheraton comes from nursing and understands caretaking. She oversees operations, purveyors, budgeting, advertising and menu creation. After a nervous start, she said, smiling, Ive found my footing. The venue also evolved from a club chair lounge to full dining and bar. South Rims carries 10 local Arizona craft beers and a couple of wines as well as numerous California labels on tap. Best, try a flight, such as a Four Peaks Golden lager, Mudshark Full Moona solar-powered brewer, Mother Road Tower Station IPA and Lumberyard Red Ale, to find your fav. Also a tease is the daily cocktail, like Transmission Fluid with Malibu, pineapple, grenadine and a hint of Jaeger. The menu honors cars and the sites heritage. For starters, the signature Delorean delivers gooey, gutsy guy food that fills. Home-cut fries are smothered in house beer cheese, topped with salami, chorizo and beef tips marinated in pesto, plus bacon, jalapenos and green onions. Or fling the wings for a delicious imposter, the Mustangcauliflower florets tossed in wing sauce. Go green with South Rims salads, which are EV-centric, of course. Bestselling Prius scatters chopped Romaine with strawberries, bacon, red onions, Roma tomatoes, feta cheese and candied pecans, drizzled with scratch raspberry and strawberry vinaigrette, plus crunchy baguette slices. Cole upgraded GTOs eight-ounce tenderloin steak with a selection of house sauces: Marsala, caprine lemon butter, grilled onions and mushrooms or chimichurri. Choose a side of garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal veg, fries or mac-n-cheese to accompany most entrees. Ferrari is a go-to for guests. Indulgent, creamy Alfredo-sauced linguini is laced with peas and mushrooms. Pick chicken or shrimp for protein. Thunderbird caps eight ounces of moist, grilled chicken with a medallion of goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil and lemon butter sauce for a bight bite. Chef specials, like smoked salmon bruschetta, New York strip, charro bean soup and chocolate raspberry cake tempt daily. Its summer, so go al fresco on the sprawling patio with the reminder of the roaring days under the GTO mural. Also, look ahead to Murder Mystery events and Beer Dinners, plus a second restaurant underway in Williams. As Cole said, I want to give customers the ultimate experience. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Cruz to Wait and See Whether Trump Will Run in 2024 Before He Decides on White House Bid Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he, like everyone else, is going to wait and see whether former President Donald Trump is going to run in 2024, before making his own decision about a possible bid for the White House. Everyone is going to wait and see what Donald Trump decides and make decisions from there, Cruz told Fox News on Aug. 5 at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas. I am grateful for his leadership, Cruz continued. Hes going to decide what he wants to do. And frankly, hes going to decide on his own timeframe. Hes going to decide when he damn well wants to, and the rest of the world will react accordingly, Cruz added. In 2016, Trump garnered 1,441 delegates in state primaries and caucuses, before being officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. Cruz finished second with 551 delegates. Donald Trump, who was then a Republican presidential candidate, gestures as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) looks on during the Republican Presidential Debate, hosted by CNN, at The Venetian Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 15, 2015. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Trump has not made public announcements about running for president in 2024. However, during a speech at CPAC on Saturday, he hinted at a possible 2024 run when he said, We may have to do it again. Last month, he told New York Magazine that he has made up his mind about whether to run in 2024, but the big decision is when to make the announcement. The former president is currently the favorite for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. According to the results of a CPAC straw poll announced on Saturday, Trump won 69 percent of the vote, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 24 percent. Cruz finished a distant third with 2 percent. In a head-to-head matchup for the 2024 race, President Joe Biden and Trump are locked in a statistical dead heat, according to a July poll by San Francisco-based data insights company Premise. The poll found Trump with 53 percent support compared to Biden with 47 percent. Cruz has previously said he was thinking about the 2024 race for president. In an interview with Newsmax in July, Cruz said he was certainly looking at it. 2016 was the most fun Ive ever had in my life, he continued, reflecting on his last presidential campaign. We came incredibly close, had an incredible grassroots army. Speaking to Fox, Cruz said he is focusing on the 2022 elections at the moment. Im spending practically every waking moment on the campaign trail, focusing on retaking the house and retaking the Senate, Cruz said. I think were gonna win votes. I think were gonna see a Republican majority in the House. I think were gonna see a Republican majority in the Senate. Late last month, Cruz took part in a campaign rally in Cottleville to support Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who advanced to the November general election on Aug. 2 after winning the states Republican Senate primary. Schmitt is endorsed by both Cruz and Trump. Schmitt will face Democratic primary winner Trudy Busch Valentine in November, to fill a Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who decided not to seek a third term in office. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt speaks at an election-night gathering after winning the Republican primary for U.S. Senate at the Sheraton in Westport Plaza in St. Louis, Mo., on Aug. 2, 2022. (Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) Schmitt has previously voiced support for Cruz to be the Senate majority leader if the Republicans win back the chamber in November, while vowing not to support current Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for the position. Mitch McConnell was elected to the Senate in 1985. I think the partys priorities changed pretty dramatically. And I dont think hes kept up with that, Schmitt said in July, according to Fox News. Ive been endorsed by Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Mike Lee. Id love to see one of them run. I would support that. Regardless of whether he will make another White House bid, Cruz emphasized he is committed to fighting to save this country with every breath in my body. It is what I believe in. What I have wanted to do my entire life is defend freedom, Cruz continued. And right now, what were seeing in Washington, its extreme. This is not in the kind of ordinary bounds of political discourse. This is radicals who are putting policies in place that are really hurting Texans and Americans. Im committed to fighting against those, and fighting to defend our jobs, fighting to defend our freedom, and fighting to defend our security, Cruz said. Musk Says He Might Revive Twitter Deal If Key Condition Is Met Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk signaled that his $44 billion deal to purchase Twitter might ultimately go through if the social media firm would provide him with data on user accounts and bots. If Twitter simply provides their method of sampling 100 accounts and how theyre confirmed to be real, the deal should proceed on original terms, Musk wrote on Aug. 6 in response to a Twitter users comment. However, if it turns out that their SEC filings are materially false, then it should not. In response to a Twitter user asking if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is probing dubious claims by the company, Musk wrote, Good question, why arent they? Musk wrote later that he wants to challenge Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal to a debate. About the same time, he posted a poll asking if fewer than 5 percent of daily users on Twitter were spam or bots. As of the morning of Aug. 7, about 65 percent disagreed with that assertion, while 35 percent agreed. I hereby challenge [Parag Agrawal] to a public debate about the Twitter bot percentage. Let him prove to the public that Twitter has [less than 5 percent] fake or spam daily users! Musk wrote. After Musk and Twitter jointly announced he would purchase the company and take it private, Musk said he would back out of the deal, accusing Twitter of failing to provide satisfactory answers on its claims regarding the size of its user base. The firm filed a lawsuit against the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to complete the acquisition. Trial The two sides are scheduled to go to trial in October in a Delaware court that specializes in corporate matters. In court filings on Aug. 4, Twitter dismissed Musks allegation that he was duped into signing a deal to acquire the company. According to Musk, hethe billionaire founder of multiple companies, advised by Wall Street bankers and lawyerswas hoodwinked by Twitter into signing a $44 billion merger agreement. That story is as implausible and contrary to fact as it sounds, the filing from Twitter stated. Twitter last month accused Musk of creating a public spectacle to acquire the company but apparently believes that heunlike every other party subject to Delaware contract lawis free to change his mind, trash the company, disrupt its operations, destroy stockholder value, and walk away. The suit further alleges that Musks comments about the company caused its stock price to plunge in recent months. He filed a countersuit against Twitter on July 29 and accused the firm of intentionally miscounting the number of fake accounts as part of its scheme to mislead investors about the companys prospects. Musks lawyers also argued that Twitters reliance on a metric known as mDAU, or monetizable daily active Twitter users, as a basis for calculating revenue is misleading. Twitter declined to comment on Musks recent Twitter post when contacted by Reuters. The Epoch Times has contacted the San Francisco-based company for comment. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on June 30, 2022. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) Best Exchange-Traded Funds to Buy During a Recession Commentary Fears of a recession have been front of mind recently for many investors, with some thinking were already in one. Unfortunately, official confirmation of a recession often arrives long after the recession has ended. Prudent investors have been, or should already be, reevaluating their holdings to remove those investments that wont do well and add others that will perform well during a recession. Proactive advisers should be telling their clients to buy defensive ETFs in sectors that have historically outperformed the rest of the market during recessions because even during economic slowdowns some industries survive or even thrive. These are commonly industries where demand is inelastic to changes in prices and incomes and where consumer demand is relatively stable. But because of the unique circumstances that the COVID-19 pandemic and public health-related lockdowns presented over the past few years, the ETFs that will do well in this recession may be somewhat different than in the past. That possibility, however, doesnt necessarily mean a change of approach but a greater need for monitoring and reevaluation of each position. For one, in the food and beverage industry, restaurants in particular have already seen closures and expect to struggle in the near term, but this also might present an opportunity for them to outperform once restrictions are fully lifted. On the other hand, companies that specialize in online and remote services, including many tech companies, or companies that produce at-home alternatives to traditional goods and services, like home gym and exercise equipment, have seen business boom during this time and may continue to benefit. Plus, businesses and consumers may be reluctant to return to pre-social distancing patterns of work, shopping, and lifestyle, while others may find that they simply prefer new ways of doing these things. Companies that supply services that support online shopping and work arrangements, teleconferencing, and at-home substitutes for traditional services have huge opportunities right now. Of course, companies that make essentials like consumer staples and food will always be in demand, even during recessions. Discount stores often do better during recessions because their products are cheaper. Likewise, health care stays in demand. But investors must remember recessions typically last between 8 and 18 months. Government agencies define recessions as when an economy has experienced negative GDP growth in two consecutive quarters. Health care, food, consumer staples, and basic transportation are examples of relatively inelastic industries that can perform well in recessions. The following are some ETFs that may do better during the coming recession. Food and Restaurants People need food and can only cut spending on it by so much. Restaurants can be affected, and were especially by the pandemic, but we all need to eat, recession or not. Invesco Dynamic Food & Beverage ETF (PBJ) is an ETF that offers targeted exposure to the consumer sector including a blend of both discretionary and staples. PBJ is linked to an index that utilizes quantitative analysis and stock screening to identify holdings. Its methodology makes the ETF more expensive but could appeal to investors seeking consistent alpha. Freight and Logistics Goods need to be moved, recession or not. While personal travel for vacations declines during recessions, there is still a need to move stuff to stock store shelves. Freight and logistics companies are often safe bets during recessions. SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (XTN): XTN provides exposure to a benchmark of the transportation industry in the United States. This investment reaches multiple tiers of the economy since consumer goods and consumers are in constant need of transportation from one place to another. Rising gas prices can have an influence on the performance of the individual companies in this portfolio, but if its transportation you want, its transportation youll get. Growing pressure on the supply chain has ignited rapid change across the economy. And as weve heard, the pandemic threw pressure on the supply chain (not to mention Ukraine and oil). But supply chain logistics companies are transforming and adopting new technology to meet the evolving demand. Leading logistics companies have the size and strength to expand, invest, and thrive in this changing landscape. The ProShares Supply Chain Logistics ETF (SUPL) offers a liquid and convenient way to invest in the supply chain logistics opportunity. Health Care Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV): Health care investments tend to be relatively recession-proof because people cant defer most health care spending. When youre sick, you need to see a doctor and buy medicine. XLV is among the least expensive ways to gain access to health care companies and offers an appealing list of holdings as well. Consumer Staples Consumer staples are those things none of us can live without. The iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) offers exposure to domestic consumer market focused on manufacturers of consumer goods excluding consumer services. This means a blend of different sectors including those things people need to live. While this list is not all-inclusive it does provide insight into what investors will look for before and during a recession. Just remember to monitor and adjust as economic data and analysis are released and updated. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Outraged parents launched a lawsuit against Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) in Virginia for teaching inappropriate, sexualized material to children, and other violations of state constitutional rights protecting parents and children. America First Legal on July 21 served discovery requests seeking answers from LCPS, School District Superintendent Scott Ziegler, and several other school board officials on behalf of 11 parents pressing charges. LCPS was given three weeks to respond. They did not reply, except in saying that theyre not going to respond, said the lawsuits main plaintiff, Clint Thomas, to The Epoch Times. On the first day of the school year, two of Thomass daughters were forced to declare their gender pronouns publicly in class. All five of his children have gone through LCPS. The lawsuit takes aim at LCPSs Policy 8040 and Regulation 8040, which Thomas says is trying to stifle [parents] from even knowing if the children are expressing different genders in school. Clint Thomas, his wife, and one of his daughters speak to reporters outside the Loudoun County Public Schools administration building in Ashburn, Va., on Jan. 25, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Theres just an overarching theme trying to gain information about private matters in our home, survey after survey being issued, inappropriate surveys being issued asking students about their sex lives. Parents have observed overtly pedophilic, highly sexualized books in school libraries, and class assignments with highly sexualized and misogynistic content, Thomas added. Its all basically about race theory, gender theory. Theyve been forced to sit through homeroom especially during Pride Month and basically watch videos of people who are trying to change their biological sex. The parents accuse LCPS of knowingly, systematically, and willfully violating the Plaintiffs fundamental constitutional rights to care for, nurture, and direct the education, moral instruction, and upbringing of their children. Public education should be about academic instruction, said Thomas. Values and moral instruction are for the parents to determine. A parent speaks out against board actions during a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) board meeting in Ashburn, Va., on Oct. 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Parents speak out at a rally outside the Loudoun County Public School administration building on June 22, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) For the past year and a half, Loudoun County has been the main battleground for parents and school boards contending over matters of woke content, CRT, mask mandates, sexualized content, and the forcing of young children to use bathrooms and locker rooms with members of the opposite sex. During COVID lockdowns in 2021, thousands of parents took notice of what their kids were learning in class, said Thomas. Since then, its just been one thing after another, prompting parents into action. Parent protests were galvanized in May 2021 by the sexual assault of a female student by a 15-year-old male in a girls bathroom in Loudoun Countys Stone Bridge High School. This was exacerbated when State Prosecutor Buta Biberaj tried to jail parent Scott Smith, the girls father, for protesting the bathroom policy that led to her getting raped. The lawsuit between the parents and LCPS is still in the early stages, the father of five said. He speculates what aim lies at the heart of the woke education agenda fundamentally. The liberal agenda is no longer about providing a level playing field, said Thomas. Its really about tearing down everything traditional. I think thats the ultimate sinister reality of the equity agenda. Its not about equality its really tearing down America. 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 A police cruiser is seen at a crime scene in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Pascal Marchand) Firearm Used to Kill Three People in Montreal Was Illegally Acquired Police Say Quebec police say the gun used to kill three people in the Montreal area this week was acquired illegally. Provincial police spokeswoman Genevieve Gagnon says 26-year-old Abdulla Shaikh, who is suspected of killing the three men at random, did not have a firearms license. But she says police still dont know how he obtained a gun. Shaikh was killed by Montreal police Thursday morning, he is suspected of killing three men within a period of about 24 hours. Quebecs mental health review board ruled in March that Shaikh, who was under the supervision of a mental health hospital after being found not criminally responsible in a November 2018 mischief case, posed a significant risk to public safety, but allowed him to continue living in the community. Police allege he shot two men, Andre Fernand Lemieux, 64, and Mohamed Salah Belhaj, 48, on Tuesday night in Montreal and killed a third man, Alex Levis Crevier, 22, in Laval, Que., around 24 hours later. Former High School Dean Ordered to Pay $10 Million for Shooting Student A former dean of a high school in Boston has been ordered by a federal judge to pay over $10 million in damages to a former student he attempted to murder over a drug sale dispute. Shaun Harrison, the former dean of English High School, was convicted of assault and other charges in a state court in 2018. He was also sentenced to 26 years in prison. The judgment was taken after it came to light that Harrison used his position to recruit students to sell drugs. In March 2015, Harrison shot a 17-year-old boy, Luis Rodriguez, due to a drug sale dispute that left the boy with medical complications. The victim filed a civil lawsuit against the former dean in 2019. On Aug. 5, a federal judge ordered Harrison to pay the boy $2.5 million in punitive damages, $7.5 million in damages for suffering, emotional distress, and pain, and over $80,000 for covering the victims medical bills. Rodriguez has undergone two surgeries and continues to be in pain owing to the bullet still lodged in his head. Because of the pain, he ended up developing an addiction to prescription opioids. Rodriguez suffers from hearing loss, facial neuropathy, and half of his face remains paralyzed. He needs to have weights on his eyelids in order to open and close his eyes. Hes rebounding from addiction to opiates, Rodriguezs lawyer, John T. Martin, told The Boston Globe. Hes very involved with his community and his family and is doing therapeutic things. Hes striving and thriving and working his way back into getting a job. A Double Life Harrison had arrived at English High in January 2015, just two months before shooting Rodriguez. During the previous five years, he had worked at multiple city public schools. For several decades, Harrison worked as a youth minister and community organizer in Boston and also collaborated with law enforcement. At English High, he was called Rev by students because of his pastor-like demeanor. However, behind the public facade, Harrison boasted to students about his gang ties, guns, and drugs. An investigation following Harrisons arrest in March 2015 revealed that he had been reprimanded several times in his previous stints in the public school system. He was accused of having made inappropriate comments to two students in 2012, and pushing a female student. You professed to be a man of religion, you promote yourself as one who can mentor troubled youth and yet you violated their safety by bringing drugs and violence to them, Judge Christopher Muse said during Harrisons court trial in 2018. Speaking to The Associated Press, Martin said that Fridays judgment will ensure that Harrison is never able to profit from any endeavors once he is released from prison, including selling the rights to his story for publication. Martin also blamed Boston Public Schools for being absolutely dismissive about student safety and being grossly negligent in allowing a predator to have authority. The lawsuit also named Boston Public Schools as a defendant, but the judge dismissed claims against the school district. Martin is appealing this ruling. As Harrison is imprisoned, it is unclear how Rodriguez will receive the $10 million compensation. Nigel Farage speaks at the CPAC Australia conference in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 10, 2019. (The Epoch Times) If America Falls to Marxists, Western Civilization Will Follow: Farage Britains Nigel Farage urges CPAC conservatives to fight for their country Marxism is threatening democracies across the globenot just Americawarned Britains Nigel Farage during a Saturday speech to conservatives in Dallas, Texas. Ladies and gentlemen, we are under attack, said Farage, the past leader of Great Britains Brexit Party. The biggest threat we face is from within. Farage, an ally of former President Donald Trump, quickly became a favorite during the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where thousands of conservatives gathered for the event. Farage said that democracies such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, are experiencing a Marxist threat similar to the one facing America. Marxists are trying to destroy Judeo-Christian culture, the family unit, history, and the identity of Western nations, he said. Socialist professors in universities have paved the way for the indoctrination of children in the school systems, Farage said. The left has co-opted the media for the most part, and its no coincidence that socialistic viewpoints of racewhite oppression and black victimhood have become mainstream, he added. This is a Marxist attempt to break everything we are, he said. We are going to fight back. The way to do that is to elect true conservatives, not RINOs, he said, adding that conservatives can not be afraid of being called nasty names by the left. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was elected as a conservative but governed as a liberal. Ultimately, he stepped down as prime minister in July after losing the confidence of those in his party. In Australia, the same thing happened with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who allowed state governments to impose oppressive lockdowns across the country during the pandemic and lost re-election in May, he said. But of all the democracies in the world, it is America that must lead the fight against modern Marxism, he said. To save Western Civilization, this is the battlegroundbecause if America falls, we all fall, he said. You are the foot soldiers in this battle on behalf of not just America, but on behalf of the whole free world, he added as thousands of CPAC attendees gave him a standing ovation. Farage said the one element that can turn the tide against the Marxists is the silent majority in America. They dont buy the lefts propaganda. Common sense Americans dont believe in the concept of pregnant men, he said. While it wont be easy to stand up to the globalists, America has leaders who are up to the challenge, he said. I believe Donald Trump is the man to go out there and fight for America, he said to wild applause. If Trump were in charge now, things would no doubt be different, he added. Farage said Brexit won at the polls because conservatives in Britain made efforts to get reticent voters to use their voice at the polls. The blood and treasure spent on the freedom enjoyed by the West could be for naught if conservatives dont stand up to Marxism now, he added. The real hard work has just began, he said. Are you ready for the fight? And the crowd roared, Ready! Update: This article has been updated to correct punctuation. Indiana Man Gets 4 Life Sentences in Killing of Girlfriend, 3 Children FORT WAYNE, Ind.An Indiana man convicted of killing his girlfriend and her three young children was sentenced Friday to four life sentences without the possibility of parole. The sentence imposed by Allen County Superior Court Judge Fran Gull came about three months after a jury found Cohen Hancz-Barron, 22, of Fort Wayne, guilty of four counts of first-degree murder. The jury, at the request of prosecutors, had recommended a sentence of life without parole. I can recall no circumstance this court has witnessed that was as horrific as this crime, Gull said. Hancz-Barron chose not to attend the hearing, The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette reported. During the seven-day trial, prosecutors presented evidence that in June 2021 Hancz-Barron used a knife to kill Sarah Nicole Zent, 26; her sons, 5-year-old Carter Matthew Zent and 3-year-old Ashton Duwayne Zent; and her 2-year-old daughter, Aubree Christine Zent, in their Fort Wayne home. All four died of stab wounds, and the mother was also strangled, the Allen County coroner said. A motive remains unclear. Streaks of light are seen as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercept rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, on Aug. 7, 2022. (Amir Cohen/Reuters) Israel, Islamic Jihad Terrorist Group Agree to Cease-Fire From Sunday Night Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group agreed to a Cairo-mediated cease-fire to take effect late on Sunday, both sides said, raising hopes of an end to the most serious flare-up on the Gaza frontier in more than a year. Israeli forces have pounded targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad terrorist group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. The truce came into effect at 23:30 (4:30 p.m. ET). It was announced in separate statements by Islamic Jihad and then Israel, who both thanked Egypt for mediating the cease-fire. The three-day clashes have echoed preludes to previous Gaza wars, though they were relatively contained as Hamas, the ruling terrorist group in the Gaza Strip, had so far stayed out. Gaza officials said 44 Palestinians had so far been killed. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. The rockets have threatened much of southern Israel and sent residents in cities including Tel Aviv and Ashkelon to shelters. Israel launched what it called preemptive strikes on Friday against what it anticipated would be an Islamic Jihad attack meant to avenge the arrest of a leader of the group, Bassam al-Saadi, in the West Bank. In response, Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. At a news conference in Tehran, the groups leader Ziyad al-Nakhala, said Cairo would work to secure the release of al-Saadi. Israeli and Egyptian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rockets are launched by Palestinian terrorists into Israel, in Gaza, on Aug. 7, 2022. (Mohammed Salem/Reuters) On Sunday, Islamic Jihad extended its range to fire toward Jerusalem in what it described as retaliation for the overnight killing of its southern Gaza commander by Israelthe second such senior officer it has lost in the fighting. Israel said its Iron Dome interceptor, whose success rate the army put at 97 percent, shot down the rockets just west of the city. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Palestinians search through the rubble of a building in which Khaled Mansour, a top Islamic Jihad commander, was killed following an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza strip, on Aug. 7, 2022. (Yousef Masoud/AP Photo) Israeli Airstrike Kills 2nd Top Commander of Islamic Jihad Terrorist Group GAZA CITY, Gaza StripIsrael said Sunday that it killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza, the second such targeted attack since it launched its high-stakes military offensive against the terrorist group just before the weekend. The Iran-backed terrorist group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Gazas ruling Hamas terrorist group, which fought an 11-day war with Israel in May 2021, appeared to stay on the sidelines for now. The Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday. Two other terrorists and five civilians were also killed in the attack, bringing the Palestinian death toll to 36 since the start of the Israeli offensive on Friday. The Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 310 people were wounded since Friday. Israel says some of the deaths were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was hit by an errant rocket. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building. On Sunday afternoon, the Israeli military said it was striking suspected Islamic Jihad rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed again a few hours later as sirens wailed in central Israel. The fighting began with Israels killing of a senior Islamic Jihad commander in a wave of strikes Friday that Israel said were meant to prevent an imminent attack. In a statement Sunday, Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Lapid said. Israel estimates its airstrikes have killed about 15 terrorists. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its weapons arsenal. Both groups call for Israels destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. The Israeli army said terrorists in Gaza fired some 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Air raid sirens sounded in the Jerusalem area for the first time Sunday since last years IsraelHamas war. Rising seniors base out of Flagstaff high schools spent some time developing their financial literacy skills last week as part of a boot camp hosted by Northern Arizona Universitys W.A. Franke College of Business. Last Thursday morning, about 25 students gathered for the camps first day. The warmup activity started with a series of questions. Would you rather save money or invest it? Would you give a loan to a family member? The students took turns discussing answers, going into detail on simulated financial situations. The activity was the first of a series of lessons the students would participate in during the event, which this year took place on July 28 and 29., and inance educators presented on practical financial skills such as budgeting, investments and the basics of banking. Nancy Baca, the interim director of NAUs Economic Policy Institute and associate economics teaching professor, said the program came out of discussions with local economics and personal finance high school teachers. Seniors in Flagstaffs public high schools are required to take a semester-long combined economics and personal finance class -- which Baca said shed heard from local teachers is "just not quite enough. Its a really pivotal time in these young adults lives, and not all of them will go on to college, so we wont always have the opportunity to provide them additional finance and economics education, Baca said of the decision to focus on rising seniors. I think its important before they start making those really big financial decisions in their life that they at least have a foundation. Baca said shed heard stories from students who had shared what theyd learned in camp with their families and taught their parents something about finances in the process. It breaks the cycle that the lack of financial education produces in our society, that there seems to be people who just dont have access to this information, she said. Hopefully were breaking that cycle and it just sets them up for financial success, especially in a world where we have so much economic insecurity. A little bit of information can translate into big changes or lifestyle choices that can be very impactful, not only currently, but into their retirement, starting to think about some of these things. The camp included lessons from Baca, as well as finance professor Kevin Aguas and teacher Julia Wright, on topics such as setting goals, understanding pay stubs, credit scores and the time value of money. These often included hands-on activities such as making calculations based on an imagined situation, looking at sample tax documents or taking a financial personality quiz. The program's organizers plan to continue it next summer and beyond. The college is also continuing to apply for grants and partnerships to add more financial literacy events and expand into more rural parts of northern Arizona. The boot camp is in its second year and is one of the Franke Colleges expanding series of financial literacy programs. It held two others this summer: the Fleischer Scholars Program on entrepreneurship and a family financial fun event with introductory finance-related activities for a variety of ages. Were just going to continue to expand our financial literacy outreach in the Flagstaff community, Baca said. We also are extending outreach into our tribal communities through financial literacy events, workshops. ... I feel like it is an incredible way for the Franke College of Business to reach out into our community. Baca said she hoped students left last week's camp feeling empowered about finance and financial security. I hope they feel like they can make choices now, little choices that can make a large impact in their future. That they understand that theres this compounding effect of decision-making, and it really starts with good habits now and with good decision-making now, she said. James Topp and supporter Lola Parsons in Newfoundland and Labrador as Topp continues the second phase of his cross-country trek to protest mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates. (Courtesy Lola Parsons) Its Not Going to Dissuade Me, Says James Topp of Efforts to Cancel Him as He Marches Through Newfoundland James Topp, the military reservist who marched from Vancouver to Ottawa to protest federal government COVID-19 vaccine mandates, has faced organized efforts to cancel his appearances since he embarked on a new leg of his trek in Newfoundland and Labrador. Having begun the second phase of his journey from iconic Signal Hill overlooking St. Johns on July 18, Topp and his team have encountered mixed reactions from some venues where he has been scheduled to speak and meet with supporters. Although many of his appearances have still been held without protest or complaint, some businesses and a handful of local town councils have cancelled his events citing reasons such as maintenance problems, staffing shortages, and permit violations, his organizers said. The pushback in Newfoundland and Labrador, which Topp thinks is being purposely orchestrated to portray him in a negative light, is largely a new experience for him, as his march across Western Canada was met almost entirely with support, he says. On the ground, I am seeing a lot of support from motorists passing by, but the online space is a completely different experience, Topp told The Epoch Times. James Topp talks to a supporter in Newfoundland and Labrador as he continues the second phase of his cross-country trek to protest mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates. (Courtesy Dana Metcalfe) Two people online can actually do the work of 100. Theyre the ones who have, as I understand it, been responsible for contacting business owners and even members of town councils in the various towns weve travelled through at this point. I just know that I was portrayed by them in such a way that the instinct of a local politician or business owner is to say, Okay, well I dont want to be associated with him. Opponents of Topps march have been particularly active on social media, asking their followers to pressure businesses and local governments to ban his gatherings, and claiming he works alongside neo-Nazi organizations and other hate groups that threaten people with physical harm if they dont support his march. Hes been branded Everyones favorite #freedumb figure, and Forrest Topp, among other derogatory labels. Those behind the campaign to cancel Topp celebrated when town councils in Gander and Clarenville told his team they werent welcome to host any meetings on city property. We just work around it as much as we are able to, said Topp, who hails from Hope, B.C. This isnt going to derail me from what Im doing, but it is definitely happening and I think it is a direct challenge to free speech in this country. This is where weve descended into that which people are afraid of, of hearing what they have to say. And that disturbs me as well. Topp said he would like to contact some of the people working against him online to understand their point of view. The Epoch Times reached out to several people and organizations promoting the cancellations of his events, but did not receive any responses. Requests for comment from the town councils of Clarenville and Gander also did not get any replies. I cant say it doesnt affect me, he says. It affects me deeply because I cant understand why this much effort is going into actively cultivating this misinformation about me because number one, its not even remotely true. Number two, why? Because Im protesting against a policy that is unbelievably destructive and harmful? I cant get my head around it to be perfectly honest. Far More Support Than Opposition Andrew MacGillivray is one of the founders of Veterans 4 Freedom, which is supporting Topp and his march. Speaking to The Epoch Times, MacGillivray said any effort to cancel Topp wont succeed. One of the things all of us veterans bring to the table is our resilience. A lot of our guys have taken incoming enemy fire, right? And if they think that their little, blue checkmark and assaults and stuff like that are going to affect people in our group, theyre sadly mistaken, he said. James Topp walks with supporters towards the War Monument in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Veteran James Topp takes a knee in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. Topp walked 4,300 kilometres from Vancouver to protest against vaccine mandates. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) The attempts to portray Topp and his Canada Marches team negatively have baffled Dr. Lana Nicoll, a representative with Taking Back Our Freedoms and also a supporter of Canada Marches, Topps group. Nicoll is one of Topps main organizers handling duties including creating and distributing promotional materials, bookings, and his meeting with several Conservative MPs back in June. I was stunned when I first heard that this was happening. I was literally shocked. Who would do that, to disrespect a 28-year army veteran, like, what would possess you to do that? So this really stunned me from what Ive witnessed and seen, [considering] the beautiful support up until now, Nicoll said in an interview. And it saddens me, too, because I met James and spent time with him and all of the Canada Marches team, and they have the biggest hearts. If people actually knew them and took some time to know about their humanity, what they stand for, and the quality of people they are, theres no way they would be doing that. Lola Parsons, who lives in St. Johns and has been following Topp since his initial journey began in Vancouver, told The Epoch Times she is marching with him daily as he crosses Newfoundland and has witnessed far more support than opposition. Its just incredible to see all these people coming out to support James and what hes doing. Were waving as much as were marching, she said. Topp worked as a civilian with the RCMP but is currently suspended for refusing to disclose his vaccination status. A 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who served in Afghanistan, Topp is also facing a court martial for publicly speaking against federal mandates while in uniform. Topp continues to encourage Canadians to contact their MPs to advocate for the removal of COVID-related restrictions and stigma, while his objective is to represent the Canadian Armed Forces servicemen and women who have had their careers affected because of similar government mandates. While the support he has received since he began his cross-country trek in February has been reassuring, Topp decided to resume his march after he woke up on Canada Day recognizing his mission wasnt finished, particularly with the military personnel he vowed to represent who still havent been allowed to return to the CAF, with many facing the stigma of being released under code 5F, unsuitable for further service. He and his team plan to make their way through the Maritimes and Quebec before likely finishing somewhere in Southern Ontario. Topp says the speedbumps in Newfoundland and Labrador wont hinder his mission as the support he continues to receive outweighs the efforts to silence him. Its not going to dissuade me or stop me from what Im doing, he said. Jail Guard Accused of Selling Access to Female Inmates to Stand Trial in September The trial of a male corrections officer in Indiana who allegedly took money in exchange for allowing male inmates to enter the cells of 28 female inmates and sexually assault them over a period of several hours last year, has been rescheduled for the fifth time, this time for Sept. 20. David Jason Lowe, 30, who was slated to stand trial on Aug. 9, is accused of providing keys to two inmates to unlock the cells of the women, most of them being pretrial detainees being held on minor crimes. The two inmates brought other inmates with them, according to a police report based on a videotaped interview of Lowes. In it, he admits that he was paid $1,000 for what prosecutors called trafficking the women with an inmate. Lowe also admitted to leaving the door that led to the womens pod open for the inmates. Lowe told police that after taking the money and providing the inmates with keys, he turned his back to the door to allow inmates access. Some of the incident was captured on cameras inside the Clark County Jail, which happens to be the setting for A&Es 60 Days In, which highlights its violent and volatile environment. A civil lawsuit recently filed in the matter against Lowe along with Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel and unnamed deputy sheriffs provides a more detailed account of the violent attacks the women endured. The males threatened, assaulted, and raped the females over the course of multiple hours, the complaint reads. According to the complaint, some of the inmates covered their faces with towels. Hours into the assault, one of the female victims was able to reach an emergency button and activate it. Many of them screamed for help. But no one came to their aid. When jail guards finally did show up at the cells of the women, they informed the females that they had lost their dark privileges, according to the complaint. It also alleges that the women were subject to a shakedown, during which guards took many of their personal items. Betteau Law Offices in New Albany, Indiana, which filed the suit on behalf of the women, is seeking damages for the pain and suffering the women endured during the sexual assaults. According to vital records in the case, Lowe is 56 and weighs 140 pounds. Hes listed as being from New Salisbury, Indiana. The state charged Lowe with one count of aiding, inducing, or causing escape of inmates, a low-level felony. It also charged him with official misconduct, also a low-level felony, and one count of trafficking with an inmate, classified as a Class A misdemeanor under Indianas criminal code, the same as petty theft or drunk driving. Lowe wasnt charged under the states more severe accomplice liability laws. Under the laws, a person is charged as a principal in the second degree when they knowingly or intentionally help the principal in the first degree commit the crime. In 1996, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released the findings of a nearly three-year-long study, All Too Familar: Sexual Abuse of Women in U.S. Prisons. It found a disturbing trend of male correctional workers routinely sexually assaulting female inmates. In the course of committing such gross misconduct, male officers have not only used actual or threatened physical force, but have also used their near total authority to provide or deny goods and privileges to female prisoners to compel them to have sex, the investigation report reads. The report also found that male officers often used mandatory pat-frisks or room searches to grope women and to view them inappropriately while in a state of undress in the housing or bathroom areas. According to a report, the U.N. Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners were once used to preclude male officers from holding contact positions with female inmates. However, HRW reported in its study that this changed under the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits denying a person employment on the basis of their gender. By Giorgio Vasari, translated by Gaston du C. de Vere, made public for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included at www.gutenberg.org It is an extraordinary thing that in all those arts and all those exercises wherein at any time women have thought fit to play a part in real earnest, they have always become most excellent and famous in no common way, as one might easily demonstrate by an endless number of examples. Everyone, indeed, knows what they are all, without exception, worth in household matters; besides which, in connection with war, likewise, it is known who were Camilla, Harpalice, Valasca, Tomyris, Penthesilea, Molpadia, Orizia, Antiope, Hippolyta, Semiramis, Zenobia, and, finally, Mark Antonys Fulvia, who so often took up arms, as the historian Dion tells us, to defend her husband and herself. But in poetry, also, they have been truly marvellous, as Pausanias relates. Corinna was very celebrated as a writer of verse, and Eustathius makes mention in his Catalogue of the Ships of Homeras does Eusebius in his book of Chroniclesof Sappho, a young woman of great renown, who, in truth, although she was a woman, was yet such that she surpassed by a great measure all the eminent writers of that age. And Varro, on his part, gives extraordinary but well-deserved praise to Erinna, who, with her three hundred verses, challenged the fame of the brightest light of Greece, and counterbalanced with her one small volume, called the Elecate, the ponderous Iliad of the great Homer. Aristophanes celebrates Carissena, a votary of the same profession, as a woman of great excellence and learning; and the same may be said for Teano, Merone, Polla, Elpe, Cornificia, and Telesilla, to the last of whom, in honour of her marvellous talents, a most beautiful statue was set up in the Temple of Venus. Passing by the numberless other writers of verse, do we not read that Arete was the teacher of the learned Aristippus in the difficulties of philosophy, and that Lastheneia and Assiotea were disciples of the divine Plato? In the art of oratory, Sempronia and Hortensia, women of Rome, were very famous. In grammar, so Athenus relates, Agallis was without an equal. And as for the prediction of the future, whether we class this with astrology or with magic, it is enough to say that Themis, Cassandra, and Manto had an extraordinary renown in their times; as did Isis and Ceres in matters of agriculture, and the Thespiades in the whole field of the sciences. But in no other age, for certain, has it been possible to see this better than in our own, wherein women have won the highest fame not only in the study of lettersas has been done by Signora Vittoria del Vasto, Signora Veronica Gambara, Signora Caterina Anguisciuola, Schioppa, Nugarola, Madonna Laura Battiferri, and a hundred others, all most learned as well in the vulgar tongue as in the Latin and the Greekbut also in every other faculty. Nor have they been too proud to set themselves with their little hands, so tender and so white, as if to wrest from us the palm of supremacy, to manual labours, braving the roughness of marble and the unkindly chisels, in order to attain to their desire and thereby win fame; as did, in our own day, Properzia de Rossi of Bologna, a young woman excellent not only in household matters, like the rest of them, but also in sciences without number, so that all the men, to say nothing of the women, were envious of her. This Properzia was very beautiful in person, and played and sang in her day better than any other woman of her city. And because she had an intellect both capricious and very ready, she set herself to carve peach-stones, which she executed so well and with such patience, that they were singular and marvellous to behold, not only for the subtlety of the work, but also for the grace of the little figures that she made in them and the delicacy with which they were distributed. And it was certainly a miracle to see on so small a thing as a peach-stone the whole Passion of Christ, wrought in most beautiful carving, with a vast number of figures in addition to the Apostles and the ministers of the Crucifixion. This encouraged her, since there were decorations to be made for the three doors of the first facade of S. Petronio all in figures of marble, to ask the Wardens of Works, by means of her husband, for a part of that work; at which they were quite content, on the condition that she should let them see some work in marble executed by her own hand. Whereupon she straightway made for Count Alessandro de Peppoli a portrait from life in the finest marble, representing his father, Count Guido, which gave infinite pleasure not only to them, but also to the whole city; and the Wardens of Works, therefore, did not fail to allot a part of the work to her. In this, to the vast delight of all Bologna, she made an exquisite scene, whereinbecause at that time the poor woman was madly enamoured of a handsome young man, who seemed to care but little for hershe represented the wife of Pharaohs Chamberlain, who, burning with love for Joseph, and almost in despair after so much persuasion, finally strips his garment from him with a womanly grace that defies description. This work was esteemed by all to be most beautiful, and it was a great satisfaction to herself, thinking that with this illustration from the Old Testament she had partly quenched the raging fire of her own passion. Nor would she ever do any more work in connection with that building, although there was no person who did not beseech her that she should go on with it, save only Maestro Amico, who out of envy always dissuaded her and went so far with his malignity, ever speaking ill of her to the Wardens, that she was paid a most beggarly price for her work. She also made two angels in very strong relief and beautiful proportions, which may now be seen, although against her wish, in the same building. In the end she devoted herself to copper-plate engraving, which she did without reproach, gaining the highest praise. And so the poor love-stricken young woman came to succeed most perfectly in everything, save in her unhappy passion. The fame of an intellect so noble and so exalted spread throughout all Italy, and finally came to the ears of Pope Clement VII, who, immediately after he had crowned the Emperor in Bologna, made inquiries after her; but he found that the poor woman had died that very week, and had been buried in the Della Morte Hospital, as she had directed in her last testament. At which the Pope, who was eager to see her, felt much sorrow at her death; but more bitter even was it for her fellow-citizens, who regarded her during her lifetime as one of the greatest miracles produced by nature in our days. In our book are some very good drawings by the hand of this Properzia, done with the pen and copied from the works of Raffaello da Urbino; and her portrait was given to me by certain painters who were very much her friends. But, although Properzia drew very well, there have not been wanting women not only to equal her in drawing, but also to do as good work in painting as she did in sculpture. Of these the first is Sister Plautilla, a nun and now Prioress in the Convent of S. Caterina da Siena, on the Piazza di S. Marco in Florence. She, beginning little by little to draw and to imitate in colours pictures and paintings by excellent masters, has executed some works with such diligence, that she has caused the craftsmen to marvel. By her hand are two panels in the Church of that Convent of S. Caterina, of which the one with the Magi adoring Jesus is much extolled. In the choir of the Convent of S. Lucia, at Pistoia, there is a large panel, containing Our Lady with the Child in her arms, S. Thomas, S. Augustine, S. Mary Magdalene, S. Catherine of Siena, S. Agnese, S. Catherine the Martyr, and S. Lucia; and another large panel by the same hand was sent abroad by the Director of the Hospital of Lelmo. In the refectory of the aforesaid Convent of S. Caterina there is a great Last Supper, with a panel in the work-room, both by the hand of the same nun. And in the houses of gentlemen throughout Florence there are so many pictures, that it would be tedious to attempt to speak of them all. A large picture of the Annunciation belongs to the wife of the Spaniard, Signor Mondragone, and Madonna Marietta de Fedini has another like it. There is a little picture of Our Lady in S. Giovannino, at Florence; and an altar-predella in S. Maria del Fiore, containing very beautiful scenes from the life of S. Zanobi. And because this venerable and talented sister, before executing panels and works of importance, gave attention to painting in miniature, there are in the possession of various people many wonderfully beautiful little pictures by her hand, of which there is no need to make mention. The best works from her hand are those that she has copied from others, wherein she shows that she would have done marvellous things if she had enjoyed, as men do, advantages for studying, devoting herself to drawing, and copying living and natural objects. And that this is true is seen clearly from a picture of the Nativity of Christ, copied from one which Bronzino once painted for Filippo Salviati. In like manner, the truth of such an opinion is proved by this, that in her works the faces and features of women, whom she has been able to see as much as she pleased, are no little better than the heads of the men, and much nearer to the reality. In the faces of women in some of her works she has portrayed Madonna Costanza de Doni, who has been in our time an unexampled pattern of beauty and dignity; painting her so well, that it is impossible to expect more from a woman who, for the reasons mentioned above, has had no great practice in her art. With much credit to herself, likewise, has Madonna Lucrezia, the daughter of Messer Alfonso Quistelli della Mirandola, and now the wife of Count Clemente Pietra, occupied herself with drawing and painting, as she still does, after having been taught by Alessandro Allori, the pupil of Bronzino; as may be seen from many pictures and portraits executed by her hand, which are worthy to be praised by all. But Sofonisba of Cremona, the daughter of Messer Amilcaro Anguisciuola, has laboured at the difficulties of design with greater study and better grace than any other woman of our time, and she has not only succeeded in drawing, colouring, and copying from nature, and in making excellent copies of works by other hands, but has also executed by herself alone some very choice and beautiful works of painting. Wherefore she well deserved that King Philip of Spain, having heard of her merits and abilities from the Lord Duke of Alba, should have sent for her and caused her to be escorted in great honour to Spain, where he keeps her with a rich allowance about the person of the Queen, to the admiration of all that Court, which reveres the excellence of Sofonisba as a miracle. And it is no long time since Messer Tommaso Cavalieri, a Roman gentleman, sent to the Lord Duke Cosimo (in addition to a drawing by the hand of the divine Michelagnolo, wherein is a Cleopatra) another drawing by the hand of Sofonisba, containing a little girl laughing at a boy who is weeping because one of the cray-fish out of a basket full of them, which she has placed in front of him, is biting his finger; and there is nothing more graceful to be seen than that drawing, or more true to nature. Wherefore, in memory of the talent of Sofonisba, who lives in Spain, so that Italy has no abundance of her works, I have placed it in my book of drawings. We may truly say, then, with the divine Ariosto, that Le donne son venute in eccellenza Di ciascun arte ov hanno posto cura. And let this be the end of the Life of Properzia, sculptor of Bologna. Michigan Town Votes to Defund Library Over Books With Graphic Sexual Content Residents of a town in western Michigan have overwhelmingly voted to not renew a property tax millage that has helped fund their public library following a battle over LGBT-themed books with explicit illustrations. More than 60 percent of Jamestown Township voters voted no on Aug. 2 to a 10-year millage renewal and a tax increase for the local library. Roughly 3,000 people, representing a third of the townships population, participated in the election. The bulk of the librarys $245,000 annual budget comes from the now-defeated millage, which means that the Patmos Library will run out of money in early 2023, according to library board President Larry Walton. It also means that residents wont have their property taxes raised by $24. Walton told Bridge Michigan that he wasnt expecting the battle over graphic LGBT-themed books to end the way it did, saying it was very disappointing for people to be short-sighted in closing the library over those materials. Were all for the library. I use it, Jamestown resident Sarah Johnson told the media outlet after voting to defund the library. We want to make a statement that we want some say in the books. According to Bridge Michigan, a parent complained earlier this year about the librarys inclusion of Maia Kobabes Gender Queer: A Memoir. The book depicts a variety of sexual acts, including the self-described nonbinary authors sexual experiences. When asked to take Gender Queer out of circulation, the library board instead put it behind the counter so that children wouldnt be able to access it. Jamestown residents also reportedly took issue with some other titles, including Spinning, a graphic novel about a teenage lesbian skater, and Kiss Number 8, a graphic novel with similar homosexual themes. Despite popular demand for their removal, the board insisted on keeping those books in the young adult section. Patmos Library officials couldnt be reached for comment. Nathan Triplett, president of the Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), praised Patmos for refusing to give in to the demand of the people whose tax dollars support the librarys operation. Its a credit to the staff and board leadership of the Patmos Library that they have steadfastly refused to give in to demand that they purge their collection of LGBTQ materials. We need more of that courage and resolve today, Triplett wrote on Twitter, in response to a post by the national ACLU regarding what it called censorship in school and public libraries. Progressive activists have decried censorship when concerned parents seek transparency in what their children are being exposed to and challenge sexually explicit books in classrooms or libraries. In Virginia, under a new policy (pdf) set to be released under the administration of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, schools must alert parents of all sexually explicit content and post all materials used for the lessons and curriculum on the schools website at least 30 days before those lessons take place. The policy states that its designed to help parents make education-related decisions that match their own customs, faith and values. The ACLU claims such a policy will lead to classroom censorship. As drafted, the proposed model policies codify and force all Virginia school districts to adopt this anti-free speech practice and will only exacerbate an alarming trend toward classroom censorship, all while denying students the opportunity to be inspired by stories of people from all walks of life trying to live authentically in school curriculum, the Virginia chapter of ACLU stated. A small memorial sits outside the home of Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55, in Laurel, Neb., on Aug. 5, 2022. (Margery A. Beck/AP Photo) Nebraska State Patrol: Suspect Linked to 4 Deaths Arrested LAUREL, Neb.Police on Friday arrested a man in the killings of four people in a small northeast Nebraska town. Around 2:30 a.m. Friday, a police team surrounded the Laurel home of 42-year-old Jason Jones and barged inside, with guns drawn and using flash bangs. Jones home is just off the main downtown street in the town of 1,000 people and directly across the street from one of two houses where occupants were shot before the homes were set ablaze, police said. Jones was so badly burned that he had to be flown to a hospital in Lincoln instead of being booked into jail, Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said. Jones was charged later Friday with 10 felonies, including four counts of first-degree murder. The Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacywhich often handles capital murder caseswas appointed to represent Jones and declined to comment on the case. Police allege that Jones killed 53-year-old Michele Ebeling early Thursday morning before causing some type of explosion and fire in her home thats across the street from him. According to police, Jones then went about three blocks south, broke into another home and killed Gene Twiford, 86; his wife, Janet Twiford, 85; and their daughter, Dana Twiford, 55. Barricades block off a portion of Elm Street in Laurel, Neb., on Aug. 4, 2022. (Riley Tolan-Keig/The Norfolk Daily News via AP) Charging documents allege Jones carried out some of the killings in the course of a burglary, but Bolduc declined to give a possible motive for the slayings or say if Jones knew the victims. Several people in Laurel said they knew little about Jones, other than he had moved into the home within the last few years. Court records say Jones had lived in the Elm Street house since at least 2019. Receipts and a gun left at the scene of the killings were linked to him. The killings came as a shock to the community thats about 100 miles northwest of Omaha. Despite its small size, Laurel is home to five churches and the Knuckleheadz bar that also serves as the towns cafe. The last criminal homicide in Laurel happened in 2005, when a man died following a bar fightand that case was deemed to be manslaughter, not murder. To find the towns last known multiple murder, one would have to go back more than 100 years to 1918, when Dr. C.C. Sackett and Harold Crownover were shot and killed by suspected burglars they had been chasing, according to town historian Roger Tryon. Tryon writes a column titled Pages of History for the weekly Laurel Advocate. People still talk about it. That was the crime of the 20th century for Laurel, Tryon said. I suspect whats happened here this week will be the crime of the 21st century. A Nebraska State Trooper vehicle sits in front of the home of Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55, in Laurel, Neb., on Aug. 5, 2022. (Margery A. Beck/AP Photo) Michele Ebelings daughter, Richele Ebeling, 31, of Oklahoma City, told The Associated Press that her mother moved to Laurel about two years ago with her boyfriend, who travels for his job and was not home when she was attacked. Honestly, this is so bizarre and so surreal that I cannot even wrap my head around this, she said, noting she had last talked with her mom around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by phone. She said it is not clear whether her mother knew Jones or whether she knew the Twiford family down the street. The Twifords were lifelong Laurel residents, and almost everyone there knew them. Their next-door neighbors, Doug and Lynette Krie, said they didnt hear anything like gunshots before dawn Thursday. They were alerted to trouble around 9:30 a.m., when they spotted the towns lone law enforcement officer in their driveway, who said a passerby had noticed smoke coming from the Twifords home. The officer and the Kries then went over to the Twiford home together to check the doors. They were all secureand then I saw one of the doors in the back cracked open, Lynette Krie said. Firefighters from the towns volunteer department then went in to find the source of the smoke. When they emerged, they fell to their knees. Thats when I knew they were gone, Krie said, fighting back tears. But the Kries and many others in town didnt find out about the shootings until later. We just assumed they had died of smoke inhalation or something, Doug Krie said. Nobody expected this. By Margery A. Beck Defence Minister Anita Anand speaks during an announcement at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on June 20, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg) No Justification: Defence Minister Anand on Chinas Aggressive Military Drills in Taiwan Strait Defence Minister Anita Anand says China has no ground to launch live fire exercises off Taiwans coast in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to the self-ruled island on Aug. 23. There is no justification to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait, Anand said in an interview with CBC Radios The House, reported on Aug. 6. It is routine for legislators from our countries to travel internationally, and Chinas escalatory response simply risks increasing tensions and destabilizing the region. Anands comments came a day after Beijing announced on Aug. 5 that it was ending all dialogue with the United States including matters concerning military relations. We are concerned by threatening actions by China, she said. We call on China not to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the region and to resolve cross-strait differences by peaceful means. The Chinese military exercises began on Aug. 4. So far, the drills have included missile strikes on targets in the seas north and south of the island in an echo of the last major Chinese military drills in 1995 and 1996 aimed at intimidating Taiwans leaders and voters. The communist regime has long considered Taiwan to be a breakaway province, despite the fact that Taiwan is a de facto independent country. On Aug. 5, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called for the immediate suspension of Chinese military drills around Taiwan after 5 of 11 ballistic missiles fired by Beijing landed in Japans exclusive economic zone. Coercive Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly took to Twitter the same day, calling on China to cease its coercive operations. Canada is deeply concerned by the missiles launched by the Peoples Republic of China towards Taiwan and into Japans exclusive economic zone, Joly said. This action threatens regional stability and security. We strongly urge the PRC to halt its coercive military and economic actions. Taiwan updated on Aug. 6 that the Chinese military exercises appear to simulate an attack on the self-governed island, after multiple Chinese warships and aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwans army added that it detected four drones that it believed were from the PRC, flying in the vicinity of the offshore county of Kinmen on Aug. 5. Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, is a group of islands about 10 kilometers east of the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian Province in the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese said they had fired warning flares in response to the drones. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in a tweet on Aug. 5 that her country is ready to respond as needed to Chinas threats. Our government & military are closely monitoring Chinas military exercises & information warfare operations, ready to respond as necessary, Tsai said. I call on the international community to support democratic Taiwan & halt any escalation of the regional security situation. Anand said Beijings move has been an unnecessary escalation. We are eyes wide open on China, she said. We will continue to work towards the safety and security of that region. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Dr. Pierre Kory (L) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) at the Senate Visitor Center in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 8, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Protocol for Vaccine-Injured Focuses on Spike Protein and Helping Patients Recover: Dr. Pierre Kory People injured by COVID-19 vaccines have been largely ignored by hospitals, federal health agencies, and the mainstream media. According to Dr. Pierre Kory, a first-ever protocol for vaccine-injured people focuses on countering the spike protein mechanisms and shows promising results. Kory is a pulmonary and critical care specialist. Hes also the president of the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC Alliance), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing protocols to prevent and treat COVID-19. What were trying to focus on is spikeopathy, which is the study of the pathogenesis of the spike protein. And theres no one teaching that to doctors in the system, Kory told EpochTVs American Thought Leaders. Im humbled by these patients. Often theyre extremely complex, very sick. But I get them better to some extent, sometimes [to] large extents. I see robust responses. I see the diminution or mitigation of lots of symptoms, and others are much more difficult. On Aug. 3, the FLCCC Alliance updated its I-RECOVER post-vaccine protocol (pdf), which stresses the importance of early and individualized treatment. Kory said there are about six or seven mechanisms under which the spike protein is causing illnesses. The protocol attempts to find therapeutics to counteract or control the mechanisms. Studies and doctors have said that COVID-19 vaccines, especially those using mRNA technology, produce persisting spike protein in the human body and likely cause clots, heart inflammation, cancers, and other illnesses. Kory said the protocol is still in development. Everything Im doing is evolving. The way I was treating patients three months ago and the way Im treating them now is very different, he said. Im learning new tricks like new compounds, new therapeutics that seemed to work well. Im using anticoagulation a little bit more. And in select patients, Im finding a lot of benefit from that. Kory said he has been working with doctors worldwide to help vaccine-injured patients. For example, hes worked with some experts in the UK who can do live-blood analysis in dark-field microscopy. Were able to see all sorts of platelet aggregations, like very stimulated immune and clotting cells, said Kory. Were finding tremendous responses to anticoagulation. Ignored Vaccine Injury The science is ignoring this concept of a vaccine injury syndrome. I will tell you, it is real, and it is common, Kory said. If you look at VAERS, theres a catastrophic amount of injuries being reported. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) monitors the safety of vaccines. The latest VAERS data show 1,341,608 reports of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccines, including 29,460 deaths and 243,466 serious injuries as of July 8, 2022. Kory said injuries reported in VAERS are under-reported. The true number is unknown. But I will tell you its unacceptably high, and its very common. Kory said he has patients who had been injured for over a year without help. Some doctors ended the patients visits when they claimed the COVID-19 vaccines caused their illness. Its a very troubling disease that we need help [with]. We need help from the system. We need to organize research. We need more open recognition of the syndrome and more publications. We just dont have enough data, said Kory. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a report to VAERS does not mean that a vaccine caused an adverse event. Unproven Therapies Kory said he and other doctors have been attacked for using unproven therapies to treat COVID-19 patients or those injured by vaccines. Of course, Im using unproven therapies. Show me whats proven? he said. Theres no organized effort to try to identify, in a controlled fashion, whats working, said Kory. Were left trying to doctor the way old school doctors did, by observation, experience, knowledge of pathophysiology, and knowledge of pharmacology. Were just doctoring. Kory said its very common for doctors to use off-label medicines to treat patients. Dr. Harvey Risch, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, also said prescribing medicines off-label is how medicine has always worked. Dr. Harvey Risch, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, in New York on July 7, 2022. (Bao Qiu/The Epoch Times) This is how individualized medicine worksthe doctor is treating the patient and not treating with policy, Risch told The Epoch Times in July. Doctors have the experience knowing these things work, or they inform the patients that maybe theres only a 30 percent chance that this will work. They say its worth a try if you want to take that risk. That is called informed consent, said Risch. Attacks Kory said he has been attacked for spreading misinformation, and his medical license has been threatened. Kory and some doctors have advocated for the early treatment of COVID-19 from the first days of the pandemic. Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were among the most prominent medicines they recommended. I know the drug works, and Ive been disseminating that knowledge. Unfortunately, the narrative is that it doesnt work, said Kory, referring to ivermectin, one of the safest medicines in history. Ivermectin tablets packaged for human use. (Natasha Holt/The Epoch Times) The science around the efficacy of ivermectin has never been more inconvenient to the pharmaceutical and vaccination industry in history. Kory said some heavily published trials were used to dismiss the efficacy of those two drugs. The trials were designed to use toxic amounts of hydroxychloroquine to show its dangerous. As to ivermectin, a different tactic had been used. They shortened the duration as much as possible. They started as late as possible. And they gave the lowest doses they could get away with because they wanted to try to show the inefficacy of ivermectin, said Kory. Kory said hes not worried about his license because everything he said was based on his expertise. Another attack is trying to remove his status as a board-certified doctor, or an expert in a certain specialty. It requires extensive training and passing an exam to become board-certified. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the leader in the nation for physician specialty certification. Someone wrote to [ABMS], complaining about myself, Dr. Peter McCullough, and Dr. Paul Marik, said Kory. Dr. Peter McCullough is the most published expert in cardiorenal medicine. Paul Marik is the second most-published doctor in the history of our specialty, which is critical care medicine. And I was well known and highly published in another subfield of critical care medicine. Its absolutely shocking that some of the most highly published, evidence-based medicine experts are being accused of misinformation, said Kory. Shift Kory said the truth would come out soon. The ability to suppress the scope and the scale of the vaccine injuries and deaths is starting to slip, said Kory. The ERs, the neurologists, cardiologists, oncologists, theyre seeing too many diseases in young people that theyve never seen beforeheart attacks, strokes, sudden deaths, and cancers. And you cannot suppress that. You cannot continue to suppress that. Kory said doctors in the system are now openly talking about the vaccines as a cause of injury. Besides the massive number of adverse events reported in VAERS, 8,808 claims have been made to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) as of July 1. It is currently the only program to compensate individuals harmed by adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Only one claim has been determined eligible for compensation and is pending a review of expenses. The CDC continues to say COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and severe reactions after vaccination are rare. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June authorized emergency use of Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccines for children down to 6 months of age. The mainstream media have largely ignored patients injured by the COVID-19 vaccines. Big Tech has also censored some stories of vaccine-injured people. On Aug. 3, Kory, McCullough, and Dr. Robert Malone joined a panel on COVID-19 response at Hillsdale College in Washington, D.C. It was led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), an outspoken critic of federal health agency failures and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. During the panel, Johnson called the Biden administration, the federal health agencies, big pharma, corporate media, and Big Tech a COVID cartel that has sabotaged early treatment and censored dissent. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) departs from the Senate Chambers in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 21, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) It has been a colossal fraud, and is exemplified by massive corruption on almost every aspect of COVID, said Kory. Kory said that the past two-and-a-half years are a shocking example of regulatory capture of health agencies by the vaccination and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Recently disclosed information showed that Dr. Anthony Fauci and hundreds of scientists at the National Institutes of Health had received royalty payments from pharmaceutical companies. Fauci denied any wrongdoing during a Senate hearing in June. We cannot let industry profiteers guide public health policy, said Kory. Harry Lee Follow Harry Lee is a New York-based reporter for The Epoch Times. Contact Harry at harry.lee@epochtimes.com Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) questions President Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense, retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 19, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool/Getty Images) Senators Introduce Bill to Stop Chinese Communist Party From Buying US Farmland Two Senate Republicans have introduced a proposal to stop the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing farmland in the United States, arguing that the communist regimes acquisitions on American soil pose a threat to national security. In introducing the bill dubbed the Securing Americas Land From Foreign Interference Act, Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) cited a 2020 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) saying that foreign individuals and entities held an interest in nearly 37.6 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. While some 14 states have restrictions against foreign ownership of land, there are no federal restraints regarding private U.S. agricultural land that can be foreign-owned, they said. Chinese investments in American farmland put our food security at risk and provide opportunities for Chinese espionage against our military bases and critical infrastructure. Instead of allowing these purchases, the U.S. government must bar the Communist Party from purchasing our land, Cotton said in a statement last week. Allowing the CCP to purchase U.S. farmland, Tuberville said, is tantamount to giving our top adversary a foot in the door to purchase land in the United States and undermine our national security. I hope my colleagues will recognize the importance of our bill and join the effort to prohibit Chinese Communist Party involvement in Americas agriculture industry, he said. The senators noted that because U.S. farmers are rapidly aging, with about a third being over the age of 65, millions of acres of American farmland may be up for sale in the near future. Earlier this year, a CCP-linked agribusiness raised national security concerns with its purchase of farmland in North Dakota thats close to a U.S. military base. This property is approximately 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base, which has led to concern that Fufeng operations could provide cover for PRC [the Peoples Republic of China] surveillance or interference with the missions located at that installation, given Fufeng Groups reported ties to the Chinese Communist Party, several senators wrote in a July 14 letter addressed to several Biden administration officials. Data Chinese investors holdings of U.S. agricultural land surged from 13,720 acres in 2010 to 352,140 acres in 2020, Cottons statement added. Meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) introduced legislation in late June that would bar the purchase of agricultural landincluding ranchesby officials affiliated with the CCP. If we begin to cede the responsibility for our food supply chain to an adversarial foreign nation, we could be forced into exporting food that is grown within our own borders and meant for our own use, Newhouse wrote in a statement at the time. In addition to farmland, foreign buyers from China spent $6.1 billion, more than from any other foreign country, on U.S. homes from April 2021 to March 2022, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (pdf). Chinese buyers spent an average of more than $1 million per transactionthe highest average among foreign purchasesand up from the $710,400 average from the year before. California was the top destination for their purchases with 31 percent, followed by New York (10 percent), Indiana (7 percent), Florida (7 percent), Oklahoma (5 percent), and Missouri (5 percent). The report also pointed out that 58 percent of Chinese buyers made all-cash purchases, the third highest behind Canadians (69 percent) and Colombians (65 percent). Frank Fang contributed to this report. Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly speaks during a press conference announcing new gun control laws, in Toronto, Aug. 5, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Cole Burston) Senegalese Government Says Diplomat Savagely Beaten by Gatineau Police Global Affairs Canada says it is extremely concerned about allegations that a Senegalese diplomat was detained and beaten by police in an Ottawa suburb last week. What happened was simply unacceptable, Sabrine Barakat, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs wrote in an email Saturday. The Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the diplomat, who works at the West African nations embassy in Ottawa, was restrained and assaulted at her Gatineau, Que., home on Aug. 2. She was handcuffed and savagely beaten, to the point that she had difficulty breathing, which led to her being taken to the hospital by ambulance, the ministry said in a release dated Thursday but only made public on Friday. The ministry did not immediately offer further details on her condition. The Gatineau Police Service said in a news release, issued Friday evening in response to the claims made by the Senegalese government, that officers were called to assist a bailiff who was attempting to execute a court order on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the subject of the court order, identified only as a woman with diplomatic status, was aggressive and refused to cooperate. They alleged that when officers attempted to explain the process, the woman struck a female police officer in the face. The officers then decided to arrest the woman for the safety of everyone present, according to the release. Police alleged the woman resisted arrest, bit another officer and was then tackled to the ground, where she was restrained. The bailiff then carried out the court order while the woman was detained in the back of a patrol vehicle, under the supervision of a police officer, the police statement said. At no time did the person mention being injured or in pain when questioned. Police say they were called back to the same location, around an hour and a half after they first arrived, by paramedics who were treating the woman, but did not offer further details, only saying that around 10 people were present. The Senegalese government said the charge daffairs at the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, was summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry so officials could vigorously denounce and strongly condemn this racist and barbaric act. A note of protest has been sent to the Canadian government, it said. The government of Senegal has demanded that an investigation be launched without delay and that charges be brought against the perpetrators of this unacceptable assault, which constitutes a serious infringement of the persons physical integrity and human dignity, as well as a flagrant violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the ministry said. Barakat said Canada takes its obligations under the convention which gives diplomats immunity from any form of detention or arrest very seriously. We are working diligently with the different levels of government involved and look forward to a thorough investigation, she wrote. Minister Joly is in contact with her Senegalese counterpart. Canada will continue to fully cooperate with Senegal to address this regrettable situation. Gatineau police said theyve notified provincial and federal authorities about the incident and that theyve asked the provinces prosecution service to lay charges of assaulting a police officer and obstructing a police officer. In Quebec, the decision of whether to lay charges is made by the prosecution service. The police service said it will not comment further, due to the possibility of judicial proceedings, but that it will cooperate with any investigations. By Johanna Pellus Laura Jo West had been with the U.S. Forest Service 33 years before she was backed into a choice that would change her life. For her, it was a surprise and a once-in-a-lifetime decision. But for others, it was an end they had seen coming. For the last seven years West served as forest supervisor for the 1.8 million-acre Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona. She took a long road to get there. Early years West came to appreciate the outdoors through childhood summers in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. During those summers, West and her six siblings were not allowed inside for anything other than sleep and meals. She spent hours walking down by the lake and into the woods. I developed a connection to the land and to the critters, she said. You just feel so very small. Small, but expansive. Its soul-filling. When I'm out there, I experience no separation from the earth and an overwhelming sense of obligation to protect it. Following this sense, West earned degrees in natural resource management and public land policy. In 1989, she was recruited directly by the Forest Service and became a land management planner for the Ashley National Forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming From there, she worked her way up to a district ranger and in 2006 transferred to Prescott National Forest. There, she felt she really got to make a difference. In 2010, she rose to the rank of forest supervisor -- the highest that can be achieved within a single forest -- and served at the Colville National Forest in Washington. The commitment to career that allowed her to climb the ladder did not come without cost. When reflecting on the source of her motivation the feeling of being out in the woods, connecting to the land West said, the higher I got in my agency, the less I actually went out and experienced that. I'm not married, I don't have kids. Work was everything, she said. I didnt have any distractions. While at the Colville National Forest, West was involved in the formation of the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition, which featured collaborative agreements between the bitter enemies of environmentalists and loggers. It was not easy, West said of the collaborative success. There were lots of trips and stumbles. When West had the chance to come to northern Arizona in 2015, she said, she saw the region as a similar area of opportunity to build community and consensus over land management policy. That opportunity existed with the Indigenous communities in particular, she said. West recognized that the Coconino National Forest encompassed the traditional homeland stolen from multiple northern Arizona tribes that lost stewardship as a result of colonization. Because of the strong tribal influence in northern Arizona, West said she felt it was a stage where she could help create a better world by bringing communities together. Little did she know that the work ahead would unravel her career and her sense of self. Supervising a sacred mountain When West arrived to supervise the Coconino National Forest, she soon became acquainted with the mountain that the Navajo call Dokooosliid, also known as the San Francisco Peaks. The mountain, which is a sacred site to at least 14 tribes in the region, contains a summit that is the highest point in Arizona. It also contains the controversial but popular Arizona Snowbowl, a ski resort that exists under a special-use permit from the Forest Service. The presence of the resort within a sacred site, as well as the resort using reclaimed water for snowmaking, has made it the focus of numerous human rights and environmental lawsuits brought forth by inter-tribal coalitions from across the region. Our position is that the disrespect being shown to this mountain has an impact on current and future generations, said Chris Jocks, a longtime member of the Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff and who also belongs to the Kahnawake Mohawk Tribe. In his opinion, Dokooosliid is an area where the Forest Service has failed to live up to multiple federal directives. According to the sacred site policy described on their website, the Forest Service has directives from U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack to consult with Tribal leaders to determine how the Agency can do a better job addressing sacred site issues. This directive is built upon presidential executive order 13007, issued by Bill Clinton in 1996, that requires that any branch managing federal lands must accommodate access to and ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites by Indian religious practitioners and to avoid adversely affecting the physical integrity of such sacred sites. The federal government is also bound by Section 106 of the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which requires that federal agencies consult with tribal authorities to identify significant sites and then resolve adverse effects by developing and evaluating alternatives that could avoid, minimize, or mitigate these impacts on historic resources. The mechanism for fulfilling Section 106 requirements is a memorandum of agreement (MOA) -- which requires signatures from the agency, state and tribal historic preservation officers. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) also recommends that MOAs be developed in consultation with Indian tribes ... grantees, permittees, and licensees. The agency should coordinate early with interested Indian tribes, reads the ACHP briefing on Section 106. The federal agency should start the negotiation process with an open mind. Snowbowl in 2005 signed a MOA regarding its expanded development and artificial snowmaking on Dokooosliid. According to Jocks, the 2005 agreement failed to satisfy the vast majority of the 14 interested tribes in the region and was ultimately only signed by two. But the bald legal fact, Jocks said, is they can pass an MOA without tribal signatures. In 2015, just before Wests arrival on the Coconino National Forest, the MOA concerning Snowbowl and the sacred mountain expired. Until a new one was signed, Snowbowls activity was out of compliance with Section 106 of NHPA, Jocks said. But this was not immediately clear to West. She didnt realize she was out of compliance. Certain wording in the MOA implied that there wasnt a 10-year expiration, and by her estimation the Forest Service had been living up the 2005 agreements. She didnt realize a new agreement was necessary. I kept authorizing [Snowbowl] projects under the 2005 decision, West said. She approved major expansions of the resort, including a new parking lot and new ski lifts. For some of the projects she felt the decision had already been made, and that tribal consultation was truly a checkbox kind of thing. It was my job to implement that decision. So I did, West said. When Snowbowl started to break ground on the projects, what followed was what West described as intense disapproval from many of the tribal communities that she had hoped to cultivate a relationship. She said she began to realize her mistake. My failure there was that we should have gone back to the drawing board, she said. But at the time, West said she still managed to rationalize her decisions to fulfill her contractual obligations." I've done a lot of things in my career like that, she said. You just grit your teeth and do it because you're supposed to, you're required, its part of your job. And each time it was like being pecked to death by ducks. I felt my integrity dissolving. How could I do this while having these conversations, and listening for countless hours to tribal elders telling me stories of generations of love and trauma around these peaks? I couldnt reconcile it. From that point on it took time for West to mature and build confidence in her career. As she did, she more quickly recognized opportunities to pursue agency directives and respond to the bigger picture of rebuilding trust and collaboration between the Forest Service and the Indigenous communities of northern Arizona. In June of 2021, after a complaint from the Hualapai Tribe about the expired MOA, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer confirmed that implementing projects on Snowbowl under an expired MOA amounted to noncompliance with NHPA. The decision caught West by surprise. She told her team to stop everything right now and get clear about what this means. West brought Forest Service attorneys to the table, as did Snowbowl, and the legal teams commenced fighting with each other for months, as to whether projects could be implemented under an expired MOA. Eventually, it was determined that they could not. As the Forest Service had approved Snowbowls Master Development Plan earlier that year, a new MOA would be necessary before the agency could move forward with the environmental review process required to approve any new project construction. West saw the drafting of a new MOA as the perfect opportunity to rebuild consensus, honor tribal connections to the mountain and actualize federal directives around sacred sites. The new agreement Presented with the chance to create consensus and collaboration around a sacred site that had long been the epicenter of controversy, West had no illusions about the difficulty of the work ahead. It was going to be messy, it was going to be hard, we were probably going to have fights in various places along the way, she said. It was going to be a challenge. But I think it was the right challenge. For these reasons, West wasnt willing to unilaterally promise a timeline for approving the new MOA. As recommended by federal directives, she went in with an open mind and wanted to develop a timeline through the consultation process. I wasn't promising anyone, including the tribes, an outcome because I didn't know what was going to develop, she said. It was a completely wide open, kind of scary place. But I thought, Thats OK, we're going to travel it together. From Jocks perspective, West saw an opening and took it. Her efforts seemed sincere when he met with her about a new MOA. She wanted to do the right thing, he said. She understood there were limitations, but wanted to do what she could. But Wests approach of elevating tribal consultation soon caught the attention of Mountain Capital Partners (MCP), which owns Snowbowl. She said her refusal to offer a definite timeline was unacceptable to MCP and Snowbowl executives. I told them it could take at least a year and a half, maybe even two, to get a new MOA down because we're opening up a conversation with tribes, she said. They said, No, it only takes three months. Snowbowl put forth the MOA timeline built around minimum legal requirements, but this did not satisfy West. We have the discretion to do so much better than that, she said. What happened next was somewhat expected, West said: Snowbowl complained. In January and February this year, MCP, the largest ski area collective in the Southwest, scheduled meetings with Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. In a Feb. 17 phone call with Wests superior, quoted in a grievance letter provided to the Arizona Daily Sun by West, regional forester Michiko Martin informed West that MCP stated it did not believe [West is] a neutral and trusted agent. They believe that you are orchestrating a master plan to upend them. West was accused of being pro-tribe and biased toward tribes and otherwise deliberately stalling to prevent MCP from implementing approved projects. I asked regional forester Martin if MCP provided any evidence for their allegations, West wrote in her grievance letter. She replied they had not. While West expected that Snowbowl would complain, she did not expect how these complaints would be received by the Forest Service. On March 17, right after the conclusion of the meetings between MCP and Moore, West received a letter from Martin informing her that her authority to address the expiration of the Snowbowl MOA was rescinded effective immediately, and re-delegated to Steve Hattenbach, supervisor of the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. West said she was shocked that in one fell swoop, the Forest Service chose to accommodate MCP rather than defer to her judgment, despite the fact that she was a devoted employee and agency leader with 33 years of experience. When asked to estimate the reason behind this decision, West speculated that it could have something to do with the influence of the National Ski Area Association (NSAA), whose board overlaps with MCP leadership. I was told by my boss that [the NSAA] lobby on behalf of the Forest Service for additional funding for recreation, infrastructure and things like that, West said. It was made clear to me in a conversation I had with my boss that it was a relationship the agency wanted to protect. In a statement to the Arizona Daily Sun, the Forest Service Southwest Regional Office said the decision to re-delegate Wests authority was made because we value the local working relationships with Tribal partners and did not want to put the Coconino National Forest in a difficult situation where it is a challenge to maintain these important relationships with local constituents. J.R. Murray, director of planning and operations for Snowbowl and an NSAA board member, declined to comment on any friction between Snowbowl and Wests approach to the new MOA, responding to an inquiry from the Arizona Daily Sun by saying the MOA process is the responsibility of the Coconino National Forest, not Snowbowl. Questions should be directed to the agency. Whatever the reason, when West was stripped of her authority in this moment of tribal consultation, she said all the rationalizations, the compromises and the lines of integrity she had learned to blur became intensely sharp. When the agency made the decision to remove me from my work with the tribes and go in a different direction, they asked me to support that direction, West said. That was my trigger. I could not cross that line. Because doing so meant I would have broken all the promises I've made to the tribes. She tried for four months to get the decision repealed so she could resume her work, being stubbornly tenacious in her efforts to reclaim her authority and convince the agency of what she believed to be the right path forward. Her pleas were denied. I had to decide for myself. Its my integrity or my job, she said. I chose my integrity. West decided to leave her post and leave a career she had built over three decades. Her last day with the Forest Service was July 30. The shell game Wests story is not unique, said Navajo tribal member Shawn Mulford, a representative of Navajo medicine people who has been long embroiled in the controversy surrounding Snowbowl and Dokooosliid. We've been here as Indigenous people since the beginning. And we've seen many, many forest supervisors come and go, Mulford said. We call that the shell game of personnel. In Mulfords opinion, every time a forest supervisor starts to realize the sanctity of what Dokooosliid represents to Indigenous people and the future of life in northern Arizona, they like West begin to question their way of doing things. Thats when they [the Forest Service] pull them out, Mulford said. They put them on another national forest, or bring them back to Washington D.C. to re-educate them into the right mindset. They get to this place where Laura Jo is at, and they have to move on in one fashion or the next. Mulford recalled recognizing the pattern the last time he saw Wests predecessor, Earl Stewart. He was on his knees, crying, Mulford said. He believes Stewart learned a lesson: When you go up against sacred things, eventually you begin to learn that you're not going to fool the good spirit. Of the forest supervisors who he has seen come and go, each one of them has learned that lesson in different ways, Mulford said. Some of them get sick. Some of them decide to reset their moral compass. Some of them are brought to their knees in tears. The elders always said, when we began working with the Forest Service, We see you crying in the future. And I see that time and time again with these forest supervisors, Mulford said. They leave with tears. The implications of this ever shifting shell game of forest supervisors is troubling, said Erik Stanfield, an anthropologist for the Navajo Nation, adding that it makes trust between the Forest Service and the tribes very difficult to build. While West may not have had a perfect relationship with tribal communities in northern Arizona, she had at least been working with them for seven years. One of the problems with somebody like [West] departing is the fact that you have this long-term relationship and trust relationship, legally and interpersonally, Stanfield said. Re-delegation and changes in leadership becomes very frustrating to a lot of tribal members and tribal representatives that have to start over again. Stanfield thinks the Forest Service decision to re-delegate Wests authority to Hattenbach was unusual. In my experience -- and Ive been working with federal land managers for many years -- I've never heard them bring in somebody from an entirely different place, he said. Still, Stanfield remains cautiously hopeful that Hattenbach will prove effective at facilitating a new MOA that satisfies the invested tribal communities. For Mulford, however, before any forward progress can be made, every noncompliant project that West authorized under the expired 2005 MOA needs to be re-addressed. Then we can come together and talk about it from there, he said. Getting back Upon making the decision to leave the Forest Service, a cascade of other things became clear" to West. For the first time in 33 years, she slowed down. She realized how deeply her commitment to her career with the Forest Service had caused her to neglect her personal health and her own ability to fill her cup. She started to hustle less and meditate more. She went back to the woods. All the ways I had been shrinking myself just started flooding into my awareness, West said. I never really succeeded at finding that work/life balance that everybody talks about. I think one of my failures as a leader is that I was not able to model that well for my employees. As she continued to slow down in the wake of her decision, West became more able to recognize how the freneticism of work obsession dominated her life. In reflection, she thought a similar kind of obsession characterized Snowbowls advocacy for a legal minimum approach to MOA consultation. I'm firmly convinced the only way Snowbowl is going to be successful into the future is if they're willing to slow down and really have the conversations that need to be had, she said, adding that even a more deliberate pace of business may not guarantee they'll succeed. Lets get real, she said. We have a ski area in a freaking desert. I do think that based on climate change, there will someday not be a ski area up on that mountain. While West has decided that she and the Forest Service are no longer compatible, she does not consider herself retired. Shes going to look for new, more connected ways to pursue her purpose of facilitating meaningful collaboration over land management. I'm hardly done, she said. I don't want to leave this job. I don't want to leave my work. Im going to find a new way to contribute. As for the agency that she devoted so much of her life to, West wishes the Forest Service well. I hope the Forest Service will really back up and acknowledge these communities for what they've been through and proceed differently, she said. I hope there's a learning that goes on the same learning that I experienced. I hope others in the agency, including my successor, I hope they experience it. Specifically, she hopes the Forest Service learns that sometimes the best way to lead as a land manager is to loosen ones grip on power. I think it's an imperative, West said. It's absolutely imperative that we do this on a global scale. This spirited and gallant little book, as Robert Louis Stevenson called it, is gloriously upbeat. It is unafraid to take a positive, unapologetic stance on the side of virtue and valor. The best summer books remind people of the warm spirit of optimism that makes life refreshing and exciting. The Prisoner of Zenda, written in 1894 by Anthony Hope, flows with optimism, and there is nothing like it on a summer night to prepare for a cynical world the next day. Zenda has it all, and irresistibly so. Its an antidote for cynicism because it confronts the old world with a newer world, and it does so in a carefree manner that is buoyant, rejoicing in the thrill of life with an infectious result. Pulled Into the Action Rudolf Rassendyll is a relaxed man who enjoys his leisure. Though in excellent training as a horseman, swordsman, and marksman, he has no desire whatsoever to become the proverbial man of actionuntil some serious action finds him. On an impromptu journey to attend the coronation of the new King of Ruritania, of whom he is a distant relation, Rassendyll is swept away by two members of the Royal Cabinet because he bears an uncanny resemblance to the soon-to-be-crowned king. This takes on crucial significance when the king is suddenly kidnapped. Because the question of who will rule Ruritania hangs in the balance, Rassendyll is persuaded to impersonate the king until the imprisoned monarch can be rescued from Black Michael, the evil Duke of Strelsau. The story takes the reader on a romp of mistaken identity, plot twists, swashbuckling escapades, and high romance. And dont forget the philosophical, heartbreaking quandary that Rassendyll is in over the kings intended, the beautiful Princess Flavia, with whom, of course, he falls in love as he woos her in place of the king. The reader also meets one of the most memorable villains of Victorian fiction: the malevolent Rupert of Hentzau. What more could one ask for in a summer page-turner? High Stakes and Light-Heartedness The quick pace perhaps accounts for the unprecedented popularity of this story, even today. The plot hurtles forward like someone swimming to save a friend going under a third time. Time is running out. The story is regarded as one of the original ticking-clock suspense thrillers, paving the way for a whole genre that relies on a heightened awareness of time and impending doom. Related to this theme of time is that of a protagonist who rises to the occasion. Rassendyll begins the day at the breakfast table delicately holding a spoon, but he is catapulted into the rest of the day with sword at the ready. Rassendyll represents the classic romantic archetype: an ordinary gentleman who is ready, willing, and able to face extraordinary circumstances. From the sitting-room sofa to the Castle of Zenda, his adventures serve as the blueprint for the fictional gentleman and as a practical ideal for all actual gentlemen of the day. A very popular author in his time, Anthony Hope was adept at depicting the struggle between good and evil as a great game. And while he didnt expect anyone to take his plots seriously, they do prepare people to enter that struggle with more sincerity. Play is often the best way to prepare for work. English writer G.K. Chesterton praised the playfulness of Zenda in his book Heretics: In a galloping, impossible melodrama like The Prisoner of Zenda, the blood of kings fanned an excellent fantastic thread or theme. But the blood of kings is not a thing that can be taken seriously and in [The Prisoner of Zenda] there is not only an element of romance, but also a fine element of irony which warns us against taking all this elegance too seriously. In relegating the overserious attitudes of life to a back seat, we open ourselves up to the lightheartedness that makes life worth living. This approach has rendered many stories perfect for summertime recreation. Even the grimmest readers will smile, wide-eyed, as they move inch by inch to the edge of their seats while taking in scenes of men brandishing weapons, women falling in a faint, and dualists laughing as they spar. Some consider it the finest adventure story ever written. For all their silliness, books like The Prisoner of Zenda help bring balance to a society that tends to take itself too seriously. For those who plod along with serious problems, they might consider that they have forgotten how to enjoy a simple escape from the trenches, and The Prisoner of Zenda awaits. This is a rousing story that overthrows apathy with an appetite for adventure and revives spirits with a douse of cold, refreshing positivity. An Albuquerque city police vehicle in New Mexico in February 2022. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) 4th Muslim Man Slain in New Mexico; Targeted Killing Suspected A Muslim man has been found fatally shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and police suspect that he may have been the fourth victim in a series of targeted slayings. Officers from Albuquerque polices Southeast Area Command responded to reports of a shooting between Truman Street and Grand Avenue, NE, where they found a deceased adult male, according to an Aug. 6 statement from the department. The victim, who was in his mid-20s, was a Muslim man from South Asia. A spokesperson from the Islamic Center of New Mexico identified the victim as Naeem Hussain, according to the Albuquerque Journal. One of Hussains female friends told the media outlet that Hussain had become a U.S citizen only two weeks before. Investigators believe Fridays murder may be connected to three recent murders of Muslim men also from South Asia, the release said. Police had said earlier that the other three Muslim men killed in the states largest city in the past nine months appeared to have been targeted for their religion and race. Detectives on Thursday determined there is a connection between the Aug. 1, 2022, murder of Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, and the July 26, 2022, murder of Aftab Hussein, 41. Both men are Muslim and from Pakistan. They were killed in Southeast Albuquerque, near Central Ave. Detectives are also seeking to determine whether the slaying of an Afghan Muslim, Mohammad Ahmadi, on Nov. 7, 2021, is connected to the other homicides. Ahmadi was killed outside a business that he was running together with his brother. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Aug. 6 that she would send additional state police to Albuquerque in response to the most recent slaying. We will not stop in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families and are bringing every resource to bear to apprehend the killer or killersand we WILL find them, she said in an Aug. 6 statement. The Latest Victim Tahir Gauba, director of public affairs with the Islamic Center of New Mexico, has been receiving numerous phone calls following Hussains death, as people are beginning to panic. Hussain was reportedly on the phone with his fiancee in Virginia when he was shot. She heard the gunshot I think and she freaked out, Gauba told the Albuquerque Journal. So he didnt respond after that, so she called one of his friends. His friend went over there and his friend is the one who called 911. The slaying is being investigated by multiple agencies including the New Mexico State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI. Falun Gong practitioners gather to support the withdrawal of 390 million people from the Chinese Communist Party and its associate groups, in Brooklyn, New York, on Feb. 27, 2022. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Blood of Tens of Millions of Chinese on Its Hands: US Lawmakers Decry CCPs Abuses as 400 Million Quit Party WASHINGTONU.S. lawmakers and experts highlighted the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) history of violence and bloodshed, while hailing a milestone reached by a global movement that encourages people to relinquish their ties to the worlds largest communist regime. The number of Chinese who have severed their ties to Chinese communist organizations topped 400 million on Aug. 3, according to the Global Center for Quitting the CCP, an organization dedicated to processing and tracking online declarations denouncing CCP memberships. The global movement is known as Tuidang, which translates in English to quit the Party. The Chinese Communist Party has the blood of tens of millions of Chinese on its hands, so it is no wonder that over 400 million Chinese civilians have left the CCP over the past two decades, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said in an emailed statement. Maos Great Famine, Tiananmen Square, the persecution of the Falun Gong, and the genocide of Uyghur Muslims are all proof that the CCP only cares about its grip on power, said Burchett, who sits on the Asia subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Chinese people would be better served by an open and truly representative government, so I hope the Tuidang movement picks up steam. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) (L) shakes hands with Defense Undersecretary for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie, after a hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Washington on May 17, 2022. (Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images) A Self-Healing Movement In recent decades, a growing number of Chinese have been questioning the CCPs representation of the people, according to Ryan, who is one of the authors of Nine Commentaries of Communist Party, a 2004 book first published by the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times that inspired the global movement. Ryan is a pseudonym he uses to protect his identity and family in China. He describes Tuidang as a self-healing and self-redemptive movement. He says the Nine Commentaries are helping the Chinese people untangle decades of CCP propaganda that instilled the idea that the Party equates to China and the Chinese civilization. People were finally able to separate the CCP from the people, and the nation, he said. Before the publication of the book, which systematically illustrates the Partys history of deceit and use of mass struggle to solidify its power over society, the CCP had controlled the Chinese people and dictated their mentality without the peoples knowledge, Ryan said. While he grew up in this environment, he credits his belief in Falun Gong for helping him to transcend the regimes indoctrination. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice involving meditative exercises and a set of moral teachings underpinned by the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Putting these principles into practice helped Ryan to extricate himself from the CCPs hold on peoples psyche, he said. The Party has been able to manipulate and control the populace by appealing to the ignoble parts of human nature: greed, fear, and jealousy. Such a tactic is most clearly shown in the CCPs continued efforts in its 100-year history to set one group of society against another for no other reason than to consolidate its own grip on power, and eliminate threats to its control. Falun Gong itself became a CCP target in 1999, after the Party deemed the spiritual disciplines huge popularitywith as many as 100 million people practicing by 1999a threat to its hold on power. The CCP has sought to wipe out the spiritual discipline with a society-wide campaign of arrest, torture, and vilification for the past 23 years and counting. Whether Chinese people have read the Nine Commentaries or not, they have begun to discuss social issues with the verbiage and logic presented in the book, Ryan said. Their mentality change is as important as the action of quitting the Party. Chinese people are quitting the Party or its affiliate organizations by submitting online statements to the Global Center for Quitting the CCP. Most use a fictitious name to do so. The Chinese as a group are rediscovering their identity, one that is separate from the CCP, Ryan said. An Exemplar Andrew Bremberg, president of the Washington-based advocacy group Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., highlighted the Tuidang movement as a model for peaceful resistance against communist oppression. Congratulations to the Tuidang movement for reaching a new milestone. Tuidang is an exemplar of a peaceful, civil society movement where activists reach the conscience of their fellow citizens and persuade them to renounce communist ideology and control, he said in an emailed statement. The efforts of the movement to end communist domination are admirable, and the free world must stand with the people of China in such brave acts of resistance against the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Committee on the Budget, welcomed the latest progress of the Tuidang movement, in an emailed statement. [This] milestone is a clear signal to the CCP that their oppressive ways will not stand forever, and personal freedom will eventually carry the day, even in their own country. This is progress for those who stand against communism and the harm its policies have across the globe, Johnson wrote. Ryan said he has also seen the effects of the movement in the United States. Its now the norm for U.S. officials to clarify that they arent referring to the Chinese people or nation when they criticize the CCP. Communist Insider Decouples From CCP Cai Xia, a former professor at the CCPs elite Central Party School in Beijing, was a Party insider. Now based in Washington, Cai described her journey of walking away from the CCP, in a January interview with The Epoch Times sister media outlet NTD. The first time Cai thought of quitting the Party was in 2016, after she had retired from her teaching career and was living in Beijing. The impetus for her change in thinking came from statements made by Ren Zhiqiang, an outspoken real estate tycoon in China, who questioned whether the government was the same as the Party and criticized the CCP for taking the taxpayers money but not working for them. That was his response to CCP General Secretary Xi Jinpings statement that the medias last name is danga term referring to the CCP. Chinese real estate mogul Ren Zhiqiang in his office in Beijing on Dec. 3, 2012. (Color China Photo via AP) Known as The Cannon for being vocal in criticizing the Party, the real estate mogul is a red princeling, a term for descendants of former CCP senior officials. Thus, many thought Ren would get into trouble but wouldnt have to pay a hefty price. However, he was sentenced to 18 years in September 2020 for alleged graft after criticizing the CCP over its mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, which led to the global pandemic. Cai told NTD that her former place of work reprimanded her in 2016 for publishing an article in support of Ren. I didnt have a voice because the Party discipline bound me, and I was considered a CCP member first and foremost, she said. I would rather have abandoned my CCP member identity to keep my right to speak up. Cai wrote a formal application to quit the CCP then, although her friends persuaded her not to submit it because of the expected financial retaliation, including losing her pension. When Ren was sentenced to 18 years in 2020, Cai again wanted to quit the Party. By that time, she was in the United States, but once again, her friends in the United States persuaded her not to leave the Party so that she could keep her pension. However, the decision was ultimately made for her. The Party expelled her on Aug. 17, 2020. Cai said she felt completely relieved upon receiving the news. I completely decoupled with the Party. From then on, I would have no relationship, economic or interest involvement, with the Party anymore, she said. Her transition to an ordinary Chinese citizen from a CCP insider came with a sense of happiness mixed with relief. She acknowledged that she had to deal with some financial difficulties because of the loss of her pension, but she knew it was something that she could overcome. Once you have joined the Party, you dont have the freedom to quit it. They strictly forbid members from quitting the Party, Cai told NTD, adding that this was equivalent to making people accomplices to the CCPs criminal activities. She urged people to have the courage to break the bond; such an act is the liberation of a persons mind and spirit, Cai said. It will also offer a person an added layer of protection when China goes through a transition in the future, she said. The Party is evil; it doesnt mean the 90 million members are all like that, she said. Renouncing Their Pledge Many Chinese who quit the communist organizations state their reason as wanting to rid themselves of the CCPs control and avoid being considered an affiliate if or when the CCP is held accountable for its crimes in or outside of China. These people also include those who were once members of the CCPs junior organizations: the Young Pioneers for elementary- and middle-school-aged children, and the Communist Youth League for those who are middle- or high-school-aged. While memberships in these organizations arent mandatory on paper, they are in practice. Students who havent joined these two groups by a certain age face increasing pressure and even discrimination against receiving education benefits. With each progressive level from the Young Pioneers up until fully fledged Party member, the initiates pledge evolves from contributing to to fighting for, and eventually, ready to sacrifice everything for the CCP. Even though the membership in the Young Pioneers supposedly ends at 14 and the Youth League at 28, members dont go through a formal process to rescind their pledge to the CCP. Anyone who has ever been a member of these youth organizations is encouraged to submit a statement withdrawing their affiliation at the Global Center for Quitting the CCP platform. This explains why the 400 million figure of those who have quit the CCP organizations vastly outstrips the official number of CCP members, which is 90 million. Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, also welcomes the movement. We spent decades fighting the Cold War to stop the spread of communism because we knew back then that its evil and capable of great atrocities, he said. The Chinese Communist Party is not only a great threat to democracy and freedom but also our national security. We must stop its growing influence around the world and here at home. Cars are stuck in mud and debris from flash flooding at The Inn at Death Valley in Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2022. (National Park Service via AP) Tourists Find Safety After Floods Close Death Valley Roads LOS ANGELESHundreds of hotel guests trapped by flash flooding at Death Valley National Park were able to drive out after crews cleared a pathway through rocks and mud, but roads damaged by floodwaters or choked with debris were expected to remain closed into next week, officials said Saturday. The National Park Service said Navy and California Highway Patrol helicopters have been conducting aerial searches in remote areas for stranded vehicles, but had found none. However, it could take days to assess the damagethe park near near the California-Nevada state line has over 1,000 miles of roadway across 3.4 million acres. No injuries were reported from the record-breaking rains Friday. The park weathered 1.46 inches of rain at the Furnace Creek area. Thats about 75 percent of what the area typically gets in a year, and more than has ever been recorded for the entire month of August. Since 1936, the only single day with more rain was April 15, 1988, when 1.47 inches fell, park officials said. Nikki Jones, a restaurant worker who is living in a hotel with fellow employees, said rain was falling when she left for breakfast Friday morning. By the time she returned, rapidly pooling water had reached the rooms doorway. I couldnt believe it, Jones said. I hadnt seen water rising that fast in my life. Fearful the water would come into their ground-floor room, Jones and her friends put their luggage on beds and used towels at the bottom of doorways to keep water from streaming in. For about two hours, they wondered whether they would get flooded. People around me were saying they had never seen anything this bad beforeand they have worked here for a while, Jones said. While their room was spared, five or six other rooms at the hotel were flooded. Carpet from those rooms was later ripped out. Mud Canyon Road is closed due to flash flooding in Death Valley, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2022. (National Park Service/Death Valley National Park via AP) Most of the rainjust over an inchcame in an epic downpour between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Friday, said John Adair, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. The flooding cut off access to and from Death Valley, just washing out roads and producing a lot of debris, Adair said. Highway 190a main artery through the parkis expected to reopen between Furnace Creek and Pahrump, Nevada, by Tuesday, officials said. Park employees also stranded by the closed roads were continuing to shelter in place, except for emergencies, officials said. Entire trees and boulders were washing down, said John Sirlin, a photographer for an Arizona-based adventure company who witnessed the flooding as he perched on a hillside boulder, where he was trying to take pictures of lightning as the storm approached. The noise from some of the rocks coming down the mountain was just incredible, he said in a phone interview Friday afternoon. In most areas water has receded, leaving behind a dense layer of mud and gravel. About 60 vehicles were partially buried in mud and debris. There were numerous reports of road damage, and residential water lines in the parks Cow Creek area were broken in multiple locations. About 20 palm trees fell into the road near one inn, and some staff residences also were damaged. With the severity and wide-spread nature of this rainfall it will take time to rebuild and reopen everything, park superintendent Mike Reynolds said in a statement. Cars are stuck in mud and debris from flash flooding at The Inn at Death Valley in Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2022. (National Park Service via AP) The storm followed major flooding earlier this week at the park 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Some roads were closed Monday after they were inundated with mud and debris from flash floods that also hit western Nevada and northern Arizona. Fridays rain started around 2 a.m., according to Sirlin, who lives in Chandler, Arizona, and has been visiting the park since 2016. It was more extreme than anything Ive seen there, said Sirlin, the lead guide for Incredible Weather Adventures who started chasing storms in Minnesota and the high plains in the 1990s. A lot of washes were flowing several feet deep. There are rocks probably 3 or 4 feet covering the road, he said. By Jacques Billeaud and Michael R. Blood Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas on August 6, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times) Trump Reveals What Hell Do for Fired Unvaccinated Military Service Members If He Wins in 2024 Former President Donald Trump said on Aug. 7 that if he returns to the White House in 2025 hell rehire the service members who lost their jobs by refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. I think its a disgrace what happened to them, Trump said, answering a reporters question. Trump was responding to questions from the press before he took the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas on Saturday. Id let them back. Id give back pay, Trump said. So I would give them their back pay and I would let them back, and they understand that. They know it. Back pay is a common remedy for wage violations where the employer makes up the difference between what the employee was paid and the amount he or she should have been paid, according to the Department of Labor. Trumps comments came weeks after the U.S. army announced plans to cut more than 60,000 national guard and reserve soldiers for refusing COVID-19 vaccines. Soldiers who refuse the vaccination order without an approved or pending exemption request are subject to adverse administrative actions, including flags, bars to service, and official reprimands, a July 1 statement on the U.S. Armys website reads. More than 19,000 U.S. Army personnel have refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, as of July 14, 2022, according to U.S. Army data. The Army approved a total of 24 medical and 19 religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. Jan. 6 Pardons In response to another question, Trump said hell very strongly consider pardoning nonviolent political prisoners who have been indicted as a result of participating in the January 6 Capitol breach. Well certainly be looking at it, and very strongly, Trump said, adding that he has made previous statements about potentially pardoning January 6 political prisoners. I think many people are being treated very unfair having to do with that. And we will be looking at that very strongly, Trump said. I think you know the answer. The president hinted strongly at but stopped short of announcing a 2024 run. Well, its not a long period, regardless, whether you go before or after, certainly not a very long period of time, the former president said. He raised the same point in an interview with the New Yorker earlier this year, when he said hes undecided on whether to announce his decision on a 2024 run before or after the midterms. Its coming, Trump said, and I think people are going to be very happy. Our country has never been in a position like this. We lost everything. Weve lost energy independence. Weve lost our prestige. Weve lost every single thing you can lose, Trump said, noting the withdrawal from Afghanistanwhich he previously called the greatest tactical mistake in historyand the border crisis. So well be making an announcement in the not-too-distance future. Two men walk in front of Akyaka train station on January 9, 2022 in Akyaka district of Kars city, eastern Turkey, near the TurkishArmenian border. (Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images) Turkey, Armenia Move to Normalize Ties Despite Historical Antagonism ANKARA, TurkeyDiplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia have been frozen for almost three decades because of longstanding historical animosities and Turkish support for Azerbaijan, Armenias perennial foe in the Caucasus region. But relations have thawed in recent months, with both countries taking tentative steps toward normalizing ties and reopening their 311-kilometer border. Armenias continued isolation in the region is unsustainable, Talha Kose, a professor of political science and international relations at Istanbuls Ibn Haldun University, told The Epoch Times. Normalized relations with Turkey would bring new opportunities, including Armenias integration into the regional economy. As a first step toward reopening the border, which has remained shut since 1993, mine-removal activities began last month in Turkeys Kars Province. Its unclear how long the process will take, Naif Alibeyoglu, a former mayor of the city of Kars (located 30 kilometers west of the border), told The Epoch Times. But local communities on both sides of the border hope to see the resumption of bilateral trade and tourism. The NagornoKarabakh Factor In 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Ankara formally recognized Armenia as an independent nation. Relations soured soon afterward, however, when Armenian forces captured the NagornoKarabakh region from neighboring Azerbaijan, which, like Armenia, had been a Soviet socialist republic until 1991. Cultural affinities between Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which are ethnically and linguistically Turkic, run deep. So when Armenia seized the territory from Azerbaijan, Ankara responded by severing tiesand shutting its borderwith its majority-Christian neighbor to the east. An attempt was made to mend relations in 2009 when the two countries signed the Zurich Protocols, which called for a gradual restoration of ties. But the protocols were never ratified by the two countries parliaments, and the initiative eventually stalled. At that time, in both Turkey and Armenia, there was little public support for normalization, Kose, who specializes in regional conflicts, told The Epoch Times. Whats more, Azerbaijan wasnt part of the process and feared being sidelined, so it pressured Turkey to drop the initiative. The logjam was finally broken in late 2020, when Azerbaijani forces, with Turkish support, retook most of the territory lost to Armenia in the early 1990s. In the months following the 44-day conflict, signals began emanating from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, that it was prepared to consider normalizing relations with Ankara. We must make peace with Turkey, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an August 2021 televised interview. The lack of diplomatic relations and the closed border are adversely affecting regional stability. Turkey, for its part, was quick to respond, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying that the conflict had yielded new opportunities for the prospect of normalization. If Armenia responds positively to these opportunities, we will take the necessary steps, Erdogan said. Another obstacle to normalization is the ongoing debate over whether Turkey committed genocide against the Armenian people during World War I. While Ankara has admitted that hundreds of thousands of Armenians perished amid the intercommunal violence that wracked Turkey at the time, it rejects the notion that this amounted to genocide. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan (L), Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (C), and Head of the Parliament Alen Simonyan (R) lay flowers at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan on April 24, 2022, as Armenians mark the 107th anniversary of WWI-era mass killings. (Karen Minasyan/AFP via Getty Images) Members of the Armenian diaspora tend to be very passionate about this issue, Kose said. But our counterparts living inside Armenia recognize our common interests and appear to be more pragmatic in this regard. Without Preconditions According to Kose, Pashinyans statement showed a desire on the part of the Armenian public to end decades of hostility with its two Turkic neighbors. The 2020 conflict provided an opportunity to finally break the status quo, he said. Despite the military loss [in NagornoKarabakh], the Armenian people appear to welcome the prospect of normalization with Turkey. Unlike the situation in 2009, theres more public support [for normalization] this time around, while Azerbaijan is more involved in the process, Kose said. The drive toward full normalization gained momentum last December, when Ankara and Yerevan both appointed special envoys to follow up on the process. Since then, the envoys have met on four separate occasions to reiterate their respective countries desire to normalize ties without preconditions. The two sides reached another milestone in mid-March, when Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with his Turkish counterpart in the Turkish city of Antalya, the first visit by a high-level Armenian official in more than a decade. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu meets with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on March 12, 2022, in Antalya, Turkey. (MFA Press Office via dia images via Getty Images) During the visit, Mirzoyan voiced hope that normalized ties would lead to an era of peaceful and sustainable development in the region. Opening the border would have a positive impact on connectivity, trade, and economic relations between the two countries, he said. Alibeyoglu, who served as mayor of Kars from 1999 to 2009, echoed these sentiments. There used to be lively trade between Kars and Armenia, he said. All that changed when the border was closed. The people of Kars, especially traders, want the border reopened as soon as possible. Along with rejuvenating the local economy, this would bring the two peoples together and ease longstanding tensions. On the regional level, an open border would serve to stimulate commerce throughout the Caucasus and create a trade corridor linking Central Asia to Europe, according to Kose. On Aug. 3, limited clashes erupted between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in NagornoKarabakh. As of press time, it remained unclear what effect this would have on the TurkeyArmenia normalization process. Twitter Permanently Bans Author James Lindsay Twitter has permanently banned author James Lindsay for calling a transgender attorney a child sexualization specialist on the social media platform. Lindsay said he made the comment after Alejandro Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law Schools Cyberlaw Clinic who previously worked as a staff attorney for the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, accused him of being racist and sexist. Caraballo celebrated and took credit for Lindsays suspension, writing, Tell James, I want him to know it was me in a post on Twitter. Over the past two weeks, Lindsay said, trans activists have banded together, targeted him, and claimed responsibility for a mass reporting campaignwhich is against Twitter rules. They not only launched a massive reporting [campaign], but they bragged that they did it, he told The Epoch Times on Aug. 5, the day he was banned. Twitter has a terms of service agreement that you cant mass report or induce mass reporting. Its considered targeted harassment, and its against the terms of service to do it, but nobody ever enforces itever. The Twitter headquarters in San Francisco on April 26, 2022. (Amy Osborne/AFP via Getty Images) He was previously twice locked out of his @conceptualjames Twitter account, once on July 21 for responding ok groomer to Ari Drennen, an LGBTQ program director at Media Matters, and again on July 26 for using the word groomer in old Twitter posts that trans activists publicized. Drennen, who took credit for getting Lindsay locked out of his account on July 21, wrote an article published online on July 22 suggesting Twitter suspend users slandering LGBTQ people as groomers and calling Lindsay a right-wing CRT alarmist. To get back into his Twitter account in that case, Lindsay said he was forced to confess that the ok groomer comment violated Twitter rules because its the only way to get your account back unless you want to get locked into appeal limbo. Lindsay has since appealed the permanent ban. When prompted to describe the problem to Twitter, he wrote: The problem is that you arbitrarily changed the rules and suspended my account after repeatedly forcing me to lie to admissions of guilt for violations that arent real. You should un-suspend my account and correct your biased and arbitrary policy enforcement. Ironically, Lindsay said that he felt like he was let out of prison after the ban. I dont know why I want to go back. Its so strange how immediate it is that I just feel relief that Im not on there anymore, Lindsay said. The only reason I want it back is a matter of practicality, because it drives something like 80-something percent of my traffic to my website. He accused Twitter of using tactics similar to those of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to coerce people into confessing to fake crimes. Beijing residents walk past a huge poster showing Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong in downtown Beijing in February 1967, during the Great Cultural Revolution. (Jean Vincent/AFP via Getty Images) That is a tactic of Maoisma communist tacticto force people to confess to crimes to be able to get leniency. Thats literally how Mao ran his prisons in CCP-controlled China in the 50s, he said. The term groomer has several meanings, and although it can refer to pedophilia, it can also mean a recruiter who grooms someone into a cult, club, or organization, or a person who grooms another for a job or position, he said. Lindsay contends he used the term groomer to describe someone involved in what he views the cult indoctrination of others into the trans activism or and gender ideology movement and wasnt accusing anyone of pedophilia. I would not accuse anybody of that without substantive evidence. Its a horrific accusation, he said. He has admitted publicly that he openly criticizes those involved defending and engaging in cult grooming into a gender ideology rooted in queer Marxist theory. People protest a school boards pro-transgender policy outside of a middle school in Falls Church, Va., on June 16, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Its weird because the cult indoctrination is sex, gender, and sexuality, and so theyre indoctrinating people with concepts of sexuality which sexualizes children, but thats not the same thing specifically as pedophilia, which is also the sexualization of children. There is this weird double meaning, or two meanings to the word, he said. Lindsay has produced a series of podcasts called Groomer Schools for his website, New Discourses, which has been very popular, he said. So, Ive been calling these people groomers for months. I started doing it back in October, he said. [It wasnt] ambiguous in terms of what it means until 10 minutes ago. Twitter didnt respond to an inquiry about Lindsays allegations that activists had launched a mass reporting campaign against him, but told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement on Aug. 5 that his account was permanently suspended for hateful conduct according to Twitter policies. While Lindsay opposes cancel culture on social media, especially for expressing an opinion on an issue, he said people who abuse their positions or power to impose an ideology on school children should be fired. Students walk outside Hewes Middle School in Tustin, Calif., on Aug. 12, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) As the author of several books, including Race Marxism and Social (In)Justice, that delve deep into todays culture wars, Lindsay is no stranger to controversy, but he has never been banned from Twitter for his opinions on critical race theory, for example. Its not the broader constellation of things Im calling out; it is specifically that they want to protect the transsexual ideological grooming of children, and it is huge and it is coordinated, he said. There is a vested interest in protecting this specific thing, and I dont know why that is. Tiffany Justice, co-founder of national parental rights organization Moms for Liberty, was recently locked out of the groups Twitter account for a week over a post condemning controversial proposed legislation that would make California a transgender sanctuary state, and for also challenging gender ideology. She wrote on Twitter on July 25: Gender dysphoria is a mental health disorder that is being normalized by predators across the USA. California kids are at extreme risk from predatory adults. Now they want to liberate children all over the country. Does a double mastectomy on a preteen sound like progress? After Justice deleted the post, the Moms for Liberty Twitter account was unlocked. Media Matters has also accused Twitter account Libs of Tik Tok, Gays Against Groomers founder Jaimee Michell, and others of slandering people with the term groomer. Last week, Twitter also locked the Gays Against Groomers account. The group had posted: Damaged people damage people. The internet is a dangerous place for kids, especially when you have radical alphabet activists openly grooming them. Protect your children from these people at all costs. An employee makes a chip at a factory of Jiejie Semiconductor Company in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, on March 17, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) US Expands China Chip Ban, Weighs Blacklisting of Top Chinese Chipmaker The United States has expanded its ban on exports to China of equipment that can make semiconductors up to 14 nanometers (nm) in size and is considering plans to restrict NAND flash memory chip exports and blacklist a major Chinese memory chip maker, as Chinas ruling communist party continues its aggressive posturing toward other governments in its region. Previously, the United States had banned the sale of equipment that can produce chips of 10 nm or smaller to Chinese chip manufacturers as part of its efforts to contain the Chinese regimes efforts to expand its influence networks through technology and continued economic expansion. Since late July, the ban has been expanded to 14 nm chips, according to major U.S. chip-making equipment suppliers, such as Lam Research Corp., that have been notified by the government about the expanded restrictions. The development follows a historic $52 billion measure passed by the U.S. Congress on July 27 to aid domestic chip makers in research, development, and production volume. Its worth noting that one of the conditions is that the companies that receive funds wont increase advanced chip productions in mainland China. The expanded restrictions will also affect the production plants run by other countries chip manufacturers that are contracted to operate in mainland China, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Employees make chips at a factory of Jiejie Semiconductor Company in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, on March 17, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) The U.S. Department of Commerce said in a statement that the tightening of policies is to impair PRC efforts to manufacture advanced semiconductors to address significant national security risks to the United States. Its reported that the United States is planning to ban the exports of U.S. chipmaking equipment that produces advanced NAND chips to Chinese chipmakers, such as Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp. (YMTC). On Aug. 1, U.S. senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), requested that the Department of Commerce add YMTC to the U.S. trade blacklist. Weighing Bans, Blacklisting as Firms Talk to Tech Giants NAND flash memory chips are used to store data in smartphones, personal computers, and data centers such as those of Amazon, Facebook, and Google. If the NAND chip ban is officially issued, it would be the first time that the United States has used trade restrictions to contain Chinas ability to produce nonmilitary-use memory chips, broadening the scope of U.S. protection of its national security. The new Apple iPhone SE is displayed at the Apple Store on 5th Avenue shortly after it went on sale in Manhattan on March 18, 2022. (Mike Segar/Reuters) YMTC is a state-owned company and Chinas only storage NAND flash memory manufacturer competing with major U.S. manufacturers. Its global market share is 5 percent. In a report released by the White House in June 2021, YMTC was identified as the national champion enterprise of the Chinese communist regime, having received $24 billion in subsidies. YMTC is under investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department for selling chips to Huawei, a major Chinese state-owned telecommunication equipment company that has been blacklisted by the United States for national security reasons. According to Bloomberg, YMTC is in talks with Apple to supply flash memory chips for iPhones. Huge Blow to YMTC and Chinas Ambition Mr. Huang, a Taiwanese semiconductor professional who has been in the business for more than 20 years, told The Epoch Times that if the new U.S. sanctions are extended to NAND chips, it would be a huge blow to YMTC and Chinas development of memory chips, especially to their capacity and market share. (Then the CCP) has to spend a lot of effort and a long time to catch up with the development in the industry. They have to do R&D and everything by themselves, and it will take them more than 10 yearsit is very difficult, he said. Huang, who declined to provide his full name because he isnt permitted to discuss these matters with the press, also noted that with tightened restrictions by the United States, the Chinese regime will likely try to obtain the technologies they need from other companies and countries, using all kinds of meansincluding illegal methods. The United States, Taiwan, and Japan have all been vigilant and are curbing the outflow of these technologies and talent to China. The Taiwan governments protection of semiconductor technology has been upgraded to a national security level, he said. Taiwans national security department is actively investigating and restricting the professionals in this area to go to China. Xia Song and Luo Ya contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombias first leftist president was sworn into office Sunday, promising to fight inequality and bring peace to a country long haunted by bloody feuds between the government, drug traffickers and rebel groups. Gustavo Petro, a former member of Colombias M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties that offered moderate changes to the market-friendly economy, but failed to connect with voters frustrated by rising poverty and violence against human rights leaders and environmental groups in rural areas. On Sunday, he said Colombia was getting a second chance to tackle violence and poverty and promised that his government would implement economic policies that seek to end longstanding inequalities and ensure solidarity with the nations most vulnerable. The incoming president said he was willing to start peace talks with armed groups across the country and also called on the United States and other developed nations to change drug policies that have focused on the prohibition of substances like cocaine, and fed violent conflicts across Colombia and other Latin American nations. Its time for a new international convention that accepts that the war on drugs has failed, he said. Of course peace is possible. But it depends on current drug policies being substituted with strong measures that prevent consumption in developed societies. Petro is part of a growing group of leftist politicians and political outsiders who have been winning elections in Latin America since the pandemic broke out and hurt incumbents who struggled with its economic aftershocks. The ex-rebels victory was also exceptional for Colombia, where voters had been historically reluctant to back leftist politicians who were often accused of being soft on crime or allied with guerrillas. A 2016 peace deal between Colombias government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia turned the focus of voters away from the violent conflicts playing out in rural areas and gave prominence to problems like poverty and corruption, fueling the popularity of leftist parties in national elections. However, smaller rebel groups like the National Liberation Army and the Gulf Clan continue to fight over drug trafficking routes, illegal gold mines and other resources abandoned by the FARC. Petro, 62, has described U.S.-led antinarcotics policies as a failure but has also said he would like to work with Washington as equals, building schemes to combat climate change or bring infrastructure to rural areas where many farmers say coca leaves are the only viable crop. Petro also formed alliances with environmentalists during his presidential campaign and has promised to turn Colombia into a global powerhouse for life by slowing deforestation and reducing the countrys reliance on fossil fuels. He has said Colombia will stop granting new licenses for oil exploration and will ban fracking projects, even though the oil industry makes up almost 50% of the nations legal exports. He plans to finance social spending with a $10 billion a year tax reform that would boost taxes on the rich and do away with corporate tax breaks. Hes got a very ambitious agenda, said Yan Basset, a political scientist at Bogotas Rosario University. But he will have to prioritize. The risk Petro faces is that he goes after too many reforms at once and gets nothing through Colombias congress. Analysts expect Petros foreign policy to be markedly different from that of his predecessor Ivan Duque, a conservative who backed Washingtons drug policies and worked with the U.S. government to isolate the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an attempt to force the authoritarian leader into holding free elections. Petro has instead said he will recognize Maduros government and try to work with the Venezuelan president on several issues, including fighting rebel groups along the porous border between the countries. Some border residents are hoping that improved relations will generate more commerce and job opportunities. Hours before Petro took office, at the most important border crossing bridge with Venezuela, a group of people carried a Colombian flag as they walked toward Venezuela chanting Viva Colombia, Viva Venezuela! Supporters of Maduro held a concert on the Venezuelan side of the border. In Cucuta, a city just a few miles from the Venezuelan border, trade school student Daniela Cardenas is hoping Petro will carry out an educational reform that includes free tuition for college students. He has promised so many things, Cardenas, 19, said after traveling 90 minutes from her rural community to the city. We must work to be able to pay our student fees, which are quite expensive and, well, that makes many things difficult for us." Eight heads of state attended Petros inauguration, which was held at a large colonial-era square in front of Colombias Congress. Stages with live music and big screens were also placed in parks across Bogotas city center so that tens of thousands of citizens without invitations to the main event could join the festivities. That marked a big change for Colombia where previous presidential inaugurations were more somber events limited to a few hundred VIP guests. Its the first time that people from the base can come here to be part of a presidential inauguration, said Luis Alberto Tombe, a member of the Guambiano tribe wearing a traditional blue poncho. We feel honored to be here. But not everyone is feeling so hopeful about Petro's victory. In Medellin Stefan Bravo, a conservative activist, organized an anti-Petro march on Saturday that was joined by around 500 people. He's worried Colombia's new president will erode the separation of powers in the South American country, and follow the policies of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. Petro does not represent us, Bravo said. This government will be a threat to family values, private property and foreign investment. Petro won the election by just 2 percentage points, and is still a polarizing figure in Colombia, where many have been wary of having former guerrillas participate in politics. His Cabinet appointments have also been highly scrutinized: The new president picked an internationally renown economics professor as his finance minister, while also choosing an academic who researches the negative impacts of extractive industries as his minister for mining, and giving the labor ministry to the head of Colombia's communist party. "I think hes trying to forge a balance," said Sergio Guzman, a political risk analyst in Bogota. He has included the activists who he promised to make an integral part of his government, the centrist technocrats who give the markets confidence, and the different political parties with whom he has to govern to pass anything in congress." ___ Associated Press journalist Regina Garcia Cano contributed to this report from San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela (RNS) The street protests that drove Sri Lankas President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office last month brought together people from across the countrys diverse and sometimes warring ethno-religious groups: Tamils, Muslims, Christians and Sinhala Buddhists including, unmistakably, the saffron-robed Buddhist monks who are fixtures of Sri Lankas political scene. But with Rajapaksa in exile in Singapore and life returning closer to normal, decades-old questions are being raised about Buddhisms role in Sri Lankas government. This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story. Political involvement by the monks easy to spot in the protests against Rajapaksas inaction on Sri Lankas economic woes also includes taking seats in Parliament and joining political parties. Last year, a controversial monk named Galagoda Atte Gnanasara was appointed to a presidential task force for legal reforms despite his vociferous anti-Muslim views. The role of monks is to help people improve their spirituality. During the last 10 years, their political involvement has become too much, I think. People dont view them as religious leaders anymore, said Venerable Mahayaye Vineetha, a Sri Lankan monk living in Kandy, a city in Sri Lankas central highlands. The connection between monks and political figures has reportedly diminished some monks respectability. Moreover, hard-line political monks with ties to the Rajapaksas have turned out to join protests against their former allies alongside younger, more progressive monks. One video taken from Batarramulla in April shows a monk, a former ally of Rajapaksas and leader of the nationalist Janasetha Peramuna party, being scolded and pushed out of the protests. A man in the video can be heard saying It is because of the people like you, we suffer today like this. This is one of several instances where people called out monks as being tools of the state and said they have contributed to the current situation, the maintaining of the political elite, and the supporting and abetting of violence and ethnic strife, said Nalika Gajaweera, a research anthropologist at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. Theravada Buddhist monks have been both spiritual and practical advisers to Sri Lankan political leaders for centuries, starting with the countrys kings. In the seven decades since Sri Lankas independence from Britain, the relationship has become more entangled as Sinhala Buddhism, marked by its nationalistic values, has proliferated in the nations monasteries. Sinhala Buddhist nationalism can be traced back to Anagarika Dharmapala, an influential anti-imperialist and nationalist monk from the early 19th century. His speeches, filled with anti-Muslim and anti-Tamil rhetoric and aimed at creating a Buddhist dominated nation, are infamous in Sri Lanka. Dharmapalas goals were realized with the 1956 Sinhala Only Act and further enshrined in Sri Lankas 1972 constitution, which privileged Buddhism over other religions, essentially cementing an ethno-religious majoritarian state. In recent years, the blatant racism and violent language of the first wave of Sri Lankan independence have reappeared. Hard-line monks with ties to politicians like the Rajapaksas have led to racist rowdyism among their followers; some monks have even committed violence themselves. People should be able to see that there is a weaponization of religion for political purposes, to promote a certain political agenda, said Gajaweera. In 2015, Venerable Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero, a close ally of the Rajapaksas, was arrested for threatening Rohingya refugees in Sri Lanka and encouraging people to throw rocks at them. As the economic situation has devolved in Sri Lanka, monks have come to play an increasingly important role in day-to-day life. In rural areas, temples can be the sole resource for villagers who otherwise lack access to news on political developments. In urban areas, where the education system has largely collapsed, some temples run dharma schools for children. Chamila Somirathna, a professor at the Colombo Institute of Research and Psychology and the mother of two young children, said her 5-year-old son has only been able to attend kindergarten in person for 30 days in the last two years after the government forcibly closed schools. Its really important for temples to mediate in these kinds of cases. Kids should get the chance to associate with other kids their age, get education and get that school experience. As Sri Lankas economy has suffered, too, the monks provide much-needed aid through their redistribution of dana, or almsgiving. Despite a stark lack of resources and an increasing hunger crisis as the year goes on, dedicated lay Buddhists still show up to provide monks with food each morning. People do not have enough food for themselves, but bring the best thing for monks. I have so much lovingkindness for these people. They have a lot of faith, and they might have some problems with monks, but theyve never stopped with alms, said Vineetha. Typically, food given to monks is either consumed or thrown away, but in the current hard times, many temples are reallocating extra food to families in need. Addressing this suffering always comes first. Then we (monks) can think about other things, according to Vineetha. Despite the scenes of monks being booed at the protests, many of the young, predominantly Buddhist protesters welcome monks involvement in the popular uprising and politics at large, as long as it is done in limited measure. Some senior monks have merely spoken in support of the protest movement. They werent on the streets joining in, but just said, Yes, we support this. For some protesters, that statement likely gives public legitimacy to the struggle, particularly among the wider Sinhala Buddhist public, said Gajaweera. But their presence at the protests has made even some other monks wary. Some activists who forced the former president out have accused these monks of being opportunistic trying to save face by protesting despite previously supporting the Rajapaksa regime. Many Sri Lankans are less than pleased that their new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is a close ally of the former president. They expect the hard-line nationalist monks formerly aligned with Rajapaksa will back Wickremesinghe and the status quo. The constitution is still structured as the Sinhalese and the other, said Gajaweera. Although everyone is equal, theres a special case for the Buddhists. These contradictions of the nation-state will continue to shape the future. The best route for monks, said Vineetha, is to use their position not to gain power for themselves, but to help laypeople understand the political system. When there is an election and leaders come to villages promising this and that to the people, we can help them grasp the corrupt system. PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) Gunmen shot dead four people including two police in northwestern Pakistan in an attack targeting a provincial lawmaker from former Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party, police said. Lawmaker Malik Liaqat Khan no relation to Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was wounded in the attack late Saturday along with three others and was hospitalized in the provincial capital of Peshawar, police said. Globally, one in eight women aged 18 to 60 worldwide is unmarried. 4.3 percent of women reach their forties without marrying. By nature, especially in traditionally African societies like Nigeria, women have high expectations for marriage. Psychologically and socially, women reported feeling lonely more frequently than men. Loneliness comes from a feeling of being isolated and unfulfilled, and often, people who feel lonely get caught up in making a habit of doing things that they would not normally do. They look for love everywhere instead of safely meeting someone they like and falling in love with them. In this case, these women has fallen prey to a man who is a criminal lover. So, when Ifeanyi Ezennaya, socially known as Emeka, met a group of women in a Lagos bar during a birthday party as part of his tactics, he studied them as likely apprised, economically well-off but emotionally needy, and he knew what to do just by looking at their smiling faces. He boasted to them that he lived in Oyinbo Land, Switzerland, and some of them immediately got carried away, freely giving him their phone numbers. He waited for a few days, probably chatting with some of them in the interim. Emeka probably made the women in need of enjoyment smile, laugh, twist, or even sing to "Buga lyrics by Kizz Daniel,'dont sleep, don't sleep, wake up' while they drink and engage in other behaviors. Emekas alcohol, drug, or substance calmingly sedated the six womens brains, followed by induced sleep. Ifeanyi Ezennaya, with his introductory attractive name, Emeka, "called that we should hang out in a hotel, and we honored the invitation." "He ushered us to the room he had already booked." "He brought out red wine and some energy drinks from the fridge and served us, and that was all we could remember." Of course, it is called sedatives! Emeka's alcohol, drug, or substance aided the victimization because alcohol and the administered substance calmingly sedated the brains of the six women, followed by induced sleep. Why would six women at a time visit one man in a hotel at night, a stranger? Emeka helps them fall asleep. But that is not what they came for. The drinking and enjoyment reportedly started around 7:00 p.m. With his apparent criminal mindset, Emeka watched the helpless faces and bodies as they became subdued and slept. No one knows for how long Emeka touched and searched the sedated women, but they were incapacitated by deep sleep for six hours. Upon waking up from having spiked drinks and luckily out of danger of continued sleeping or even death, they noticed that Emeka left with their six iPhones, wristwatches, gold chains, and ATM cards, among others. At a time of Nigerias deep economic misery, unlike violent kidnappers for ransom, Emeka chose a passive path by becoming a con artist who studies and targets lonely and vulnerable women looking for short and fast enjoyment with a man, especially from "overseas," but he ends up emptying them. There is no doubt that these six women could be financially and emotionally devastated by Emekas antisocial actions, especially with the report that he sent the "phones to Onitsha through a waybill and sold them for N900,000," and "withdrew N50,000 from the account of one of them using the ATM card he stole." Nigerians should not rush to blame the women entirely.They were attending a birthday party in a bar. While chattering away with friends, giggling, some or more of them caught, from the corner of their eyes, a man. They might not have been in a hurry to "pick up" guys, but emotionally to them it will be good for the mind to enjoy the presence of a man in spirit and in flesh. So, they went to see him in his private space in a hotel. But there is also danger when you visit a stranger in a hotel room. You may get intoxicated, turning a supposed good time into a nightmare. No one can accuse these women of going to the hotel to have sex with Emeka. Psychologically speaking, one reality is clear in visiting at night, either for just simple fun or for sex, there's no worse sex than drunk sex with somebody for the first time. Going to see Emeka in a group probably seemed like a safety valve, but not when you become a drunken body and brain. Except for the con artist, Emeka, the women do not fully know what happened to them from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. So, out of precaution and to ease their minds, they should visit a competent doctor and get tested for HIV, AIDS, and STD symptoms. As victims of fraudulent love or likeness, these women could find themselves temporally suffering from shame, embarrassment, shock, anger, anxiety, fear, depression, or even suicidal ideation (God forbid), so I suggest they partake in some form of psychological and therapeutic counseling to enhance their coping skills and understand these types of dangers. Obviously, most people want to be with someone or become married if they wish. Therefore, more safer places to look for non-Emekas are places like schools, workplaces, buses, airplanes, farms, motor parks, worshipping places, supermarkets, but make sure these conduits for meeting are ensued with gradual follow-ups, an open atmosphere, and do not be quick to take that sip of wine, or eat, especially if it is not from you. For the now arrested Emeka, unemployment and economic hardship currently hitting the country could have pushed him into criminality. He acted smartly in the wrong way. He needs to use his brain and hands to go into farming, a more secure and independent job, or other healthy and legal trades. John Egbeazien Oshodi, who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria to a father who served in the Nigeria police for 37 years, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult and child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional, and Career Development. He is a former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African Settings In 2011, he introduced State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and Nasarawa State University, where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. He is currently a Virtual Behavioral Leadership Professor at ISCOM University, Republic of Benin. Founder of the proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien Open University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, and Openness. Over forty academic publications and creations, at least 200 public opinion pieces on African issues, and various books have been written by him. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. Prof. Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] It is not an exaggeration to say that Nigerians have for long been witnessing inter-agency rivalry among security operatives, particularly between men of the Nigerian Army and that of the Nigeria Police to the extent that the somewhat enmity is by each passing day becoming so glaring and gory in the country. It is expedient to say that in what may certainly go down as the bloodiest clash in recent time between the Police and the Army that three persons were feared killed in 2005, specifically on October 3, at Ojuelegba area of Surulere, Lagos, when some soldiers and policemen engaged themselves in an all-out war that shut down the entire area for most part of the day. The incident, which began at about 9.30am, also left six soldiers and two policemen, injured, and the Area 'C' Command of the Lagos State Police Command, which houses the Surulere Police Station, and the Police Barracks behind it, was completely burnt down at the time In a similar vein, the Nigerian Army in January this year arrested a soldier for assaulting two police wardens in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. A viral video showed him and others beat up the policemen who were controlling traffic. The incident took place on Friday, January 7, 2022 at Adeoye Road by Ring Road. In response to the incident, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Public Relations, at the time said the Army Headquarters ordered an investigation, and announced that the soldier in custody is a Lance Corporal, though, his name was withheld. The Spokesman noted at the time that Efforts are being made in collaboration with the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to identify, locate and arrest the remaining culprits. The General explained that vicious attack on fellow security personnel or unarmed citizens was not consistent with the ethos and professionalism of the Nigerian Army, and added that Anyone found culpable in the Ibadan incident will face the full wrath of the disciplinary provisions. As if the witnessed skirmishes between the Army and the Police were not enough, both virtual and physical news platforms were agog with the news on August 4, 2022 that Soldiers attached to the 81 Division have beaten a police officer to death in the Ojo area of Lagos State. As gathered, the Soldiers from the Ojo Military Cantonment beat a police officer identified as Inspector Monday Orube to death in Lagos over rights to way. The Soldiers who were said to be over thirty (30) in numbers were reported to have abducted two policemen who were working as traffic warden to their barracks while the third officer managed to escape from being abducted. A source claimed that the lane through which the Soldiers were driving in a Coaster bus was stopped by the three Police Officers who were on duty at the time of the incident to allow other road users on the other lane to pass not knowing that the coastal bus was conveying Soldiers who were still behind. The Soldiers got infuriated and insisted on taking one-way during an argument with the Officers. They were said to have pounced on the officers and beat them to pulp. The Soldiers also kidnapped two of the police officers to their barracks where the beating continued. The source further said when the soldiers noticed that the abducted policemen became unconscious, they decided to take them to their hospital at the cantonment. However, one of the Police Officers. Inspector Monday Orube unfortunately gave up the ghost on Thursday afternoon. Another source further disclosed that the Soldiers who were going to their cantonment in a coaster bus, were stopped by the Police Officers and they got angry and asked why Civilians will be allowed to pass before them. The three traffic wardens were beaten by over 30 Soldiers before they were abducted to their cantonment. One of them was unconscious and they were both taken to their hospital. The officers were kidnapped while their rifles which include two AK 47, with over seventy rounds of ammunition were reported to be have been confiscated by the Soldiers. However, given the peaceful efforts that have been put in place since then between the leadership of the Army and the Police, it can be opine that they might have being returned to the Police. Though it can in this context The Soldiers involved in this unlawful act were said to be among the lowest in rank who have only spent four years in service while the Police Officers are senior officers with over twenty years in service. When contacted on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that the incident happened. He said: It is true that an incident occurred between our officers and some soldiers numbering up to thirty on Wednesday around the Ojo area of the State. He however said that the Command and the sister Agency (The Army) involved in the incident are working together to resolve the issue. At this juncture, it is expedient to ask, Who is going to bell the cat? The question becomes imperative in this context as the Army officials are the most dreaded uniformed men in Nigeria. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the most feared arm of the military by the civilians who they intimidatingly referred to as Bloody Civilians whenever there is trouble between them and the defenseless members of the public. To this end, it is explanatory to say that Who is going to bell the Cat? is relatively an old idiom which means to perform a dangerous or a risky task. When you ask someone Who is going to bell the cat? you wish to know as to which individual has the courage to do something dangerous. Yes, Nigerians need to inform the Chief of Army Staff that his men are by each passing day intimidating other Nigerians. Since the incident was reported to have occurred on Friday, not few Lagosians are in hush-hush tone asking, But who is going to bell the cat? In fact, making reference to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in this context cannot be farfetched as he is the only one that can bell the cat by virtue of being the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army, and having the statutory duty to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of operational competence of the force. The expression comes from the world of Aesop's fables. In this particular story, a group of mice hold a meeting as to what they can do to prevent the housecat from sneaking up on them. A mouse suggests that if a bell were hung around the cat's neck, then everyone would know where the animal was. The question was, who was going to perform the dangerous task of putting a bell around the cat's neck? Without overemphasizing the issue, it is germane to also make reference to an African proverb that says If the keg of palm-wine is not quickly snatched from the hands of an exuberant drunk, he may drink himself to stupor. A similar proverb has it that If an overzealous child is not assisted by his elders when roasting yams in the farm, he may innocently set the farm and the hut ablaze. To me, I think overzealous Army officers need to be called to order, particularly given the fact that Nigeria is at moment in a democratic dispensation, and not under military regime. You go bow for the result oh Nothing to discuss oh 'Cause I dey win by default And without any doubt oh Omo, me, I be adult oh My feelings been dey swing like jangolova Feelings been dey swing like jangolova E don cast (e don cast) Last last (last last) Na everybody go chop breakfast (na everybody go chop breakfast) As the music blasted in the background, I recall the first time I really took the artiste Burna Boy seriously, was when I was at the poolside, in a trip to Kigali, Rwanda, I reeled in pride as at least despite all the giant strides of the once genocide torn nation, there was one a many thing to be proud about as his song was being played. Maybe, las las Nigeria go dey okayI really do not know, but I remain a cautious optimist about the Nigerian project. Well, at the beginning of the year, I had promised that for 12 months, In Shaa Allah, I will once a month X-ray the issues around the forthcoming General Elections in the worlds largest black population and sufacracy. This is number eight, and four more to go. Meanwhile, a friend and I were texting about how our mornings had not started well. She had lost her keys and subsequently missed both a dentist appointment and a work meeting. I had placed an important form in a safe place and then could not remember where I put it. The longer my friend and I kept looking for these items, the more flustered and upset we became. As time dragged on, my friends worries grew. What if she did not find her keys? Had she thrown them away by accident? Getting a replacement key fob is not easy nor cheap. My concerns mounted as well. While requesting a new form would not set me back in money, it sure would set me back in time. I just knew I would have to call customer service and be passed from person to person to request what was needed. I dreaded the hassle it would be. Instead of stopping a moment to collect the proper perspectiveand most importantly, pray about itwe both swirled through our homes like raging storms. We are all noisy about 2023, Ahead of Nigeria, Rwanda has since become the first African country to manufacture smartphones. Manufactured totally in-house, no diesel wahala, no power shortages and all the political hullabaloo For my giant of Africa, as we scavenge in dark for leadership direction, the tiny East African nation, placed a de-facto ban to stop the importation of large quantities of cheap used clothing, mostly from the US and the UK, which were stifling the growth of their nascent garment industries Domestic demand for locally made clothes was being suffocated by cheap, second-hand clothes and they took a tough decision. While my country closed borders for years that were already open from day-one of the closure. Our textile industries died despite billions of rehabilitation funds that have since disappeared into private pockets. Kigali is one of the cleanest and healthiest cities in Africa. Nigeria has Port Harcourt and Benin as number 2 and 8 in the World's most polluted cities, Abuja and Oshogbo make the list of top 30. We are simply dirty in many facets of life.. Our public life does not seem to want a cleaning despite the best of efforts towards 2023, but we continue to limp and search for nationhood, hopefully we will find the missing items of statehood, las las Nigerians will eat breakfast (sic). Rwanda built its first (extremely modest) cube-satellite (RwaSat-1) back in November 2019. It was carried from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center up to the International Space Station and deployed from the Space Station, while with UK based OneWeb Rwanda launched first-ever satellite to connect remote schools to the internet. We were battling IPOB and Google, banning twitter and fighting disinformation hurled at us by us! These are just little scratches of development, and we are still as a people battling ethnic parapoism, backward nepotism, elite mediocre favouritism, gross infrastructural deficiency across all sectors. The next president not only has his work cut out but practically is inheriting a failed contraption, such that the few successes of what Nigeria is, has been blackedby overwhelming lows. Nigeria is not hell, but she is not far from hell, but in context Rwanda is not heaven either. Let me put it in this manner, as far as the economic and social realities of its people are concerned, Rwanda has changed significantly over the past 20 years. Yet the country continues to be challenged by poverty, health, and environmental issues. In 2017, the Human Development Index ranked Rwanda 159th out of 188 countries, with an average life expectancy at birth of 64.7 years. Rates of chronic malnutrition remain stubbornly high, especially in rural areas, communicable diseases continue to be widespread, especially malaria, acute respiratory infections, and illnesses related to water, hygiene and sanitation. These problems are representative of issues like poverty and illiteracy. The vulnerability of the Rwanda population is linked to a number of interrelated factors, such as the high population density leading to insufficient land for farming. In support of the national programme to eradicate poverty, the Rwanda Red Cross has adopted the Agasozi Ndatwa (Model Village) approach since 2008. Each Model Village is selected according to where the most vulnerable populations are located. Actions in the Model Village are supposed to be simple and replicable, so that in time, other villages can reproduce and benefit from proven best practices. Essential to the Model Village approach is the fact that solutions are devised by and for the community in question. Local people are involved from the start, supported by Rwanda Red Cross volunteers to assess their communitys strengths and weaknesses, and define their own needs and priorities. Informed by a national classification, the community collectively selects the families that are most in need of receiving specific support. The aim is to improve living conditions for the most vulnerable individuals, and in so doing increase the whole communitys resilience. Community members take responsibility for the areas of action that have been defined, also participating in the monitoring and assessment of developments. The project involves interventions in various sectors at the same time, from water, hygiene and sanitation, to nutrition, disaster management, and livelihoods. For instance, an activity with widespread impact involves the organization of women into co-operatives that manufacture charcoal briquettes using organic waste, and sell them to other villagers. This enables the women to earn a living, and generates economic activity in the wider community. As an alternative to using wood, the charcoal briquettes are more affordable for families. Furthermore, they are instrumental in reducing the deforestation that leads to soil erosion and landslides, damaging housing and cultivated lands. The context here is hope, which is a scarce commodity for us in Nigeria, at the local level, leadership is absent, at the state level no one is willing to take responsibility, whether it is top to bottom or the reverse we are stuck on our primordialisms, journeying to the 2023 General Elections. Thankfully, I am happy to report that we both found our missing items. My friends keys were in a closet on the top shelf. She had looked in that closet but in a raincoat pocket. She never thought to look up at the shelf. I had misfiled my form, and in my agitation and haste, must have flipped right on past it while looking. I was relieved but not proud at how easily I lost my cool. And if I am honest, this is not an isolated case. How many times have I let minor inconveniences and agitations rob me of my peace? Yes, today we misplaced important items. Tomorrow there may be traffic. We may spill something the next day and make a huge sticky mess. Sometimes, our peace is jeopardized not by something that happens but by worries and negative thoughts, but if we are calm, las las we all go chop breakfast, is Nigeria on that trackOnly time will tell. If indications from two separate but related events that wereheld few months ago are anything to go by, then one of Nigerias most vulnerable groups may be on the verge ofexperiencing better times. The events, hosted in two separate states/regions and split by a 20-day interval, held at a time when self-splurging by many young Nigerians was at octane levels, and saw young men and women behind an NGO that caters to the welfare of underprivileged widows and their vulnerable children, passionately putting the widows needs above their wants. The NGO, CBA Foundation, its dedicated and passionate staff, some supporters and donors came out in their numbers on two dedicated days to give widows in selected communities in Lagos and Anambra a treat. The Lagos outreach benefitted, in a unique way, widows in six communities in Ibeju-Lekki, namely: Badore, Iberekodo, Museyo, Magbon Alade, Okunola Ilado and Magbon Iga. CBA Foundation seized the opportunity of the outreach to launch a new initiative it tagged Social Enterprise Initiative. The Initiative, which is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of all efforts to protect and promote the welfare of widows as well as their children, is to cater to the financial, mental and physical health needs of beneficiaries. TheInitiative is designed to provide comprehensive support, including health interventions, skill acquisition, business set-up, food and drinks, clothes and shoes.It also includes general support for all affected widows. The Founder/CEO of CBA Foundation, Mrs Chinwe Bode-Akinwande explained the reason for the Foundations shift to the new Initiative: We have been doing outreaches and it has been non-stop, but the essence of this Social Enterprise Initiative is for the widows to have something that will sustain them even for a longer period, something that will give them hope, knowing that they have a sustainable source of livelihood and activities that remind them that they need to keep going. Continuing, she reveals when the idea for the new initiative began: When the lockdown came during the peak of covid 19, we realised that there was a need again to have something sustainable for these women. With the Social Enterprise Initiative, we identify the skills they need to possess, and what they are passionate about, we also empower them with the necessary training and then set them up with all they need for the business. At the end of the day, they wont have to wait daily for the CBA Foundation to give them food or clothing. Mrs Bode-Akinwande noted that the Initiative had beeninformed by a rigorous analysis of the data in their database, gathered over the years on widows whom they have reached out to and the support they have been receiving from both individual and corporate donors. She said that they had dimensioned all the critical issues from widows with critical needs, where the Foundation needed to begin its interventions,to widows who needed to be set up in business and to severalwidows children who needed to be reinstated back in school. She also remarked that plans were underway at the Foundation to take the skills acquisition training further, beginning with adire-making (tie and dye). She announced that the Foundation would have a line of products that wouldbe its adire pattern, displaying its unique signature. When sold, the net proceeds would be ploughed back into the Foundation as a constant stream of income. The idea, the Foundations CEO stressed, would inspire thewidows who show a keen interest in adire-making as theywould be involved and exposed to its value chain which is essential to optimising their execution after their training. So, the adire-making training followed with tutorials on the step-by-step processes involved in it, materials needed and how to identify them, necessary safety precautions, various tie and dye techniques, packaging and distribution and how to make a living from adire-making. For widows with impaired vision at the event, they were able to have free consultations with an ophthalmologist, get free eye tests and free reading glasses, courtesy of a partnership between FirstBank and Vision Spring. What followed when beneficiaries had the free reading glasses fitted and could see clearly were scenes similar to ones where people had experienced supernatural miracles. The ecstatic joy was palpable. Take 59-year-old Hassanat Oyewunmi, for example. Tears of joy rolled freely from her eyes as she remarked that her farsightedness challenge had been addressed. She confessed excitedly that she felt better, much better now with the glasses, and I can even see everyone clearly. It is good to know that we are not forgotten. Olabode Sadiat, 62, could not contain her joy as she wore her glasses and pointed in the distance, while indicating that she could see everything in her line of sight. She had suffered from a blurry vision that made reading her Bible difficult. Nothing is more painful than not being able to read your Bible, she had noted following the medical intervention. The widows also received food, drinks, clothing and other materials that were distributed during the outreach. They were also given a final charge by Mrs Bode-Akinwande in which she reminded them that they were not alone and could always count on the support of the CBA Foundation. In all, 165 widows across the six communities of Ibeju-Lekki benefitted when the Lagos outreach was held. The Anambra outreach, on the other hand, benefitted 75 widows from four communities in the Nnewi area of the state. Food items and financial empowerment constituted the bulk of the support CBA Foundation gave the Anambra widows to celebrate the festive season. The Anambra initiative has enjoyed tremendous support from a donor who has been consistent over the past four years. The Founder of the Foundation expressed gratitude to the donor while remarking that the outreach is a source of enablement for the underprivileged widows and their children. She continues: We give hope to the hopeless. We are driven to support underprivileged widows to have a positive outlook on life despite the problems they experience by losing their loved one, mostly the breadwinner of the family. Both Lagos and Anambra outreaches were in some sense CBA Foundations way of giving underprivileged widows a December to Remember treat annually. Of course, that treatwould at best be modest compared to how people who were not in any known vulnerable categories took care of themselves and themselves alone. Even with the best of intentions, CBA Foundation could only work with donations received from donors and supporters at a time of the year when most (young) people were dedicating more resources to the self-splurging that December has come to represent. While it may not be in ones place to dictate to others how they should spend the money they have worked so hard to make, one cannot help but try to point them to ways they could better dispense their hard-earned cash that would be intheir enlightened self-interest. Or what sense is there in spending on oneself so lavishly and ostentatiously as though spending was going to go out of fashion at any moment only to provoke the have-nots to make one the target of their misdirected anger in a society that is largely dysfunctional? A similar question should be addressed to the government and public officials: What sense is there in expending huge public resources on projects that have no direct bearing on the welfare of vulnerable groups when it only widens the gap between the haves (including public officials) and have-nots and exacerbates the conditions that heighten security concerns among the haves? At what point will the government, public officials and the privileged class start acting in their enlightened self-interest by committing genuine efforts to narrow the gap between those who have and those who can only wish? It is high time public officials and the privileged began building strong coalitions and partnerships with groups and organisations that have been working to protect and support as well as advocate for the vulnerable for years now. They must begin to key into and support the organisations laudable initiatives that show great potential in helping to narrow the frightening gap. CBA Foundations Social Enterprise Initiative represents one of such laudable initiatives. It is a well-thought-out initiative capable of transforming the existing arrangement for care and support of vulnerable groups such as underprivileged widows and their children and taking their welfare to the next level.The Government, individuals as well as corporate organisations must join hands with the Foundation if the Initiative is to have any chance of success. Through its avowed commitment to touching lives, giving hope... not in mere words and empty promises but genuine and visible action on the ground (see ample examples captured on its website: www.cbafoundation.org ), CBA Foundation has already demonstrated its readiness to do more with additional support. It has shown that it is living true to its #CareIsAction DNA and can thus be trusted with more support. The Social Enterprise Initiative, therefore, will be delighted to have interested partners (individuals and corporate bodies) to send an email to: [email protected] to partner with the Foundationin the drive to take the welfare of underprivileged widows to the next level where its long-term sustainability is guaranteed. Many informed Africans sort out the difference between Nzeogwu and the first coming of Rawlings identical mission that had to do with resetting the brains in Ghana to default stage and the betrayal of a noble patriot in Nigeria that cried against ten percenters. The consequences of both bloody coup d'etat are obvious in both countries' morality today. We claimed corruption is the greatest evil infesting Africa, hoping ruthless leaders like those in China would deal with it. Ah, we went from the frying pan into the fire. Little did most of us realize that leaders that promised to root out corruption actually breeds and regale in Terrorism. It is a fact that only the Freedom Africans Fighters planned and implemented programs while those that stepped into their shoes rested in slumber on their oars. Some of us are still wishing and praying for better days ahead while others have lost hope because the good times they lived or dreamt are gone. Their children and grandchildren never know an African country as a potential Regional Power. Consequently, frivolity, indulgences and hedonistic tendencies have replaced practical local implementation and planning. Even the most developed countries worldwide still implement and plan for their immediate future while African countries are dying to pay any price to share their success. It does not matter if we sell our crude resources and use our meager foreign income to import and buy the refined crude products we are too lazy to refine. We have a country like Nigeria whose debt servicing has surpassed its income. Who put this curse on Africans? Those patient enough to delay immediate gratification will reap the benefit of the seeds planted. Take a good look at the children of a country to predict its future. Those who want to walk before crawling always fall on their faces. Our rush to get rich quick, accumulate lovers, foreign instead of local designer attire, cars and park in luxurious rented homes instead of building ours catches up with us sooner than later. Africans say those that watered their future step on softer ground. How did we get here? We value foreign readymades but our own. We pray to foreign Saints, Saviors even the slave owners name sugarcane plantations they created after themselves as St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Vincent and an African leader built the biggest Church in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). While we pray or cram Misbah and Rosary in foreign languages we reject Africa's religions. We discard our names so that to be baptized into new religions, Anglicize local names. The best education you can provide anywhere is that provided locally that is so good it attracts foreign income as fees. Americans go to Mexico and India for cheaper qualitative treatment like the King of Saudi Arabia used to receive in University of Ibadan. It is a major source of income at the universities we run to abroad. The belief that the only good education for your children is the one obtained abroad is part of the colonial mentality planted in us from the beginning of the destruction of African civilization and slavery. Education is like a language taught and practiced for advancement in each country and continent. Space science is not only in English or French. In fact, we all know European Nobel Prize winners are recognized in Art and Science from different countries and languages. It is one thing to learn the language or mis-education of your oppressors but a different scenario to absorb it against your self-interest or culture as Stockholm syndrome. Victims do identify with their abusers. The benefit of studying at Oxford, Harvard, Mcgill or Toronto is no greater than learning different languages to communicate, negotiate and share ideas. It is not to excel in a country or continent that is not yours. If your education cannot benefit your country or continent, consider your knowledge wasted because no matter how good you are, discrimination or natural preference for their own overrides your wasted talents. Using the sake of the children to justify the only good education they need abroad are mere bragging rights. They are our wasted efforts since most of them will never benefit our culture, country or continent. Children trained abroad have more personal family problems in their local environment to deal with than African problems. Mark this, the further their birth ties to Africa, the less financial remittances they are going to send back to Africa. Indeed, you deprive local children of foreign income by depleting Central Bank reserves in your children's favor while their poor co-students work to pay their own fees. You are converting the hard earned money from poor African students to poor families our governments refused to take care of or ignored, back. These patrons of foreign colleges and hospitals generate income to run universities and hospitals abroad; neglecting our best universities in Africa. They are indifferent to Makerere in Uganda, Fourier Bay College in Sierra Leone, University of Cape Town Ghana, University of Ibadan (where foreign dignitaries used to come for treatment), University of Nigeria Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and many others begging for maintenance funds to be up to par with those established with abroad. These prodigal Africans would rather donate money to European and American universities in exchange for honorary degrees. We revere African scholars contributing their best abroad and nominate them for awards at home, not local talents. Just like the youths beating their chests black and blue if a member of their ethnic got a job abroad as head of dog catchers. They will buy your talents cheaply without a choice on your own part. They will tell you: if you think you are that good, your talents will be more useful where you belong. If this is not craziness, what could this be? Compare it to the reasons African looters get financial visas and awards abroad. They must have either sold out Africa like Judas sold Jesus for pieces of silver or as remorse for exposing the hideout of Mandela in South Africa as a Freedom Fighter. Noriega of Panama, a well known drug dealer was tolerated in the States as long as he remained a useful spy until he got too cocky for his usefulness. Swiss banks and Panama safe haven remain the best places for Africans to hide the loot to buy awards or visas. Our complaints and regrets today are over the caliber of indifferent Africans that are ruling individual countries. Many of them are worse than colonial exporters. Unfortunately, these complainants include some of us that have never gone home after our studies or qualifications as youths to contribute when able or vigorous like those that save Africans from Ebola. Some of the postgraduate students that got grants and scholarships abroad absconded. During the first coming of Rawlings, on their visits back home, they were detained until they paid back. So, we go home on vacations or when we are old and frail. Africa needs our talents and not a plot to bury our dead cold bodies. Therefore, when we complain about terrorists, bandits, ritualists and drug dealers ruling African countries, we are the ones that left the void, a big hole in the wall through which unsavoury lizards made their ways. Farouk Martins [email protected] To say it wasnt foreseen would be for one an absurd indulgence in self-denial. Last months compulsory retirement of Captain Emmanuel Ekpe Owen of the Nigerian Navy marked yet another act of horrendous injustice that has become more of a permanent feature in both public and private sector governance in the country. The wicked behaviour manifests in various forms but none comes close in its egregiousness than the impunity enjoyed by top government officials in the workplace. More often when such officials are caught in one form of barefaced wrongdoing or another, they get away unpunished using their privileged status to browbeat those trying to hold them accountable, then finagle their way to total freedom. And in the end, through a sordid connivance of state apparatchik, its the ones asking the questions and demanding that things be done the right way for the good of society whose fingers get severely burnt on the open flame grill. Its a measure of the extent of a systemic rot in which a sense of consequence for wrongdoing is heartbreakingly absent. Owen happens to be the latest victim in this saga of unfairness, his story an unequivocal taxonomy of dread in the relentless wave of corruption roiling through Nigeria. His problem began overseas in the mid-90s, in the heat of conflict aboard NNS AMBE, a warship Nigeria had deployed to Liberia as part of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) contingent to save the latter from a brutal civil war, and coursed through a series of frustrating encounters with different layers of authorities which culminated in his forced retirement in July. The ship was commanded by Dada Labinjo, then a commander, who was also coincidentally controversially retired as captain some years back. The immediate past chief of naval staff, vice admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, then a lieutenant-commander, was his second-in-command (Executive Officer). Owen, then a lieutenant, was the Watch Keeping Duty Officer in addition to being the Watch Deck Officer and Supply Officer. As supply officer, he was responsible for feeding and catering to the administrative needs of the ships complement of 85 personnel comprising 12 officers and 73 ratings. In one of the ships trips back to Nigeria for backloading of military ordnance, 40 of the crew members, comprising 5 officers and 35 ratings were dropped and 45 were left on board and returned to Monrovia for continuation of ECOMOG duties. Ibas, as the executive officer then, happened to be the one who kept possession of the file containing the quarterly allowances in various sums for the crew. One day, the payment file was mistakenly sent to the ships secretariat, and while flipping through Owen discovered that although the 45 naval staff on the ship were paid their allowances, money was collected for the original 85 that took the first trip. This meant that Ibas received money for the 40 staff who were dropped when the ship returned to Nigeria, which was wrong. The young officer summoned the guts and confronted his boss on the discrepancy, and that was the beginning of his trouble. The reprisals came swiftly. In his petition to President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2019, Owen recalled of Ibas: His looks and attitude towards me were strange and unfriendly when I told him that the development could land the ship in trouble and also an embarrassment to the Nigerian Navy. Determined to punish him for daring to point out a superiors wrongdoing, Ibas came up with the ridiculous charge that the officer came down from the ship to receive food items and other supplies for the ship, a task that was originally part of the officers duty as the ships supply officer. After pressing this funny allegation, he ordered that Owen be locked up in a disused heads (toilet in a ship) with no ventilation. He slept on the floor of the toilet for six days and contracted an undiagnosed ailment. On the seventh day, despite his ill-health, the accuser arranged a summary trial on the ships bridge where he was also the prosecutor. But Owen opposed the trial because due process was not followed, and so it was stood down. Under armed escort, he was taken to the ECOMOG field hospital where he was diagnosed with lung infection that required his immediate evacuation to Nigeria. Away from the vengeful eyes of his boss, Owen felt relieved until Ibas was appointed chief of naval staff in July 2015, and then the persecution returned in full force and lasted beyond the chiefs departure. All the letters of appeal for justice Owen wrote to Buhari were also received by all those who matter in military and defence circles in the country, but no action was taken. At every level, all efforts to seek redress were frustrated. In his own letter to Buhari, Pelumi Olajengbesi, a human rights lawyer, acting on behalf of Owen, noted, The CNS (referring to Ibas) has channeled all his resources both official and unofficial to make life as a naval officer unbearable for Captain Owen. He recalled that thrice he was denied promotion and his records tampered with, relieved of his appointment as Assistant Director in charge of Procurement in Defence Intelligence Agency and made redundant, among many other forms of punishment, until he was retired. For a resourceful, vibrant officer who committed no offence and still has five years left before exiting public service, Olajengbesi has described Owens compulsory retirement as wrongful. One of the major drawbacks of the fight against corruption is the failure to protect citizens who make efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in the system from victimization and punish the perpetrators of fraud and other kinds of wrongdoing to deter others. In this particular case, rather than query the bad behaviour of a senior officer who rose to become the head of one of the units of the armed forces, government not only conspired in the scheme to cover up his misconduct, but it also went on to reward him with a diplomatic posting. Meanwhile, the junior officer, the real patriot, who exposed his boss fraudulent act is the one who gets severely punished with governments full backing. Unless government retraces its steps by acting firmly on the side of justice for citizens suffering reprisals for reporting wrongdoing or demanding accountability, Owens experience will not encourage anyone in the military, least of all the Nigerian Navy, to join the war against widespread corruption in the country. Onyeacholem is Senior Programme Officer at the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and Coordinator of the Whistleblowing Project, Corruption Anonymous (CORA). After more than 20 years of talk about it, Park City may finally get approved for a new school this fall. Following multiple no-votes, most recently last May, Park City Schools will once again run a bond vote for a standalone grades 7-12 school this fall. The new 30-year bond would be for $14,448,000. The school districts have had a new school planned for nearly two decades, but local homeowners taking the brunt of the cost through tax increases has made any initiative a tough sell for voters. Throughout that time, the district has passed one general fund mill levy for each district, a building reserve levy for roof repairs and a tech levy for each district. Recent years of more and more students has made a bond for a new school a pressing issue. We have classes that are in closets right now, Park City Schools Superintendent Dan Grabowska said. We dont have space here anymore and looking at class sizes that are coming in, we know its going to continue. A plot of land for the potential new school was purchased in the early 2000s with the original intention to keep pace with land development and incoming residents at the time. When the growth slowed, so did the need for space and plans have remained dormant until recently. New discussions began when Grabowska became the superintendent in 2016 and a new school has been put to a vote three separate times ahead of this latest push. Last May, the district held a vote for a $16.745 million dollar bond between the Elementary and the High School Districts. The vote failed by just over 100 votes with 63% of voters casting a ballot. Grabowska is confident the upcoming vote will yield a different outcome. 100 votes this last time showed that theres strong interest in what were trying to do, he said. So were trying to either switch some votes or get some of that other 35% that didnt vote last time out to support the facility and vote yes for it. The day after the failed vote, the district began work on a new solution. The main problems the bond looks at related to space are student safety and expanding their agriculture department and gymnasium. The district argues that an additional building would ease past quarantining issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic along with providing greater response options if there were an active shooter on school grounds. Also, with the Park City Panthers on the cusp of becoming a Class B school team, there is concern in accommodating visiting teams and all their fans to their gymnasium, which currently seats around 300. It says 400 but we havent been able to do that, Grabowska said. So trying to bring in schools like Huntley Project, Shepherd or the other schools in that conference is going to be very difficult. The current number of students K-12 is estimated at 325 and temporary solutions have come in modular units placed inside and around the school property for additional classrooms. The units have now been utilized for over ten years. Adjustments made for the newest proposal include reducing the size of the new gym and completely eliminating the visitor locker rooms, weight room, music room and greenhouse. Other adjustments include a warming kitchen for the high school with all meals still cooked at the current building, one paved parking space and total square footage being reduced from 46,000 to 39,985. These cuts reduced the bond total by over $2 million. Grabowska pointed out the differences in school districts taxable valuations and the challenge it poses for Park City, which is usually considered a bedroom community to Billings. Theres no industry here, so we dont have a lot to tax, he said. Pipelines are our biggest taxable groupand then it goes to home owners right after that. On a 30-year bond, the new total cost to taxpayers on a $200,000 home would be $463.05 a year, or $38.59 monthly. The previous bond, over 25 years, would have cost $529.15 annually or $44.10 monthly for the same property, by comparison. But even with these new adjustments, there are still some reservations from the community. Local homeowner Jerrica Stoffel said many residents are currently living on a fixed income and are leery of any type of tax increase. She added that there are other concerns beyond additional infrastructure that the districts have neglected over the years. People have problems with the administration of the school and how situations such as bullying and teacher retention are not handled in an appealing way, she said. So they believe that a new school isnt going to solve those types of issues. Taxpayers opposed to previous bonds have suggested that Park City should send students to nearby larger schools in Laurel or Columbus that have more space and accommodations. Grabowska has argued that this would rob the community of its identity while also shifting their problem onto another schools. Those two places are already full with kids and then theyd have to build, he said. And if our kids went there and they have to build, our people get taxed and have no say in the matter and they can build whatever they want. The rise in Park Citys population may also be what gets the bond passed. More people moving in has resulted in older and retired residents selling their properties which subsequently get bought by new families. Stoffel is among these new home owners who bought a house in Park City last year. She also grew up in Park City and entered its school system in 1999. Now a mother, she knows first-hand the challenges that incoming students face with the current schools. I will vote in favor [of the new bond] because it is long overdue and my children, as well as all the others in the community, deserve a place to learn that we can all take pride in, she said. The younger students have to eat lunch at 10:40 due to there not being enough room in the lunch room for everyone to eat at the same time. The list goes on and on why something needs to be done. With the topic of a dedicated high school on the minds of Park City for decades now, the arguments for and against it are well-known by now. A previous study by the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that increases in school spending lead to substantial increases in home valuations. Along with pointing this out to the local residents, Grabowska wants to be clear that there arent any other options. There arent any grants, theres no extra state special hidden pot of money or anything else," he said. "Its all based on the say-so of the local taxpayers and thats the way Montana works for schools. Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR and his counterpart Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State were both present to honour Archbishop Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim on his diamond Jubilee birthday anniversary at the Cathedral Church of Saint Faith, Awka, Anambra State His Grace, Most Reverend Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, the Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese celebrated his 60th birthday, three years of Archiepiscopacy, twelve years episcopacy, twenty eight years of progressive marriage union and thirty eight years of service in the Lord's vineyard The event was presided by His Grace, the Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), assisted by other Archbishops and Bishops across the nation In his homily, Most Reverend Ndukuba told the congregation to hold-on to God. He assured that God will arise and the enemy will be defeated. "At such a time like this, stand up strong, don't be afraid. The enemies of the State and the nation shall not triumph." He stressed Governor Soludo in a brief remark, congratulated the celebrant, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim on his milestone achievements as he marks his 60th birthday and service in the Lord's vineyard. He assured the people that Anambra State will continue to rise and excel adding that insecurity will go away and sanity, law and order will be fully restored Governor Soludo also used the occasion to call on Christians to come together and be united. He enjoined the people to practise the principles of ecumenism, saying that the body of Christ is one Governor Okowa also congratulated the celebrant and commended Soludo for stemming the rising insecurity in the State The celebrant, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim expressed gratitude to Governor Soludo and Okowa and to all who came to celebrate the specisl occasion with him. The Deputy Governor of Anambra, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim was represented by his wife, Lady Oluchi Ibezim Abdulkarim Faca-faca, the terrorists leader who masterminded the attack on President Muhammadu Buhari s advance convoy to Katsina during the last Sallah holiday has been killed along with eight of his gang members. Faca-Faca who has been on the watch of the security agents was monitored with pinpoint accuracy before the airstrike eliminated him and his evil gang. Faca-faca was reportedly killed on Saturday in an airstrike by a team of the Nigerian Air Force when they raided some terrorists hangouts in Marina village in Safana Local Government Area, Katsina State. According to a local source who crave for anonymity, aside those killed, many of the terrorists secured gun wounds, though they managed to escape. He also alleged that all their rustled cows were destroyed in the process. Confirming the report to Vanguard, Hon. Abduljalal Haruna Runka, the lawmaker representing Safana in Katsina State House of Assembly said, It is true. Nigeria Air Force raided the area late evening on Saturday and continued with the mop up operation this morning. Abdulkarim Faca-faca and eight of his boys were killed in the attack. They were buried in Marina, his hometown this Sunday morning, Runka disclosed. In the same vein, the Katsina State Police Command says it succeeded in rescuing six kidnapped persons after it raided some terrorists hideouts at Tandama Village in Danja LGA of the State. SP Gambo Isah, Police Public Relations Officer, Katsina State disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. The statement reads: On Saturday 6/08/2022, at about 0530hrs, based on credible intelligence, the command raided terrorists hideouts at Unguwan Dako, Tandama village, Danja LGA and succeeded in rescuing six kidnapped victims. Those rescued are: 52years old Alh. Garba DanMallam, of Unguwar Nuhu, Danja LGA, Rabiu Idris 45, of the same address, Abba Samaila 38, of the same address, Yunusa Sani 54, of Layin Sani village, Kafur Ishaq Yakub 40, of the same address, Danjuma Samaila 45, of the same address. COVID curbs have harmed student performance BANGKOK: Young children have reportedly fallen behind in their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers are urging everyone concerned to speed up countermeasures and help them catch up for their future. COVID-19Coronavirus By Bangkok Post Sunday 7 August 2022, 09:15AM Study says children are falling behind. Photo: Bangkok Post Findings were disclosed by the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) and Research Institute for Policy Evaluation and Design (Riped), which recently conducted a study on the development of young children and assessed their skills in three areas: language, maths and executive functions, reports the Bangkok Post. Assoc Prof Weerachart Kilenthong, director of Riped, said prolonged school closures amid the pandemic have caused learning loss in young children. Comparing data collected from children this year, last year and in 2020, there is a clear difference in terms of readiness while a further assessment shows a significant drop in language and maths skills of sample groups. Children are also found to read less while spending more time playing video games or watching TV programmes. Families are also found to read less to children. Economic difficulties have significant impacts on young childrens learning readiness with the readiness of those from destitute families found to be lower than other groups. The pandemic has caused learning loss even in young children. Its time for everyone concerned to work together in addressing this problem. One of the short-term measures is to minimise school closures, Assoc Prof Weerachart said. He said long-term measures include elevating education quality for young children, particularly those from poor families, noting that teacher training is a key element in childrens learning and development. Kraiyot Phatthrawat, manager of the EEF, said COVID-19 has caused not only learning loss but widened a gap in education inequality that needs to be urgently tackled. He said the EEF has been working with the Office Of Basic Education Commission, Border Patrol Police and Department of Local Administration to provide support for young children from poor families. Sawat Phuthong, secretary of a committee on young childrens development, said childhood development is known to have lifelong consequences for childrens future learning and well-being. He said collaboration from all parties concerned is required to effectively implement a young childrens development policy and help them realise their full potential. Assoc Prof Siriwan Chatmaneerungcharoen, dean of the education faculty, Rajabhat Phuket University, said the pandemic has disrupted teaching and showed that parents are part of learning. However, she said teacher training will have to be improved to prepare them to cope with changes. Fatal fire pub owner detained, admits guilt CHON BURI: The owner of the Sattahip pub that burned down early on Friday morning (Aug 5), killing 15, is under detention at a police station after he reported to police last night. accidentsdeath By Bangkok Post Sunday 7 August 2022, 04:39PM Mountain B owner Pongsiri Panprasong (head bowed, wearing a cap) is escorted inside the building after he arrived at Phlu Ta Luang police station for an informal reading of the charges. Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong His lawyer said his client had confessed to all charges, reports the Bangkok Post. Pongsiri Panprasong, 27, reported to Phlu Ta Luang police. He was promptly escorted into the police station building without talking to meda gathered outside. The detention took place soon after the Pattaya Provincial Court signed an arrest warrant for him on the following two charges: - Negligent acts that cause the death of other persons - Operating a nightspot without permission The pub that burned down, Mountain B, was registered as a restaurant. Mr Pongsiri was taken to the cells at the police station after hours of interrogations with no bail allowed by the police. Lawyer Anucha Wongsrisat said his client had confessed to the charges and he will request bail approval from the court tomorrow by depositing B1 million in cash as surety. An inferno gutted the pub in Sattahip district of Chon Buri at 1am on Friday, killing 15 people and injuring 38, some of them seriously. At least 100 pub-goers were packed inside Mountain B when the fire broke out, prompting them to flee for their lives. The blaze began in a roof over a performance stage before it quickly spread to other areas. Investigators are trying to determine the exact cause of the tragedy. The lawyer said Mr Anucha promised to pay the families of the dead B50,000 each, with B10,000 for each person injured. Many families have complained that they had not been contacted by the pub owner to them since the deadly fire. The owners wife, Anongnart, 31, said she and her husband did not escape their responsibility and helped the nightlife revellers that night. Local school welcomes Crown Prince of Perlis PHUKET: Teachers and students from Muslim Wittaya School in Koh Kaew welcomed Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, Crown Prince of Perlis Malaysia yesterday (Aug 6). culturereligion By The Phuket News Sunday 7 August 2022, 02:30PM The visit was part of a royal initiative to spread and preserve the use of Malay language, one of many royal duties the Crown Prince was conducting during his time on the island. Also present at the school ceremony were Komol Dumlak, chairman of the Phuket Islamic Committee, Panya Samphaoratana, chairman of the Phuket Muslim Wittaya Foundation, members of the Phuket Islamic Committee, representatives from relevant government agencies and students. Mr Panya said he spoke on behalf of everyone at the Muslim Wittaya Foundation and Muslim Wittaya School in expressing delight and sincere gratitude for the Crown Princes visit. Mr Panya further thanked all the representatives of the royal initiative for their work in making the visit happen, specifically the University of Technology, Mara Wittayalai Perlis and the Islamic and Malay Traditions Committee. Continued efforts to raise awareness, create learning opportunities and preserve the Malay language is important for the schools children, he explained and therefore the project and the stature of the Crown Princes visit would help significantly. The Crown Princes presence would also spark morale and encourage local Muslims to continue to seek success and prosperity, said Mr Panya. As such, he expressed his infinite gratitude. Following his visit to the school the Crown Prince went next to Nuruddiniyah Mosque in Rawai to attend a meeting with Islamic leaders from six Andaman provinces. Sustainably Yours: The importance of Phukets mangroves Mangrove forests are an overlooked attraction on Phuket. They are not places that you will find most tourists, who generally favour our sunny beaches and raucous nightlife, but with the recent announcement that the forests east of Phuket Town will be developed into an eco-tourist attraction, perhaps that will soon change. EnvironmentCommunity By Palmer Owyoung Sunday 7 August 2022, 12:30PM These dense thickets of trees with gnarled roots, that grow into the muddy soil, filled with saltwater, were once mistaken for worthless swamps that didnt serve any real purpose other than to breed mosquitoes. However, once you understand their interconnectedness to the surrounding ecosystems, and how they protect our island against flooding, and erosion and provide a home for thousands of species of insects and animals, you will begin to see how amazing and beautiful they are. What are Mangroves The Phuket mangroves line the east coast of the island, stretching from Cape Panwa in the south up to Saphan Hin and Koh Siray in the middle up to Baan Bang Rong and Baan Ao Kung in the north. In the fight against climate change, they are one of our most powerful weapons and can sequester four to five times more CO 2 than a tropical rainforest of comparable size. Every hectare of mangroves can store an estimated 554,000kg of carbon making them one of the most important terrestrial-based defences. The reason these salt-tolerant trees and shrubs act as storage powerhouses is that when leaves and branches fall into the low-oxygen soil they dont break down and their carbon is stored there, unlike in a regular forest where organic matter eventually degrades and releases its CO 2 . It is also due to the complex root system of the mangrove trees that captures sediment and turns it into soil, which builds new roots. This combination of soil and root building allows mangroves to suck out large amounts of carbon from the air and store it within the tree and the ground. The Value of Mangroves Not only do these forests store carbon, but also their tree branches are homes to monkeys, birds, snakes and lizards, while their submerged roots act as nurseries for fish, crabs, lobsters and other marine animals. Their true value became apparent in 2004 after the tsunami that devastated Phuket. Areas where mangrove forests were left standing fared much better than those that were torn down. This is because when storm surges strike the coastlines the densely packed trees bear the brunt of the force from the waves, often sparing the villages behind them by reducing flooding and erosion. Mangroves also help keep the ocean clean by absorbing pollution, and excess nutrients from fertilisers, which can make it into the ocean causing algal blooms, which lead to dead zones. These forests are so valuable that one study estimates that over their lifetime each hectare provides approximately US$600,000, worth of services, which translates to about US$37,500 per year. Despite their immense economic value, it is estimated that between 50-60% of mangroves in Thailand have been destroyed. According to Dr Vipawee, a biologist and botanist at Prince Songkhla University, from the 1970s through the 90s the mangroves were turned into shrimp farms, cut down for their wood that was turned into charcoal briquettes, and developed into real estate. Although they are protected today, mangrove forests are still under threat from pollution, developers and illegal encroachment. Saving the Mangroves The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) is responsible for maintaining the mangrove forests, but with little funding the government is turning to tourism. The Ratsada Municipality recently announced that the area east of Phuket Town and north of Koh Siray will be used for eco-tourism, starting with 100 rai. it will eventually expand to 1,234 rai. However, using tourism to protect the mangroves isnt new. Baan Bang Rong, located in the northeast of Phuket, launched a successful community-based tourism scheme in 2015 as a way to monetise and protect its mangroves. This Muslim village is known primarily for its pier where tourists can catch a speedboat to Koh Yao, but if visitors stopped to take a look around theyd see an area steeped in history. At one time Bang Rong served as a busy hub for transportation and trade, but today it is a sleepy fishing village surrounded by a lush mangrove forest. However, it wasnt always this way. According to Prasert Ritraksa, President of the Baan Bang Rong Community Based Tourism Club, just over 20 years ago the area was denuded of trees, after a government programme incentivised locals to cut them down so they could be turned into charcoal and shipped overseas. This caused the fish and crab population to collapse and left fishermen without a way to earn an income. Thats when Khun Prasert decided to restore the mangroves through a combination of reseeding and planting saplings. Today most experts advocate rewilding over replanting as it creates healthier, more biodiverse forests, but at the time replanting was the only thing anybody knew about. The process was slow going at first and was met with little enthusiasm from others in the community. The project started in 1999 and cost a total of about B20,000. The timing was fortunate because in 2004 the tsunami hit. But, unlike other villages, the mangroves bore some of the brunt of the water rushing in and helped keep Bang Rong from flooding worse than it did. It also saved lives by preventing the debris from tearing through the community. The community-based tourism project started seven years ago and includes a cruise through the mangrove forest on a longtail boat or in a kayak, a cooking lesson, harvesting pineapples, picking coconuts, touring a rubber tree plantation, and releasing crabs with their eggs into the seagrass. Khun Prasert says that the goal is to teach visitors about traditional Thai culture. Find out more about the project by going to BangRongConnect.com Palmer Owyoung is an environmental activist working with the Kamala Green Club and the Global Sustainability Hub. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) The owner of a North Dakota abortion clinic that faces closure this month was directing traffic and deliveries Friday at its planned new location a few miles away in Minnesota. The Red River Women's Clinic, which has been operating on a busy downtown Fargo street since 1998, will close that location on Aug. 26 unless a judge blocks a North Dakota trigger law banning abortion. In the meantime, a move is already underway just over 2 miles (3 kilometers) away to a three-story brick office building in the middle of a commercial area. Clinic owner Tammi Kromenaker declined to talk about details of the Moorhead facility, promising a statement later during what she said was a busy day of deliveries scheduled. As she spoke, a moving truck pulled up on the street and a junk removal truck drove through a parking lot. Some abortion rights supporters in North Dakota still hope Kromenaker's clinic can prevail in a lawsuit alleging that abortion is protected by that states constitution. No hearing is yet scheduled. Though Kromenaker previously said she would move only if litigation fails, the statement she gave later Friday suggested she's fully committed to relocation. Red River Womens Clinic has found our new home, she said. We could not be prouder to be able to continue to provide abortion care to our community and the region. This has not been an easy undertaking. She added: As the lights go out on legal abortion in North Dakota, we want to assure everyone that Red River Womens Clinic is here to stay. Abortion care will continue to be available in our region." The clinics relocation has been boosted by $1 million in GoFundMe donations. Kromenaker said she looked for a new location to rent or buy for more than a year and that she ultimately had to buy an office building larger than needed. She said it would be up to other tenants whether they stay. She said renting space to compatible tenants would give the clinic long-term financial stability. The building appeared mostly empty Friday. Kromenaker has declined to say when the new clinic would be ready, but has said patients will see no interruption in services. Minnesota Republican state Rep. Tim Miller, the director of an anti-abortion coalition that opposes the new clinic, told The Associated Press he plans to challenge the city on its zoning and planning rules. I just find it hard to believe that that an office building can suddenly become a clinic where theyre doing abortions, Miller said. That just seems too simplistic for me. Destini Spaeth, the volunteer leader of the North Dakota Women In Need, which helps patients pay for travel costs, said the Moorhead facility will be the clinic that the community built. In the end, I think people needed somewhere to put their action and their rage into something good, Spaeth said. And I know we all we all felt so helpless. And this felt like something tangible that we could see and make possible. Troy/Maryville Chamber Foundation TROY The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce and the City of Troy have installed the first 20 "Hometown Hero" banners in downtown Troy. This banner project has taken a bit longer that we initially thought, but we believe the wait will be worth it, said Dawn Mushill, executive director, of the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. When we opened the box of printed banners, we all got chills. So many deserving people have been nominated." Westerly, RI (02891) Today Showers early becoming less numerous later in the day. High near 70F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 60F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Do-it-yourself investors are being urged to review their portfolios to ensure they are fit for purpose. According to a major report issued this weekend by investment fund scrutineer Bestinvest, too many investors continue to hold funds that regularly underperform their peers. By switching a simple process if money is held on a wealth platform investors have a better chance of earning stellar returns. Running a rule over your portfolio should be done regularly at least every six months and is especially important when stock markets are as challenging as they are now. Under review: According to a major report issued by investment fund scrutineer Bestinvest, too many investors continue to hold funds that regularly underperform their peers The FTSE100 Index has fallen by one per cent in 2022 while the S&P500 Index in the US has dipped by more than 13 per cent. Portfolios should be well diversified across stock markets and individual investment funds. Jason Hollands, managing director of Bestinvest, says: 'The exceptional 12 years of strong equity performance that came to something of a halt at the end of 2021 meant most funds had generated gains irrespective of their managers' skills. This has helped to disguise poor relative performance and bad value.' He adds: 'In a bull market, when most funds rise in value, investing can seem easy, but tougher times provide a chance to reflect on your approach. If you want to be a successful DIY investor, then periodically reviewing your investments is vital and you need to be super-selective in the funds and investment trusts you choose.' Bestinvest, part of wealth manager Evelyn Partners, has analysed nearly 900 equity funds run by named fund managers and available to retail investors. These funds manage total assets of 570billion. Funds run by computers and designed to replicate the performances of specific indices such as the FTSE100 were excluded, as were stock-market-listed investment trusts. The analysis was designed to identify investment funds that have failed to pass two past performance tests. First, they must have underperformed their benchmark index (for example, the average return across all UK company shares) in each of the past three 12-month periods to the end of June. They must also have underperformed their benchmark by at least five per cent over the full three years. Bestinvest says that 31 funds, with combined assets of 10.7billion, failed these tests. Although past performance is no indicator of future returns, it is worrying that some of the highlighted funds are serial underperformers, going back more than three years. Among them are funds with brands owned by banking group Lloyds, which owns Scottish Widows and Halifax. The biggest is Halifax UK Growth. This 3.1billion fund has turned 100 into 94 over the past three years, while underperforming its benchmark, the MSCI UK All Cap Index, by 13 per cent. Other underachievers under the Lloyds umbrella include Halifax UK Equity Income, Scottish Widows UK Growth and Scottish Widows UK Equity Income. These four funds are managed by investment house Schroders. On Friday, it said it runs them according to strict mandates laid down by Lloyds and that it cannot be blamed for them continuing to misfire. Lloyds said: 'We take a long-term view approach to investment management, and we work continuously to improve performance across our entire fund range.' Seven years go, Alan Miller, cofounder of wealth manager SCM Direct, identified these four funds as 'closet trackers' actively managed, but performing in line with the market. On Friday, he said: 'It appears these funds have steered away from mimicking the market in favour of poor stock selection.' Asset manager Jupiter also comes out of Bestinvest's analysis poorly. Three of its funds, UK Growth, Global Managed and Asian, are identified as serial underperformers. Jupiter said: 'We take our commitment to delivering excellent investment outcomes to our clients very seriously. We have made changes to the management teams of the three funds, in the case of the Jupiter Asian fund transferring management to a 'pedigree' manager with a long track record of delivering leading returns.' Bestinvest's report can be accessed at bestinvest.co.uk/ research/spot-the-dog. https://web.library.yale.edu/divinity/nanking/bates Miner Searle Bates was born May 28, 1897 in Newark, Ohio. His father was a minister who became president of Hiram College. Bates received his B.A. from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio 1916 and won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. With the United States entering World War I, he joined the YMCA and served in Mesopotamia until the end of the war. He returned to Oxford to finish his B.A. and did some graduate work in 1920. In the summer of that year, he was commissioned as a missionary to teach at the University of Nanking by the United Christian Missionary Society. In 1923, he married Lilliath Robbins, a Canadian teaching at Ginling College. In 1934-35, Bates was a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow studying Japanese and Russian at Harvard University. He received a Ph.D. in Chinese history from Yale University in 1935. When the Nanking Massacre occurred, Dr. Bates was alone in Nanking, as his wife and two children were staying in Japan. He plunged himself into the work of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, protecting Chinese from being murdered and raped by the Japanese army, and saving thousands of them from starvation. To enhance his influence in dealing with the Japanese, the directors of the University of Nanking appointed him Vice President of the University on January 13, 1938. Only two days after the fall of Nanking, Bates lodged his first protest against Japanese atrocities with the Japanese Embassy, followed by his famous January 10, 1938 letter of protest, a copy of which reached free China. Bates was a major moving spirit behind H. J. Timperley's book, Japanese Terror in China (New York, June 1938). Except for seven brief trips to Japan and one to Spain to attend conferences, Bates remained in Nanking from 1937 to 1941, fearlessly challenging the activities of the Japanese authorities, especially narcotics-trafficking. After the war, he was summoned as a witness at the Tokyo Trial and subsequent Chinese trials for war criminals. Bates documents available: RG 10: Box 1 Folder 5: "Bates/wife and sons 1937 Jan-Aug" NMP0021 Jan. 11, 1937 "Dearest" Letter from Miner Searle Bates (Bates) to his wife Lilliath (LB), from Shanghai NMP0022 March 23, 1937 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Tokyo RG 10: Box 1 Folder 6: "Bates/wife and sons 1937 Sep-Oct" NMP0023 Sept. 13, 1937 "Dear Mummy" Letter to Lilliath Bates from Morton Bates (son) NMP0024 Sept. 13, 1937 "Dearest" NMP0025 Sept. 23, 1937 "Dearest" NMP0026 Oct. 2-4, 1937 All above (Sept 13 - Oct 4): Letters to LB from Bates NMP0027 Oct. 28, 1937 "Dear Daddy" Letter to Bates from Morton Bates RG 10: Box 1 Folder 7: "Bates/wife and sons 1937 Nov-Dec" NMP0028 Nov. 14, 1937 "Dear Lilliath" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0029 Nov. 19, 1937 "Dear Searle" Letter from Minnie Vautrin to Bates, Nanking NMP0030 Nov. 8, 1937 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0031 Nov. 5, 1937 "Dearest Lilliath" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0032 Nov. 17, 1937 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0033 Nov. 28, 1937 "Dear Lilliath" Postcard from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0034 December 24, 1937 "Dearest Lilliath" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking RG 10: Box 1 Folder 8" "Bates/wife and sons 1938 Jan-Feb" NMP0035 Jan. 1, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0036 Jan. 3, 1938 "Dear Lilliath" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0037 Jan. 9, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0038 Jan. 16, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0039 Jan. 21, 1938 "My dear Wife:" Letter from Bates to LB from Nanking. NMP0040 Jan. 29, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0041 Jan. 30, 1938 "Dear Morton and Bobby" Letter from Bates to his sons, from Nanking NMP0042 Feb. 1, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0043 Feb. 3, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0044 Feb. 11, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0045 Feb. 13, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0046 Feb. 17, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0047 Feb. 23, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking RG 10: Box 1 Folder 9" "Bates/wife and sons 1938 Mar-Apr" NMP0048 Mar. (?) 1938 Letter from Bates to LB; Unknown date (page 1 is missing) NMP0049 March 5, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0050 March 12, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0051 March 15, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0052 March 21, 1938 (?) "Dear Lilliath" Postcard from Bates to LB NMP0053 March 21 "Notes on items from your letters, March 7-10" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0054 March 22, 1938 "Dear Lilliath" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0055 March 30, 1938 "Dear Lilliath" Postcard from Bates to LB NMP0056 April 2, 1938 "Dear L" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0057 April 20, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0058 April 27, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB NMP0059 April 28, 1938 "Dear Bobby" Letter from Bates to his son, Bobby NMP0060 April 30, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB RG 10: Box 1 Folder 10: "Bates to/from wife and sons 1938 May" NMP0061 May 11, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking NMP0062 May 16, 1938 "Dearest" Letter from Bates to LB, from Nanking RG 10: Box 4 Folder 59: "Japanese Embassy, Nanking 1937-1939, Japanese Embassy, Shanghai 1938" NMP0063 Dec. 17, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter to Japanese Embassy from W. Plumer Mills NMP0064 Dec. 17, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter from Chairman, Emergency Committee, University of Nanking NMP0065 Dec. 16, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter from Chairman, Emergency Committee, University of Nanking NMP0066 Dec. 18, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter from Chairman, Emergency Committee, University of Nanking NMP0067 Dec. 19, 1937 "Dear Sirs" Letter from Robert O. Wilson NMP0068 Dec. 21, 1937 "Dear Mr. Fukuda" NMP0069 Dec. 22, 1937 "Gentlemen" NMP0070 Dec. 25, 1937 "Dear Mr. Tanaka" NMP0071 Dec. 27, 1937 "Gentlemen" NMP0072 Dec. 30, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter from Charles H. Riggs and Miner Searle Bates NMP0073 Dec. 30, 1937 "Gentlemen" Letter from Bates NMP0074 Dec. 31, 1937 "Gentlemen" NMP0075 Jan. 8 - 18, 1938 "Gentlemen" and "Dear Mr. Allison" Letter from Bates NMP0076 Jan. 10, 1938 "Gentlemen" NMP0077 Jan. 11, 1938 "Gentlemen" Letter from Bates NMP0078 Jan. 11, 1938 "Notes with a Copy..." Letter to Rees-Baynton NMP0079 Apr. 25, 1938 "Gentlemen" NMP0080 Apr. 26, 1938 "Gentlemen" Letter from Bates NMP0081 May 11, 1938 "Dear Mr. Hanawa" Letter from M.S. Bates NMP0082 Sep. 10, 1938 "Dear Sir" NMP0083 May 23, 1938 "Dear Mr. Horii" Letter from M.S. Bates RG 10: Box 4 Folder 60: "L" NMP0084 Feb. 8, 1932 "Notes from Nanking" - Japan-China tensions -Manchuria Written by Bates RG 10: Box 4 Folder 62: "M" NMP0085 April 2, 1938 "Dear Mr. McKim Letter from M.S. Bates to Rev. J.C. McKim, c/o Dr. John Wood, 281 Fourth Ave, New York City, regarding New York Times stories on Nanjing atrocities RG 10: Box 4 Folder 63: "Nanking International Relief Committee 1941; Nanking, University of; Board of Founders 1937-1938"; National Christian Council, Shanghai 1938" NMP0086 March 3, 1938 "National Christian Council, Shanghai - Dear Friends" Letter from Bates to National Christian Council - return of missionaries to Nanjing NMP0087 March 28, 1938 "KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS" (2 pages) Legal document by Chairman of Board of University of Nanking, John W Decker, giving Bates power of attorney for U. of Nanking NMP0088 April 2, 1938 "Dear Dr. Bates" Letter from C.A. Evans to Bates informing of decision by board to give him power of attorney NMP0089 December 20, 1937 "To Members of the Board of Founders and Relatives of Staff" Letter w/ telegram from US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull to board of U. of Nanking, letter prepared by B.A. Garside, sent to friends and relatives of staff of U. of Nanking informing of safety of staff. NMP0090 May 1, 1941 "Dear Dr. Bates" Letter from Forster, Kearney and Mills to Bates congratulating him on service of Nanking International Relief Committee RG 10: Box 4 Folder 64: "P-T" NMP0091 March 8, 1938 "Dear Friends in God's Country" Letter from Lewis and Margaret Smythe in Nanjing to United Christian Missionary Society in Indianapolis, IN re. current situation in Nanjing RG 10: Box 4 Folder 65: "Timperley, H. J. 1936-1938" NMP0092 Jan. 29, 1938 "Dear Bates" Letter from H.J. Timperley (British author/ reporter for the Manchester Guardian) to Bates regarding idea for book on Nanking and China atrocities by Japanese NMP0093 Feb. 16, 1938 "Dear Dr. Hornbeck" Letter to Dr. Hornbeck from Timperley regarding John Magee's film, written from Shanghai American Club NMP0094 Feb. 17, 1938 "Dear Bates" Letter from H.J. Timperley to Bates about book project, mentions letter to Dr. Hornbeck NMP0095 Feb. 4, 1938 "Dear Bates" Letter from H.J. Timperley to Bates about editing and sources of book project NMP0096 March 3, 1938 "Dear Timperley" Letter from Bates to Timperley about book project NMP0097 March 14, 1938 "Dear Timperley" Letter from Bates to Timperley about book project NMP0098 March 14, 1938 "Dear Bates" Letter from Timperley to Bates about book project with book plan NMP0099 March 21, 1938 "Dear Searle" Letter from Timperley to Bates about book project NMP0100 March 21, 1938 "Dear Timperley Letter from Bates to Timperley about book project NMP0101 March 25, 1938 "Dear Dr. Bates" Letter from Timperley to Bates about book project NMP0102 March 28, 1938 "Dear Bates" Letter from Timperley to Bates about book project RG 10: Box 90 Folder 718: C. Reports and memoranda from China 1935, 1936 NMP0103 November 1935 "Memorandum on Policy Toward Japan" Report by Bates NMP0104 1936 "Please Destroy This Sheet After Making..." - Report on Present Day Japan Written by Bates with particular reference to policy toward China; based on a visit of Bates to Japan in early 1936 NMP0105 April 10, 1936 "Suggestions on Policy Toward Japan" Written by Bates NMP0106 October 1, 1936 "Notes on the Diplomatic Situation as of Oct. 1, 1936" Written by Bates NMP0107 Late 1936 "Explanatory Note to Accompany "Memorandum on Policy toward Japan"" Written by Bates RG 10: Box 90 Folder 719: C. Reports and Memoranda From China, 1937-1938 NMP0108 Spring 1937 "Cautious summary report" Summary on army propaganda in Japanese schools NMP0109 Christmas Eve, 1937 "Notes by Bates during December 1937" NMP0110 1937 "Friendly Caution - And a Little Information" Report on Japan by Bates NMP0111 1937 "Summary Report of a Visit to Japan" NMP0112 January 1938 "Statement by Bates Regarding Losses due to Depredations of Japanese Soldiers, Nanking, Dec. 18, 1937 - Jan. 11, 1938" NMP0113 January 10, 1938 "Nanking Outrages" Letter from Bates to friends regarding massacre NMP0114 January 1938 "Japanese Propaganda in the Mirror of Events" NMP0115 March 1, 1938 "Conjectural Notes and Few Facts on Nanking Economics" NMP0116 March 10, 1938 "Newspaper Articles translated by Bates" NMP0117 March 26, 1938 "Materials Regarding Problem Of Claims for the University of Nanking" NMP0118 March 31, 1938 "Pseudo-Economic Notes from Nanking" NMP0119 July 1, 1938 "Nanking Notes (mostly economic)" NMP0120 November 22, 1938 "An Open Letter: On the Narcotic Problem, written by Bates" NMP0121 Winter 1938 "Preliminary Report on Christian Work in Nanking" NMP0122 "Drugs" a report by Bates on the drug situation in Nanking RG 10: Box 102 Folder 861: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict, 1937 Nov NMP0123 November 12, 1936 (7?) "Nanking Notes" Note on official Japanese government secrecy NMP0124 November 21, 1937 "To His Honor the Mayor of Nanking" Letter from Bates to the Mayor of Nanking NMP0125 November 22, 1937 "An International Committee composed of nationals of Denmark, Germany..." Memo on the creation of the International Safety Zone Committee NMP0126 November 30, 1937 "The International Committee which has been arranging..." Announcement of telegram from International Committee to Japanese authorities in Shanghai NMP0127 "List of American Citizens reported to be residents in Nanking on November 23, 1937" RG 10: Box 102 Folder 862: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1937 Dec. 2-15 NMP0128 December, 1937 "List of Documents Regarding Rice and Flour Assigned to the International Committee By the Mayor of Nanking, but held by the Japanese Military Authorities" NMP0129 December 2, 1937 "Naval Radio" Telegram from American Embassy in Shanghai to Nanking Safety Zone Committee NMP0130 December 2, 1937 "Embassy of the United States of America" Letter from George Atcheson, Jr, Second Secretary of US Embassy, to "All Americans in Nanking" NMP0131 December 2, 1937 "Telegram Sent" Telegram from John Rabe, Chair of Nanking Safety Zone, to Father Jacquinot, Chair of Shanghai Safety Zone NMP0132 December 4, 1937 "Naval Radio" Telegram from Father Jacquinot, Chair of Shanghai Safety Zone, to Nanking Safety Zone Committee NMP0133 December 4, 1937 "Dear Mr. Donald" Letter from Nanking Safety Zone Committee to Mr. W. H. Donald, Esq. NMP0134 December 4, 1937 "Embassy of the United States of America" Letter from US Embassy to US citizens regarding evacuation of Nanking NMP0135 December 5, 1937 "Embassy of the United States of America" Letter urging Americans to leave Nanking NMP0136 December 5, 1937 "Naval radio" Letter from American Embassy to Nanking Safety Zone NMP0137 December 8, 1937 "Embassy of the United States of America" Circular from US Embassy to remaining Americans in Nanking NMP0138 December 9, 1937 "Embassy of the United States of America" Circular to Americans in Nanking NMP0139 December 10, 11:00 AM "At a meeting of Col..." Report by Nanking Safety Zone on boundaries of Zone NMP0140 December 13, 1937 "Position of the International Relief Committee (Nanking) in Regard to Rice and Flour Assigned to it by the Former Mayor of the City..." NMP0141 December 13, 1937 "Western Nationals in Nanking at the Time of Japanese Entry" NMP0142 December 14, 1937 "Mr. Alexander Paul" Letter written by Miss Frances Culley, American nurse in Wuhu General Hospital to Alexander Paul in the United States NMP0143 December 9, 1937 "Dear Folks" A collection of letters written by foreign nationals in Nanking NMP0144 December 14, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of the Safety Zone, to the Japanese Commander of Nanking NMP0145 December 15, 1937 "Some Pictures from Nanking" Notes from Bates on situation soon after Japanese entry into Nanking NMP0146 December 15, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Mr. Tokuyasu Fukuda, an attache to the Japanese Embassy NMP0147 December 13 - 27, 1937 "From a letter of Dr. John W. Wood, Secretary of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA to Mr. Irving in Boston" NMP0148 Feb. 3, 1938 (?) "case -1-..." A list of cases of abuse by Japanese soldiers in the Safety Zone RG 10: Box 102 Folder 863: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1937 Dec. 16-20 NMP0149 December 16, 1937 "Cases of Disorder by Japanese Soldiers in the Safety Zone" NMP0150 December 16, 1937 "Western Nationals in Nanking" NMP0151 December 17, 1937 "Dear Dr. Fitch" Letter from D.Y. Giang to Dr. George Fitch, Professor at University of Nanking NMP0152 December 18, 1937 "Officers of the Japanese Embassy" Letter from Safety Zone Committee to Japanese Embassy regarding incidents in Safety Zone NMP0153 December 20, 1937 "American Consulate-General" Telegram from American Consulate in Shanghai to Japanese Embassy in Nanking NMP0154 December 20, 1937 "American Consulate-General-Shanghai" Telegram from American Consulate in Shanghai to Japanese Embassy in Nanking, with signatures of Committee Members NMP0155 December 15, 1937 "Memorandum of Interview with Chief of Special Service Corps" NMP0156 December 16, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from Lewis Smythe, Secretary of Safety Zone, to Tokuyasu Fukuda, attache to the Japanese Embassy NMP0157 December 17, 1937 "Nanking, China..." Letter from W.P. Mills to the Officers of the Japanese Embassy NMP0158 December 17, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" (7 pages) Letter from John Rabe, Chair of the Safety Zone, to the Imperial Japanese Embassy NMP0159 December 18, 1937 "International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone" (9 pages) Letter from John Rabe, Chair of the Safety Zone, to the Imperial Japanese Embassy NMP0160 December 19, 1937 "International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone" (10 pages) Collection of letters from members of the Safety Zone Committee to the Imperial Japanese Embassy NMP0161 December 20, 1937 "International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of the Safety Zone, to the Imperial Japanese Embassy NMP0162 December 25 - January 11 "University of Nanking" A collection of letters from Bates to the Japanese Embassy NMP0163 January 18 - January 27, 1938 "American Embassy" Letters from Bates to American Embassy NMP0164 December 16-17, 1937 "Notes with a Copy of Correspondence between the University of Nanking and the Japanese Embassy" RG 10: Box 102 Folder 864 Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1937 Dec. 21-31 NMP0165 "American Series Regarding Japanese Occupation of Nanking" Documenting letters sent from Safety Zone Committee to Japanese Embassy NMP0166 "Notes" Part of a note documenting incidents of abuse by Japanese soldiers NMP0167 December 21, 1937 "The Imperial Japanese Embassy" Letter from Foreign Community of Nanking to Japanese Embassy NMP0168 December 21, 1937 "Dear Dr. Bates" Letter to Bates from S.T. ? NMP0169 December 22, 1937 "American Consulate General" Telegram from American Consulate General NMP0170 December 24, 1937 "The Japanese Embassy" Letter from Hubert L Sone, Chairman Property Committee of Nanking Theological Seminary, to Japanese Embassy NMP0171 December 25, 1937 "To the Officers of the Imperial Japanese Embassy" Letter from Lewis Smythe, Secretary of the Safety Zone, to Japanese Embassy NMP0172 December 25, 1937 "Dear Dr. Bates" Letter from S.T. ? to Dr. Bates NMP0173 December 26, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from Lewis Smythe, Secretary of the Safety Zone, to Japanese Embassy" NMP0174 December 26 - 30, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Collection of letters from Safety Zone to Japanese Embassy NMP0175 December 27, 1937 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chairman of the Safety Zone Committee, to Japanese Embassy NMP0176 December 28, 1937 "The Sin Shun Pao" Translation of an article written in the Sin Shun Pao in Shanghai NMP0177 December 31, 1937 "Memorandum of Interview Regarding Wang Hsing-Lung Case" RG 10: Box 102 Folder 865: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1938 Jan. NMP0178 New Year greeting card from International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone NMP0179 "List of documents for Nanking Safety Zone: Japanese Period" NMP0180 "Archicol New York" Report from Bates to New York and Indianapolis NMP0181 January 3, 1938 "Position of the International Committee" Five goals of the Safety Zone Committee NMP0182 January 1, 1938 "Memorandum on Coal Stock, No. 2" NMP0183 January 6, 1938 "Hsin Sun Pao" Newspaper article translated by Bates NMP0184 January 6, 1938 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Japanese Army Supply Department NMP0185 January 7, 1938 "The American Embassy" Letter from Lewis Smythe to American Embassy in Nanking NMP0186 January 7, 1938 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Japanese Army Supply Department NMP0187 January 7, 1938 "United Christian Missionary Society" Letter from Mae to friends NMP0188 January 8, 1938 "Sin Shun Pao" Newspaper article translated:, "Japanese Troops Soothe the Refugees NMP0189 January 8, 1938 "To Allison at his request" NMP0190 January 12, 1938 "Suggested Position as to Search, Seizure and Intimidation" Notes by Bates on foreign property in Nanking NMP0191 January 14, 1938 "Mr. Tokuyasa Fukuda" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Tokuyasa Fukuda of the Japanese Embassy NMP0192 January 15, 1938 "Consulate-General Hankow" Telegram from Bates to Priest NMP0193 January 15, 1938 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Japanese Embassy in Nanking NMP0194 January 17, 1938 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Japanese Embassy in Nanking NMP0195 January 22, 1938 "International Committee for Nanking Safety Zone" Letter from Lewis Smythe to Mr. C. L. Boynton, National Christian Council NMP0196 January 29, 1938 "The following is an extraction..." Notes on situation in Nanking and letter from Refugees to International Safety Zone Committee NMP0197 January 31, 1938 "Notes on Present Situation in Nanking" RG 10: Box 102 Folder 866: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1938 Feb. NMP0198 1938 "Classes and Meetings for Refugees in University Main Buildings" NMP0199 "German Consulate General, Shanghai" Telegram from John Rabe to German Consulate General (IN GERMAN) NMP0200 February 1, 1938 "Dear Mr. Boynton" Letter from Bates to Mr. Boynton (National Christian Council) NMP0201 February 3, 1938 "Mr. Hidaka" Letter from John Rabe, Chair of Safety Zone, to Mr. Hidaka of the Japanese Embassy NMP0202 February 3, 1938 "Notes on the Present Situation" Notes written by Bates on situation in Nanking NMP0203 February 4, 1938 "Naval radio" Telegram from US Secretary of State Hull to Bates NMP0204 February 6, 1938 "Mr. John M. Allison" Letter from John Rabe to Mr. Allison at the American Embassy NMP0205 February 8, 1938 "Matsui Orders Tightening of Army Discipline" Article from the China Press NMP0206 February 10, 1938 "Extract from Letter from Miss J.T. to Mrs. L.B" NMP0207 February 10, 1938 "Relief Problems in Nanking upon which Cooperation of Japanese Authorities is Especially Urgent" NMP0208 February 14, 1938 "Relief Situation in Nanking" NMP0209 February 19, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" Letter from John Rabe to Shanghai Nanking Relief Association, Attn: Rev. P.F. Price, Chairman NMP0210 February 21, 1938 "Address of John Rabe at Farewell Party by Staff of Nanking Safety Zone" NMP0211 February 21, 1938 "John Rabe..." General thank you letter from John Rabe to American, German, Japanese and British Embassy representatives NMP0212 February 22, 1938 "Memorandum on Relief Problem in Nanking" NMP0213 Winter 1938 "Preliminary report on Christian work in Nanking" NMP0214 February 24, 1938 "Refugees in the Occupied Areas" Translated newspaper article from Sin Shun Pao RG 10: Box 102 Folder 867: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1938 March NMP0215 1938 "Notes on Methods and Procedure for Economic Inquiry" Survey of damages surrounding Safety Zone NMP0216 March 1, 1938 "Draft for Economic Inquiry" Introduction to Survey of damages surrounding Safety Zone NMP0217 March 1, 1938 "Notes on Present Situation" NMP0218 March 2, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" Letter from W.P. Mills, Vice-Chair of Safety Zone, to Lieutenant-Colonel Hirota NMP0219 March 2, 1938 "From Nanking Gazette (Nanking Kung Pao)" Article translated by Bates about Tao His-San"s lost Buddhist relics NMP0220 March 3, 1938 "Notes on the Present Situation" Notes about Nanking compiled by Bates NMP0221 March 3, 1938 "Introduction to Notes on Nanking Economics" NMP0222 March 3, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" (2 pages) Letter from Lewis Smythe, Secretary of Safety Zone Committee, to China International Famine Relief Commission NMP0223 March 10, 1938 "Nanking People"s News" Article translated by Bates NMP0224 "Nanking Today" Report by W.P. Mills, Vice-Chairman of the Safety Zone Committee, on specific incident with family of Ts"ai Pang Hseng NMP0225 March 21, 1938 "Notes on the Present Situation" NMP0226 March 21, 1938 "Notes on German Atrocities in Belgium" Comparison between German atrocities in Belgium in WWI and Japanese atrocities in Nanking NMP0227 March 29, 1938 "Naval Radio" Telegram from Mrs. Bates to Bates NMP0228 March 31, 1938 "The Spirit of the new Reconstruction" A translation of a Japanese army poster NMP0229 March 31, 1938 "Conversation of Consul Tanaka with Bates" NMP0230 March 1938 "Results of Investigation of 13,530 families who applied for relief during March" NMP0231 February and March 1938 "Reports of the Rehabilitation Commission of the International Relief Committee" RG 10: Box 102 Folder 868: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1938 April-Nov NMP0232 December 1937 "List of Documents Regarding Rice and Flour Assigned to the International Committee by the Mayor of Nanking but held by the Japanese Military Authorities" (2 pages) NMP0233 April 13, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" (3 pages) Letter from W.P. Mills, Vice-Chair of the Safety Zone Committee, to Yoshiyuki Hanawa, the Consul-General of Japan NMP0234 April 28, 1938 "The Spirit of the New Reconstruction" A translation of Japanese army poster NMP0235 May 13, 1938 "Item from Report of Ginling College Refugee Camp" Incident report by Minnie Vautrin NMP0236 May 13, 1938 "Dear Doctor Imai" (2 pages) Letter from Lewis Smythe to Dr. Imai NMP0237 May 13, 1938 "Dear Doctor Imai" (3 pages) Follow-up letter from Lewis Smythe to Dr. Imai NMP0238 June 20, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" (9 pages) Letter from Lewis Smythe to Dr. John Earle Baker of Shanghai NMP0239 April 23, 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" Letter from Lewis Smythe to Dr. G Rosen, German Embassy, Mr. E.W. Jeffery, British Embassy and Mr. John M. Allison, American Embassy NMP0240 April 30, 1938 "War Relief in Nanking" (2 pages) Report on relief efforts NMP0241 April 1938 "War Relief in Nanking" (2 pages) Report on relief efforts NMP0242 May 14, 1938 "Considerations in Determining the Program of the International Relief Committee" (2 pages) NMP0243 May 1938 "Nanking International Relief Committee" The results of investigation of 52,539 families who applied for relief from February to May 1938 NMP0244 August 3, 1938 "Dear Lewis" Letter from George Fitch to Lewis Smythe NMP0245 September 10, 1938 "Scraps of Economic Information" (2 pages) NMP0246 September 10, 1938 "Dear Sir" Letter from International Committee to Mr. S. Hidaka of the Japanese Embassy in Shaghai NMP0247 November 1, 1938 "Work and Program of the Nanking International Relief Committee" (4 pages) NMP0248 November 1937 - April 30, 1938 "Report of the Nanking International Relief Committee" (23 pages) Booklet compilation of reports made by the International Relief Committee RG 10: Box 102 Folder 869: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1939 NMP0249 Booklet by Lewis Smythe, "War damage in the Nanjing area, Dec. 1937" (41 pages) RG 10: Box 102 Folder 870: Nanking during Sino-Japanese conflict 1940-1941 NMP0250 1938-1939 "Japanese propaganda flyers" (3 pages) NMP0251 1939-40 "Relief in Nanking is grim..." Notes on the relief work in Nanking NMP0252 1940 "Suggested Plan for Survey of Family Records" (3 pages) NMP0253 Winter-Spring 1940 "Selections from Report of Survey, based on Families Relieved Winter-Spring 1940" NMP0254 September 25, 1940 "Nanking International Relief Committee - Summary Program" A foreign-flagged ship arrived in Ukraine on Saturday for the first time since the war started in February, and will be loaded with grain, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. Ukraine is starting to resume grain exports in an effort overseen by a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul where Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. personnel are working. The United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal after U.N. warnings of possible outbreaks of famine due to a halt in grain shipments from Ukraine. Before the invasion, Russia and Ukraine together accounted for nearly a third of global wheat exports. Kubrakov said the Barbados-flagged general cargo ship Fulmar S was in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk. We are doing (everything) possible to ensure that our ports can receive and handle more vessels. In particular, we plan to reach the level of at least three to five vessels per day in two weeks (time), he wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the resumption of exports was positive, adding that security risks remained. The threat of Russian provocations and terrorist acts remains. Everyone should be aware of this, he said in a late-night video address on Saturday. But if our partners fulfill their part of the commitment and guarantee the security of supplies, this will really solve the global food crisis. Ukraine eventually aims to ship out 3 million tonnes a month from its Black Sea ports, Kubrakov said. This event is an important market signal that the (grain shipment deal) is a safe and, most importantly, profitable business opportunity for ship owners to return to Ukrainian ports, he added. Roughly 20 million tonnes of grain from last years crops are still stuck in the country. SOURCE: REUTERS In western political science, citizens are supposed to take care of themselves. It is designed by western democracy and freedom. The government should not interfere with the life of citizens. Citizens should not ask government for help. As JFK said, dont ask what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for the country. In other words, citizens should not expect their government to handle the pandemic. Citizens themselves should prevent coronavirus infection. But this is democracy in theory. In practice, the government does take care of its citizens in Europe, as Europe is famous for its welfare society. The government takes care of health, education, the elderly, and children, etc. However, the United States is so fanatical about civil liberties that it believes that government is a necessary evil. Therefore, American politics is to build a government as small as possible. The US government is very big in terms of military and police. It is small only when it needs to serve the people, such as protecting its citizens from virus infection. The second outbreak could be completely avoided if it was getting controlled shortly after the first outbreak, just as China did successfully. China diagnosed coronavirus cases first and soon provided WHO with the DNA sequence of the coronavirus. As a result, the world is equipped with the knowledge of the virus and is capable of preventing the second wave of coronavirus. WHO originated in Europe, especially for the cooperation for such worldwide health problems, and was established before the UN. China has been cooperating with WHO from the very beginning. WHO sent an expert team, led by Canadian expert Bruce Aylward to Beijing and witnessed the whole process of how China handled the coronavirus. China did it successfully. If Europe just learned the lesson from China, then Europe could avoid the second wave just as China did. China offered help and sent experts and equipment to Italy to fight the outbreak. When China had the outbreak, the world offered help and China accepted it. When Europe had the outbreak, China also helped. Thats how WHO should work. But soon, Europe could not accept Chinas help and worried about its impact. Mainstream media had commented, accusing China of providing aggressive diplomacy help. Europe had to reject Chinas influence even if it was good in intent and outcome. Western media cannot accept the goodwill of China. The West wants to repeat the 1900 history of Boxer Reparation. The West wants China to pay for the pandemic and not give it a good reputation connected to pandemic. Europe wants to be influenced by the United States. So it tries to distance itself from China. Europe can not accept Chinas help because it is a security issue and doubt that Chinas help has a geopolitical agenda. Europe has more public health facilities than China does. In terms of welfare, from the perspective of many Chinese immigrants or tourists, Europe is more socialist than China. If Europe simply copied what China had done, then Europe would not have a second wave of coronavirus. But unfortunately, Europe can not do so, they consider it the influence of China. So Europe is pushing China out of cooperation. Under the influence of the United States, Europe does not even trust its own WHO, which is positive about how China handles coronavirus. There is even no promotion of cooperation with China and WHO, and there are even voices condemning Chinas measures as autocratic and evil. Once the pandemic has been politicized, there is no scientific or scientific way to deal with it. It has only one democratic or autocratic way to deal with the pandemic. Once the pandemic is politicized, democracy and constitutional rights are more important than masks. Therefore, Western governments can not successfully control the virus. Whenever a scientific policy is introduced, it always violates the civil rights of citizens. In a democratic society, It is normal to have different voices, but the voice raised doubts about government measures. There is resistance when the government wants a lockdown, some people think this measure is the evil of an autocratic government. There is resistance when the government wants to track the epidemic history of patients because some people already think such measures are fascist. The authority of WHO has been questioned. Europeans are skeptical about government measures in handling the virus. Finding the best way to fight the coronavirus is not easy. It is almost impossible to find an alternative to successfully fight coronavirus. In short, there have been multiple waves of coronavirus in Europe because it is influenced by the United States, which is trying to strike China in every way at every opportunity. The United States can not tolerate any good image of China, so Europe can not be allowed to accept Chinas help. The pandemic has become the geopolitical weapon of the United States against China, which is ironic. There are multiple waves of coronavirus in Europe because Europe follows the United States, considers China as an enemy, and takes coronavirus as an opportunity to fight against China. There are multiple waves of coronavirus in Europe because Europe does not see coronavirus as a problem but as an opportunity to demonize China. When coronavirus broke out in China, China fought against coronavirus. When coronaviruses broke out in Europe and the United States, they fought against China. Europe uses its resources to fight against China rather than coronavirus, thats why it is not surprising that Europe has multiple waves of coronavirus. The coronavirus is politicized. When the virus becomes a geopolitical tool, it is fatal, lethal, and catastrophic. In Europe, there are many scientifically proven ways to deal with the virus. These methods can not be used because these methods have been demonized when the media demonize China. In order to end the pandemic, Europe must restore Chinas good image in public opinion, otherwise, the scientific proof method is of no use. Palestinian militants fired rockets toward Jerusalem on Sunday, causing no casualties but signalling new reach and resolve as Israel pressed air strikes in the Gaza Strip for a third day and admitted Jewish visitors to a contested mosque compound. Overnight, Khaled Mansour, a senior commander of the militant Islamic Jihad group, was killed in southern Gaza along with two associates and five other civilians, according to the group. Islamic Jihad said it would not let their blood dry before they bombard the settlements of the enemy. About 30 Palestinians, at least a third of them civilians and two of them senior Islamic Jihad commanders, have been killed in a surge of fighting in Gaza over the weekend, while rocket salvoes have sent tens of thousands Israelis to shelters. Sirens warning of rockets sounded in Mevaseret Zion, Kiryat Anavim, Abu Ghosh and Kiryat Anavim, communities some 5 km (3 miles) west of Jerusalem. An Israeli military spokesperson said rockets fired at Jerusalem had been intercepted over those towns. There were no reports of casualties or damage. The flare-up has worried world powers and prompted truce mediation by Egypt. It has been contained in part by the fact that Hamas, the governing Islamist group in the impoverished and blockaded Gaza Strip, has held fire. Quiet will be answered with quiet. If they keep firing, we will keep acting, an Israeli military spokesman said. If they stand down and stop firing, it will be quiet. Another potential flashpoint loomed, however, as Jews commemorating two temples destroyed in antiquity visited the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, where those Jewish shrines once stood. Palestinians deem such visits a religious and political affront. Footage circulated online showed some Jews praying in the elevated stone plaza of the compound in violation of Israeli regulations, and police moving in to stop them as Palestinians shouted in protest. Jews call the site the Temple Mount while Muslims refer to it as the Noble Sanctuary. Israel launched the Gaza strikes on Friday in what it described as the pre-emption of an Islamic Jihad attack meant to avenge the arrest of a group leader in the occupied West Bank. Overnight about 20 people were arrested in the West Bank, as security forces continued to pressure Islamic Jihad leadership outside the Gaza Strip. The hundreds of rockets fired by Islamic Jihad in response is why the operation continues, Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Saar, a member of the decision-making security cabinet, said. Asked on Israels Army Radio whether an end might be close, he said: I hope so, but I dont want to pin excessive hopes on that. To the extent that Islamic Jihad wants to protract this operation, it will regret it. The Israeli military said rockets had been shot down by Iron Dome interceptors with a 97% success rate. Islamic Jihad said it fired the rockets in retaliation for Israels killing of its southern Gaza commander, two other militants and five civilians on Saturday. SOURCE: REUTERS BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A major spending initiative aimed at infrastructure projects outside western North Dakotas oil patch is on pace to be fully funded for the first time since the Legislature approved it three years ago, due to strong oil prices and steady production, officials said Wednesday. Operation Prairie Dog, named for the industrious burrowing mammal, was passed by the 2019 Legislature to provide $250 million in every two-year budget cycle for counties, cities and airports in non-oil producing areas for such things as roads, bridges and airport projects. The bill, which won wide legislative support, assumed oil production and prices would hold though the two-year budget cycle. But due to the pandemic-related collapse in global oil price and the resulting drop in North Dakota oil production, oil tax revenue was only $3.6 billion, or 25% lower than had been projected for the last budget period, said Joe Morrissette, the states top budget writer. That meant only $29.9 million was distributed for the 2019-2021 budget period, based on the legislations funding formula that puts municipalities with higher populations at the head of the line. Still, the Legislature distributed more than $300 million in federal coronavirus relief funds for statewide infrastructure projects during its special session in November, Morrissette said. Oil revenues during the budget cycle that ends next year already are over $730 million more than forecast due to greater-than-expected oil prices and steady production, state budget data show. Morrissette said if oil revenue continues at the current rate, Prairie Dog would be fully funded and distributed early next year. The legislation was the brainchild of Republican Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, who crafted the plan after much grumbling by lawmakers outside the oil patch that their oil-rich colleagues were getting too large a share of money for their infrastructure needs. I was hearing: When are we gonna get ours, when is it our turn? Wardner said. The longtime lawmaker, who is retiring this year, said he was confident Prairie Dog would get the entire $250 million this year. Its going to fill, he said. All but the eight oil-producing counties are eligible for the funds. The bulk of the money, $169.2 million, is to be shared between municipalities and counties and townships for infrastructure. Counties and townships get an additional $30.4 million, as do municipalities. Another $20 million is set aside for airport infrastructure to be used mainly to match federal funds for projects, Wardner said. Every incorporated city in non-oil counties will get something, Wardner said. They will be able to do things they havent done before. The allocations will range from a few thousand dollars for small communities to several million dollars for the larger, higher-population cities, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Two young women began changing the Albany area community before they even graduated from high school. Now theyve won paid internships before their first day of college. Bank of America selected them as Student Leaders, a designation that comes with a paycheck, a community job to work on their leadership skills, and a chromebook. After college, they both have big plans. Meghana Bhupati has her eye on Congress. At Guildlerland High School, Bhupati created her own platform, Illuminate Stem, to amplify the voices and stories of women in STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. She hosted STEM workshops at local middle schools and Boys and Girls Clubs. Being from underrepresented backgrounds, theres a real barrier to access to education, she said. You dont have to be a certain type of person to go into STEM. She liked running workshops to spread that message. That was really rewarding to me, she said. But then she won the Student Leader award and began to think bigger. Being a student leader this summer shows me, if I wanted to, I could intern in Congress, she said. I have the power to create solutions. Shes thinking of studying public policy when she heads to Princeton University this fall. Bhupati was also one of 150 selected from more than 68,000 applicants to receive a Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation scholarship to college. Im really interested in continuing to work to create desired change, she said. Bhupati and fellow Student Leader Junique Huggins Gabriel, an Albany High graduate, are working at United Way of the Greater Capital Region this summer. Its given them another view of the world. They attended the kickoff events for the summer meals program, which they discovered was about much more than food. This experience is really formative, Bhupati said. I got to see the impact of creating community. In high school, Gabriel focused on the Underground Railroad Education Center, where she became a Young Abolitionist Leader and was part of the debate on how to handle the statue of Philip Schuyler. Shes also on the committee to rename the Philip J. Schuyler Achievement Academy Community School, an elementary school in Albany. She argued that the statue shouldnt be destroyed because Schuyler was an enslaver. Hes done a lot of stuff in the Albany community and theres been research that he owned slaves. To me it wasnt really a surprise, she said. This was considered normal back in the day. He should get credit for the good things he did, but his statue shouldnt remain in the place of honor in front of City Hall, she said. I dont think that the statue will be removed. I just think it will be placed in a different area, she said. She and others are discussing the design of the statue that would replace it. Like two hands conjoined, with the names of other people who played a part in Albany history, she said. She is heading to the University at Buffalo in the fall, where she plans to major in business management and administration. She wants to run her own business and play an important role in the community as a business owner. I think giving back to my community will help my community some of us, due to our circumstances, feel like we cant accomplish stuff, she said. To look at me and think: if she can do it, I can do itIt will encourage others to do the same. New Yorkers should not be deluded into believing that a womens right to seek an abortion is safe in this state. The Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs overruling Roe v. Wade imperils this right throughout the country. The history of how the right to abortion was barely passed by the state Legislature in 1970, and was saved one year later only by a governors veto, shows how fragile that right is. I entered the Legislature as a member of the Assembly in 1969 and immediately became embroiled in the abortion fight. Assembly member Connie Cook, a Republican from Tompkins County upstate, and I, a Democrat from New York City, introduced the first abortion rights bill in 1969. This became the basis of the bill enacted into law against all odds the following year. In the preceding two years the Assembly had defeated a bill to allow a narrow exception to an 1830 law criminalizing abortions if two doctors certified it was necessary for a womans health. I was at first unsure of the merits of the debate until I was brought together with Cook at the home of Ruth Proskauer Smith, the daughter of a prominent advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The discussion convinced Cook and me to introduce the bill giving women the right to decide whether to have an abortion. At first, our bill received scant attention as the Assembly in 1969 again sought to pass the bill requiring certifications by two doctors. During an emotional debate, a member with a physical disability implied that his disability was recognizable in the womb and claimed if the bill being debated had been law he might have been aborted. He convinced some members to vote against the bill, leading to its defeat. However, it then became known that his disability was caused by polio. Instead of being discouraged by these defeats, abortion rights supporters became more active. In 1970 a new bill was introduced providing that abortions would be legal in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy prior to the fetus viability. The lobbying was strongly in favor of the bill. Anti-abortion groups were mainly unengaged. Pro-choice opponents decided it was easier to defeat the bill in the state Senate and brought it up there first. Surprisingly, despite Majority Leader Earl Bridges strong opposition, it did pass. It then came up for a vote in the Assembly. It was narrowly defeated when Speaker Perry Duryea, casting aside tradition, refused to count the affirmative votes of members who were in favor but had left the chamber, believing their votes would be counted. Under Assembly rules the abortion rights bill came up for a second vote. After a long emotional debate, with some members changing their previous votes, the bill was still two votes short of passage. If one more member voted for the bill, there would be a tie which the Speaker would be called on to break. As the bill was still short those two votes the clerk was ready to announce that the bill had failed. Then George Michaels, a Cayuga County Democrat representing a Republican leaning, predominantly Catholic district, asked to be recognized. He inquired how he was recorded. In the negative, answered the clerk. Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter. Michaels then stated he did not want his vote to defeat the bill. He pointed out that this was the time of Passover, which teaches us about freedom, and what his vote in favor would mean to his son, a rabbi. He concluded by saying that he knew voting for the bill would likely end his political career. The usual tumultuous, noisy Assembly was so quiet one could hear the proverbial pin drop as Michaels told the clerk to change his vote to the affirmative. There now existed a tie vote which the speaker broke by casting his vote in favor, providing the final vote necessary for passage. The next day Gov. Nelson Rockefeller signed the bill into law. Now the anti-abortion advocates were roused while the pro-choice advocates were complacent. Just one year later, in 1971, the Legislature voted to repeal the abortion right law. Governor Rockefeller, though, vetoed it. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationally in 1973, and anti-abortion groups vigorously advocated for years to restrict the right to abortion, eventually leading to the decision in Dobbs. The result is now a national free-for-all among and within the states. New York is not immune from this battle and its abortion law would be imperiled if Congress passed a national ban, as some members have advocated. There is a lesson in this history. To safeguard a womans right to decide whether have an abortion, it must be enshrined with other rights in the state constitution. Franz S. Leichter served in the Assembly from 1969 to 1974, and in the Senate from 1975 to 1998. He lives in New York City. The message from Kansas this past Tuesday was clear: By a strong margin, voters in that deep-red state acted to protect abortion rights from the whims of conservative lawmakers. It's a message that needs to be heard in Congress, especially in the Senate, where legislation to preserve abortion rights across the country has gotten only minimal bipartisan support. On the ballot in Kansas was a referendum which would have amended the state constitution to say that it did not contain a right to abortion, and that it did not require government funding for the procedure. It would also have granted the state legislature the authority to pass laws regarding abortion. The measure failed decisively: 59 to 41 percent according to unofficial results. The outcome offers hope that another anti-abortion constitutional measure in Kentucky will fail this November, while measures to protect abortion rights in Vermont and California could succeed. This past session, New York lawmakers who had already codified abortion rights in state law initiated the lengthy process to cement the protection in the state constitution; that change could go before voters in 2023. The vote tally in Kansas is not too far from where the country as a whole falls: 61 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to various polls tracked by Pew Research Center. It's also worth noting that the issue is not clear-cut along party lines. While more Democrats and fewer Republicans favor abortion rights 80 percent compared with 38 percent, respectively Republicans' views are more divided. While more conservative GOP voters oppose abortion rights (72 percent) a majority of those who consider themselves moderate Republicans favor them (60 percent). All that should inform U.S. senators as that chamber weighs legislation to codify the abortion rights protections in Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that the Supreme Court's six current conservative justices overturned in June. A bipartisan compromise offered by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska would bar state legislatures in most cases from infringing on abortion rights before fetal viability, or around 24 weeks. It would allow state restrictions after that, except in cases where the mother's life is at risk. The bill would also protect people's access to contraception. Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter. The bill isn't as broad as some Democrats and abortion rights activists would like, and in a Senate divided 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, even this compromise hadn't been expected to overcome the 60-vote threshold for breaking a filibuster. But what happened in Kansas should be a wake-up call to senators, even those in red states. This is an issue that has clearly energized people, enough to get them to the polls to defend what most people understand to be an essential part of women's health care, and have considered to be a constitutional right for nearly half a century. Politicians can heed that call, or risk what Kansas warns may be the consequences of ignoring it in November. ALBANY Hours after he tackled David G. Jakubonis to the ground to separate him from U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin at a campaign rally outside Rochester, Joe Chenelly began reaching out to his military veterans' contacts. Chenelly is the executive director of AMVETS, one the largest veteran service organizations in the nation. His first outreach was to Monroe County's top veteran services official. In the parking lot near the campaign event stage just across from the local VFW hall the two men determined the system had failed Jakubonis, and they recognized their fellow veteran would need help. The events that followed took Jakubonis, a combat veteran who served in Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism, from a local courtroom to home, then a day later to a federal court and finally to jail. It was a journey that highlights the disparities between how the two criminal justice systems provide mental health treatment to someone accused of a crime. On the state side, Jakubonis' access to treatment may have been available through a complicated set of rules and resources. On the federal side, treatment is more within reach but that's primarily because he remains in a county jail while awaiting trial in a process that could take months. Experts, elected officials and attorneys interviewed for this story provided a range of views on how the local justice court in Monroe County could have steered Jakubonis toward mental health services. Some were doubtful that those services would realistically be available, especially in rural areas of upstate or overwhelmed communities such as New York City. Others noted that diversion to a specialized treatment court was unlikely in this case given a lack of resources or incentive, especially under current eligibility standards. Nearly all interviewed, regardless of political persuasion, agreed that Jakubonis should be able to access mental health services that are tailored to help him recover both for his own sake and for the safety of the community. "I don't think that the services provided while he's incarcerated are anywhere near what he needs and that's not just because he's a veteran," said Chenelly, a Republican who is running in a swing Assembly district in Monroe County that is currently held by a Democrat. Chenelly has spoken with Jakubonis' legal team, which is working to have him released from jail on the condition that he enter an inpatient treatment program with the Veterans Administration. A hearing is set for Aug. 24 roughly a month after he was taken into federal custody. "Unfortunately, in our society in general we lock them away we forget about them until they come back out and do something bad again," Chenelly said. Navigating the system The day after Jakubonis walked onto the stage at Zeldin's July 21 campaign event and approached the congressman with a pointed key chain described by police as a defensive weapon he was arraigned in Perinton Town Court for attempted assault. The felony charge was not eligible for bail; the judge lacked the ability to send him to jail. Jakubonis was released the following day on his own recognizance without any supervised conditions, like checking in with a parole officer, or participating in mandated programs related to mental health or substance abuse treatment. The judge's decision would spark the latest chapter in the already highly politicized debate over the state's bail laws that Zeldin and Republicans statewide have put near the center of their campaign messaging. Zeldin blamed the state's bail laws for not allowing a judge to hold Jakubonis because he may be dangerous to the public. "The state must start prioritizing the safety of law-abiding New Yorkers over criminals," the candidate said in a statement the following day. Jakubonis was arrested July 23 on federal charges of assaulting the congressman. In the federal court, where judges can consider someone's "dangerousness" along with their mental health as a factor in release decisions, Jakubonis was sent to jail. I'm thankful that federal authorities came in to do what New York states broken pro-criminal justice system could not uphold the rule of law," Zeldin said. He would subsequently release a campaign ad that featured Jakubonis as a frightening example of the purported failures of the state's bail laws. Over recent days, Zeldin's tone has softened at times at least in relation to Jakubonis. Zeldin described the issue as a military veteran "not getting help from the system." He attributed the state's bail laws as why Jakubonis was unable to get help. If he had been detained by a judge, Zeldin said, Jakubonis could have received mental health services or support from veterans groups. "You can use this as one particular example, but there are many different examples of where someone gets put right back out on the street, very quickly," Zeldin said at a news conference a week after the incident. "They can't get those services." The judge could have set nonmonetary conditions as a condition of his release from custody that included access to services. It is more complicated on whether they could have mandated inpatient treatment. His campaign spokeswoman told the Times Union that it's clear the man "needs assistance battling a variety of demons." "As an Army veteran himself, Congressman Zeldin is incredibly sympathetic to that," Katie Vincentz said in a statement. "While he's not going to get ahead of the judge's ruling, he does support Mr. Jakubonis getting the help he needs and ... is confident that the judge's decision will be in that vein." Jakubonis being released by the town justice with "no resources, no help and on one to turn to" is "how he got there in the first place," Vincentz said. Zeldin though continues to run the ad featuring Jakubonis as a man aggressively attacking him. In an interview this week with Fox Business, the host described Jakubonis as a "guy who looked to be off his rocker to say the least." Zeldin said if, "I wasn't wasn't a member of Congress, this person would be out on the streets." Jakubonis' initial attorney, federal public defender Steven Slawinski, asked the court to release his client to a VA inpatient program. Since U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian Payson did not have Jakubonis' medical records at hand, she ruled he would be detained until further review of those documents. Jakubonis is now represented by John L. DeMarco, a former Monroe County Court judge who presided over the area's veterans treatment court. Slawinski said Jakubonis has a history of anxiety and is disabled from his time in Baghdad. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. Jakubonis was drinking heavily before the incident, Slawinski said. He had been receiving outpatient treatment services from the VA, but had relapsed. "He will not get any substantive treatment at the jail," the attorney said in an interview. The jail has a program to group veterans together for peer-to-peer support, but inmates have been isolating because of an outbreak of COVID-19. "We could be using all this time between now and disposition productively," DeMarco said. "Hopefully that's the way it'll pan out." 'Great need to assist' Four times over five years, Jakubonis tried to check himself into the VA for inpatient services, Chenelly said, but he had missed scheduled appointments because he was self-medicating. The VA, through a spokesman, said that although the administration works hard to follow up with its clients about potential treatment, if the person repeatedly misses appointments it can't force them to go. Like many organizations, the VA has seen a rise in people seeking mental health services, spokesman Peter Potter of the Stratton VA Medical Center said. Since the onset of the pandemic, when people began to isolate and lose out on typical programming, he said there's been a 3,000 percent increase in the demand for telehealth services. Prosecutors have also seen an increasing number of people in need of mental health services related to their passage through criminal courts. "We have great need to assist people who find themselves in the criminal justice system due to conditions that are caused by some form of mental health affliction," Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan said. "We simply lack those dynamic resources to help you." More services such as access to treatment courts are badly needed, said Jordan, the president of the District Attorneys Association of New York. With many offenses no longer bail-eligible, Jordan said, courts have fewer tools to incentivize defendants to go to inpatient treatment or divert them to a mental health, veterans or drug courts. Statewide, there are about 240 people actively participating in a veterans treatment court, the Office of Court Administration said Friday. "How do you help someone who is struggling, and then it causes them to commit some crime?" Jordan said. "We don't have those tools in our arsenal to help them." The lack of services for the mentally ill contributes to a cycle of crime. About half of the people at Rikers Island in New York City have a mental illness, according to the Legal Aid Society. "Although they know what they're doing, their actions are influenced in such a great extent by their addiction or by their mental health illness," Jordan said. "If you can address that core issue, you can likely prevent that recidivism." An update to the state's bail laws this April allows judges to send someone for a mental health evaluation or involuntary assessment pending their release. The standard is high, requiring a person to clearly be a serious and immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. Experts agreed that Jakubonis likely did not fit that threshold, but were split on whether the update to the law was intended to nudge someone like him toward inpatient treatment services. There are mechanisms within the state's mental hygiene law that could be used, but prosecutors and defense lawyers were either less familiar with them or said that the actual implementation is often difficult. Advocates note people with mental illness are no more dangerous than people without those conditions, and oftentimes are more likely to be the targets of violence. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, D-Queens, has pushed for multiple years a "Treatment Not Jails Act," which would open up the use of treatment courts to not just people accused of felonies, but also misdemeanors. It would remove a requirement for a defendant to plead guilty before entering the treatment court. Under her legislation, it could create a pathway for people accused of offenses that a judge cannot set bail or remand on, and a new incentive to go to a treatment court by providing the possibility of having the charge thrown out upon completion of the program. "I'm a big believer in wanting to protect a victim's rights," Ramos said. "The best way to honor the victim is to ensure (the defendant) can't hurt anybody else again. What's the best way? The best way obviously is not to throw them away in a dungeon and forget about them. That's what we've been doing and that's not working." She stressed the damage that could occur from someone being held before trial in jail, losing their job and upending their family. Instead, Ramos said, the goal should be to get the person treatment to reduce recidivism. Potter, with the VA, said that lawyers operating within the state system sometimes forget to fold in the resources the Veterans Administration can provide. If a defense lawyer or family reaches out after a veteran who is enrolled in the VA is arrested even on a local charge they can help provide one of its "Veterans Justice Operation" specialists to help them navigate the system. "It's much better to get to the heart of 'Why?' and treat it," Potter said. "If a patient comes in and they're having a problem with PTSD, going to jail is not going to solve anything. But getting treatment for PTSD, if that's what's causing the issue what better way can we respond to it?" A man has died following a collision near Skibbereen, Co Cork. Gardai said the collision between a car and a 44 took place on the N71 at Smorane on Saturday at about 10.20pm. The driver of the car, a man aged in his mid-20s, was treated at the scene by emergency crews but he was pronounced dead a short time later. He was taken to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will be arranged. The coroner has been notified. The driver of the 44, a man in his 40s, was injured in the incident and taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The scene was cordoned off on Sunday morning to allow Garda forensic collision investigators to conduct a technical examination. Local traffic diversions were in place. Gardai are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them. They are also looking to speak to any road users with dashcam footage who were travelling in the area at the time. Gardai in Clonakilty can be contacted at 023-8821570, or the Garda Confidential Line is available on 1800-666-111. A mental health charity has appealed for more volunteers for its support line as demand remains high post-lockdowns with an increase in calls from people affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Aware, an Irish charity supporting people affected by depression and bipolar disorder, is looking for volunteers aged 21 and over to work remotely from their home or at Awares headquarters on Leeson Street in Dublin. Aware support line manager Lauren Smith said that the plea was being made due to a significant increase in calls to the free phone line during the pandemic. If you look at 2019 and 2018, we would see about 27,000, maybe 27,500 calls, that were coming in to the support line annually, Ms Smith told the PA news agency. When we jumped to 2020, that increased to 37,506 calls when the pandemic hit. So it just shows that there was a massive, unprecedented increase compared to all the years weve ever seen before. So there is a demand for more volunteers based on that, because the demand has grown since the pandemic. Its levelled out a little bit now, for 2022 were still counting thats ongoing. But it seems to be pretty much on par with last year. She said that the demand was also higher because of a greater knowledge among the public about Awares support line. When asked about who rings the helpline, Ms Smith said that it really is across the board, it is so general. She added: We also see people who call in who are affected by whats going on in the news, so theres the pandemic, theres the increased cost of living, so much thats going on. We would hear people processing what theyre seeing around them and their experience of it, so its really everyone. It could be the person standing in front of you in a cafe we hear everything on the support line. When asked about the cost-of-living crisis, Ms Smith said thats starting to increase a bit on the line people who have been personally impacted, and also people who are trying to process the news. I can see from the calls that we are receiving that people are impacted by whats going on culturally, and would we see calls increase or drop based on whats happening in the news. I can see a link to it, but I wouldnt be able to comment really any [more] thoroughly than that unfortunately, it just wouldnt be my remit, but I do see there is a clear correlation between whats going on in Ireland and the content that were hearing on the calls. The main people the Aware line aims to support is people experiencing depression, people with bipolar disorder, and people with other mood-related conditions. They would also advise the friends and family of people experiencing these conditions who ring in, and help direct them to support available. Stephen McBride, director of services at Aware, said that people choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some, it offers the chance to give something back and to make a difference. For others, it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Ms Smith said: Theyre listened to in a non-judgmental way, theyre met with empathy and compassion. They have space then, anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, to talk about whatever they want to talk about, and be heard uninterrupted. Were empowering people with information and resources, and they are heard as well. She added: We cant offer the support to people or fulfil our mission without the volunteers, so its crucial that we get more in at the moment and that we recruit more volunteers this year just to meet the demand. The property at 668 King St W., has been acquired by Metrolinx for the future site of King and Bathurst subway station as part of the Ontario Line Hollywood has slowly started to alter their bizarre history of whitewashing characters and casting white actors to play minorities. It's weird that it took this long, but, hey, better late than never. Even though there have been some changes in modernity, the practice hasn't entirely fallen out of favor. Thankfully, Hollywood isn't casting actors like Mickey Rooney as horrific Asian stereotypes anymore. They've just taken to casting Scarlett Johansson as an Asian woman- sans an absurdly racist depiction, of course, but a damaging one nonetheless. The latest example of a white actor earning a role as a minority is James Franco landing the role of Fidel Castro. Aside from the copious scandals surrounding Franco, the move is an incredibly tone-deaf one considering the increased scrutiny that Hollywood is facing to implement more nuanced forms of representation. As a proud Latino actor, John Leguizamo isn't content to keep his mouth shut about the issue. More than 1,063 children have been affected in Ukraine due to Russias full-scale armed aggression. "As of the morning of August 7, 2022, the official number of killed children did not change over the past day 361. The number of injured children increased more than 703," the Prosecutor General's Office posted on Telegram. As noted, the data are not final as efforts are ongoing to establish casualties in the areas of active hostilities, in temporarily occupied and liberated territories. Most children were affected in Donetsk region 371, Kharkiv region 197, Kyiv region 116, Chernihiv region 68, Luhansk region 61, Mykolaiv region 59, Kherson region 55, Zaporizhzhia region 40. On August 5, a 17-year-old girl was injured in the Russian strike on Bereznehuvate district of Mykolaiv region. ol The terrorist attack in Olenivka was Russias special operation to disrupt the supply of precision weapons to Ukraine. The relevant statement was made by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Facebook, referring to Andrii Yusov, a member of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. From the beginning of that terrible tragedy and that terrible farce we witnessed from the Russian side, it was a falsification. From the first reports on the use and deliberate shelling with the HIMARS precision systems, it was a special operation against the supply of Western precision weaponry to Ukraine. It was a special operation to destabilize the Ukrainian society and demoralize Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs). From the very beginning, it was a falsification, but the world is quick to expose such things, Yusov told. A reminder that, on August 3, 2022, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that some circumstances of the pre-meditated murder of Ukrainian POWs by Russian invaders in Donetsk Regions Olenivka had been established. In particular, according to the Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian side was not planning to exchange prisoners of war in order to conceal the improper conditions and forms of questioning faced by Ukrainian POWs (which could serve as an evidence base in The Hague court) and deliberately eliminated the prisoners. The premises where Ukrainian POWs had been kept were mined by the Wagner Groups militants, using a flammable substance, which resulted in the rapid spread of the fire. On the night of July 29, 2022, a powerful explosion took place within the former correctional facility situated in Donetsk Regions Olenivka, where Russians kept Ukrainian POWs. At least 50 Ukrainian defenders were reported killed and over 70 seriously injured. mk The Swedish army will send up to 120 instructors to the United Kingdom to train the Ukrainian military. That's according to a statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Sweden, Ukrinform reports. "Between 12 August and 31 December 2022, the Swedish Armed Forces will send up to 120 instructors to the UK to conduct basic military training for Ukrainian citizens, divided into several training courses," the report said. According to the ministry, the initiative to offer basic military training to Ukrainian citizens comes from the UK the country has invited other partner nations in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and Canada to contribute. "The Government has now decided that Sweden will contribute by training Ukrainian soldiers," the ministry said. In total, approximately 10,000 Ukrainian citizens are expected take part in the training program in the UK. A maximum of 60 Swedish instructors will be in the UK simultaneously this is not expected to have any significant impact on the Swedish Armed Forces' other activities. "Russia's war against Ukraine has been going on for over five months, and it's immensely important that the rest of the world continues to support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty and self-determination. It's important that Sweden is part of these efforts, and the Swedish instructors will contribute to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities," said Sweden's Minister for Defense Peter Hultqvist. The Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul has authorized the departure of four more vessels from Ukraines Black Sea ports. The UN press service announced this, according to Ukrinform. The report says that four ships loaded with 161,084 tonnes of foodstuffs are leaving Chornomorsk and Odesa. In particular, the dry cargo ships MV GLORY and MV RIVA WIND with more than 100,000 tonnes of corn are heading to Turkey, the ship MV STAR HELENA with 45,000 tonnes of flour is heading to China, and the ship MV Mustafa NECATI will deliver 6,000 tonnes of sunflower oil to Italy. In addition, the dry cargo ship MV OSPREY S, which is anchored near Istanbul, received permission to arrive at the port of Chornomorsk. All ships will be inspected in Turkey. As Ukrinform reported, on August 5, the first caravan of vessels with Ukrainian grain left the Great Odesa ports. Three ships, the Navi Star, the Rojen and the Polarnet, carrying 57,000 tonnes of Ukrainian corn, where heading to Turkey, Great Britain and Ireland. That convoy resumed navigation from the port of Chornomorsk. iy Turkeys National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in a phone call with Ukraines Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov and Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov discussed the issue of accelerating grain exports from the ports of Ukraine. Ukrinform reports this with reference to the Turkish Defense Ministry. The ministers hailed the continued acceleration of grain shipments and the cooperative work carried out at the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, the report reads. The ministers also discussed the latest developments on Ukrainian grain exports. As Ukrinform reported, the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul on August 7 authorized the departure of four more vessels with foodstuffs from Ukraines Black Sea ports. iy The second sea caravan carrying Ukrainian foodstuffs left the ports Odesa and Chornomorsk three ships from Chornomorsk and another one from Odesa. As the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine posted on Facebook, four bulkers MUSTAFA NECATI, STAR HELENA, GLORY, and RIVA WIND carry almost 170,000 tonnes of agricultural products. "After the organization of the first caravan, we are gradually moving on to larger volumes of work. We plan to ensure the capacities of the ports to handle at least 100 ships per month in the near future. Also, we plan to fully involve Pivdenny port in the implementation of the initiative soon. We expect that this will help to send even larger caravans of ships to buyers, at least up to 3 million tonnes per month," stressed Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov. It is noted that the ships are heading to the ports of Italy, China, and Turkey. As reported, the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul issued a permit for four ships carrying foodstuffs to leave Ukrainian ports on Sunday, August 7. In particular, dry cargo vessels MV GLORY and MV RIVA WIND carry more than 100,000 tonnes of corn to Turkey, MV STAR HELENA transports 45,000 tonnes of flour to China, and MV Mustafa NECATI delivers 6,000 tonnes of sunflower oil to Italy. ol SmartFlower innovative solar energy system was installed in Ternopil city, western Ukraine. SmartFlower system uses advanced robotics and automation to intelligently track the sun making up to 40% more energy than traditional stationary solar panels. The flower panel starts with the first rays of the sun. Dust and debris are removed from the panel with special brushes. The device directs its petals toward the sun at a 90-degree angle. The petal modules fold up at night or when the sensors detect strong wind that can damage the device," Ternopil Mayor Serhiy Nadal told an Ukrinform correspondent. According to him, the capacity of the solar energy system reaches 2.5 kW, so it is possible to obtain from 4,000 to 6,200 kW of energy per year, depending on the weather. In addition, the indisputable advantage of SmartFlower system is its mobility as the panels can be easily moved to a new location, be it a roof, yard or even a car. As reported, Ukraine has managed to achieve significant results in the development of renewable energy in recent years. Only at the beginning of 2022, its total installed capacity amounted to 9.5 GW, and the investments in the industry reached $12 billion. The pace of its development was likely to continue to grow, but now half of the renewable energy facilities are at risk of complete or partial destruction due to the war. ol 'National Enquirer' What happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas, but we're supposed to believe that private conversations in Buckingham Palace end up on the front page of the 'National Enquirer,' which this week declares: "The Queen Hates Meghan!" The 'Enquirer' claims to reveal "what her majesty says behind closed doors!" Because of course, they'd know. Maybe the Queen phones them with tips, just to keep herself in the news? With the mag's trademark journalistic objectivity, calling Meghan "fame-hungry," an "American upstart," "publicity-obsessed" and a "ruthless social climber," the 'Enquirer' quotes a senior courtier as if who claims that the Queen views Prince Harry's wife as "a real threat to the monarchy" by hinting that Meghan will "use her title for an ambitious career in politics". Right. Because Americans are just begging to elect to public office an actress whose husband is sixth in line to the throne. "Diesel Fires Up Crush On Mirren!" Vin Diesel had dinner with his 'Fast X' co-star, 77-year-old Dame Helen Mirren, 22 years his senior, while both were on location in Italy, and so the 'Enquirer' declares it a romantic dinner and reckons "he is smitten." The rag notes that Diesel's girlfriend "was nowhere in sight." I'm sure she's worried. "Top Gun Tom Tangled In Scientology Dogfight!" No he's not. Tom Cruise has zero involvement with the rape allegations by three women against Scientology member Danny Masterson, but the 'Enquirer' draws that invisible thread tight, claiming that Cruise could suffer the "backlash in an increasingly woke Hollywood." Right. Because nobody in Hollywood has ever heard a bad word against Scientology in the past, and the shock could end his career. "Tattletale Maxwell Stashed In Club Fed!" Sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has been moved to a low-security federal prison in Florida, as expected after her conviction, and the 'Enquirer' claims she has "landed in a cushy, country-club-like prison . . . following a secret deal to sell out old party pal Donald Trump and other intimates of billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein." Just like all the other inmates there sold out the rich and famous to land behind bars in Tallahassee. Don't hold your breath waiting for the Feds to question Trump or Bill Clinton about anything Maxwell allegedly told them. 'Globe' Like a lover spurned, the 'Globe' turns on two old favorites with its cover story: "Trump vs. Fox News. New Feud Explodes!" The former president and the formerly "fair and balanced" network are allegedly "trading shots over slights & betrayals." In other words, it's business as usual. Cosmetic surgery allegations run riot in the 'Globe,' as Jane Fonda, David Hasselhoff and Michael Douglas are all accused in separate articles of undergoing cosmetic procedures. "New Kisser For Born-Again Cougar Jane!" "Old Age Is Hassling The Hoff!" "Michael's Mug Looks Younger!" Not that there's any corroborative evidence for any of these stories, other than the fact that the trio "look" younger. "Harry & Meghan's Sell-By Date Expires!" You can search their bodies in vain for a barcode or a stamped "sell-by date," but the duo are allegedly "in a desperate dash to cash in on their celebrity as the spotlight begins shifting to his brother." As if the Sussexes' media deals with Netflix, Spotify et al are dependent on Harry being the dominant brother. It's safe to say that Netflix is not seriously thinking: "When the Queen dies, maybe we can sign a production deal with William instead?" The 'Globe' might be mistaking the Royal Family for the Kardashians. "People are getting turned off by their pushiness and self-promoting proclamations about how wonderful and important they are," claims an unidentified "royal insider," who could also be talking about the Kardashians. But isn't that the definition of being a member of the Royal Family? 'People' British royalty continues to dominate with this week's cover story: "The Making of a Queen." It's Kate Middleton, who American tabloid reporters don't seem to understand won't become Queen when Elizabeth II dies, and will still have to wait for Prince Charles to take the throne and possibly reign for another 20 years or more, if he lives as long as his parents. Undeterred, the mag claims that Duchess Kate "is shaping her role for the modern world and modelling herself on the reigning Queen: 'Never complain, never explain'" They might have added: . . . and never talk to 'People' magazine. 'Us Weekly' Hollywood royalty takes centre stage on this week's cover: "All About Brad's Hot New Romance!" The last time Brad Pitt was seen out in public with a woman the tabloids rang wedding bells, yet she quickly faded from sight. Now Pitt is supposedly dating again, and he "finally gave up on Jen Aniston." Actually, Pitt gave up thoughts of rekindling his romance with ex-wife Aniston years ago, but the tabloids kept clinging to the hope of a fairytale reunion. So who is the lucky lady? 'Us Weekly' hasn't a clue, of course. It's unclear f there even is a woman in Pitt's life: an unnamed source tells the rag: "Brad's not fully committed to anyone just yet". Right. That sure sounds like a "hot new romance." Thankfully we have the crack investigative team at 'Us Weekly' to tell us that Kaia Gerber wore it best (a rare defeat for Bella Hadid that will be talked about for months), that Lauren Conrad is "excellent at Tetris," and that the stars are just like us: they shop at Target, dine outdoors, and recycle old garbage just like the tabloids. Onwards and downwards . . . Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, had a phone conversation with Jens Plotner, the foreign and security policy adviser to the German Chancellor. "The parties discussed the security and economic support for our state, as well as creating a system of security guarantees for Ukraine. Expressing gratitude to the Federal Republic of Germany for helping Ukraine amid Russias full-scale aggression, Andriy Yermak emphasized the need for accelerating supplies of modern weapons for our state," reads the repot posted on the presidents website. The interlocutors also discussed the issue of further macro-financial support for Ukraine from Germany and the European Union. Read also: Scholz vows to continue providing weapons to Ukraine Separately, the head of the President's Office focused on enhancing sanctions pressure on Russia. Yermak also expressed hope for a high level of participation of the German side in the online summit of the International Crimea Platform on August 23. iy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia Urmas Reinsalu has called on the Russian Federation to stop shelling the territory of Zaporizhzhia NPP. He said this in a statement posted on Twitter, Ukrinform reports. Russia must immediately stop nuclear terrorism in Zaporizhzhia and hand over all nuclear power facilities in Ukraine to the Ukrainian side, he wrote. The minister also included the hashtags "Stop Russian aggression" and "Stand together with Ukraine" in his post. As reported by Ukrinform, on the evening of August 6, Russian invaders once again fired rockets at the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the city of Enerhodar. In particular, Russian rocket attacks hit close to the plant's dry storage facility. iy U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the anniversary of the Russian attack on Georgia in August 2008 issued a statement condemning Russian aggression and emphasizing solidarity with the Georgian and Ukrainian peoples who continue to suffer from the occupation. The statement has been posted on the official website of the Department of State, Ukrinform reports. "Fourteen years ago today, Russia invaded the sovereign nation of Georgia," the statement said. It added that since 2008, the United States remembers those killed and injured by Russian forces. "This year, Russia's unprovoked further invasion of Ukraine underscores the need for the people of Georgia and Ukraine to stand together in solidarity. The people of Georgia know all too well how Russia's aggressive actions, including disinformation, so-called 'borderization,' and mass displacement cause untold hardships and destruction," Blinken said. He added that Russia must be accountable to the commitments it made under the 2008 ceasefire withdrawing its forces to pre-conflict positions and allowing unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. In addition, he noted that Russia must reverse its recognition of Georgias Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. "This is essential for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons to be able to return to their homes safely and with dignity," Blinken said. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement in connection with the anniversary of the Russian occupation of Georgian territories. Kyiv said that it strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. As Amazon.com seeks more than $124 million in tax breaks for a massive distribution center in Niagara County, the e-commerce giant is facing scrutiny in Hamburg over a warehouse that was completed in March but remains empty despite the company getting nearly $7 million in tax breaks for that smaller project. Workers spent 11 months building the 181,500-square-foot building at the intersection of Lakeshore and Bayview roads, and have completed the fit-out of the $47.2 million facility with the shelving, racking and other equipment necessary to operate it. Sign up for the Buffalo Next free newsletter The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week. But Amazon has not yet occupied the warehouse, and has not given a firm date on when it plans to do so. Amazon officials did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. "Its finished. Its fit-out. But they have not moved in yet," said Sean Doyle, executive director of the Hamburg Industrial Development Agency. "It's a concern. We're monitoring it." The Hamburg IDA had approved a package of $6.85 million in sales, mortgage recording and property tax breaks for the project in February 2021. The company pledged to employ at least 100 workers within two years of completion 50 full-time employees and 50 part-timers but has not yet hired any. However, Amazon has until March 2024 to reach that goal, or face potential clawbacks for a breach of contract. The 10-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes on the property doesn't start until 2023. "They're compliant," Doyle said. "They're in that period where you get two years after project completion to get to full employment." Amazon has been aggressively expanding for several years, capitalizing on the massive increase in online sales and demand for home delivery from consumers during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has doubled its U.S. warehouse capacity since the end of 2019, to 387.1 million square feet, with over 1,200 distribution centers. But that expansion has now outpaced its retail business, which is slowing. The company admitted earlier this year that it now has too much space, which contributed to excess costs in the first quarter, and its first quarterly loss in seven years. So it's subletting 10 million square feet of warehouse space and reducing spending on new facilities, while halting or delaying work on at least 16 projects nationwide. Doyle did not say that was the case in Hamburg, however, and even speculated that the project might have been finished sooner than the company expected, given the well-documented supply-chain problems with building materials. He said Amazon officials will be providing updates to the IDA board at its Aug. 17 meeting. "The last I've talked to them, they're fully committed," Doyle said. Amazon is paying rent to the developer, and is working on final details, including activating the 250 electric-vehicle chargers, he said. He added that the company had planned to occupy the warehouse by the December holiday season. "I don't see that happening, just practically," Doyle said. In the meantime, Doyle said, the company and its developer Bayview Road Associates, an affiliate of Frank Campofelice's Walden Development Group have met the construction spending and employment goals, generating about $13 million in wages for construction jobs, with 84,000 hours of local labor. Amazon and Bayview also earned the sales-tax exemptions of more than $1.314 million on purchases of equipment and materials. So in combining the wages and tax revenues so far, he explained, the project has produced $9 of economic benefit for every $1 of incentives. "At this point, we're just monitoring it," Doyle said. "The project is compliant. And it's been a success so far in terms of the local labor." Located in the Lake Erie Commerce Center and designed by architectural firm Gensler, the new facility was built on 57.4 acres of land owned by Walden, across from a FedEx Corp. distribution center that was built several years ago. The project was supported by construction unions, but criticized by community and labor activists such as the Coalition for Economic Justice and state Sen. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo. East Buffalo homeowners and aspiring homeowners will be the biggest beneficiaries of the $50 million in state money Gov. Kathy Hochul announced to assist residents and address historic inequities after the May 14 massacre at the Tops Markets store on Jefferson Avenue. The total includes $34.5 million geared specifically toward helping homeowners pay off delinquent taxes and fees and make emergency or major repairs like replacing a roof, while providing grants of up to $30,000 to help residents who want to buy a home. "We are investing in the people, the physical community, their ability to make sure they can make their payments as we get through some tough times here," Hochul said in announcing the application process on a recent visit to Buffalo. "... Were building the streets and giving people that sense of a re-freshening in this community, which is long overdue." So how does this work? What do residents need to do to get this assistance? These programs are for residents of these ZIP codes: 14204, 14206, 14208, 14209, 14210, 14211, 14212, 14214 and 14215. Homeowners must live in their properties to qualify. That includes homeowners who live in a multi-unit house. The dwelling must be the primary residence. Those interested in applying can do so starting Monday. To help people navigate the process of applying, 211 WNY is acting as a clearinghouse. "We are the point of access for information about the programs," said Dawn Vanderkooi, director of 211 WNY's contact center services. People can call 211 or text their ZIP code to 898211 to be sent information. Vanderkooi said last week that 211 already has been flooded with phone calls from people interested in getting help. Also, starting this week, there will be representatives from participating organizations from 4 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Branch Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave. to help people sign up in person. Here is a guide to the assistance that is being made available. Help with delinquent taxes, fees The effort includes $20 million set aside to assist homeowners who are behind on their water bills, taxes, sewer charges and other user fees. The goal is to prevent foreclosures. "We expect to have a lot of applications ... A lot of folks are behind on their taxes," said Keisha Williams, executive director of the Western New York Law Center, which is administering these grants. "This is a big step in the right direction. We all know the history of redlining, the lack of access here on the East Side, the fact that many people on the East Side were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. And if we do have a recession on the horizon, I think trying to stave off homelessness will obviously pay off." Who is eligible? Homeowners in the nine ZIP codes that make up East Buffalo. You must show proof of ownership and of primary residence. What can it be used for? For past due arrears of water, sewage, user fees and school and property taxes. Amount? Up to $50,000. The payments will be made directly to the entity that is owed. Requirements? The grant requires the homeowner to remain in the home without selling or refinancing the home for five years. For more information: Email BEHAF@wnylc.net or visit the center on the second floor of 37 Franklin St. Help for emergency home repairs There also is $10 million available to help homeowners with emergency repairs. That includes repairs to address code violations as well as major projects like repairs of the roof or plumbing system. PUSH Buffalo, Broadway-Fillmore (formerly Broadway-Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services), NeighborWorks Community Partners, Heart of the City and the Community Action Organization of WNY will take on the projects. All five organizations already have been involved in helping lower income homeowners with repairs. In some cases, the groups already have waiting lists but will accept new applicants from the targeted neighborhoods. The additional money from the state will expand the number of projects they can take on. Also, some homeowners who didn't qualify previously because they were in arrears with taxes and fees can now get that help through that program, which would open the door to getting the home repair assistance. Who is eligible? Applicants must earn less than 90% of the area median income. They also cannot have more than $15,000 in liquid assets. What kind of projects can it be used for? Repairs could include those for health and safety reasons and general system upgrades, including replacement of the systems, to comply with codes and extend the life of the property. Awards will be based on actual repair needs. Amount: Up to $35,000. Requirement: Homeowners sign an agreement that they will remain in the property for 10 years, at which point the full award will be forgiven. Down payment assistance There is $4.5 million available to assist people in buying their first homes. The lenders participating in the programs are Premium Mortgage, M&T Bank and First Priority Mortgage. Who is eligible? Applicants must have a household income equal to or less than 60% of the area median income. They must also live in one of the nine East Buffalo ZIP codes. What can it be used for? Applicants can use the grant to help them buy a single family house, condo or manufactured home anywhere in New York State. The grant can be used to cover the cost of the down payment, closing costs and in some cases a one-time primary mortgage insurance payment. Amount: Up to $30,000. Requirement: Homeowners must sign a 10-year agreement, which is forgiven after that period. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, Aug 7(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Aug, 2022 ) :The death toll from escalating violence in Gaza had risen to 24 on Sunday, including six children, as Israel extended its bombardment of Palestinian militants who have retaliated with a barrage of rockets. The updated count from health authorities in the Hamas Islamist-run territory said six children were among those killed since the start of the "Israeli aggression" on Friday, in addition to 204 people injured. But Israel said it had "irrefutable" evidence that a stray rocket from militants had been responsible for the death of multiple children in Jabalia, northern Gaza, on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how many children were killed in the incident in Jabalia. An AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at an area hospital, including three minors. Israel's military has warned its aerial and artillery campaign against Islamic Jihad could last a week, but Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo is talking "around the clock" with both sides to ease the violence. Israel has said it was necessary to launch a "pre-emptive" operation against Islamic Jihad, as the group was planning an imminent attack following days of tensions along the border with Gaza. Civilians meanwhile took refuge in air raid shelters on the Israeli side, with AFP journalists hearing sirens warning of incoming fire in the Tel Aviv area on Saturday evening. In Rafah, on Gaza's border with Egypt, women and children were trapped under rubble following an Israeli strike, the strip's civil defence unit said. Rescue workers were digging through the site where a top Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was reportedly targeted by an Israeli strike on Saturday. There was no specific confirmation of Mansour's death, but the head of the Israeli army's operations directorate, Oded Basiok, said in a statement that the entire "senior leadership of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza has been neutralised". Daily life in the strip has come to a standstill, while the electricity distributor said the sole power station shut down due to a lack of fuel after Israel closed its border crossings. Gaza's health ministry said the next few hours will be "crucial and difficult", warning it risked suspending vital services within 72 hours as a result of the lack of electricity. - 'We are all alone' - In Gaza City, resident Dounia Ismail said Palestinians have become accustomed to preparing a "survival bag" of items such as money and medicine. "This latest escalation brings back images of fear, anxiety, and the feeling that we are all alone," she told AFP. On the Israeli side of the frontier, the Magen David Adom emergency service said two people were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds and 13 others were lightly hurt while running for safety. In Kibbutz Nahal Oz, an Israeli community beside the Gaza border, resident Nadav Peretz said he has been "in the bomb shelter or around it" since Friday. "We recognise that on the other side too there is an uninvolved civilian population, and on both sides children deserve to enjoy their summer vacation," the 40-year-old said. Beijing, Aug 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Aug, 2022 ) :China's largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan were drawing to a close on Sunday following a controversial visit last week to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has raged at the trip by Pelosi -- the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in decades -- ripping up a series of talks and cooperation agreements with Washington, most notably on climate change and defence. It has also deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles in what analysts have described as practice for a blockade and ultimate invasion of the self-ruled island -- which China claims as its territory. Those exercises were supposed to end on Sunday, but neither Beijing nor Taipei confirmed their conclusion. "For information about another country's military exercises we suggest you please ask the country conducting them to explain," a Taiwan defence ministry official told reporters in a text message. China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the expected conclusion of the drills on Sunday. Taiwan's transport ministry said six of the seven "temporary danger zones" China had warned airlines to avoid ceased to be in effect as of noon on Sunday, signalling a partial drawdown of the drills. It said the seventh zone, in waters east of Taiwan, would remain in effect until 10 am (0200 GMT) local time on Monday. "Relevant flights and sailings can gradually resume," the ministry said in a statement. Taipei said some routes were still affected in the seventh area, and authorities would continue to monitor ship movements there. Beijing has also announced fresh drills in the Yellow Sea -- located between China and the Korean peninsula -- to take place until August 15. Earlier on Sunday, Beijing conducted "exercises in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan Island as planned", the Chinese military's Eastern Command said. Taipei's defence ministry confirmed China had dispatched "planes, vessels and drones... simulating attacks on Taiwan's main island and on ships in our waters". It detected 66 air force planes and 14 warships operating in the Taiwan Strait, of which 22 crossed the median line and the extended area of the unofficial demarcation in the waters that separate Taiwan and China. Beijing does not recognise that demarcation. China also sent at least one drone over Taiwan's outlying Kinmen islands, forcing troops to respond with flares, local authorities said. - 'Jeopardising' peace - In response, Taiwan said it had mobilised a "joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance system to closely monitor the enemy situation" as well as sending planes and vessels. Su Tseng-chang, Taiwan's premier, said China is "barbarously using military action" to disturb peace in the Taiwan Strait. "We call on the Chinese government not to go around wielding its military power, showing its muscles everywhere and jeopardising the peace of the region," he told reporters Sunday. Taipei's foreign ministry said the drills threatened "the region and even the world". An anonymously authored opinion piece published Sunday by state broadcaster CCTV said that after these exercises, China's military would be able to stage "regular" training drills east of the median line. To show how close it has got to Taiwan's shores, the Chinese military released a video of an air force pilot filming the island's coastline and mountains from his cockpit. The Eastern Command also shared a photo it said was of a warship on patrol with Taiwan's shoreline visible in the background. Ballistic missiles were also fired over Taiwan's capital during the drills, according to Chinese state media. - 'A dangerous opponent' - Taiwan has remained defiant throughout China's sabre-rattling, insisting it will not be cowed by its "evil neighbour". But experts have warned the drills have revealed an increasingly emboldened Chinese military capable of carrying out a gruelling blockade of the island as well as obstructing US forces from coming to its aid. "In some areas, the PLA might even surpass US capabilities," Grant Newsham, a researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies and a former US Navy officer, told AFP, referring to China's military by its official name. "If the battle is confined to the area right around Taiwan, today's Chinese navy is a dangerous opponent -- and if the Americans and Japanese do not intervene for some reason, things would be difficult for Taiwan."The scale and intensity of China's drills -- as well as Beijing's withdrawal from key talks on climate and defence -- have triggered outrage in the United States and other democracies. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was "determined to act responsibly" to avoid a major global crisis. Nairobi, Aug 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Aug, 2022 ) :The campaign for Kenya's presidential election has officially closed but the relentless -- and dangerous -- flow of disinformation continues online, as keyboard warriors battle to discredit rivals by sharing fake rigging claims, experts say. Campaigners for the frontrunners, Deputy President William Ruto and veteran politician Raila Odinga, are circulating dozens of posts claiming that their opponent is engaged in "vote rigging plots", said Benedict Manzin, a sub-Saharan Africa analyst at UK-based intelligence firm Sibylline. "We are increasingly seeing false information which seeks to delegitimise the results of the election with widespread claims that the opposing side would only win through fraud and that they are attempting to steal the election," Manzin told AFP. In one case, a strategist for Ruto's campaign accused Odinga's team of trying to rig Tuesday's poll because the 77-year-old urged the election commission to use a manual voter register instead of a digital one. Meanwhile a pro-Odinga blogger tweeted that Ruto was attempting to steal the election, sharing a link to an unrelated video -- since taken down -- of a politician discussing an old scandal. Mary Blankenship, a disinformation researcher at the University of Nevada, said the circulation of baseless fraud claims could cause real harm, especially in a country where past polls have been followed by an eruption of violence. "It creates an avenue for either of the candidates to discredit the outcome of the polls, which could lead to unrest," Blankenship told AFP. She likened the situation to the 2020 US election when former president Donald Trump's fraud claims culminated in an attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. More than 1,100 people died in politically motivated inter-ethnic clashes in Kenya following the bitterly disputed 2007 elections. A decade later, dozens died during a police crackdown on protests after the 2017 presidential poll which was later annulled by the Supreme Court due to "irregularities and illegalities". - Fabricated opinion polls - Fact-checking organisations -- including AFP Fact Check -- have debunked hundreds of false and misleading claims about the Kenyan elections. Both sides have sought to cast aspersions on their opponent's educational qualifications, claiming that Odinga lied about studying engineering in Germany and that Ruto falsified his university grades. These claims were debunked by fact-checkers but trended on Twitter for days. Mainstream media organisations have also been dragged into the fray, with impostor websites and social media pages mimicking genuine outlets used to spread falsehoods about candidates. "We are constantly having to issue alerts to say this did not originate from our company," said Citizen tv editor Waihiga Mwaura. Fraudulent opinion polls have emerged as a major trend, with campaigners falsely attributing them to legitimate sources such as survey company GeoPoll and The Daily Nation newspaper. There are "efforts to make different leaders look even more popular than they are, to create the impression they are winning the elections," said Nic Cheeseman, a political scientist with the University of Birmingham. "The main misinformation and disinformation we have seen in 2022 is quite similar to the 2017 elections," Cheeseman told AFP, referring to "negative ethnic stereotyping" among other tactics. An undercover expose by UK media revealed that British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used the personal data of millions of Facebook users to target political ads -- including some that preyed on ethnic fears -- during President Uhuru Kenyatta's successful campaigns in 2013 and 2017. - Coded language - Kenyan civil society groups and a state watchdog have warned that the barrage of disinformation poses a risk to democracy and called on social media platforms to act. The authorities have also set up a special division to handle "election and hate speech-related offences". "Part of what this misinformation and disinformation does is that it plays into the stereotypes, preconceived notions and the emotional aspect of voters," said Mark Kaigwa, team leader at StopReflectVerify.com, a Kenyan organisation analysing disinformation. "It is a way to energise people and rally them emotionally." While platforms like Facebook and TikTok say they are committed to rooting out disinformation and hate speech, observers are sceptical, not least because election influencers rely on codewords to amplify their messages. "There is a lot of coded language... being used to mask or ensure that these social media platforms don't identify such type of hate speech," said Allan Cheboi, a senior investigator at Code for Africa, a data journalism and civic technology initiative. For instance, some campaigners use the Swahili word "madoadoa" ("blemish") to attack members of various communities in Kenya, Cheboi told AFP. "Incitement starts online then results (in) violence in offline spaces," he said. The head of Amnesty International's Ukraine chapter has resigned, saying the human rights organization shot down her opposition to publishing a report that said Ukrainian forces had exposed civilians to Russian attacks by basing themselves in populated areas. In a statement posted Friday night on Facebook, Oksana Pokalchuk accused her former employer of disregarding Ukraine's wartime realities and the concerns of local staff members who had pushed for the report to be reworked. The report, released Thursday, drew angry denouncements from top Ukrainian officials and criticism from Western diplomats, who accused the authors of making vague claims that appeared to equate the Ukrainian military's defensive actions to the tactics of the invading Russians. "It is painful to admit, but I and the leadership of Amnesty International have split over values," Pokalchuk wrote. "I believe that any work done for the good of society should take into account the local context and think through consequences." Russia has repeatedly justified attacks on civilian areas by alleging that Ukrainian fighters had set up firing positions at the targeted locations. Pokalchuk said her office had asked the organization's leadership to give the Ukrainian Defense Ministry adequate time to respond to the report's findings and argued that its failure to do so would further Kremlin misinformation and propaganda efforts. "I am convinced that our surveys should be done thoroughly, bearing in mind the people whose lives often depend directly on the words and actions of international organizations," she said. In a news release that accompanied the report's publication, Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said the organization had "documented a pattern of Ukrainian forces putting civilians at risk and violating the laws of war when they operate in populated areas. "Being in a defensive position does not exempt the Ukrainian military from respecting international humanitarian law," she said Thursday. Russian state-sponsored media quoted the report to support Moscow's claim that Russia has only launched strikes on military targets during the war. The spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry cited the Amnesty International assertions as proof that Ukraine was using civilians as human shields. Multiple Western scholars of international and military law went on social media to reject the human shield claim. They said the report contained poor phrasing that muddied legal distinctions and ignored the combat conditions in Ukraine. United Nations war crimes investigator Marc Garlasco, tweeting in a personal capacity Friday, accused Amnesty International of "getting the law wrong" and said Ukraine was taking steps to protect civilians, such as helping them relocate. Ukrainian authorities at the national and regional level have repeatedly urged residents of front-line areas to evacuate, although tens of thousands of people who left their homes since Russia's invasion have returned after running out of support or feeling unwelcome. Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the country's foreign and defense ministers, have been scathing in their condemnation of the report, which they said failed to provide context on Russia's bombardments of populated areas and documented attacks on civilians. Callamard posted a tweet Friday that defended the organization's work and took aim at its critics. "Ukrainian and Russian social media mobs and trolls: they are all at it today attacking Amnesty investigations. This is called war propaganda, disinformation, misinformation. This won't dent our impartiality and won't change the facts," she wrote. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba issued an angry response to Callamard in which he accused her organization of "fake neutrality" and playing into the Kremlin's hands. "Apparently, Amnesty's Secretary General calls me a 'mob' and a 'troll', but this won't stop me from saying that its report distorts reality, draws false moral equivalence between the aggressor and the victim, and boosts Russia's disinformation effort. This is fake 'neutrality', not truthfulness," Kuleba wrote on Twitter. Foreign ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations wrapped up their annual meetings in Phnom Penh with a plea for peace in the South China Sea, warnings for the junta in Myanmar and plans to bolster COVID-19-crushed economies. Foreign ministers and delegates from about 40 countries gathered here for their annual talks with nine of 10 foreign ministers from ASEAN. Among them were U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China but the visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi overshadowed the meetings. Myanmar was absent. The country was banned from ASEAN meetings following the military takeover there last year, and the execution of four democracy activists in July had a further chilling effect. Prak Sakhonn, the Cambodian foreign minister and host of this years meetings, indicated a significant shift in attitudes toward Myanmar, saying the military regime had failed to build any trust within ASEAN. And without this trust the fighting will continue and the political process will never start because no one will come if they fear for their life so building trust is the most important, said Sakhonn. Taiwan China responded to Pelosis Taiwan visit by declaring a live-fire zone on Taiwans east flank and firing rockets. In Phnom Penh, Yi abandoned talks with Japan and walked out of a gala dinner. An ASEAN communique stressed the need to recognize the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China has refused to recognize since losing a court battle with the Philippines in 2016. Blinken told reporters the Chinese response was excessive and that U.S. aircraft carriers will remain on standby. In short, the role of the U.S. continues to support the status quo in Taiwan Strait and advance our shared goals throughout the Indo-Pacific. That is what the region expects of us to be steady and responsible, he said. The communique underlined a need to strengthen health care and promote growth in economies that have been crushed by COVID-19. That includes bolstering supply chains, jobs for women and promoting carbon neutrality to counter climate change. All eyes are now on the ASEAN summit here in November when leaders are expected to announce what action will be taken against Myanmar and endorse recommendations made by the foreign ministers in the 29-page communique. Sold-out hotels. Excitement that seems to grow by the day. The potential for hundreds of thousands of visitors, support staff, and more. These are just a few of the factors being calculated into preparations for Artemis I, the first launch of NASA's moon-focused Space Launch System rocket slated for Aug. 29. Standing 322 feet tall, it promises to be the biggest, most powerful rocket to launch from the Space Coast in years bringing with it a level of excitement to match. All told, Space Coast officials are expecting at least 100,000 visitors for the rocket's first window, which includes opportunities on Aug. 29, Sept. 2, and Sept. 5 (Labor Day). Currently, T-0 on Aug. 29 is set for 8:33 a.m. ET. Pad 39B will host. The rocket is part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to put humans back on the moon sometime this decade. That starts with the uncrewed Artemis I mission and its plan to take an Orion capsule on a four-to-six-week journey to the moon and back. Artemis II will do the same with astronauts, then Artemis III will put two astronauts on the surface sometime after 2024. Hotels and tourism The Space Coast isn't a stranger to launch day crowds. During the space shuttle era that ran through 2011, half a million or more visitors would sometimes flood the area, scooping up hotel rooms and packing local businesses. Since then, crowds have been smaller, but still significant. Even during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands still flocked to Brevard County to see launches. Some of the recent SpaceX Crew Dragon launches, which take astronauts to the International Space Station from KSC, have drawn between 100,000 and 250,000 visitors, according to Peter Cranis, executive director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. It wouldn't be a stretch to expect more than 100,000 for Artemis I. "I think the crewed launches and these Artemis launches are going to be of equal interest to people," Cranis said. "I would expect certainly over 100,000, if not more, coming for that." As of June, Cranis said, Brevard County had 10,734 hotel rooms and 4,500 vacation rental units. Each unit can obviously accommodate more than one person, but those numbers likely won't be impacted by spectators driving from Orlando, for example, to see the launch without staying overnight. Speaking to the greater launch cadence, Cranis said Artemis also supports his office's efforts at marketing the Space Coast. Both KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station have hosted 32 launches this year, a pace not seen since the 1960s. "Our marketing line is we're the only beach that doubles as a launch pad and now that's a message we can put out there because the frequency is so elevated," he said. "Being known for that is something that makes us special among our peers who obviously have beaches to promote, but no space program." Just glancing at hotel room listings shows a rapidly dwindling supply among those that haven't been sold out. The space-themed Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Center is one of the area's newest hotels. Completed this year and opened to the public in April, it boasts views of KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station pads and even has a rooftop "Space Bar" specifically for launch viewing. All the Courtyard's rooms, along with the Space Bar, are sold out for Artemis I. "We've had more and more people discover the hotel since it opened in April, with steadily increasing room bookings and patronage of The Space Bar on the roof," said Glen White, director of corporate communications for Delaware North. The company franchised the Courtyard hotel brand and paid for the project. "We also anticipate having people book rooms and visit the Space Bar to feel the excitement of seeing Artemis on the launch pad in the days leading up to launch," White said. Delaware North's main Space Coast operation is the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is expecting to sell out its Artemis day offerings. "We are expecting capacity crowds at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the upcoming Artemis launch," said Therrin Protze, the visitor complex's chief operating officer. "(The visitor complex) will offer special Artemis launch viewing packages that will include some of the closest public viewing opportunities with distinctive experiences like live commentary from space experts and access to select exhibits and attractions." Artemis I's launch ties in with the complex's recently opened "Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex" exhibit, which focuses on the future of spaceflight. Inside the new exhibit is a scale model of the SLS rocket, a flown Orion capsule similar to the one on Artemis I, and other items like a ceiling-mounted SpaceX Falcon Heavy booster. The visitor complex's tickets for Artemis I viewing will go on sale 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the Kennedy Space Center website. Kennedy Space Center and media Crowds gathering to see the launch as spectators aren't the only visitors expected on the Space Coast. Hundreds of media members from around the world have signed up to cover the liftoff, too. KSC's public affairs team confirmed at least 700 media have signed up so far, a figure that dwarfs typical launches and is closer to crowds seen during the space shuttle program. Heather Scott, a spokesperson for the Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, said the military branch will also be pitching in to help manage media. "The growing sense of energy and excitement that has been steadily building around Kennedy and among our workforce in the last year is tangible," said Mike Bolger, director of KSC's Exploration Ground Systems. "A sense of anticipation is growing daily as we close in on launching this amazing rocket and spacecraft." From an employee perspective, launch day car passes that can be used to bring personal vehicles and family and friends, in most cases are highly sought after. And it's not just about launch day viewing: employees not directly working on Artemis have been handling non-critical items for those who are, even going as far as buying their lunch to help free up time. "Our teams are laser-focused on walking SLS and Orion through the final steps before its maiden flight around the moon, but the excitement across the center is palpable," KSC Director Janet Petro said. "You can see it in peoples' faces, you can hear it in their voices, and when we all stand together with our eyes to the sky on launch day, I don't think there will be a feeling in the world like it." Brazil's federal police Saturday arrested five more men in an investigation into the killings of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest in June. Police said in a statement that seven arrest warrants were issued for illegal fishing in the Vale do Javari region, the remote area close to the border with Colombia and Peru where Phillips and Pereira disappeared June 5. The region has been invaded by illegal fishermen, loggers and gold miners. Police say it is a key drug trafficking route. Phillips, a freelance reporter who wrote for The Guardian and The Washington Post, was doing research for a book on the trip with Pereira, a former head of isolated and recently contacted tribes at the federal Indigenous affairs agency Funai. Two of the seven suspects were already under arrest: Ruben Dario da Silva Villar, known as "Colombia," and fisherman Amarildo Costa de Oliveira, known as "Pelado" who was arrested in June as the primary suspect in the murder. According to the police, Colombia would be the leader and financier of an armed criminal gang involved in illegal fishing that was smuggled out to the neighboring countries. Three of the newly arrested men, whose names were not revealed, are relatives of Amarildo and were involved in concealing the bodies of Phillips and Pereira, the police said. Pereira, the former senior official at the federal Indigenous affairs agency Funai, had previously clashed with Amarildo over illegal fishing within the Indigenous territory. Federal prosecutors said that Phillips was killed so that he could not identify the killers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the green light for children as young as 6 months old to get the Covid-19 vaccine in June, but there haven't been many takers. In Western New York and across the state, less than 5% of eligible infants and toddlers, up to 4 years old, have received even a single dose of either pediatric Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Steven Lana, a pediatrician and senior partner at Delaware Pediatrics in Buffalo, said that early on, he had longer discussions with parents who were resistant to getting their children vaccinated. But that's less true now. "Theyve had their minds made up," he said. "Theyre just not interested in the conversation." Many others who were undecided are taking a wait-and-see approach, he said. They don't want their children to be among first to receive a new vaccine, like the one available now for children ages 6 months to 5 years, which received emergency use authorization in mid-June. The Erie County state of emergency has ended. What comes next? The decision by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz to end the county's yearslong state of emergency marked not only a step toward normalcy, but the end of a political battle. Lana and other pediatricians say they can only stress that the vaccination is safe and that the time to get children vaccinated against Covid-19 is now. Children of all ages have the lowest Covid-19 vaccination rates, compared with adults of any age group, according to state data. While infants and toddlers have the lowest vaccination rate by far, only 39% of children ages 5 to 11 have received even a single shot of the vaccine. That percentage climbs to 65% in children ages 12 to 17. Reasons for resistance The vaccination landscape is very different now than it was in 2020 and early 2021, when vaccines were scarce or non-existent, and Covid-19-related fatalities were high. Then, the narrative was that adults, especially seniors, were at high risk for serious illness and death, recalled Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, pediatric chief of service at Kaleida Health and president of the UBMD Pediatrics Medical Group. Older age groups were prioritized over younger age groups, with health professionals pointing out that children were at much lower risk than adults to become seriously ill or die. Employers, governments and event organizers also placed tough restrictions on adults who refused to get vaccinated. As a result, the data show that among adults, 65% to 95% of adults across age groups are considered fully vaccinated in this region, though the totals still fall below the statewide vaccination rate. But many restrictions have been relaxed or ended since then. Many adults are choosing not to get booster shots for themselves or new vaccines for their kids, especially the youngest ones, since they are considered to be at the lowest risk . Some parents are also continuing to see and believe false claims circulating on social media networks against the vaccine, Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein said. "I can understand how parents may become hesitant if they don't understand that their source of information is questionable and that what they're hearing is not the truth," she said. WNY's poor overall health contributes to much higher Covid-19 death rates Even before the Covid-19 health crisis, many Western New York counties have long ranked near the bottom of the list when it comes to good community health. Why vaccinate now? While it is true that younger children are at much lower risk for suffering serious illness if they contract Covid-19, that's only one narrow angle of a bigger picture. "Theres some urgency for young children or all children, for that matter to get vaccinated now," Lipshultz said. Among things he and other pediatricians ask parents to consider: The next surge in Covid-19 cases is expected to begin in the fall, as the weather gets colder and more children head back to school or daycare programs. But it takes two or three shots, spaced weeks apart, for children to have full Covid-19 vaccination protection. While young children and infants are at much lower risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus, compared with adults, they are very likely to to transmit Covid-19 to family members who are in close contact with them, placing others at greater risk. The latest variants of Covid-19 are highly contagious. Kids infected with Covid-19 can develop a rare complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, in which a child's own immune system starts attacking their body, landing some children in pediatric critical care units. Lipshultz said more than 50 children have been hospitalized at Oishei Children's Hospital in recent months with serious symptoms related to Covid-19. "The rate of infections has been escalating for children across the United States," he said. Uneven outreach Erie County has worked with Oishei Children's Hospital, is reaching out to immigrant communities and promoting the ongoing Vax Visit home vaccination program, which brings the Covid-19 vaccine to both infants, children and adults where they live, Burstein said. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the county at 716-858-2929. Lana said Delaware Pediatrics offers Covid-19 vaccination clinics, as well as shots during one-on-one appointments and annual physicals. His group offers the Pfizer pediatric vaccine, which requires three doses for children ages 6 months to 4 years, and two doses for those 5 and up. Others are offering the two-shot Moderna vaccine for children. Lipshultz, whose UBMD Pediatrics Medical Group is home to the largest group of pediatric subspecialists in the region, said many University at Buffalo-affiliated physicians volunteer their time at clinics. They are particularly motivated to reach out to their patients, who are being treated for other serious health issues and would be at higher risk for health complications if they contract Covid-19. "This is our mission, our lifes work, and we take it very seriously," said Lipshultz, who also chairs the Department of Pediatrics at the UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. But in speaking with colleagues, he and Burstein are aware that not all pediatricians are making the same push. Burstein said she thinks that has likely contributed to Erie County vaccination clinics getting some parents coming to them. Lipshultz said some pediatric offices may simply be grappling with staffing problems. Medical Health Associates, the largest pediatric group in Western New York, with eight offices in Amherst, Grand Island, Orchard Park, Alden and Buffalo, lists Covid-19 resources on its websites. But as of this past week, the sites shared outdated information about Covid-19 vaccine eligibility. They didn't mention the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now available to children as young as 6 months. The pediatric group's websites also didn't tell families that they offer the Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, they refer families to Erie and Niagara county health departments, and to drugstore chains. CEO Christopher Tirabassi said the pediatric group does offer the vaccine to all eligible children, but how the different locations offer it is "variable." He also said families are encouraged to speak with their pediatricians about any Covid-19 vaccination concerns. Egypt helped broker a cease-fire to end the fighting in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad. The truce was set to begin at 11:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT). An Egyptian intelligence official told The Associated Press that both sides had agreed to the truce. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the cease-fire talks. The cease-fire would end the worst fighting in Gaza since an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas last year, according to reports. The Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 31 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, including six children, while Israel says it wasnt responsible for at least nine of the deaths. The current clashes began when Israel arrested a senior Islamic Jihad official last week and a 17-year-old Palestinian was killed. Islamic Jihad, which is based in Gaza, threatened to retaliate. On Friday, Israel launched a pre-emptive airstrike on Gaza, killing an Islamic Jihad commander. Since then, Islamic Jihad has fired some 600 missiles at Israel, most of which have been shot down by Israels Iron Dome system. Israelis who live near the Gaza Strip have spent much of the past three days in bomb shelters. Adele Riemer lives in Nirim, a kibbutz located just over a kilometer from the Gaza border. Its scary. It is scary going outside. You count your steps. You count the distance between ... we have these external safe rooms, so you take maybe a slightly longer path but one that you know has these external safe rooms reinforced concrete safe rooms, every hundred meters or so so life here is you dont get used to it, nobody gets used to stuff like this, but we know how to deal with it, she said. An Islamic Jihad spokesman said the extremist group still has a large arsenal and that rocket fire will continue. On Sunday, dozens of rockets were fired, including at the outskirts of Jerusalem and the southern city of Beersheba. Israel, which confirmed the cease-fire was set to take hold late Sunday, told the AP it would respond if it was violated. Israeli analysts like General Eitan Dangot said the conflict for now is contained but could spiral if the Islamist Hamas movement, which controls Gaza, becomes involved. From Israels point of view, Hamas is outside this escalation; we have of course nothing to do with the population of Gaza more than 2 million people, he said. Analysts say it seems that Hamas supports a cease-fire and does not want to become drawn into the fighting. Meanwhile, China, France, Ireland, Norway and the United Arab Emirate have requested a closed U.N. Security Council meeting Monday to discuss the developments in Gaza. Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some material came from The Associated Press and Reuters. A civil rights lawsuit filed by a University of Washington computer science professor has called attention to a largely academic debate over land acknowledgments formal statements that recognize Indigenous custodianship of geographic areas on which institutions stand or events take place. Evolving out of the work of Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission, land acknowledgments are becoming increasingly common at U.S. universities and sporting events. Yale University, for example, developed this statement: Yale University acknowledges that indigenous peoples and nations, including Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Niantic, and the Quinnipiac and other Algonquian speaking peoples, have stewarded through generations the lands and waterways of what is now the state of Connecticut. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and nations and this land. Native American students at Stanford University in Stanford, California, put together a video statement acknowledging the institution's location on the the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe (below): In 2020, the University of Washington acknowledged its location on the traditional land and waterways of the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot Nations and encouraged faculty to include land acknowledgments on individual course syllabuses. But Stuart Reges, a computer science professor at the University's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, opposes land acknowledgements and posted a dissenting statement on his course outline which read, I acknowledge that by the labor theory of property the Coast Salish people can claim historical ownership of almost none of the land currently occupied by the University of Washington. He now faces disciplinary action by the university for that statement. In his lawsuit, Reges alleged his First Amendment right to free speech had been violated. The labor theory he cites was proposed by English philosopher John Locke in 1690, who suggested that by laboring and making the land more productive than it was in its original state of nature, an individual assumes the right to own that land. Locke said that in the case of land, if you grew corn on an acre of land, then by mixing your labor with the land, you come to own the land, Reges told VOA. So, if you believe in the Locke idea, then it wasn't Native tribes that made productive use of this land. It was the people who founded the university. What is the Locke Theory of Property? For help in understanding this little-known theory, VOA reached out to Kyle Swan, a professor of philosophy at California State University, Sacramento, who has written about Lockean property rights. I think he [Reges] is making some mistakes in the way he applies Lockes theory, he said. Locke was talking about the commons, earth in its original state, when nobody owned anything yet. In a later chapter of his Second Treatise of Government titled On Conquest, Locke said property could only be legitimately acquired when it was not already owned by someone else. Why were they making contracts to acquire land from the natives if the natives didn't already own the land? Swan asked. They wouldn't do that if they believed that the lands were unused, unoccupied and unowned. The second thing is that the person appropriating something from the commons, they have to do that in a way that improves it through their productive activity gathering berries, hunting, fishing, Swan said. And finally, in acquiring the land, they have to leave enough and as good [land] for others. Locke also posed a condition in cases of conquest, said Swan, reading directly from Lockes essay: The inhabitants of any country, who are descended and derive a title to their estates from those who are subdued and had a government forced upon them against their free consents, retain a right to the possession of their ancestors. In other words, Swan said, if what you have is a conquest rather than a legitimate transfer of territorial rights, then Locke says that the original inhabitants retain their claims to it. Their different interpretations of Locke notwithstanding, Swan said he believed Reges had the right to exercise free speech. Ties to current politics Reges said he believes land acknowledgments support a particular view of American history that has no place in the classroom. You could call it the Howard Zinn view of history that the United States is evil, and we stole the land, we are guilty, and so forth, he said. Zinn was a controversial historian and author of A Peoples History of the United States, which re-examined history through the experiences of those normally neglected in textbooks African and Native Americans, immigrants and the working classes. Critics condemn Zinn as a Marxist trying to turn Americans against their country. His name often comes up in discussions about critical race theory (CRT). Reges isnt alone in his views. In a July 18 article in Newsweek magazine University of Chicago Law School professor M. Todd Henderson called land acknowledgments ahistorical nonsense, and like Reges, invokes Lockes theory of property rights. No one has a claim on land except if they put it to productive use and are capable of defending it. Nearly every plot of land on Earth is inhabited today by groups of people that displaced other people who lived there before, Henderson said. Graeme Wood, a writer for the Atlantic and a lecturer at Yale, criticizes land acknowledgments as superficial and showy. The acknowledgments never include any actual material redress the return of land, meaningful corrections of wrongs against Indigenous communities or sophisticated moral reckoning, he wrote. A Native American perspective Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee), president of the Morning Star Institute and former executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, scoffs at these criticisms. People who enjoy their privilege are like sea anemones. At the slightest ripple in the water, they withdraw and turn into something that looks like a very carefully protected stone, she said. Every time Native peoples began to own something or control something or aspire to or even just be in a certain place, theres always a backlash against any sort of exercise of our treaties, our sovereignty, our inherent rights, our original rights that pre-date everyone else's here in this hemisphere. She pointed out that opponents of land acknowledgments and CRT say they want to save their children from feeling guilt. What we're doing different people of color is trying to stop our kids from thinking badly of themselves. Thats what happens if you're treated badly, if you're treated like second-class citizens, even though you have treaties, even though you have absolute rights and you're constantly denied them. Pretty soon, their kids start thinking it's them, that they are the bad persons. So, yeah, she added. We are trying to save our kids. For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in Russia's war on Ukraine. All times EDT. 10 p.m.: Pope Francis welcomed the departure from Ukrainian Black Sea ports of the first ships carrying grain previously blockaded by Russia, saying the breakthrough could be a model for dialog to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported. \ The first ship, the Razoni, set off on Aug. 1 with seven more following through Sunday, thanks to a grain and fertilizer export deal between Moscow and Kyiv brokered by Turkey and the United Nations last month. It came after U.N. warnings of possible outbreaks of famine in some areas of the world due to a halt in grain shipments from Ukraine that had squeezed supplies and sent prices soaring. "This step shows that it is possible to conduct dialog to reach concrete results, which help everyone," Pope Francis said at his weekly address to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square. This event presents itself as a sign of hope and my own heartfelt wish is that following this path, it will be possible to bring an end to the fighting and reach a just and lasting peace. 9:18 p.m.: Ukraine is investigating almost 26,000 suspected war crime cases committed since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion and has charged 135 people, its chief war crimes prosecutor told Reuters. Of those charged, around 15 are in Ukrainian custody and the remaining 120 remain at large, Yuriy Bilousov, head of the war crimes department of the Prosecutor General's office, said in an interview in the capital Kyiv. Thirteen cases have been submitted to courts and seven verdicts have been issued, he said. In May, a 21-year-old captured Russian soldier became the first person to be convicted in a war crimes trial in Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. He was sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian. "Sometimes we've been asked why we prosecute such low-ranked officers. It's just because they are physically here. ... If generals were here physically and we were able to capture (them), we would definitely prosecute generals," Bilousov told Reuters. 7:47 p.m.: Former Russian deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich was re-elected for a second term as president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), defeating a Ukrainian who had criticized him over Moscow's military actions, Reuters reported. 6:30 p.m.: Former U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson said he was "optimistic" about efforts to negotiate a "two for two" prisoner swap with Russia that would free U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner and another American, Agence France-Presse reported. Richardson, a former ambassador to the U.N., has negotiated the release of several Americans held in other countries. Reports last month said he was expected to travel to Russia for talks over Griner, who on Thursday was sentenced to nine years in prison on a drug charge. While insisting Sunday that he is only a "catalyst" in any negotiations, Richardson's mention of a "two-for-two" swap, including Griner suggested inside knowledge. "My view is, I'm optimistic," he told ABC's "This Week." "I think she's going to be freed, I think she has the right strategy of contrition, there's going to be a prisoner swap -- though I think it will be two for two, involving Paul Whelan." Whelan is a former U.S. Marine who was convicted of espionage in June 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He has insisted on his innocence. His case and Griner's have been enmeshed in the deep U.S.-Russia tensions since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February, AFP reported. 5:38 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with American actress Jessica Chastain in Kyiv, The Associated Press reported. During the meeting, Chastain described Ukrainians as "incredibly brave and very strong." "For us, such visits of famous people are extremely valuable," the Ukrainian leader wrote in his Telegram channel. "Thanks to this, the world will hear, know, and understand the truth about what is happening in our country even more." 4:54 p.m.: 3:47 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia will lose any chance of negotiating with Ukraine should it conduct referendums in the occupied territories, The Associated Press reported. "If the occupiers follow the path of these pseudo-referendums, they will close any possibility of negotiations with Ukraine and the free world for themselves," he said in his nightly address. 2:18 p.m.: In his nightly video address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: I spoke today with President of the European Council Charles Michel. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the threat that Russia created by striking at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. There is no such nation in the world that can feel safe when a terrorist state fires at a nuclear plant. God forbid, if something irreparable happens, no one will stop the wind that will spread the radioactive contamination. Therefore, a principled response of the international community to these Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia NPP - the largest in Europe - is needed right now. 1:34 p.m.: 12:45 p.m.: Russian forces shelled the towns of Bakhmut, Opytne, Soledar, Selidove in Donetsk, killing four and injuring six, The Kyiv Independent reports, citing Ukraine's General Prosecutors Office. Several houses, buildings, power lines, and civilian infrastructure were damaged. 12:15 p.m.: The Kyiv Independent reports that Russian forces have destroyed settlements near front lines in Kherson Oblast. According to the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, the situation in the occupied southern region remains steadily tense, with active hostilities ongoing. The military administration also says Russia plans to issue new license plates to Kherson residents. Russia has been moving its troops toward Ukraine's south as Ukraine prepares for a counteroffensive in the region. 12 p.m.: The Kyiv Independent quotes the following statistics on civilian deaths, injuries and structural damage in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv since the start of Russias invasion February 24, 2022: Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said that 132 civilians have been killed and 619 injured in Mykolaiv, a city near the Black Sea also known as Nikolaev. Among those killed is one child and among those injured are eight children. Russian shelling and strikes have damaged over 500 residential buildings, and about 700 houses, causing $21 million worth of damage in that city, he said. Oleksandr Filchakov, head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, said that more 1,000 civilians have died in that Oblast and more than 2,000 civilians have been injured in the oblast since February 24. Over 7,000 sites in the city and region, 2,800 apartment buildings, almost 1,800 residential buildings, more than 500 educational institutions, and 150 hospitals have been completely or partially destroyed, he said. 11:15 a.m.: The Kyiv Independent quotes Zaporizhzhia Governor Oleksandr Starukh as saying that background radiation levels are normal at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the wake of shelling by Russian forces. According to Starukh, background radiation measures 8-12 micro roentgen per hour. 10:40 a.m.: Ukraine is investigating almost 26,000 suspected war crime cases committed since Russias Feb. 24 invasion and has charged 135 people, its chief war crimes prosecutor told Reuters. Of those charged, around 15 are in Ukrainian custody and the remaining 120 remain at large, Yuriy Bilousov, head of the war crimes department of the Prosecutor Generals office, said in an interview in the capital Kyiv. Thirteen cases have been submitted to courts and seven verdicts have been issued, he said. In May, a 21-year-old captured Russian soldier became the first person to be convicted in a war crimes trial in Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. He was sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian. "Sometimes we've been asked why we prosecute such...low-ranked officers. It's just because they are physically here... If generals were here physically and we were able to capture [them], we would definitely prosecute generals," Bilousov said. 9:45 a.m.: Russian shelling destroyed fifty houses in the town of Marhanets outside Nikopol, a city across the river from the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Kyiv Independent reports, citing Ukraines Prosecutor General's Office. Almost 50 houses, a church, a gas pipeline and power lines were damaged. One person was injured. 9:15 a.m.: Amnesty International apologized on Sunday for distress and anger caused by a report accusing Ukraine of endangering civilians. That report, published Thursday, said that the presence of Ukrainian troops in residential areas heightened civilian risks. Amnesty International deeply regrets the distress and anger that our press release on the Ukrainian militarys fighting tactics has caused, the rights group said in an email to Reuters. Amnesty Internationals priority in this and in any conflict is ensuring that civilians are protected. Indeed, this was our sole objective when releasing this latest piece of research. While we fully stand by our findings, we regret the pain caused." In its email on Sunday, Amnesty said it had found Ukrainian forces next to civilian residences in 19 towns and villages, exposing residents to the risk of incoming Russian fire. 8:45 a.m.: The Swedish Defense Ministry announced Sunday that beginning August 12, it will send up to 120 instructors to the UK to conduct basic military training for Ukrainian citizens, divided into several training courses which will continue through the end of the year. Russias war against Ukraine has been going on for over five months, and its immensely important that the rest of the world continues to support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty and self-determination. Its important that Sweden is part of these efforts, and the Swedish instructors will contribute to strengthening Ukraines defense capabilities, Minister for Defense Peter Hultqvist said. 8:20 a.m.: The Kyiv Independent quotes Luhunask Governor Serhiy Haidai as saying that locals living in the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine are being coerced into participating in a sham referendum organized by Russia and are being offered food, water and "a good life." Russian forces are already compiling a register of premises where they will hold elections without a choice, Haidai said. According to Ukraines Defense Ministry, Russia has not given up on the idea of annexing southern parts of Ukraine by staging illegal referendums there. 8 a.m.: Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to supply long-range artillery, multiple rocket launchers, drones, air defense systems, and armored vehicles, the Kyiv Independent quotes, citing the German daily newspaper, Der Tagesspiegel. Scholz has been repeatedly accused of blocking arms supplies to Ukraine. 7:30 a.m.: Ukraine's state nuclear power company Energoatom said on Sunday a worker was wounded and radiation monitoring sensors were damaged when Russian forces renewed their shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe, on Saturday night. The plant was also shelled on Friday, and Russia again blamed Ukraine for the fresh incident. On Saturday evening, Russian rocket attacks hit the site of the plant's dry storage facility, where 174 containers with spent nuclear fuel are stored in the open air, Energoatom said on the Telegram messaging app. 7:45 a.m.: Four ships carrying Ukrainian foodstuffs sailed from Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Sunday as part of a deal to unblock the country's sea exports, Ukrainian and Turkish officials said. The four bulk carriers were loaded with almost 170,000 tons of corn and other foodstuffs, Ukraine's sea ports authority said on Facebook. The resumption of grain exports is being overseen by a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, where Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. personnel are working. 5:30 a.m.: The latest intelligence update from the U.K. defense ministry said the poor performance of Russias armed forces during its invasion of Ukraine has been costly for Russias military leadership, highly likely resulting in the dismissal of at least six Russian commanders since the start of hostilities in February 2022. Additionally, the update said, at least 10 Russian generals have been killed on the battlefield in Ukraine. The cumulative effect on consistency of command is likely contributing to Russian tactical and operational difficulties, the update concluded. 4:27 a.m.: 3:36 a.m.: The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank, said in its latest Ukraine assessment that Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks northwest of Slovyansk and east and south of Bakhmut. Russian forces also conducted a series of ground attacks to attempt to break through Ukrainian defensive lines north, west, and south of Donetsk City. The assessment also said a Russian opposition outlet reported that Russian forces are storing explosives and mines in and around Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and may have mined parts of the plant. Russian forces may also be firing rockets at Ukrainian positions from within or near the plant. 2:18 a.m.: 1:31 a.m.: Belarusian exiles are volunteering to do military training in Poland with the aim of going to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces. But some also hope to one day return to Belarus and play a role in ousting Belarus's autocratic leader, Alexander Lukashenko. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 12:02 a.m.: In Russia, The Washington Post reports, the number of war dead is a state secret. It is a crime to question the invasion or criticize the military. Independent journalists who speak to bereaved relatives or cover funerals have been arrested and told that showing such tears and suffering is bad for public morale. Authorities have ordered some online memorial pages to be shut down. The Kremlins priority has been to prevent angry voices of mourning families and antiwar activists from coming together and gaining traction. Information about war dead could deter Russias increasingly urgent recruitment effort, scraping up prisoners with military experience and offering highly paid contracts for deployments. Somali members of parliament gathered at the presidential palace in the capital, Mogadishu, Sunday and overwhelmingly endorsed new Cabinet ministers appointed by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre last week. During the vote, several mortar explosions hit the capital. Somali parliament speaker Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe told the gathering at the palaces highly fortified villa Hargaisa that 229 members of parliament voted in favor of the Cabinet, seven voted against it and one abstained. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre addressed parliament after the vote and welcomed the outcome. He said, "I want to pledge another time that we will work on how to help our people who are facing droughts, to work on security and implement our program that is in front of you while we are working with unity and accountability to overcome all the challenges we are facing. I want to thank you again for your overwhelming approval. Among the ministers whom parliament endorsed was Mukhtar Robow Ali, known as Abu Munsor the former deputy leader and spokesman in militant group al-Shabab. He is now becoming the religious affairs minister. Mursal Mohamed Khaliif, a member of the federal parliament, spoke to VOA about the approval process. Despite a handful of members of parliament trying to create chaos during the proceedings, the overwhelming majority of parliamentarians, 229 of them, voted in favor of approving the new Cabinet. I am very excited to have been a part of those proceedings and I wish all the new Cabinet success in executing their duties, he said. Anwar Abdifatah Bashir, a lecturer at Somali National University and a Horn of Africa political analyst, VOA by phone that the new government is taking over at a crucial time. This comes as Somalia is facing a number of challenges including, but not limited, to protracted drought, insecurity within the country, as well as the border with Ethiopia where al-Shabab recently attacked in the Somali region in Ethiopia, he said. During the vote in the capital, several mortar shells hit the city. Eyewitness in Mogadishus Warta Nabada neighborhood told VOA that several rounds of shells landed near the presidential palace. A police officer confirmed the attack to VOA but declined to give details on casualties. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility and said it had shelled the palace with seven mortar rounds. Meanwhile, in the town of Jowhar, the capital of Somalias Hirshabele state, a bomb blast near a hotel that al-Shabab attacked last month wounded at least five people, including a soldier, two children and two women. No one has claimed responsibility. Ibrahim Ali Nur, a local journalist in the town, spoke with VOA and said the explosion destroyed several properties. Jowhar is an agricultural town located 90 kilometers north of Mogadishu. Stem cell scientists say they have created "synthetic embryos" without using sperm, eggs or fertilization for the first time, but the prospect of using such a technique to grow human organs for transplantation remains distant. The breakthrough was hailed as a major step forward, though some experts said the result could not fully be considered to be embryos and warned of future ethical considerations. In research published in the journal Cell this week, scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel said found a way to have mouse stem cells self-assemble into embryo-like structures in the lab. They started by collecting cells from the skin of mice, then made them return to the state of stem cells. The stem cells were then placed in a special incubator designed by the researchers, which continuously moved to mimic a mother's womb. The vast majority of the cells failed to form anything. But 50 0.5 percent of the 10,000 total collected themselves into spheres, then embryo-like structures, the researchers said. After eight days around a third of the 20-day mouse gestation period there were early signs of a brain and a beating heart, they added. They were described as 95% similar to normal mouse embryos. 'Time will tell' If human organs could one day be grown in a lab, the technique could provide life-saving transplants for thousands of people every year. Stem cell scientist Jacob Hanna, who led the research, told AFP, "The big problem for transplantation is that you need to find a matching donor and the DNA is never identical to the patient." But using the new technique, one day scientists could take cells from a patient's liver, for example, use them to make stem cells, grow a synthetic embryo then "transplant them back into the patient," Hanna said. "The cell will be made from the patient, so it will be the exact DNA no need to find donors and there can be no rejection," he added. While they were the most advanced synthetic embryo-like structures ever grown, some scientists not involved in the research warned against calling them "embryos." "These are not embryos," French stem cell scientist Laurent David told AFP. He preferred to call them embryoids, the name for a group of cells that resemble an embryo. However, David welcomed the "very convincing" research, which he said could allow further experiments to understand exactly how organs form. Beyond organs, Hanna said the embryoids could also help identify new targets for drugs and potentially help find solutions for a range of issues such as pregnancy loss, infertility, endometriosis and preeclampsia. "Time will tell," he said. Hanna, a Palestinian who led the research at the institute in Israel, said, "Science is my escape from the harsh reality I face while living in my homeland." "And I am one of the very 'lucky' ones," he added. The first author of the Cell study is a PhD student from the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, who needs a special permit regularly renewed to allow him to work at the institute in the Israeli city of Rehovot, Hanna said. Ethical implications Hanna has founded a company, Renewal Bio, that he said "will be focusing on testing potential clinical applications of human synthetic embryoids." He said they had ethical approval for such testing in Israel and it was legal in many other countries such as the U.S. and U.K. "We should remember that synthetic embryos are embryoids and not real embryos and do not have the potential to become viable," he said. But researchers not involved in the study said it was very early to consider using such a technique for humans. Alfonso Martinez Arias of Spain's Pompeu Fabra University said the breakthrough "opens the door to similar studies with human cells, though there are many regulatory hoops to get through first and, from the point of view of the experiments, human systems lag behind mouse systems." And aiming to get similar results from human cells is likely to open an ethical can of worms. "Although the prospect of synthetic human embryos is still distant, it will be crucial to engage in wider discussions about the legal and ethical implications of such research," James Briscoe of Britain's Francis Crick Institute said. Four grain ships sailed from Ukraines Black Sea ports Sunday. The Joint Coordination Center, the body set up under the Black Sea Grain Initiative to monitor its implementation, authorized the departures through the maritime humanitarian corridor. The ships moving out of Ukrainian ports are headed to China, Italy and two locations in Turkey. A fifth ship has been authorized to sail to Ukraine to pick up cargo. Ukraine is one of the worlds breadbaskets and the blockage of its ports has resulted in rising global food prices and the threat of famine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his daily address Saturday denounced Amnesty International for its eloquent silence in failing to address the Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia NPP, the Ukrainian power plant that is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. The silence, Zelenskyy said, indicates the manipulative selectivity of this organization. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency addressed the nuclear power plant situation in a statement Saturday, saying, Military action jeopardizing the safety and security of the Zaporizhzya nuclear power plant is completely unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs. Amnesty International released a report last week saying that Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harms way by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals, as they repelled the Russian invasion that began in February. In response, Zelenskyy said then, There cannot be, even hypothetically, any condition under which any Russian attack on Ukraine becomes justified. Aggression against our state is unprovoked, invasive and openly terroristic. Oksana Pokalchuk, the head of Amnesty International Ukraine, also took issue with the global organizations report and has resigned from her post in protest. Lebanon's top Christian cleric said on Sunday it is "shameful" that politicians have yet to form a new Cabinet nearly three months after elections, blaming their chronic feuding for the country's "decay." Many Lebanese see the long-entrenched governing elite as hamstrung by corruption and dysfunction, and blame it for pushing Lebanon into a financial and economic meltdown that has left eight in 10 people poor. In his weekly sermon, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros al-Rai drew an unfavorable comparison between Lebanon's progress in securing a maritime boundary deal with longtime foe Israel and the paralysis in domestic politics. "Isn't it shameful that authorities make efforts to reach an agreement with Israel on maritime borders but refrain from forming a government? Has it become easier for them to agree with Israel than to agree on a government among the Lebanese?" he said. "Isn't the split in political power in Lebanon, and of the parties... the basis of the [country's] political, economy, financial and social decay?" he added. Rai wields significant influence in Lebanon, where the political system is based on power-sharing among various Muslim and Christian sects, with the presidency reserved for a Maronite Catholic. In calling out politicians over the crisis, Rai appeared to be trying to break the deadlock. The Maronite Patriarch said "ugly campaigns in the media" appeared aimed at delaying government formation and the election of a new president later on this year. Rai was alluding to an escalating dispute between President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who was re-nominated as premier after parliamentary elections in May and has been struggling to form a new Cabinet. Mikati presented a speedy draft Cabinet line-up to Aoun in June and has stuck to it, although Aoun has suggested a different make-up. Last week, Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement issued a wave of statements, accusing Mikati of delaying Cabinet formation and even of accumulating wealth through corruption. Mikati's office responded by saying Aoun's party was out of touch with reality in Lebanon. Ukraine accused Russia again Sunday of bombing Europe's largest nuclear power station, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and alleged that Moscow was engaging in "nuclear terror." Ukraine's state nuclear power firm said Russian forces damaged three radiation sensors at the facility in the attack Saturday night and wounded a worker with shrapnel. "Russian nuclear terror requires a stronger response from the international community sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry and nuclear fuel," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. The plant, in Russian-controlled territory, was also attacked Friday. Moscow has blamed Ukrainian forces for the strikes. Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia plant in early March in the opening stages of its invasion of Ukraine, but the facility is still run by Ukrainian technicians. The Ukrainian nuclear company Energoatom said Russian rocket attacks Saturday hit a storage facility, where 174 containers with spent nuclear fuel were kept in the open. "Consequently, timely detection and response in the event of a deterioration in the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from containers of spent nuclear fuel are not yet possible," it said. The Russian-installed administration of occupied Enerhodar, where the plant's employees live, said Ukraine had struck using a 220-mm Uragan multiple rocket launcher system. "The administrative buildings and the adjacent territory of the storage facility were damaged," it said. After the first attack Friday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the shelling showed the risk of a nuclear disaster. Those shells hit a high-voltage power line, prompting the plant's operators to disconnect a reactor despite no radioactive leak being detected. Zelenskyy, in his daily address Saturday, denounced Amnesty International for its eloquent silence in failing to address the Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia. The silence, Zelenskyy said, indicates the manipulative selectivity of this organization. Amnesty International released a report last week saying that Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harms way by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals, as they repelled the Russian invasion that began in February. In response, Zelenskyy said, There cannot be, even hypothetically, any condition under which any Russian attack on Ukraine becomes justified. Aggression against our state is unprovoked, invasive and openly terroristic. Oksana Pokalchuk, the head of Amnesty International Ukraine, also took issue with the global organizations report and resigned from her post in protest. Meanwhile, four grain ships sailed from Ukraines Black Sea ports Sunday. The Joint Coordination Center, the body set up under the Black Sea Grain Initiative to monitor its implementation, authorized the departures through the maritime humanitarian corridor. The ships moving out of Ukrainian ports are headed to China, Italy and two locations in Turkey. A fifth ship has been authorized to sail to Ukraine to pick up cargo. Ukraine is one of the worlds breadbaskets and the blockage of its ports has resulted in rising global food prices and the threat of famine. Some material in this report came from Reuters. Natalia Popova has found a new purpose in life: Rescuing wild animals and pets from the devastation wrought by the war in Ukraine. They are my life, says the 50-year-old, stroking a light-furred lioness like a kitten. From inside an enclosure, the animal rejoices at the attention, lying on her back and stretching her paws up toward her caretaker. Popova, in cooperation with the animal protection group UA Animals, has already saved more than 300 animals from the war; 200 of them went abroad and 100 found new homes in western Ukraine, which is considered safer. Many of them were wild animals who were kept as pets at private homes before their owners fled Russian shelling and missiles. Popovas shelter in the Kyiv region village of Chubynske now houses 133 animals. Its a broad menagerie, including 13 lions, a leopard, a tiger, three deer, wolves, foxes, raccoons and roe deer, as well as domesticated animals like horses, donkeys, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats and birds. The animals awaiting evacuation to Poland were rescued from hot spots such as eastern Ukraines Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, which see daily bombardments and active fighting. The Ukrainian soldiers who let Popova know when animals near the front lines need help joke that she has many lives, like a cat. No one wants to go there. Everyone is afraid. I am also scared, but I go anyway, she said. Often, she is trembling in the car on her way to rescue another wild animal. I feel very sorry for them. I can imagine the stress animals are under because of the war, and no one can help them, Popova said. In most cases, she knows nothing about the animals she rescues, neither their names and ages nor their owners. Animals dont introduce themselves when they come to us, she joked. For the first months of the war, Popova drove to war hot spots alone, but a couple from UA Animals recently offered to transport and help her. Our record is an evacuation in 16 minutes, when we saved a lion between Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, Popova said. An economist by education with no formal veterinary experience, she administered anesthesia on the lion because the animal had to be put to sleep before it could be transported. Popova says she has always been very attached to animals. In kindergarten, she built houses for worms and talked to birds. In 1999, she opened the first private horse club in Ukraine. But it wasnt until four years ago that she saved her first lion. An organization against slaughterhouses approached her with a request for help saving a lion with a broken spine. She did not know how she could help because her expertise was in horses. But when she saw a photo of the big cat, Popova could not resist. She built an enclosure and took in the lion the next morning, paying the owner. Later, Popova created a social media page titled Help the Lioness, and people began to write asking for help saving other wild animals. Yana, the first lioness she rescued, has become a family member since she could not find a new home due to a disability. Popova took care of her until she died two weeks ago. The shelter is just a temporary stop for the animals. Popova rehabilitates them and then looks for new homes for them. She feels a special connection with each big cat but says she does not mind letting them go. I love them, and I understand that I do not have the resources to provide them with the comfortable life they deserve, says Popova. At first, she bankrolled the shelter with her own funds from the horse business. But since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the horse business has not been profitable. With more than $14,000 a month needed to keep animals healthy and fed, she has turned to borrowing, and seen her debt grow to $200,000. She gets some money from UA Animals and from donations but worries about how to keep everything together have kept her up at night. But I will still borrow money, go to hot spots and save animals. I cant say no to them, she said. Popova sends all her animals to the Poznan Zoo in Poland, which helps her evacuate them and find them new homes. Some animals have already been transported to Spain, France and South Africa. Her next project is sending 12 lions to Poland this week. With no end to the fighting in sight, Popova knows she will still be needed. My mission in this war is to save wild animals, she says. By this time next year, Woodlawn Beach State Park will have new trees, shrubs and plants as part of a project to improve water quality in Lake Erie. Invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed, swallow wort and yellow iris will be removed, and about 126 trees, 4,184 shrubs and 9,840 herbaceous native plants will be planted in their place. The $1.6 million project will restore and increase wetlands at the park, which New York State has owned since 1996. This project is an important first step toward improving the water quality in Lake Erie near Woodlawn Beach," State Parks Regional Director Mark V. Mistretta said in a statement. "Monitoring the results of this project will provide important information about how we can further improve the health of the lake in this area. Water quality at Woodlawn Beach has been an issue since the park opened. Millions of dollars have been spent upgrading sewers to reduce wet weather overflows into creeks near Woodlawn Beach. Volunteers haul away tons of debris even a catfish from local waterways About 2,000 volunteers were dispatched to 18 mostly waterfront locations in Erie and Niagara counties Saturday by Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and local officeholders sponsoring Earth Week cleanup efforts. Some residents living in the community of Woodlawn blame the state for dumping beach debris near Rush Creek, changing the trajectory of the waterway. Blasdell and Rush creeks, once several hundred feet apart, have merged to form a single mouth emptying into the lake. Expansion of the wetland will result in clean water being discharged from Blasdell Creek while enhancing the habitat for fish and wildlife, according to the state. A 5-foot-by-8-foot concrete box culvert will be installed to connect Blasdell Creek to the wetland. The main goal of the project is to enhance wetland characteristics such as increasing the area and diversity of wetland types, increasing native vegetation, reducing non-native invasive species and increasing the connectivity between the wetland and Blasdell Creek, according to an environmental notice filed with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The project is funded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency though the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It will add 1.36 acres to the current wetland, bringing the total wetland to 4.62 acres. "The larger wetland will allow for increased physical and biological processes that will reduce pollution before it re-enters Blasdell Creek," according to New York State. The Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting comments on the proposed work through Thursday. Work will begin this fall, and is to be completed by the summer of 2023. There may be limited closures around construction areas, but trails will remain open. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his three-nation tour of Africa Sunday by visiting a museum in South Africa commemorating how the country's Black youths helped to end white racist rule. Blinkens visit to Africa is seen as part of a competition between Russia and Western powers for support from African countries over the war in Ukraine. His trip to Africa follows recent tours by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron. South Africa is one of many African countries that have maintained a neutral stance on the war and have not publicly criticized Russia. After an early morning arrival, Blinken visited the Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto township, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, which honors a student killed in 1976 when protesting South Africas regime of racial oppression, apartheid, which ended in 1994. Blinken laid a wreath at the memorial accompanied by Pietersons sister, Antoinette Sithole. He also toured the museum, which contains artifacts, photographs and videos of South Africas struggle against apartheid. Hectors story is one that really resonates because we have our own struggle for freedom and equality in the United States and South Africas story is unique but there are also so many common elements, and that resonates powerfully, said Blinken. Sithole, who also participated in the 1976 student protests, said the museum is a highlights the role played by South Africas youth in bringing an end to white minority rule in the country. The museum is a reminder for generations to come. We must know where we come from and where we are going, and dont forget that the youth took a stand for us to be better today, said Sithole. On Monday, Blinken will hold talks with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor. The U.S. top diplomat will also describe the United States strategies for sub-Saharan Africa in a major policy speech at the University of Pretoria. Africa has been hard-hit by the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the rising food and oil prices caused by Russias war in Ukraine. Blinken and Pandor will hold a press conference Monday in which the two countries' different positions on the Ukraine war are expected to be visible. Blinken will go on to visit Congo and Rwanda this week to end his international tour which also took him to Cambodia and the Philippines. A top U.S. diplomat warned Pacific Islands of a new struggle against violent power-hungry regimes Sunday, as she visited the Solomon Islands to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II's Battle of Guadalcanal. With China's military carrying out war drills around Taiwan and Russia bombarding Ukraine, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman hit out at a new crop of world leaders reviving "bankrupt" ideas about the use of force. Visiting a battlefield memorial in the Solomon Islands, Sherman said "some around the world" had forgotten the cost of war or were ignoring the lessons of the past. She hit out at "leaders who believe that coercion, pressure, and violence are tools to be used with impunity," without citing any leader by name. Sherman is leading a U.S. delegation to the Solomon Islands to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. The brutal seven-month land, sea and air fight between Allied and Japanese forces killed tens of thousands of troops -- most Japanese -- and was a turning point in the war. Painting the situation today as carrying faint echoes of the fight against Nazism and Imperial Japan in the 1930-40s, the State Department No. 2 urged the region to push back. "We remember how bankrupt, how empty, such views were then, and remain today," she said. "Today we are once again engaged in a different kind of struggle -- a struggle that will go on for some time to come." Sherman's trip comes as the United States scrambles to rebuild diplomatic relations in a region where China is growing stronger and democratic alliances have faltered. Nowhere is America's waning regional influence more evident than in the Solomon Islands itself. The government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare recently signed a secretive security pact with Beijing, has moved to curb press freedoms, and suggested delaying elections. Sherman, again without naming names, told her hosts "It is up to us to decide if we want to continue having societies where people are free to speak their minds." It is time, she said, to decide "If we want to have governments that are transparent and accountable to their people." As well as warnings, Sherman said Washington wants to increase cooperation with the "absolutely critical" Pacific islands, including by opening embassies in Tonga, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands. As part of the charm offensive, U.S. President Joe Biden is also expected to invite Pacific Island leaders to the White House for a September summit. JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in South Africa on Sunday, in what analysts say is an attempt to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the region. Relations between the U.S. and South Africa became strained during President Donald Trump's time in office. President Joe Biden has taken pains to repair them, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has proved contentious. The secretary of state's second trip to Africa, and his first to South Africa the continent's most developed economy and a key democratic ally comes after a flurry of visits to the region by top Chinese and Russian officials. Analysts say that after disregarding Africa for some time, the U.S. is now playing catch-up and trying to counter the growing influence of Beijing and Moscow in the region, in what some say has elements of a new "Cold War." Washington also wants to build support for Ukraine, as many African governments have been loath to condemn Russia's invasion, in part due to the Soviet Union's support for African liberation movements during the years when the continent threw off European colonial rule. Steven Gruzd, head of the African governance and diplomacy program at the South African Institute for International Affairs, said he doubted South Africa would be pushed into criticizing Russia, its partner, along with China, in the BRICS group of countries. "I think Secretary Blinken is not going to find a receptive audience for his message that South Africa must come down on the side of the West, and the U.S. in particular, on the Ukraine-Russian conflict," Gruzd said. Meanwhile, Bob Wekesa, director of the African Center for the Study of the United States at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, noted that China's influence in Africa has grown considerably, and many African leaders look to Beijing for no-strings-attached infrastructure investments. Russia, too, to a far lesser extent, has made investments in the continent, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a four-country visit to Africa last month. "It's actually true that there's some form of Cold War, even if it's not the kind of Cold War we saw from the end of the World War II, but it's a form of geopolitical competition and the U.S. must, therefore, be prepared to be seen to be competing with other powers for influence in Africa," Wekesa said. Nontobeko Hlela, a researcher at the South African office of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, said negative comments about African and other developing countries by former U.S. president Donald Trump did nothing to improve relations. "The U.S. will have to work hard to walk back some policy decisions and statements made by the former occupant of the White House," Hlela said. While in South Africa, Blinken will visit Johannesburg's famous Soweto township, once home to liberation icon and first democratic president Nelson Mandela, as well as take part in South Africa's Women's Day celebrations. On Monday, he will meet South African counterpart Naledi Pandor and launch the new U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change, trade, health and food insecurity will all be topics of discussion. America's top diplomat then heads to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, which are in the middle of a conflict. ACCRA, GHANA U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Friday announced a $150 million package for Africa to help address food and humanitarian crises. Speaking before a gathering of over 500 participants at the University of Ghana in Accra, Thomas-Greenfield said the world is facing unprecedented food crises, requiring what she termed an "unprecedented global response." "For our part, the United States is committed to this work. But more funding is needed to address food security and to address crises that compound food security, like refugees and internally displaced people," she said. "I am proud to announce nearly $150 million in new, additional humanitarian funding and development assistance, pending Congressional approval, for Africa." She said the new package, if approved by Congress, will increase U.S. humanitarian assistance to Africa to $6.6 billion since the beginning of this year. The ambassador says worldwide food prices are 23% higher than a year ago, partly a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine the two countries combined provide over 40% of Africa's wheat supply. Thomas-Greenfield said the new U.S. funding will expand investments in fertilizer, grains and other crops in Africa to meet "the goal of increasing resilience to future shocks." It includes $2.5 million in new development assistance for Ghana and $20 million for Uganda, where Thomas-Greenfield stopped before visiting the West African country. She said the new funding includes more than $127 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Africa to provide "lifesaving support to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and persecuted people across Africa." Condemning the war in Ukraine, she said the U.N. Security Council must be proactive to prevent food from being used as a weapon of war. "The world needs to see how food insecurity increases the risk of conflict. And the Security Council needs to do a better job of stopping food from being used as a weapon of war," she said. Thomas-Greenfield said Africa has the potential to become its own breadbasket and must take advantage of the current situation to forge partnerships with civil society and the private sector to build the food systems and structures of the future. Mary Mubaiwa, ailing ex-wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, was on Friday issued with a warrant of arrest while she was on a stretcher bed outside a Harare court where she was supposed to appear before a magistrate facing charges of money laundering. According to the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper, her attorney Beatrice Mtetwa wept in court after magistrate Florence Chakanyuka issued the warrant of arrest. Mtetwa, the newspaper reports, told Chakanyuka that her client was seriously ill and lying on a stretcher bed outside the court and therefore she needed to assess her condition before making any ruling on her absence from the courtroom. NewsDay reports that Mtetwa told the court that she brought Mubaiwa despite her state because she was once issued with an arrest warrant while she was admitted in hospital. Prosecutor George Manokore did not oppose Mtetwas application to assess Mubaiwas health condition, according to the newspaper. But after adjourning the matter, reports NewsDay, Chakanyuka said there were no provisions for the court to go outside the courtroom to assess Mubaiwas condition and issued the arrest warrant. Its unclear if Mubaiwa has since been arrested as her lawyer was unavailable for comment. When Andrii Varian first arrived in the United States in 2016, he was excited to begin working using his masters degree in mechanical engineering from his home country Ukraine. Six years later, Varian found himself at the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center on Genesee Street on a Tuesday evening. At the center, the nonprofit Jewish Family Services of Western New York hosted one of its many informational sessions to explain to community members the expectations and process of sponsoring Ukrainian citizens and how they can help in other ways. Varian now lives in Orchard Park and works at Moog Inc. He has his green card. But he said attending the session was important to him because he wants to help his fellow Ukrainians fleeing the war in their home country. On April 21, the Biden administration announced that 100,000 Ukrainian citizens will be allowed entry into the United States through the Uniting for Ukraine program. The announcement came following Russias invasion into Ukraine in late February that has displaced more than 10 million citizens. Refugees from Ukraine would be allowed to stay in the U.S. for a temporary two-year period under a humanitarian parole status. They also would be required to have a private sponsor in the U.S. an adult with lawful immigration status in America. But the responsibilities of sponsoring refugees can be demanding. So Jewish Family Services of WNY is creating groups of five or more volunteers called sponsorship circles to provide support systems for sponsors and refugees. Ukrainians would be able to rely on a larger group of people in cases where their official sponsor cannot. Jewish Federations of North America and the Shapiro Foundation are providing grants to refugee resettlement agencies in six cities as part of Uniting for Ukraine. Buffalo, which has long welcomed refugees from around the world, is one of those six cities. Local organizations such as the Buffalo Jewish Federation, Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies and an anonymous philanthropist decided to match the initial grant and raised the overall total to $250,000. Jewish Family Services of WNY has begun planning its response to incoming Ukrainian citizens resettling in the Buffalo area. There are about 237 Ukrainian citizens now in the Buffalo area, said Molly Carr, CEO of Jewish Family Services. The organization has been able to connect with about 50 who are in different stages of the process. Carr realized that the organization would have to change its usual response plan for refugees. Unlike most other refugee programs, Uniting for Ukraine requires refugees have a private sponsor in the U.S. Carr says the process for private sponsorship can be confusing and that's why Jewish Family Services began hosting informational sessions to break down the process for those interested in sponsoring Ukrainian citizens. The reality of the work that we do is its a very heavy lift, and there are a lot of elements of things that need to happen for these individuals when they arrive here in the U.S. that were finding that sponsors are just not prepared for, Carr said. Prior to their arrival, Ukrainian citizens must have a sponsor. The sponsor has to be at least 18 and have lawful status in the U.S. and meet minimum financial requirements. Sponsors are expected to help the refugees with an array of tasks. They are responsible for finding them housing, financial assistance, food, setting an initial medical exam, connecting to resettlement agency services, enrolling children in school, reporting a physical address and applying for employment authorization. They have to help them file paperwork to obtain a Social Security card. Some sponsors are Ukrainians in the United States applying on behalf of their relatives still in Ukraine. However, many are people who have connected with Ukrainian citizens through online forums and social media. The website ukraine.welcome.us/connect is a popular site that allows both Ukrainians and potential sponsors to sign up and connect with each other. According to an attendee of a Jewish Family Services informational session, the site has reached its maximum of accounts for Ukrainian citizens but is still in search of potential sponsors. While sponsors have many responsibilities, they can apply for government assistance on behalf of Ukrainians to help. Some benefits include cash assistance, Medicaid, low-cost health care, nutrition and food assistance, and job training. Many of these programs are available through local refugee resettlement agencies such as Jewish Family Services, Journeys End Refugee Services, International Institute of Buffalo, Jericho Road Community Health Center and Catholic Charities. Jewish Family Services provides specialized counseling services for adults and children, including cultural orientation training. Also, legal technical support is provided to sponsors to assist with the paperwork they file directly to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Ukrainian citizen or their sponsor will be responsible for their passport and airfare to the United States. Those who are struggling to cover airfare can reach out to organizations such as miles4migrants.org for help. The process for Uniting for Ukraine can take as little as a month, faster than usual immigration processes. But it's also more limited. Uniting for Ukraine does not offer Ukrainians a way to renew their parole status after their two-year stay. Carr says the U.S. government has not announced a set plan of action for Ukrainian citizens if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not back out of Ukraine by the end of those two years. This process, while its quick and it gets people out of danger quickly to the U.S., it doesnt have the back end of work that needs to happen to support these individuals, Carr said. Jewish Family Services is actively seeking more volunteers to create or join sponsorship circles. Those interested should contact Jewish Family Services Ukraine Sponsorship Coordinator Dasha Valuyskaya at dvaluyskaya@jfswny.org. Any Ukrainian refugees already in Western New York without sponsors or their sponsors are not able to assist them should also contact Jewish Family Services. Placeholder while article actions load Eight out of nine Supreme Court justices went to Harvard or Yale law schools. So did nearly a fifth of the federal judiciary. This rankles some politicians, watchdog groups and others who see it as an outrageous manifestation of elitism that needs to be changed, given how much power this small group has over the lives of 329 million Americans. Or does it reflect a more benign aspect of current elite higher education, namely the broad range of students accepted? Above all, does it matter for the functioning of the federal judiciary? Seen in historical context, the presence of so many justices from just two law schools is striking. Consider the great justices appointed by Franklin Roosevelt. Justice Hugo Black attended a two-year program at the University of Alabama School of Law, where 40 students were taught by a grand total of two professors. Justice Robert Jackson spent a single year at Albany Law School, and became a member of the bar by apprenticing in a law office. Advertisement Justice Felix Frankfurter made it to Harvard Law School as an immigrant (the last immigrant to serve on the court) who started at City College of New York. Justice William O. Douglas went to Columbia Law School after attending Whitman College in Washington State, paying his way across the country by feeding sheep on the train. Todays justices are mostly products of elite undergraduate colleges as well as Harvard and Yale law schools. (Disclosure: I got my law degree at Yale and teach law at Harvard.) Only Clarence Thomas, who went to Holy Cross as an undergraduate, and Amy Coney Barrett, who went to Rhodes College, were not Ivy Leaguers. Barrett went Notre Dame Law School, where she finished first in her class the only justice without a Harvard or Yale degree. Yet the justices college experiences do not fully reflect their social backgrounds. To illustrate this, take the stories of the two justices who are arguably the most conservative and most liberal on the court. Advertisement Samuel Alito, author of Dobbs v. Mississippi, the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, and Sonia Sotomayor share almost nothing in the way of jurisprudence or ideology. But they share an identical educational resume: Both graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, then went to Yale Law School, where they served on the law journal. Alito and Sotomayor were academic standouts in a system designed, in part at least, to identify intellectual distinction measured by being good at school. But neither came from anything close to elite backgrounds. Alito, who started at Princeton in 1968, was the son of an Italian-American immigrant from Calabria and grew up outside of Trenton, New Jersey. He had little in common with the boarding school-educated Protestants who were socially dominant at the university at the time. As his Princeton classmate and law school roommate Mark Dwyer later memorably put it, Advertisement We Catholic guys were different we were cultural Catholics, repressed, a bit shy, aware of being in a non-Catholic universe At Princeton, it was never that we had intellectual limitations. But it was obvious that the preppies from Andover and Exeter had been invited there and fit in with the traditional culture of the Ivies. Sotomayor stood out even more from her college peers. Her parents had moved from Puerto Rico to the Bronx, where she lived in public housing. Upon arrival at Princeton, she said felt like a visitor landing in an alien country. Sotomayor started at the school in 1972, the year Alito graduated, only a few years after it started admitting women. She has said that she struggled academically in her first year. When she figured it out, she began to shine, and ended up winning Princetons Pyne Prize, given to the student who has most clearly manifested excellent scholarship, strength of character and effective leadership. Advertisement Alito and Sotomayor became members of the elite by virtue of their education. Seen this way, the two have a good deal in common with Frankfurter and Douglas. The same could also be said of most of the current justices. Thomas grew up in poverty. Most of the others came from fairly ordinary middle-class circumstances including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, both of whom went to Harvard College and Harvard Law School. None of the nine justices had parents who themselves attended elite colleges or graduate schools. Only Neil Gorsuch (whose mother was administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under Ronald Reagan) and Brett Kavanaugh (whose grandfather went to Yale) belonged to recognizably exclusive circles before attending college. When you hear the word elite from conservative US politicians, it also conveys liberal (leaving aside that many of those same politicians went to these schools themselves). It is true that the great majority of the faculty and most students at Harvard and Yale Law lean left. Yet the six conservatives on the Supreme Court today were all clearly able to form and hold their own views, even when those beliefs were countercultural. Advertisement Indeed, demonstrating conservative views through their elite legal educations has functioned as a marker of ideological commitment that Republican presidents find appealing when they are deciding whom to nominate to the court. Ever since the early 1990s, Republicans have wanted to avoid appointing justices like Anthony Kennedy, Sandra Day OConnor and David Souter, all of whom turned out to be moderate despite conservative expectations that they would move the court to the right. The ability to stick to ones beliefs in a majority liberal environment early on is probably a pretty good indicator that someone is unlikely to take a centrist turn later. As for career experience, it is true that justices today come from a much more limited number of professions than they used to. None ran federal agencies, unlike Douglas, for example, who was chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. None served in a legislature, unlike OConnor, who was majority leader of the Arizona Senate. None was even a state attorney general, as OConnor and Souter were. Most were lawyers in some combination of government service and private practice. Two, Kagan and Barrett, were law professors. Yet the narrowness of their careers isnt a function of their elite educations. Plenty of graduates of top colleges and law schools are involved in politics or activism or nonprofits or corporations. One reason they arent considered for the Supreme Court is that those undertakings invite controversy; the confirmation process in recent years has favored nominees with more restrictive experiences. Advertisement The pool of possible nominees is further limited by the specialized knowledge required on the modern court. Being school smart isnt sufficient to be a good justice. But it may well be necessary, since todays Supreme Court doctrine is highly complex. The justices write highly technical opinions, aided by law clerks who mostly also went to elite schools. You could acquire those skills outside the Ivy League, as Barrett did. Yet its hard to argue that justices can be chosen without any attention to the abilities that make people successful students. Probably the best argument against appointing so many justices and judges from Harvard and Yale is that equally smart, accomplished people who were also good in school should not be slighted in the selection process. Yet this is not an argument against elite-educated justices per se. Advertisement Its a reminder that academic excellence transcends social class a lesson that Harvard and Yale and other top institutions have learned is the key to staying on top. More on the Supreme Court From Bloomberg Opinion: The Supreme Credentials of Ketanji Brown Jackson: Noah Feldman Supreme Court Originalists Are Flying a False Flag: Noah Feldman US Justices Are Looking More Like Politicians: Noah Feldman This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A professor of law at Harvard University, he is author, most recently, of The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery and the Refounding of America. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load This is one of a series of interviews by Bloomberg Opinion columnists on how to solve the worlds most pressing policy challenges. It has been edited for length and clarity. Sarah Green Carmichael: To the surprise of many on both sides of the abortion debate, voters in Kansas resoundingly rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed the state to impose a total abortion ban. Youre a law professor and historian and the author of Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present. As policy makers, political organizers and businesses try to chart their strategies in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, are there lessons to be drawn from what happened in Kansas? Mary Ziegler, professor of law, University of California at Davis and author, Abortion and the Law in America: It should be a warning to the anti-abortion movement that conservative states are not necessarily in favor of criminalizing abortion. At a minimum, it suggests that partisanship isnt a good proxy for voters views on abortion across large swaths of the country. It may also be a signal that the anti-abortion movement has overreached it used to try to key its positions to popular opinion, but now its essentially asking for bans with no rape or incest exceptions, or no exceptions at all, and were seeing that how that plays out. Advertisement SGC: What do you see as the current state of play in the red states? MZ: Theres a lot of a lot of uncertainty. Theres uncertainty about how far to go; theres also uncertainty about which strategy even makes sense. There are some anti-abortion groups pushing laws that would punish women; groups pushing for the punishment of corporations that reimburse travel; groups pushing for expansive definitions of accomplice liability that would potentially sweep in internet service providers like Google. Theres a lot of uncertainty in state legislatures about what to do about any of this, and a lot of jockeying for position in the anti-abortion movement. That adds another layer of uncertainty. SGC: What about in the blue states? MZ: Progressive states have been focusing on the possibility that conservative states will try to prevent [interstate] travel, or apply their laws extra-territorially. Thats been the biggest theme so far. Theres been a kind of anticipation of laws that would make it hard for people in progressive states to perform abortions [for out-of-state residents] or support people having abortions. California really upped its budget for supporting abortion clinics and birth control programs on the theory that those programs are going to be serving a much larger group of people. Theres been some talk of directly funding the travel of people from out-of-state for abortions, but to my knowledge that hasnt gone anywhere yet. Advertisement SGC: Some large employers say theyll pay employees travel costs for abortion. Is there anything employers should be especially mindful of right now about managing these issues around interstate health care coverage? MZ: Its not surprising that businesses have settled on reimbursing for travel because theres so much bipartisan support for protecting the right to travel. Even a lot of Republicans are not excited about the idea of states telling people they cant cross state lines for medical care. There are a few things to keep in mind. One, weve seen a lot of efforts from states to intimidate employers like threatening criminal consequences for individual CEOs or directors. None of those are in the law yet, and its probably fair to read them as intimidation tactics designed to make business leaders [stand down], rather than a signal that lawmakers are going to follow through. Legislators know that business has a lot of influence. If businesses were to be aggressive about [abortion] as they were about the transgender bathroom bill in North Carolina, it would make it harder for legislators to hold their ground on some of these really harsh abortion laws. Advertisement The other issue that businesses will have to think about if theyre paying for travel is how they protect the data of employees. [Some] states have really broad aiding and abetting laws, and a lot of companies have pretty ambitious data collection policies. And so its important for employers to be mindful of the fact that [in those states], data can and will be mined by law enforcement to facilitate prosecutions and not just at tech companies like Google, but non-tech employers that are monitoring work emails or cell phones or whatever. Data privacy is going to be an issue for businesses that dont normally focus on it. SGC: If you were designing a state-by-state strategy for keeping abortion legal, what would that look like? MZ: It cant be one-size-fits-all. And thats true whether youre thinking about what arguments should be made, or what bills should be promoted. So in red and purple states, ballot initiatives may make more sense because youd be separating peoples partisan preferences from their preferences on abortion. Advertisement SGC: Under a state-by-state approach, would there be more appetite for compromise a ban at 12 or 15 weeks rather than at fertilization, something no one on either side seems to be proposing right now? MZ: The pro-choice movement and the pro-life movement are not where most voters are. A lot of voters would be fine with a ban at 12 weeks or 15 weeks. The issue is that thats not what anyone on the right wants. If voters were given the ability to disaggregate abortion from partisan politics, you would have more of a spectrum than two poles. You would have places like California and New York where abortion would be funded and treated as a fundamental right. Youd have places like Florida and Michigan where it would be available, but maybe more regulated. Youd have places like Louisiana and Mississippi that might criminalize it. Advertisement Both of these movements see their cause as a struggle for fundamental human rights and see it as something you cannot really compromise on. But obviously, you know, realism is a powerful force. And if youre not getting anywhere asking for the whole world, that can convince you to change your tune. The Kansas lesson for the abortion rights movement is that the perfect shouldnt be the enemy of the good. SGC: In the weeks since Roe fell, weve heard horror stories of a 10-year old rape victim struggling to get an abortion, women with ectopic pregnancies or uterine infections having to wait until their life is threatened to get abortions. Some have argued that those will happen less often as the law becomes more clear in other words, that right now were living in a confusing time of transition, but that as the dust settles and doctors (and hospital lawyers) better understand the post-Roe reality, well stop seeing those horror stories. Do you buy that? MZ: My skepticism comes from a few different places. One is other countries. I mean, the most famous story of a woman dying due to an incomplete miscarriage was in Ireland. That happened in 2012. Ireland banned abortion in 1983. The law did not become more clear. Advertisement Some of the [US] laws are ambiguously written, but the law isnt going to become more clear unless somebody clarifies it and the reality is that it can be very hard to write a law to address every single relevant medical situation. Thats especially true when youre talking about unprecedented penalties for getting the answer wrong if youre a doctor. In the pre-Roe era, abortion was a crime and you could go to prison for up to five years. With a lot of these new laws, its like 10 years, 99 years, life in prison. So the incentive structure is for doctors not to treat. If you dont treat, maybe theres a lawsuit, but theres an easy defense, which is essentially I didnt want to go to prison. That incentive structure makes it unlikely that these situations will stop. When other countries have banned abortion, what we see is that doctors will withhold care because theyre rational actors who are self-interested like anybody else would be. SGC: Speaking of other countries, how does the US actually compare to Europe on abortion? Many people have pointed out that even some progressive European countries ban abortion at 12 weeks. Is that comparable? Advertisement MZ: One big distinction is that those countries also fund abortion for 12 weeks. In the United States, one of the reasons people tend to have abortions later in pregnancy is because they cant afford to have abortions earlier in pregnancy. The legal hurdles make it expensive and people take longer to save that money. The other big distinction is that European countries make exceptions later in pregnancy, often for things like the health of the mother. So its just not true to say that you cant get an abortion after 12 weeks in most European countries. SGC: If there were someone out there saying Yes, lets ban abortion at 12 or 15 weeks, but also spend taxpayer money making it free and have lots of exceptions, I think thats a deal a lot of pro-choice people would take. MZ: Totally. But no one who is pro-life wants to stop at 15 weeks. For them, this is a fundamental human rights cause. Advertisement SGC: The other thing that you mentioned was that European countries have health of the mother exceptions and those are pretty broad. How did health exceptions become an unacceptable loophole for the anti-abortion side in the US? MZ: Historically, the first wave of exceptions were for the life of the mother. When abortion started to expand, it was essentially because patients were saying they were suicidal. And then doctors began to say we really should have a health exception, not just a life exception. But in particular, there was a lot of skepticism of the mental-health justification, whether under life or health rubrics. I think there was always a distrust of women seeking abortions, that they would just lie to get what they wanted. SGC: Could putting health exceptions back in be something that succeeds on ballot referenda in states where abortion is now banned? MZ: Yeah, definitely. I think its also something that if the anti-abortion movement were smart it would do. The [national discussion] right now is focused on rape [victims] being unable to get an abortion and people dying of incomplete miscarriages, and if Im the anti-abortion movement, Im not feeling good about that. SGC: Looking ahead, is there anything that youre hoping for? Where do you think the common ground might be? MZ: Im hopeful that going directly to voters could be a way of breaking this partisan logjam and doing something productive. Theres lots of common ground for regular Americans. I wish we lived in a world where the common ground was maternal mortality. It is a scandal that we have the maternal mortality rates that we have, especially in states that also dont have access to abortion. For people of color, maternal mortality rates are not only the worst in the developed world, theyre not even particularly great for the developing world. Im not sure Im optimistic about this, but I would hope that we would find common ground on making life better for mothers and kids and people who are pregnant. I think voters would be okay with that. More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion: Can Companies Still Cover Abortion Travel Costs?: Stephen L. Carter How the Kansas Abortion Vote Matters and Doesnt: Jonathan Bernstein Irelands Abortion Battle Can Help Post-Roe America: Clara Ferreira Marques This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Sarah Green Carmichael is a Bloomberg Opinion editor. Previously, she was managing editor of ideas and commentary at Barrons and an executive editor at Harvard Business Review, where she hosted HBR IdeaCast. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT; 4:30 p.m. EDT). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would respond strongly if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft had pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Advertisement Forty-three Palestinians were killed over three days, including 15 children and four women, and 311 were injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Israel said some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gazas ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Advertisement Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye, said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, al-Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. During the funeral for Mansour, Israeli air strikes hit what the military said were suspected rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Advertisement Israel said some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was struck by an errant rocket. Israels Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza hit the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans daily. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the halls entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihads commander for northern Gaza. Advertisement Israel said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Lapid said. U.S. President Joe Biden said he welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza-based militants. Over these last 72-hours, the United States has worked with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and others throughout the region to encourage a swift resolution to the conflict, he said in a statement. Advertisement The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday on the violence. China, which holds the council presidency this month, scheduled the session in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab nations on the council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway. We underscore our commitment to do all we can towards ending the ongoing escalation, ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population, and following-up on the Palestinian prisoners file, said U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas. Advertisement Israel estimates its airstrikes killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its arsenal. Both groups call for Israels destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. Hamas had a strong incentive to avoid another war. Last years Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Over the past year, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting another 2,000 permits. Advertisement In a sign of the broad immediate impact on the Gaza population, the territorys lone power plant ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans could use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load BOGOTA, Colombia Colombias first leftist president was sworn into office Sunday, promising to fight inequality and bring peace to a country long haunted by bloody feuds between the government, drug traffickers and rebel groups. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Gustavo Petro, a former member of Colombias M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties that offered moderate changes to the market-friendly economy, but failed to connect with voters frustrated by rising poverty and violence against human rights leaders and environmental groups in rural areas. On Sunday, he said Colombia was getting a second chance to tackle violence and poverty and promised that his government would implement economic policies that seek to end longstanding inequalities and ensure solidarity with the nations most vulnerable. Advertisement The incoming president said he was willing to start peace talks with armed groups across the country and also called on the United States and other developed nations to change drug policies that have focused on the prohibition of substances like cocaine, and fed violent conflicts across Colombia and other Latin American nations. Its time for a new international convention that accepts that the war on drugs has failed, he said. Of course peace is possible. But it depends on current drug policies being substituted with strong measures that prevent consumption in developed societies. Petro is part of a growing group of leftist politicians and political outsiders who have been winning elections in Latin America since the pandemic broke out and hurt incumbents who struggled with its economic aftershocks. Advertisement The ex-rebels victory was also exceptional for Colombia, where voters had been historically reluctant to back leftist politicians who were often accused of being soft on crime or allied with guerrillas. A 2016 peace deal between Colombias government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia turned the focus of voters away from the violent conflicts playing out in rural areas and gave prominence to problems like poverty and corruption, fueling the popularity of leftist parties in national elections. However, smaller rebel groups like the National Liberation Army and the Gulf Clan continue to fight over drug trafficking routes, illegal gold mines and other resources abandoned by the FARC. Petro, 62, has described U.S.-led antinarcotics policies as a failure but has also said he would like to work with Washington as equals, building schemes to combat climate change or bring infrastructure to rural areas where many farmers say coca leaves are the only viable crop. Advertisement Petro also formed alliances with environmentalists during his presidential campaign and has promised to turn Colombia into a global powerhouse for life by slowing deforestation and reducing the countrys reliance on fossil fuels. He has said Colombia will stop granting new licenses for oil exploration and will ban fracking projects, even though the oil industry makes up almost 50% of the nations legal exports. He plans to finance social spending with a $10 billion a year tax reform that would boost taxes on the rich and do away with corporate tax breaks. Hes got a very ambitious agenda, said Yan Basset, a political scientist at Bogotas Rosario University. But he will have to prioritize. The risk Petro faces is that he goes after too many reforms at once and gets nothing through Colombias congress. Advertisement Analysts expect Petros foreign policy to be markedly different from that of his predecessor Ivan Duque, a conservative who backed Washingtons drug policies and worked with the U.S. government to isolate the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an attempt to force the authoritarian leader into holding free elections. Petro has instead said he will recognize Maduros government and try to work with the Venezuelan president on several issues, including fighting rebel groups along the porous border between the countries. Some border residents are hoping that improved relations will generate more commerce and job opportunities. Hours before Petro took office, at the most important border crossing bridge with Venezuela, a group of people carried a Colombian flag as they walked toward Venezuela chanting Viva Colombia, Viva Venezuela! Supporters of Maduro held a concert on the Venezuelan side of the border. Advertisement In Cucuta, a city just a few miles from the Venezuelan border, trade school student Daniela Cardenas is hoping Petro will carry out an educational reform that includes free tuition for college students. He has promised so many things, Cardenas, 19, said after traveling 90 minutes from her rural community to the city. We must work to be able to pay our student fees, which are quite expensive and, well, that makes many things difficult for us. Eight heads of state attended Petros inauguration, which was held at a large colonial-era square in front of Colombias Congress. Stages with live music and big screens were also placed in parks across Bogotas city center so that tens of thousands of citizens without invitations to the main event could join the festivities. That marked a big change for Colombia where previous presidential inaugurations were more somber events limited to a few hundred VIP guests. Advertisement Its the first time that people from the base can come here to be part of a presidential inauguration, said Luis Alberto Tombe, a member of the Guambiano tribe wearing a traditional blue poncho. We feel honored to be here. But not everyone is feeling so hopeful about Petros victory. In Medellin Stefan Bravo, a conservative activist, organized an anti-Petro march on Saturday that was joined by around 500 people. Hes worried Colombias new president will erode the separation of powers in the South American country, and follow the policies of Venezuelas Hugo Chavez. Petro does not represent us, Bravo said. This government will be a threat to family values, private property and foreign investment. Petro won the election by just 2 percentage points, and is still a polarizing figure in Colombia, where many have been wary of having former guerrillas participate in politics. Advertisement His Cabinet appointments have also been highly scrutinized: The new president picked an internationally renown economics professor as his finance minister, while also choosing an academic who researches the negative impacts of extractive industries as his minister for mining, and giving the labor ministry to the head of Colombias communist party. I think hes trying to forge a balance, said Sergio Guzman, a political risk analyst in Bogota. He has included the activists who he promised to make an integral part of his government, the centrist technocrats who give the markets confidence, and the different political parties with whom he has to govern to pass anything in congress. ___ Associated Press journalist Regina Garcia Cano contributed to this report from San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load HAVANA Cuban firefighters were joined by special teams sent by Mexico and Venezuela on Sunday as they battled for a second day to control a fire blazing at a big oil tank farm in the western province of Matanzas. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The blaze began Friday night when lightning struck a storage tank during a thunder storm, and the fire spread to a second tank early Saturday, triggering a series of explosions, officials have said. The mission of the day is to keep the third tank cold, in hopes of preventing the flames from spreading into more of the site, provincial Gov. Mario Sabines said. Most of the fuel held in the tank where the fire initially started was believed to have been consumed, officials said. Authorities said a body found at the site Saturday had been identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60. Officials previously said a group of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to quell flames, but there was no word if he was one of those. Advertisement Conditions were still too dangerous to mount a search for the missing firefighters, officials said. A total of 122 people were treated for injuries, including five that officials said were in critical condition. The governor said 4,946 people had been evacuated, mostly from the Dubrocq neighborhood, which is next to the Matanzas Supertanker Base in Matanzas city. The facilitys eight huge storage tanks hold oil used to fuel electricity generation. Dense black smoke billowed up from the tank farm and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said Sunday that the cloud contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. The disaster comes as Cuba struggles with a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent power blackouts hitting during a torrid summer. It was unknown how much fuel had been lost to the flames. Advertisement Cubas government had appealed for help Saturday from oil nations, and specialized firefighting teams began arriving with their equipment from Mexico and Venezuela late Saturday. They brought helicopters and specialized chemicals for fighting oil fire. The support (is) in the prevention of risks and also help to quell the fire by means of cooling based on water and foam, Mexican Brig. Gen. Juan Bravo said upon arrival. We hope that more support will arrive soon, such as chemical material. President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with the heads of the teams from Mexico and Venezuela to coordinate efforts for controlling the blaze. He later told Cuban media he appreciated the help, since Cuba doesnt have experience or resources for dealing with fires of such magnitude. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Saturday evening that the U.S. government had offered technical help. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. Minutes later, the president thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load SRINAGAR, India Police on Sunday detained dozens of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir as they dispersed Shiite Muslims who attempted to participate in processions marking the Muslim month of Muharram. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Scores of Muslims defied severe security restrictions in parts of the main city of Srinagar and took to streets chanting religious slogans. The restrictions include a ban on the Shiite religious procession. Muharram is among the holiest months for Shiites across the world and and includes large processions of mourners beating their chests while reciting elegies and chanting slogans to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammads grandson Hussein and 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq. Sundays procession marked the eighth day of Muharram, two days before its peak on the day of Ashura. Advertisement In 2020, dozens were injured as Indian forces fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse the procession. Some main Muharram processions have been banned in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir since an armed insurgency broke out in 1989 demanding the regions independence from India or its merger with neighboring Pakistan. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Kashmiri Muslims have long complained that the government is curbing their religious freedom on the pretext of maintaining law and order while promoting an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan Amarnath Shrine in Kashmir that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. The ongoing Hindu pilgrimage has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors from across India amid massive security with tens of thousands of soldiers guarding the routes leading to the cave shrine. GiftOutline Gift Article Detectives have charged a fly-in, fly-out electrician over the alleged rape of a woman jogging near Cable Beach in Broome on Friday. The woman in her 40s was jogging along Gubinge Road, between Jigal Drive and Sayonara Road, just after 5am on Friday. While running, police allege she was approached by Dean Osborne, who was walking in the opposite direction when he allegedly grabbed her and sexually assaulted her. The woman fought him off and screamed for help and several members of the community came to her aid. Obviously, that needs to be done in a really safe way to make sure that it can be done in a confidential way that women escaping domestic violence or subject to domestic violence are able to access that. Loading Asked whether that would include expanding the service to encrypted applications, such as WhatsApp and Signal, Rishworth said: Well be exploring a whole range of different options about how women might be able to use different types of technology to actually access and get support. With Australia having higher gambling losses than any other country on a per capita basis at $1276 per year, Rishworth also committed to cracking down on online gambling through three significant reforms before the end of the financial year. This will include a requirement for online wagering companies to adopt consistent messaging about the harm of gambling in all of their advertisements. The other two measures will be compulsory training for staff in responsible gambling, and a national self-exclusion register to allow individuals to exclude themselves from all online gambling services. The move will complete a 10-point plan agreed to between the states, territories and the Commonwealth in 2018. We think its critically important because online gambling, and problem online gambling, is a fast-growing issue that we do need to tackle, Rishworth said. In her first two weeks of parliament as minister, Rishworth has introduced legislation to phase out the cashless debit card over the next six months and create paid domestic violence leave. Loading The governments move to scrap the cashless debit card which quarantines up to 80 per cent of a persons welfare payment onto a card that cant be used to withdraw cash was widely welcomed by the social services sector. But the move was slammed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton who claimed it would lead to higher rates of domestic violence and assault in Indigenous communities and appealed to a inner-city woke audience. But Rishworth said the evidence for the cards effectiveness just isnt there to show that the cashless debit card actually did what it was intended to do. Rishworth promised that issues with phasing out the measure such as the fact that thousands of people have connected their cashless debit card to buy now, pay later schemes and rental deductions would be sorted out within the next six months. She also confirmed that the government would now look at how to reform the Basics Card, which usually quarantines 50 per cent of a welfare participants income and covers more welfare participants than the cashless debit card. We will be looking at ... both the technological aspects of the Basics Card and how its applied to communities, she said. But that will take some time as we first deal with the cashless debit card. During the election campaign then-opposition leader Anthony Albanese dropped plans to review the JobSeeker rate despite long-standing questions over whether Australians could live on the base rate of $46 per day. But Rishworth said Albaneses commitment was to take each budget cycle as it comes and there would be no hike in the October budget. Asked whether this meant the government could raise JobSeeker within this term of parliament, Rishworth said: The prime minister said in the first budget, and that is what my focus is on at the moment. Rishworth also flagged more measures to tackle domestic violence, supporting more women to be able to go back to work and the development of a national strategy for early childhood learning along with Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly. Loading Im very keen to get a National Early Years Strategy for Little Children, she said. Most states and territories have a strategy on the early years and the Commonwealth doesnt. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) An Oklahoma City man fatally shot his three young children then shot and killed himself early Saturday, according to police. A person jogging or walking called police after spotting the four bodies in a vehicle in a northwest Oklahoma City neighborhood about 7:30 a.m. Saturday, said Capt. Michelle Henderson. Henderson said the man and the children did not live in the neighborhood where they were found, but that they had lived nearby. Henderson said police had been searching for man and his sons since shortly before 4:30 a.m. after learning that he had taken the children and made concerning statements about their well-being. The names and ages of the four were not released, although Henderson said the children were each younger than 7. Whether the children were boys or girls was also not being immediately released, Henderson said. This weekend, we're releasing very little information, and more details are expected to be provided Monday, Henderson said. Observations about politics around here: The new Siena College poll confirms what just about everyone in New York knows: Statewide, Dems are running strong, at least in early August. Siena reported last week that Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads her GOP challenger, Rep. Lee Zeldin, 53%-39%. In the race for U.S. Senate, incumbent Democrat Chuck Schumer holds a 21-point lead over Republican Joe Pinion, 56%-35%. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is ahead of Republican Paul Rodriguez 51%-30%, and Attorney General Letitia James leads Republican Michael Henry, 50%-36%, In recent elections for governor, post-Election Day maps portray vast swaths of upstate red won by the GOP, gathered around blue dots of big upstate cities. At first glance, New York looks quite the Republican stronghold. But the map also shows a comparatively tiny concentration in the southeast, a place called New York City. And despite the maps overall red hue, that patch of blue makes all the difference. Now, the new Siena poll reports Hochul leading Zeldin in New York City 70%-21%. Back when Republican George Pataki won three gubernatorial elections in 1994, 1998, and 2002, he gained more than 30% of the city vote. Zeldin needs to crack that magic 30% mark in the Big Town. Howls of anger and protest continue blaring out of Paladino for Congress headquarters over pollster Barry Zeplowitzs Monday and Tuesday survey of 400 Republican voters in the new 23rd Congressional District. Zeplowitz reported a statistical tie between the two contenders Carl Paladino and Nick Langworthy in the GOP primary slated for Aug. 23. Paladino labeled Zeplowitz a big contributor because of a $99 donation to the Langworthy campaign. His forces also claim Langworthy, the state GOP chairman, will prove instrumental in this falls campaign of Zeplowitz daughter-in-law Katrina Zeplowitz for the Assembly. Hence, the close poll. But Zeplowitz has built a 40-year reputation for top Repubs around the country by conducting accurate polls. Paladino claims a double-digit lead in two of his internal polls. Could be. But Zeplowitz says his new poll offers the latest snapshot in time. More to come on this one. One curious point: If Langworthy is creeping up, why is Paladino brushing off his opponents debate challenge? Langworthy has suggested debates in each of the districts seven counties, but Paladino seems confident enough to ignore him. Paladino still has not filed a required financial disclosure form with the clerk of the House of Representatives. He said last week the document is very complicated, and that he has been granted an extension. That makes three congressional candidates not playing by the rules when others do. Eddie Egriu, Democratic primary challenger to incumbent Brian Higgins, has not filed his disclosure, according to the House clerk web site. Ditto for the GOP opponent, Steven Sams. Former President Donald Trump has not chosen between two close allies Paladino and Langworthy in the increasingly bitter intraparty showdown. But a top Trump confidant, Rep. Elise Stefanik of Saratoga County, is firmly in the Paladino camp. If she ventures to Western New York for Paladino, look for her visit to rank as one of the top events of the primary campaign. Its early to even think about the 2025 contest for mayor of Buffalo, but if anyone is contemplating the big office on City Halls second floor, Sen. Tim Kennedys $2 million (and growing) campaign kitty offers a major challenge. That big pot of money is designed for one purpose scaring off Senate challengers, and maybe mayoral rivals, too. Quote of the Week comes from Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner on County Executive Mark Poloncarz, who has said nothing official about running for an unprecedented fourth term: I think hes looking to run, Zellner said. He had a really impressive fundraising event for his re-election next year, and without speaking for him, hes gearing up. Today Partly cloudy and another comfy night with a spotty evening shower. Tonight Partly cloudy and another comfy night with a spotty evening shower. Tomorrow Partly to mostly sunny, dry, and pleasant. A spotty shower over far northeast PA. NESCOPECK, Pa. (AP) Fire tore quickly through a house in northeastern Pennsylvania early Friday morning, killing seven adults and three children and horrifying a volunteer firefighter who arrived to battle the blaze only to discover the victims were his own family, authorities said. The children who died were ages 5, 6 and 7, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release, while the seven adults ranged from their late teens to a 79-year-old man. Autopsies were planned for this weekend. Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said the 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives. He said his two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle's home for swimming and other summertime fun. He said 13 dogs were also in the two-story home, but didn't say if he knew whether any survived. "All I wanted to do was go in there and get to these people, my family. That's all that I was thinking about, getting in to them," Baker said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. Baker grabbed a hose and air pack, and started pouring water on the fire, desperate to make his way inside and calling out to his son. His chief realized whose house it was, and fellow firefighters escorted Baker back to the firehouse. A preliminary investigation suggests the fire broke out on the front porch at around 2:30 a.m., Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said Friday evening. "The information I have is that the fire started and progressed very quickly, making it very difficult to get out," he said. Three people were able to escape the blaze, Sanguedolce said. Four state police fire marshals are involved in the investigation, although it won't be classified as a criminal probe unless they determine the fire was intentionally set, he said. Nescopeck is a small town on the Susquehanna River, about 20 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre. The house was on a residential street of largely owner-occupied, single family homes. Baker said the address initially given for the call was a neighboring house. He realized it was his family members' residence as the firetruck approached. He said his unit was the first on scene, and the house was already engulfed in flames. "There wasn't nothing we could've done to get in there. We tried, but we couldn't get in," said Baker, 57, who's been a firefighter for 40 years. His son, 19-year-old Dale Baker, had followed both of his parents into the fire service, joining when he was 16. "He said it all his life, he was just going to be like his dad," Harold Baker said. Heidi Knorr, the Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company secretary, called Dale Baker "such a fun-loving soul. He just loved life." The family was "always willing to help lend a hand to anyone in need," Knorr said. Dale's mother was not among the dead listed by Harold Baker. Mike Swank, who lives two doors away across the street, said he happened to be awake early Friday and looked outside after hearing a sharp explosion. He saw the porch "was really going" and went outside, using another neighbor's hose to keep the blaze from spreading to a garage. "I seen two guys outside and they were in various states of hysteria," Swank told the AP by phone. One man was on a cellphone, "and I'm trying to ask him if everybody's out," he said. "The other guy was out in the street and he was just running around in circles." Swank said he wasn't able to get information from them. A fence prevented him from getting to the back of the property. Baker said 14 people were living in the home. One was out delivering newspapers, and three others escaped. Swank said the family had moved in a few months ago under what he understood to be a rent-to-own agreement, and spent a lot of time on the cluttered front porch. "It was so quick and so much smoke, you just knew nobody was going to make it out," Swank said. He saw cadaver dogs being used to search the scene until the bodies were located. NESCOPECK, Pa. Church bells echoed through the streets of Nescopeck on Saturday, unifying a community in mourning after a fire claimed the lives of 10 people early Friday morning in the 700 block of First Street. The age of the victims ranges from 5-79. One of the firefighters on scene realized the victims included some of his family members. Three people were able to escape the home, which is about 20 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre. Nescopeck and surrounding communities in Luzerne County came together, praying as one at a service inside Wesley United Methodist Church. It was all part of a group of Methodist churches in the area, called the "bridge." "One of our folks reached out and said, 'What can we do?'" said Pastor Susan Knorr of the Wesley United Methodist Church. Knorr said she is hoping people will take away a sense of peace from the service. "In a time of a lot of confusion, just be able to feel the presence of the holy spirit and that we're not in this alone," said Pastor Knorr. She was joined alongside Pastor Stephen Portner of the Bethany United Methodist Church just over the Susquehanna River in Berwick. "Everyone's hearts are broken and heavy because of all of this, and we want to do whatever we can to help the families and those first responders who come," Portner said, "because it was a very tragic thing, and we're a small community, so it hits everybody." At the service was Richard Powlus, who spoke with us from his home next to where it all unfolded, as a makeshift memorial grows, remembering neighbors he describes as nice people. "I wish I could turn the clock back, that's all," Powlus said, "and not allow it to happen." A GoFundMe page has been setup to help the families of the victims. The Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company is also gathering monetary donations and a benefit is scheduled at a local bar for Aug. 13. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. All of the victims died of smoke inhalation, said the county coroner on Sunday. Two Additional Ships Picking Up Grain in Russia JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 7, 2022 /CNW/ -- Harvest Commodities' ship, M/V Riva Wind, has departed from the Port of Odessa, Ukraine with 50,000 tons of grain, and the second ship, M/V Arizona, has left the Port of Chornomorsk, Ukraine with 55,000 tons of grain. The grain belongs to a joint venture between Harvest Commodities SA and Indonesia's Arsari Group. The joint venture is through PT Comexindo International. (Left to right) Arsari Group CEO Hashim S. Djojohadikusumo, Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vassyl Hamianin, Harvest Commodities SA Chairman Gaurav Srivastava in a meeting in Jakarta, 2 August 2022. The ships are among the first commercial shipments from Odessa since the outbreak of conflict on 24th February 2022. Their safe passage was made possible as a result of the tireless efforts and agreement between the United States, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and Indonesian governments, as well as the United Nations. "I would like to congratulate the collaboration among the leadership of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Indonesia and Turkiye (formerly known as Turkey) for finding enough common ground so that they have an aligned vision to alleviate the global food shortage," said Gaurav Srivastava, Chairman of Harvest Commodities SA. "I hope this can be a first step toward deescalation of the conflict" "I also especially want to thank the captains and crews of both ships, who have been waiting on their ships since February 2022 in Ukraine. Getting the ships out of the Odessa Harbour, which has been heavily mined, is an act of great bravery and skill." The ships are headed for Turkiye (formerly known as Turkey). Also, two additional ships are picking up grain owned by Harvest Commodities from Novorossiysk, Russia the M/V Shark with 25,000 tons of grain and the M/V Bronco with 10,000 tons of grain. Mr. Srivastava said, "Given the fact that Indonesia is the president of the G20, Arsari Chairman Hashim Djojohadikusumo and I share a common vision to support the initiative for the food program both from Russia and Ukraine. We are honoured to be doing this work together." Story continues This is the first of many shipments where the joint venture PT Comexindo International purchases grain from Russian and Ukrainian farmers and sells it to international buyers. Harvest Commodities SA is an international merchant and distributor of agricultural product focused on matching supply and demand, managing the supply chain, and creating value through personalized logistics, financial, and risk mitigation services. It has operations in Los Angeles, USA/Moscow, Russia,Kyviv, Ukraine/Geneva, Switzerland/Jakarta, Indonesia PT Comexindo International, formerly known as PT Prima Comexindo, a member of Arsari Group, has been active in international trading since 1986, especially in countries including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, the former Yugoslavia, Africa and Southeast Asia. Contacts: Ariseno Ridhwan Arsari Group Indonesia ariseno_ridhwan@arsari.co.id +628111732078 Ong Hock Chuan Maverick Indonesia Indonesia ong@maverick.co.id +628128511198 Charlie Perkins The Hawthorn Group USA cperkins@hawthorngroup.com +1917232223 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mv-riva-wind-and-mv-arizona-both-sail-from-ukraine-with-105-000-tons-of-grain-301601179.html SOURCE Harvest Commodities SA Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2022/07/c7689.html Leland Walter Chenoweth recalled his time as a soldier in New Guinea, where American forces were fighting the Japanese during World War II. He was lying in bed with jungle rot when a nurse admonished him for making light of his condition. She says, Hey, youre dying; dont make fun of it, Chenoweth said. Chenoweth cheated death in the jungle. He overcame disease and a chest full of shrapnel to live a long, productive life. Today, hes 103 years old and lives with Bonnie, his wife of 65 years, in Blair. He credits his long life to guidance, a word he uses often. The only answer that Ive come to lately is that Ive been with guidance all my life since the time I was a kid, he said. It was guidance of one kind or another ... thats my whole life. Except for college, a brief life as a hobo and five years in the military, Chenoweth is a lifelong resident of Trempealeau County, where he was born July 25, 1919. When he was a sophomore in high school, his mother and primary source of guidance as a youth first showed signs of dementia. He said the loss of his mothers influence triggered a spirit of independent thinking and led to two years of alternating between attending college and hopping freight trains while living the life of a hobo. The college/hobo part of his life ended in 1940, when he went to Arcadia and signed up for the military on the eve of World War II. He joined the Armys 32nd Infantry Division, a military police company. After basic training at Camp McCoy (now Fort McCoy), the unit was assigned to Fort Beauregard, Louisiana. The unit was then moved to Boston with orders to board ships for Great Britain, which was already at war with Germany. Chenoweth never boarded the ship. He spotted an item on a bulletin board that advertised a need for a typist in the G2 Division, a military intelligence unit within the 32nd. I had a semester of typing in high school, he said. I learned to be a good typist, and so I wrote my name down, and thats what division headquarters wanted. The purpose of the G2 Company was to get information about the enemy for the general in charge of the division. While the military police unit sailed for Europe, the rest of the 32nd was assigned to the Pacific after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Chenoweth first landed in Australia, where he learned how to shoot a rifle. In the meantime, he was promoted to sergeant and then staff sergeant. It was in the Pacific where Chenoweth found the positive leadership he was looking for. He remembered a sergeant, in particular. Before I was promoted, a sergeant gave me a job of cleaning the latrine ... the sergeant told me what to do and how to do it, and I finished the job, and the sergeant came back and said, Oh gosh, I like what you did there. That was a good job. I never had anybody before tell me I was doing a good job. I still remember that story about leadership. Thats the kind of leadership I had. From Australia, it was off to the jungles of New Guinea, where the Allies made their initial stand to halt the advance of the Japanese in the Pacific. Chenoweth requested a transfer to the 128th Regiment. He believed the transfer would get him closer to the front, where his intelligence skills could best be utilized. Now were supposed to fight the Japanese in New Guinea, but we know nothing about the Japanese nothing whatsoever, he said. I can now be on the front line getting information about the enemy. The Allies halted the Japanese advance toward Port Moresby in September 1942, and Chenoweth was part of the Allied assault on Buna two months later. Chenoweth was wounded Nov. 22, 1942, when a bomb detonated in front of him. The shrapnel entered his chest, and some of it punctured one of his lungs. Despite the severity of his injuries, Chenoweth had to remain in the jungle for nearly four days because there was no way to evacuate anyone. He was finally flown over the Stanley Mountains to a hospital in Port Moresby, where a doctor determined it was too risky to operate. He told me, Theres nothing I can do for you. Either youll get infected and die, or youll heal, Chenoweth said. Chenoweth healed. He was transferred to a hospital in Brisbane, Australia, and was discharged after three months. He was sent back to his unit, where he volunteered for Officer Training School. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant Sept. 28, 1943, and was promoted to first lieutenant a short time later. He was reassigned to his unit and put in charge of loading and unloading ships in New Guinea and Australia for the remainder of the war. He returned to the United States in May 1945. He had the opportunity to remain in the Army and accept a promotion to captain, but he decided against a military career and was honorably discharged in October 1945. Chenoweth returned to school at UW-La Crosse. Unlike his pre-war college experience, he took his studies seriously and received a bachelors degree in education. He later received a masters degree in history and a law degree. He wanted to join the foreign service but didnt have enough money for travel to Washington, D.C. He joined the U.S. Postal Service instead. At age 27, Chenoweth was walking down the street in Blair when he was approached by the local postmaster, who asked him if he wanted a job in the Postal Service. Chenoweth agreed on the spot, and it led to a 39-year career in the Post Office that included stints as Postmaster in Blair and Black River Falls. The Postal Service job led to a busy and fulfilling life in Blair. He married Bonnie in 1955, and the couple had three children. His extensive civic life includes 36 years on the Blair School Board, membership in the American Legion and local Masonic Lodge and service as president of the Grandview Nursing Home. Chenoweths life was chronicled in a book Who Am I? that was published shortly before his 100th birthday. He credits his extended lifespan to guidance from multiple sources throughout his life. Im always looking for guidance, he said. Real guidance was available to me when I wasnt aware of it. There has to be something guiding the universe. There has to be a leader. Columbus Area Historical Society 1972 Several area residents were members of the cast of Beaver Dam Community Theatres summer musical Oliver. They were Sandi Freck, Rosie Zeidler, Paul Ibisch, Greg Burnard, Nancy Steil, and Karen Ashley. 1982 Five members of the Hadi and Jan Pankow family, owners of the Country Inn located on Highway 151 south of Columbus, were selected as one of 18 families with a chance to appear on the Family Feud television show with host Richard Dawson. The family team includes the parents along with their children Brad, Tom and Cathy. The summer instrumental music program concluded with a concert by the Beginners Band, Sixth Grade Band, and the Junior High Band where 150 students participated in the summer school music program. 1992 Resurfacing 23 miles of Highway 16 from Highway 51 south of Portage to Columbus started this week. The DOT hoped to finish the project by the fall. The project included work on two bridges at Otsego and Wyocena. Columbia County Teachers College annual reunion was held with 136 graduates, spouses, and friends in attendance. In 1907, the Columbia County Board of Supervisors established a school in Columbus to train high school graduates to teach in rural schools upon completion of a one year training program. In 1937, the program was expanded to a two-year training program to allow graduates to teach in city, village, and state graded schools as well as rural schools. 2002 Local downtown Columbus businesses sponsored the annual Maxwell Street Sidewalk Sales in downtown Columbus. Roger and Tammy Weiland along with their children Brett, Bryce, and Brady, were selected as the Columbia County Farm Family of the Year and received their award at the Columbia County Fair. Follow us on Facebook at Columbus, WI Area Historical Society, or email museumcahs@gmail.com. The Columbus WI Area Historical Society is looking for a new home for its museum. If anyone has ideas on where to locate, contact Peter Kaland, society president. Children among the victims of Gaza escalation as Israel clashes with Islamic Jihad for second day Nationwide, public schools have struggled to retain and hire new teachers, creating a staffing shortage. The National Center for Education Statistics reported in March that 44% of public schools were seeing higher than normal full- or part-time teaching vacancies, with 61% of school districts attributing the staffing shortage to the pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education reported that public schools in Connecticut are struggling the most in finding world language teachers along with specialists and psychologists. Where we struggle is the areas where there are limited teachers certified for that specific content area, said Jeffrey Solan, Cheshire schools superintendent. So, for example, if we were trying to hire somebody for a Latin opening, the numbers just arent there for that. Solan said the district does well filling positions such as for elementary school teachers where there are more qualified candidates. When it comes to more specialized positions, the district uses a state Department of Education roster of all the people who hold a certification for the position they are looking to fill. Its filtered by people who arent currently working in that certification area, Solan said. Along with that, Solan said they reach out to area colleges and universities that specialize in teaching the area of study they are looking for. Both the Meriden and Southington school districts also have relationships with local colleges and universities that help with quickly filling vacancies. We have many partnerships with local universities placing student teachers and interns in our buildings, giving us early access to potential candidates, especially in shortage areas, said Steven Madancy, Southington superintendent. While Meriden administrator Louis Bronk said his district hasnt faced a lot of struggles with hiring, he has noticed the trend of Connecticut teachers either leaving the state to teach or leaving the profession. While we have not seen a high number of those types of instances in Meriden, some of my colleagues from across the state have shared that these types of occurrences are fairly frequent in the past year, said Bronk, assistant superintendent for personnel and talent development. Gun violence and COVID-19 are two issues that can keep you up at night, Solan said. Wallingford Superintendent Danielle Bellizzi said that while her district has been successful in hiring well-qualified and committed teachers, she has noticed the teacher shortage over the past three years, exacerbated by COVID-19. The past three years have been extraordinarily challenging for educators everywhere, as well as the students and their families, Bellizzi said. As with so many other professions, these challenges have caused a shortage of teachers coming through the college and university systems. In order to support teachers, Solan said Cheshire is providing training around mental health, threats and violence. Those little things dont erase the anxiety, but they help address it to a degree, Solan said. In Meriden, Bronk said they are holding discussions on these topics to brainstorm ideas to support the staff. Having open and honest discussions on where staff and students stand with these topics and responding to the needs as they arise is extremely important, Bronk said. Our focus as a district has been to promote a culture in each school that is supportive and understands the needs of all stakeholders, including our staff. A teachers salary is also a reason for the teacher shortage, Madancy said. In some parts of the nation, I am not sure teacher pay is commensurate with the cost of living and demands of the job, (which) has become far more complex and multifaceted than even 10 years ago, Madancy said. Also, I think young professionals are considering the amount of student debt they might take on for a bachelors and masters degree, which is required in Connecticut within a certain amount of time of obtaining employment, being much higher than a starting teachers salary. Years ago, even though teachers knew that the profession would have them earn a modest living, Madancy said teachers went into the profession because they wanted to seek out careers they felt were rewarding and supportive. Public education has come under so much scrutiny and attack by special interest and political groups these past couple of years that some feel the job is too stressful, thankless and less than rewarding, Madancy said. Gone are the days when it was a calling. While there are struggles, Solan said that being a teacher is a way to help children become problem solvers and quality people. We need as many of those folks in the world right now as we can, he said. So, its really a privilege to work in the field and to have that opportunity to shape our world in a more positive way. People search through the rubble following Israeli airstrikes in Rafah on Sunday. Almost 500k in funding to enhance and drive forward work to ensure streets are safe in Wrexham Several initiatives to keep people safe have been given the green light following the announcement that almost half a million pounds has been secured from the Safer Streets Fund. The funding is part of Safer Streets, a 75 million Home Office programme that encourages Police and Crime Commissioners and local authorities to bid for investment for initiatives to prevent neighbourhood crime. In July it was announced that Wrexham would receive a share of 1.5 million as part of the fourth round of the initiative. Locally the funding will enable the hub at Hafan y Dref to open on Friday nights to provide welfare and first aid to people enjoying the night-time economy. Whether youve lost your friends, have no battery power on your phone to call them or get too drunk to get home Hafan y Dref offers a safe place to keep you out of harms way. Four street marshals will be hired in the night-time economy for one year to support police officers and PCSOs to offer advice and support and also signpost to Safe Spaces such as Hafan y Dref. Therell be a pop-up police station at Eagles Meadow and a number of Safer Streets Respect days will help target and raise awareness to prevent ASB and Violence Against Women and Girls. School and community grants directed for intervention projects to tackle youth Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) will be available. North Wales Police and Wrexham Borough Council will also be engaging with Sixth Form colleges and Glyndwr University and the wider public to help increase awareness and signpost individuals to where they can receive support for domestic abuse. Paul Roberts, Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety, said, We are grateful for the support of the PCC in recognising the work that is ongoing in Wrexham. This further funding will enhance and drive forward the work being undertaken to ensure our streets are safe for everyone and that help and advice is always available for those in need of assistance and support. The funding was part of a North Wales wide bid for 1.5 to the Home Office by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin. The Police and Crime Commissioners team worked closely with North Wales Police, local authorities, schools, justice services and third sector partners to ensure the bid had as much support as possible across the areas receiving funding. Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Andy Dunbobbin, commented: I am delighted that the bid for funding from the Safer Streets initiative has been such a success and I would like to thank everyone involved in making sure we secured this money for North Wales. I am determined that residents and visitors to North Wales feel as safe and secure as possible in their communities and this funding will go a great way to tackling some of the crime hotspots across the region. From Holyhead in the west to Wrexham in the east, I am determined to deliver safer neighbourhoods and support victims and communities as part of my plan for policing. Community testing and treatment key to global hepatitis c elimination efforts, say health officials Testing and treating patients for hepatitis c when they receive methadone treatment could be the key to meeting the global target of eliminating the disease by 2030, research from Public Health Wales and the University of Dundee has revealed The study found that nurse-delivered hepatitis C testing at community pharmacies made treatment more accessible and cure more likely, relative to conventional care, for people who use drugs. This model is well suited to smaller pharmacies and is an important strategy for engaging this vulnerable patient group, the study found. The Principal Investigator for Wales was Dr Brendan Healy, Microbiology and Infectious Disease Consultant Public Health Wales, said: Hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver disease and having additional strategies and testing options means more patients can be screened and receive treatment to limit this damage. Bringing the test to the patient in these situations is more beneficial than expecting the patient to seek the test themselves and the study was able to show the benefit to offering testing in an environment the patient is comfortable with, working alongside a pharmacist with whom they have a relationship. Treating and eliminating hepatitis C is good for the individual but also good for society as a whole as treatment is highly cost effective, reduces pressure on the NHS from the complications of infection, protects scarce resource (such as hospital care and liver transplant) and also reduces the risk of onward transmission. Hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver caused by a blood-borne virus commonly transmitted via injection drug use. Left untreated it causes liver cirrhosis and cancer. There are 56 million people infected globally, with 1.5 million new cases and 290,000 deaths every year. However with highly accurate diagnostic tests and efficient treatment more than 95% of cases are now cured, the World Health Organisation has set a target to eliminate hepatitis c as a public health threat by 2030. The tools to achieve elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat are broadly known, said Dr Christopher Byrne, from the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee. However, recent research has suggested that the 2030 target may be missed due to bottlenecks in linkage to care for key affected patient groups, like people who use drugs. Our study is the first to implement nurse-led point-of-care testing with results available on the same day and treatment for hepatitis c in community pharmacies. Implementing models of care which bring hepatitis c testing and treatment into venues frequently used by people who use drugs can help to reduce the barriers to healthcare engagement, which is illustrated by the results of the trial. The novelty of this research is that it provides evidence that engaging at-risk individuals and curing them of their infection is feasible and safe in community pharmacies, with little need for extra hospital visits, and that community pharmacists can play an important role in hepatitis c care. The study aimed to understand if using nurses to deliver point-of-care testing for hepatitis c in community pharmacies led to more people in receipt of methadone and other opioid substitution therapies achieving a cure relative to conventional care. To do so, 40 pharmacies in Wales, Scotland, and Australia were randomised to either the new pathway or conventional care. The rationale was that there is a critical need to simplify care pathways for hepatitis c to achieve elimination of the virus as a public health threat, and pharmacies offer a straightforward and familiar route to healthcare engagement for people who use drugs. Dr Byrne continued, With fewer than ten years remaining to meet the WHO target of eliminating hepatitis c as a public health threat, substantial efforts are required to improve diagnosis and treatment of the virus among key affected patient groups, such as people who use drugs. As policy makers and health service commissioners evaluate their elimination efforts to date and consider the current trajectory toward the 2030 targets, this study provides an additional useful approach to improving hepatitis c outcomes for people who use drugs. The research is published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics and was awarded the top-ranked clinical research prize at the International Network on Hepatitis and Health in Substance Users (INHSU) 2021 meeting, a prestigious conference in the field. The trial was carried out by Tayside Clinical Trials Unit, in collaboration with the Burnet Institute Melbourne and Public Health Wales. It was funded by AbbVie, who also provided medication for the trial, with support from Genedrive PLC, who supplied the point-of-care diagnostic devices. Wrexham farm featured in national campaign to celebrate renewable energy generators An inspirational renewable energy provider from Wrexham has been featured in a national campaign to celebrate the success of independent generators across the UK. Meet the Generators features a series of short films from Good Energys network of 1,700 businesses, non-profits and communities. Last year they generated 698GWh equivalent to powering all the homes in Manchester for more than a year and contributed to customers saving more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. The case studies include Fre-energy, which produces 1.5GWh of green energy a year from the anaerobic digester at its farm near Holt, just outside Wrexham. It uses a process called anaerobic digestion, where manure, waste crops and food waste are heated in a sealed tank to break down the material and produce biogas. This gas is then used to power a generator to provide electricity and heat. Of the energy produced, around 40 per cent is used to run the farm and rural business hub, and the rest is sold to Good Energy. The resulting soup in the tank is recycled too, providing all of the fertiliser for the farm. The site also hosts field trips for graduates who are keen to learn more about renewable technology, helping to train the next generation of scientists. Fre-energy managing director Denise Nicholls said: When you start thinking about waste as a resource, it completely reframes the question of what to do with it. Anaerobic digestion is very similar to composting but without the oxygen. You put the waste in a large tin can, you heat it and then collect the gas to convert it into useable energy. The added bonus is that the nutrients are recycled back out onto the land so its an absolutely superb closed loop cycle. Good Energy chief executive Nigel Pocklington said: High wholesale gas prices are driving the cost of electricity upwards and proving that we need to drastically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. So its more important than ever that we recognise the vital role of independent generators in making the world a cleaner, greener place. Fre-energy are inspirational and deserve to be congratulated on their achievements. We are proud to be working with them, and we hope their story will encourage others to generate their own power and help to tackle the climate crisis. Wrexham Glyndwr students to benefit from brand-new new gym partnership A partnership with a brand-new gym is opening up a world of opportunities for Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys Applied Sport and Exercise students. The university has joined-up with the new Fervid Fitness gym in Flint which opened earlier this year. Students will be able to put their theory into practice in a real gym setting, while gym users will also benefit from the knowledge applied by students and gained through the course of their studies. Speaking about the partnership agreement, Lecturer Dr Chelsea Batty said: The students are currently undertaking their Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Exercise Referral qualifications which are embedded in the course with the option of doing the level 3 Personal Trainer qualification if they want to. We needed a real working gym environment, and as I started training here myself I got speaking to Shaun, the owner, and asked if it would be possible to develop a partnership where we could bring students here to do their qualifications. Shaun was on board with the idea and it will enable students to experience a real working gym and have the opportunity to do their placement here. They can observe personal training taking place, and take part in instructing too. Chelsea added: As students are doing their exercise referral qualification which is mainly aimed at helping people with underlying conditions to exercise, people who have high blood pressure or might be overweight, working together with Fervid Fitness to offer free health MOTs gives students the opportunity to put their qualification into practice. Reaching out to that community of people who are less likely to engage by offering them a free health MOT is about getting them into a gym environment where they can realise it is not a scary place to be and everybodys really welcoming and exercise is good. Its important to focus on the exercise aspect of the course as there are more opportunities in the exercise sector than elite sport, in the NHS for example, which look at how exercise is beneficial for health. The outreach aspect of the partnership with Wrexham Glyndwr is something that will help with one of the key aims of Fervid Fitness, reaching people who might not be comfortable in a normal gym environment. Shaun Thomas, who owns and runs Fervid Fitness, said: For us the partnership is about understanding what Chelsea is trying to deliver and aligning ourselves with a united objective in creating awareness of underlying health conditions, the benefits of exercise on both physical and mental wellbeing whilst also offering the students opportunity to gain experience within the health and fitness industry. I believe we complement the course well and we think a little differently here. Rather than just being a gym with equipment, where people train. Were aiming to deliver support and guidance to all abilities, offering medical health checks and guaranteed results for our members with the key objective to introduce and engage more local people into exercise therefore living a heathier and more balanced lifestyle. Were focusing our efforts on delivering what GP surgeries and the NHS perhaps dont have the time to deliver or the facilities, so were aiming to easing the burden on the NHS In this particular project our objective is to deliver health screening to our aging demographic looking at tests such as cholesterol readings, health MOTs, so partnering with Glyndwr University feels like a perfect fit. Were excited about the partnership and the benefits it will bring to both the gym users and the students. People can book in for a health MOT on Mondays and Saturdays by contacting the gym: 01352 379022, Instagram: @fervidfitness_flint, Facebook: @Fervid Fitness UK For three days, Israel has bombarded the densely populated and impoverished coastal enclave of Gaza, targeting leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), civilians and their property in the worst flare-up since May 2021. As of Sunday evening, Israels surgical air strikes have killed at least 43 Palestinians, including Taysir al-Jabari and Khalid Mansour, senior PIJ military leaders in northern and southern Gaza. Fifteen children and four women have been killed since Friday. At least 300, more than half of them women and children, have been injured and at least 31 families made homeless. One Israeli civilian and two soldiers have been lightly wounded by shrapnel. Smoke rises following Israeli airstrikes on a building in Gaza City's Shijaiyah neighborhood, Sunday, August. 7, 2022. [Photo: Hatem Moussa/WSWS] The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said its aerial bombardment was a preemptive operation aimed at preventing rocket attacks planned by Palestinian Islamic Jihad against Israel. It warned that its operation could last up to a week. The continuous outbreaks of violenceIsrael has launched at least eight murderous assaults on the besieged enclave since 2005 when it withdrew from Gazaflows inexorably from the 15-year-long Israeli siege of Gaza that has been aided by the butcher of Cairo, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The blockade, an act of collective punishment banned under international law, has turned the enclave into an open-air prison for its two million inhabitants. Most lack even the most basic essentials of life, clean water, sanitation and electricity, while more than half the population is unemployed and the vast majority live in appalling poverty. At the same time as waging war on Gaza, the caretaker government under Yair Lapid, who heads an eight-party coalition that includes one of Israels Arab parties and several Jewish parties ostensibly committed to a Palestinian state alongside Israel, gave free rein to the far right to incite violence against the Palestinians in Jerusalem. Under the protection of armed Israeli security forces, 1,000 religious bigots, far right nationalists and settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Sunday morning. They waved Israeli flags, prayed and chanted anti-Muslim and anti-Arab slogans, breaching long-standing agreements with Jordan, the official custodian of the site, whereby non-Muslims are not allowed to pray within the compound or display Israeli symbols. Israeli police have allowed settlers and far right activists entry to the site on a near-daily basis. The authorities allowed this latest provocation to go ahead as Israels military onslaught on Gaza entered its third day, amid concerns that this would incite Palestinian protests and clashes. In May 2021, similar provocations at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound coinciding with Ramadan led to Israels 11-day assault on Gaza that killed 256 Palestinians and extensive riots in Israels mixed cities of Haifa, Acre, Lod and Ramla. The latest conflict started on Monday with the storming by Israeli special forces of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. They fired live and rubber-coated bullets as well as tear gas at Palestinians and arrested senior Islamic Jihad leader Bassam al-Saadi, and his son-in-law, Ashraf al-Jada, at his home in Jenin. Pictures of al-Saadi being dragged across the ground accompanied by an attack dog provoked a storm of protest, amid fears for his life, from PIJ supporters. Islamic Jihad vowed revenge. The PIJ has become the main force behind the armed resistance in Jenin and Nablus to both Israel and its subcontractor, the Palestinian Authority (PA) of President Mahmoud Abbas. During the raid, Israeli forces also shot and killed Derar Riyad al-Kafrini, a 17-year-old Palestinian youth and injured Saadi's wife as well as least one other. Israel claimed that PIJ was planning to launch attacks from Gaza on Israel and made full-scale preparations for an extensive operation against Islamic Jihad. It ordered a lockdown on towns and villages in southern Israel, closing roads and sending reinforcements to the area, and called up 10 reserve Border Guard battalions in case rioting erupted in Israels predominantly Palestinian cities. It closed both the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings into Gaza, preventing essential commodities, including food and fuel, from entering the besieged enclave and medical patients and the 14,000 Palestinians from Gaza with work permits in Israel from leaving. Shortly afterwards, Gazas sole power plant announced it would close, citing a lack of fuel. On Friday, Israel began pounding Gaza with what it said were targeted strikes to take out Islamic Jihad leaders and militants. The US and major European powers supported this latest war crime with nostrums about Israels right to defend itself from attack, although no such attack had taken place. Yair Lapid, Israels caretaker prime minister until Israels fifth elections in four years on November 1, described the PIJ as an Iranian proxy that wants to destroy the state of Israel. His statement signals an Israeli offensive against Irans allies in the region. PIJ and Hamas, an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood that rules Gaza, are listed as terrorist organisations by the US and European powers. Backed by Iran, the PIJ also has supporters in Lebanon and Syria. Its leader Ziad al-Nakhalah was in Tehran for talks with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday, the day Israel launched its bombardment on Gaza. Al-Nakhalah pledged that the group would launch revenge attacks, including targeting Tel Aviv and other cities. But Islamic Jihads rockets, launched only after Israels onslaught, had little impact. Most of its 400 rockets were intercepted by Israels Iron Dome missile defence system or fell on empty ground. One house was damaged. Major-General Hossein Salami, the head of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Saturday the Palestinians are not alone in their fight against Israel, declaring, We are with you on this path until the end, and let Palestine and the Palestinians know that they are not alone. He added that Israel will pay another heavy price for the recent crime. Hamas, despite its bitter opposition to its rival, said it supported Islamic Jihads response to Israels bombardment. However, it took no action against Israel, as it tried to prevent the conflict erupting into a full-scale war. It also stood aside during Israels two-day assault on Gaza in November 2019 that assassinated PIJs southern military leader Bahaa Abu el-Atta and his wife. Israels government, under Naftali Bennett and now under Lapid, has in contrast to that of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to bolster Hamas at the expense of the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority as a means of dividing the Palestinians. Israel has lifted a few of the restrictions on Gaza, increasing its power supply and ability to carry out reconstruction work. It has granted work permits to 20,000 Gaza residents that enable them to cross into Israel daily to work for wages that are some 10 times the rate paid in Gaza, where the unemployment rate tops 50 percent. Lapids government has reportedly agreed to an Egypt-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Islamic Jihad set to take effect at 8 p.m. Sunday, with pledges from Israel to alleviate Gaza's fuel shortage in return for a crackdown on PIJ by Hamas. It remains to be seen whether it will take effect or hold. Lapid is fighting a bitterly contested election against two rivals for the premiership. The first is Netanyahu, who, despite fighting criminal charges of bribery, corruption and breach of trust in three separate cases, is currently predicted to receive the largest number of votes for his coalition. This is more likely if his far-right religious allies, Itamar Ben Gvirs Jewish Power and Bezalel Smotrichs Religious Zionism party, agree on a merger for electoral purposes as they did ahead of last years election. The second is Defence Minister Benny Gantz, the former army chief. Lapid, who has never held a security post, is thus anxious to bolster his militarist credentials. His efforts to terrorise the Palestinians and give succour to the fascistic far right seek to deflect the immense social tensions within Israeli society outward as the electionsunusuallyfocus on the rising cost of living and the increasing poverty. One of the most unequal societies in the advanced world, Israel has the highest poverty rate for any country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The coalition government, in power for just a year, has widened the already vast socioeconomic gaps in Israeli society, offering tax breaks to the wealthy, raising prices on basic household goods and promoting agricultural reforms that would devastate farmers, while failing to curb the soaring cost of housing. As elsewhere, deteriorating conditions for most Israeli workers and their families have led to a growing number of working class strikes and protests. Christians in Nigeria are paying the ultimate price for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, reports Kenneth Harrod of Release International. Reverend Ibrahim Isa had won many people for Christ. It had earned him death threats. Despite that, he was determined to continue preaching. Ibrahim and his wife Laraba lived with their five children in a village near Jos, in Plateau State, Nigeria. Mercifully, Laraba and the children were away in the city the morning Fulani militants murdered her husband. Ibrahim had just told Laraba over the phone that he was planning to plant some wheat on a friend's farm. Just 15 minutes later, a church member called Laraba and told her to come home immediately. Fearing the worst, she rang a friend who confirmed her husband had been murdered. Lying in wait Even while she had been speaking to Ibrahim, his killers were lying in wait for him. 'They attacked him in the room,' she said. 'He tried to escape through the window and as he fled, they shot him dead. I saw his body lying where he was shot.' Like many Nigerian Christians in rural areas, Ibrahim had taken to sleeping outside at night. Knowing their homes could be targeted at any time, sleeping outside was considered safer. Ibrahim was a pastor from a Fulani background. He served as an evangelist near Jos, working among Fulani Muslims. Many had become Christians as a result. A community leader said, 'He had been warned several times that he could be a target for killing by the Fulani militia. But Ibrahim said he had a duty to preach and bring the gospel to his people.' His widow Laraba said, 'As long as you are a Christian, you know that someday we will leave this world. I know my husband is at rest with the Lord. I know also the Lord will be with me and provide for these children's needs.' Targeted Another church leader was also targeted for killing. Matthew Tagwi had been serving as a pastor near Miango for just three months when Fulani militants attacked his village. They went to his house, called for him by name and shot him. His pregnant wife, Rose, was in another town at the time for an antenatal check-up. Rose said her prayer today was that her husband's killers would come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. Release International's partner has been supporting Rose and providing pastoral counsel. He said there were many like Rose and Laraba living in villages under constant threat of attack. Other church leaders and pastors have also been specifically targeted by Islamist extremists in central Nigeria. Some have been killed and others kidnapped for ransom. The aggressors are Fulani militants, Boko Haram, and Islamic State terrorists. But the danger has not deterred these Christians from sharing their faith. Release is helping to train church leaders and evangelists to take the Christian message into areas most ravaged by Islamist violence. Despite the growing risk, these courageous leaders remain enthusiastic and committed. 'In April, Boko Haram executed 20 Christians in an online video,' said the Release International partner. 'The attacks and killings are ceaseless now. The situation for Christians in Nigeria today is dire.' 'Genocide' He added: 'We ask for prayers for God to raise up men and women who will continue to stand for the Church and be voices for the vulnerable. Please pray for God to raise up those who will fight for justice for the victims of this religious carnage and slow the genocide that is unfolding in northern Nigeria. 'With government complacency and rising terrorism Christians are likely to face persecution for a long time to come.' The alarming ineffectiveness of the authorities to prevent the violence was highlighted in May. Police stood by while a mob stoned to death a Christian college student in Sokoto state after falsely accusing her of blaspheming Islam's Prophet Mohammed. After killing Deborah Emmanuel (also known as Samuel), the mob set her body on fire. Local media reported that militants protested after Deborah gave thanks to Christ on her class WhatsApp chat for passing her exams. When they demanded that she retract the statement and apologise, she refused. According to other sources, she was targeted because she refused to date a Muslim. After two suspects were arrested for her killing, rioters attacked Christians, started bonfires, damaged churches, and looted Christian-owned shops. Release International's partners say they were 'shocked but not surprised' at Deborah's killing. Police stood by 'More than a dozen policemen watched as Deborah was battered to death, but did nothing to prevent her murder,' said a partner. 'The Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari simply pointed out that "Muslims demand respect for Islam".' And many prominent politicians, Islamic scholars and imams publicly declared their support for Deborah's killing. 'That disdain for Christians in Nigeria by militants continues to grow,' said the Release International partner. 2023 is presidential election year in Nigeria. Previous elections have seen an upsurge in violence. Release International's partners are calling for prayer. Last school year, the parents of a child battling leukemia sued Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin over his politically motivated ban on school mask mandates. Chris Seaman and Dr. Allison Lyons won a small victory when a federal judge ruled that the Albemarle County school system had to accommodate their sons difficulty fighting off COVID-19. The boy had a bone marrow transplant that compromised his immune system. The ruling in the childs case was narrow, specific to the individual problems of families who sued Youngkin under a federal law that forbids discrimination against people with disabilities. The result of that legal ruling will play out when school starts Aug. 24. On that day, Seamans and Lyons nine-year-old son will go to a fourth grade classroom at Brownsville Elementary School filled with students, teachers and staff who volunteered to wear masks. They will do so to protect a classmate because his life could be threatened if he gets COVID-19. We're deeply grateful for all efforts and support that the teachers, staff, and administrators at my son's school have made over the past four years while he fights cancer and to facilitate his to return back to school in person," Seaman said. "We have been working with the school district to provide him a safe learning environment. The process has been to get to the point where we have enough volunteer students and teachers willing to mask up. Thats a beautiful turn in an ugly story of an elected official who opposed mask and vaccine mandates to please his Republican base. Youngkin forced the parents of a little boy with blood cancer to go to court just so the little boy could sit in class with his peers. Thank goodness that other parents and children saw a kid in need and stepped up. They set an example of kindness worth repeating. Unfortunately, relying on fairy tale endings makes lousy public policy. Seaman, Lyons and their son benefitted from the benevolence of acquaintances and strangers. They did not benefit from Youngkins lack of compassion or his failure to grasp the fact that schools must err on the side of caution on public health threats. The governors new COVID quarantine guidelines say children, teachers, and staff in child care, K-12 schools, and camp settings no longer need to isolate after exposure to someone with COVID as long as they remain asymptomatic. That makes sense because children generally have strong immune systems that can overcome COVID. Fewer than 1,000 children in the U.S. have died from COVID. Still, experts say the newest version of the omicron variant is the most infectious COVID-19 virus ever. They also say that the main reason to keep kids from getting COVID is to protect their parents and grandparents. Instead of explaining that, the governors new guidelines remind that in general, masks are not routinely recommended in these settings, indoors or outdoors except for students, teachers or staff members who test positive. They are supposed to isolate for five days and should (not must) mask up for five more days when they return to school or camp. Opposing masking and mandatory vaccination leaves individuals to act where the government wont. In addition to the moms, dads, girls and boys who will help Seaman, Lyons and their son, Brownsville Elementary School principal Jason Crutchfield deserves a shout out. He sent a blast email to parents of incoming fourth graders explaining the situation and seeking volunteers willing to wear masks in the classroom. The responses we received from families were very encouraging, Crutchfield said in a statement. Several families wrote to me specifically to thank Brownsville for offering this important safety measure and supporting a child who wants to be able to attend school. Another even shared that they, too, have a family member with health issues at home and thus would also benefit from masks being worn in their childs class. I am grateful that members of our school community are so supportive of one another in these ways that matter for uplifting every student. If he werent so busy putting politics over public health, the governor could learn a lot from these folks. I just always wanted to put on someone elses clothing, and try to become them (Getty Images) To talk to Cherry Jones about anything at all is to end up talking politics. I dont get the sense that shes trying to be political, just that everything that interests the actor about the art she makes, about the people she knows, about the fact I have a young child, about conversation itself is inherently political. She conceives of her new Apple TV+ mini-series Five Days at Memorial a ripped-from-the-headlines survival drama about Hurricane Katrina as, implicitly, a climate-change call to action. When I ask about her Succession character Nan Pierce the matriarch of a media family who goes head-to-head with Brian Coxs Logan Roy her associations lead straight to the US capital and the first-ever female publisher of The Washington Post. So is she sort of a wannabe Katharine Graham? Jones asked when she was offered the role. The 65-year-old actor with the dark silver bob and warm Tennessee lilt has long been considered one of her generations greatest stage actors, with Tony awards for her 1995 turn in The Heiress and another for originating the terrifying role of Sister Aloysius in Doubt, a thunderous play about the Catholic Churchs sexual abuse scandal and later a Meryl Streep movie. But over the past decade, shes also emerged as a go-to star for TVs most politically ambitious projects: the HBO media dynasty drama Succession, for which she won her third Emmy. Hulus dystopian smash The Handmaids Tale (second Emmy). Amazons ground-breaking comedy Transparent. Still, for many audiences, Jones remains most recognisable as President Allison Taylor from 24, the slick network drama about an ethically dubious counter-terrorism agent. Emmy #1, if you can believe it. On Five Days at Memorial, a series based on New York Times reporter Sherri Finks bestseller, Jones plays real-life nursing coordinator Susan Mulderick. She happened to be serving the rotating post of incident commander on the 2005 weekend Katrina hit Memorial Medical Centre in New Orleans, which means Mulderick was the one responsible for the lives of more than 2,000 people. That included patients, their families, doctors, and citizens whod turned up to the hospital looking for shelter. Story continues What happened next should be the stuff of fiction. Memorial survived the initial storm, but when the citys levees broke, flooding killed the hospitals back-up generators. Inside the building, as temperatures soared past 100F, Mulderick was responsible for answering an unimaginable array of what-ifs. What if we run out of medicine? What if we run out of water? What if no one comes to save us? Tellingly, the hospitals only evacuation plan took for granted that the land around the mammoth facility would be dry as a cracker. Jones was doing Doubt when the storm hit, but she still remembers watching the news coverage each night. She remembers watching the death toll rise, eventually to more than 1,800 fatalities. She remembers people standing on their roofs trying to flag down rescue helicopters. She even remembers what she was thinking: This only happens in a third world country. When Jones saw the tremendous script for Five Days at Memorial, from 12 Years a Slave writer John Ridley and Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse, those memories came rushing back, mixing with new concerns about the current shape of American democracy. Its a sense of alarm informed by inaction on climate change, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the nations response to Covid. There have to be plans, Jones says emphatically. There has to be. Theres got to be an adult in the room. All of the adults have left the room in America, and maybe in most of the world now. And we have to make our leaders do it, she reminds me, managing not to sound condescending or even pontificating. If anything, it feels like Jones is asking me nicely to do my part. We have to be willing to sacrifice so that your daughter and other children will be able to breathe the air 50 years from now. Jones in the Hurricane Katrina drama Five Days at Memorial (Apple TV+) Even as we ping-pong between supercharged topics, it would be difficult to overstate how very still Jones can sit. I suppose you could say she sits with an actors cultivated poise but, really, that doesnt do it justice. Over Zoom on a busy morning, both of us in busy New York City, Cherry Jones sits stiller than any human being has ever sat before. The comforting effect is similar to watching goldfish swim around a bowl. In a single conversation, she does more for my heart rate than a lifetime of deep breathing. Significantly, too, Joness politics feel less a product of principle than conspicuous empathy. She is constantly imagining how people healthcare workers, the coroner at Uvalde, the Transparent audience might feel in a given situation and asking me what I think, too. Imagining, of course, is a childs gateway to acting, something Jones has wanted to do from the time she was four years old, performing the Three Wise Men at Christmas in her mums jewellery. Her mother, daddy and grandmother all supported the dream. I just always wanted to put on someone elses clothing, and try to become them, she says. Now, she might choose work that aligns with her values, but when she puts on the nursing scrubs or the nuns habit, or sits in the Oval Office shes also looking to learn from it. The relationship is reciprocal, and occasionally fraught. Take The Handmaids Tale, about a dystopian society in which women are deprived of control over their bodies, particularly when it comes to pregnancy. Jones read Margaret Atwoods book as soon as it hit stores in 1985. Talk about prescient, she says, name-checking the dual threats of Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell. She just saw what was coming down the pike. Ive always been a tomboy and gay, but when I started researching Eileen, I thought, Im really going to have to butch up here Getting asked to play Junes mama as Jones affectionately calls her activist character and mother to series lead Elisabeth Moss was a thrill given the source material. But the first season of the show was so violent and dark and the second season was even more so. She found herself pulling away from the series on principle. Atwood has always said that anything that was in that book, no matter how gruesome, is happening somewhere in the world right now to some woman. And I do believe that, Jones says. But I also believe that if a woman is raped by 36 men, we do not need to see that woman being raped by 36 men, because who does that, at the end of the day, degrade and turn into She trails off. I cant even finish that sentence, she says. And she doesnt. Her work on Succession has been more confusing to her than upsetting. I was surprised that people loved Nan Pierce so much, she says of the character offered up as a counterpoint to Logan Roy, the right-wing bully based on Rupert Murdoch. Her personal prediction is that Nan will find her way back onto the series, though at least in this case she questions whether a matriarch is really any better than a patriarch under the shadow of unchecked capitalism. At the end of the day, even Nan is looking for a pay-out, she says. She appears on the surface noble, but I question her nobility. Holly Hunter and Cherry Jones in Succession' (Peter Kramer/HBO) Her role on Transparent, Joey Soloways series about LA siblings who discover their father (Jeffrey Tambor) is a trans woman, is the one Jones wished for. Watching the first season with her wife the Swiss filmmaker Sophie Huber she even remembers asking aloud, Why cant I be on something like that? Eventually, shed be cast in a role based on the American poet Eileen Myles, who Soloway was dating at the time. Ive always been a tomboy and gay, but when I started researching Eileen, I thought, Im really going to have to butch up here, says Jones, which was a great deal of fun. She calls the show Trans 101 for the country, regardless of the fact that Tambor, the series star, was ultimately fired following claims of sexual harassment made by his assistant and a cast member. Tambor denies the accusations, and Jones is protective of the shows reputation. It was such a fun, positive show. And even if the allegations against Tambor didnt compromise the legacy of Transparent, Jones can see the positive ramifications of Hollywoods #MeToo movement. The first table read for Five Days at Memorial featured a stern speech from Ridley: Anything less than total respect for one another, and treating each other with kindness was not going to be tolerated. At first, Jones felt almost insulted by the lecture: I was like, Who do you think we are? Its about everything that is smacking us in the face right now, from racial and economic injustice, to climate change, to the fact that our healthcare workers are now our frontline soldiers, and are going to continue to be our frontline soldiers. But as she got to know Ridley, who co-directed the miniseries with Cuse, Jones understood the speech as a personal declaration: It matters so much to him that people are honourable. In the end, Five Days, which was filmed in Canada during the pandemic, was one of the most special sets for Jones. Ive never had that experience before with a community of actors who just couldnt bear to be apart, she tells me, recounting their weekly potlucks and the hours the cast spent discussing and debating the medical ethics of what was happening in the script including the use of euthanasia when medical treatment and rescue have both been deemed impossible. For Jones, the 15-year-old story is more relevant than ever. Its about everything that is smacking us in the face right now, from racial and economic injustice, to climate change, to the fact that our healthcare workers are now our frontline soldiers, and are going to continue to be our frontline soldiers. Its about how understaffing issues in American hospitals are crashing into a Supreme Court thats rolling back womens right to healthcare. Mass shootings. Dangerous immigration. To Joness mind, Five Days at Memorial is part of a larger conversation about the central role healthcare workers play in the US, a country that feels beset with new and more politically charged ways to die. How are we going to encourage people to get into the medical field at a time when what theyre having to deal with becomes more and more dire? Jones asks me, a person who definitely doesnt know. If a woman is having a miscarriage, what does a healthcare professional in Tennessee do now? Does the baby have to die in the womb, and infection set in before they will allow that dead child to be removed, without everyone in that operating room going to jail? A few days before our talk, a childhood friend texted her with the beginnings of an answer. The friends an oncology nurse now, and she saw the trailer for Five Days at Memorial in an airport and started crying. She said that she had some soul-searching to do based on what she saw. And she said, Im telling you that this series will be presented to nursing classes in ethics and death and dying. Jones doesnt know the path forward from here, but she believes with all her might that arts the place to ask the question. Five Days at Memorial can be streamed via Apple TV+ from 12 August Claims of new Russian atrocity after gruesome image appears to show the head of a Ukrainian POW stuck on a pole In this photo taken from video a view of a destroyed barrack at a prison in Olenivka, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces, eastern Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022. AP A new image posted by Ukrainian officials appear to show the skull of a Ukrainian soldier impaled on a stick. The news comes recently after prison was bombed in Olenivka in the Donetsk Region, killing 53 POWs. This report contains details some readers may find disturbing. A new image posted by a Ukrainian official appears to show the skull of a Ukrainian prisoner of war placed on a stick outside a building in the eastern Ukrainian town of Popasna, which was captured by Russian forces in May. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of Ukrainian Luhansk province, shared the unsettling photo on his Telegram channel. Insider has not been able to verify the image independently. Geolocation tools suggest it is genuine, said The Guardian, and the gruesome photo was taken in late July, not far from the center of Popasna. Near the head are the remains of a decapitated body, in uniform without its hands. Two hands have been placed on metal spikes on a fence on either side of the head, a video shows, reported The Guardian. "There is nothing human about the Russians. We are at war with non-humans," Haidai said under the image. Popsana is in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, where Russia has fought hard to capture territory after its army was humiliated in the debacle of the first months of the invasion. The Ukrainian army retreated from the town in early May. The president of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, claimed his troops had seized control of the town, per The Guardian. Allegations of the new atrocity follow the shelling of the Olenivka prison housing Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia and Ukraine blaming the other party. Photos from the shelling show burnt corpses and skeletal remains. According to a prisoner recently released from the Olenivka detention center outside Donetsk, Ukrainian POWs are tortured and murdered. "We heard their cries," Anna Vorosheva told The Guardian. "They played loud music to cover the screams. Torture happened all the time." Story continues The aftermath of a shelling at a pre-trial detention center in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict, in the settlement of Olenivka in the Donetsk Region, Ukraine July 29, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Soon after the bombing, a video circulated on social media showing a Russian soldier castrating a Ukrainian prisoner. A Ukrainian MP told Insider, "I wish I could turn back time and not see this video. But we knew that this was happening in the occupied territories. The Russian military rapes, mutilates, and kills Ukrainians, both civilians, and POWs." Responding to the footage, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International's Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said, "This horrific assault is yet another apparent example of complete disregard for human life and dignity in Ukraine committed by Russian forces." Meanwhile, The head of Amnesty International's Ukraine arm has resigned after the human-rights organization blamed Kyiv for endangering civilians and violating international laws with its wartime tactics, according to reports. The group said Ukrainian forces had established military outposts in schools, hospitals, and civilian areas, in contravention of international human rights laws. Oksana Pokalchuk, head of Amnesty International Ukraine, said in a Facebook post late Friday that the report "became a tool of Russian propaganda," per Politico. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyslammed the report and said it had sought to offer "amnesty (to) the terrorist state and shift the responsibility from the aggressor to the victim." Secretary General Agnes Callamard told AFP news agency that Amnesty "fully stands by our research." Read the original article on Business Insider Photo Illustration by Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty and Shutterstock In late April, three people who grew up on a Church of Scientology ship filed a lawsuit against the organization and its leader David Miscavige, claiming they were trafficked as children and forced to do strenuous labor for little or no pay. Now the former membersGawain Baxter, Laura Baxter, and Valeska Parishave filed an amended complaint detailing more accusations of abuse on the vessel, called the Freewinds, which is used by the Church of Scientology to train members who wish to reach Operating Thetan Level 8 (OT VIII), the highest level of Scientology (attaining this can cost up to $2 million). The ship is also used to house members of Sea Org, Scientologys fraternal religious order and its most hardcore adherents. Freewinds was quarantined in St. Lucia in May of 2019 due to a measles outbreak onboard. The trio claim that since filing their initial suit, the churchs operatives have harassed them and monitored their families outside their homes and in public spaces. Some of their relatives, who are still church members, have pressured them to drop the complaint or disconnected from them entirely, a Scientology term meaning the severing of all contact. They are also now accusing Miscavige of concealing his whereabouts to avoid being served with their suit. Plaintiffs have undertaken diligent efforts to attempt personal service on David Miscavige, so far making fourteen attempts to personally serve him from May 31 through August 2, 2022, states the amended complaint, filed on Aug. 2. Since June, court papers say, the ex-members have enlisted a private investigator to conduct surveillance on Miscaviges suspected residence and place of business in Clearwater, Florida. Their lawyer also spoke with Sea Org defectors in the area to ferret out his location. Inside Will and Jada Pinkett Smiths Scientology School for Kids And when a process server visited multiple Scientology properties, including the Sandcastle Religious Retreat building, security guards allegedly forced him to leave and refused to answer questions. Miscavige has also evaded service, the plaintiffs claim, by instructing corporate office staff to refuse to accept delivery of packages addressed to him. Story continues When reached for comment, The Church of Scientology called the case scurrilous, a scam and a sham, and nothing more than an attempted money grab. They also alleged that it was in fact they who are the victims of NON-STOP HARASSMENT [emphasis theirs], and criticized The Daily Beasts coverage of porn and drugs. They claimed that a previous law enforcement investigation into Paris allegations came up empty, concluding, Hundreds of contemporaneous photos show the truthValeska Paris and the Baxters tellingly enjoyed their lives and the opportunity to spend their free time traveling in the company of friends while aboard the Freewinds. The lawsuit alleges forced labor and attempted forced labor in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, among other counts. All three plaintiffs shared their chilling stories of abuse and harassment in the suit. GAWAIN BAXTER Gawain, a citizen of Australia, was 2 months old when his parents placed him in a nursery run by Cadet Org, a subdivision of the Church of Scientologys ultra-rigid Sea Org intended for children. According to the lawsuit, kids in Cadet Org under 6 are cared for, disciplined, and groomed by Sea Org members in a program that prepares them for a lifetime of servitude under Defendants control. Once he turned 6 around 1988, Gawain became a Cadet Org member, signed a contract vowing to serve the church for 1 billion years, and was forced to live in a dormitory that, according to the complaint, was a repurposed Quality Inn with about 100 other children. Now 40, Gawain spent years doing unpaid labor at Flag Land BaseScientologys so-called spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Floridawhich included trash removal, landscaping, food prep, and clerical work, sometimes full-time if there were staff shortages. Once he turned 13, the complaint says, he received a stipend of $8 per week. Gawain was then transferred to Sea Org, for which he allegedly toiled 12 or more hours a day doing jobs that included renovating a building, landscaping, and cleaning church facilities. The lawsuit alleges he was sleep-deprived, given inadequate time to eat, and verbally abused by his adult supervisors. Gawain eventually wrote a Flag Base officer a letter requesting permission to leave Sea Org because of these conditions. Soon after being punished for this missive, Gawain was assigned to the Freewinds ship. The Freewinds cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology, docked in quarantine in Castries, Saint Lucia, on May 2, 2019, after a measles case was detected onboard. Kirk Elliott/AFP/Getty Freewinds security allegedly snatched the teens passport, immigration documents and identification to preclude him from any escape attempts. Gawain asked if he could retain possession of his green card, but security refused, the filing continues. Several months later, Gawain asked to be permitted to leave the ship and return to the United States so that he would not lose permanent resident status, but his requests were denied. The lawsuit adds that Gawain worked 16 to 24 hours per day performing arduous and sometimes dangerous manual labor. Eight months into his stay on the vessel, Gawain again asked to jump ship. The complaint says that anyone who informs fellow staffers they want to leave is accused of committing whats known as a suppressive act, for which they are punished, subjected to security checks and other handling until they confess to their crimes. In Gawains case, the lawsuit alleges, an executive officer of the International Association of Scientologists Administrations (IASA), brought the teenager into a room and screamed and repeatedly kicked him in the shins. Tom Cruises Dark, Twisted Journey to Scientologys Top Gun Gawain was then sent to the engine room for the first of many times and ordered to write up his OWs, also known as overts and withholds, where members self-report deviant thoughts and behavior, the amended complaint adds. The engine room was extremely hot (more than 100 degrees), dirty, and very loud. There was so little room to move that it was difficult in some parts to stand up straight. Many times after being sent to the engine room, Gawain was forced to write false success stories, describing the ways in which he supposedly benefitted [sic] from it, the filing alleges. About a decade after Gawain was transferred onto the Freewinds, he was allegedly forced to aid in extensive renovations of the ship, leading to him working 18 hours a day. According to the lawsuit, Gawain became ill, coughing up blood, after being exposed to blue asbestos and concrete dust. He claims he was never given protective gear or allowed to see a doctor; instead he was given a brief rest period until his disturbing symptoms faded. Gawain has experienced respiratory problems ever since, the amended filing alleges. In 2008, Freewinds was grounded when government inspectors discovered blue asbestos on board. Following the renovations, Gawain and most of the ships crew were ordered to cold-call Scientologists every night after their work shifts to peddle expensive sets of the churchs basic books, the complaint says, adding that he was ordered to purchase and read the volumes himself. As a result of a reading quota, he slept just two hours each night. Gawains round-the-clock labor brought him $50 a week, which the lawsuit says was used to buy toiletries and other personal items. Sometimes he went weeks without compensation, supposedly because shipmates had failed to meet their performance targets. Gawain was also required to make annual contributions out of his meager pay towards birthday presents for David Miscavige and other executives on the Freewinds, the filing adds. Those contributions typically amounted to multiple weeks worth of his full pay. LAURA BAXTER Laura was 7 when her mother signed her up to take Scientology courses in Germany. (She now lives with her husband, Gawain, in Australia.) The 37-year-old was a teenager when she became a staff member of the churchs local organization in Stuttgart eight years later. According to the amended complaint, Sea Org recruitment officers with the churchs Flag Ship Service Organization began to visit her every night, manipulate, pressure, and coerce her to sign a contract pledging to service Scientology for life within Sea Org. Even after years of indoctrination, Laura resisted, the filing alleges. She told them she always imagined her future to include being a wife and raising a family, which she knew would not be permitted if she joined Sea Org. But, according to Laura, the recruiters would not take no for an answer. She eventually relented. She was forced to move to the U.K. for training, and her mother signed over guardianship of her to a Sea Org member and senior IASA officer, the lawsuit states. Her accusations of forced labor are similar to Gawains: She says she was coerced into back-breaking work that included digging trenches and cleaning toilets and dumpsters. And for her hours of labor she was essentially paid penniesroughly $25 a week. During this time, Laura was denied adequate time to eat proper meals or take breaks, the filing says. The exterior of the Scientology building in East Hollywood, California, which serves as the groups West Coast HQ. Getty She was soon assigned to the Freewinds in IASA files administration. The long hours and pay were the same, the complaint alleges. (At age 17, however, she was transferred to Scientologys European Base in Copenhagen where she says she worked 18-hour days for $50 a week for about two years.) The lawsuit alleges Laura would face punishments in the engine room just as her husband and other out-of-favor members had, too. In 2004, the lawsuit says, a celebrity actor celebrated his birthday aboard the Freewinds at Miscaviges invitation (Tom Cruise, a powerful Scientologist, celebrated his birthday onboard Freewinds that year) and Laura was falsely accused of trying to monopolize the actors attention. She was ordered to be taken to a small room where three IASA officers allegedly screamed abusively at her. Laura was then confined to the extremely hot engine room for three days, allowed to leave for only a few minutes at a time for meals and to return to her room for a few hours of sleep, the complaint alleges, adding that she was sent to that horrific space numerous times. The supposed party incident had other ramifications for Laura, who was allegedly confined to an office during the day and her quarters at night, only permitted to leave for interrogations or with a chaperone, and kept under 24-hour surveillance. On one occasion, she had no choice but to urinate in a trash can, the amended complaint says. Danny Masterson Rape Hearing Is a Reckoning for Scientology After this two-month punishment, Laura was demoted from her administration work to becoming a crew steward, where she worked 12 to 18 hours a day unloading deliveries of food to the ship and working in the food storage rooms. Like her husband, she claims she was exposed to asbestos during the 2008 renovations of the ship and ordered to sell Scientology books. Ship officers systematically interfered in her relationship with Gawain, the complaint says. The couple was eventually allowed to marry but allegedly banned from living together for another six months after their nuptials. In 2011, the couple began plotting a way to flee the ship. They decided to get pregnant. The lawsuit says Scientology was under media scrutiny over a forced abortion policy that prohibited Sea Org members from having kids, and they believed the only way to escape without punishment was for Laura to be showing during Miscaviges next visit to the ship A pregnant Sea Org member would cause Miscavige to direct his wrath towards the senior Sea Org officers, the lawsuit states. They concluded that, if it were known to senior officers on the ship that Laura was pregnant and refusing to terminate her pregnancy, the senior officers would force Gawain and Laura to leave the ship and Sea Org. They resisted pressure to terminate the pregnancy and were removed from the ship after weeks of punishment and isolation, the lawsuit says. But before they left, they were allegedly forced to sign documents, on video tape, which they say they werent allowed to review. The amended complaint further details the fallout of their departure. A ship official allegedly told the couple they now owed a freeloader debt of around $12,000 theyd need to pay off. Still, they stayed in Sea Org. Because Gawain lost his permanent residence status in the U.S., he and Laura instead went to Germany, where she had family. Once they got there in 2012, Scientology brass repeatedly called them asking for payments of their debt. Laura and Gawain felt they had no choice but to go along, borrowing money to pay off their freeloader debt because their housing and employment was provided by Scientologists, the amended complaint says. In 2015, they moved to Australia to help care for Gawains elderly grandmother. They say they continued to receive endless phone calls from Scientology officers asking them to confirm their contact information and to agree to more actively participate in the church. These phone calls were part of Defendants method of intimidating defectors by reminding them that Defendants always knew where they were, and constantly testing people for disloyalty, the filing says. After filing their original complaint on April 28, the couple continued to face surveillance from the church, which allegedly put pressure on their family. On May 12, Gawains parents and half-sister called to inform him theyd been required to relocate to Clearwater from their posts across the globe. Gawains family yelled at him, attempted to pressure him to admit he was lying and to withdraw the lawsuit, the document says. On June 10, the amended filing adds, Gawain saw men surveilling him at an airport. Men also watched his house six days later. On several occasions in June and July 2022, Gawain observed people following him (and on at least one occasion, him and Laura), or sitting in parked cars for hours watching sites where he was working, the amended lawsuit states. In another episode in late July, the couple were with their children at a park when they saw a woman exit an SUV to go for a walk. When they left to take their children for ice cream, the woman rushed back to her vehicle. After they parked, the motorist parked nearby. Lauras sister and mother were also transferred from Germany to Clearwater in June, the amended complaint states, and have attempted to engage her in a heated discussion of the lawsuit and to pressure her into dismissing it. VALESKA PARIS According to the amended complaint, Valeska Paris was indoctrinated into Scientology from the age of 4 by her parents, both of whom were Scientologists. The 44-year-old recalls enduring oppressive Scientology training at a young age that included being screamed at, verbally abused, and forced to listen to graphic descriptions of sexual content for hours at a time to condition her not to be upset or show any visible reaction and retain her composure in the face of verbal assault. Paris alleges that by the age of 6, her parents enrolled her in Cadet Org, where she was forced to sign a billion-year contract pledging to serve Sea Org. David Miscavige, leader of the Church of Scientology, Dec. 10, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. Getty She lived in Cadet Org dormitories at Stonelands, in England, near Scientologys U.K. base, Saint Hill. Valeska spoke only French and felt isolated from the other children and adults who spoke only English, until she learned to speak English, the lawsuit states, adding that she was upset to be separated from her mom and that adult Sea Org members punished her for being dramatic. They allegedly forced her to wash pots and pans. At the facility, the lawsuit alleges, Paris and other children were forced to work five hours, unpaid, cleaning the premises and providing childcare for newborns. The complaint adds that kids were permitted one day off every two weeks, and if they got sick, they were denied medical care; instead they were excused from work and isolated in their dorm. According to the lawsuit, Paris was denied medical treatment when she contracted mumps. Paris also alleges physical and sexual abuse of children was common, and that she walked in on an adult Sea Org member, who was responsible for the children, masturbating on a boys bed. She also claims that when she was 11, a 27-year-old male Sea Org member ordered her to lie on top of him in her bed because he was hiding from Sea Org staff. (She claims she was punished for reporting both of these encounters to an adult.) In the amended complaint, Paris says that when she was 12, her Sea Org superior ordered her into a room with him to confess the crimes she had committedthese being alleged sexual thoughts she had. When she branded him a pervert, she was punished with lower conditions for a period of six months. One of the more shocking new allegations in the amended complaint concerns Paris secretive relationship with another Sea Org member, Chris Guider. She says that the two were married in March 2009 in a roadside ceremony, though because they did so without the blessing of their superiors, they were banished to a a room with only broken-down furniture and no mattress on the bed, and Paris was physically dragged by a senior Sea Org officer to clean out maggot-infested garbage cans. Since Sea Org members were not permitted to have children, Paris alleges in the complaint that she purposely became pregnant. Though Paris contends there was a policy in place of forcing women in Sea Org to have abortions, Paris refused because she knew such action would prevent her ability to leave. We Asked the Church of Scientology How Theyre Combatting Coronavirus. This Is Their Wild Response. During her pregnancy, Paris maintains that she was denied any prenatal care and still subjected to work long hours and subsist on the squash pies, cereal, stale bread and other poor-quality food fed to Sea Org members. She says that because of her pregnancy, her fellow Sea Org members shamed her and refused to speak with her, so she ate her meals alone in her tiny room. After six weeks, she began bleeding and went to the emergency room, where she suffered a miscarriage. Sea Org, Paris alleges in the complaint, finally allowed her to leave following her miscarriagethough their harassment of her was far from over. Paris remembers taking a trip to Florida to visit her mother, who had previously fled Sea Org, where they were befriended by an undercover member of the Office of Special Affairs (OSA), or Scientologys intelligence wing. This covert OSA agent managed to convince Paris and her mother to allow her to stay with them, and was secretly reporting their moves and conversations back to OSA. Not long after, Paris father contacted her and abruptly informed her that he was disconnecting from her. Paris was confused because shed only confided in her mother about what shed been through. On April 29, 2021, one day after the initial complaint was filed, Paris claims in the amended complaint that the first of many strange and unsettling incidents occurred, observing a pair of men in a blue car following her. Two weeks later, on May 11, she says that someone tried to hack into her Instagram. Five days after that, what she believes to be the same blue car was seen loitering outside the home of one of Paris beauty-salon employees. Paris says that one night, after closing her salon, which is located in a mall, a man followed her to and from the bathroom, yelling at her, FUCK YOU, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LOOKING AT? She says that vehicles regularly trail her while she drives home at night, often putting on their high beams, and that strangers approach her young children when she takes them to play outside, retreating when she checks on them. Paris also explains in the amended complaint how a high volume of customers keep making new salon appointments and leaving without a trace; new customers are showing up without appointments, angrily demanding her attention; and that two individuals cornered her at her salon and grilled her with a number of intrusive questions that reminded her of a Scientology security check. The confrontation caused her child to cry. Because of all these incidents, which Paris says is consistent with OSAs history of fair game intimidation operations, she lives in constant fear that she or her family will be harmed. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Pride fashion: Lily Nyangoi shows off the unofficial Pride uniform rainbows and glitter. (Christian Cassiel) Around 80,000 people turned up to Preston Park to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Brighton Pride over the weekend of 6 and 7 August. Pride is a protest, but its also an excuse for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to wear their most fabulous outfits and show up in style. Read more: Christina Aguilera uses Pride show to highlight Floridas Dont Say Gay bill Brian Sweeney made his own outfit for Brighton Pride. (Christian Cassiel) Brian Sweeneys DIY efforts did not go unnoticed on Saturday night. The 21-year-old from Dublin, Ireland paired his Versace shades with his own custom pieces. He proudly sported a fishnet tank from ASOS, which he spent five hours meticulously bedazzling, and a pair of black jean shorts from Primark, which got quite the makeover after he distressed, bleached and painted them himself. Sweeney said his style is constantly changing. Im a chameleon, he said. Ill be wearing something completely different tomorrow. La-Toyah Beckford showed up as an ally at Brighton Pride. (Christian Cassiel) La-Toyah Beckford, 36, came to Pride to show her support for the LGBTQ+ community. This is my second year at Pride. Im here as an ally for my bestie and her wife, she said, showing off her individuality in a lime green top from Oh Polly and a zebra skirt from Pretty Little Thing, accessorised with a rainbow flower garland. Read more: Brighton Pride festival finally back after pandemic I would describe my style as individual. I just like what I like and think my clothes and accessories are very much part of my personality, Beckford explained. Local resident Hannah Dooley turned heads in top-to-toe red and Lolita-style shades. (Christian Cassiel) Hannah Dooley, a local Brighton resident, and her salon showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community, all wearing different block colours of the rainbow. Matching her fiery red locks, Dooley was dressed head-to-toe in a vibrant red bodice, flowing chiffon maxi skirt and over-the-knee lace tights. Read more: Kiss FM presenter Harriet Rose: My first ever Pride Dooley did not hold back with the accessories, topping off her look with a rainbow flower crown and oversized heart-shaped sunnies. And although Dooleys outfit and accessories were perfectly matched, she assured us that her style isnt always as put together. Story continues My style is changeable, she laughed. Tomorrow Ill be in a t-shirt and sweatpants picking litter on the beach, but today Im in a corset. Watch: Kiss FM's Harriet Rose: My first ever Pride parade Letter to the Editor Monroe News articles have described the tragic effects of human trafficking and drug deaths, locally and nationwide. Missing is reporting on a root cause of both: record-setting illegal immigration. During the presidential campaign, Biden said he would welcome a surge at the border and every Democrat candidate at a debate said they would provide free health care to immigrants. The first bill proposed by the Democrat-led House was amnesty for illegal immigrants and a new proposal would provide ID cards to easily access benefits. Who wouldnt want to come? Since Biden was inaugurated, 3 million migrants have accepted the invitation, turning themselves in to Border Patrol. Many carry COVID-19 and tuberculosis. They are not required to vaccinate as are border agents, police, doctors and others. According to Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while 70% of the agents are away from the border processing migrants, those involved in human and drug trafficking enter elsewhere. Dangerous drug cartels are making $400 million per month charging migrants from $3,000 to $40,000 each to smuggle them in. Those who cannot pay are forced into drug trafficking and sex slavery. Eighteen thousand unaccompanied minors were in federal custody in May. Despite these facts, the secretary of homeland security lied to Congress, telling them our border is secure. There is a requirement that our government provide for the immigrants so scarce baby formula has been stockpiled at the border. Tens of thousands of veterans are homeless and cannot get the services they need but Veteran Affairs doctors are at the border to support immigrants. Recently 54 were found dead from heat in a semitrailer. Seven hundred have been found dead on ranches and in the desert. Young girls are put on birth control before coming because they expect to be sexually assaulted during the journey. A Freedom of Information request found that children under government care have been abused. Immigrants arrived from 160 countries, with 56 on terrorist watch lists. CIA reports say terrorist attacks are being planned. Story continues Enough fentanyl, sent from China, has been seized at the border to kill every American. It is put in lookalike pain pills and street drugs often used by our young people. Drug poisoning is the leading cause of death among 18 to 45 year olds. Biden has ignored court orders to return to Trumps Remain in Mexico policy. Whose policies are more humane? Yvonne Gnaedinger Monroe This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Letter: Current policies have allowed uncontrolled illegal immigration Russian forces are massing in the south of Ukraine in what the UK Ministry of Defence warned could be preparation for a fresh assault. The MoD said Vladimir Putins troops were almost certainly gathering either in anticipation of a Ukrainian counter-offensive or for a possible new advance in the country, which has been partially occupied since the war was launched in February. The conflict is about to enter a new phase, the MoD said, in which the fighting would shift west and south to a roughly 350-kilometre front line that extends from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson. Long convoys of Russian military trucks, tanks and weapons have been observed moving in a southwesterly direction away from the Donbas region, which has been the focus of Russias recent war efforts. The MoD said military equipment was reported to be moving from Russian-occupied Melitopol, Berdiansk, Mariupol and from mainland Russia via the Kerch Bridge into Crimea, while battalion tactical groups, which comprise between 800 and 1,000 troops, have been deployed to Crimea and would almost certainly be used to support Russian troops in the Kherson region. Ukrainian forces are said to be focusing their targeting on bridges, ammunition depots and rail links in the countrys southern regions in an effort to limit Russias ability to resupply. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that over the past week its forces had achieved powerful results in destroying Russias logistics supplies. Every strike on the enemy's ammunition depots, on their command posts and on accumulations of Russian equipment saves the lives of all of us, the lives of Ukrainian military and civilians, he said in a late-night video address. An armoured convoy of Russian troops drives in a Russian-held part of Zaporizhzhia region (Reuters) In Zaporizhzhia, Russia was again accused of shelling the nuclear power plant over the weekend, and Ukraines state nuclear power firm said Russian forces damaged three radiation sensors at the facility. Russian nuclear terror requires a stronger response from the international community sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry and nuclear fuel, Mr Zelensky wrote on Twitter. Story continues Elsewhere, four ships carrying Ukrainian grain have sailed from Black Sea ports as part of a deal to unblock the countrys sea exports. The Glory bulk carrier, centre, was among four ships to make their way from Ukrainian ports (AP) Pope Francis welcomed the move, saying the step shows that it is possible to conduct dialogue to reach concrete results, which help everyone. Also on Sunday, Amnesty International apologised for distress and anger caused by a report accusing Ukraine of endangering civilians by placing Ukrainian troops in residential areas. Mr Zelensky has accused the organisation of trying to shift responsibility from Russian aggression, while Amnestys Ukraine head, Oksana Pokalchuk, quit, saying the report was a propaganda gift for Moscow. FEW Spirits has collaborated with a rock band for the third time on a new whiskey release, and this whiskey is worth checking out even if youre not a rabid fanof the distillery or the band. This is not to say that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (remember them?) is a band to just dismiss. Personally, they never resonated with me when their debut album came out over two decades ago in 2001, but it was quite the opposite for many others and the band developed a dedicated following. Revisiting the B.R.M.C. album now, the music hits deeper, bringing up memories of the melange of garage, post-punk and psychedelia that permeated the sounds of so many bands of that era. But apparently FEW Spirits founder and master distiller Paul Hletko was and is a devoted fan, so he worked with the band to create this whiskey called Motor Oil to celebrate 21 years since the release of their debut album. More from Robb Report Wed always joke around about how someday we should make our own whiskey called Motor Oil thats so painful nobody would be able to actually drink it, said bass player Robert Levon Been in a press release. It would basically be jet fuel in a bottle, just pure pain. But then we met Paul Hletko and he said, Yeah thats cool, but thats illegal. So after brooding for a bit, Paul took the next year to properly school us in how its really done, dialing in what somehow eventually became a legitimate incredible whiskey blend, which is crazy, and were still mostly surprised we didnt blow up the barn. The blend is the most interesting part here (sorry, BRMC, even more interesting than the music). FEW is a well-known craft distillery located in Evanston, Illinois that makes different styles of whiskey, gin and some other spirits, and has been getting better and better over the years. The distillery is now part of the Heaven Hill family of brands, after the Kentucky distillery acquired FEW parent company Samson & Surrey earlier this year. Motor Oil Whiskey is a blend of three liquids: bourbon finished in rum barrels, bourbon finished in vermouth barrels and mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey. Its bottled at 101 proof, and that heat comes through. The whiskey is a dark, syrupy orangish copper color, with apricot and peach notes, along with some freshly cut wood, starting things out on the nose. The tasting notes have vegetal listed among other flavors, and you can definitely pick that up. Chocolate, orange, plum and a bit of tannic cheek pinch lead the palate, but the whiskey is full of sweet and savory spices, and that bit of mesquite smoke swirling around the middle and back of your mouth ties it all together. Story continues Motor Oil Whiskey is weirdly good but definitely not an everyday sipper, which is just fine because we have plenty of those. Its also the third release tied in with a rock band from FEWin 2016 The Flaming Lips partnered with the distillery on Brainville Rye Whiskey, and in 2019 there was the limited-edition Alice in Chains bourbon called All Secrets Known. The bottom line is that if a distillery is going to collaborate with a band, or any celebrity for that matter, the product better be a good one or else it just feels like empty marketing. Fortunately, Motor Oil is a whiskey worth trying whether or not you a fan of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. And who knows, try sipping while streaming the bands music and you might just be converted. Score: 86 What Our Score Means 100: Worth trading your first born for 95 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet 90 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram 85 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market 80 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable Below 80 Its alright: Honestly, we probably wont waste your time and ours with this Every week Jonah Flicker tastes the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Friday for his latest review. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. I had no idea that Air France gave out free wine on its long-haul flights to every class. Kirsten Acuna/Insider In July, I spent 10 hours on a direct flight from Los Angeles, California to Paris, France. I made a number of mistakes before, during, and after deboarding my flight, like choosing a window seat. Here's what else I messed up so you can conquer any long journeys in the sky. I naively chose a window seat, not realizing that I'd have a tough time getting up if I needed to go to the bathroom. I was initially excited about this window seat. Little did I know there really aren't any pros to having a window seat on a 10-hour flight. Kirsten Acuna/Insider Typically, I love the window seat on a plane. Not only do I enjoy resting my head against the side of the plane, but I like looking out at the clouds and the layout of the landscape below, especially after takeoff. Unfortunately, we were told to have our windows shut for most of the flight so others could rest, so it really didn't even matter if I had a window seat or not. That wasn't the worst part, though. I never considered that the two people next to me may both fall asleep, making it impossible for me to get up if I needed to go to the bathroom or stretch my legs. I don't really like bothering others if they're sleeping, so I wound up glued to my seat for the majority of my 10-hour flight. On the way home, I had an aisle seat. Though the experience was better, I would recommend not choosing an aisle seat that's too close to the bathroom, as I did, since a line winds up forming next to you and people may lean on or knock into your chair. I didn't pack a sleep aid or melatonin to help me fall asleep. I wound up buying a French brand of melatonin that I found in a pharmacy abroad called C'Zen for the flight back. Kirsten Acuna/Insider My biggest regret was not thinking ahead to purchase a sleep aid. My flight left at 1:15 p.m. PT on Wednesday, July 6, and was set to land in Paris at 9:05 a.m. local time. However, the 10-hour flight would make my brain believe it was closer to 11:05 p.m. the night before. With a big Thursday ahead of me, I knew I could really use some rest. Unfortunately, I couldn't fall asleep at all on the flight there, in part because I was so excited about this trip. While I don't like taking melatonin often, this would've been helpful to help my body adjust to the massive time difference. I made sure to acquire some in France for my journey home and was able to sleep for the majority of that flight. Story continues I didn't realize the wine offered on Air France was free. You get a decent-sized wine bottle on Air France. Kirsten Acuna/Insider Unless you're sitting in first class, you usually have to pay for alcohol. When I saw my neighbor ask for wine and didn't see any payment, I wondered if I was missing out on a perk I didn't know about. (I was.) I was shocked to learn after my flight that Air France offers alcoholic drinks free of charge on long-haul flights to all classes. I regretted not asking for a bottle of red because it may have helped me fall asleep. I made sure to make use of this perk on the way home. I failed to make sure a few audiobooks and music playlists were downloaded to my devices before arriving at the airport. I really messed up. Kirsten Acuna/Insider I was pretty excited to listen to summer playlists from my friend and brother, but I failed to make sure the music on my iPhone was available offline. While I successfully downloaded a few shows to my iPad, I also had a technical issue when trying to start up an audiobook. This was a real rookie mistake on my part. I wore cool, fun, and uncomfortable shoes on the flight instead of ones that provided comfort. I failed to change out of my uncomfortable, but cool-looking, Vans for my comfy sandals before boarding. This was another rookie mistake. Kirsten Acuna/Insider Generally, I wear really comfortable sneakers or flip-flops while traveling on planes. However, I wanted to have a cool pair of Mickey Mouse shoes with me to wear to Disneyland. They're a bit bulky and I didn't want to risk putting them in my checked luggage in case my bag got lost, so I decided to wear them through security. I figured I could change into my yoga-padded Sanuk sandals on the plane if the original shoes became uncomfortable. Wrong. I forgot how tough it is to get your feet out of laced-up Vans. After taking my seat on the plane, I painfully realized there was no way I was going to be able to contort my body to maneuver out of these shoes without elbowing the person next to me. I should've set time aside to change out of my shoes once I got through security. I decided to own my mistake and leave my shoes on without causing a scene. I brought my own blanket and didn't even need it. Having never traveled internationally, I wasn't expecting to be treated to a pillow and a blanket in economy on Air France. They rocked. Kirsten Acuna/Insider I had never flown internationally so I always assumed blankets and pillows were things you only received if you sat in first class. As a result, I packed a thin blanket in my backpack in case I got cold. I was blown away when I first got to my seat and saw that Air France provided everyone on board with pillows, blankets, and free headphones to use things that are usually reserved for first class on domestic flights. I didn't wind up using the blanket because I never got chilly, but if I realized Air France had these amenities, I wouldn't have brought my own blanket and saved some space in my bag. I shouldn't have brought an unfinished coffee onboard because there wasn't a holder large enough for the cup. I was dumbfounded that this was the size of the cup holder at my seat. It wasn't large enough to hold anything really. Kirsten Acuna/Insider I instantly regretted this decision when I arrived at my seat and realized I wasn't going to have a cup holder large enough to hold my beverage. As a slow drinker who never wound up finishing the coffee, I had to hold it in between my legs for most of the flight. I should've changed the moment I got off the plane instead of racing over to border control in France. I went over to Disneyland Paris in the clothes I wore on the plane. At least they were Disney-themed. Kirsten Acuna/Insider By the time I got off the plane in Paris, I had been in the same outfit for over 15 hours. I had a change of clothes in my carry-on duffel bag but decided to head straight for border patrol after going to the bathroom because the line was fairly long. I figured I could change once I arrived at my hotel. Unfortunately, my check-in wasn't for a few hours. The moment I arrived, before I realized what was happening, my bags were taken to the luggage storage to be dropped in my room later. I was finally able to change Thursday evening about 27 hours or so later when I got back to the hotel. Though I had a good day, I felt a bit gross being in the same clothes for so long. Read the original article on Insider Jennifer Lopez Brings the Heat and Side Boob in a New Sizzling Swimsuit Photo "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below." Jennifer Lopez is soaking up every last minute of summerand doing it in style. The multi-hyphenate star put on a sizzling display while lounging poolside in Capri, Italy, yesterday. Paparazzi photos captured Lopez leaning on a lounge chair while wearing a sunny marigold one-piece that featured a scoop neckline, a high leg cut, andmost notablya generous amount of side boob. She channeled the '70s with her funky accessories, wearing a multicolored diagonally striped headscarf, dark purple-tinted oversized sunglasses, and chunky gold hoops. Photo credit: BACKGRID Later, while posing for a photo shoot on a striped beach towel, J.Lo swapped her yellow one-piece for an ivory swimsuit. The piece hails from Danielle Bernstein's New Yorkbased label, WeWoreWhat, and features a detachable belt, underwire cups, and spaghetti straps. Lopez made the poolside ensemble look extra luxe via some bling, opting for layers of flashy gold bangles and bracelets, plus a pair of rectangular sunglasses with double gold wiry frames. Photo credit: BACKGRID The Hustlers star has been bringing the heat with her seemingly never-ending stream of glamorous European holiday looks as of late. While honeymooning with husband Ben Affleck in Paris last month, Lopez dazzled in outfits that ranged from classic and timeless to spunky and fun. On several occasions, she was seen wearing floral sundressesone day a corseted Reformation piece and another a frilly pleated Gucci gown. Though Bennifer's romantic honeymoon has since ended, Lopez has continued her stylish streak in Italy, where she recently returned to work to perform for a UNICEF charity gala (and wore another floral dress). You Might Also Like Mido poses with three of her children inside the small shelter they now call home (WFP/Samantha Reinders) They buried five-year-old Mohamed in a shallow grave, in a place unknown, where his family had briefly stopped to rest. We had no food, no water, and he was malnourished and exhausted and he didnt survive, says his mother, Mido. With four other children to care for and many days of travel ahead, the 25-year-old said a short goodbye and carried on walking. Eventually, the young family made it to the Kabasa camp in Dolow, a town on the banks of the Dawa river, along the border of Somalia and Ethiopia. I meet Mido and her 12-month-old daughter, Fatun, at a health centre funded by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), about 10 days after their arrival there. Her feet are finally starting to heal from the month-long journey, but her grief is raw. Like her children, she is thin and hungry. Mido holds her daughter Fatun in the waiting area of the clinic (WFP/Samantha Reinders) Mido holds Fatun while her mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is measured. Fatunas MUAC measurement confirms that she is suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (WFP/Samantha Reinders) We left our home because we had nothing left we just had drought and hunger, says Mido. We were pastoralists and had cattle and camels, but we lost all our livestock and when our final animals died that was it. There was no water, no food for my children, no way to get money. Mido holds Fatun, inside the small shelter they now call home in an internally displaced people (IDP) camp in Kabasa (WFP/Samantha Reinders) In the days that follow, I talk to other women. Ambiyo, Ayan and Dahera all tell versions of the same story of hunger and years of relentless drought dwindling resources, dying and dead livestock, no rain, no food. They each recount long journeys, walking day and night, carrying and cajoling small children to keep them moving in search of refuge. Sparse sips of dirty water, worried that waterborne diseases will take their children if the thirst and hunger do not. Or worse: that if they stop walking, armed men will take them all. All of the women tell me that they feel safer here in Dolow but they need more help because cant I see that the rains have not arrived? Mashallah, two, is held by his mother Dahera while his MUAC is measured and he is assessed for malnutrition (WFP/Samantha Reinders) Drought drives the threat of famine The drought is most visible from the air. Rivers and tributaries that should be flowing stretch out across the landscape, cracked and grey. Im visiting in what should be a rainy season, but no rain falls. Even if it did, it would be too little, too late. Story continues The patterns of rain in this part of the world mean that traditionally there are two growing seasons each year; and every few years or so communities brace for, and can cope with, drought. In times of scarcity, families would stockpile food or sell off prized livestock to provide a financial buffer to buy food and water. Things would be lean, but theyd be able to cope until the rains came again. Kabasa IDP camp (WFP/Samantha Reinders) Increasingly, however, the rains arent falling. When they do, theyre inconsistent and short. Scorching temperatures are pummelling the region on a more frequent basis. Since 2008 there has been a drought every single year; 2011s led to widespread famine across the Horn of Africa. Now, the risk of famine looms over Somalia again. In the past few weeks, we have seen malnutrition rates triple, says Jama Mohamud Ahmed, a WFP programme policy officer in Dolow. These families have now lived with drought for years, and women and children are walking 200-300 kilometres to come here because they know they can get support. When they get here, they need immediate life-saving assistance, but we dont have the resources we need to assist all those at risk. And both the drought and the ongoing insecurity will mean that more and more people will continue to arrive in need of our help. Internally displaced people near their makeshift tents at the Kabasa IDP camp (WFP/Samantha Reinders) In recent months, WFP has been drastically scaling up the life-saving food and nutrition assistance that it provides in Somalia, racing against time to avert another famine. With the support of donors and partners, were now reaching more people than ever before in the country with desperately needed relief: more than 3.5 million people in June alone. But as the devastating drought continues, the numbers of hungry people keep growing. More than 7 million people face critical food insecurity. And while we are working to scale up even further, aiming to get food and nutrition support to almost 5 million Somalis in the coming weeks, there is no immediate end in sight to the crisis. Early forecasts for the next rainy season are dismal. Fatun plays with a bag of WFP supplied super cereal inside the small shelter (WFP/Samantha Reinders) WFP needs sustained resources, close to $300m over the next six months, to avoid the worst outcomes of the drought and to continue our investments in longer-term livelihoods, food systems and resilience projects that will enable Somalis to better cope with climate crises. Conflict compounds the crisis The day we arrive in Dolow there is a red alert, which means that UN workers are at an increased risk of attack or kidnapping. At WFP were familiar with working in fragile contexts but the alert is a reminder of how difficult the situation is here conflict is compounding the climate crisis in Somalia and impacting our ability to reach those most in need. Dolow has been shaped by successive influxes of people fleeing conflict, drought or, more often, a combination of both. Families are drawn by the relative safety and access to assistance that humanitarian organisations cannot provide in other parts of the country. Baby Mushtaq is comforted by her mother Ayan at the WFP-funded Kabasa health centre. She is there to have her MUAC measured, as well as her height and weight recorded in order to assess her malnutrition status (WFP/Samantha Reinders) We came here as we heard we would get some help, explains 24-year-old Ayan. We left our home because there was no water and our livestock had died. She adds that Al-Shabaab, one of a number of armed non-state groups driving conflict in Somalia, made the familys problems worse: They were attacking us day by day and we lived in fear of them. While families like Ayans are fleeing direct insecurity within Somalia, they are also indirectly impacted by a conflict that is raging thousands of kilometres away. The war in Ukraine is causing a ripple effect that is compounding a global food crisis, further driving up food prices that were already soaring because of drought and pushing more families to the precipice of starvation. WFP estimates that more than 880,000 people are struggling for survival as they endure catastrophic hunger in Somalia, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen. Ayan waits with her daughter Mushtaq at the Kabasa health centre (WFP/Samantha Reinders) These terrible conditions impact the most vulnerable first. Ayans 18-month-old daughter, Mushtaq, was so severely malnourished when they arrived in Dolow that she weighed just 6.7kg. Four months pregnant, Ayan was barely clinging to life. Today WFP is supporting them both with nutritional therapy and fortified cereals and prioritising others, like them, who are most at risk. Yet even then, the help we can offer sometimes comes too late. Baby Abdi is held by his mother Ambiyo at the Kabasa health centre (WFP/Samantha Reinders) Abdi eats nutritional peanut paste, given to him by his mother (WFP/Samantha Reinders) I meet 24-year-old Ambiyo in the health centre where her youngest child, Abdi, is receiving therapeutic treatment for malnutrition. The drought killed everything. Al-Shabaab used to target our village as well, so it wasnt safe where we lived. It took us about a month to get to Dolow. We had to make the kids walk and it is a hard journey we would rest only when we had to. Fudosa [aged three] was seriously ill very malnourished and sick from the dirty water she died when we got here. They buried Fudosa in a small grave, on the outskirts of the camp in this place where they finally found safety. Kirsty McFadden is head of creative at the World Food Programme. Learn more about the World Food Programme here Left to right, Barstow College students Alia Allen and Angel Armenta, with BCC Adjunct Professor Joshua ONeal, and Exquadrum President and Co-founder Eric Schmidt, Barstow Community College has been selected out of 10 community colleges to participate in the California Advanced Defense Ecosystems & National Consortia Effort. CADENCE is a part of a larger statewide project aimed to help seek a qualified workforce to assist with Department of Defense projects by focusing on local Career & Technical Education and economic growth in their local community. Funding for the CADENCE project comes from a $275,000 grant received by The Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies. "The CADENCE Project signals the start of a defense manufacturing movement for Barstow Community College, said Dean of Instruction, Workforce & Economic Development Dr. Crystal Nasio. Our hope is that BCC will be seen as the premier training center for outstanding tradespeople. We are looking forward to future growth." The grant funds will allow CACT to provide experiential learning opportunities for college faculty externships at identified California defense supply chain or manufacturing companies. CACT will also create experiential learning opportunities for California Community College students through student internships at identified California defense supply chain or manufacturing companies thereby building a pipeline of workforce talent for future employment in the industry. Barstow College, in partnership with Victorville-based Exquadrum, has developed two of these internship positions. The opportunity will provide college students with workforce experience and skills in engineering and the aerospace industry. These unique internship opportunities will help students learn and evolve in the ever-changing manufacturing, research, and fabrication environments, as well as the skills needed in the High Desert, BCC officials said. Two BCC students, Alia Allen and Angel Armenta, enrolled in the Industrial Maintenance program at the College, were selected for the pilot internship with Exquadrum. Education is the single biggest means by which to elevate our community and bring prosperity to our family and friends, said Eric Schmidt, the president and co-founder of Exquadrum. Story continues Barstow Colleges Adjunct Professor of Welding and Industrial Maintenance Joshua ONeal, who has been alongside these students during the project, said he is fascinated by the work being done at Exquadrum and sees the value in this opportunity for his students. Learning a trade requires precise attention to detail, manual dexterity, ability to work in temperature extreme environments, ability to work in difficult positions for extended periods of time, ability to operate multiple hand and power tools proficiently, identify construction materials, read blueprints, read electrical schematics, and read hydraulic schematics," ONeal said. He added that one must have good communication skills, both written and verbal, and most importantly have a safety-oriented, team player attitude at all times. These attributes have been demonstrated by Barstow Community College students, ONeal said. BCC officials said thanks to community partnerships with companies like Exquadrum, its students are turning their CTE skills and education into full-time employment and are hitting the ground running in their new career paths in the High Desert. Exquadrum Exquadrum oversees a wide range of projects and has previously contracted with private firms and government agencies, including the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of Defenses Missile Defense Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Schmidt said. For example, Exquadrums $15.1 million contract with DARPA included a 2020 successful completion of a second and final hot-fire test of a new rocket being developed for the DARPA Operational Fires advanced hypersonic weapon system mission, the Daily Press reported. The rocket propulsion system for DARPA was tested in 2020 at Exquadrums FORGE Rocket Test Facility at the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville. For more information about internship experiences or workforce opportunities through BCCs CTE Workforce Development Programs, visit barstow.edu/departments/career-technical-education-cte. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz. This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Barstow College selected to participate in technical education program Johnny Depp arrives in court on Monday, May 16, 2022. STEVE HELBER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images The City University of New York wrote a profile of an alumna on Johnny Depp's legal team. CUNY removed the post after receiving criticism from students and faculty. "This a gross mistake & an embarrassing moment for CUNY," a professor tweeted Friday. New York's public university system posted an article on their website praising an alumna of the school for being on Johnny Depp's legal team but after receiving backlash from students and faculty, the university removed the article. The Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial was at the forefront of pop culture consciousness for weeks earlier this summer sparking headlines and debates on domestic violence. An associate chair and professor at the City University of New York, Amy Hsin, critiqued the article on Twitter, calling the trial "nothing short" of a multimillion-dollar "campaign to humiliate a victim of domestic abuse." "If a @CUNY alumnus worked on the legal defense team of Harvey Weinstein, convicted serial rapist, or Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex trafficker, would @CUNY celebrate it in an email blast calling the case 'hot'? This a gross mistake & an embarrassing moment for CUNY," she tweeted Friday. The graduate who was the subject of the original article, Yarelyn Mena, talked about working on the team and living "in a bubble" throughout the trial, according to The Daily Mail. "We understand the strong negative emotions this article elicited and apologize for publishing the item," the school wrote in an August 3 statement. "The article was not meant to convey support for Mr. Depp, implicitly or otherwise, or to call into question any allegations that were made by Amber Heard." It's unclear how long the article was posted prior to its removal. CUNY declined to provide further comment. Hsin and Mena did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Three people were killed in a lightning strike in Lafayette Park near the White House. (Associated Press) A 29-year-old Los Angeles bank executive was one of three people killed when lightning struck Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., across the street from the White House. Brooks Lambertson, a vice president for City National Bank, was in the nation's capital on business when he was struck by lightning Thursday night. A Wisconsin couple celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary were also struck. Lambertson managed sponsorships for the bank for the last three years and previously worked in marketing for the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a statement from the bank. He attended high school in Folsom in Northern California before graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he majored in recreation, parks and tourism administration, with a concentration in sports management. "Brooks was an incredible young man who will be remembered for his generosity, kindness and unwavering positivity," the bank's statement said. "His sudden loss is devastating for all who knew him, and his family, friends and colleagues appreciate the thoughts and prayers that have poured in from around the country." Representatives of the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police witnessed the lightning strike about 7 p.m. Thursday in the park, which is just across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. They administered first aid before the victims were rushed to a hospital. The White House issued a statement of condolences to the victims' families. The Wisconsin couple James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75 had five children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, according to their niece. Donna Mueller was a retired teacher and her husband a retired contractor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. In 2016, Norway instituted a policy meant to curb student absences in high school. Students who missed more than 10% of instructional hours in any given subject would not receive a final grade in the course, effectively flunking it. Despite heavy pushback from students, the change had its intended effect. The new rule reduced overall absences by 20-28%, according to a working paper published in July by the National Bureau of Economic Research. There is a quite substantial impact on absenteeism, explained co-author Nina Drange, an economist at the Frisch Centre and Statistics Norway. These students do indeed reduce their absences. Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter. Donate here to support The 74's independent journalism. Whats more, it became much rarer for students to miss school days en masse. Some 29-39% fewer Norway high schoolers were what researchers call chronically absent, missing more than 10% of all school days. Chronic absenteeism remains one of the pandemics most serious consequences for U.S. schools. In Norway, the policy change produced a sharp drop, Drange observed. Drange and her colleagues were able to document the policys impact by comparing Norway high schools students in 11th-13th grade, who faced the strict consequence of missing multiple classes, with 10th graders who did not. That ruled out the possibility that observed changes between the two groups were caused by other factors. Absences among the older students saw a steep decline while the 10th graders rate held mostly steady. Absences among high school students dropped sharply from 2016 to 2017, while 10th grade rates held mostly steady. (NBER) Experts highlight the risk of chronic absenteeism and the 10% absence threshold because it can predict reading difficulties by third grade, failure to earn a diploma in high school and higher risk of juvenile delinquency later in life. Now, with the American education system still reeling from the pandemic, many school leaders are concerned with the amount of instructional days their students are missing. Rates of chronic absenteeism have skyrocketed nationwide, hitting 40% in the nations two largest school systems, New York City and Los Angeles. Story continues We believe that chronic absences doubled across the country, maybe more since COVID struck, said Hedy Chang, who closely follows the issue as executive director of Attendance Works. She estimates the issue affected 16% of students nationwide before the pandemic and now affects over 30%. Missing school has escalated into a full-scale crisis, a June report from her organization said. Those increases came partly because students were forced to miss class for quarantine. But also because of social factors, such as youth needing to pick up jobs to support their families, having spotty internet connections during remote learning or being fearful of catching the virus at school. Those are underlying conditions the Norway rule cant solve, Chang points out. The policy itself doesnt address root causes, she told The 74. The Norwegian government supports unemployed families to a greater degree than the U.S., added Drange. If students were missing class because they had to pick up jobs to financially support loved ones, I guess we wouldnt see these huge effects from the no-grade policy, she said. Further, Chang worries that penalizing students who miss a higher share of school would disproportionately affect youth who already face severe disadvantages, putting them even further behind. Im concerned that the grading approach will exacerbate existing inequalities, she said. The Gini index, which measures inequality on a scale of zero to 100, with 100 being most unequal, rates the United States a 41.5 and Norway a 27.7, indicating that students in the Scandinavian state may begin from a more level playing field than American youth. Furthermore, obtaining a doctors note to explain an absence due to illness, an exception to the no-grade rule in Norway, could pose a greater challenge in the U.S., where universal health insurance does not exist, the Attendance Works executive director pointed out. Through much of COVID, Norway suspended its no-grade policy, said Drange. Though the very youngest students in the country went back to in-person learning after less than a two-month shutdown, localities took varying approaches for older students. Even when the no-grade policy was in effect, Dranges research indicates that the rule had a modest positive effect on teacher-awarded grades, but little impact on externally graded end-of-year assessments a disappointment for those who hoped stronger attendance would automatically spell increases in achievement. In the U.S., with poverty-related issues and mental health posing a key barrier to school attendance, Chang says education leaders should use the 10% absence threshold to identify which students might need extra support not to punish them as truant. If youre experiencing bullying, if youre experiencing lack of access to health care, if youre experiencing unreliable housing situations, those conditions are affecting your learning, in addition to causing you to not show up to school, she said. Could [schools] create options so kids have another way of making up the time? Related: Sign up for The 74s newsletter The poor performance of Russias armed forces during its invasion of Ukraine appears to have led to a shakeup in command, the British Defense Ministry said Sunday. Gen. Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dvornikov, who had been charged with overall command of the operation in Ukraine, was removed from his post last week, the ministry said. General-Colonel Aleksandr Zhuravlev, who had commanded Russia's Western Military District since 2018, was absent from Russias Navy Day in St Petersburg a week ago and has likely been replaced, the ministry said in its assessment of the war. Another general was relieved of command of Southern Grouping Forces, the ministry said. "These dismissals are compounded by at least 10 Russian Generals killed on the battlefield in Ukraine," the assessment said. "The cumulative effect on consistency of command is likely contributing to Russian tactical and operational difficulties." USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM: Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates Latest developments: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his three-nation tour of Africa on Sunday in South Africa, one of several countries in the continent that have remained neutral regarding Russia's war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron have also visited Africa, seeking to gain support for their positions on the war. Five civilians have been killed in recent Russian and separatist attacks on cities in the Donetsk region, the part of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, regional governor Serhiy Haidai reported. The city of Mykolaiv, an important shipbuilding center close to Ukraine's largest port in Odesa, is now facing daily Russian bombardments, local officials say. The Russian invasion that started Feb. 24 is about to enter a new phase in which the fighting would shift west and south along a 217-mile line that extends from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson, Britain's Defense Ministry said. Story continues Senators press Biden to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism One prominent senator from each party is pushing the Biden administration to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over its invasion of Ukraine, and they're jointly taking their case to the airwaves. Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both with more than a decade in the Senate, told CNN on Sunday that if President Joe Biden doesn't get behind the designation, they would work toward getting Congress to pass a bill issuing one. Typically such designations are made by the State Department. I hope the president will decide to adopt this stance voluntarily, and he hasnt taken it off the table,'' Blumenthal said. Graham, who served in the Senate with Biden, was more pointed in trying to coax the president to put more pressure on Russia by adding it to the USA's current list of state sponsors of terrorism, which includes Iran, North Korea, Syria and Cuba. Inclusion on the list would trigger four categories of sanctions. "Whether or not we have to do legislation to make it happen were willing to,'' Graham said. "I am urging the administration to act now. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who has called the notion of designating her country a sponsor of terrorism "idiotic'' and "naive,'' threatened a break in diplomatic relations between the countries if the U.S. made such a decision. "Washington risks finally crossing the point of no return with all the ensuing consequences,'' she said last week. "This should be well understood in Washington." Six more grain shipments roll out of Ukraine ports Six more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine have received authorization to leave the countrys Black Sea ports, carrying more than 236,000 tons of grain. The body overseeing an international deal intended to get 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine to feed people in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia said the loaded vessels were cleared to depart Sunday. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations agreed last month to create a sea corridor that would allow cargo ships to travel safely from Ukraine's southern coast. The process has moved slowly, and the ship that left Ukraine last Monday with great fanfare as the first under the deal had its scheduled arrival in Lebanon delayed Sunday, Lebanese officials said. The reason was not immediately clear. The shipments are considered a hopeful first step but far from the solution to a global food crisis that has been exacerbated by the war. Ukraine nuclear plant under Russian fire Ukraines nuclear power plant operator, Energoatom, reported that Europe's largest nuclear power plant, located in southeast Ukraine, came under Russian fire late Saturday. Shelling at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station damaged three radiation monitors and injured one worker. Russia blamed the bombing on Ukraine. Russian forces have occupied the station for months. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recently said he was worried the way the plant was being run and the fighting taking place around it posed grave health and environmental threats. Every principle of nuclear safety has been violated at the plant, said Grossi, who released a statement Saturday saying no significant damage was done by the attack. The Star Helena grain carrier, center, makes its way from the port in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. Ukraine's Amnesty International leader resigns in protest The head of Ukraine's Amnesty International chapter has resigned after the human rights organization released a report claiming Ukrainian forces put civilians in harm's way by basing themselves in populated areas. In a Facebook post, Oksana Pokalchuk accused Amnesty International of failing to recognize the realities of war in Ukraine and ignoring the advice of staff members, who urged the group to revise its report. The report, which drew the ire of top Ukrainian officials and Western scholars of international and military law, alleged that Ukrainian forces violated international humanitarian laws by setting up bases and operating weapons systems in schools, hospitals and other populated areas. Pokalchuk claimed that Ukraine's Defense Ministry was not given adequate time to respond to the findings, calling the report a "tool of Russian propaganda." Russian forces have defended attacks in civilian areas by suggesting that Ukrainian fighters set up firing positions at the targeted locations. Contributing: Ella Lee, USA TODAY; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine live updates: 3 Russian generals sacked as military struggles About 80 miles east of the Linn County Courthouse, an expanse of blue-green trees gives way to jagged Cascade peaks that burst clouds, channel rivers and form the crown of a could-be national monument. Everything below, hundreds of thousands of acres of mostly Douglas fir, which, depending on whom you ask, is potential fire fuel, timber or heritage recreational space. The proposed Douglas-fir National Monument is back up for discussion now that President Donald Trump is out of office, and it could soon reach President Joe Bidens desk for signature under the Antiquities Act of 1906. Linn Countys elected leadership isn't happy about that. Officials are seeking intervention from Oregons U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Rep. Peter DeFazio. On the other side, advocates hope the White House will hear their pleas that formal protections for Douglas fir are long overdue. Both sides say theyre in the right. Neither is talking to the other. Its scary Their timber cold war started in 2015, when a coalition of environmental activists sought to blanket much of the Willamette National Forest in formal protections for old-growth trees. The more than 530,000-acre swath of land, which includes parts of Linn, Marion and Jefferson counties, would be the largest national monument in Oregon. Douglas-fir would be the 14th largest of the nations nearly 130 monuments. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. Critics fear the monument would dictate how private timber growers can use their land or cut down their trees. But David Stone, president of Friends of Douglas-fir National Monument and one of the leading proponents, said monument rules would not apply to private landowners within the space, otherwise known as inholdings. Still, the county has its doubts. Its scary that people who dont live in the area are the ones who are out there proposing this monument, Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker said. The Douglas-fir National Monument would sit mostly on the Willamette National Forest in the Cascade foothills. But those petitioning first Trump and now Biden seek to cover a patchwork set of wilderness areas, federally managed land and some 44,000 acres of private forests. A Springfield-based nonprofit has pushed to establish Douglas-fir National Monument, taking aim at raising the prestige of its namesake tree. The arguments go like this: One side, the monument proponents, say Mature Douglas fir stabilizes soil, shades streams, scrubs and sequesters carbon from the air and has the potential to act as a balm on a warming climate. The monument also would be a draw for hikers, campers and others who spend money in the mountainous eastern reaches of the Willamette Valley. Meanwhile, federal protections ensure those trees mature, burn, fall as they did before the arrival of European settlers. The other side says private landowners and timber operators already follow stringent logging practices which contain clearcuts to 120 acres, enforce stream buffers, and ensure roads and logging trucks arent loading cool, clear-running water with soil. They know whats best for their land, and the proposed monument would decommission roads potentially used by fire crews and all but ensure conflagrations in its mission to protect old-growth. I dont want to see the possibility of this going through without the county having a chance to weigh in because it puts new additional rules on a substantial portion of Linn County, Tucker said. A different approach But Stone maintains that one cannot, and should not, prevent fire in the backcountry, as it is part of the natural order of a forest. His view is that private land and business owners in the proposed area make it their job to make their buildings fire safe, clearing nearby trees and anything that burns from around those structures. It's a prevention strategy. That's how you deal with fire, Stone said. You make your home, stores and buildings fire safe and they won't burn. Cyndi Anderson, a Brownsville tree advocate, said embracing changing views of land management is part of the succession of forests, too. There is plenty of private timber land. We dont have to mess with public land, Anderson said. Anderson is a leader of a local chapter of Great Old Broads for Wilderness, an activist group that has prioritized preserving mature Douglas firs. Stone belongs to that group, she said, and the local Broads overlap with legal and lobby concerns, such as Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild, in trying to establish protections for mature evergreens. When the monument was first pitched seven years ago under President Barack Obama, it didnt seem realistic, Anderson said. Now, even if Biden chooses to pass on the proposal, she'll dwell on the upside: focusing attention on mature Douglas fir stands a big change from the 1980s, when she said she began advocacy work in Oregons forests. Even to entertain the idea is a big step forward, Anderson said. The Broads saw recent success measuring trees, fish-spawning creek beds, and counting wildlife with Cascadia Wildland. Those surveys informed a Forest Service analysis that led the Sweet Home Ranger District to weigh pros and cons of logging and leave mature forests on the Santiam intact. That felt like just a big win. For the climate, for Willamette National Forest, Anderson said. The groundswell of apparent consideration for mature Douglas fir shows that managing forests for climate, wildlife and water quality can co-exist with private timber interests. Just leave it intact, Anderson said. We need it. History Talks of a Douglas fir national monument began in 2015 by a coalition of environmental groups. At the time, they were eyeing 481,324 acres. Seven years later, the total acreage has risen to more than 530,000 and includes land that abuts the Warm Springs Reservation. The proposed monument would include all of the Middle Santiam and Menagerie Wilderness areas, Quartzville Creek Wild and Scenic River and a portion of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Then in 2016 with Donald Trumps ascension, the proposal screeched to a halt. The Antiquities Act authorizes the president to proclaim national monuments on federal lands that contain historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, or other objects of historic or scientific interest. While more uncommon, a national monument also can be established by an Act of Congress. With Biden in office, the proposal has gained momentum once again. On April 22 Earth Day the president launched the America the Beautiful Initiative, which supports his goal to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Within a week of this announcement, The Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks named the Douglas-fir proposal and five others in a letter to Biden, urging him to declare them all national monuments. The monuments supporters havent heard back from the president, although Tucker claims a Washington, D.C. lobbyist whom he prefers not to name informed him that the proposal could soon be up for discussion. In response, Tucker and his two colleagues on the Board of Commissioners, Sherrie Sprenger and Roger Nyquist, penned a letter to DeFazio, Merkley and Wyden, asking them to stop the proposed monument. Tucker said he plans to write another directly to the president. This is not the first letter Tucker has written to stop the monument. He sent one by himself a few years ago. He never heard back. Wyden declined to comment on this story, according to staff. Merkley communications staff responded in an email, indicating no information would be available before deadline. A ranking DeFazio staffer took a phone call requesting information but did not respond before deadline. I know my writing is falling on deaf ears, Tucker said. All Im asking for is five seconds. This proposal takes forest management in the wrong direction. Lack of input Although the proposed monument shares a border with the Warm Springs Reservation, neither the proponents nor the opponents have spoken directly with tribal leaders to ask their opinion. Stone said he was able to reach the tribe one time, but representatives said they were too busy to get involved with the campaign and ultimately did not give their input one way or the other. I've reached out to them a number of times, and they say its a nice proposal, not knowing much about it. So I'm not implying they endorse it, he said. We don't have evidence of active use (of the proposed land) currently. Tucker said that while he has not yet contacted the tribe, he is confident that its members will be equally as concerned. I think they feel that the rules and regulations placed on their tribal lands have been changed without their involvement, Tucker said. When you take more lands and place more rules on them, the tribe's trust of the government is low for exactly this reason. Combating climate change Both sides of the Douglas-fir debate disagree with the others way of combating climate change. Those who are against the monument believe logging is an essential part of maintaining a forest. The management of timber to sequester carbon, Tucker said, is one of the most important things that needs to be done, in addition to planting new trees. The vast majority of timber sales in Linn County are from private lands, a yearly average 237,384 million board feet of timber compared to 34,703 million from public lands. Private sales generally increased between 2010 and 2019, logging 263,284 million board feet in the most recent year of data. As we are watching these fires burn, it just makes me want to cry because had that timber been cleaned up, the fuel wouldnt have been there as much as it did, Tucker said. Stone, however, said a forest fire is either the beginning of a new forest or the continuation of a current forest. In his view, fire is a natural disturbance that is beneficial to fish and wildlife, and logging after a fire removes essential wood mass needed for the forest to recover. Tucker also mentioned that Douglas firs do not need protection; in fact, they grow so abundantly he has some in his own yard. To call it a Douglas fir monument just shocks me, Tucker said. Cascade-Siskiyou litigation Linn County is currently involved in a lawsuit with the U.S. government regarding the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, located in Southwest Oregon and Northern California. President Bill Clinton in 2000 declared the range a national monument. In 2017, Obama expanded the monument by 48,000 acres. Many industry groups, including Linn County, believe this expansion violated the Oregon and California Revested Lands Act of 1937, which requires forest maintenance for 2.4 million acres of forestland across 18 counties in Western Oregon. The county lost, appealed, then won, and the decision was once again appealed. The Department of Justice in February 2020 put both sets of litigation on hold until the DC District Court issues its final order on cases related to the Bureau of Land Managements resource management plans. Lack of communication The Linn County Commissioners and Friends of Douglas-fir National Monument have never spoken directly about the proposal. Stone, who lives in Springfield, said hes interested in working with the people of Linn County to better understand their needs, and hes not trying to shut out their voices. You can't just go into a rural county and just ignore what's important to them and expect to succeed, he said. He referenced the economic impact study posted on his website, www.douglasfirnationalmonument.org, which finds Western rural communities with national monuments do better economically than adjacent counties without national monuments. Its obvious. If you drive through downtown Sweet Home, he said, there's all those boarded-up stores. You get to see the suffering that happens in a rural county in the West that doesn't have protected land. Stone said he is confident that the proposed monument will be established, as hes been in contact with Wyden, Merkley and DeFazio for several years about it. As we see, climate change is wrecking everything we hold dear, Stone said. Protection of the land is real important; it's real urgent right now. Related articles: Ashleigh Buhai celebrates her winning putt on the fourth play-off hole (Getty Images) Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africas Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the 6million AIG Womens Open. Els had to come through a four-man, five-hole play-off to claim his third major title in 2002 and Buhai required four extra holes to win her first by beating South Koreas In Gee Chun after giving up two seemingly commanding leads. Five shots clear heading into the final round, Buhai was still three ahead with four holes to play, only to run up a triple-bogey seven on the 15th after finding sand off the tee and splashing out sideways into heavy rough. That dropped the 33-year-old into a tie for the lead with Chun, the three-time major winner then completing a closing 70 in the group ahead to set the clubhouse target on 10 under. After her birdie putt on the par-five 17th caught the edge of the hole and stayed out, Buhai had to hole from four feet on the last to force a play-off after charging her long birdie attempt past the hole. The players returned to the 18th for extra holes and Chun brilliantly saved par from a greenside bunker to keep her hopes alive, with Buhai two-putting from long range. Both players missed the green on the second extra hole and hit poor third shots before Chun inexplicably charged her par putt eight feet past the hole, but the 27-year-old recovered her composure to salvage a bogey after Buhais long par attempt came up short. Despite the fading light and dropping temperature, Chun and Buhai both hit superb shots into the green on the third extra hole, but neither was able to convert. It was debatable whether a fifth extra hole would have been possible if required, but Buhai finally settled the outcome in style with a brilliant bunker shot setting up a tap-in par which Chun - who had found sand off the tee - was unable to match. Former champion Hinako Shibuno finished a shot outside the play-off after a final round of 71. Republican South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds on Sunday labeled the impending passage of a Democratic tax, climate and health bill as a "boondoggle" for the country. Rounds was responding to ABC "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos, who asked him in an exclusive interview immediately after Delaware Democrat Chris Coons appeared: "We just heard Sen. Coons say that this bill is going to be a boon to consumers, a boon for the economy. Your response?" Rounds pushed back on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a proposal Democrats said would reduce the deficit, support clean energy and lower drug costs, in part by increasing corporate taxes. "It's not going to do much to help inflation, we're still gonna have a problem there," Rounds told Stephanopoulos. MORE: Democrats advance the Inflation Reduction Act, setting up Senate 'vote-a-rama' He also disagreed with a congressional Joint Committee on Taxation analysis showing that the bill would not raise taxes, increase spending over the long term or put an additional tax burden on families making less than $400,000. He contended that Americans would be impacted as broader costs are levied on the economy and corporations raise prices. "We will see those tax increases coming down the line and Americans are gonna feel it," Rounds said. "The bottom line on this is that what they're really trying to do is to take dollars in and then redistribute it back out to the places that they think it should be done This is not the time to be experimenting in that area." PHOTO: Sen. Mike Rounds speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget in Washington, April 26, 2022. (Al Drago/AP, FILE) One key provision of the IRA would allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices on some prescription drugs, with a proposition to cap out-of-pocket spending at $2,000. Rounds cast Medicare's potential negotiating power another way. "First of all, it doesn't start for four years. And second of all, once it does start, what do you think the drug companies are going to be doing when they start being dictated to?" he told Stephanopoulos. "This is not healthy, it's not good and it will cause problems in the marketplace." Story continues Stephanopoulos followed up on Rounds' concerns of a recession, pointing to the latest report from the Labor Department that U.S. employers added an unexpectedly robust 528,000 jobs in July as the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5%. That is the lowest in the last 50 years. But Rounds insisted he and other Republicans had reservations. MORE: What's in the Senate Democrats' landmark 'Inflation Reduction Act'? "What you're actually seeing, we believe, might be a precursor to what's to come. You're going to find out the larger companies such as Walmart are talking about starting to reduce the number of people that they're going to be employing," he said. "So while it's good and we want to see job growth, I don't think we can necessarily say that that is not a precursor yet to probably some more serious economic issues coming very shortly," he said. With the midterm elections only months away, Rounds said his focus was on 2022 -- not on 2024, as Stephanopoulos raised the possibility of former President Donald Trump running again for the White House. Nonetheless, Rounds said he expected a "wide open field" in the next Republican presidential primary. "Let's see who else is coming up," he said. PHOTO: A general view of the U.S. Capitol Dome, in Washington, D.C., July 6, 2022. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via AP, FILE) "You want [Trump] to wait until after the midterms to announce?" Stephanopoulos asked. "Most certainly. I think that would be good, because I think Democrats would like to have him draw attention away from the 2022," Rounds said. "We have to have a good strong showing in the 2022 and then we'll have divided government, but at least we'll be able to slow down some of these rather radical ideas that they're putting out right now." MORE: Biden touts unexpectedly strong jobs report and movement on Senate spending bill Stephanopoulos also asked Rounds for his view on a proposed pro-abortion access amendment in his home state in light of last week's resounding defeat of an anti-abortion amendment in Kansas, another Republican stronghold. "[Abortion access] is back where it should be and that is back to the states, and then we'll let the people and the legislative body decide exactly what they think is the long-term approach. Me personally, I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is wrong," Rounds said. Impending passage of Democrats' climate and tax bill is a 'boondoggle': Mike Rounds originally appeared on abcnews.go.com James W. Pfister The foolish trip of Nancy Pelosi, our speaker of the House of Representatives, to Taiwan recently has raised again the dangerousness of our relationship with the People's Republic of China (herein PRC), a growing nuclear and world power in Asia. My purpose here is to provide a historical description of events that lay at the foundation of the PRCs right to sovereignty over Taiwan. Han Chinese started visiting Taiwan during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 A.D.). The first written account of a visit was 1349. By the 16th century, the early European explorers, the Portuguese, had entered the region and named Taiwan Ilha Formosa (beautiful island). Also, by the 16th century, more Chinese had come to the island, about 100 miles off the Chinese coast. By the 17th century, the Dutch had entered the scene. At first, they were driven away by the Ming, but eventually built Fort Zeelandia, on the southwest coast of the island. In 1626, the Spanish built a settlement on the northeast coast. In 1642, the Dutch defeated the Spanish and drove them out. In 1664, the Ming dynasty was defeated by the Manchu forces. Koxinga was a Ming loyalist. In 1662, after a nine-month siege, Koxinga captured the Dutch fortress Zeelandia. Taiwan then became his base. The Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644-1911) defeated Koxingas progeny in 1683. They ruled part of the island as Taiwan Prefecture. In 1875, the island was divided into two prefectures (north and south). In 1887, Taiwan became the Fokien-Taiwan Province of China. (The above brief history is from Wikipedia, July 30, 2022). Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, 45% of Taiwan was governed by the Qing, while the remainder was lightly populated by Aborigines, a barbaric people. In a population of 2.5 million, 2.3 million were Han Chinese, the remainder were members of various indigenous tribes. (Ibid.). Japan had aggressive motivations toward Taiwan. China lost the Sino-Japanese War. As a result, the Qing transferred sovereignty of Taiwan and Penghi to Japan on April 17, 1895, pursuant to the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Story continues The return of Taiwan to China was a main goal of the Chinese during World War II. The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the United States, and Great Britain on Dec. 1, 1943, stated in part: that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa (Taiwan) and the Pescadores (Penghu), shall be restored to China. The Potsdam Proclamation signed by China, the United States and Great Britain on July 26, 1945, (subsequently adhered to by the Soviet Union) reiterated: The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out. On Aug. 15, 1945, Japan surrendered. The instrument of surrender stated: "Japan hereby accepts the provisions in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, China and Great Britain on July 26, 1945, at Potsdam, and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. On Oct. 25, 1945, the officer accepting the Japanese surrender in Taiwan on behalf of the Chinese government proclaimed that from this day forward Taiwan and Penghui are part of Chinese sovereignty. (Much of the above is from Taiwan History, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in the Republic of Latvia, Aug. 5, 2008). On Oct. 1, 1949, the PRC became the successor government of China. Therefore, the PRC claims sovereignty over all of the Chinese territories, including Taiwan. On Oct. 25, 1971, the United Nations seated the PRC as the government of China, and removed the Republic of China. President Richard Nixon reacted: This went much further than we had expected: We had thought that our greatest problem would be in convincing Taiwan to stay after the P.R.C. had been granted equal status. ("RN, The Memoirs of Richard Nixon," 1978). We would recognize the PRC as the sole government of China during the Carter Administration on Jan. 1, 1979. What is the problem now? Why do we seem to be on the edge of a clash with the PRC? What has the United States done since World War II to interfere with and undermine the PRCs sovereignty over Taiwan? Next time. James W. Pfister, J.D. University of Toledo, Ph.D. University of Michigan (political science), retired after 46 years in the Political Science Department at Eastern Michigan University. He lives at Devils Lake and can be reached at jpfister@emich.edu. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: James Pfister: Origins of Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty In August 2020, with COVID-19 outbreaks proliferating and back to school plans shifting, U.S. tech vendors popped up, promising a solution. They were selling thermal imaging cameras and scanners that they said could screen large groups of students for virus-related fevers in real time. The catch: they didnt work. The Daily Beast has found over 200 school districts nationwide that were persuaded to buy these devices between 2020-21 by a number of companies, spending a combined total of more than $11 million. Internal emails obtained through public record requests show how districts were sold technology by an industry which experts compare to the wild west, and how now in many instances, the scanners sit dormant in schools, gathering dust. In the first two years of the pandemic, Congress passed three COVID relief packages totaling $190 billion in aid for education systems. But schools were given little guidance on how to effectively use the money to keep their students safe. Instead, they frantically bought up whatever technology they were told could keep their doors open. Districts were really in the dark about what to do, said Marguerite Roza, director of Edunomics Lab, a research center at Georgetown University. They were just on the phone, trying to buy buy buy. Companies came out of the woodwork, ready to make a pandemic profit. X.Labs, run by a former fugitive and fraudster wanted in South Africa, and SafeCheck USA, started by two Miami real estate brothers who describe themselves as power agents, convinced schools to spend millions of federal funds on devices. They were far from the only vendors drumming up business. The Gananda Central School District in upstate New York was one of many that bought the COVID sales pitch. Superintendent Shawn Van Scoy told The Daily Beast that in a moment of crisis, the district was desperate to solve a problem. In August 2020, the state had introduced mandatory daily temperature testing to catch fevers associated with the virus. But the district had just three nurses for nearly 1,000 students to perform the job. Story continues Pupils go through a thermal scanner before entering their school in Bucharest, Romania. Andrei Pungovschi Gananda opted for Hikvision cameras sold by Lantek Security & Automation, a New York-based company, installing two each at their high school and elementary school, and one at their middle schoolat a cost of more than $30,000. They also purchased a facial recognition and temperature reader for their transportation department to check employees entering buildings. The devices appeared to be successful, as long as you hadnt caught too much sun in the playground or werent carrying your morning coffee. A few false alarms each day wrote Van Scoy on Oct. 13, 2020, in emails, mostly people coming in after being outside in direct sunlight or carrying hot coffee. The trajectory did not improve. Van Scoy said that in the last school year, the devices only detected two fevers, and he cant recall if they were virus-related. And while a high temperature is a common symptom of COVID-19, you can be infected without one, especially in the first few days. Gananda finally gave up using the scanners in May, as the warmer weather started to cause even more faulty results. Hikvision, a company half-owned by the Chinese state, has been widely condemned for supplying cameras for an intelligence program aimed at tracking and detaining the Uyghur population in China. In May of this year, it was reported that the U.S. was moving towards imposing sanctions on Hikvision for human rights abuses, which would be the first of its kind on a Chinese company. The companyalong with surveillance manufacturer Dahua, another partly Chinese state-owned surveillance manufacturer whose thermal cameras are in U.S. schoolswas banned from use by U.S. federal agencies in 2018 and blacklisted by the Department of Commerce in 2019. Lantek Security & Automation, a New York-based company that pitched the Hikvision devices to Gananda back in July 2020, told the district that the federal pushback was of little concern. The ban is a result of the trade war between the U.S. and China, wrote Peter Luger, the companys Business Development Manager, in an email. Lantek declined to comment. In a statement to The Daily Beast, Hikvision said that the company is focused on selling to distribution partners and integrators, or installation companies, which means that in most instances, the company does not know where our products are ultimately installed. Dahua also said it does not sell directly to end-user customers in the U.S. Yet Hikvision seemed pretty active in making sure the scanners reached Gananda schools. Following Lanteks email, a Hikvision sales manager reiterated that the ban was nothing to worry about. This is an unfortunate result of U.S. China relations, wrote then sales manager Kevin McKay. Hikvision said its devices were designed for the detection of skin-surface temperatures so as to achieve rapid preliminary screening in public areas. Actual core body temperatures should ultimately be further confirmed using clinical measurement devices. Gananda wasnt the only school district that now regrets buying Hikvisions devices. Internal records and conversations that The Daily Beast had with districts show a handful of schools from New York to Wyoming are no longer using the devices, and have put them away in storage. A Hikvision camera inside a public hospital in Valparaiso, Chile. Rodrigo Garrido The Fayette County Public Schools District in north central Georgia spent nearly $500,000 dollars on Hikvision cameras for its 40,000 student populationwhich ended up being used for only a year. In internal emails from earlier this year, Chief Financial Officer Thomas Gray wrote that the camera issue was egg on our faces. According to district emails, while they were in use, the devices were marred by inaccuracies and fierce community backlash. In October 2020 the scanners were producing a lot of false positives, prompting a member of the education board to suggest they should get a refund. In a July 2021 public board meeting parents expressed their dismay. We truly wasted $500,000 of our tax money, Gail Drouillard, a community member, said. Fayette eventually disabled the devices one month later. The school district did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A recent study of the widely used scanners found that that the devices distort the results in a way that can overlook a feverthe main symptom of COVID-19 they promised to catch. Many of the devices use software that manipulates temperature readings to make a feverish person appear well. Even when the devices work, they dont actually work, said Conor Healy, a surveillance expert at IPVM and lead researcher of the study. Its like a random number generator. In a statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration agreed that thermal imaging is not effective at determining if someone has COVID-19 and should not be used to identify/diagnose individuals that have COVID-19. The agency did alert the public about the improper use of thermal devices in March 2021, but this came a little too late. And while it also issued warning letters to more than a dozen companies for improper marketing of fever cameras, many others continued to persuade schools to buy their technology. The global thermal imaging camera market captured all sectors in the fight against the coronavirus. It was valued at $3.16 billion in 2020, and is expected to grow by further $1 billion in the next four years, partly driven by increased use of these cameras for security and surveillance. Albert Cahn, Executive Director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said the U.S. tech sector saw the pandemic as a chance to rebrand. It seems to be that surveillance companies will constantly pivot to sell their software as a solution to whatever we fear most, he said. Never actually providing any evidence that it works. Barry Oberholzer, the founder of X.Labs, as well as a former professional rugby player and alleged intelligence operative, has a track record of advertising the latest high-tech software that promises protection from the latest calamity. Back in February 2019 Oberholzer announced Sword, a high-tech iPhone case and app he claimed would transform the security industry by allowing people to detect the presence of a gun from their phone. The following month, The Daily Beast reported that Oberholzer was a fugitive on the run from over two dozen fraud and forgery charges in South Africa. For this story, Oberholzer produced a document to The Daily Beast indicating he was not guilty of any crimes. The South African police did not respond to requests to verify the report. Oberholzer seized the opportunity to sell thermal scanners to schools as part of California-based company X.Labs. Partnering with Shooter Detection Systems, a gunshot detection solutions provider, they announced Feevr, designed as a quick and effective AI-based system for temperature screening with a proprietary AI face detection algorithm. According to Feevrs websitewhich no longer existsthe product used a thermal imaging camera and AI-based mobile app to create automatic alerts if an individuals temperature exceeded a predetermined threshold. The Daily Beast has tracked 14 schools that bought these devices. At around the same time as X.Labs continued selling thermal cameras to schools in 2021, it was reported that Oberhozler had posed as retired four-star U.S. General David Petraeus while pitching Sword to venture capital firms. Subsequently he was accused of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud by the Southern District of New York. This year has been no quieter. Oberholzer was recently sued for fraud by Unique Logistics, a global freight forwarding company. And according to LA court records from March, X.Labs was forced to pay The National Schools Boards Association over $200,000. X.Labs told The Daily Beast that NSBA never performed its undertakings so the company canceled the agreement. NSBA refused to comment. Now, with little trace of Feevr, X.Labs has pivoted back to selling weapon detection systems to schoolsbut not with its former partner Shooter Detection Systems. The company told The Daily Beast it had a short-lived sales relationship with X.Labs which lasted only a few weeks and did not recognize any revenue from the relationship. X.Labs told The Daily Beast that a secret service agent had originally reached out to set up the partnership, and that the contract ended when SDS was sold elsewhere. Oberholzer told The Daily Beast he left X.Labs in January 2021. He seemingly deleted his Twitter account, in which his bio had stated he was the founder of X.Labs, straight after The Daily Beast provided a list of questions about his involvement. A spokesperson for X.Labs said that its devices were deployed and are still being used but declined to say which schools were using them. When asked why there is no mention of Feevr on the companys website, they said that the market needed change related to temperature scanning hence the board deciding to focus on other products. A view of thermal images as concert attendees walk past thermal imaging scanners in Barcelona, Spain. Cesc Maymo SafeCheck USA was another company that sprang up at the start of the pandemic, founded by brothers William and Nathan Kakon who, according to their website, specialize in luxury real estate, and also led a drug rehabilitation center and a cryptocurrency company. SafeCheck advertised walk-through body temperature scanners that could screen up to 70 people per minute. However, the FDA told The Daily Beast that thermal imaging systems have not been shown to be accurate when used to take the temperature of multiple people at the same time. Governmental contractual data indicates that SafeCheck has made nearly $2.2 million in sales across public agenciesof which The Daily Beast has tracked 55 schools. Import records show that the company received shipments from a Chinese company Shenzhen Jinjian Era Technology Co, similarly branded as SafeAgle. The company could not be reached for comment. According to The Daily Beasts analysis, SafeChecks last sale was in August 2021 and its website, like Feevrs, now appears inactive. SafeCheck and the Kakon brothers did not respond for comment. For privacy advocates, even more worrying than the wasted millions on devices is the safety risk that some schools created by purchasing cameras with facial recognition technologyand the fact that no one really stopped them. They bought something that they didnt know how to use, they didnt understand any of the implications of using, said Stefanie Coyle, deputy director of the Education Policy Center at the New York Civil Liberties Union, And there was no one to tell them hey, this is a bad idea. It is difficult to gauge how many schools utilized this capability, but some companies advertised this component of their systems as a selling point. Facial recognition, often included in thermal imaging cameras, has a well-documented history of misidentifying people of color, women and children. There are worrying implications for communities already targeted by law enforcement. Such personal student data can, and has in the past, been shared with other government agencies. The biometric information captured on the cameras can also be a target for hackers or malicious actors. All this, according to Coyle, has potentially devastating consequences. The security of Hikvision and Dahuas camera software has been compromised in the past, with potential loopholes for malicious hackers to take control of devices remotely. Back in 2021, a researcher found the highest level of critical vulnerability on Hikvision devices and Dahua admitted their devices were vulnerable to mass hacking. Dahua told The Daily Beast that all internet-connected devices are susceptible to cyber-attacks and that the company has a consistent track record of identifying vulnerabilities. The company said their technology does not and never has represented any type of threat to U.S. interests. In July 2020, New York introduced a moratorium on facial recognition cameras in schoolsthe first of its kind nationwideafter a school district in Western New York spent $1.4 million of state funds, allocated to improve schools technology, on the devices. However, since then The Daily Beast has uncovered 33 districts in New York that were able to buy thermal scanning products with these capabilities, potentially violating the law. Last month, the NYCLU also uncovered evidence that New York officials are ignoring the law by approving grant applications for schools to purchase biometric surveillance tech, including facial recognition. It ended up using a broad definition of biometrics, which honestly rendered it pretty useless, said Tatiana Rice, policy counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum. I think because of that a lot of schools just stopped following the law in its entirety. The moratorium cannot be lifted until the New York State Education Department issues a report on the risks and benefits of this technology in schools. But surveillance experts told The Daily Beast that so far there has been little progress. And while there are laws in other states that ban facial recognition technologyfor example the Biometric Information Privacy Act in Illinois which makes it unlawful for private companies to use this technology to identify and track people without their consent they dont include schools or public agencies. NYSED department officials told The Daily Beast that the agency was aware that schools may not purchase or utilize biometric technology and that stakeholder information is currently being gathered as part of the report. Additionally with little federal regulation, there is a lack of robust oversight on companies sales as the industry continues to thrive. No ones being held accountable, said surveillance expert Healy. Theres a real problem of accountability here on every level. Back in Gananda, Superintendent Van Scoy expressed his frustration at feeling caught between a mandate that required him to take the temperature of his students everyday, and the facial recognition moratorium, that limited the technology he could employ to keep COVID at bay. Now, Gananda, like many others, is struggling to find a way to repurpose its devices. Do we take them down and put them in a box? Van Scoy mused on a phone call with The Daily Beast recently. And despite the little they did to mitigate the virus, he asked, Do we hold off until we need them again? Some public records requests were obtained as part of the Documenting COVID-19 project at Columbia Universitys Brown Institute for Media Innovation. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Grain at a port in Ukraine. Getty Images Many Middle Eastern and African nations rely on cheap wheat from Ukraine. The war in Ukraine stopped the transport of necessary grains and contributed to a food crisis. On Sunday, a shipment to Lebanon that was part of a war-time deal was delayed. The first grain ship to leave Ukraine's port en route to Lebanon as part of a wartime deal has been delayed, the Associated Press reported. The ship carrying the grain was supposed to arrive at around 10 a.m. on Sunday at a port in Tripoli, Lebanon. It is unclear what is causing the delay, and the ship is currently anchored in the Mediterranean Sea near Turkey. The ship is carrying around 26,000 tons of corn for chicken feed, the AP reported. Many countries in the Middle East and Africa depend on Ukraine for cheap wheat. As the war in Ukraine prevented the shipment of necessary wheat, prices across the world increased. Ukraine is considered the world's "breadbasket" and Russia and Ukraine combined account for almost a third of the world's wheat exports. Russia and Ukraine signed a deal backed by the United Nations on July 22 to allow grain exports from blockaded Black Sea ports, helping to avoid "a food shortage catastrophe for millions worldwide." The delayed shipment comes as Lebanon deals with significant food insecurity, as food prices rise. The AP reported that Lebanon is facing its worst economic crisis in modern history, and an estimated 75% of the country's population is living in poverty. The value of the Lebanese pound has decreased by over 90%. This comes two years after a massive explosion at Beirut's port damaged the country's main grain silos. A section of the silos collapsed last week. Read the original article on Insider Weather Alert ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 103. * WHERE...In Washington, Eastern Columbia River Gorge of Washington, Simcoe Highlands, Kittitas Valley and Yakima Valley. In Oregon, Eastern Columbia River Gorge of Oregon. * WHEN...Until 11 PM PDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat 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. && Today Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 84F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 84F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 104F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. YORK An investigation is currently underway as to why three people became suddenly very ill Saturday afternoon at the York County Fairgrounds and had to be taken to the hospital. The York Police Department was contacted, as was the York County Sheriffs Department which assisted, on the report that individuals at the 4-H food stand may had been exposed to some sort of narcotic, possibly through the handling of cash. The York County Fair is currently underway. York County Sheriff Captain Josh Gillespie said Sunday morning, We assisted after several people were taken to the hospital upon becoming suddenly very sick. We did toxicology testing on all the items in question, including the cash, in the 4-H food building as in todays world there is the issue of fentanyl exposure being a danger. Everything we tested came back negative for fentanyl and the other narcotics we could test for. Captain Gillespie said law enforcement also went through the entire 4-H food stand with decontamination spray, to be on the proactive side, as well. All I can say, at this point, is that we arent 100% sure what exactly happened, Gillespie said. We tested, to the best of our ability, to see if it was drug-related and everything came back negative. Captain Gillespie did not comment as to what the individuals symptoms were, as he did not have information about the onset of the situation. The investigation remains ongoing. More information will be published as it becomes available. Good news air travellers! If you are planning to visit Finland and do not want any halts in your air travel then this is the news for you! Now travellers need not worry about long halts or connecting flights as Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), welcomed Finnairs maiden aircraft, AY125 which will directly connect Finland to India. The inaugural flight arrived in Mumbai on August 7 at 05:15 hrs and flight AY126 departed from CSMIA on the same day at 07:10 hrs. The maiden flight departed carrying a full flight of passengers on board. With this new route, passengers travelling from CSMIA will have increased seamless access to Finland, the United States, and major European cities. The flight services will operate thrice a week. Speaking about Finnair starting operations from Mumbai, a CSMIA spokesperson said CSMIA is extremely delighted with the association with Finnair, one of the leading airlines catering to routes across Asia, U.S, and Europe. With an aim to provide passengers with unparalleled travel across geographies, the partnership is not just a step towards direct connectivity to Finland but is a testament to CSMIAs constant effort to expand the portfolio of destinations around the world and vision to contribute to the global travel network. Also read: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-owned Akasa Air begins ops in India, Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight takes off Headquartered in Helsinki, Finnair airline connects passenger and cargo traffic between Asia, North America, and Europe. Finnair is a member of the one world alliance, and the airline intends to reduce its net emissions by 50 percent by the end of 2025 from the 2019 baseline and achieve carbon neutrality latest by the end of 2045. Japan Airlines (JAL) announced that it has increased the frequency of flights between Bengaluru and Tokyo from twice to three times per week. JAL currently operates the only nonstop flight between the two cities. According to a press release, this additional flight is another convenient option for people travelling to and from Japan, as well as passengers connecting to and from the United States and Canada. The airline's latest flight schedule operates three weekly roundtrip flights, it said, adding that JAL is working towards the original plan of operating one flight daily. To celebrate the progress in the direct flight from Bengaluru to Tokyo (Narita), JAL and Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) organised a lamp-lighting ceremony at the check-in counter for flight JL754 and a gate ceremony before departure on Friday. Karnataka Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and Commissioner of Department of Industries and Commerce Gunjan Krishna attended the ceremony and travelled to Japan on the flight. Also read: Mother-Daughter pilot duo creates history by flying plane together, internet reacts: Watch Video "We are very excited to make this progress in serving the community better in Bengaluru with more convenient flights to Japan, and hence also providing greater options to connect to North America," Shinya Naruse, vice-president & regional manager (India) of Japan Airlines, said. JAL operates the route with a Boeing 787-8 aircraft equipped with 30 business class and 156 economy class award-winning seats, the airlines said. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: Anand Mahindra, one of India's largest business tycoons, is highly active on social media, and his tweets continue to catch people's attention. The Mahindra Group Chair's recent tweet on LEGO selling Taj Mahal sets is becoming more popular. Anand Mahindra shared a photo from the Manhattan, New York, LEGO store where the White House boxes were still intact but the Taj Mahal sets appeared to be out of stock. Lego store in Manhattan, New York. Interesting that the Taj Mahal flies off the shelf faster and is out of stock but the White House is plentifulMaybe there should be some kind of Lego Group Index of relative brand values! the billionaire tweeted. Lego store in Manhattan New York. Interesting that the Taj Mahal flies off the shelf faster and is out of stock but the White House is plentifulMaybe there should be some kind of @LEGO_Group Index of relative brand values! pic.twitter.com/5tgZdwNxCQ August 4, 2022 His tweet has received over 1,900 likes, over 130 retweets, and numerous responses from his followers in the comments section. Read More: There is no denying that the Taj Mahal is a magnificent sight and that it promotes Indian tourism. A user who shared the same opinion remarked, "Must be happening. Good for us. A wonder of the world (architectural marvel) rightly getting more appreciation than at home. Taj as the pride of India will stand tall forever. Rich tributes to our culture and history. Wish more orders come from Lego Store. Jai Hind." Read More: Gold price today, August 7: Gold rates drop; yellow metal stands at Rs 51,870 There are at least two Taj Mahal Lego sets that can be seen on the internet, though, as other people also noted. They provided some alternative options for the banner that said "out of stock." Read More: 7th Pay Commission: Govt may hike DA in second half of 2022; Know when it will be implemented With all due respect, maybe the out-of-stock message banner is generic and not particular to the Taj Mahal Lego set. In the picture it looks like there are at least 2 Lego sets of Taj Mahal on the shelf, read a comment. Additionally, it was noted that the Taj Mahal sets cost a little more than the White House ones. The price of the former was $119.99 (about Rs 9,000), while the price of the latter was $99.99. (around Rs 7,000). A company that creates and manufactures toys is called LEGO. Their headquarters are in Denmark, and they normally offer a variety of gears and accessories along with interlocking plastic blocks. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to address a public rally in the tribal-dominated Chhota Udepur district of Gujarat on Sunday (August 7, 2022), where the Assembly polls are due later this year. The Delhi CM, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, will also address the media in Vadodara, informed AAP leaders. Earlier on Saturday, Kejriwal interacted with traders in Jamnagar and heard problems faced by the state's business community. Kejriwal had said the AAP will form an "advisory body" of traders to guide the government if his party came to power in Gujarat in the Assembly elections due this year-end. AAP Chief had also promised sops related to Value Added Tax (VAT) and said the AAP government would stop the "raid raj". This is Arvind Kejriwal's second visit to Gujarat this month, as the AAP intensifies its campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections. Earlier, during his visit to Veraval in Gir Somnath district on August 1, Kejriwal had promised Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment allowance and guaranteed a job to every youth in Gujarat if his party is voted to power. Kejriwal had earlier also assured free electricity up to 300 units per month if voted to power in the state. New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlots remark, that death sentences for rape convicts have led to an increase in killings of those who are sexually assaulted, has triggered a huge row. The remarks have since garnered criticism from netizens as well as the Opposition BJP. The Congress leader made the remark on Friday during the protest by the Congress against price rise and hike in GST rates. In a video that has been shared by the Delhi Commission for Womens chief, Swati Jaihind, the Gehlot can be heard saying, After the Nirbhaya incident, the convicts are now hanged to death. This has led to an increase in the killings of girls. The accused - after the sexual assault - kills the victim so that there is no witness. I have observed a countrywide trend that this is happening.This is a dangerous trend. Elucidating on his remark, Gehlot said, The rapist feels that the victim will become a witness against the accused. In such a situation, the accused finds it right to kill the victim. The reports that are coming from all over the country show a very dangerous trend. The situation in the country is not good. BJP seeks Congresss reply over Gehlot's rape law remarks With the remark stoking a controversy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala on Sunday (August 7, 2022) questioned the silence of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and lashed out at Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan over rape law remarks. Poonawalla slammed the mindset of the Congress party and said it is suffering from "blame game" mentality. He said that Rajasthan CM was blaming the rape laws, which were made stringent after the Nirbhaya episode which took place under the UPA watch, instead of blaming the rapists. "In the past, Gehlot said that most of the rape cases filed by SC women are fake and even blamed rapes on rising unemployment and price rise. He also reminded about the statements of Shantilal Dhariwal, Minister in the Gehlot government, who said that Rajasthan was a `Mardon Ka Pradesh` while justifying why Rajasthan had become number one in rapes and women atrocities. He linked this to the rise in rapes in Rajasthan, Shehzad Poonawala said. The BJP spokesperson also wondered if the party was batting for weaker rape laws. He slammed Priyanka Vadra for remaining silent on this statement and questioned her on her continuous silence over a series of sexist and anti-women remarks made by Congress leaders. Attacking her for her politics on women`s atrocities, he said that the slogan `Ladki Hoon lad Sakte Hoon` had become `Ladki hoon bach sakti hoon` in Rajasthan. Poonawalla further accused Congress of extending a hand of patronage to rioters and to rapists by recounting how the Karauli riots main accused was still not caught. "Over 2,000 rape cases of young girls take place in Rajasthan every year, he said. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: India on Sunday (August 7, 2022) witnessed a sligh decline in fresh coronavirus infections. The country recorded 18,738 new Covid-19 cases today, India's tally of COVID-19 cases has risen to 4,41,45,732 while the active cases have increased to 1,34,933, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The death toll has climbed to 5,26,689 with 40 fatalities which includes eight deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. 18,738 new COVID19 cases recorded in India in the last 24 hours; Active caseload at 1,34,933 pic.twitter.com/ARKK2okOW9 ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2022 An increase of 140 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,34,84,110, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. Additionally, the ministry informed that the active cases comprise 0.31 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.50 per cent. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 5.02 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 4.63 per cent, according to the ministry. According to the ministry, 206.21 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. The new fatalities include nine from Maharashtra, four each from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, three from Manipur, two from Madhya Pradesh and one each from Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab and Tripura. Meanwhile, the Centre on Saturday wrote to six states and the Union Territory of Delhi directing them to ensure adequate testing, promote COVID-appropriate behaviour and increase the pace of vaccination to control the further spread of viral infection promptly and in an effective manner. The letters were sent to the State Health Secretaries of Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana on reporting a high number of COVID cases and positivity rate. The Health Secretary said the upcoming months are likely to witness mass gatherings in the context of various festivals to be held in different parts of the country leading to a large number of individuals undertaking intra and interstate journeys. (With agency inputs) Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. New Delhi: Some students of the Delhi Universitys Faculty of Law staged a protest on Saturday demanding postponement of their examination, contending that their syllabus has not been completed. The protesting students of the second, fourth and sixth semesters also demanded changes in the date sheet to ensure a sufficient gap between two papers. The students of Campus Law Centre (CLC), and Law Centre I and II are holding the protest. They claimed that their syllabus has not been finished yet and online classes are still underway but the exams are from August 10. Several students sat on dharna and held placards that read: Dont play with our careers and We are humans not machines. Sakhti Singh, a second-semester student at the Law Faculty, said the students have been protesting for the last few days and even though the officials gave them assurances, nothing has happened. We just want the exam to be postponed for a week so that there is enough time to prepare. The date sheet is not rightly made, there are not enough gaps between two examinations, Singh added. Gunjan, another student at the Law faculty alleged that the exam date sheet is not balanced. I have one examination on the 10th and another on the 13th. So, only two days have been given to prepare for the other paper which requires more time because it is a lengthy subject. We are not asking for cancellation, just postponement, she said. Meanwhile, Dean of examination D S Rawat said the academic calendar was issued before the start of the semester and it mentioned the date of the examination. The university provides the academic calendar and the department prepares the date sheet accordingly. The date sheet of the PG courses is decided by the department. The role of the department is to check if they have followed the academic schedule issued by the registrar, he said. New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused former lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Saturday of changing his stand over opening liquor vends in unauthorised areas and claimed that it led to a loss of thousands of crores of rupees to the city government. At a press conference in Delhi, Sisodia said he has sent the details of the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and asserted that there should be a probe into it. No immediate reaction was available from Baijal. "Under the new excise policy, 849 shops were to be opened across Delhi, including in unauthorised areas. The LG did not object to the proposal and approved it," Sisodia said. However, on November 15 last year, two days before the implementation of the policy, the LG changed his stand and introduced a condition that permission from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) would be needed for opening liquor shops in unauthorised areas, he alleged. "As a result of this change of stand by the LG, the shops could not be opened in unauthorised areas, leading to a loss of revenue of thousands of crores to the government. On the other hand, the shops that opened witnessed a huge income," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said. Addressing an Important Press Conference | LIVE https://t.co/jjV7nTot3i Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 6, 2022 Baijal was the Delhi LG when the Arvind Kejriwal government prepared the new excise policy, which was implemented on November 17, 2021. The government has now withdrawn the policy and is preparing to run liquor vends under the old excise regime through its undertakings from September 1. Sisodia said it should also be probed why Baijal changed his stand that benefited some players and caused financial losses to the government. It should also be probed if the former LG took the decision under pressure and whether any Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had anything to do with it, he added. The current LG, VK Saxena, has recommended a CBI probe into the alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22, under which licences were issued to private firms for the retail sale of liquor in the city divided into 32 zones. New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections 2022, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday (August 7) vowed to provide 24X7 power supply and waive off previous year's electricity bills if voted to power. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal also promised unemployment allowance to the jobless youth in the state."Three months after forming a government in Gujarat, we will make electricity free. We have a plan for providing employment to the youth. We will provide unemployment allowance to be given to the unemployed. We will make hospitals, and schools in villages on the lines of the Delhi model, ANI quoted the Delhi CM as saying. Citing the example of Delhi, Kejriwal promised to provide employment to the youth in Gujarat. "...In just a few years, we have provided employment to 12 lakh youths in Delhi. We had also provided employment to the unemployed here. And until that happens, the unemployed would be on the dole of Rs 3,000 rupees per month," he said. ALSO READ: AAP will end raid raj if elected: Arvind Kejriwals promise to traders in Gujarat ahead of polls Kejriwal, who was on the second day of his two-day visit to Gujarat, claimed that there is a direct contest between AAP and BJP in the state Assembly polls to be held later this year. Attacking the ruling Gujarat BJP and rival Congress, the AAP chief said both the parties will soon merge in the state as they have nothing new to offer to the public. "The election of Gujarat will be between AAP and BJP. Gujarat Congress is going to merge with Gujarat BJP. The hidden love between BJP-Congress will come out soon. On one hand, there is "27 years of misrule" of the BJP and on the other hand, there is "new politics" of AAP," the Delhi CM said in a press conference in Vadodara. On AAP's chief ministerial candidate in Gujarat, Kejriwal said everyone is his party's CM face. "Every Gujarati will be the CM. We have come up with a new hope, new politics. Ours is the first party that talks of honesty," he added. (With agency inputs) Partha Chatterjee finally got a cot to sleep in the Presidency Jail. On Friday, he had to sleep on the ground in cell number 2 of the first twenty-two ward of the jail. Partha got three blankets in the cell. But the former minister could not able sleep at night. But on Saturday night he was given a cot like a chowki. The former minister slept there at night. But Partha Chatterjee had to face abuse of fellow inmates in the Presidency Jail. What exactly happened in the Presidency Jail? According to Jail sources, Partha Chatterjee was sitting on the ground because of his heavy appearance. There was no cot in his cell, not even a chair. But there is a commode in the toilet of the cell. So the minister had to spend the rest of the night sitting on that commode. Then in the morning, the former minister practically pleaded with the jail authorities for a bed. The cot was given on his request. Another blanket has been given to him. The Behala West MLA slept with three blankets folded over his head as a pillow to make a bed. Also Read: Partha Chatterjee gets 'Art of Living in jail' ADVICE from Mamata Banerjee's MLA, Says 'follow Hitler, Gautam Buddha' What exactly did Partha have to hear? According to sources , this morning outside the cell, the suspended leader of Trinamool Congress went to offer flowers to the picture of Maa Kali. As soon as he came out from his cell, the other prisoners shouted 'CHOR CHOR'. Not only that, they started abusing him in various inaudible ways. Various comments were thrown. Some of the prisoners began to whistle with their fingers in their mouths. Some keep repeating 'Dekh Kemon Lage (See how it feels).' But Partha ignored it and walked straight towards his cell. What else is being known? Again in the evening when the prisoners were being counted and entered into the cell, some of the prisoners started making various ugly gestures at him. They even started making rude comments on Arpita Mukherjee's name. However, the former education minister went into the cell after listening to those harsh comments. Some newspapers and magazines have been given to Partha by ED. But after seeing the report published against him on the front page of the newspaper, he turned his eyes away, according to sources. Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday (August 6, 2022) announced to boycott the 7th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog and told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is staying away as a mark of strong protest against the present "discriminating trend of the Centre towards states". In a strong-worded four-page letter to Modi, Rao, popularly known as KCR, stated that India as a strong nation can develop only when the states develop. Strong and economically vibrant states alone can make India a strong country, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president wrote in the letter narrating a host of reasons for his boycotting the meeting. "In view of these facts I do not find it useful to attend the 7th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog scheduled to be held on August 7, 2022, and I am staying away from it as a mark of strong protest against the present trend of central government to discriminate against the states and not treating them as equal partners in our collective effort to make India a strong and developed country," Rao said. He alleged that recent "unpleasant happenings" have given rise to a realisation that the federal structure is being systematically eroded by some "deliberate actions" by the Centre and said that it is needless to say these developments are very much discouraging to "trail-blazing" States like Telangana. "The blatant discrimination against some States even in the legitimate functions assigned to them in the Constitution leaves much to be desired," Rao added. He reminded Modi that though in the beginning NITI Aayog had constituted a group of Chief Ministers to give recommendations on developmental issues, it was kept aside and on the contrary the Centre is micromanaging the schemes giving a go-by to State-specific needs which are best left to individual States. Hon'ble CM wrote a four-page letter to the Prime Minister informing the decision and reiterating that strong and economically vibrant States alone can make India a strong country. Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) August 6, 2022 "It is not just in case of such schemes but Centre has also turned a Nelson's eye even to the recommendations of NITI Aayog itself..." the Telanagana CM wrote. Think tank established with mandate of cooperative federalism: NITI Aayog responds to KCR The NITI Aayog responded to K Chandrashekar Rao and said that the public policy think tank was set up as an institution with the mandate of cooperative federalism with a premise that "strong states make a strong nation". "It is unfortunate that the Hon`ble Chief Minister of Telangana has chosen not to participate in the Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog to be held on 7th August. The Governing Council is a forum where the highest political leaders in the country at the Centre and State levels deliberate on key development-related issues and agree on appropriate outcome-oriented solutions for national development," NITI Aayog said in a statement. It added that a number of measures have already been put in place to work closely with states. In the last year alone, more than 30 meetings have been held with the Chief Ministers of states by the Vice Chairman/Members of NITI Aayog, the statement read. "A delegation led by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog met the Telangana Chief Minister in Hyderabad on 21st January 2021 to discuss development issues pertaining to the State. More recently, despite requests made by NITI Aayog for a meeting, the Chief Minister did not respond," the think tank of the Government of India said. "The allegation of Honble CM Telangana that states were not co-opted in preparation of agenda is incorrect," it added. KCR has become 'nizam' of Telangana: Union minister Piyush Goyal Union minister Piyush Goyal hit back at KCR and said that his views reflect that he is "not interested" in the development of his state and his ward. "He thinks himself to be too great to attend it," Goyal said on Telangana CM's refusal to attend the NITI Aayog meeting on Sunday. "He is forgetting that NITI Aayog is working towards taking the country forward... he doesn't want it to happen. He's become the 'nizam' of Telangana, does not believe in discussion on the development of country and state," the BJP leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Delhi | He is forgetting that NITI Aayog is working towards taking country forward... he doesn't want it to happen. He's become the 'nizam' of Telangana, does not believe in discussion on development of country & state: Union min Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/vJcTTJXoEp ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2022 KCR has 'no moral courage' to face PM Modi: Telangana BJP chief Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar also attacked K Chandrasekhar Rao and said that he has "no moral courage" to face Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence he is boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting with lame-duck excuses. Lashing out at KCR for his remarks, the BJP leader said that if the chief minister was really worried about the state, he could have raised the concern at the meeting. CM KCR diverted central funds & now shamelessly lamenting funds aren't given. Will CM KCR apologise in assembly if we prove that Centre had given more than 5000cr? @NITIAayog doesn't exclusively work for KCR, it gives strategic advice on policy issues to make economy strong. Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) August 6, 2022 He said KCR's decision to boycott the meeting amounted to insulting democratic institutions. Sanjay added that KCR never showed interest in going to official meetings during the last eight years. The BJP leader remarked that the TRS chief visits Delhi only for political benefit and to meet leaders of political parties but never went there for the sake of the people. "KCR is saying that he is boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting but the days are not far when people of Telangana will boycott him," he said. Instead of making wild allegations on NPAs, KCR shud tell why so many companies have shutdown in Hyderabad. KCR is responsible for suicides of farmers, weavers, Intermediate students, unemployed youth & employees. Didn't u import ur furniture 4m China & Bathukamma sarees 4m Surat Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) August 6, 2022 PM Narendra Modi to chair 7th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog on August 7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair the seventh meeting of the Governing Council at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre, New Delhi on August 7. According to NITI Aayog, the agenda of the meeting, inter alia, includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the National Education Policyschool education; implementation of the National Education Policyhigher education; and urban governance. Would be chairing the 7th Governing Council meet of @NITIAayog tomorrow, 7th August. This forum provides a great opportunity for the Centre and states to exchange views on key policy related issues and strengthen Indias growth trajectory. https://t.co/BOVn9gZIjd August 6, 2022 The meeting would also lay emphasis on the importance of the Presidency for India for the federal system and the role that states can play in highlighting their progress at the G-20 Platform. This, notably, would be the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. New Delhi: Harbouring a grudge over his daughter not severing ties with her lover, a man in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district allegedly gave a contract to kill her to a ward boy of a hospital, who injected a high dose of potassium chloride into the 17-year-old girl, police have said. After a sudden deterioration of her health conditions, doctors at the hospital found out that she was injected with a high dose of potassium chloride, police said, adding that Naveen Kumar, the father of the girl, ward boy Naresh Kumar and a woman employee of the hospital were arrested in connection with the incident on Saturday. Naveen Kumar got his daughter admitted to a hospital in Kankarkheda on Friday night. A few hours later, he shifted her to the Future Plus Hospital in Modipuram where her health suddenly deteriorated, a police official said. With the help of CCTV footage, the identity of the person who gave the injection to her was ascertained and the ward boy, Naresh Kumar, was taken into custody. The ward boy confessed to the police that the girl's father had given him Rs 1 lakh to kill her. Posing as a doctor, he entered the ICU with the help of the woman employee of the hospital and administered the injection, police said. The woman employee of the hospital and the victim's father, a property dealer, were also taken into custody subsequently, they added. Naveen Kumar told the police that his daughter was in a relationship with a man and was not willing to snap ties with him even after repeated requests from her family members. He had told the doctors at the hospital that his daughter had accidentally fallen from the terrace of their house but in reality, she had jumped off the terrace, the accused told the police. Police have recovered a broken syringe containing potassium chloride and Rs 90,000 in cash from the ward boy. New Delhi: National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar made a landslide victory in the Vice President polls on Saturday (August 7, 2022) and is ready to swear in for the position on August 11. Dhankhar is the new Vice President of India after defeating Opposition candidate Margaret Alva by 346 votes. The former Bengal Governor garnered 528 votes, which is 72.8% of the total votes, against Margaret Alva who got 182 votes. Dhankhar's victory clearly signals the supremacy of PM Modi-led BJP in Parliament. Now, BJP holds all the key positions from President, Vice President to Lok Sabha Speaker. According to media reports, Jagdeep Dhankhars victory margin by securing 72.8% of the 725 valid votes cast during the Vice President polls is the highest margin in the last six vice-presidential polls since 1997. It may be noted that Dhankhars performance in the latest polls outshined Naidu's 2017 performance by 2%. Venkaiah Naidu won with 67.89% votes of the total 760 valid votes in the 2017 V-P polls. However, KR Narayanan still tops the list of recording highest victory margin by securing 700 of the 701 votes cast in 1992. About the new Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar: Jagdeep Dhankhar was born in Kithana Village, Rajasthan in 1951. Grown up in a family of farmers. Dhankhar started his career as a lawyer and has practised in the Supreme Court and the Rajasthan High Court. He was designated a senior advocate in 1990, a year after he entered active politics. The former West Bengal governor joined the Congress when PV Narasimha Rao became the prime minister. But with the rise of Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan, he changed ships to the BJP. JEE Advanced 2022 Registration: The Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Bombay will coomence the JEE Advanced 2022 registration process today, August 7, 2022. Candidates can apply for Joint Entrance Examination Advanced, JEE Advanced 2022 online through the official site- jeeadv.ac.in. JEE Advanced 2022: Important dates Commencement of online application process- August 7, 2022 Last date to Apply for JEE Advanced 2022- August 11, 2022 JEE Advanced 2022 Admit Card release date- August 23, 202 JEE Advanced 2022 Exam date- August 28, 2022 ALSO READ- JEE Main 2022 Session 2 Final Answer Key OUT, direct link to download here Here's how to apply for JEE Advanced 2022 Visit the official site of JEE Advanced on jeeadv.ac.in. Click on JEE Advanced 2022 link that will be availble soon on the home page. Enter the login credentials and apply for JEE Advanced by filling in the application form. Payment of application fees and click on submit. Download the confirmation page of JEE Advanced application form JEE Advanced admit cards will be available from August 23 and the exam will be conducted on August 28, 2022 in two shifts. The Paper 1 exam will be conducted from 9 am to 12 noon and Paper 2 will be conducted from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm. JEE Main 2022: The National Testing Agency, NTA is expected to release the Joint Entrance Examination, JEE Main Results 2022 for session 2 soon. As per latest media reports the testing agency will declare the JEE main Session 2 Result today, August 7. Once released, the candidates will be able to check their JEE Main results on the official website jee.nta.ac.in. However, students are not happy with just two attempts and want another attempt for JEE main. ALSO READ: Delhi University students go on hunger strike Students are trending #JEEMainthirdattempt on twitter they have stated some reasons to conduct third attempt. Students have expressed thier opinion on 3rd attempt on twitter. - Technical faults during the exam - Wrong response sheets displayed - No proper gap between attempts Technical faults during the exam Wrong response sheets displayed No proper gap between attempts All #JEEMains2022 aspirants should get a extra chance & a relief.#JEEMainsThirdAttemptForAll pic.twitter.com/afsdiWp4Ck AIJNSA (@AIJNSA_official) August 5, 2022 #JEEMainsThirdAttemptForAll Due to the mistake of NTA we all students have to face problems... Successfully we'll waste our one more year because of the blunder of @DG_NTA...Whole Education system is corrupt and they love to play with our future...Well played @DG_NTA pic.twitter.com/mkz1UxeVYe Md Taaha (@MdTaaha8) August 7, 2022 JEE Main Result 2022: Here is how to check the result - Once released, students can check their JEE main Session 2 results following the simple steps given below - Visit the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in. - On the homepage, look for the link that reads, JEE Main Session 2 Result for Paper 1. - In the newly opened tan, entre your credentials such as application number and date of birth - Submit, your JEE Main Session 2 Paper 1 result will be displayed on the screen. - Download the result and take a printout of it for future reference. JEE Main 2022 session 2 exam was conducted from 25- 30 July in which over 6 lakh candidates had appeared. The final answer key is already published and results will be published soon. The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the JEE Main Result 2022 for Session 1 on July 11. In session 1 examination 14 students secured 100 percentile of which 13 were male candidates. Bhopal: Male relatives of some newly-elected women panchayat office-bearers and members were administered the oath of office instead of the latter in a few villages of Madhya Pradesh, following which an official was suspended in one district and an inquiry was ordered in another. The male relatives, who included fathers and husbands of some women, took oath on Thursday at a few places in Sagar and Damoh districts. The videos of the 'oath-taking' ceremonies went viral on social media. After the videos surfaced, Sagar district panchayat's chief executive officer (CEO) issued an order on Friday, suspending Jaisinagar village panchayat's secretary Asharam Sahu with immediate effect on charges of administering oath of office to the husbands, brother-in-law and fathers of women, who were recently elected to the panchayat office. When asked, Sahu told reporters that the male members of the family were allowed to take oath as despite repeated instructions to attend the event, the women failed to turn up and instead sent their relatives on their behalf. Of the 10 women elected in Jaisinagar village panchayat, the father of one of them, husbands of two others and the brother-in-law of another woman took oath in place of the elected members, sources said. Similarly, in Damoh district, the male members were allegedly administered the oath of office in Gaisabad and Piparia Kirau village panchayats, following which district collector S Krishna Chaitanya sought reports from respective Janpad Panchayat's CEOs. Reports have been sought over the information about male members taking oath in place of the women elected members and further steps against the panchayat secretary concerned will be taken after receiving it, the collector said. Social media users claimed that such incidents of taking oath by male members in place of elected women panchayat office-bearers took place at several places across the state. New Delhi: Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday (August 6, 2022) was elected as the 16th Vice-President of India. According to the Election Commission, Dhankhar -- the NDA nominee, secured a total of 528 first preference votes, while Opposition candidate Margaret Alva received 182 votes. Making her first reaction after losing to Dhankhar, Alva said that the vice-presidential is over, but the "battle for protecting our constitution, strengthening our democracy and restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue". Taking to her official Twitter account, the former Union Minister congratulated Dhankhar on being elected Vice President and thanked all the leaders of the Opposition, and MPs from across parties who voted for her in this election. "This election was an opportunity for the opposition to work together, to leave the past behind & build trust amongst each other. Unfortunately, some opposition parties chose to directly or indirectly support the BJP, in an attempt to derail the idea of a united opposition," Margaret Alva said. "It is my belief that by doing so, these parties and their leaders have damaged their own credibility," the five-term MP added. This election was an opportunity for the opposition to work together, to leave the past behind & build trust amongst each other. Unfortunately, some opposition parties chose to directly or indirectly support the BJP, in an attempt to derail the idea of a united opposition. Margaret Alva (@alva_margaret) August 6, 2022 This election is over. The battle for protecting our Constitution, strengthening our democracy & restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue. Jai Hind. Margaret Alva (@alva_margaret) August 6, 2022 Prez Murmu, PM Modi congratulate Jagdeep Dhankhar on becoming Vice President of India President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected as the country's 14th Vice President and said that the country will benefit from his long and rich experience in public life. "Congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected the Vice President of India. The nation will benefit from your long and rich experience of public life. My best wishes for a productive and successful tenure," Murmu said in a tweet. Congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected the Vice President of India. The nation will benefit from your long and rich experience of public life. My best wishes for a productive and successful tenure. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 6, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Dhankhar and said that the country will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. Describing Dhankar as "Kisan Putra", he said that the new Vice President has "excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess". "Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected India`s Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom," the prime minister tweeted. "I thank all those MPs who have voted for Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji. At a time when India marks Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we are proud to be having a Kisan Putra Vice President who has the excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess," he added. Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected Indias Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. @jdhankhar1 pic.twitter.com/YD8BHb512W Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2022 I thank all those MPs who have voted for Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji. At a time when India marks Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we are proud to be having a Kisan Putra Vice President who has excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess. @jdhankhar1 pic.twitter.com/JKkpyAkv3i Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2022 Who is Jagdeep Dhankhar, the new Vice President of India? Born on May 18, 1951, in an agrarian household in a village in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, Jagdeep Dhankhar has varied administrative experience and has been in public life for over three decades. He completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh, and did his graduation in physics. He also has an LLB degree from the University of Rajasthan. The 71-year-old is one of the leading lawyers in the state and has practiced in both -- the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court of India. Dhankhar entered public life after getting elected as a Member of Parliament from Jhunjhunu in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections on a Janata Dal ticket. He also served as a Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 1990. His politics was initially influenced by former deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal. Dhankhar, who belongs to the Jat community, later shifted focus to state politics and was elected to the Rajasthan Assembly in 1993 from the Kishangarh constituency in Ajmer district. He was also appointed West Bengal Governor in 2019. New Delhi: An analysis of India's first two monkeypox cases by an institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research revealed that the duo who returned from the UAE were infected with the virus strain A.2 -- different from the one causing the outbreak in Europe. The A.2 strain, which was detected in the US last year, has not been linked to major clusters. The current outbreak is being driven by the B.1 strain of monkeypox virus, Dr Pragya Yadav, a senior scientist at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and lead author of the study, said. The findings of the study have been published in Research Square, a pre-print server, and have not been peer-reviewed. India has reported nine cases of monkeypox and one death so far. The foreign returnees from the United Arab Emirates presented with fever, myalgia, and vesicular lesions on the genital area with cervical lymphadenopathy. The oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab, EDTA blood, serum, urine, and lesion samples from multiple sites were collected from both cases on the ninth post-onset day of illness. The clinical specimens of both the cases were tested with real-time PCR for orthopoxvirus, and monkeypox virus (MPXV). "The complete genome sequences obtained from skin lesions of cases 1 and 2 showed similarity of 99.91 and 99.96 per cent respectively with MPXV_USA_2022_FL001 West African clade. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two cases were infected with monkeypox virus strain A.2 which belongs to the hMPXV-1A lineage of clade 3 (West African clade)," the study by the NIV under the ICMR found. The West African and Central African (Congo Basin) are the two known clades of the monkeypox virus, of which the Congo basin strain causes more severe illness, 011 per cent mortality and increased transmissibility. "The West African clade is found to be circulating in the current ongoing outbreaks of 2022 in non-endemic countries. It is which is less severe than Congo lineage reported earlier," Dr Yadav said. On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern considering the global outbreaks in all six regions in multiple countries. The cases were found to occur mainly due to imported infections from endemic countries and due to further community transmission. The study mentions the details of both the cases -- two men aged 35 and 31. The 35-year-old man had developed low-grade fever and myalgia on July 5. He developed multiple vesicular rashes in the oral cavity and lips followed by a single lesion on the genital organ. He also had rashes on both hands. He has advised the screening for monkeypox. "However, he travelled from UAE to his hometown in Kerala on July 12. On his return, he developed a sore throat along with worsening oral lesions for which he visited a hospital in Kerala. Considering his history of contact with suspected monkeypox cases and pustular lesions, he was referred to Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram," the study stated. The 31-year-old man had developed dysuria and genital swelling on July 8. He travelled from Dubai to his hometown in Kerala on July 13. He visited a government hospital locally and on the suspicion of a monkeypox case, he was isolated on July 16. The study said the infection starts with a febrile illness with an average incubation of 513 days with lymphadenopathy, myalgia, and headache, followed by deep-seated umbilicated vesicular/pustular rashes. The rash primarily starts from the face (oral), genital or perianal region and then distributed in a centrifugal manner to other parts of the body and progresses over time to scab. New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) will not be a part of Union council of ministers again, a senior party leader said on Sunday (August 7). Following now ex-JD(U) leader RCP Singhs resignation, there is no representation of Nitish Kumars party in the Narendra Modi-led Central government. JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan said in a press conference, We stick to our stand of 2019 when, after the Lok Sabha polls, we had decided not to join the government at the Centre. "The decision not to join the Union government was taken by our leader Nitish Kumar who was then also the party's national president," Lalan Singh added. Hitting out at RCP Singh who quit JD(U) a day back, Singh said some people were trying to hurt the party. JD(U) isn't a sinking ship, it's a sailing ship, some people are trying to damage it, Nitish Kumar identified those who were trying to damage it and took steps to mend it, the JD(U) national president was quoted as saying by ANI. RCP Singh, who resigned from the Union cabinet recently after being denied another Rajya Sabha term, quit the JD(U) on Saturday (August 6), hours after the party sought an explanation from him over allegations of corruption levelled by some unidentified workers. Terming the allegations baseless, he had called JDU a 'sinking ship'. An attempt is being made to defame me. I don't have any land in my name. All the allegations being leveled against me are baseless. There is no cure for JDU's jealousy. I cannot go ahead with them in these circumstances, RCP Singh had said. Meanwhile, Rajiv Ranjan Singh also denied speculations of a rift between JDU and the BJP, asserting that "all is well". The rumours of discontent between the two NDA allies gained momentum after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar skipped the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. As per PTI sources, Kumar cited post-Covid debility as the reason to excuse himself from the meeting. (With agency inputs) Noida Shrikant Tyagi viral video case: BJP MP Mahesh Sharma today dialled UP Home Secretary Avnish Awasthi and demanded an explaination over the reports of Srikant Tyagi's goons entering Noida's Omaxe Society. "Please ask the commissioner how 15 goons entered this society. This is not right. I am here. The BJP city chief is also here. We are ashamed that it's our government in Uttar Pradesh," a furious Mahesh Sharma was heard saying over phone. Sharma, who made the phone call in front of media, assured of appropriate action in the case. However, his video soon went viral on social media. Earlier, a number of videos showed support/goons of Shrikant Sharma entering the Omaxe society, pupotedly with the purpose of threating the woman who had confronted the tainted BJP leader. The goons of Shrikant Tyagi who came to intimidate the woman complainant have been picked up by @noidapolice ! Media has reached. It is important that @CMOfficeUP & @dgpup take note. Asking for police bandobast at the society pic.twitter.com/iTkuDINfWy Tehseen Poonawalla Official (@tehseenp) August 7, 2022 On the other hand, Shrikant Tyagi, who was caught on camera, while abusing and manhandeling the woman is in deep trouble now. The local politician, who was seen bragging about his position and power, is on a run. Even the leaders from BJP have called for his arrest. Not only this, one more FIR has been registered on his name for running his car as a UP Government vehicle. A manhunt is underway to nab Shrikant Tyagi. WATCH VIDEO HERE (Warning: Abusive Language) The BJP has distanced itself from Tyagi, saying he was never part of the party. Tyagi`s social media accounts, however, tell a different tale. "We have seized a total of three cars -- one Toyota Fortuner, one Tata Safari and one Honda Civic -- that belong to Tyagi," a Noida Police official told IANS. To trace his location, the police have detained four persons, including Tyagi`s wife. The matter came to light on Friday when several video clippings of the incident went viral on social media in which the Tyagi could be heard hurling abuses at the woman. Social media users also shared the response of the victim woman in which she narrated the entire incident. BJP leader Shrikant Tyagi, who was caught on camera, while abusing and manhandeling a woman is in deep trouble now. The local politician, who was seen bragging about his position and power, is on a run. Even the leaders from BJP have called for his arrest. Not only this, one more FIR has been registered on his name for running his car as a UP Government vehicle. A manhunt is underway to nab Shrikant Tyagi. The BJP has distanced itself from Tyagi, saying he was never part of the party. Tyagi`s social media accounts, however, tell a different tale. WATCH VIDEO HERE (Warning: Abusive Language) On his official Twitter handle, Tyagi presents himself as a devoted party leader having pictures with a range of senior saffron party functionaries. He also posted multiple edited images that had BJP`s logo. Tyagi, however, locked his Twitter account hours after the incident. "We have seized a total of three cars -- one Toyota Fortuner, one Tata Safari and one Honda Civic -- that belong to Tyagi," a Noida Police official told IANS. To trace his location, the police have detained four persons, including Tyagi`s wife. "We have constituted four teams that are working to nab the accused. We have also detained his wife for questioning," the official said. Apart from Tyagi`s wife, the police have detained his brother, driver and manager. "All of them are currently being questioned," informed the official. The matter came to light on Friday when several video clippings of the incident went viral on social media in which the Tyagi could be heard hurling abuses at the woman. Social media users also shared the response of the victim woman in which she narrated the entire incident. "I live in Grand Omaxe. A man named Shrikant Tyagi, residing on the ground floor, was encroaching the society by planting small and large plants in the common area. When I asked him to remove them, he refused. And when I tried to remove them, he hurled abuses at me, my husband and our kids," the woman said. In the same video, the residents of the society could also be seen accusing Tyagi of encroaching the area by planting small and large plants. As per one of the videos of the incident, accessed by IANS, Tyagi could also be seen pushing and threatening the woman. "Don`t you dare touch my plants otherwise I will see you...," he could be heard saying. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ankita Sharma, informed that soon after the video went viral on social media, Noida Police registered an FIR under Section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC at the Panchsheel police station. The officer assured that the accused would soon be arrested and punitive legal action will be taken against him. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Saturday took cognisance of the incident and wrote to Uttar Pradesh DGP in this matter. NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma asked the police to provide necessary protection to the victim. Trinamool spokesperson and leader Kunal Ghosh cannot comment on behalf of the party for now. According to Trinamool sources, he was warned about this by the party on Saturday. Kunal's comments after the recent jailing of former minister Partha Chatterjee are said to be a decision not taken by the leadership. But no letter was sent to Kunal. He has been verbally removed from the party spokesperson for the time being. But Kunal cannot act as a spokesperson for now. He remains on the post of state general secretary. In this context, Kunal said, "I have been informed by the party. I am a hard working soldier of the team. Now I will follow what the party has decided." Is he barred from commenting on any party issue or just on Partha? Kunal did not answer this question. At the time of the search at Partha's house, Kunal initially talked about BJP's conspiracy, but after recovering the money from Arpita Mukherjee's house, he said that those who were interrogated or from whom the money was recovered would suffer. It has nothing to do with the party. However, after recovering huge cash from Arpita's Belgharia flat for the second time, Kunal involved directly. He even tweeted that the party should take action against Partha. Incidentally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee removed Partha from the ministry on the same day. Later, after the meeting of the party's discipline committee, Abhishek Banerjee announced that Partha would be removed from all responsibilities of the party until the end of the trial period. Also Read: 'Give me bed PLEASE...', Partha Chatterjee urges after spending sleepless night sitting on commode in JAIL After this last Friday, Kunal made explosive comments in the district about the Jail custody of Partha. He said, "Go into jail and see what it's like. I hold my head high, I have committed no crime. I hope, as I have obeyed every rule of confinement as a citizen, the same rule applies to Partha. Jail office should do the same. He should be kept in a cell and not in a prison hospital. I was also kept in the cell. I have been in contact with many activists and prisoners since then." Kunal said without stopping here, "I have said conspiracy since day one. Partha was among the conspirators against me. While in captivity, burning in agony, I was told I was insane." Incidentally, Kunal was in jail for a long time in Sarada case. In that context, he said, "What happened in my jail life? When I said conspiracy, Partha and some people said I am crazy. This Partha also called me anti-party. But this Partha was the one who went out in a different way since then.'' Also Read: Partha Chatterjee gets 'Art of Living in jail' ADVICE from Mamata Banerjee's MLA, Says 'follow Hitler, Gautam Buddha' Trinamool took action against Kunal after this. However, there are two different opinions about this among the ruling party. One group says that Kunal is making TMC uncomfortable as there are more conspirators in the group to satisfy personal grudges. On the other side, action against Kunal may be detrimental due to the public reaction to the Partha's incident. Some may think that the TMC are still weak about Partha. However, a top leader of the TMC said, "Whatever action is taken against Partha is taken by the party. Even after this, it is not right for the party to speak disrespectfully about a senior person.'' Although Kunal claims, those words were said as personal opinion and not the party's. New Delhi: Ahead of the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s Pakistani sister Qamar Mohsin Shaikh sent the sacred thread--Rakhi and wished him for the 2024 general election. Speaking to ANI, Qamar said she has made all preparations and expected to meet PM Modi this time. "I hope he (PM Modi) will call me Delhi this time. I have done all the preparations. I made this rakhi by myself by using a Reshmi ribbon with embroidery design," she added. She wrote a letter and prayed for his good health and long life. She also wished him for the 2024 election. "I wrote a letter and prayed for long and healthy life. Keep doing good work like you are doing," she said. In the 2024 election, she said, "There is no doubt, he will be the PM again. He deserves this because he has those capabilities and I wish him to be PM of India every time," she added. PM Modi`s sister, Shaikh, also sent a rakhi and a Raksha Bandhan card to him last year. Raksha Bandhan marks the bond of love between the siblings and will be celebrated on August 11. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon of the Savan month of the Hindu year. The month of Savan is considered an auspicious period among the Hindus and Lord Shiva is worshipped every Monday during this entire time. New Delhi: One of the most revered figures in Indian history Rabindranath Tagore died on Aug 7, 1941. He played a pivotal role in advancing literature, poetry and art in the country and his works of art carry on his legacy. Tagore also amplified the Indian Independence struggle during the colonial rule in many ways. He is known for his experimental ways and moving away from the norm. For instance, he founded a school in Shantiniketan where he encouraged learning among nature unlike traditional schools where learning may be in closed classrooms. To honour his memory, take a look at some interesting and lesser-known facts about Rabindranath Tagore: 1. He was the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. However, his prize was stolen from the safety vault of Visva-Bharati University in 2004. Later, the Swedish Academy decided to present two replicas of Tagore's Nobel Prize to him, one made of gold and the other made of bronze. 2. He was believed to be interested in literature and poetry since a young age. In fact, he began jotting down poetry at the age of 8. Along with that, he also tried his hand at composing art works. 3. Tagore's father wanted him to study in England. However, he left his studies halfway in England and came back to India. 4. He married Mrinalini Devi in 1883. She was just 10 years old when they tied the knot. 5. With the money that Tagore received with his Nobel Prize, he founded a educational space in Shantiniketan called Visva-Bharati university in 1918. It was an alternative learning space from typical classroom schooling where students could learn amid nature. 6. Rabindranath Tagore was Knighted by King George V in 1915. However, Tagore gave it up after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. The festival of Rakshabandhan holds special importance for all the countrymen. On this holy festival of brother and sister, many sisters also tie rakhi to PM Modi. One of his friendly sister also lives in Pakistan. Before the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pakistani sister Qamar Mohsin Shaikh has sent Rakhi. Along with this, she has wished that PM Modi should win in the general elections of 2024 as well and become the Prime Minister of India again. Qamar said that she has made all the preparations and is also expected to meet PM Modi this time. She said that I hope that he (PM Modi) will call me to Delhi this time. I have done all the preparations. I have made this Rakhi myself using embroidery designs with silk ribbons. She wrote letter to PM Modi and prayed for his good health and long life. She also wished PM Modi for the 2024 elections. Qamar Mohsin Sheikh said that I wrote a letter to Narendra Modi and prayed for his long and healthy life. Keep up the good work like you are doing. Qamar said that there is no doubt that he (PM Modi) will be PM again. He deserves it because he has those abilities and I want him to be the PM of India every time. PM Modi's sister had also sent him Rakhi and Raksha Bandhan card last year. Raksha Bandhan signifies the bond of love between brothers and sisters and will be celebrated on August 11. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Sawan of the Hindu year. The month of Sawan is considered an auspicious period among Hindus and Lord Shiva is worshiped on every Monday throughout this time. Former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee has been lodged in Jail on charges of corruption in the appointment of teachers. Another accused in this case, Arpita Mukherjee, has also been in the same situation. On August 5, Special Court Judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu ordered Partha and Arpita 14-day jail custody in response to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea. They will be presented in court again on August 18 in this case. For now, the former cabinet minister of the state and the ousted general secretary of the Trinamool will have to stay in the correctional facility of the Presidency. Arpita is lodged in the Alipore Women's Correctional Facility. Partha is in cell number 2 in the Presidency Jail. In that square there is a toilet hidden by raising a high wall. Also allotted blankets and table fans like other inmates. But who are Partha's neighbors in the cells next to this cell? Aftab Ansari: Accused of attack on the American Center in Kolkata Aftab Ansari lives in the cell next to Partha. Accused of the attack on the American Center in Kolkata on January 22, 2002. Four police constables and a security guard were killed in the incident. Twenty people were injured. More cases are going on against Aftab. He was also allegedly the mastermind behind the kidnapping of Khadim Chairman Partha Roy Barman the year before the attack on the American Center. He was accused of having links with Al Qaeda. Later CBI arrested him from Dubai. Sudipto Sen: Saradha Scam Mastermind Apart from Aftab, Saradha chief Sudipta Sen is also a neighbor of Partha in jail. Sudipta, who is in jail in a case under CBI investigation, was arrested in May 2015. Saradha group has been accused of embezzling crores from investors. Sudipto was missing since August 2014. The following year, detectives arrested him along with Debjani Mukherjee and Arvind Singh Chauhan from Sonmarg area of Jammu and Kashmir. Chhatradhar Mahato: Maoist leader Maoist leader Chhatradhar Mahato, who is involved in the Lalgarh movement, is in Partha's ward. In 2008-09, he was the face of the anti-police terror public committee movement in Jangalmahal. He was arrested for the first time on September 25, 2009 from Lalgarh. There are several charges against him, including the murder of a CPM worker in Lalgarh. After more than 10 years in jail, Chhatradhar was released from jail in February 2020 after the Calcutta High Court reduced his sentence. He joined Trinamool in that year. He was arrested by the Central Investigation Agency (NIA) in a late-night raid at Amalia village in Lalgarh, Jangalmahal, after the Assembly polls on March 27 last year. Chhatradhar was charged under the UAPA Act in two old cases in 2009. Chhatradhar was released on parole for six days for his son's marriage but returned to Presidency Jail again. Goutam Kundu: Rose Valley Scam Mastermind Rose Valley chief Goutam Kundu is also in a jail ward with Partha. Rose Valley was accused of bilking investors of more than Rs 5,000 crore. Kundu was arrested by ED in May 2015 on the basis of SEBI's complaint. Kader Khan: Park Street Rape Case Accused Among Partha's neighbors is Kader Khan, the prime accused in the Park Street gang-rape case. In 2012, five people were accused of raping a young woman named Suzette Jordan in a moving car on Park Street. Four years after the Park Street incident, Kader was arrested from Greater Noida. He was on the run since the incident. Roh Tae-Moon, head of Samsung's key smartphone division, said this at a Friday meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. On its homepage, Samsung has said that it is preparing trial production for semiconductor chip grid products and planning to open a research and development (R&D) center in Hanoi later this year or early next year. The company said the R&D center was about 85% complete. "Semiconductors would mark a third business for Samsung in Vietnam, where the company makes home appliances and half of its smartphones," according to Nikkei Asia. In the first half of 2022, Samsung Vietnams export revenue was $34.3 billion, up 18% from the same period last year. In February, Samsung announced an additional $920 million investment into its factory in Vietnam. Before Samsung, Vietnam had Intel Products Vietnam (IPV), the largest assembly and testing plant in Intel's network. During the global chip crisis, IPV not only maintained stable operations, but also made a number of innovative contributions to help it fill the shortage in semiconductors. One of the key initiatives was to improve the substrate treatment process at the plant. "Vietnam has the ability to establish the necessary infrastructure and policies needed to support cutting-edge manufacturing operations in the chip sector," Steve Long, general manager of Intels Asia-Pacific and Japan region, had said during an interview with VnExpress in May. He said the stable socio-political environment, increasingly liberalized trade and investment policies, and a young and talented workforce were the reasons for foreign investors, especially large tech corporations, finding Vietnam an attractive destination. Vietnam is home to 60 percent of Samsungs total smartphone production. Samsung, Vietnams biggest foreign direct investor, first invested $1.3 billion in its electro-mechanics unit in 2013. The unit produces main boards and other electronics components. As of last year, the world's largest memory chip maker had invested $18 billion in Vietnam. New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, on Saturday, congratulated Margaret Alva for contesting in the Vice Presidential polls with 'grace' even though she lost to NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankar. He expressed that she fought thoroughly with 'conviction' regardless of the expected outcome. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Congratulations @alva_margaret for fighting the good fight with grace & conviction. The result was foreordained, but as the Gita teaches us, one must do the right thing without heed to the outcome." Congratulations @alva_margaret for fighting the good fight with grace & conviction. The result was foreordained, but as the Gita teaches us, one must do the right thing without heed to the outcome. https://t.co/wbGtHhAv7x Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 6, 2022 Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday was elected as the next Vice-President of India. According to the Election Commission, Dhankhar -- the NDA nominee, secured a total of 528 first preference votes, while Opposition candidate Margaret Alva received 182 votes. Also Read: How much Vice-President of India earns? A dreamy dip into top posts perks Making her first reaction after losing to Dhankhar, Alva said that the vice-presidential is over, but the "battle for protecting our constitution, strengthening our democracy and restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue" After Dhankar's win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu congratulated him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dhankhar and said that the country will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. Describing Dhankar as "Kisan Putra", he said that the new Vice President has "excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess". Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected Indias Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. @jdhankhar1 pic.twitter.com/YD8BHb512W Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2022 "Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected India`s Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom," the prime minister tweeted. (With agency inputs) The problems of Sanjay Nishad, the minister of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have increased. The court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Sanjay Nishad. The court has ordered the arrest and production of Sanjay Nishad by August 10. The responsibility of compliance with this order has been given to Shahpur Police. CJM Jagannath has ordered the arrest of Fisheries Minister Sanjay Nishad. Let us tell you that the case in which the order to arrest the cabinet minister Sanjay Nishad has been given 7 years ago. On June 7, 2015, a movement was going on in Kasarwal of Sahjanwa police station area, demanding 5 percent reservation for Nishads in government jobs. The agitators were sitting on the railway track. Meanwhile, the dispute escalated and the police resorted to lathi charge. During this one person had died. 24 policemen were injured in the violence Then it was alleged that the man had died after being shot by the police. Due to this the movement became furious and the agitators clashed with the police. Several police vehicles were torched by the agitators. 24 policemen were also injured in this violence. After this, a case against many people including Nishad Party Chief Sanjay Nishad under rioting, sabotage, arson and other related sections were filled. Significantly, in Uttar Pradesh, Sanjay Nishad's party is an ally of the BJP. Both the parties had come together before the Lok Sabha elections 2019. One son of Sanjay Nishad is an MP and the other is a MLA. Apart from this, Sanjay Nishad himself is a member of the Legislative Council. There is also news of Uddhav Thackeray's younger son Tejas Thackeray joining politics. Today is Tejas's birthday. It is believed that Uddhav can make an important announcement on this occasion. According to the report, Tejas Thackeray may be given the command of the youth wing of Shiv Sena. Amidst these speculations, BJP leader Nilesh Rane has fiercely targeted Tejas Thackeray. Rane said Tejas had no experience in politics. Till now he has roamed in the forest in search of friends and lizards. The BJP leader said that whatever he got, he got it only because of the Thackeray surname. Nilesh Rane said that if all the posts remain with the Thackeray family, then the workers should think about whom they will support. He said that from Uddhav Thackeray to Tejas Thackeray, everything was achieved because of the Thackeray surname, the other achievements are zero. BJP leader said, "Thackeray family keeps all important posts with their family members only, there are no outsiders. The rest are only given the task of lifting the chair and table. No matter how good a person is, it is only when the last name is 'Thackeray' that appears in the high office of the party." Nilesh Rane said that the workers who are with Uddhav Thackeray will only be given the task of setting up tables and chairs. These people will come in handy for raising slogans. All the work will be done by the workers, but the post will go to the person of the Thackeray family. BJP leader said that Uddhav Thackeray will never think about you. I am suggesting that you have to think for yourself. A court in Kanpur convicted him under the Arms Act. Cabinet minister of Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh Government Rakesh Sachan left the court premises after hearing that verdict. However, Rakesh has denied the allegation of absconding. Rakesh is the Minister-in-Charge of Small, Medium and Small Scale Industries and Khadi Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh. A Kanpur court on Saturday found him guilty in a case of illegal possession of arms in 1991. Allegedly, after hearing the verdict, Rakesh disappeared from the court without giving the bail bond. The court was supposed to pronounce the sentence after the verdict was announced. Kanpur Police has acknowledged receiving the complaint. However, it is not clear whether the police have started an investigation in this matter or not. But Rakesh did not want to accept the charge of escape. He claimed that he heard the verdict while sitting in the court. But he did not know that the sentence will be announced on the same day. He had to leave the court because of his pre-scheduled assignment. Rakesh challenged to examine the CCTV footage installed in the court premises as proof that he did not run away from the court. Also Read: Sanjay Nishad Warrant: Non-bailable warrant issued against CM Yogi Adityanath's Minister, court orders ARREST Rakesh entered politics in the nineties. His journey started with the Samajwadi Party. After that he joined Congress. Rakesh left the Congress and joined the BJP before the last assembly polls. NEW DELHI: Aamir Khan's daughter Iran Khan is currently painting the town red with her boyfriend Nupur Shikhare. Ira, who made her relationship with Nupur official last year, has shared an adorable picture with him on social media. In the image, the couple is twinning in black outfits - Ira looks pretty in a sheer black top paired with matching pants, while Nupur looks dapper in a black t-shirt and blue pants. Ira captioned the post as, "Hey," followed by a wink emoticon and tagged her boyfriend. She also hashtagged her father Aamir Khan's upcoming film 'Laal Singh Chaddha', which is set for theatrical release on August 11. Soon after she shared the post, actress Hazel Keech commented, 'Hottie'. There have been speculations that Aamir Khan's daughter is all set to tie the knot with Nupur and the adorable couple recently met her grandmother and reportedly took her blessings. While theres no confirmation about the wedding, the couple's recent romantic pictures are going viral. Ira often gets trolled for her relationship with Nupur. The star kid loves to share mushy pics with her beau on social media, for which she has been criticised several times by a section of readers. However, Ira is someone who doesn't appear to be in the mood to listen. For the unversed, Ira Khan and Nupur Shikhare made their relationship official in February 2021. The two shared a series of lovey-dovey posts for each other, screaming couple goals. Sharing a picture with Nupur on Promise Day, Ira had written, "It's an honour to make promises with and to you... #hi #whaleyoubemine #myvalentine #buddy #yourebetteratcheesylines #dreamboy." Unlike her father Aamir Khan, Ira is not inclined to make her career in the acting world. Rather, she tried her hand at directing with the play 'Medea' in 2019. Last year, she set up the Agatsu Foundation to "raise awareness about mental wellbeing". Aamir married Reena Dutta in 1986. The two, who share daughter Ira and son Junaid Khan, divorced after 16 years of marriage. He later married filmmaker Kiran Rao and they have a son, Azad Rao Khan. They announced their separation last year, after 15 years of marriage. New Delhi : Actor Nawazzudin Siddiqui opened up about Raman Raghav 2.0 as he reminisced his personal favorite scene. Taking to Instagram the actor shared a post about the film which he captioned, Thankyou for sharing this bindaas.faiz as this is my person favourite seen because I was having 104 Fever and I was too under confident while doing this. The actor was even hospitalised after filming this scene. His role in Raman Raghav 2.0 was challenging but nevertheless the actor received praises for his character as a notorious serial killer from the critics and audience alike. He even received applause at Cannes 2016 for the same. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is considered as one of the finest actors in Bollywood at the moment. He has given many such memorable scenes with his performances in movies like Gangs of Wasseypur, Sacred Games, Badlapur, Bajrangi Bhaijaan ,and many more. Meanwhile, on the work front, Nawazuddin has an interesting lineup of films which includes Kangana Ranauts Tiku Weds Sheru, Navaniat Singhs Noorani Chehra, and Sabir Khans Adbhut, No Land's Man and Laxman Lopez amongst others. The actor was last seen in Ahmed Khans Heropanti 2 starring Tiger Shroff and Tara Sutaria in the lead. New Delhi: Insurance regulator Irdai will soon launch a revamped grievance redressal mechanism to make complaint redressal more efficient with the option of customers filing their complaints in regional languages. The Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGMS), launched in 2011, is being upgraded to make it more convenient for customers. It is to be renamed as Bima Bharosa, sources said. The new portal will not only be a gateway for registering and tracking grievances online but also act as an industry-wide grievance repository for the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) to monitor disposal of grievances by insurance companies, the sources said. (ALSO READ: Twitter Fake Followers: Elon Musk's BIG CHALLENGE to Parag Agrawal on fake accounts) All transactions, starting from registrations of complaints against various entities, processing of complaints through various stages and final closure of complaints, will happen on this portal, they said, adding it will allow policyholders to file complaints in 13 regional languages for redressal of their grievances against insurance companies. (ALSO READ: Fake Twitter Followers Issue: Elon Musk's BIG CHALLENGE to Parag Agrawal on fake accounts) The robust and effective mechanism would allow easy on-boarding of the complainant and s/he has to fill only eight mandatory fields to lodge the grievance. The landing page is simple with a clean design. It focusses on two actions -- namely 'register a new complaint' and 'track status of complaint raised'. The new portal will be more dynamic which will take care of customers' need in a more time bound manner. SMSes will be sent to the complainant's registered mobile/e-mail ID after registration of complaint and upon attending by the insurance company. This is part of Irdai's reform process. The regulator in its recent board meeting took several decisions for the benefit of both customers and industry. Irdai decided to do away with the prior approval requirement for raising capital through preference shares and subordinate debts by insurers. As per the decision, the issue of Other Forms of Capital (OFC) should not exceed 50 per cent of the paid-up share capital or net worth of the insurance company. The board has also done away with the prior approval requirement for exercising the call option under OFC, subject to a solvency ratio not less than 180 per cent. Havana: Nearly 80 people were injured and 17 firefighters missing as a massive fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged in Matanzas city on Saturday (local time), media reports said. According to country`s Ministry of Energy and Mines, firefighters are still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, reported CBS News. The government said later that it had asked for help from international experts in "friendly countries" with experience in the oil sector. Moreover, the official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. In a bid to contain the fire which engulfed the nearby area, military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze. Thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana. A rigorous fire dousing operation is underway as while providing further details of it, Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks trying to keep them cool in hopes of preventing the fire from spreading. Provincial government`s facebook page of Matanzas said the number of injured had reached 77, while 17 people were missing. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 were "firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread." Seven of the injured were taken to Calixto Garcia Hospital in Havana, which has a prominent burn unit. The incident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. However, as the situation is still evolving, there was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants. As per authorities, Dubrocq neighbourhood closest to the fire was evacuated, while Gonzalez added that some people decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm, as per the media outlet. Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 residents and located on Matnzas Bay. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel travelled to the area of the fire early Saturday, officials said. Moreover, local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana. "That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long," Pila wrote on his Twitter account. Beijing: More than 6,00,000 Chinese nationals have requested asylum from China due to Xi Jinping`s repressive policies that have impelled the `great exodus`, according to a UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Since Xi took over, China has implemented several crackdowns in the country. According to The Hong Kong Post, no citizen is spared when it comes to the crackdown. Technology giants including Alibaba, Tencent, and Didi are also facing a series of investigations over a range of issues categorised in "regulatory" norms. The norms include limiting the number of hours allowed for children to play video games, cracking down on celebrity fan culture and limits of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms used by tech giants. Also Read: China does it again! Makes exact replica of Apache attack helicopter for Pakistan, leaves Netizens stunned These regulations are being introduced to put an anchor on tech giants since their growth and influence in the past 15 years have been dramatic, the Hong Kong Post reported. A recently leaked report cited by the media outlet stated that Yang Huiyan, who is also known as China`s richest lady in the present day, has acquired a "golden passport" in Cyprus by applying to the European Union Citizenship. It is to be noted that human rights activists or anyone who supports and echoes democracy has been constantly targeted by the Chinese government. Moreover, the suppression of ethnic minorities has become the new normal in China. Journalists from foreign countries facing issues in China Journalists from foreign countries have also been facing problems with regard to visas, and there have been instances of them being subjected to detention and expulsion as well.In Hong Kong, more than 93,000 residents left the city in 2020 alone, whereas the number in 2021 was 23,000. Strict Covid-19 policy has upset citizens Apart from the Chinese nationals, foreign citizens have also been leaving China due to the strict government policies in the wake of COVID-19 and the resultant harsh lockdowns. Overall, it is very evident that since Xi Jinping took over as the President, several alterations have taken place not just externally but domestically too. The increasing anxiety amongst the citizens due to his aggressive policies, high pollution levels, a massive crackdown on civil rights activists and journalists along with suspicions hovering around the wealthy are leading to a mass exodus kind of situation in the present context. Considering and comparing the numbers in the past decade, the scenario is likely to worsen as stringent COVID-19 restrictions have also left no stone unturned. Colombo: Sri Lanka has asked China to defer the planned visit of a Chinese survey ship to the island country after an objection from India, a government source told Reuters on Sunday. The Chinese research and survey vessel, Yuan Wang 5, was still on its way to Sri Lanka`s Hambantota port. It is scheduled to arrive there on Aug. 11, according to shipping data from Refinitiv. India worries that the Chinese-built and leased port of Hambantota will be used by China as a military base in India`s backyard. The $1.5 billion port is near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe. China`s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Last week, a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan government said the ship was only stopping at Hambantota for refuelling. China is one of Sri Lanka`s biggest lenders and has also financed airports, roads and railways, unsettling India. As Sri Lanka battles its worst economic crisis in seven decades, India this year alone has provided it nearly $4 billion in support. Diplomatic relations between India and China have been strained since clashes in 2020 between troops along a remote Himalayan border. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in the fighting, which led to a massive build-up of troops on both sides. SriForeign security analysts describe the Yuan Wang 5 as one of China`s latest space-tracking ships, used to monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. In its financial report for the second quarter, Apple announced a record revenue of $83 billion, up 2% year-on-year, despite the volatile market situation. "We set June quarter records in the Americas, in Europe and in the rest of Asia Pacific region. We also saw June quarter revenue records in both developed and emerging markets with very strong double-digit growth in Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam and a near doubling of revenue in India," Cook said during the companys earnings call late July. He said the company continues to "execute across some significant geographies with low penetration of iPhones between Indonesia, Vietnam and India where we did quite well." The company's strategy is to use its smartphone model to expand its presence, with promotion of other products to follow. "iPhone tends to be the engine for those markets, particularly at the beginning of creating the market there for Apple products." Apple did not specify the growth rate for each region. However, major retail systems in Vietnam have recorded that iPhone is an item that brings in the largest revenues. Among the top 10 smartphones with the highest revenue in the first half of the year sold at electronics retail giant Mobile World, there are four iPhone models, with the top three positions being iPhone 13 Pro Max 128 GB, 13 Pro Max 256 GB and iPhone 11 64 GB. At FPT Shop, a consumer electronics retailer, the best-selling and revenue-generating phone is also iPhone 13 Pro Max. From the beginning of the second quarter of 2022, Apple's authorized retail systems in Vietnam have launched repeated discount programs to stimulate demand during the off-peak period. Popular models such as iPhone 11, 13 Pro Max all saw price reductions of VND2-3 million ($85.51-128.26) in this quarter. A businessman who has monitored the mobile phone market in Vietnam for many years said that the popularity of iPhones in Vietnam was not as low as Tim Cook said it used to be. There were people who bought iPhones from abroad and to resell it in Vietnam, therefore, the market valuation statistics Cook stated was not entirely accurate. "For the last 2-3 years, Apple has made many moves to promote users to buy iPhones from its authorized distributors in Vietnam, releasing it soon with the prices similar to those in foreign countries, and at the same time expanding the distribution system, so the growth rate is high. The double-digit growth is completely understandable," said the businessman who did not want to be named. According to an Apple report, sales in the smartphone segment reached $40.7 billion, up nearly 3% from the same period last year. Other than the iPhone, the only other product that increased in popularity was Apple TV Plus. Sales of other products including Mac computers, iPads and wearable devices declined. A foreigner undergoes immigration procedures at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport in March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Ba Do With Vietnam reopening its borders after more than two years and lifting most Covid restrictions, here are some tips for foreigners on getting electronic visas for smooth entry. Right now, Vietnam is only offering 30-day single-entry e-visa service for citizens from 80 countries and territories. You can check the list to make sure your country is one of those approved for Vietnam's e-visa by clicking on this link. Among the main eligibility conditions for the e-visa are a passport with six months' validity; a photo in .jpg format of full passport data page; a passport photo in .jpg format; and a valid international credit or debit card. In order to apply for the e-visa, the first step is to visit the official website for Vietnam's e-visa application at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn and complete an online form. The form has to be filled with required information from the passport data page and the .jpg images of the page and passport photo have to be uploaded. All information regarding the trip, including intended date of entry, intended length of stay in Vietnam, intended port of entry and departure, and intended temporary residential address in Vietnam will have to be filled in. After completing the form and submitting it to the Vietnam Immigration Department, the applicant will receive a verification code, after which $25 has to be paid as e-visa fees. It takes three working days for the visa to be issued. The visa status can be checked at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/tra-cuu-thi-thuc after entering the registration code, email, and date of birth. Once the visa is issued, the .pdf file can be downloaded and printed. It is advisable to have two printed copies when traveling. The e-visa is valid for entry at any of 28 international checkpoints in Vietnam, including eight international airports. For the full list of airports, seaports and border crossings where the e-visa is accepted, please click here. Mike Burger from the U.S. who visited Vietnam last May, said e-visas in Vietnam is super. "I used this online facility many times pre-Covid and most recently last May when the country reopened its borders," he said. "I found the website to be simple and efficient and the turnaround time for the e-visa was three days. No issues with payment via Visa or Mastercard. Great system in my opinion." Elko City Council will meet in special session at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, at Elko City Hall. Council members will conduct a first reading of an ordinance changing the allocation of hotel tax funds with .75% going to the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority Facility Fund and 1.25% going to the Air Alliance Airline Revenue Guarantee Program. Elko Convention and Visitors Authority Marketing Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, at the Elko Convention Center Cedar Room. The agenda calls for updates from ECVA staff and marketing committee members. Elko County Debt Management Commission will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, in the Nannini Administration Building. Commissioners will review policies, plans, and indebtedness reports for Central Dispatch Administrative Authority, City of Carlin, City of Elko, City of Wells, City of West Wendover, County of Elko, Elko Convention & Visitors Authority, Elko County Fire Protection District, Elko County Recreation Board, Elko County School District, Elko Television District and West Wendover Recreation District. Elko County School District Board of Trustees will meet at 5: 30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, in the board room at 850 Elm St. The board will hear a presentation from MGT on the facility master plan. The board will also consider changes to various policies, including racially discriminatory identifiers. To comply with Nevada Revised Statute 388.045, the board would prohibit the use of any name, logo, mascot, song, or other identifier that is racially discriminatory or contains racially discriminatory language or imagery, including, without limitation, a name, logo, mascot, song, or other identifier associated with the Confederate States of America or a federally recognized Indian tribe without approval of the tribe. Elko County Roads Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the Nannini Administration Building. The panel will discuss a request from the Nevada Department of Transportation for the county to consider maintaining a solar-powered pedestrian sign at the intersection of Boyd/Kennedy Road and Ann Way. Elko County Budget Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the Nannini Administration Building. The panel will consider spending $10,000 on a used Trimble R10 GPS receiver for Planning and Zoning to enable them to have a complete survey grade GPS system. Elko Television District Board will meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 11 in the Elko County Commissioners Room. The board will consider a link from Lamoille to Peavey for a TV channel or security use, and purchasing an IP stream device in partnership with Eureka County to connect fiber from Reno. Egypt's Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27) Sameh Shoukry asserted on Tuesday the importance of providing climate finance to developing countries, including island countries, to enable them to fulfil their commitments toward the climate. Libyas Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli received on Tuesday the first flight operated by EgyptAir, the country's flag carrier, for the first time in eight years. Taiwan displayed on Wednesday its most advanced fighter jet, the missile-equipped F-16V, in a rare nighttime demonstration in the wake of China's unprecedented military drills around the island. The death toll from the latest Israeli aggression in Gaza has risen to 24, including six children, health authorities in the territory said Saturday, but Israel denied conducting a new strike that reportedly killed minors. Gaza's health ministry blamed "Israeli aggression" for the deaths, and for the 203 people wounded. But an Israeli government statement denied blame for a strike in Jabalia on Saturday that reportedly killed children. "Israeli security forces did not strike in Jabalia in the past few hours. It has been irrefutably proven that this incident was the result of the misfiring of a rocket launched by Islamic Jihad," it said. Search Keywords: Short link: Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza fired rockets at Jerusalem Sunday in retaliation for the first time since conflict erupted, with the third day of Israeli bombardments raising the death toll to 29 Palestinians. The updated count from health authorities in the Palestinian enclave said six children were among those killed since the start of the Israeli aggression on Friday, in addition to 253 people injured. On Sunday Israel pressed on with its bombardment of positons of Islamic Jihad militants who have retaliated with barrages of rockets. The Israeli army has said the entire "senior leadership of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza has been neutralised", and Prime Minister Yair Lapid vowed Sunday that "the operation will continue as long as necessary". In Gaza, the ministry initially said 32 people had died since Friday, but later revised the figure down to 29. Israel claimed it had "irrefutable" evidence that a stray rocket from Islamic Jihad militants had been responsible for the deaths of multiple children in Jabalia, northern Gaza, on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how many children were killed in the incident in Jabalia. An AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at an area hospital, including three minors. In Jerusalem AFP reporters heard two explosions as rockets were intercepted in the air. Al Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad movement's military wing, said it had "fired rockets" at the city, where air raid sirens wailed. Jews on Sunday mark the Tisha Be'av remembrance day by visiting the Al Aqsa mosque compound, known in Judaism as the Temple Mount, in Israel-annexed east Jerusalem. Tensions there have previously sparked wider violence, and Hamas's Doha-based chief Ismail Haniyeh has warned against allowing Jews to "storm" the compound Sunday, saying it could lead to an "uncontrollable" security crisis. 'Crucial and difficult' The Israeli agression is the worst in Gaza since a war last year devastated the impoverished territory, home to some 2.3 million Palestinians, and forced countless Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. Israel's military has warned its latest aerial and artillery campaign against Islamic Jihad could last a week, but Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo was talking "around the clock" with both sides to ease the violence. Israel has said it was necessary to launch a "pre-emptive" operation against Islamic Jihad, as the group was planning an imminent attack following days of tensions along the border with Gaza. The head of the army's operations directorate, Oded Basiok, said the entire "senior leadership of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza has been neutralised" by Israel's campaign. That includes Taysir al-Jabari, a top militant commander killed in Gaza City on Friday, and Khaled Mansour, who Islamic Jihad confirmed died in a strike in Rafah, southern Gaza on Saturday. Israel's Lapid on Sunday called the killing of Mansour a "remarkable achievement". Twenty members of Islamic Jihad were arrested overnight in several raids by Israeli security forces in the West Bank, the army said. Daily life in the Gaza strip has come to a standstill, while the electricity distributor said the sole power station shut down due to a lack of fuel after Israeli occupation forces closed its border crossings. Gaza's health ministry said the next few hours will be "crucial and difficult", warning it risked soon suspending vital services as a result of the lack of electricity. 'We are all alone' In Gaza City, resident Dounia Ismail said Palestinians had become accustomed to preparing a "survival bag" of items such as money and medicine. "This latest escalation brings back images of fear, anxiety, and the feeling that we are all alone," she told AFP. Civilians in southern and central Israel, meanwhile, have been forced into air raid shelters since Friday. The Magen David Adom emergency service said two people were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds and 13 others were lightly hurt while running for safety. In Kibbutz Nahal Oz, an Israeli community beside the Gaza border, resident Nadav Peretz said he had been "in the bomb shelter or around it" since Friday. "We recognise that on the other side too there is an uninvolved civilian population, and on both sides children deserve to enjoy their summer vacation," the 40-year-old said. Islamic Jihad is aligned with Hamas, but often acts independently. Hamas's moves now could prove crucial, with the group facing pressure from some to restore calm in order to improve economic conditions in Gaza. Search Keywords: Short link: At least eight people were killed and 13 injured after two trucks collided on Sunday in Upper Egypt's Minya governorate, around 270 kilometres from the capital Cairo, authorities said. The incident occurred when a pick-up truck carrying workers collided with a semi-trailer truck in the early hours of Sunday on Samalut Road. Ambulances were dispatched to the site of the accident and transferred the bodies of the deceased to the morgue and the injured to a nearby hospital to receive treatment. The Public Prosecution is investigating the incident, the authorities added. 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. The project has successfully developed and widened Egypts 23,000 kilometre road network and has constructed or upgraded 7,000 kilometres. By 2019, the quality of Egypts road infrastructure had climbed to 28th place in the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Report from 118th place in 2014. The country recorded a 9.3 percent drop in traffic injuries in 2021 compared to 2020, according to a recent report released by the countrys Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) in July 2022. Traffic injuries across Egypt in 2021 reached 51,511, down from 2020s 56,789, the CAPMAS report said. The report added that 7,101 people died in road mishaps, up from the 6,164 deaths recorded a year prior, a 15.2 percent increase. Search Keywords: Short link: The head of Chad's military government met Saturday with Qatar's ruling emir after months of talks between Chadian forces and rebel factions, hosted by the Arab country. Chad's Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby spoke with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Footage from the Qatari royal court, or diwan, showed Sheikh Tamim with Qatar's foreign minister, while a Chadian delegation accompanied Deby. A later statement on the state-run Qatar News Agency quoted Sheikh Tamim as backing a ``comprehensive national reconciliation in Chad,'' saying the ongoing negotiations between the military and the rebels represented a first step toward that. Sheikh Tamim also reportedly wished Deby luck in an upcoming national dialogue planned in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena on Aug. 20. The talks had earlier been set for May. Talks between the rebel factions and the military began in March in Doha, the Qatari capital. Deby's visit comes as diplomats hope the military government and the rebel groups would sign an agreement in Doha ahead of the Aug. 20 talks. But it remains unclear whether the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, the main rebel group in the country, will sign a deal. That shadowy group, known by the French acronym FACT, is blamed for the 2021 killing of Chad's longtime President Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the country since 1990. Mahamat Idriss Deby is the 38-year-old son of the slain president who leads Chad's Transitional Military Council. Other rebel groups involved in the Qatar talks included the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development and others. They have called for Deby to declare he would not run in any coming elections, though the military junta has insisted that can only be decided in the national dialogue talks. A planned 18-month transitional period in Chad is to end in the coming months, putting renewed pressure on the sides to reach an agreement. Already, Chad had grown frustrated by the 30 years of rule by Deby's father, leading to years of rebel uprisings in the former French colony that borders Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan. In July, Qatar's satellite news network Al Jazeera reported that over 20 rebel groups had withdrawn from the Doha talks. They had accused the military government of ``harassments, intimidation, threats and disinformation'' amid the negotiations. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts net international reserves (NIRs) declined by $230 million in July to post $33.1 billion, down from $33.3 billion at the end of June 2022, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said on Sunday. Following their recovery from COVID-19s harsh impacts, Egypts NIRs continue to be hit by the spillovers of the Russian-Ukrainian war sparked in late February. Consequently, Egypts NIRs dropped in March to $37 billion, down from $40.9 billion in February. Global markets came under immense pressure due to the recent developments between Russia and Ukraine. Conflict between the two countries has caused massive sell-offs in Emerging Markets, and volatility in global asset prices, the CBE said in March. Describing their response, they added: In the wake of the Russia/Ukraine crisis and in line with the CBEs mandate to maintain price stability, the CBE decided to temporarily mobilise its excess foreign currency reserves to calm the markets during periods of exceptional stress caused by exogenous factors, similar to the actions that were taken during the emergence of the COVID pandemic, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expected Egypts tourism sector, one of the countrys key hard currency sources, to be the most affected by the war in Ukraine. Yet, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait predicted a marginal impact of the Ukrainian war on the tourism sector, projecting its revenues to reach between $10-12 billion in FY2021/2022 (July 2021-June 2022), up from $4.9 billion a year earlier. Egypt has lost $20 billion in investments since the onset of the war in Ukraine, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in May. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad signed a cooperation agreement with the European Union (EU) to obtain a grant of 4 million euros within the framework of joint and continuous cooperation between the ministry and the EU in the field of environmental protection and in support of the Egyptian industry ahead of UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). Fouad who is also the ministerial coordinator and envoy of the COP27 said that the EU grant is a part of the third phase funding of the Environmental Pollution Abatement Project (EPAP) of total budget of 145 billion euros, according to a statement by the ministry EPAP third phases is currently under implementation and provides a mixture of soft loans and grants to encourage public and private industrial enterprises to invest in pollution abatement technologies. The minister said that EPAP is among the ministrys largest and most important initiatives that aim to enhance performance of the national industry and achieve compliance with the environmental needs and regulations, in addition to reduce energy and resources consumption to achieve sustainable development ultimately. She added that the financial grants aimed to transform industrial facilities to the green economy and limit carbon emissions in order to limit the impact of climate change. The projects second phase started in 2007 and aimed to decrease pollution in project hot spots in order to improve local and global environmental conditions, as Egypt is suffering from various kinds of pollution. EPAP is implementing in a partnership between the EU and the European Investment Bank (EIB), French Development Agency and Germanys KfW Development Bank. The statement said that the signing came amid the cooperation framework between Egypts Ministry of Environment and EU regarding field of protecting environment and supporting the Egyptian Industry. Fouad said that the initiative is offering technical support to serious companies to adapt the environmental regulations, plus introducing soft loans and grants to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) up to 30 percent from the total budget of the companys implemented project. She added that the EPAP is currently preparing and implementing environmentally friendly and energy efficiency projects of over 200 million euros to transform industry to green economy. The environment minister asserted that all the different industrial facilities nationwide could benefit from the offered financial grant, noting that participated industrial facilities in EPAP will obtain a number of outcomes including reducing carbon emissions, achieve financial savings, and enhance productivity and competency. Egypt is paying efforts to limit the impact of climate change and implementing a number of sustainable projects in various fields, as it announced in May the National Strategy for Climate Change 2050. This comes in line with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inspections to sustainable projects implemented in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh, COP27 host city. Search Keywords: Short link: Israel on Sunday agreed to an Egyptian-proposed truce with Palestinian militants in Gaza after three days of intense conflict, an Egyptian source said, as Islamic Jihad reported talks toward a ceasefire were underway. The negotiations raise hopes that Egypt could help broker a deal to end the worst fighting in Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the impoverished coastal territory, home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. An Egyptian security source said that Israel "has accepted" a ceasefire, adding that Cairo was waiting for the Palestinian response. Nour Abu Sultan, who lives west of Gaza, said she was "awaiting the declaration of the ceasefire on tenterhooks". "We haven't slept for days (due to) heat and shelling and rockets, the sound of aircrafts hovering above us... is terrifying," the 29-year-old said. Since Friday, Israel has carried out heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of Islamic Jihad positions in Gaza, with the militants firing hundreds of rockets in retaliation. At least 31 Palestinians have been killed including six children, and 275 people have been wounded since Friday, health authorities said in Gaza where several buildings were reduced to rubble. Two Israelis have been wounded, and others forced to shelter from a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza. Dalia Harel, a resident in the Israeli town of Sderot close to the Gaza border, said she was "disappointed" at news of a truce despite her five children being "traumatised". "We're tired of having a military operation every year," she said. "We need our military and political leaders to get it over with once and for all... of course we're not for war, but we can't go on like this." A spokesman for Islamic Jihad -- an Iran-backed group -- told AFP "there is no agreement" yet. Musab al-Buraim listed the group's demands, including the release of senior leader Bassem al-Saadi, whose arrest in the occupied West Bank was announced by Israel on Tuesday. Wounded people 'every minute' Islamic Jihad extended its barrage earlier Sunday to fire two rockets targeting Jerusalem, but they were shot down by the Israeli occupation army. The Israeli occupation army has said the entire "senior leadership of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza has been neutralised". Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director general of the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, said medics were treating wounded people in a "very bad condition", warning of dire shortages of drugs and fuel to run power generators. "Every minute we receive injured people," he said earlier Sunday. The health ministry in Gaza, run by the Islamist group Hamas, said 31 people had been killed. But Israel said it had "irrefutable" evidence that a stray rocket fired by Islamic Jihad was responsible for the deaths of several children in Gaza's northern Jabalia area on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how many children were killed there, but an AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at the local hospital including three minors. "We came running to the place and found body parts lying on the ground... they were torn-apart children," said Muhammad Abu Sadaa, describing the devastation in Jabalia. The occupation army said it had struck 139 Islamic Jihad positions, with the militants firing over 600 rockets and mortars, but with more than a hundred of those projectiles falling short inside Gaza. Amid the high tensions, Jews in Israel-annexed east Jerusalem marked the Tisha Be'av fasting day Sunday at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known in Judaism as the Temple Mount. Top militants killed Israel has said it was necessary to launch a "pre-emptive" operation Friday against Islamic Jihad, which it said was planning an imminent attack. The Israeli occupation army has killed senior leaders of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, including Taysir al-Jabari in Gaza City and Khaled Mansour in Rafah in the south. Israel's Lapid called the killing of Mansour an "extraordinary achievement". In southern and central Israel, civilians were forced into air raid shelters. Two people were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds and 13 others lightly hurt while running for safety, the Magen David Adom emergency service said. Hamas's response to the agression remains critical, with spokesman Fawzi Barhoum offering the group's support to Islamic Jihad on Sunday, but stopping short of saying they would take part. Islamic Jihad is aligned with Hamas but often acts independently. Search Keywords: Short link: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in South Africa on Sunday, kicking off a three-nation African visit as Washington scales up diplomacy to counter Russian influence on the continent. His visit comes after an extensive tour of Africa by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov late last month. South Africa has remained neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow, which had opposed apartheid before the end of white minority rule in 1994. Blinken will hold talks on Monday with South African counterpart Naledi Pandor and also make a policy announcement on the US government's new Africa strategy, Pretoria said in a statement. The two will "discuss ongoing and recent developments relating to the global geopolitical situation," it said. The US State Department last month said African countries were "geostrategic players and critical partners on the most pressing issues of our day, from promoting an open and stable international system, to tackling the effects of climate change, food insecurity and global pandemics". The African powerhouse, which wields great diplomatic influence beyond the continent, belongs to a group of emerging economies called BRICS. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged BRICS countries --Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- to cooperate in the face of "selfish actions" from the West. For Fonteh Akum, head of the Pretoria-based think-tank Institute for Security Studies, Blinken's visit will help the US understand the southern African country's position. It will also aim "to bring South Africa further into the Western fold", Akum told AFP. The US wants to "engage differently and... move towards understanding Africa's agency in international relations and therefore the growth in diplomatic engagements," the expert said. Blinken's trip follows a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Benin, Cameron and Guinea-Bissau late last month. Lavrov's Africa trip took him to Congo-Brazzaville, Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda. That Blinken is coming after Lavrov and Macron, "basically shows that Africa is entering a phase within which there is another bout of great power competition over the continent," said Akum. It is Blinken's second trip to Africa since his appointment early last year. He will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo later this week, with the aim of boosting support for sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country as it battles to turn the page on decades of conflict. Blinken's tour will then wind up in Rwanda, which has seen a flare-up in tensions with DR Congo after it accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels, a charge Kigali denies. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohammed Abdel-Ati announced on Sunday that the rainfall rates over the basins of Nile River's tributaries the Blue Nile and Atbarah rivers is above the average, describing it as "a promising start" to the month of August. Abdel-Atis remarks came during a video conference meeting with the Permanent Committee for Regulating the Niles Revenues. The meeting was attended by the ministry's executive officials and the National Water Research Centre (NWRC). The Blue Nile, which starts in Ethiopia, generates over 85 percent of Egypts Nile water. Meanwhile Atbarah, which also starts in Ethiopia, joins the Nile at the Sudanese city of Atbarah and is its last tributary before it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. Abdel-Ati said that his ministrys departments are monitoring the Nile rainfall rates, its hydrological situation and determining the amount of water reaching Lake Nasser, Egypts man-made reservoir lying behind the High dam. The Niles flooding season, which takes place from July to September, is caused by heavy rain in the Ethiopian highlands. Abdel-Ati added that the ministry is doing its utmost to fulfill the water needs for all beneficiaries, including the current agricultural season. He also reviewed the water position in different governorates all over the country and the readiness of irrigation, drainage and mechanics department to guarantee the drainage network is able to meet the water needs of all beneficiaries. He issued directives to maintain the emergency emergency status in the ministrys departments, asserting the need for the committee to continue regular meetings. On 17 July, Abdel-Ati announced that the rainfall rates over the Nile River headwaters were below the average for the month of July. Egypt one of the driest and most water-scarce countries in the world receives around 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water annually, mainly from the Nile. However, its needs stand at around 114 bcm, placing the 102-million-plus country well below the international threshold for water scarcity at 560 cubic metres per person annually. The large gap in water resources in Egypt is overcome by importing 54 percent of its virtual water and reusing 42 percent of its renewable sources, Abdel-Ati said in an earlier statement. Access to Nile water is one of the outstanding points in the long-running Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute between downstream countries Egypt and Sudan and upstream Ethiopia. Despite the opposition of the downstream countries to filling the GERD without signing a binding agreement that could secure the three countries water needs, Ethiopia has started filling the reservoir for the third consecutive year in the absence of agreement with Egypt and Sudan. Search Keywords: Short link: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has estimated the number of international migrants residing in Egypt at nine million people from 133 countries, according to a statement released on Sunday. The number of migrants in Egypt is equal to 8.7 percent of the country's total population, the IOM added, noting that the most numerous nationalities are Sudanese (four million), Syrians (1.5 million), Yemenis (one million) and Libyans (one million). These four nationalities constitute 80 percent of the international migrants currently residing in the country. "There has been a noticeable increase in the number of migrants since 2019, due to the long-standing instability in Egypt's neighbouring countries, which has driven thousands of Sudanese, South Sudanese, Syrians, Ethiopians, Iraqis and Yemenis to seek refuge in Egypt," the statement pointed out. The IOM considers a migrant to be any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a state away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of the persons legal status; whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary; what the causes for the movement are; or what the length of the stay is." While offering assurances that Egypt is not a transit point for illegal migrants to Europe, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has repeatedly asserted that the country does not have refugee camps, describing refugees hosted in Egypt as guests in the country. The refugees in Egypt live within society, and have access to education, medical treatment and work, El-Sisi has pointed out. The IOM said the Egyptian governments positive attitude towards migrants and refugees may be seen as a pull factor for the recent migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. "Egypt has been generous in including migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in the education and national health systems, [putting them] on equal footing with Egyptians in many instances despite the challenges these two sectors are facing and the high economic costs," it added. The inclusion of migrants in the national COVID-19 vaccination plan is a clear recent example of Egypt's approach to treating migrants as equal to Egyptian citizens, stressed the IOM. The IOM's analysis on migrants in Egypt showed that the average age is 35 years old with a balanced percentage of males (50.4 percent) and females (49.6 percent). Furthermore, the majority of them (56 percent) reside in five governorates namely Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Damietta and Daqahliya. Most of the remainder live in Assiut, Aswan, Gharbiya, Ismailia, Luxor, Matrouh, Menoufiya, Minya, Port Said, Qaliouyiba, Qena, and Red Sea. Small numbers of migrants live in the Sinai peninsula (specifically Dahab), Sharqyia, Sohag and Suez, the statement added. Additionally, the data collected from embassies and IOM studies revealed that more than one third of the population (37 percent) are working in stable jobs, which indicates that the migrants in Egypt are positively contributing to the labour market and the Egypts economic growth. Syrians migrants, who constitute 17 percent of international migrants in Egypt, are one of the top contributors to the labour market and the Egyptian economy. The IOM estimated that the amount of funds invested by 30,000 registered Syrian investors in Egypt is approximately $1 billion, saying that this reflects the importance of enhancing the integration of migrants to positively impact their host society. The analysis of the duration of stay of migrants in Egypt showed 60 percent living in Egypt for more than 10 years, with six percent living in the country for 15 years or more (second generations included). IOM Egypt started its assessment in October 2021 and concluded it in June 2022. IOM said it has used multiple research methods to get the most accurate number and profile of migrants in Egypt, including conducting consultations with diplomatic representations of more than 100 countries present in Egypt. It also included data collected via the daily interaction with migrants, as well as academic reviews and studies. IOM policies and programmes consider human mobility as a source of prosperity and sustainable development for countries of origin and hosting communities, the statement noted. Combating irregular migration Egypt has stepped up its efforts since 2016 to deal with irregular migration, setting a legislative framework to combat the smuggling of migrants. In 2016, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi launched the countrys first national strategy to combat irregular migration, and Law 82 of 2016 set out penalties criminalising all forms of migrant smuggling, in addition to combating the activities of those involved in such acts. The law punishes whoever commits, attempts, or is involved in the crime of smuggling migrants with strict imprisonment and a fine ranging from EGP 200,000 to EGP 500,000. In 2022, the country toughened the law, forcing those who commit the crime of smuggling or aiding in the smuggling of migrants to pay a fine equal to the value of the amount they profited from the operation. Additionally, those who witnessed irregular migration crimes and chose not to report them to authorities will be sentenced to one year in prison and forced to pay EGP 50,000-200,000 in fines. Furthermore, public servants who fail in their assigned responsibilities to fight irregular migration will be sentenced to between three to five years in prison. In 2019, Egypt launched its Lifeboats Initiative in order to provide job opportunities in villages seeing significant levels of irregular migration, with EGP 250 million allocated to support and implement it in 70 villages across the country. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian official sources affirmed on Sunday that efforts to halt escalation and apply a Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza to end the three days of renewed conflict in the strip are close to success. Egypt has intensified its contacts with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to encourage both parties in the enclave to agree to a permanent ceasefire, the sources stressed in remarks cited by Egypt's official news agency MENA. A Palestinian official told Reuters earlier on Sunday that Israel and Islamic Jihad have agreed to a truce in the Gaza fighting, effective at 8pm on Sunday. Egypt is set to formally announce the cease-fire agreement, Al-Jazeera reported citing unidentified sources. The deal will include Israeli concessions to alleviate the Gaza Strip's fuel shortage. Within this context, Israel said that it will allow easing the blockade and the passage of fuel trucks to the strips power station on Monday. The ceasefire plans come a day after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt is exerting "big efforts," alongside partners, to restore stability and calm in the Gaza Strip and is contacting the Palestinians and Israelis to ensure that things do not get out of control. Egypt also announced in a brief statement by the foreign ministry on Friday that it has intensified contact round the clock in an effort to contain the situation in Gaza, achieve calm, and protect lives and properties. Fighting between Israel and militants in Gaza started on Friday when Israel assassinated prominent Islamic Jihad leader Taysir Al-Jaabari in Gaza in airstrikes, ending a year of calm in the enclave. According to Palestinian authorities, at least 32 Palestinians including six children have been killed due to the Israeli airstrikes in the enclave with hundreds of rockets reportedly launched against Israeli cities from Gaza in retaliation. On Saturday, the Israeli forces said in a statement that they are prepared for a week of fighting against the Islamic Jihad. The last major Israeli assault on Gaza was in May 2021, which killed around 250 Palestinians, including women and children, before an Egypt-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities. The Israeli aggression last year has left the enclave in dire need of reconstruction work after destroying and damaging thousands of housing units and vital facilities and leaving scores of Gazans homeless after 11 days of airstrikes. Over the past year, Egypt has maintained diplomatic and security contacts with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to consolidate the ceasefire and pave the way for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Egypt has also been carrying out the reconstruction work in the enclave, including building towns that are planned to accommodate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as El-Sisi pledged $500 million to rebuild Gaza in May 2021. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has called for the Palestinian and Israeli sides in the Gaza Strip to ceasefire starting 11:30 local time (8:30 GMT) to end the renewed conflict that sparked on Friday, an official Egyptian source said. Egypt has intensified contacts with both sides in the enclave to contain the current escalation, an official source said. Moreover, Egypt is also working to ensure the release of Palestinian captive Khalil Awawdeh and transport him for treatment as well as captive Bassam Al-Saadi, the source added. Awawdeh, 40, has been arrested by the Israeli authorities in December last year and detained since then without a trial. Awawdeh has been reportedly on a hunger strike for around a month as he remained in jail without charges. Saadi, a senior figure in Islamic Jihad's political wing, was recently arrested in the occupied West Bank. Fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad started in Gaza on Friday when Israel assassinated prominent Islamic Jihad leader Taysir Al-Jaabari in Gaza through airstrikes, ending a year of calm in the enclave. The Islamic Jihad reportedly launched hundreds of rockets against Israeli cities from Gaza in retaliation. On Sunday, Israeli officials also claimed to kill Khaled Mansour, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad in an airstrike in Gaza yesterday. The Israeli aggression on the enclave has killed at least 41 Palestinians, including six children. Both Israel and the Islamic Jihad said that they had agreed to the Cairo-brokered ceasefire proposal. "A short while ago the wording of the Egyptian truce agreement was reached, which contains Egypt's commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners, Al-Saadi and Awawdeh," senior Islamic Jihad member Mohammad al-Hindi said in a statement. According to earlier reports, the deal will include Israeli concessions to alleviate the Gaza Strip's fuel shortage. Within this context, Israel said that it will ease the blockade and allow the passage of fuel trucks to the strips power station on Monday. The ceasefire plans come a day after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt is exerting "big efforts," alongside partners, to restore stability and calm in the Gaza Strip and is contacting the Palestinians and Israelis to ensure that things do not get out of control. Egypt also announced in a brief statement by the foreign ministry on Friday that it has intensified contact round the clock in an effort to contain the situation in Gaza, achieve calm, and protect lives and properties. The last major Israeli assault on Gaza was in May 2021, which killed around 250 Palestinians, including women and children, before an Egypt-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities. The Israeli aggression last year has left the enclave in dire need of reconstruction work after destroying and damaging thousands of housing units and vital facilities and leaving scores of Gazans homeless after 11 days of airstrikes. Over the past year, Egypt has maintained diplomatic and security contacts with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to consolidate the ceasefire and pave the way for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Egypt has also been carrying out the reconstruction work in the enclave, including building towns that are planned to accommodate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as El-Sisi pledged $500 million to rebuild Gaza in May 2021. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki signed with his Burkinabe counterpart, Aime Barthelemy Simpore, a cooperation protocol covering the "most important areas of cooperation that the armed forces of the two countries seek to strengthen in the next stage," a statement by the Egyptian Military Spokesman Gharib Abdel-Hafez read. Zaki tackled with Simpore, who is officially visiting Egypt for several days, issues of common interest in the field of military cooperation between Cairo and Ouagadougou. Zaki voiced Egypt's appreciation for the strategic ties binding the two countries, reiterating the Armed Forces keenness on boosting cooperation in various military domains. For his side, the Burkinabe minister hailed Egypts leading role in the region and expressed his countrys wishes for reinforcing the security and military cooperation between the two countries. An official reception ceremony was accorded at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Defence. Search Keywords: Short link: Flag carrier EgyptAir said it would operate exceptional flights between Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport and Libyas Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli during summer starting Tuesday to promote tourism. The flights will continue until 11 October to transport groups of tourists from Libya to the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, said Chairman of EgyptAir Amr Abul-Enein. The flag carrier will operate a weekly flight between the two airports on board Boeing B737-800 aircraft, which is capable of carrying up to 154 passengers, to promote Libyan tourism flow to Egypt, added Abul-Enein. In September last year, Egypt and Libya resumed flights from Tripoli to Cairo after seven years of hiatus over turmoil in the Libyan territories. The two countries also reactivated the direct flight service between Cairo and Benghazi in April this year. Egypt, which counts on tourism revenues as a vital source of foreign currency for the country, has announced plans to explore alternative tourism markets in light of the Russia-Ukraine war ongoing since February. The Ukraine-Russia conflict has dealt Egypts tourism sector a heavy blow with both Russian and Ukrainian markets being among the largest markets for tourism to Red Sea areas in Egypt. The tourism sector in Egypt was also affected by the coronavirus impacts with the number of tourists reportedly dropping to 3.7 million in 2020 from 13 million in 2019 before rising to 7.6 million in 2021. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister of Education Tarek Shawki said Thanaweya Amma (high school) students can appeal their grades starting Monday, while the withheld results due to suspected mass cheating cases will be announced after concluding the investigations, which would take a week or 10 days. The results of 2021/2022 high school exams which determine university prospects based on the grades obtained were announced on Saturday, with results from some schools withheld until the conclusion of investigation into suspected cheating cases. Shawki said that students who have been caught cheating in the exams or leaking the questions had been referred to the ministry's legal affairs department and/or Public Prosecution. At the same time, he assured students that are not suspected of cheating that their results will be released once the ministry's legal affairs department and Public Prosecution conclude their investigation. The minister asserted that the number of cheating cases this year was significantly fewer than last year, he added during a news briefing broadcast on the ministry's official website on Saturday. The ministry will start receiving student grievances about exam results as of Monday, Shawki said, indicating that students will have only 10 days to submit their grievance applications either in hard copy or electronically via the ministry's web portal. Some 650,000 high school students took the Thanaweya Amma exams this year from 20 June-21 July. Over the past two year, the Ministry of Education has introduced a series of amendments to the Thanaweya Amma exams, with the aim of replacing the decades-long system of memorising for tests with a system based on the comprehension of academic material. The new system significantly lowered the passing rate and ended the phenomenon of students obtaining full marks in their senior year of high school. The passing rate for the outgoing academic year stood at 75 percent, up from 74 percent last year, with no student obtaining the perfect 100 percent score for the second consecutive year. In the 2019/2020 academic year, prior to the introduction of the amendments, the pass rate stood at 81.5 percent. Last year, the minimum grades required for admission into Egyptian universities including the most prestigious faculties, such as medicine and engineering dropped considerably for the first time in decades. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is expected to announce the minimum grades required for admission to faculties for the coming year soon. Search Keywords: Short link: A Palestinian official told Reuters that Israel and Islamic Jihad have agreed to a truce in Gaza fighting, which will go into effect at 8pm. Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Egypt is set to formally announce the cease-fire agreement, also saying, citing unidentified sources, it would start 8pm and will include Israeli concessions to alleviate the Gaza Strip's fuel shortage. AFP also reported that Israel has agreed to a truce in Gaza, citing an Egyptian security source. "The Israeli side has accepted," AFP quoted the source as saying. The source added that Cairo was waiting for the Palestinian response, as part of Egyptian mediation efforts three days into renewed conflict in the Gaza Strip. Egypt said it was commited to following up on prisoners, Al-Saadi and Awawda, as part of the ceasefire. Within this context, Israel said it will allow an easing of the blockade and the introduction of fuel trucks to the power station tomorrow, on Monday. Since the conflict began on Friday, 31 Palestinians -- including six children -- have been killed, while 275 people have been wounded, said health authorities in Gaza where several buildings were reduced to rubble and militants fired their first rockets at Jerusalem. The fighting is the worst in Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the impoverished coastal territory, home to about 2.3 million Palestinians, and forced Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. Egypt, a historic broker between Israel and armed groups in Gaza, negotiated the ceasefire that ended an 11-day conflict in May of last year. Search Keywords: Short link: Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza said Sunday they had agreed to a Cairo-brokered ceasefire to end three days of intense conflict with Israel that has left at least 41 Palestinians dead and hundreds injured. "A short while ago the wording of the Egyptian truce agreement was reached, which contains Egypt's commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners, (Bassem) al-Saadi and (Khalil) Awawdeh," senior Islamic Jihad member Mohammad al-Hindi said in a statement. Saadi, a senior figure in Islamic Jihad's political wing, was recently arrested in the occupied West Bank, while militant Awawdeh is also in Israeli detention. Search Keywords: Short link: A Cairo-brokered ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian sides in the Gaza Strip has come into effect on 11:30 local time (8:30 GMT) as previously announced, according to media reports. The ceasefire agreement is set to end three days of renewed conflict between Israel and Islamic Jihad in the enclave with Israeli airstrikes claiming the lives of 43 Palestinians, including children. Israel affirmed in an official statement today that it will stop fighting with the Islamic Jihad in Gaza at 11:30 pm local time. However, it threatened to strike back forcefully in response to any breach of the ceasefire. Israel also thanked Egypt for its efforts in securing an end to the escalation. Egypt has intensified contacts with both sides in the enclave to contain the current escalation, an official source said earlier. Moreover, Egypt is also working to ensure the release of Palestinian captive Khalil Awawdeh and transport him for treatment as well as captive Bassam Al-Saadi, the source added. Awawdeh, 40, has been arrested by the Israeli authorities in December last year and detained since then without a trial. Awawdeh has been reportedly on a hunger strike for around a month as he remained in jail without charges. Saadi, a senior figure in Islamic Jihad's political wing, was recently arrested in the occupied West Bank. Fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad started in Gaza on Friday when Israel assassinated prominent Islamic Jihad leader Taysir Al-Jaabari in Gaza through airstrikes, ending a year of calm in the enclave. The Islamic Jihad reportedly launched hundreds of rockets against Israeli cities from Gaza in retaliation. On Sunday, Israeli officials also claimed to kill Khaled Mansour, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad in an airstrike in Gaza yesterday. Both Israel and the Islamic Jihad said that they had agreed to the Cairo-brokered ceasefire proposal. "A short while ago the wording of the Egyptian truce agreement was reached, which contains Egypt's commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners, Al-Saadi and Awawdeh," senior Islamic Jihad member Mohammad al-Hindi said in a statement. According to earlier reports, the deal will include Israeli concessions to alleviate the Gaza Strip's fuel shortage. Within this context, Israel said that it will ease the blockade and allow the passage of fuel trucks to the strips power station on Monday. The ceasefire plans come a day after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt is exerting "big efforts," alongside partners, to restore stability and calm in the Gaza Strip and is contacting the Palestinians and Israelis to ensure that things do not get out of control. Egypt also announced in a brief statement by the foreign ministry on Friday that it has intensified contact round the clock in an effort to contain the situation in Gaza, achieve calm, and protect lives and properties. The last major Israeli assault on Gaza was in May 2021, which killed around 250 Palestinians, including women and children, before an Egypt-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities. The Israeli aggression last year has left the enclave in dire need of reconstruction work after destroying and damaging thousands of housing units and vital facilities and leaving scores of Gazans homeless after 11 days of airstrikes. Over the past year, Egypt has maintained diplomatic and security contacts with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to consolidate the ceasefire and pave the way for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Egypt has also been carrying out the reconstruction work in the enclave, including building towns that are planned to accommodate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as El-Sisi pledged $500 million to rebuild Gaza in May 2021. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and Minister of Supply Ali Moselhi met Sunday with a delegation from the World Bank to activate a development finance agreement that had been endorsed in June. Worth $500 million, the deal is meant to boost Egypts efforts to help achieve food security and to strengthen the Egyptian economy in the face of repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine war. The ministers stressed the importance of development cooperation between Cairo and the World Bank Group, with the aim of meeting the needs of citizens for strategic commodities. This is a top priority of the Egyptian government, the ministers told the World Bank delegates. The meeting took up ways to strengthen sustainable food security, expand climate action and enhance agricultural resilience and production through dealing with challenges of climate change. The ministers touched upon strenuous efforts to boost Egypts ability to handle sudden shocks due to the Russian-Ukrainian war that began in late February. They cited a plan to increase the number of silos used to store wheat, as well as a vision to expand the agricultural lots of strategic crops. This, the ministers added, has contributed to enhancing Egypts ability to store wheat and cereals as part of its efforts to achieve food security. Search Keywords: Short link: The Magdy Yacoub Heart Foundation is holding workshops for doctors across Egypt on the latest techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects in children. With an indisputable place in the hearts of his countrymen, acclaimed Egyptian heart surgeon Dr. Magdi Yacoub has been understandably dubbed king of hearts. After years of unceasing volunteer across an outstanding career, he saw the need for an organised entity. In 1995, Yacoub created the Chain of Hope charity, which treats children with life-threatening heart conditions in developing countries. After 11 years of treating Egyptian children through Abul-Riche Childrens hospital in Cairo, he established the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation (MYF) in 2008. In 2009, the foundation established the Aswan Heart Centre, a non-profit NGO that provides free world-class medical services to the less privileged in Egypt and throughout the region suffering from cardiovascular disease, in addition to conducting various training and research programs. One of the major activities of the centre is to hold workshops periodically to increase the experience and training of cardiologists in Egypt, which will benefit patients and the healthcare system as a whole. At the end of July, the foundation announced organising workshops for cardiologists from different governorates in Egypt, on the latest methods for treating congenital heart defects in children through catheterisation. In a statement issued by the foundation, it explained that this technology makes use of advanced medicine to change a pulmonary valve through a catheter instead of open-heart surgery, making recovery smoother and producing better patient outcomes. Most cases... of congenital heart defects need open-heart operations to change the pulmonary valve, but repeated procedures may pose a great risk to patients, and here is where the foundation steps in. We are able to replace the damaged pulmonary valve by implanting a new valve through the catheter, to become the first and only centre in Egypt that implements this new medical treatment method and without the use of any foreign experts and with a 100 percent Egyptian team, Abdul Rahman Al-Afifi, head of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology at the MYF, told Ahram Online. Al-Afifi added that most of the patients undergoing treatment were able to leave the hospital two days after the new pulmonary was implanted without repeated blood transfusions. Over the past two years, operations have been performed for 19 patients, all of whom have recovered. Dr. Mahmoud Shihata, pediatric cardiologist at MYF, said that the foundation is always keen to transfer its practical experiences in providing the latest surgeries to Egyptian doctors from different governorates Shihata added that the aim of the workshop is to teach accurate diagnosis of congenital heart defects to improve the results of interventional treatment, surgical treatment or medical follow-up for children. He concluded by saying that the workshops cover the whole spectrum of cardiology in Egypt, sharing and exchanging experiences with specialists, consultants and professors from different Egyptian universities and health authorities, including comprehensive health insurance, and the educational hospital system of the Ministry of Health. Search Keywords: Short link: KYODO NEWS - Aug 7, 2022 - 19:03 | All, World, Japan Senior government and military officials from Japan and the United States on Sunday vowed to strengthen cooperation with the Solomon Islands amid increasing Chinese influence, as they gathered in the capital Honiara to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II Battle of Guadalcanal. The fierce battle between U.S. Marines and Imperial Japanese forces in 1942 over the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands spanned about six months and resulted in some 22,000 deaths among Japanese forces, many from starvation and disease. The Allied forces suffered some 1,600 casualties in the fighting, while thousands more also died of disease. Among the senior figures from both countries who attended commemoration ceremonies in Honiara were Makoto Oniki, Japanese senior vice defense minister, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. The senior U.S. diplomat, who is currently on a multileg tour of South Pacific nations, reiterated the United States' commitment to reinvesting in its relationship with Pacific island nations amid China's increasing influence in the region. "Today, we remember the pain and strife that scarred the Pacific...and we recommit ourselves to moving forward together as partners and as true and lasting friends," Sherman remarked at a commemoration service at the Guadalcanal American Memorial on Skyline Ridge. Sherman, who revealed that her father Mal Sherman had fought and been injured in the battle, warned that the lessons of the war are being forgotten by some of today's leaders. "As we have lost the Guadalcanal generation to the passage of time, we have seen around the world some...who seem to have forgotten the awful lessons learned here," said Sherman. In a veiled criticism of Russia and China, she added that such leaders are those who "believe that coercion, pressure and violence are tools to be used with impunity." In a separate memorial service hosted by the Japanese government and also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, Oniki said, "I express my deep respect for the bereaved families and other people who endured their sorrow of losing loved ones and friends and overcame hardship," while expressing hope to build stronger ties with Pacific island nations. Later on Sunday, Oniki met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and agreed to strengthen cooperation between Japan and the Solomon Islands, sources familiar with the matter said. The Solomon Islands has been the center of increasing geopolitical competition in the Pacific, after it signed a wide-reaching security pact with China in April. Related coverage: Solomon Island aid improves China's image amid security pact concerns FOCUS: China's Pacific island diplomacy may complicate ties with Japan By Antonio Guterres, KYODO NEWS - Aug 7, 2022 - 09:01 | All, World On Saturday, I proudly stood with Japan's prime minister, Fumio Kishida, and the people of Hiroshima in memory of an unprecedented catastrophe. Seventy-seven years ago, nuclear weapons were dropped on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tens of thousands of women, children and men were killed in the blink of an eye, incinerated in a hellish fire. Buildings turned to dust. The cities' beautiful rivers ran with blood. Those who survived were cursed with a radioactive legacy, stalked by health problems, and subjected to lifelong stigma because of the nuclear bombing. I had the great honor of meeting with a group of those survivors -- the hibakusha, whose numbers grow smaller each year. They told me with unflinching bravery what they witnessed on that terrifying day in 1945. It is time for world leaders to be as clear-eyed as the hibakusha and see nuclear weapons for what they are. Nuclear weapons make no sense. They cannot deliver safety, protection or security. By design, they deliver only death and destruction. Three-quarters of a century have passed since mushroom clouds swelled above Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then, humanity has endured a Cold War, decades of absurd brinksmanship, and several terrifying near-misses that placed humanity within minutes of annihilation. But even during the depths of the Cold War, nuclear powers made significant reductions in their nuclear arsenals. There was widespread acceptance of the principles against the use, proliferation and testing of nuclear arms. Today, we are in danger of forgetting the lessons of 1945. A new arms race is picking up speed, with governments spending hundreds of billions of dollars to upgrade their stockpiles of nuclear arms. Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now held in arsenals around the world. Geopolitical crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast, from the Middle East, to the Korean Peninsula, to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Once again, humanity is playing with a loaded gun. We are one mistake, one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from Armageddon. Leaders must stop knocking on doomsday's door and take the nuclear option off the table for good. It is unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of nuclear war, which would spell the end of humanity. By the same token, countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the "no first use" of those weapons. They must also assure states that do not have nuclear weapons that they will not use -- or threaten to use -- nuclear weapons against them, and be transparent throughout. Nuclear saber-rattling must stop. In the end, there is only one solution to the nuclear threat: not to have nuclear weapons at all. This means opening every avenue of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and eliminate these deadly weapons of mass destruction. We are seeing fresh signs of hope in New York, where the world has come together for the 10th Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The treaty is one of the main reasons why nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. It contains legally binding commitments to achieve nuclear disarmament, and can be a powerful catalyst for disarmament -- the only way to eliminate these horrendous weapons once and for all. And in June, members of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons met for the first time to develop a roadmap toward a world free of these doomsday devices. We can no longer accept the presence of weapons that hang by a slender thread over humanity's future. It is time to heed the timeless message of the hibakusha: "No more Hiroshimas! No more Nagasakis!" It is time to proliferate peace. Together, step by step, let's wipe these weapons off the face of the earth. (Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and U.N. high commissioner for refugees, is the ninth secretary general of the United Nations who took office in January 2017. Guterres became the first serving U.N. chief to attend a Nagasaki memorial ceremony in 2018. This year, he attended a Hiroshima ceremony as the first serving U.N. chief to do so since his predecessor Ban Ki Moon in 2010.) By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Aug 7, 2022 - 17:51 | World, All, Japan, Feature Japan's diplomacy with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has become more challenging after tensions over Taiwan were laid bare at a series of meetings through Friday involving ASEAN, known for its principle of neutrality toward major powers, and its dialogue partners. Southeast Asia has been regarded as a region at the forefront of rivalry between Japan and China, but some experts in international relations say Tokyo should not try to pressure ASEAN into its camp if it wants to maintain a relationship of mutual trust with the 10-member group. "The view that Southeast Asia has become the site of a turf war is fundamentally wrong, and is an outdated mindset," said Shin Kawashima, a professor of international relations at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. "Southeast Asian nations would not choose a side," he said. "Their sense of themselves has increased along with their economic growth, and Japan's relative economic power has declined, so we shouldn't interact with them in the same manner as that of several decades ago." This year's ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting, along with gatherings involving its regional partners, including China, Japan, Russia and the United States, held from Wednesday in Phnom Penh, exhibited signs of what U.S. President Joe Biden has called a fierce contest between democracy and authoritarianism. The meetings kicked off a day after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, which China views as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. As widely expected, China reacted furiously after Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. elected official to visit the self-ruled island in 25 years. The Chinese reactions included the launch Thursday of a four-day, large-scale live-fire military drill near Taiwan using ballistic missiles, some of which fell into Japan's exclusive economic zone. Even before tensions over Taiwan spilled over into the annual meetings, the rift between major democracies and the China-Russia camp was deep over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Group of Seven major developed nations, including Japan and the United States, have introduced a raft of severe economic sanctions on Russia since the war began in late February. China, however, has refrained from taking similar steps. In an apparent protest at Japan's siding with the core of the Western alliance over Taiwan and Ukraine, the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers -- Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov -- had left their seats by the time their Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi spoke at a session of the East Asia Summit on Friday. China also canceled one-to-one talks between Wang and Hayashi shortly before the two were supposed to meet in the Cambodian capital, citing a G-7 statement that it said contained "groundless accusations" against Beijing over its response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Tomotaka Shoji, head of the Asia and Africa Division at the National Institute for Defense Studies, said the mounting tensions could have "a great negative impact on ASEAN." Shoji suggested that the repercussions of the standoff could also be felt in a non-security sphere, such as the 15-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, the world's largest trade bloc. The bloc, also known as RCEP, is comprised of the 10 ASEAN members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- along with Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. In fact, it has already become clear that the "serious consequences" China had warned of before Pelosi's visit to Taiwan would go beyond the scope of military action. In addition to high-level military dialogue, China has suspended cooperation with the United States on climate change and legal issues. Under the current circumstances, Kawashima said, it would be wiser for Japan when making efforts to boost ties with Southeast Asian nations to stop short of requiring them to pass "a test of loyalty to democracy." He said doing so would help Japan to continue to play a major role in the region, contrasting the approach with that taken by Washington, which he described as having "a tendency to do things in a preachy manner." Still, China's influence in the region is greatly increasing, Shoji said, referring to the results of a survey conducted this year by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. In the survey, 54.4 percent of 1,677 respondents from ASEAN members said China is the most influential political power in Southeast Asia, compared with the United States, chosen by 29.7 percent, and Japan, selected by 1.4 percent. "In Japan, many people tend to form a negatively biased view on China's rise, but we'd better not label it as a negative thing for ASEAN nations," Shoji said. The institute's survey also showed that 57.0 percent would pick the United States if ASEAN was forced to align itself with one of the two major rivals. China was chosen by 43.0 percent. Meanwhile, the survey showed Japan remains the most trusted major power for people in Southeast Asia, with 54.2 percent expressing confidence in the country to "do the right thing" to provide global public goods. The United States followed at 52.8 percent and China at 26.8 percent. "Just because ASEAN countries realize China's enormous clout doesn't necessarily mean that they are positive about it," Shoji said. Related coverage: Japan, ASEAN vow to cooperate in maritime security in Indo-Pacific KIEV, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The first caravan of ships carrying grain left Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Friday under a landmark deal to prevent a global food crisis, Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. "Three bulk carriers NAVI STAR, ROJEN and POLARNET carry 57,000 tons of Ukrainian corn destined for Turkiye, Great Britain and Ireland," Kubrakov wrote on Facebook. Three Ukrainian ports, namely Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny, could export about 3 million tons of grain per month, Kubrakov said, adding that Ukraine could also import agricultural goods via the Black Sea. According to government plan, the three ports may soon handle more than 100 vessels per month, Kubrakov said. On July 22, Ukraine and Russia separately signed a deal with Turkiye and the United Nations in Istanbul to resume food and fertilizer shipments from Ukrainian ports to international markets via the Black Sea. On Aug. 1, the first cargo vessel carrying grain left the Ukrainian port of Odesa for the port of Tripoli in Lebanon. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Soldiers of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct operations during joint combat exercises and training around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 6, 2022. The Command continued its joint combat exercises and training as scheduled on Saturday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The Command tested its capabilities for striking targets on land and sea with the support of an integrated military system. (Photo by Xu Chen/Xinhua) NANJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) continued its joint combat exercises and training as scheduled on Saturday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The exercises took place in the waters and airspace off the northern, southwestern and eastern coasts of the island. The Command tested its capabilities for striking targets on land and sea with the support of an integrated military system. The Command's navy deployed warships in offense and defense drills with ground-to-ship missile units engaging in stimulated assaults aimed at major maritime targets and naval aviation units engaging in combat training. The Command's navy and air force units also cooperated in reconnaissance and assault exercises. A warship of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducts operations during joint combat exercises and training around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 6, 2022. The Command continued its joint combat exercises and training as scheduled on Saturday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The Command tested its capabilities for striking targets on land and sea with the support of an integrated military system. (Photo by Lin Jian/Xinhua) A warship of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducts operations during joint combat exercises and training around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 6, 2022. The Command continued its joint combat exercises and training as scheduled on Saturday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The Command tested its capabilities for striking targets on land and sea with the support of an integrated military system. (Photo by Lin Jian/Xinhua) A warship of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducts operations during joint combat exercises and training around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 6, 2022. The Command continued its joint combat exercises and training as scheduled on Saturday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The Command tested its capabilities for striking targets on land and sea with the support of an integrated military system. (Photo by Lin Jian/Xinhua) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the latter's request on the sidelines of meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the latter's request on the sidelines of meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation, with both sides agreeing to maintain strategic coordination and deepen practical cooperation. Wang gave a comprehensive elaboration on China's legitimate position on the Taiwan question, and appreciated Russia's immediate reiteration of firm support for the one-China principle and opposition to any act that infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which testifies to the high-level strategic coordination between the two sides. China stands ready to work with Russia to safeguard in a more vigorous way the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law to achieve more effectively lasting security and sustainable development, Wang said. Wang said that under the current situation, China and Russia should jointly promote regional development, calling for boosting mutually beneficial cooperation with regional countries in the fields of fighting COVID-19, health, connectivity, digital economy, as well as green and low-carbon development and building stable and reliable regional industrial and supply chains. China and Russia should support that the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific adheres to independence, ASEAN leadership and the ASEAN approach, Wang said. It is also important to guide countries in the region to pursue a vision of true security that is common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, rather than the false security of seeking supremacy and confrontation, and uphold a genuine order based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and oppose a fake order based on hegemony and bullying, Wang said. China and Russia should strengthen the alignment and cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, and forge a bigger synergy with the Greater Eurasian Partnership, so as to jointly promote unity, development and prosperity of the Eurasian continent, pool efforts to jointly uphold the norms governing international relations, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, and lead the world development in the right direction. Lavrov said the United States has a habit of bullying around. Its hegemonic policies run counter to international consensus and are doomed to have no future. Russia is ready to work with China to uphold international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Lavrov said. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as BRICS cooperation, the Iranian nuclear issue and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. ISLAMABAD, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday set up a relief fund for flood-affected people, the Prime Minister's Office said. Sharif passionately appealed to the people, especially philanthropists, to generously help flood-hit people with their donations, the office said in a statement. He said that unprecedented rainfalls this year triggered a huge catastrophe which badly affected the country's southwestern Balochistan province, leaving a trail of extraordinary destruction, adding that southern Sindh, northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab provinces have also suffered immense losses. Despite economic constraints, the prime minister said the government has immediately released 5 billion Pakistani rupees (about 2.22 million U.S. dollars) for the flood victims. The government had already declared an emergency situation in the flood-affected areas, the statement said. The provincial governments were also urged to declare them as calamity-hit areas, so that relief and rehabilitation efforts could be expedited, it added. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Noting that the presidents of the two countries spoke on the phone just a few days ago, Amir-Abdollahian said the Iranian side is willing to earnestly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, and advance the comprehensive cooperation plan between the two countries to achieve new results in bilateral relations. The Iranian foreign minister stressed that his country firmly adheres to the one-China policy and strongly condemns the U.S. senseless moves over the Taiwan question. The one-China principle is a prerequisite for ensuring regional peace and security, and the historical context and legal facts of the Taiwan question are crystal clear, said Amir-Abdollahian, adding that he himself and the Iranian foreign ministry have made their stance open and clear that Iran will continue to firmly support China's legitimate position. Wang said the phone conversation between the two heads of state not long ago provided important strategic guidance for the next-stage development of relations between the two countries, adding that China is willing to work with the Iranian side to deliver more solid outcomes of the comprehensive cooperation plan between the two countries. Wang said China highly appreciates that Iran promptly voiced its support for China on the Taiwan question and reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China principle as well as to the implementation of one-China policy, which fully reflects the high level of the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership. In like manner, China stands firm in supporting Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty, as well as dignity, legitimate rights and interests of its nation, and opposes any hegemonic acts of bully that interfere in Iran's internal affairs, Wang said. Wang stressed that the visit by the speaker of the U.S. house of representatives to China's Taiwan region violated China's sovereignty, and the international community has said "no" to such a bullying act. To the surprise of the U.S. side, more than 160 countries have in recent days voiced support for China's legitimate position in different ways, Wang said. This further consolidates and strengthens the consensus of the international community on the one-China principle, forming the voice of justice of all countries that opposes interference in internal affairs and safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity. Wang noted that China is ready to work with the Iranian side to safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, and join hands to oppose unilateralism and bullying practices and to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Amir-Abdollahian expressed his full support for that. The Iranian foreign minister gave an update on the progress in negotiations of resuming compliance with the Iranian nuclear deal, vowing to strive for a powerful and stable agreement. Wang said that the Iranian nuclear issue has once again come to a critical point, and that China appreciates Iran's sincerity in pushing for the resumption of the talks in Vienna, which serves the interests of the Iranian side and meets the expectations of the international community. China welcomes Iran's continued positive gestures, supports Tehran's legitimate demands, and will continue to play a constructive role in its own way, Wang said, adding that China is willing to maintain communication with the Iranian side. NANCHANG, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang, entered dry season on Saturday, the earliest date since records started in 1951, according to the local hydrological monitoring center. The water level at the lake's landmark Xingzi hydrological station receded to 11.99 meters at 2 a.m. Saturday, meaning the Lake has entered the dry season, according to the hydrological monitoring center in east China's Jiangxi Province, where the lake is located. The date is 16 days earlier than the previous record, registered on Aug. 22, 2006, according to the center. The center noted that the lake saw rapid decrease in water levels due to continuous high temperature and relatively less water flowed from the Yangtze River. Starting June 23, the water level at the Xingzi hydrological station dropped 7.44 meters over 44 days, with a daily average drop of 0.17 meters, statistics from the center showed. Meteorological forecast shows Jiangxi Province will continue to have high temperature and little rain in the coming 10 days. With water from the Yangtze River basin remaining a little less than normal range, water level in Poyang Lake is expected to continue the downward trend. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently made a visit to China's Taiwan region in disregard of China's strong opposition and serious representations. Observers say the visit is a serious violation of the one-China principle, and exposes double standards of the U.S. Produced by Xinhua Global Service A young American speaks up against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to China's Taiwan region, saying that more people are aware of the hypocrisy of the U.S. administration. #GLOBALink Aerial photo taken on July 29, 2022 shows the Qianwan Container Terminal in Qingdao Port, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade of goods jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 23.6 trillion yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first seven months of the year, official data showed Sunday. Exports rose 14.7 percent year on year to 13.37 trillion yuan, while imports increased 5.3 percent from a year ago to 10.23 trillion yuan, according to the General Administration of Customs. ZAGREB, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed on Sunday in a forest fire that broke out between the towns of Dol and Vrbanj on the southern Hvar Island in Croatia, the local media outlet Free Dalmatia reported. The fire broke out shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday and the man lost his life while trying to save his excavator from the fire, the report said. The Croatian Ministry of Defense has dispatched a total of three Canadairs to the field to help put out the fire, in addition to the local fire brigades who arrived at the scene immediately after the fire broke out. An investigation will be carried out at the scene in order to establish all the facts and circumstances of the man's death, according to the local Split-Dalmatia Police Department. Heat wave and drought have been blamed for the repeated occurrences of fires across Croatia recently. BELGRADE, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of the Serbian parliament Vladimir Orlic reiterated his country's support to China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. When meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo on Friday, Orlic expressed his gratitude for China's principled stance that constantly supports Serbia in protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a press release of Serbia's National Assembly. He emphasized that China also has the full support of Serbia in matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and reiterated Serbia's support for the one-China principle, said the press release. Orlic spoke highly of the fruitful achievements of Serbia-China relations in various fields, and pledged that Serbia's new parliament will continue to promote bilateral relations. The Serbian people will be eternally grateful for the support and help that China provided in the most difficult moments, especially during the pandemic, he added. Chen appreciated the National Assembly's consistent adherence to the one-China principle, reiterated China's principled stance on the Kosovo issue, and expressed China's willingness to maintain the traditional friendship and cooperation with the new Serbian parliament, so as to jointly promote the development of relations between the two countries. KHARTOUM, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sudan summoned the Chadian ambassador to Sudan on Saturday to protest what it called a cross-border attack by Chadian armed groups that killed at least 18 Sudanese civilians, official SUNA news agency reported. During the meeting, Sudanese acting Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq demanded Chad arrest the assailants and return the hundreds of stolen camels as soon as possible, according to SUNA. For his part, the Chadian ambassador said his country would spare no effort in maintaining and developing relations with Sudan in a manner that serves security, peace and stability and "will not allow whatever may disturb this relationship to happen." A day earlier, Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council said Chadian armed groups killed 18 Sudanese civilians and stole 220 camels in an attack in a border village in Sudan's West Darfur State on Thursday, the sovereign council said in a statement. Sudan and Chad share a border that stretches for as long as 1,350 km. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi puts forward China's three-point proposal for the next development of the East Asia Summit: -- First, insisting on carrying out dialogues on political security in a constructive way. -- Second, strengthening the summit's impetus for development and cooperation. -- Third, promoting the capability of jointly addressing risks and challenges. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday made a three-point proposal to enhance East Asia cooperation when attending the 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Wang said that the East Asia Summit was founded with the clear purposes of promoting regional peace, stability and development, emphasizing its adherence to the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its commitment to the integrated development and common prosperity of East Asia. At present, the international and regional situation is undergoing complicated changes, coupled with prominent problems of uncertainty and instability, Wang said. The post-pandemic economic recovery remains sluggish, the negative effects of the Ukraine crisis spill over, the problems of energy, food and finance emerge one after another, and the stability of the industrial and supply chains has been seriously impacted, said Wang. He pointed out that regional countries expect the East Asia Summit to play a positive role in building consensus among all parties and properly addressing challenges. "We should review the original purposes of the summit, steadily steer its direction of development, and prevent small exclusive cliques from impacting the regional architecture," he said. Wang called for upholding true multilateralism and open regionalism, advocating the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and safeguarding basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Wang put forward China's three-point proposal for the next development of the summit: First, insisting on carrying out dialogues on political security in a constructive way. Wang urged regional countries to uphold the spirit of openness and inclusiveness, adhere to the Asian approach, and accommodate the needs and concerns of all parties. "We should respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences, and not draw lines along ideology," he said. He called on all the parties to adhere to the principle of sovereign independence, conduct dialogues and exchanges on an equal footing, and refrain from interfering in internal affairs of other countries. "We should consolidate the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation architecture and oppose bloc confrontation in the region," he said. Second, strengthening the summit's impetus for development and cooperation. Wang said the countries should give priority to development and livelihood, increase investment in areas such as poverty reduction so as to solve the development issue and achieve common development, Wang said. While the countries make a new five-year action plan, the common aspiration of regional countries to achieve sustainable recovery should be duly reflected. Third, promoting the capability of jointly addressing risks and challenges. Wang urged support for ASEAN in building regional vaccine production and distribution centers and strengthening capacity building in public health. He also called on the countries to implement the cooperation initiative on global food security, jointly promote energy security and accessibility, and ensure a stable energy supply. Wang said the countries should support the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, and build the free trade area of the Asia-Pacific and an Asia-Pacific economic community. An antelope is seen at Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, May 19, 2021. Kenya is on course to establish a sanctuary for mountain bongos (antelope) and black rhinos on the slopes of Mount Kenya to strengthen the conservation of the two critically endangered iconic species. NAIROBI, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is on course to establish a sanctuary for mountain bongos (antelope) and black rhinos on the slopes of Mount Kenya to strengthen the conservation of the two critically endangered iconic species, conservationists said. The conservationists including Kenya Wildlife Service, Lewa wildlife conservancy, and Kenya Forest Service among others said already, a 250-acre parcel of forest land has been identified in the Mount Kenya Forest Reserve to establish a sanctuary for mountain bongos and the black rhinos, whose survival is threatened by poaching, habitat loss and climatic stresses. Photo taken on June 20, 2017 shows black rhinos in the Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) "This initiative will be carried out in stages, with the bongos introduced into the sanctuary during the first phase and black rhinos introduced in the second," the conservationists said in a joint statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on Friday. Kenya's population of mountain bongos currently stands at 100, after decades of decline linked to poaching, habitat fragmentation, and climate change. To boost the population of mountain bongos, a spacious sanctuary will be built in the Mount Kenya ecosystem to enable them to breed, thrive, and be introduced to other habitats in the country, according to conservationists. Kenya's National Bongo Recovery and Action Plan covering 2019-2023 calls for innovative measures to restore their population, enhance ecosystem balance and boost tourism revenue. URUMQI, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Envoys from 30 Islamic countries visited northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from Aug. 1 to 5 at the invitation of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The diplomats from countries including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan visited the regional capital city of Urumqi, Kashgar Prefecture and Aksu Prefecture, learning about the region's economic and social development. They witnessed Xinjiang's achievements in social stability, economic development, the improvement of people's livelihoods, religious harmony and cultural prosperity, expressing their hopes that exchanges and cooperation with the region would be deepened. "The fruit here is so sweet, just like the life of people here," said Hassane Rabehi, Algerian ambassador to China, adding that during this visit, he got to know the real situation of Xinjiang, where the rights of people of all ethnic groups are well protected. Hassane Rabehi said that Algeria hopes to conduct more cooperation with Xinjiang on infrastructure construction, modern agricultural development, education and scientific research. Abdulrahman Ahmad H. Alharbi, ambassador of Saudi Arabia to China, said that Xinjiang's achievements are remarkable and its ties with the world are growing closer. According to the ambassador, Saudi Arabia is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with Xinjiang, make good use of the advantages of both sides, and invest more in technology, knowledge and other fields. Bruneian ambassador to China Pehin Dato Rahmani said that after years of effort, Xinjiang has made remarkable achievements in development. People of all ethnic groups here are living together in harmony and enjoying the freedom of religious belief. People's livelihoods have also been improved. "We hope to work with China to jointly defend the multilateral system with the United Nations as the core, adhere to the values of peaceful development, and further strengthen people-to-people exchanges," said Anyin Choo, Guyana's ambassador to China. ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian security forces have killed 333 suspected Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels in a recent security operation, an Ethiopian official said. Speaking to local media outlets on Saturday, State Minister of Government Communications Service Selamawit Kassa said the security operation which started on July 23 and ended on July 29 also resulted in the arrest of 671 suspected OLA operatives. Kassa also said scores of firearms and radio communication systems were confiscated during the military operation. Ethiopian security forces also destroyed 69 warehouses that were being used by the rebel group to store supplies, she further said. The OLA is a breakaway armed faction of the ex-rebel group, Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). In May 2021, the Ethiopian parliament voted to designate the OLA as a terrorist group. JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israel agreed on an Egyptian-proposed humanitarian ceasefire with Gaza that would take effect at 10:00 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Sunday, an Egyptian security source reportedly said. Cairo is still seeking a response from the Palestinian Islamist Jihad (PIJ), a Gaza-based militant group that has been exchanging fire with Israel since Friday afternoon. Israel's Channel 13 news, citing an anonymous Palestinian source, reported that Israel agreed on an Egyptian-proposed humanitarian ceasefire, while the offer was refused by the PIJ. Israel's Channel 12 news also reported that an Israeli official has confirmed "contacts" over a full ceasefire, also being mediated by Egypt. Israeli sources tell Israel's Walla news site that Israel is worried that a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip could lead to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) joining the fighting. So far, the group, which rules the coastal enclave, has not been involved in the conflicts. On Saturday, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen TV reported that the PIJ rejected a similar Egypt-brokered ceasefire proposal. The tension between Israel and the PIJ militants has been flaring for the third day since Friday afternoon. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, 31 Palestinians were killed and over 275 injured. DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibar authorities said on Saturday they are in full support of the Zanzibar reggae festival, a two day annual festival held at Stone Town's historical Old Fort. The festival brings together international and local reggae artists to perform by combining culture and history with art and music in the soul of the historical Stone Town. Unguja Urban district commissioner, Rashid Simai Msaraka, said the Zanzibar reggae festival also helped in the promotion of the economy and tourism on Zanzibar's major twin Islands of Unguja and Pemba. Speaking on the second and final day of the 2022 Zanzibar reggae festival, Msaraka said reggae should be respected by authorities like any other cultures. The director of the Zanzibar reggae festival, Said Omary Hamad, thanked the Zanzibar government for recognizing the festival saying efforts were underway to make it more global. Hamad said the Zanzibar Reggae festival focuses on community development and raises environmental awareness through the pre-performance initiatives of tree planting and beach clean-up efforts. Vietnam confirms additional 1,381 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Sunday reported an additional 1,381 Covid-19 infections, raising the country's total tally to over 11 million. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 11,347,518. On August 7, an additional 8,589 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 9.97 million. On Sunday evening, no deaths from Covid-19 were recorded. The country's total fatalities stood at 43,094, accounting for 0.4 per cent of total infections. By August 6, the country had injected more than 248 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Vietnam is targeting the completion of Covid-19 inoculation for children aged between 5 - 11 in August, as well as the administration of the third shot for those aged 12 - 17, as well as the third and fourth doses to people aged 18 and above as soon as possible. BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday dispatched five work teams to Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi and Shaanxi to provide instructions on downpour and flood prevention. From Sunday to Wednesday, downpours are set to strike areas in the north and northwest parts of the country, according to the ministry. Water levels of some major rivers in these regions, such as the Yellow River and the rivers of Haihe and Huaihe, are likely to surpass the alarm level. On the same day, the ministry organized a meeting to analyze the rain and flood situation in north China, calling for more efforts in flood monitoring and the protection of major water conservancy projects to ensure public safety. BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Political leaders and heads of social organizations from many countries have criticized Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region. In messages addressed to the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, they said Pelosi's visit was a grave infringement upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and a serious breach of international law and the basic principles governing international relations. Evo Morales, Bolivia's former president and president of the Movement Toward Socialism party, said Pelosi's visit was a political provocation against China and a violation of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Tiong King Sing, president of the Progressive Democratic Party of Malaysia and the Malaysian prime minister's special envoy to China, said Pelosi's visit to Taiwan violated the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, adding that Malaysia will always abide by the one-China principle. Ayad Allawi, Iraq's former prime minister, said Pelosi's visit interfered in China's internal affairs. He said Washington's real concern is not democracy but its own interests. Noting that Pelosi's visit grossly interfered with China's internal affairs, Belete Mola, chairman of Ethiopia's National Movement of Amhara and minister of Innovation and Technology, said the international community recognizes the one-China principle and the Ethiopian side supports China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Winston Alarcon, general secretary of the Communist Party of Ecuador, said Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region violated the one-China principle universally recognized by the international community, posing brazen provocation to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and putting world peace at risk. Vlad Batrincea, executive secretary of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova and deputy speaker of the parliament, said that the dangerous manipulation of the Taiwan question by the U.S. side triggered further escalation and jeopardized global security, adding that Moldova has always supported the one-China principle and sees Taiwan as part of China. Jimson Tanangada, president of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party of the Solomon Islands, said Pelosi's visit, in disregard of China's strong opposition, violated the basic principles of international law and infringed upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chairman of the People's Party of Kazakhstan Yermukhamet Ertysbayev, Leader of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan Ishak Masaliev and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Democratic Patriots' Unified Party in Tunisia Mohamed Jamour also expressed firm support for the one-China principle in different ways. Others who expressed support for the one-China principle following Pelosi's visit include General Secretary of the Dominican Republic's United Left Movement Miguel Mejia, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, former Guinea-Bissau's Prime Minister Rui Duarte de Barros, Member of the Presidential Advisory Council of Indonesia and former Speaker of the People's Representative Council Agung Laksono, Executive Secretary of the World Peace Council Iraklis Tsavdaridis and President of Peace Committee of Armenia Grigor Petrosyan. Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2021 shows a meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria. (EU Delegation in Vienna/Handout via Xinhua) TEHRAN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- As indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States resumed days ago in Vienna, Tehran has reiterated its demand for guarantees from Washington to secure Iran's interests in order to revive a nuclear deal. The repeated requests indicated Iran's deep distrust of the United States, according to Iranian analysts. CONTINUOUS CONTRADICTION Right before the new round of nuclear talks, the United States imposed on Monday fresh sanctions on the firms that it claimed have helped Iran sell oil and petrochemical products. "They do not give up these useless and destructive measures even at a time when efforts are underway to resume the talks over a return to the Iranian nuclear deal," said Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Tuesday, adding that it clearly exposed the "hypocritical nature" of the United States, he added. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in June that it was surprising that the current U.S. administration had repeatedly voiced willingness to hold negotiations and reach an agreement on the one hand, and concurrently increased its sanctions against Iran on the other. "The world should give us every right to refrain from trusting the United States as it is an oath-breaker," said Raisi, slamming Washington for its contradictory behavior toward Tehran and the nuclear talks. Iranians rally to protest against recent Israeli attacks against Palestinians in Tehran, Iran, May 13, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) CONSISTENT HOSTILITY An analysis piece published by Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency said that the White House, whether occupied by the Republicans or the Democrats, has always pursued a fixed main policy against Iran -- imposing cruel sanctions on the country's people. U.S. violation of the Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), "started in Barack Obama's term when Washington refrained from honoring its financial, banking, insurance and shipping pledges within the framework of the agreement," Mehr quoted Hamidreza Asefi, a former Iranian ambassador to France and Germany, as saying. The same "destructive" approach was pursued during Donald Trump's term, which eventually resulted in Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, Mehr said. The article further quoted Malek Shariati, an Iranian lawmaker, as saying that Tehran still cannot trust Washington as its hostile policies against Iran have not changed at all under current U.S. President Joe Biden. Another Iranian lawmaker Abolfazl Amouei also warned against any optimism about a likely U.S. return to the JCPOA. A staff adjusts a board showing the rates of currencies at a currency exchange center in central Tehran, Iran, Oct. 14, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) ROOT CAUSES Alireza Rezakhah, a political affairs expert, noted what the United States announces does not necessarily reflect its true objectives and motivations, saying what really forms the Americans' political behavior is their hidden and multilayered policies. He added the existing double standards in the foreign policies implemented by the United States and the country's mal-performance in honoring its commitments make it really difficult to trust the country. Political affairs expert Mehdi Torabian told Kurdtoday news website that trusting Washington's pledges has inflicted considerable damage and numerous losses on not only Iran, but also other administrations. The expert said the Americans' 20-year occupation of Afghanistan and their sudden irresponsible and chaotic withdrawal from the country is one of the examples of U.S. "flagrant failure to fulfill its commitments. Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) GAZA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. Khaled Al-Batsh, a senior PIJ member, said the agreement will enter into force at 11:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT). The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people inspect a damaged vehicle after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people clear a street after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people inspect a damaged vehicle after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people inspect a damaged vehicle after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people clear a street after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Palestinian people inspect a damaged vehicle after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on Aug. 7, 2022. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since Friday have killed at least 43 Palestinians and caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the enclave, said Gazan authorities. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) * China's foreign trade saw double-digit growth in the first seven months of 2022 amid policy support and a boost from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreements. * China's foreign trade of goods jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 23.6 trillion yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first seven months of the year, official data showed. * The foreign trade growth continued the upward trend that began in May, making positive contributions to stabilizing the macroeconomic market, according to Li Kuiwen, spokesperson of the General Administration of Customs. BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade saw double-digit growth in the first seven months of 2022 amid policy support and a boost from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreements. During the January-July period, the country's foreign trade of goods jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 23.6 trillion yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars), official data showed Sunday. Exports rose 14.7 percent year on year to 13.37 trillion yuan, while imports increased 5.3 percent from a year ago to 10.23 trillion yuan, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC). In July alone, foreign trade jumped 16.6 percent from a year ago, with the Yangtze River Delta region seeing rapid growth of 25.7 percent, according to GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen. Aerial photo taken on June 23, 2022 shows a cargo train, which marks the 10,000th trip made by China-Europe freight trains operated by the China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing), waiting for departure at Tuanjie Village Central Railway Station in Chongqing, southwest China. (Xinhua/Huang Wei) SWIFT AND STEADY During the period, China's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the United States expanded 13.2 percent, 8.9 percent and 11.8 percent from a year ago, respectively. From January to July, China's trade with Belt and Road countries soared 19.8 percent year on year, and its trade with other RCEP members rose 7.5 percent. Private enterprises posted strong performances, with their imports and exports growing 15.3 percent year on year in the seven months, accounting for 50 percent of the country's overall trade volume. Exports of mechanical and electrical products expanded 10.1 percent to account for 56.6 percent of the total, while exports of labor-intensive products increased 15.2 percent, the data showed. Aerial photo taken on June 9, 2022 shows a container terminal in Qingdao Port, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Yu Fangping/Xinhua) RCEP A KEY BOOSTER In July, trade with RCEP partners reached 1.17 trillion yuan, soaring 18.8 percent year on year and boosting China's overall foreign trade growth by 5.6 percentage points, Li said. The RCEP agreement -- the world's largest free trade deal between 10 ASEAN member states plus China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- came into force on the first day of 2022, and Chinese foreign trade enterprises have since benefited from various trading dividends. The RCEP framework has further deepened regional economic connectivity as well as trade and investment cooperation, and it has provided new drivers for regional economic recovery and development, Li said. The countries under the framework account for roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product and population. Over 90 percent of trade in goods among approved member states will gradually become tariff-free. A worker arranges durians at a durian processing factory in the Chanthaburi province, Thailand, May 5, 2022. This year, after the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force in January, Thailand's durian sales to China have been further boosted. (Xinhua/Wang Teng) RESILIENT AND ATTRACTIVE With a slew of measures to stabilize foreign trade and investment having paid off, China's foreign trade of goods and the amount of foreign capital actually used both posted marked growth in the first half of the year. The foreign trade growth continued the upward trend that began in May, making positive contributions to stabilizing the macroeconomic market, Li said. China's gross domestic product expanded 2.5 percent year on year in the first half of 2022, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, expanded 17.4 percent year on year to 723.31 billion yuan in the first half of the year. Staff members work at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, east China, June 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) The country's high-tech industries saw a rapid FDI increase of 33.6 percent in the first half of 2022. Foreign investment in high-tech manufacturing rose 31.1 percent, and that in the high-tech services sector jumped 34.4 percent. According to a June report from the European Chamber of Commerce in China in partnership with the Mercator Institute for China Studies, many European companies are optimistic about China's huge market potential and the rapid commercial application of China's R&D achievements, and will increase their R&D spending in China this year. Next, China will further boost exports, expand imports and promote the introduction of technology and foreign investment, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee that analyzed the current economic situation and arranged economic work for the second half of the year. Efforts should be made to enhance the stability and international competitiveness of industrial and supply chains, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation should also be promoted, the meeting said. (Video Reporters: Gao Jianfei, Zhang Jian, Zhang Bin, Zhou Shengbin, Zhang Ailin; Video Editors: Jia Xiaotong, Mu Xuxiao, Zhao Xiaoqing.) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows paper cranes at the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A citizen lays flowers in front of the monument at the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 5, 2022. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2022 shows bonfires at the site of the atomic bombing near the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Citizens lay flowers in front of the monument at the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 5, 2022. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) People strike the bell to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, 2022. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A citizen lights a candle at the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, 2022. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) A woman mourns at the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, 2022. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2022 shows the site of the atomic bombing near the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2022 shows a bonfire at the site of the atomic bombing near the Peace Memorial Park to mark the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Hiroshima, Japan. Japan marked the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of its western city of Hiroshima on Saturday. While Japan inwardly looks at the tragedies it had experienced at the end of World War II, historians and political minds of the international community have encouraged Japan to come to see themselves not as merely victims of the atomic bombings but also as the perpetrators who led to these tragic incidents to happen in the first place. Japan brutally occupied many parts of Asia before and during World War II, causing untold suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) PHNOM PENH, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Timor-Leste on Saturday pledged to promote bilateral cooperation in trade and tourism for mutual benefits, a Cambodian spokesman said. The pledge was made during a meeting between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno here on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and related meetings in Phnom Penh, said foreign ministry spokesman Chum Sounry. "Both sides emphasized the need to deepen bilateral relations through regular consultations and early conclusion of a pending memorandum of understanding on trade and tourism cooperation," he said in a news release. Magno congratulated Cambodia for the success in hosting the above-mentioned meetings, the spokesman said, adding that she also thanked Cambodia for supporting Timor-Leste's application for the membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The two ministers also discussed the suitable date and preparations for the state visit of Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos-Horta to Cambodia and agreed to organize some events to celebrate this year the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Sounry said. NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Concern about safety has been top of mind of many Philadelphians this summer as the number of homicides in the city reached 322 as of Tuesday, of which 290 were shooting victims, the National Public Radio reported Wednesday. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney affirmed the city is experiencing a gun violence crisis, pointing out that it is a statewide and nationwide problem, the report said. "If I had a magic wand and could get rid of guns tomorrow, I'd do it," Kenney said, blaming the accessibility of weapons for the continued crime surge. Because of the gun violence crisis, some community organizations have cancelled their summer events. BEIJING; On August 7, 2022, China announced further exercises in the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula in addition to continuing its live-fire military drills in the vicinity of Taiwan for a fourth day. A day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit, which was the highest-level visit in 25 years, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday began unprecedented four-day live-fire drills in six regions bordering Taiwan. On Sunday, the drills were supposed to be finished. During the recent exercises, conventional missiles were fired over Taiwan for the first time, and hundreds of Chinese planes and vessels crossed the Taiwan Strait's middle line. Separately, Chinese authorities declared on Sunday that they would also conduct live-fire military drills between China and the Korean peninsula in the Yellow and Bohai seas. According to the Maritime Safety Administration, the Yellow Sea exercises began on Sunday and will last until August 15, while the Bohai Sea practise will take place from Monday until September 8. The drills, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, were probably "a hypothetical simulated attack" on Taiwan. A record 68 aircraft and 13 warships, some of which crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, were alleged to have been tracked by Taiwan on Friday, while 20 PLA aircraft and 14 PLA vessels were believed to have been recorded by Taiwan on Sunday. With the waters and airspace around Taiwan being closed throughout the exercises, Chinese military analysts hailed the drills as carrying out an effective blockade and as heralding a new normal in China's military activity surrounding Taiwan. The southern and eastern exercise zones were off the coasts of the ports of Kaohsiung and Hualien, while two of the exercise zones were off the coasts of Taipei and Keelung. Taiwan claims that a PLA warship did not approach the east coast of the island The Super moon's Light Dims the Meteor Shower's Light The UK's training of fast jet pilots is in crisis Cuba: A lightning-sparked fire at an oil storage facility in the Cuban city of Matanzas caused four explosions, 121 injuries, and the disappearance of 17 firefighters. Authorities in Cuba reported that a body had been discovered late on Saturday. The Matanzas Supertanker Base fire, which started during a thunderstorm on Friday night, is still being battled by firefighters and other experts, according to a tweet from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. The Dubrocq neighbourhood closest to the fire was evacuated, according to the authorities, about 800 people. The government claimed to have sought assistance from foreign experts in "friendly countries" who have knowledge of the oil industry. The US government reportedly offered technical assistance to put out the fire, according to deputy foreign minister Carlos Fernandez de Cosso. He stated on his Twitter page that "specialists are handling the proposal for the necessary coordination." After a short while, President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed gratitude to Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Chile for their assistance offers. On Saturday evening, a support flight from Mexico touched down. According to the official Cuban News Agency, a fire was started when lightning struck one tank, and it later spread to a second tank. Diffuse column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometres toward Havana as military helicopters flew overhead dousing the fire with water. Firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks to keep them cool in an effort to contain the fire, according to Roberto de la Torre, director of fire operations in Matanzas. According to the health ministry of Cuba, 121 people were hurt, with five of them in critical condition. The 17 people missing, according to the Republic's Presidency, were "firefighters who were in the nearby area trying to prevent the spread," The Health Ministry announced in a statement later on Saturday that a body had been discovered and that investigators were attempting to identify it. Cuba is experiencing a fuel shortage at the time of the accident. There was no immediate word on how much of the oil stored in the storage facility's eight enormous tanks that are used to store the fuel for electricity generating plants had burned or was in danger. I heard the first explosion while I was in the gym. Adiel Gonzalez, a local, told the Associated Press over the phone that "a column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies." The city is strongly sulfur-scented. While Dubrocq is closer to the tank farm than Versailles, he claimed that some residents of Versailles also made the decision to leave. Matanzas, a city on Matanzas Bay with about 140,000 residents, was filled with ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks. Elier Pila, a local meteorologist, displayed satellite images of the region, displaying a thick plume of black smoke stretching from the fire's origin westward and east to Havana. Pila stated on Twitter that the plume could be close to 150 kilometres long. Blinken affirms new ties between US, Philippines Three dead after lightning strike near White House Slept with '200 people' after American Pie role: Jennifer Coolidge Gaza: After three days of escalating violence that killed 31 Palestinians and militants launched their first rockets into Jerusalem, Israel continued its bombing of Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Health officials in the Islamist-controlled enclave reported that 265 people, including six children, were injured as a result of the latest "Israeli invasion" since Friday. The battle to hit Gaza is the worst since last year's conflict, which left the 2.3 million Palestinians living there in poverty and forced Israelis to take cover with rockets. Israel continued to carry out aerial and artillery bombardments on the status of Islamic Jihad, a group backed by Iran and listed as a terrorist organization by several Western countries. In response, the group fired more than 500 rockets at Israeli targets. All have been neutralized, according to the Israeli military, the senior leadership of Islamic Jihad's military wing in Gaza. Prime Minister Yair Lapid promised on Sunday that the operation would continue "as long as necessary." The ministry reported that 31 people had been killed since the start of Israel's "Operation Breaking Dawn" in Gaza, controlled by the Islamist organization Hamas, which on Sunday declared it was "uniting" with Islamic Jihad but in conflict. did not attend. Israel claimed it had "inconclusive" evidence that a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad on Saturday killed several children in Jabalia, northern Gaza. Although the number of children killed there was not immediately known, an AFP photographer saw six bodies, including three children, at a nearby hospital. Asked about the devastation in Jabaliya, Muhammad Abu Sadah recalled, "We were sitting in the street when suddenly we saw an explosion. We immediately rushed to the spot and found the broken parts of the children's bodies lying on the ground. The army claimed to have struck 139 Islamic Jihad targets, during which terrorists launched 470 rockets into Israel and another 115 rockets landed inside areas blocked by Gaza. Islamic Jihad's military wing, the Al Quds Brigade, claimed to have "rocketed" into Jerusalem, where the military shot them down while sirens and explosions could be heard. Israel claimed that its Iron Dome air defense system had successfully intercepted a total of 185 rockets with a success rate of 97 percent. In the Al Aqsa Mosque complex, also known as the Temple Mount in Judaism, Jews observe Tisha Biw fasting day on Sunday. Some Palestinians shouted "God is the greatest" in response. Tensions have previously resulted in widespread violence there; Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Doha-based Hamas, has warned of the possibility of an "uncontrollable" security crisis. Despite tight security, Israeli police briefly detained the AFP photographer, but other commemorations went off without a hitch. Israel has claimed that as Islamic Jihad was preparing for an imminent attack, it was necessary to conduct a "pre-emptive" operation against the organization. "Anyone who tries to harm Israeli civilians will be harmed," Defense Minister Benny Gantz said. While Gantz claimed that the attacks would continue "until we calm down and address the threats," Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi claimed that Cairo was in constant contact with both sides and trying to stop the violence. Taisir al-Jabri in Gaza City and Khalid Mansour in Rafa to the south were among senior Islamic Jihad leaders who were reportedly killed by Israeli forces. Twenty members were also reportedly detained in the West Bank. Israel's Lapid referred to Mansour's death as an "extraordinary achievement". The only power plant in the Gaza Strip has been forced to shut down due to a fuel shortage, as Israel closed its border crossing, ending daily life there. The health ministry in Gaza warned that the coming hours would be "critical and difficult", adding that without electricity, there is an immediate chance that essential services could be suspended. Dunia Ismail, a Gaza City local, said the Israeli airstrikes "bring back images of fear, anxiety and the feeling that we are alone." According to the Magan David Edom emergency service, civilians in southern and central Israel were forced to take shelter in air raid shelters. Two people were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, and 13 others suffered minor injuries during evacuation. Israel goes on offensive on Gaza militants, 'ready for week-long Op' Gaza militants launched attacks after the deadly strikes by Israel Israel's threats against Gaza unacceptable: Hamas leader France: The extreme heat that hit much of Europe has made the continent's drought worse. France is running out of drinking water amid a historic drought that is being described as the country's worst on record. Officials are reportedly trucking in the water to help ease the burden on the more than 100 communities that do not have access to clean drinking water. According to Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Bechu, the pipes are empty. Much of mainland France is experiencing drought; The month of July was the driest on record since March 1961, receiving only 0.38 inches of rain. Because the river water in the area is too hot to sufficiently cool the reactors, some nuclear power plants have had to reduce their production. Additionally, early leaf-shedding from trees and shrubs gives the landscape an autumnal rather than summery look. Many countries have also banned irrigation. The result is projected to worsen Europe's already precarious food situation. Many worry that drought will reduce crop yields this year, and since imports from Russia and Ukraine are already well below average, prices, which are already high, are expected to rise even further. . Additionally, because they have to go to the valley every day to collect water for their animals, cattle ranchers in the Alps have to significantly increase their costs, which can result in higher prices for meat, grains and vegetables. Expectations of low crop yields this year are not unique to France. Yields are also expected to be lower than expected in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria due to heat wave. India could be banned from international soccer due to "deviations" from the FIFA "roadmap." DJ Maitre Builds Profound Soundscapes By Keeping It Simple Tom Cruise to return for 'gnarlier' project after Mission Impossible 8 Home Technology Gadget Oppo A77 in Nepal: New design, high refresh rate and fast charging are the things to look forward to Photo: oppo Oppo A77 has arrived in Nepal. The phone has been released along with Oppo A57. With Oppo A16K being its latest release, Oppo has not been much active in releasing its smartphones. Most of the smartphones released by the company are in the budget range and there are barely any smartphones competing in the mid-range. But, Oppo A77 is a mid-range offering from the company. This is also the successor of Oppo A76 released earlier this year. The phone comes with changes in the design compared to its predecessor. It has a high refresh rate support display. The phone also has a power-efficient chipset and runs on the latest version of Android. There is a fast charging system on the phone as well. Lets get into the details to know what more the Oppo A77 is offering. Specifications Dimensions Height: 163.8 mm Width: 75.1 mm Thickness: 8 mm Weight: 190 grams Display 6.56-inch IPS LCD, 90Hz, 600 nits Sim Dual sims Resolution 720*1,612 pixels, 269 PPI density OS Android 12, ColorOS 12.1 Chipset MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm) GPU PowerVR GE8320 Storage 128GB UFS 2.2 SD card slot Yes RAM 4GB Camera Front: 8 MP, f/2.0 Rear: 50 MP, f/1.7,PDAF 2 MP f/2.4 (depth) Audio Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 5,000 mAh, li-po, non-removable 33W fast charging Sensors Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Face recognition Accelerometer E-compass Proximity sensor Colours Ocean blue, midnight black Price Rs 25,999 Design and display Photo: oppo Like most Oppo phones, Oppo A77 has a pleasant design. It has a glass front, plastic back and plastic frame build. The matte finish on the back adds decent styling to the phone and also makes the phone free from fingerprints. The phone also has a new camera module, which definitely looks more standard than the one from the previous model. There is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the phone for biometrics. The phone is also IPX4 rated and is splash resistant. Oppo A77 weighs only 190 grams and is 8mm thick. It is available in ocean blue and midnight black colours. Photo: oppo On the front is a 6.56-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720*1,612 pixels and 269 PPI density. It supports a refresh rate of 90Hz and can achieve a peak brightness of up to 600 nits. To reduce the eye strain of the users, the phone has an AI eye comfort and blue light reduction feature. Cameras Photo: oppo Oppo A77 has a minimalistic camera feature. The phone has a 50MP main camera sensor on the back, which has been accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor. Similarly, on the front, there is an 8MP camera for photos and videos. The 2MP depth sensor seems just a desperate addition to the phone as it has significantly less use and a good picture cannot be expected from it. Both cameras on the front and back can capture 1080p resolution videos at 30fps. Performance and storage Photo: mediatek Oppo A77 runs on ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12. Oppo has decided to switch to MediaTek SoC this time instead of Qualcomm. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm) chipset while the graphical duties are handled by PowerVR GE8320. The phone is available in 4GB RAM coupled with 128GB of internal storage. The user can extend both RAM and internal storage on this phone. The RAM memory can be expanded by up to 4GB through extended RAM technology, which is available on most Oppo smartphones. The internal storage can also be expanded with a microSD card, for which the phone has a dedicated slot. Battery life, connectivity and others Oppo A77 has a 5,000mAh non-removable li-po battery. This power should be enough to provide backup for a couple of days under normal use. There is a 33W fast charger on the box to charge the phone. With only 30 minutes of charging, the battery gets up to 53 per cent. The phone supports dual sims with 4G network connectivity. It supports dual-band wifi and NFC as well. Bluetooth 5.3 on the phone can be used to wirelessly pair with other devices. Similarly, USB Type-C 2.0 cable can be used for charging as well as for wired pairing. The user should enjoy the audio from the phone as it has ultra-linear dual stereo speakers. Oppo says the speakers create dual-channel surround sound and targeted tuning for different modes. Oppo also has included a 3.5mm headphone jack on this model. The notable features of Oppo A77 are: New camera module IPX4 water resistant certification 90Hz refresh rate Android 12 Power efficient chipset 48MP dual camera MicroSD card support Dual stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone jack Side-mounted fingerprint sensor 5,000mAh battery backup 33W fast charging The price of Oppo A77 is Rs 25,999. Home Business Nepal plans to revive the glory of government factories. Will it walk the talk? Gorakhkali Rubber Industry has stopped productions after its products failed to compete with Indian brands available in the market. In the annual budget plan for 2022/23, the government announced it would try to restart government factories that have been shut down for different reasons. To identify which government factories can be restarted, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dilendra Prasad Badu has been visiting old dormant factories regularly. Badu, along with a team, is trying to find the right model to revive these factories, most of which were shut down after the introduction of the economic liberalisation policy in the 1990s by leaders tied with the Nepali Congress. But, this is not the first time the Nepali Congress-led government is trying to revive these factories. Since the Maoist insurgency ended in 2006, every year, there have been talks of reviving these old government factories. But, if you look at the list of reports prepared, it all looks like a publicity stunt for political parties to gain popularity. So, stakeholders doubt if the government will walk the talk this time. Hetaundas case Take Hetauda Textile Mill for example. This years budget plan states that people holding public office will wear clothes made from the cloth in the mill. This is not the first time the government has tried to revive the mill shut down in 1999. First efforts were made to revive it in 2007 and its operation produced 35,000-metre cloth. Chief of the Hetauda Industrial District, Rajendra Kandel, says things looked positive when Baburam Bhattarai was the finance minister, but due to political interference, the mill could not be revived. People were very excited that reviving the mill would generate a lot of employment. But, their excitement did not last. When Bhattarai became the prime minister in 2012, his cabinet decided to merge the property of the Hetaunda factory with the Industrial District Management Limited as a share investment. That made things almost certain that the mill would not be revived. In 2016, when late Nepali Congress leader Nabindra Raj Joshi was the minister for industry and commerce, there were talks about reviving the mill yet again. He had even formed a committee to study the possibility. It was during then, that Nepal Army also showed interest in starting the mill. But, as things did not go as the government had planned, the government factory remained in a dormant state. Then Minister for Industry and Commerce, Matrika Prasad Yadav, also asked experts to prepare a report to revive the mill in 2019. The team had even said that the mill could be revived and had asked Nepal Army if it was interested in that. The report had stated it would cost Rs 300 million to revive the mill and had suggested different ways the government could do so. One plan suggested Nepal Army bear all the costs and the other was a joint partnership between the government and Nepal Army. The report further stated that some machines could be repaired and used while new machines were necessary to operate the mill efficiently. Weve never been able to choose between reviving it or starting a new factory. I heard a new committee has been formed to study if it can be revived, says Kandel. He says the building and machines in the mill are all old. Currently, the mill acts as an Armed Police Force barracks. If we restart the mill, they will be relocated, says Kandel. Perpetual priority The government wants to revive as many factories as it can to boost production in the country. Other government factories are in a similar state. In July 2021, Minister Badu visited a cigarette factory in Janakpur and talked about reviving it too. In 2017, Minister Matrika Prasad Yadav announced that Janakpur Cigarette Factory would restart again. The factory has been shut for over a decade and the property houses the residence of the chief minister and ministers of the Madhesh province now. Ill request the province officials to relocate it elsewhere, Yadav had said. Following that, he even formed a committee to revive other government factories in the area. Badu is also following in Yadavs footsteps. What the government wants to do by reviving a cigarette factory is unclear, but the people of the province are happy about the news. Lekh Raj Bhatta, who followed Yadav as the industry minister, also repeated the same thing. He too wanted to revive the factories in Janakpur. He even formed a committee to study the possibility of reviving the factories. The six-member team was led by former secretary Deepak Subedi and was tasked to identify dormant government factories, classify them and provide suggestions to the government on which ones could be revived and what it would take to revive them. The committee took four months to prepare a report. Inaction in action Subedi says the committee told the government that almost all dormant factories could be revived. But, as Bhatta was removed as the minister, things did not move forward as ministers became tourists. Anil Jha was the industry minister for only 11 days while Gajendra Hamal was in office for only two days. Then, the ministry came under Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who did not speak a word about this. But once Badu became minister, the talk of reviving old government factories once again resurfaced. According to officials at the ministry, almost all ministers have said they want to revive dormant factories. Despite that, no factory has been revived in the past five years. Apart from Nepal Aushadhi Ltd, which started to produce paracetamol, ORS and sanitisers, other government factories are still in a sorry state. The ministry states that 12 government factories and utilities have been privatised and liquidated. There are six more that were privatised, but even those are not under operation. Since last week, Minister Badu is in a visiting spree to these dormant factories. He has already visited Biratnagar Jute Mill, Janakpur Cigarette Factory and Hetauda Textile Mill. After his visit, he has been claiming that these government factories can be restarted. He also said that a modality had been prepared to restart some factories. These can and will be revived. We are still working on who will run it. The government, the private sector, a public-private partnership or a third party who will look after the management side. Were looking at all of these because we will run it, says Badu. We are also talking to the local industrialists to do this. What is the ministry doing? File: Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Arjun Prasad Pokharel, says the ministry is also planning to dissolve government factories if there are no ways to revive them. He says the ministry wants to revive factories to help the government cope with the trade deficit. We talked a lot. But, this year will walk the talk, says Pokharel. Last year, the ministrys joint secretary Chandra Kala Poudel led a team to study dormant factories. The team came up with three ways to revive them. The first suggestion stated giving the government factories to the private sector. The second was forming a public-private partnership. Lastly, the team also suggested that the government should nationalise land and buildings and sell the machinery and other equipment. Following that report, almost all joint secretaries of the ministries are currently studying each factory in detail. They are looking at what type of technology these government factories have and if they can be repaired. Once this is done, the ministry will then discuss the modality. This decision will be made by the cabinet. Priority list One factory that the ministry wants to revive at all costs is the Gorakhkali Rubber Industry as it believes there is enough demand in the market for products that could be produced there. Another factory it wants to revive is the Butwal Dhago Karkhana. Since most of its machines are not in a bad state, the ministry feels it could outsource the factory to a foreign firm and start it. Another one the ministry is adamant to start is Janakpur Cigarette Factory. It is planning to give the factory a makeover as it wants to create a new brand, issue a new licence and start it, says Pokharel. But, they are just talks. The ministry does not have a concrete plan for reviving dormant government factories. Why? Deepak Subedi says politicisation is the answer. He believes it will be hard to implement the plan as there is systematic politicisation in Nepals industries. Everyone will be hired based on political connections. And, that in the long run will kill these government factories. That is what happened in the past and if we dont learn, that will happen again, says Subedi. This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length. Gov. Greg Abbott, right, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, left, backed by other Republican governors, military leaders and law enforcement officers, lead a press conference on the U.S. border in Mission, Oct. 6, 2021, to speak on what they described as a crisis at the border. [Aaron E. Martinez/AMERICAN-STATESMAN/FILE] Houston Chronicle Aug. 3 editorial, "Abbotts Operation Lone Star looks like a payday to cartels." A recent New York Times article called migrants an irresistible moneymaker for cartels, noting that the smuggling industry has grown from a roughly $500 million business in 2018 to upwards of $13 billion today, according to Homeland Security Investigations. What had been the territory of a lone coyote has turned into a sophisticated, transnational operation that preys on desperation. These are very vulnerable people, theyre heavily targeted by organized crime, by petty crimeeven by the authorities that are there to protect them, explained Crystal Sandoval, director of strategic initiatives with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso. Its not surprising that enforcement encounters are up, says Taylor Levy, a California-based immigration lawyer who worked for years in El Paso and now advises other attorneys working along the border. What Operation Lone Star, Title 42 and now this new executive order have created is just a really big boom economy for the cartels. Tough talk in Texas might sell but the folks getting paid are criminals. Houston Chronicle Editorial Board San Antonio Express-News Aug. 3 editorial, "Texas Lege needs to use surplus funds on schools." Texas is rolling in the dough, with an extra $27 billion in state funds expected when the Legislature convenes in January. Thats a good thing, especially if lawmakers prioritize the monumental needs of our schools. In the aftermath of the pandemic and the murders of 19 elementary students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, adequate public school funding has taken on a heightened level of urgency. Schools need to hire and retain teachers, better ensure safety and shore up mental health resources. These are each costly efforts for cash-strapped schools, but the states coffers are brimming. While Gov. Greg Abbott and others have promised property tax cuts something we support funding these education needs must come first. Story continues San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board Dallas Morning News Aug. 1 editorial, "Redistricting can be a fairer, more representative process if voters demand it." As voters, we elect the people who represent us. If only that were completely true. Political gerrymandering, which courts have upheld as legal, allows politicians to pick their voters, in essence seeding districts with voters of like mind and creating safe districts that minimize competition, encourage elected officials to pay less attention to the interests of political minorities and institutionalize gridlock. It would be exceedingly naive to think that partisanship can be entirely removed from redistricting. A fact of American politics is that the party in power at map-drawing time puts a heavy thumb on the scale. And thats because the system virtually guarantees that the spoils go to the victors. It doesnt have to be that way, which is the key takeaway of the research from Math for Unbiased Maps TX, a group of SMU researchers who studied bias in voting district maps. As Texas prepared for redistricting last year, the group randomly computer-generated 1.5 million possible maps in accordance with redistricting rules and compared those maps to the ones that Texas GOP lawmakers drew. Their conclusion? It would be difficult to draw more biased maps than the ones the politicians concocted. Dallas Morning News Editorial Board Fort Worth Star-Telegram Aug. 5 editorial, "Conservative event brings Trump circus to Texas. GOP leaders would be wise to stay away." Where are all the common sense members of the Republican Party? Mysteriously missing from this list and a weekend visit to the great state of Texas. Which brings us back to our own leaders. In addition to those mentioned, three local members of Congress - Rep. Michael Burgess of Pilot Point, Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Irving and Rep. Roger Williams of Austin. Neither they nor the statewide officials appearing are synonymous with the views or character traits of someone like (Reps. Lauren) Boebert and (Marjorie Taylor) Greene. But they diminish themselves and the appeal of Texas conservatism by mixing it with conspiratorial nonsense. And of course, there's Trump. His obsession with false theories about the 2020 election disqualified him from serious consideration long ago. But the latest revelations of the congressional Jan. 6 committee indicate the extent to which, at minimum, he considered actions that could have amounted to an attempt to overthrow the legitimate processes of government. He is no longer fit to be president. What's more, the GOP does not need to embrace him: There are plenty of other sound, sane, viable Republicans who could run and represent the party well. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board The Gainesville Daily Register Aug. 2 editorial, "A new school year awaits." It is that time of year again teachers and staff are preparing classrooms, parents are quarreling with their kids over clothes and school supplies and the rest of us are itching for Friday Night Lights. We at the Register embrace the advent of the 2022-23 school year across Cooke County. We are keen to resume writing stories about bright students, hard working teachers, class projects and, as we noted above, high school sports. Its been a long, hot, dry summer and were ready to write about some fun stuff. We share with you, Dear Reader, the hope that teachers, students, staff and administrators can get on with their work free of outside complications and with minimal (or no) intrusion from COVID-19. If there is any trepidation, it comes from the looming fall electoral races and return of the Legislature in January. As you no doubt read in Tuesdays print edition and on the Registers website, there are troubling signs that Republicans may stick their noses even deeper into the governance of local school districts and classrooms. Its not enough that the state cuts aid to local districts whenever their local tax revenues improve; now they insist that parents are being shut out of the childrens education. The Gainesville Daily Register This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Commentary Roundup: August 7, 2022 Welcome to The Interchange! If you received this in your inbox, thank you for signing up and your vote of confidence. If youre reading this as a post on our site, sign up here so you can receive it directly in the future. Every week, Ill take a look at the hottest fintech news of the previous week. This will include everything from funding rounds to trends to an analysis of a particular space to hot takes on a particular company or phenomenon. Theres a lot of fintech news out there and its my job to stay on top of it and make sense of it so you can stay in the know. Mary Ann Last week, Paystand a blockchain-enabled B2B payments startup announced it had acquired Mexican fintech Yaydoo creating a new unicorn in the resulting new entity. Execs from the two startups say the combined company will have processed over $5 billion in payments and built a network of over 500,000 connected businesses by creating B2B DeFi payment networks in both the U.S. and Mexico. In announcing the deal, they said: DeFi-enabled B2B payment networks that are on chain can unlock transformative working capital efficiencies, and make financial services more fair and open, especially in developing markets like LATAM. Paystand CEO Jeremy Almond told me over email that combined revenues have been growing at over 100% year over year since inception. In particular, he said Paystand has experienced over 700% revenue growth in the last three years. The company has raised over $86 million over its lifetime and counts NewView Capital and SoftBanks SB Opportunity Fund among its backers. Meanwhile, Yaydoo has raised over $20 million from investors such as Base10 Partners, monashees, SB Opportunity Fund and Leap Global Partners. With nearly 400 employees, the combined company will have a very unique ability to transform entire B2B Payments ecosystems in each country we operate because of our combined scale and access to resources, wrote Yaydoo CEO Sergio Almaguer in an email. Story continues Today the U.S. has a legacy, centralized financial infrastructure that needs to be disrupted and re-imagined by fintechs with blockchain technology. However, in emerging markets like LATAM, the basic financial infrastructure for B2B payments is either missing or not accessible by businesses of all sizes, added Almond, noting that the payments tech ecosystem in LATAM is generally 1015 years behind that in the U.S. Fintechs like Paystand + Yaydoo have a huge opportunity to build next-gen payments tech infrastructure from the ground up. Notably, word on the street is that Payday is now eyeing an IPO. We havent been hearing about too many M&As as of late, so this deal caught our eye. It also is a good lead-in to talk about some recent M&A data we got our hands on. Unsurprisingly, dealmaking in financial services declined in the second quarter due to macroeconomic headwinds, according to a recent KPMG US report. Aggregate deal volume fell 30.9%, to 1,442 from 2,087 in the first quarter, and deal value dropped 14.8%, to $163 billion from $191 billion. Bob Ruark, principal and banking and fintech strategy leader for KPMG US, noted that pricing is difficult now given the rapid decline in valuations. As he pointed out, pricing in some fintech categories dropped almost 60% according to Pitchbook, and digital and crypto companies are down over 65%. We are starting to see some of the public market valuations impact private market valuations. We have seen several high-profile companies raising new money at much lower valuations, which shows this is starting to happen, Ruark said. Klarna recently raised $800 million at a $6.7 billion valuation, which is 85% below its June 2021 raiseAs prices and valuations stabilize, we will see deals ramp back up. On the bright side, the fact that VCs are more discriminating about where they put their dollars could actually lead to more M&A activity, according to Ruark. There is plenty of money available, but investors are looking for stronger performance, profitable performance. That is one reason why a number of VC firms have told their portfolio companies to focus on performance and cut costs, he told TechCrunch. Given a large number of startups will not generate a profit near and are cash-flow negative in the near term, they will have to raise more capital in a difficult environment. As a result, they may have to sell. What about the acquisitions that are still taking place? Most of those are product buys to drive or accelerate revenue growth with the secondary benefit of getting new talent, Ruark said. And, after crypto, payments companies as illustrated in the example above are among the most attractive targets. Looking ahead, KPMG's view on the prospects for financial services M&A over the next six to 12 months is mixed. The firm said: "On one hand, the fundamental trends that have been driving activity remain in place. On the other, market sentiment is largely pessimistic and the outlook for interest rates and inflation is challenging." Image Credits: Paystand/Yaydoo Weekly News Counting 300 U.S.-based companies as customers already, Alloy announced it has now expanded its platform to 40 countries across North America, EMEA, LatAm, and APAC. The startup says it will also continue to grow its local presence and team in EMEA. The goal behind the expansion, a spokesperson told TechCrunch, is to help financial services companies manage changing global regulatory requirements for their customers, no matter where they are located. QED Investors said it has expanded its mental health initiative aimed at tackling addiction among entrepreneurs to its Spanish-language portfolio companies. Last year, TechCrunch published an op-ed from Nigel Morris around mental health stigma in the tech community when the initial program was announced. The firm says the program is focused on eliminating the stigma around talking about substance misuse in the workplace by offering an online program that delivers critical concepts and facts regarding addiction in just 5 minutes per lesson. This will now be offered to 22 fintech companies across Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. Just one week after closing on its acquisition of Metromile (and laying off about 20% of the latter companys staff), Lemonade announced on August 4 that it has sold Metromiles enterprise business solutions unit, a SaaS-based claims automation and fraud detection product, to EIS. Well, that was fast! According to my colleague Zack, "hackers had access to dashboards used to remotely manage and control thousands of credit card payment terminals manufactured by digital payments giant Wiseasy, a cybersecurity startup told TechCrunch. Wiseasy is a brand you might not have heard of, but its a popular Android-based payment terminal maker used in restaurants, hotels, retail outlets and schools across the Asia-Pacific region. Through its Wisecloud cloud service, Wiseeasy can remotely manage, configure and update customer terminals over the internet." Attentive, which describes itself as a conversational commerce platform, has launched its text-to-buy solution with Shop Pay, "enabling consumers to make purchases directly from an SMS conversation with a brand." Built with Shopifys Shop Pay checkout flow, Attentives new offering is aimed at turning browsers into buyers with a frictionless checkout flow built for mobile devices. Retail investment behemoth Robinhood laid off 23% of its staff just 3 months after letting go of 9% of its workforce. Besides the fact that the company has shed about 1,000 workers this year alone, we also were struck by the fact that CEO Vlad Tenev took responsibility for Robinhoods overhiring in the frenzy that was 2021. Whether he was sincere or not (and many of you had wildly different views on that based on a little poll I posted on Twitter), it was still not a typical CEO move and we took notice. You can listen to Alex, Natasha and I share our thoughts on it all on Friday's episode of Equity Podcast. Opendoor has agreed to pay $62 million to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission, which says the companys claims that it helps people make more money by selling their house to the company rather than listing it on the open market were deceptive. For years, the real estate technology company has touted itself as using its pricing technology to provide more accurate offers and lower costs, said the FTC. Such iBuyers use this method to make quick offers on homes, with enthusiastic claims that sellers would make thousands of dollars more than they would on the open market. But according to the FTC, that wasnt true. While extension rounds are popular even beyond fintech today, there are often more startups hunting for the round type than there are checks. So, to better understand the market for fintech extension rounds today, we have a set of answers from a group of fintech venture investors we recently surveyed. Another day, another Q2 funding report. PitchBook reported that on the heels of a breakthrough year for fintech investment, VC activity in the sector is simmering down. Specifically, it said, in Q2 2022, "VC investment in fintech companies fell 17.8% from the previous quarter" to $24.1 billion, "the largest percentage drop since Q3 2018." Also in the report: Exits have also stalled as IPO activity grinds to a halt, and analysts expect fintech startups will attract the attention of incumbents looking for M&A opportunities. Guess we'll see about that. Nice scoop from former TCer Katie Roof: TripActions, a travel startup (that has expanded into general expense management), is close to filing confidentially for an initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter, as people get back on planes and trains following the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic. Manish reports that the "State Bank of Pakistan, the South Asian nations central bank, has ordered fintech Tag to 'immediately' refund all funds to customers, citing violation of regulatory requirements and 'other concerns,' posing existential questions on the startups future. The regulatory action follows a months-long probe into Tag, which offers banking and financial services to users in Pakistan." Personnel Corporate spend startup Brex has named Doug Adamic as its chief revenue officer. According to a company spokesperson, Adamic will lead revenue and growth strategy for Brex as the company expands into financial software with Brex Empower and aims to grow its global offerings for venture-backed startups, midmarket companies, and larger enterprises. Adamic most recently served as SAP Concurs chief revenue officer. Saving and investing app Acorns announced that Brent Callinicos who most recently served as CFO of Uber has joined Acorns' board of directors; Marissa Dulaney has been named as the company's first chief experience officer; Denise Chisholm has been tapped to serve as the new chief compliance officer; and Brent Williams is now the companys head of banking. In a written statement, Acorns CEO Noah Kerner said: "We're building a generational company from the inside out with our customers at the center." Plaid announced that financial services industry veteran Meghan Welch has joined the 1,200-plus-person company as its first chief people officer. A spokesperson told me: Meghans more than 20 years of experience at Capital One, most recently as the Executive Vice President, Head of Enterprise HR and Chief Diversity Officer, will be a great asset to Plaid as we scale to support the millions of people who rely on Plaid to connect to fintech apps and services. Welch will report to CEO Zach Perret. Image Credits: Plaid/Chief People Officer Meghan Welch Fundings and M&A Seen on TechCrunch Savana raises a fresh round of capital to digitize banks services Kenyan insurtech Lami raises $3.7M seed extension led by Harlem Capital Apple alums finance operations startup Bluecopa raises funds to expand globally Argentinian fintech infrastructure startup Geopagos leaves the bootstraps behind with $35M funding round Mudafy raises $10M in Founders Fundled Series A to fix LatAms "broken" real estate process And elsewhere Robinhood veterans fintech, Parafin, raises $60 million funding round Online credit Marketplace FinanZero raises $4 million in a new round led by Swedish investors to further expand in Brazil Rapidly scaling, Kansas Citybased PayIt raises another $90 million amid "long-overdue transformation" of govtech NG.CASH, which describes itself as the financial hub for Brazils Generation Z, closed on a $10 million seed funding round co-led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and monashees. Founded in February of 2021 and launching that August, the startup says it has over 900,000 users. Its founding team is made up of young (under 25) repeat founders who say they are responsible for building one of Brazil's largest YouTube channels (with over 8 million subscribers), along with another fintech, Trampolin, that was later sold to Stone (Brazil's version of Stripe). Remote payroll provider Deel announced it has acquired Legalpad, which aims to streamline the hard-to-navigate US work visa process, making it faster and more efficient for companies. Since its founding in 2018, Legalpad says it has helped thousands of workers relocate to the U.S., and a Deel spokesperson told me the companys next move will be to integrate the tech and expand visa capability to additional countries. Canada will come first, followed by others. The spokesperson added: As US visas have become harder to secure, the move ensures more talent can be matched to opportunities, while helping companies hire. And actually, Legalpad helped Alex get the O-1 visa he needed to start Deel. Recently, Deel has been making moves to broaden its products with a public offer to acquire PayGroup, a partnership with the UAE unveiled to help foreign workers secure visas, and launching Global Payroll. Weltio, a Mexico Citybased wealth management startup targeting Spanish-speaking LatAm, says it has raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding from Y Combinator, as well as from Wealthsimple founder Brett Huneycutt, Mercado Bitcoin founder Reinaldo Rabelo, and Rhombuz VC, among others. The company says it provides the ability for Latin Americans to open an account in USD (fully regulated/protected by U.S. relevant bodies) and offers the ability to trade over 10,000 financial products and over 20 crypto coins. As the company evolves, the founders aim to offer a full suite of banking services. That's all for this week. Once again, thank you for joining me on this crazy fintech ride. See you next time! xoxoxo Mary Ann After Roe, some questions and concern over future abortion access in D.C. Roe v. Wade's overturning in June returned the regulation -- or banning -- of abortion to individual states and at least 15 states have since ceased nearly all abortion services. However, there are some questions about decidedly non-state Washington, D.C. As a federal district, it operates under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which provides certain authority to the D.C. mayor and 13 elected councilmembers but reserves for Congress the ultimate power to govern. D.C. has some of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country: It is legal for all stages of pregnancy. However, because of the district's unique status under Congress, abortion access has other caveats. Medicaid funding, for example, cannot be used as it can in states. With the Republican Party hoping to retake the House and Senate in November -- a likely outcome at least in the House, according to FiveThirtyEight -- some conservative lawmakers have openly mused about trying to repeal the district's limited autonomy and abortion access along with it. MORE: Resounding abortion rights vote in Kansas may reshuffle midterm environment In past attempts to restrict abortions in the district, local councilmembers could rely on Roe as a legal barricade. The post-Roe future is more uncertain. The most outspoken opponent of home rule is Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who said in February he planned to introduce legislation to effectively dissolve what he deemed a "failed experiment." "My forthcoming legislation to repeal D.C.'s Home Rule Act will follow and uphold the Constitution, period," Clyde told Politico in June, after the Supreme Court reversed Roe. "Despite the Left's lie that women have a constitutional right to abortion, the Constitution clearly secures an unalienable right to live but it does not provide a right to abortion." D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau said the proposals by Clyde and other conservatives called for heightened caution from local officials. PHOTO: Demonstrators are seen on Constitution Avenue during a march for abortion rights in response to the Supreme Courts leaked draft opinion indicating the Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, May 14, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, FILE) "Whenever a Republican member of Congress mentions [ending home rule], I think we have to be prepared to protect our residents' rights from being curtailed," Nadeau told ABC News. Story continues On May 6, in the wake of the leak of a draft of the Supreme Court's majority opinion striking down Roe, Nadeau introduced the Humans Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act of 2022. She called it a needed protection. If passed, it would prevent the district from cooperating in out-of-state investigations with the goal to impose criminal or civil liability for abortion, contraception use and other protected conduct. "My bill also anticipates further action by the Supreme Court that might prevent people from upholding their marriage or receiving gender-affirming care," Nadeau said. "If there's a same-sex couple or a trans child who needs lifesaving health care, I want to make sure that D.C. has already contemplated that future need for proper protection." Nadeau's proposal also includes a countermeasure -- a private right of action -- against state laws that empower plaintiffs to sue people they suspect are connected to illegal abortions, such as the novel Texas law passed in 2021. MORE: Where abortion stands in your state: A state-by-state breakdown of abortion laws Nadeau's bill is modeled on Connecticut's Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, signed into law in May, which shields abortion seekers from out-of-state scrutiny and state clinicians from lawsuits from out-of-state plaintiffs. The D.C. Council held a public hearing related to reproductive health care on July 14, in which Kate Vlach, the policy director for the Office of the D.C. Attorney General, said district clinicians were "uncertain if they might face criminal prosecution for providing services" to out-of-state abortion seekers. Meanwhile, the district's non-voting delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has called on Congress to reconsider statehood and codify abortion into federal law -- both dim prospects given GOP opposition, Democrats' narrow majorities and moderates' support for the Senate filibuster. PHOTO: Ward One Councilmember Brianne Nadeau speaks during the 2015 District of Columbia Inauguration ceremony at the Convention Center in Washington, Jan. 2, 2015. (Carolyn Kaster/AP, FILE) At a House Oversight Committee hearing on July 13, Norton urged: "Statehood is the best way for D.C. to protect abortion access for its residents." A repeal of the decades-old home rule or a crackdown on D.C.'s abortion access are also slim in the short term: Clyde's plan has not risen to leadership level. Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, told Axios last month: "There have been no discussions committee-wide on this. This is an Andrew Clyde project that he feels very passionate about." D.C. Councilmember Nadeau told ABC News there were larger challenges to removing the area's autonomy. "It's not that simple to take over a district that has had a local government for more than 40 years, and then have no other plan for it," she argued. "I think this difficulty will be a hard deterrent [for the Republican Party] to overcome." After Roe, some questions and concern over future abortion access in D.C. originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Click and gape at the Vaticans Sistine Chapel ceiling up close. Click again and join thousands of pilgrims praying and circling around the cube-shaped Kaaba at Islams most sacred site. Or strap on a headset and enter the holy city of Jerusalem. There youll hear the murmur of Jewish prayers at the Western Wall or thousands of worshippers saying amen in unison at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. You can even light a virtual candle at the site where Christians believe Jesus rose from the grave. All without ever leaving home. Worshippers, tourists and visitors from around the world are increasingly joining virtual reality religious activities and pilgrimages to some of Earths most sacred sites. Such experiences are among the many evolving spaces in the metaverse, an immersive virtual world where people can connect via avatars, that have grown in popularity during the pandemic. We believe that virtual reality is, if you like, the new internet, the new way for people not to watch things passively on the screen and just to click on photos and videos, but to actually teleport themselves," said Nimrod Shanit, CEO of HCXR and Blimey, the producers of The Holy City, an immersive VR experience that allows people to visit Jerusalems holiest sites. Participants get a sense of the different rituals, culture, architecture, get a sense of the world without the need to actually spend tons of money on travel and contribute to global carbon emissions, Shanit said. Using a 360-degree camera, a lidar scanner and his training as a photojournalist, Shanit in 2015 began to capture videos and photos of Christian, Islamic and Jewish religious festivals and holy sites in his native Jerusalem. He then stitched the footage and images together digitally to create a visually immersive experience. Virtual pilgrims can follow Orthodox clerics as they emerge from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Holy Fire ceremony, with candles lit by a fire that the faithful view as a divine message. They will also hear bells tolling and chants of The Lord has risen! in multiple languages. They can tuck a prayer note into a crack of the Western Wall, or follow the steps of thousands of worshippers during Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. To accurately render details of Jerusalem in the virtual space, developers scanned the holy sites and a large physical model made in the 19th century that is on loan at the citys Tower of David Museum. Users can hover over this digital model leading to full-scale scans of the city entering through different gates that lead to the Cathedral of Saint James and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Shanit, who is Jewish, and his two partners one Muslim, one Christian hope The Holy City can foster dialogue and understanding between faiths. Many Americans some traditionally religious, some religiously unaffiliated are increasingly communing spiritually through virtual reality. Around the world, people are also able to experience sites sacred to Hinduism, Buddhism and other faiths through 360-degree videos, virtual maps and 3D temples. Experience Makkah uses 3D modeling to let users circle around the Kaaba building, meet praying pilgrims dressed in white terrycloth garments, learn about rituals and explore other significant landmarks. They include Mount Arafat, the nearby desert hill where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon nearly 1,400 years ago. This immersive VR experience was launched in 2015 but became most popular when it was updated in 2020, said Ehab Fares, chief executive of the digital agency BSocial, which created Experience Makkah. During that first pandemic year, the hajj pilgrimage which drew about 2.5 million people a year earlier was limited to as few as 1,000 already residing in Saudi Arabia because of restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In less than a month, we had more than 20,000 users from the Middle East and the rest of the world, said Fares, whose company is based in Cairo. Fares calls Experience Makkah a digital good deed with a particular focus on young people. The latest version can be explored through Google Cardboard, a low-cost cardboard attachment that turns smartphones into virtual reality viewers. Theres a young generation which is glued to the mobiles, and I wanted to reach that generation and introduce Islam using technology. Fares said he has been pleasantly surprised by the positive response from people across the world. But he cautioned that hes not trying to substitute the hajj, which is one of the pillars of Islam. The intention was to give you a feel of what you will experience on the ground, he said, but its definitely not a replacement to the actual experience. The Sistine Chapel reopened to the public in early 2021 after closing the previous November due to the pandemic. But even while in-person access was shut off, Michelangelos breathtaking frescoes could be experienced through a virtual tour on the Vaticans website. The 360-degree panoramic projections of the basilicas and papal chapels are part of a collaboration between the Vatican and computer science students at Villanova University who travel to Rome as interns. Its a great opportunity for our students to get involved with the church, with religious experiences, because our computer science majors are working alongside Vatican developers to create these experiences, said Frank Klassner, a computer science professor at Villanova who runs the project with the Holy See. And the folks at the Vatican, dare I say, are also getting to know the next generation of churchgoers and pilgrims," he said. Faith-based VR projects are also making inroads in academia. This spring at the University of Miami, students strapped on VR headsets to watch 360-degree videos of a Haitian Voodoo ceremony, a Hindu funeral rite and a Christian baptism. They explored Barcelonas Sagrada Family Basilica, the Parthenon in Athens and Mecca for a course called Religion and Sacred Spaces in the Era of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. Matthew Rossi, a 21-year-old math and computer science major who served as teaching assistant for the course, grew up Catholic and now counts himself among the religiously unaffiliated. But the class, he said, gave him a new appreciation for religious traditions and rituals. You feel like you're moving with the crowd, Rossi said about experiencing a 360-degree video of pilgrims circling the Kaaba at Mecca, and I was like, this is unbelievable. Students also created their own virtual sacred spaces. One team fashioned an island refuge where students, via their avatars, could silently contemplate a smiling, rotating Buddha statue. Another built a stone-like labyrinth leading to a place where sky and heaven seemed to merge. William Green, professor of Religious Studies and Fain Family Endowed Chair in Judaic Studies at the University of Miami, said faith needs to involve concrete actions, from praying or singing to meditating or fasting. Religion engages your mind, and it also engages your body, Green continued. And you cant do that in two dimensions but you can do it in the metaverse. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Every day since mid-July, between 30 to 35 patients with COVID-19 have been hospitalized in the Fredericksburg area, according to the Rappahannock Area Health District. Thats a higher rate than from mid-March to mid-July, when there were fewer than 20 patients per day being treated for the virus at Mary Washington Hospital, Stafford Hospital and Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. However, local hospitalization numbers have remained steady in the last three weeks even as the highly contagious BA.5 subvariant infects more people across the area, state and nation. The same trend is not true across the state. Six weeks ago, Virginia was averaging about 540 hospitalized patients each day. As of Friday, the number had climbed to an average of 792 daily patients, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. The VHHA chart also shows the impact to intensive care units hasnt been as severe with the BA.5 type of omicron variant as with previous strains. About one of every seven people in hospitals being treated for COVID has needed intensive care, as of Friday. Less than one-third of patients in Virginia hospitals with COVID-19 were on ventilators, according to the VHHA. The trend mirrors what Dr. M. Stephen Mandell Jr., senior medical director of Mary Washington Healthcare, has been saying since July: The recent uptick in cases has had minimal impact on ICUs. Those who develop serious illnesses tend to have underlying health conditions or immune systems that are suppressed as a result of certain medical conditions or because theyre being treated for diseases like cancer. A stuffy nose and sore throat remain the predominant symptoms of BA.5, according to health officials, but those with relatives, neighbors or co-workers with the virus probably have heard of issues ranging from a few sniffles to incredible fatigue, from stomach problems to the feeling theyve been hit by a truck. Across the local health district, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford, an average of 942 people have been infected each week during the last six weeks. That number doesnt reflect those who test positive at home and go without medical care. The transmission level of the virus is considered to be high across the Fredericksburg region, primarily based on the number of hospitalized patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, 664 residents of the Rappahannock Area Health District have died from the virus and there have been 87,206 reported cases, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard. Some of those probably include people infected more than once. People under 20 have had far more infections than those age 60 and over (19,844 cases to 13,041). But the more serious indicators underscore the impact COVID has had on the older set. In the local health district, 933 of the 1,589 people hospitalized and 551 of the 664 people who died were age 60 and over. On the subject of contagious illnesses, the Virginia Department of Health reported last week the states first death of a child from the flu for the 202122 season. The youngster was under age 5 and lived in Virginias central region, which consists of 27 localities, stretching from Hanover County, through the cities of Richmond and Petersburg and their suburbs and south to the North Carolina border. This tragic death reminds us that flu can be a very serious disease, especially in the very young, the elderly, and those with chronic medical problems, Colin M. Green, the states health commissioner, said in a news release. Flu activity in Virginia usually peaks between December and February, but the state health department reported widespread flu activity three times in May and June, according to its flu dashboard. For the week that ended July 30, the state reported that 2% of the people seeking treatment in hospital emergency departments or urgent care clinics had flulike illnesses. Children under 4 were the largest group seeking treatment, the state reported, and made up almost 9% of cases. State officials recommend similar actions to prevent the flu as COVID-19, including: Get vaccinated yearly; wash hands or use hand sanitizer regularly; cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow; stay home when sick; and take antivirals as prescribed by a doctor if you get the flu. A New Mexico man who was driving drunk without a valid license barreled through a parade that celebrates Native American culture in the western part of the state, injuring at least 15 people, officials said Friday. Jeff Irving, 33, was arrested late Thursday and faces charges that include aggravated driving while intoxicated, fleeing from officers and injuring parade-goers and two Gallup police officers who tried to stop the vehicle, court documents said. In a statement, New Mexico State Police said that investigators have no reason to suspect the crime was motivated by hate. No one was killed. The people who were hurt, including the police officers, suffered mostly minor injuries, said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and his family were among those almost hit as the Chevrolet Tahoe drove through the parade route. The vehicle sped through downtown Gallup about 15 minutes after the nighttime parade started that served as the kick-off event for the 10-day Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. Irvings blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit for driving, according to court records. His license had been revoked or suspended for another drunken driving charge and the SUV had no registration or insurance, police said. Court records didn't list an attorney for Irving who could speak on his behalf. His two passengers were detained and taken to a detox center in Gallup, a city of about 22,000 people, state police said in the statement. Many among the crowd of thousands lining the parade route in front of businesses that sell Native American jewelry, arts and crafts captured the chaotic scene on video. As the SUV sped near the parade, videos on social media showed people yelling for others to get out of the way and some pushing parade-goers to safety. One video showed parade-goers yelling obscenities at the SUV's driver and passengers while they were handcuffed on the ground. Children performing traditional dances appear to have been among the first to have seen the SUV heading toward them, the videos showed. They ran to the side amid screams and others scrambling to get out of the way. The images also showed blankets, shoes, banners and umbrellas left strewn along the street and on the sidewalks as people fled. Lujan Grisham said Friday that the state will send additional police officers and a behavioral heath crisis team to Gallup for the rest of the ceremonial event. Nez said the vehicle was coming at him and a group of tribal officials marching in the parade. He thanked people for taking quick action to get spectators and participants out of harm's way. We just ask for your prayers for all of the participants, Nez said in a video posted on social media. We're all shook up. You would see this on television, you would think it would never happen here. I'm sorry to say it happened here in Gallup, New Mexico." Tonya Jim said she went to the parade with her parents, grandchildren and children. Her 5-year-old granddaughter, KaRiah, was picked from the crowd to join a group of dancers. Shortly after, the vehicle barreled down the parade route, turned and hit a man across from them who was sitting on a folding chair, she said. KaRiah was helped off the road by someone and was not hurt. "Im glad whoever was holding her hand just kept holding her hand and ran with her to get her off the road, Jim said. Im not sure who she was, but Im thankful for her. Jim said the family burned cedar and prayed when they got home and did a tobacco smoke prayer Friday morning to calm down. I blessed my kids and thanked the creator they are still with me and (to) pray for the families who are hurt, said Jim, who is Navajo and lives in Fort Defiance. During the mayhem, the SUV swerved onto a side street and pulled into a parking spot before trying to pull out again. It hit a parked car and backed into a police car, state police said. Officers converged on the vehicle and detained the driver and two passengers who Irving identified as his brothers, according to court documents. Irving initially told police he was not drinking before admitting to having at least a couple of beers, according to court documents. He is from the small community of Pinedale and faces 21 charges, the documents and police said. City, state and tribal officials met Friday, with some urging more resources to address alcohol abuse. The state has long had a driving while impaired rate above the U.S. national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I think there's always room for improvement, said Gallup police Capt. Erin Toadlena-Pablo. I don't think anyone should ever look at it and say we're doing all we can. There's always other means. The nighttime parade is a highlight of the ceremonial celebration, which was founded in 1922 as a way for traders to showcase the culture and art of Native American tribes in the region, said Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial Association board President Kyle Tom. A daytime parade will go on as planned on Aug. 13, the day before closing events, Tom said. Other events include dances, rodeos and a juried art show. People travel to Gallup from the vast Navajo Nation that extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and from other tribal reservations to attend the parades and events. Nez, tribal lawmakers and others expressed anger and disbelief over what happened. It's supposed to be a celebration, but today it was a difficult time for us, Nez said. Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Arizona. Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report. Sri Lankas democratic revolution The latest episode in a decades-long drama by Rohini Hensman [ . . . ] The uprising in Sri Lanka, which started with a few small candlelight vigils in early March 2022 and developed into a full-scale revolution with protesters taking over the presidential palace and prime ministers office, was triggered by critical shortages of food, fuel, cooking gas, and medicines, accompanied by long power cuts and skyrocketing prices. As Nimanthi Rajasingham explains, the protesters blamed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family members, including then-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, for the catastrophe. Demonstrations spread throughout the country, the most iconic location being GotaGoGama at Galle Face Green in Colombo opposite the Presidential Secretariat. She also points out that although criminal mismanagement by Gotabaya Rajapaksas regime dealt the final blow to the economy, the mountain of foreign debt had been growing for more than four decades after J.R. Jayawardene of the United National Party (UNP) won the elections of 1977 and introduced neoliberalism read full text here: https://www.tempestmag.org/2022/08/sri-lankas-democratic-revolution/ Four people, including two police officers were killed in northwestern Pakistan in an attack targeting a provincial lawmaker from former Prime Minister Imran Khans Tehreek-e Insaf Party (PTI), police said on August 7. Lawmaker Liaqat Khan and three others were wounded in the attack that took place in the Maidan area of the Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province late on August 6. The volatile province is governed by the PTI. Khan, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, was transferred to hospital in the provincial capital, Peshawar. Doctors said Khan was operated upon and that he was out of danger. Police said the lawmaker and his associates were returning home after attending a funeral when their vehicle came under attack by unidentified gunmen. Among those killed were the nephew and brother of the PTI lawmaker. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Police have cordoned off the area and launched a probe. Based on reporting by AP and Dawn.com Three senior commanders of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- also known as the Pakistani Taliban -- have been killed in a blast in southeastern Afghanistan, dealing a heavy blow to the militant group, sources told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal on August 7. One of the commanders was Abdul Wali, alias Omar Khalid Khorasani, who was considered to have been one of the most influential and ruthless TTP leaders. The other two were identified as Hafiz Dawlat and Mufti Hassan. The men were traveling in the Birmal district of the Afghan province of Paktika when their car hit a roadside mine on the evening of August 7, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The three commanders were said to be based in Afghanistan's Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. They were traveling to Birmal for consultations, the sources said, without providing any further details. The news comes at a time when Pakistani authorities are in contact with the militant groups leadership to discuss a peace agreement. A truce has already been in place between the TTP and the Pakistani military for the past two months. Khorasani belonged to Pakistans Mohmand tribal district and was said to be in charge of the Mohmand branch of the Pakistani Taliban. Hassan was among the nearly a dozen TTP commanders who had pledged allegiance to Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, the slain leader of the Islamic State terrorist group. Sources say some TTP circles consider Hassan to have been responsible for inciting infighting in the TTP a few years ago. Dawlat was considered to have been important TTP commanders and a close confidant of Khorasani. In case you missed it summer's most popular meteor shower is set to peak tonight above Colorado, with the celestial event remaining active through September 1. Pius Kamau, M.D., general surgery, is president of the Aurora-based Africa America Higher Education Partnerships; co-founder of the Africa Enterprise Group and president of the Consortium of African Diasporas in the U.S.A. He has been a National Public Radio commentator and a blogger, and is author of The Doctors Date with Death. In this photo provided by Chinas Xinhua News Agency, a People's Liberation Army member looks through binoculars during military exercises as Taiwans frigate Lan Yang is seen at the rear, on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. China is holding drills in waters around Taiwan in response to a recent visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Tucked in the U.S. Senate's tax and climate package is $4 billion for drought resiliency money that would come at a critical time as the West grapples with dwindling supply from the Colorado River, depleting reservoirs and a drier climate that's causing the worst wildfires the region has seen this century. It is now 77th year of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. The human race is now facing a new danger of the use of nuclear weapons. Carrying on the aggression against Ukraine, President Putin of Russia is repeating a nuclear threat. Along with Russia, the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are maintaining and consolidating their nuclear deterrents. From Hiroshima which suffered the indescribable damage of the nuclear weapons and with Hibakusha we appeal to the world: nuclear weapons are weapons of absolute evil; they are designed exclusively to cause human extinction, which will not allow humanity to live humanly lives or to die humanly deaths. We should never ever allow the threat or use of these weapons. The only way to end this danger is the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. With fresh determination, we move forward toward achieving a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world. Overcoming the present crises, international politics is moving forward. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is the first treaty in history totally banning nuclear weapons and has entered into force. Support and the number of participating states keep increasing (66 ratification, 86 signing). The first Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on June 21-23 in Vienna adopted by consensus the political declaration entitled Our Commitment to a World Free of Nuclear Weapons (Vienna Declaration), sending out a hopeful and powerful message for a world without nuclear weapons. It made an unrelenting criticism against the nuclear deterrence doctrine, saying, This highlights now more than ever the fallacy of nuclear deterrence doctrines, which are based and rely on the threat of the actual use of nuclear weapons and, hence, the risks of the destruction of countless lives, of societies, of nations, and of inflicting global catastrophic consequences. Vienna Action Plan, another adopted document, elaborated on the assistance for the Hibakusha and nuclear test victims, the modality for the nuclear possessing states to join the treaty and other details to implement the treaty. It is now an undeniable reality that the TPNW is established as international law, supported by the majority of the countries in the world. If we further develop our cooperation between civil society and governments, building on the TPNW, it will be possible to open a prospect of a world without nuclear weapons The fact that Russia, a nuclear superpower, openly threatened to use nuclear weapons and even put its nuclear forces on special alert without regard for the sacrifice of its own people revealed that the concept of nuclear deterrence, that nuclear weapons deter the use of nuclear weapons, can no longer work. It has become also clear that the nuclear deterrence is a means to invade another country and rule it by the force of nuclear threat. The nuclear deterrence doctrine rests on the premise of claiming countless human lives, destroying cities and their environments and causing catastrophic consequences. It leads humanity to the brink of extinction. It is time to overcome the nuclear deterrence doctrine. The 10th NPT Review Conference is in session in New York on Aug. 1 through 26. We call on it, in which Nuclear Five participate, to contain the danger of the use of nuclear weapons and to open a prospect for a world without nuclear weapons. The NPT includes the obligation to negotiate on nuclear disarmament (Article 6), and its review conferences have so far agreed on an unequivocal undertaking to achieve the complete elimination of their nuclear arsenals, on achieving a world without nuclear weapons, on making special effort to establish framework for the nuclear weapon-free world, establishing nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Yet, not only have the nuclear weapon-states turned their back on their obligation to implement them, but even modernization of nuclear arsenals and consolidation of the policy to use them are being promoted. We demand that the nuclear weapon states should end those insincere attitudes, reconfirm their treaty obligations and the past agreements and implement them in good faith. The TPNW is a treaty that helps implement Article 6 of the NPT and they complement each other. Japan is intensely called on to play a role commensurate with being the only A-bombed country in war. But the Japanese government is deepening its dependence on the US nuclear umbrella, opposing the TPNW, and keeps turning its back on the desire of its own people, as well as the major trend of the world. Calling for discussions about nuclear sharing is also a serious problem. These actions simply accelerate the vicious cycle of nuclear arms versus nuclear arms in North East Asia. We call on the Japanese government to do away with nuclear deterrence doctrine, and to support and express its willingness to join in the TPNW. Russias aggression against Ukraine is a sheer violation of the UN Charter. We demand the withdrawal of the Russian forces and the end of all their military actions, including attacks and occupations of nuclear power plants in Ukraine. The international community should unite for the restoration of the world order based on the common rule of the UN Charter. Even if there are differences in position related to Russia, it is important to note that the first MSP to the TPNW unanimously condemn(ed) unequivocally any and all nuclear threats. We call for the resolution of all international conflicts by diplomacy. The problems of North Koreas nuclear and missile development, or Chinas attempt to change status quo by force in South China Sea or in East China Sea should also be addressed through dialogs and negotiations based on international law and not by military force. We firmly oppose any move to strengthen and expand military alliances or build-up military arsenals, taking advantage of the aggression against Ukraine. It is a serious concern that the NATO at its summit conference on June 29 in Madrid adopted a new Strategic Concept to strengthen it as nuclear military alliance, greatly expand crisis response forces, and that in the Asia-Pacific region the US and others are moving to expand bilateral and multilateral military cooperation. We oppose the remolding of Japan into a war-prepared country under the Japan-US military alliance with plans for the Constitutional revision, massive military build- up and development of enemy base attack capability. The role to be played by the Japanese peoples movement to counter these moves is of decisive importance. Gender perspectives need to be carried through in the nuclear disarmament process. The disproportionate impact from the use of nuclear weapons on women, and the low proportion of women in disarmament negotiations show that this is an urgent problem to be addressed. This perspective should consciously be addressed by the anti-nuclear peace movement. It is also urgent to divert resources spent for war or military build-up to address climate crisis, resolution of poverty and disparity, and protection of human rights and dignity. Achieving a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world is now urgently required. The decisive factor to determine the future course is the movement of the people and their opinion. We propose to lead in the following actions aimed at a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world: To initiate campaigns to make known the A-bomb damage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and other inhumane consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, encouraging testimonies of the Hibakusha or nuclear test victims, A-bomb photo-panel exhibitions and many other forms of action; Let us thus build up opinion opposing any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; Let us ask the United Nations and member states governments to promote or support these activities; Let us build broadest public opinion in support of the promotion of, the support to and/or participation in the TPNW and of the elimination of nuclear weapons. In the countries possessing nuclear weapons or dependent on nuclear umbrella in particular, let us strengthen the movement to press their governments to join the treaty; Let us bring success to the international joint action Peace Wave for the elimination of nuclear weapons as one common objective (launched on August 4 through 9, 2022); On such important occasions as the opening of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, the new round of the NPT Review process, the next MSP to the TPNW, let us promote cooperation between the governments and civil society movements to reach the common goal; Let us develop joint actions for the reduction of military expenditures, dismantling foreign military bases, dissolution of military alliances, compensation and support for the Agent Orange and other war victims and eradication of their suffering, promotion of peace education and for other tasks for peace against war; Let us further broaden the movement for a world without nuclear weapons by extending solidarity to many other movements of various strata and generations of people such as: for lives and livelihood, human rights, Zero nuclear power plants, break of climate crisis, gender equality, and peace and democracy. We reiterate our determination that together with Hibakusha and with young generation on whom our future will depend, we will stand in the forefront of these actions. No More Hiroshimas! No More Nagasakis! No More Hibakusha! Abolish Nuclear Weapons! August 6, 2022 The 2022 World Conference against A and H Bombs Denver chief of police Paul Pazen gives the final speech on Thursday, May 19, 2022, during the Denver Police Departments annual fallen officers memorial ceremony at the departments administration building in Denver, Colo. (Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette) Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. By Trend At the 17th Everything About Water expo organised to strengthen cooperation between Israel and India in the water sector, the Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga and additional secretary under Ministry of Jal Shakti, GA Kumar said that India can learn a lot from Israel about water management and the best practices involved, Trend reports citing ThePrint. Israel being a country with very less water availability manages water very well, India can learn from Israel, GA Kumar told ANI. Responding to a question on the outcome of the Expo, Dr Lior Asaf, Water Attache, Israel Embassy in India said, It is a great opportunity for Israel and its companies to explore the possibility of cooperation in India. We are working together in UPs Bundelkhand project to provide safe drinking water in advanced agriculture expansion of 25 villages, he said. The 17th Everything About Water Expo 2022 was inaugurated today by Ambassador of Israel in India Naor Gilon in the national capital to strengthen the cooperation between Israel and India in the water sector and the longstanding ties between the two nations. Israel is the country partner in the event, which is taking place at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from August 4-6. The Israeli water companies introduced solutions related to water distribution and management, filtration, leak detection, wastewater treatment, desalination and water security. oreover, the importance of the water partnership between Israel and India can be understood from the fact that both countries signed two major water agreements to increase cooperation in water conservation and state water utility reform during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Israel in 2017. India is the only country wherein Israel has the position of Water Attache to help share Israeli best practices and technologies for advancements in Indias water management sector. Charlie Danaher is an engineer, President, at Danaher Cryogenics and father of five. He has resided in Boulder County for more than 30 years. A fascinating moment in history is playing out right now in our northern neighbor state, Wyoming. In a little over a week, Liz Cheney, who presently is one of the most prominent politicians on the American stage as grand inquisitor of the Jan. 6 hearings, is likely to lose her job as a congresswoman. She knew this was a strong possibility going into the hearings to hold President Donald Trump accountable for the Capitol invasion, yet she decided to take a leading role anyway. In other words, she chose her own self-respect as a higher good than her popularity or keeping her job as a congresswoman. In this day of political survivalism and party loyalty over everything, her choice stands out like a painfully sore thumb. Theres a word for it weve nearly forgotten in the politics of the early 21st century: courage. In the case of Liz Cheney, voting to impeach Donald Trump and serving on the January 6th, 2021, House of Representatives investigating committee, were acts of courage, political scientist Robert Loevy told me. The Republican prof taught Liz Cheney political science when she was a student at Colorado College. I am so impressed that, in order to do what she considered the right thing, she risked her lifelong Wyoming political ambitions, Loevy added. That is why I label my former student courageous. And Wyoming is likely to punish her harshly for it. Polls show Cheney running well behind rival Republican Harriet Hageman, who Trump has endorsed and stumped for in Wyoming. John Kennedy wrote a book about politicians like Cheney who followed their consciences and chose the good of the country over their political livelihoods. It was called Profiles in Courage, and it noted that meeting the challenge of courage can require great sacrifices: the loss of friends fortune contentment even the esteem of his fellow men. Check, check, check and check. Cheney has suffered all of the above. Because of persistent and credible death threats, Rep. Cheney was assigned a personal security detail by Capitol Police last August and shes been forced to abandon public rallies and town halls, campaigning at private events instead. The Wyoming Republican Party voted last year to censure Cheney for her vote to impeach Trump, essentially refusing to recognize her as a Republican at all any more. So why is she doing this? Her dad, former Vice President Dick Cheney, a conservative icon in the Republican party, explained her motivation pretty damn well in an ad released last week that sounded more like the first salvo in a Liz Cheney 2024 presidential campaign: In our nations 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He is a coward. A real man wouldnt lie to his supporters. He lost his election, and he lost big. I know it, he knows it, and deep down most Republicans know it. Dick Cheney said he and his wife, Lynne Cheney, are proud of Liz for standing up for the truth, doing what is right, honoring her oath to the Constitution when so many in our own party are too scared to do so. Other prominent Republicans have said much the same, such as former President George W. Bush, who has endorsed Cheney, and Cheney supporter and prominent Wyoming Republican Al Simpson, a former U.S. senator and recent Medal of Freedom winner, the highest civilian honor in our country. Even Yellowstone star Kevin Costner endorsed Cheney last week. So why isnt the rest of Wyoming following suit, honoring Liz for her courage rather than punishing her? A reporter for CNN recently quizzed rodeo-goers at Cheyenne Frontier Days about that, and nearly all of them said they werent supporting Cheney. Shes done us dirty, voter Sharon Tuggle told the reporter. Shes supposed to be supporting him (Trump), shes a Republican for crying out loud. Another voter said, I find her work on the Jan. 6 committee just repulsive. Others said shes so busy with the Jan. 6 hearings shes neglected her constituents in the Cowboy State. Some have labeled those hearings political theater, a redundant exercise meant to distract the country from Biden administration woes. It should be noted that more than 70% of Wyoming Republicans supported Trump in the last election. In the Cheney primary this time around, Wyomingites are likely to elect a dyed-in-the-wool election denier in Hageman, who said as recently as Wednesday that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Trump. So my friends in Wyoming are about to cast a vote for dishonesty and against duty, apparently. How did we get so twisted in our prioritizing of basic American values, especially out here in the West where we normally have little patience for horsecrap? History will remember Cheney as an honest-to-god, tough-as-nails profile in courage, Im sure of it. Yet Wyomingites cant see that right now; shes been disloyal to the party, to Wyoming, to all the bamboozled Trump supporters up in those wide open prairies. But her loyalty is of an altogether steelier variety, I would argue: to the country, to the Constitution, to her own conscience. Is there anyone who has watched any of the hearings who doesnt acknowledge at this point that this is not a political stunt, that Cheney believes what shes saying and doing deep in her bones? Its more like a mission launched from the deepest parts of her soul, to do what she sees as right, above all else. Wyomingites may not recognize it as courage quite yet, because courage itself has been missing for so long from our public discourse, which lately has been a cesspool of lies, misinformation, and craven cowardice in service of a megalomaniac. Yet Kennedy foresaw exactly what is going on now in Wyoming in his book written nearly 70 years ago. A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or reward that quality in its chosen leaders. I submit that Wyoming has forgotten what true courage actually looks like. For some reason, Liz Cheney has seen recent events differently than most Wyomingites and many Republicans. Shes seen things with a clearer eye, I would argue, and seen things that to her are more important than politics. That old professor of hers at Colorado College thinks maybe she developed that clearer vision right here in Colorado, as did her mom and sister Mary, who also went to CC. If a liberal arts college education does anything, said Loevy, it should inculcate in students the ability to discern the truth and then speak honestly about it. Liz Cheney has done both. Theres a quote Ive always liked engraved in the peachblow sandstone of Palmer Hall on CCs campus where the Cheneys studied politics. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. It was said by a guy who also made some serious sacrifices, including his own life, while trying to speak truths. His name was Jesus Christ. The state Supreme Court has interpreted Colorado's constitution to guarantee a 12-person jury in felony criminal cases. Following his conviction, Matthew Jeremiah Smith claimed on appeal that he effectively did not have a jury of 12 during the periods when the unidentified juror was inattentive. GREENSBOROEastern Music Festival (EMF), Greensboros nationally recognized classical music festival and summer educational program, concluded a successful 61st season with 249 Young Artists and 60+ world-renowned faculty artists celebrating after an awe-inspiring season of music making. This season, EMFs performances and events reached more than 10,000 patrons in the local community and beyond. The festival offered 60+ performances and activities including master classes, chamber recitals, Young Artists recitals, pre-concert lectures, and more reaching many audiences in the Triad community. EMF also presented free programs in community outreach performances at libraries, the First National Bank Field (Greensboro Grasshoppers), churches, senior living communities, parks, art galleries, and more. This success was possible due to the overwhelmingly positive support from individual contributors, philanthropic organizations, corporations, and in-kind donors. In 2022, the festival was proud to host participants from over 41 states, Puerto Rico, and 9 countries including Taiwan, China, South Korea, Iran, Canada, Spain, Scotland, Uzbekistan, and England. States with the most prominent representation are Florida, Texas, Virginia, and 21 from the festivals home state, North Carolina. Support from the many donors and partnering organizations, allowed EMF to provide more than $350,000 in scholarships to deserving and talented Young Artists this year. Of the 249 participants, more than 80% of the Young Artists received scholarships. With the festivals mission of promoting musical excellence and collaboration, EMF engaged and supported works by living composers to encourage unique musical experiences for the students. This season, 40+ compositions by living composers were performed by the eastern Festival Orchestra, chamber groups, percussion studio, and the two-week Euphonium-Tuba Institute and Classical Guitar Summit programs. From the extensive list of compositions, four works were world premieres. EMFs many accomplishments this season would not be possible without the support from several regional partners and organizations, including Guilford College, Appalachian State University, Greensboro Public Libraries, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, City of Greensboro, Action Greensboro, Greensboro Opera, Well-Spring, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, News & Record, Yes! Weekly, The Tuba Exchange, Triad City Beat, Starmount Forest Country Club, Moore Music Company, The Music Academy of NC, Triad Stage, Summit Rotary Club of Greensboro, Lewis & Elm, Pest Management Systems Inc., and Temple Emanuel. Eastern Music Festival is also deeply grateful to the following businesses, corporations, and foundations who partnered with us in 2022. These sponsors offered an array of support including programmatic and general operating support, in-kind support, and season media sponsorship for the 2022 season: North Carolina Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Steinway Piano Gallery, O. Henry Hotel and Proximity Hotel, Green Valley Grill, Print Works Bistro, DMJ, The Cemala Foundation, The Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation, Inc., McMillion Capital Management, Our State, Printery, WFDD, Brooks Pierce, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Thompson Traders, Pennybyrn, O. Henry Magazine, CVNC, Destination Magazine, WCPE, Summit Rotary, WDAV 89.9, and the Winston-Salem Symphony. We are grateful and appreciative of the many sponsors, foundations, and patrons that support EMF, added Chris Williams. The many accomplishments of the festival, including the lasting relationships with our longtime and new sponsors and partners, set us up for many more years of success and provide us the opportunity to carry out our mission. The recently concluded 61st season ended on July 30, 2022, and planning is already underway for the 62nd season which will be June 24July 29, 2023. Azizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, has made rapid progress across its three premium off-plan projects Park Avenue I, II and III in MBR City, a vibrant and well-connected residential community in Dubai. Park Avenue I is now 38% complete, Park Avenue II is at 41%, and Park Avenue III at 40%, the developer said. The project comprises 372 residential and 29 retail units, with each of the three buildings having its own fully equipped gym and swimming pool. Work is progressing swiftly, with the structure of Park Avenue I now being 84% complete and Park Avenue II and IIIs structures now having reached 96% and 97%, respectively. The total workforce also increased to 340 to further accelerate construction. Farhad Azizi, CEO of Azizi Developments, said: We have made significant progress with Park Avenue I, II and III. By revamping our procurement procedures, and by having selected reliable, trustworthy contractors only, weve achieved faster construction and at noticeably higher quality levels, exceeding the needs and wants of our valued investors and end-users. The Park Avenue developments are in great demand from local and foreign investors due to the sophisticated, affluent, and contemporary lifestyle they offer through their build quality, strategic location and exceptional amenities. Built around the concept of connected serenity, Azizis Park Avenue project provides easily accessible and convenient location. Surrounded by greenery and within proximity to Azizis French Mediterranean-inspired master-planned community, Riviera, the upcoming Meydan One Mall, the Meydan Grandstand, The Track, and only a 10-minute-drive to Dubai Mall and Downtown Dubai, these contemporary homes are ideally located for those seeking access to some of the citys most vibrant points of interest. TradeArabia News Service Private citizen Joe Biden and the Democratic Party were absolutely right way back when they kept demanding an investigation of what wed just learned: Russia had interfered big-time in Americas 2016 elections running video ads and doing lots more that helped Donald Trump win the presidency. Then Biden and his fellow Democrats were absolutely right, yet again, in voicing outrage when special counsel Robert Muellers March 2019 report following an in-depth investigation didnt produce a national determination to safeguard our democracy from those who seek to manipulate our voters, overturn our elections and destroy our democracy. Muellers report had given us a detailed warning: Russia had successfully used social media to undermine the U.S. electoral system through what it termed information warfare. The (Russian) operation also included the purchase of political advertisements on social media that by early 2016 favored candidate Trump and disparaged candidate (Hillary) Clinton. So today it is no wonder many of us are rightly outraged. We are witnessing another carefully schemed effort by a very different surprise perpetrator to manipulate voters in the 2022 midterm elections. Once again, an unexpected source has been purchasing video ads to promote pro-Trump Republican candidates in a number of states. But this time you are not hearing expressions of outrage from President Joe Biden or the Democratic Party leaders. Thats because this years manipulative pro-Trumper ads are being paid for by not Russia, not Trump the Democratic Party. (Readers: Do not adjust your news screens or newsprint. You read that right.) In one of the most cynical campaign efforts ever seen anywhere, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) have been buying ads promoting the messages and themes of stop-the-steal, pro-Trump Republicans in primaries for governor, Senate and House. Why? Democratic schemers think they can manipulate opposition primaries so they can run in November against pro-Trump, Love-the-Big-Lie candidates who will be easy to defeat. So they think. So far, this super cynical Democratic manipulation plan has achieved its initial goals in several states. In Michigan, Republican Rep. Peter Meijer, who was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, was challenged and narrowly defeated by pro-Trump conservative John Gibbs. The DCCCs TV ad that featured the Capitol in the background and the words that were drawn from a Gibbs tweet: John Gibbs and Donald Trump, Same Policies. The Democratic ad also called Gibbs too conservative for West Michigan but of course in a Republican primary, that really isnt a negative attack, its a positive vote-getter. And heres the bottom line: The DCCC spent $435,000 on its ad featuring Gibbs; Gibbs spent only $334,000 on his own GOP primary campaign and won. In Maryland, term-limited Republican Gov. Larry Hogan endorsed moderate Kelly Schultz but she was challenged by Trumper Dan Cox. The Democratic Governors Association ad featured a Cox tweet saying: Dan Cox: Reject Fraudulent Elections on Jan. 6, and also a Fox channels screenshot saying: Cox fought the certification of the 2020 election results. Speaking of Jan. 6, on the anniversary of that insurrection, the chairman of the DGA, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, tweeted: Governors must help lead the way in standing up for the truth, protecting our democracy and making sure that its the vote of the people that decides elections. But Cooper didnt put his DGA money where his tweet was: The DGA spent a reported $2 million on ads showcasing Trump-endorsed Coxs message. Last month, Cox won decisively. And yet, the compelling words Cooper tweeted on Jan. 6 were very much on the mind of Michigans secretary of state, Democrat Jocelyn Benson, as she told The Washington Post what she thought about the real message her fellow Democrats were sending when they played in Republican primary sandboxes. If we are going to say as a party or as leaders that we believe in a healthy democracy, which requires citizens to be informed and engaged, we have to live out those values in everything we do, said Benson. Interference with another partys primary does not reflect those values. The last time Democratic schemers were this too-clever-by-a-half was way back in the summer of 2015. We had just seen a most un-political spectacle: A reality TV rich man gliding past on his gold-colored escalator, through his pink marble lobby and into a role the political smart set knew hed never fit. TVs prime-time pundits and late-night comedians were making The Donald their national punchline. Except for one faraway amateur pundit with access to a bit of a bankroll and an office with a fine view of Red Square. BALSAM MOUNTAIN What was supposed to be about a four-hour trip for Bryce Evans turned into a tragedy after the 23-year-old combat medic who went missing during his drive was found dead on Saturday. Rangers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park found the body of Evans in a remote section of the park near Balsam Mountain. They were joined by emergency responders from the National Park Service and others in a comprehensive search of the mountainous area where Evans car had been found days ago. Searchers found Evans about 20 yards off a trail in a remote section of the park. How he got there remains unknown. Evans was last seen and heard from about 1 p.m. last week when driving from Knoxville to UNC-Charlotte, where had an internship. The 23-year-old is a pre-med student at the University of Tennessee and a combat medic with the National Guard, according to Jane Katherine Marley Heinold, a field surgeon with the Tennessee Army National Guard who works with Evans. SPC Bryce Evans is one of my combat medics. He is an exceptional soldier, Heinold said. SPC Evans is extremely conscientious and this is out of character for him. Evans told his sister he planned to work out at the gym at University of Tennessee before driving to Charlotte, but there are no records of Evans ever checking in to the gym in Knoxville or working at his internship. His loved ones said they feared something happened to him. Theres not one person that wasnt shocked and baffled by the whole thing, said Sandra Haynes, a family friend. This is very out of character and out of the ordinary. Theres nothing to lead me, his family, or friends to believe anything other than something has happened to him. Evans cellphone last pinged in Cherokee, according to police. After days of puzzling over his disappearance, Evans sister announced that the family finally had a lead Evans car, found off an unsuspecting dirt road in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Two women who made a wrong turn discovered the vehicle a 2017 Grey Nissan Altima in a remote part of the park on Thursday and notified officials. DNA, dental and other analyses confirmed the identity of remains buried in Belgium as a 27-year-old World War II soldier from North Carolina who died during battle in a German forest, officials with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said Friday. Army Pfc. David Owens, of Green Hill in Watauga County, was among the first soldiers to land on the French coast on D-Day, June 6, 1944, when Allied troops invaded Nazi-occupied France, according to newspaper clippings when Owens was reported missing in action on Nov. 22, 1944. Owens died while his unit battled German forces in the Hurtgen Forest, which is near Hurtgen, Germany, according to a DPAA news release. The release included newspaper photos and clippings of Owens from when he was reported missing. Declared killed in action In the title of his 2013 book about the battle, author Rick Atkinson describes Hurtgen Forest as the worst place of any due to the fierce fighting and casualties. Owens was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, DPAA officials said. His body was unable to be recovered, and the Germans never reported him as a prisoner of war, according to the news release. He was declared killed in action Nov. 23, 1945. After the war, the American Graves Registration Command searched the Hurtgen area several times between 1946 and 1950 but never recovered or identified Owens remains. The command led the investigations and recovery of missing American soldiers in Europe. Owens was declared non-recoverable in December 1950, according to the DPAA release. Thanks to a DPAA historian, remains believed to be Owens were disinterred in August 2018 from Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, officials said. DPAA historian had a hunch While studying unresolved American cases in the Hurtgen area, the historian determined that a set of unidentified remains possibly belonged to Owens, according to the agency. The remains, X-2707 Neuville, were recovered near Hurtgen in 1946 and buried in Ardennes American Cemetery in 1950, the historian found. After the remains were disinterred, agency investigators sent them to a DPAA lab at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. DPAA scientists at the military base identified Owens through dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence, according to the DPAA news release. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System also confirmed his identity, through mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome DNA analysis, officials said. Owens was accounted for on June 15, said DPAA officials. It took until Friday for the agency to announce the findings because his family only recently received a full briefing on his identification, officials said. Owens family couldnt immediately be reached by The Charlotte Observer on Saturday. The 1944 newspaper clippings released by the DPAA on Friday said Owens wife, Gladys Owens, and his mother, Mary Owens, lived in Belmont at the time. He was Mary Owens only son, according to the clippings. Burial planned in Arlington National Cemetery David Owens name appears on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margarten, Netherlands, along with other soldiers reported missing from the war. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for, according to the DPAA. Owens will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, at a date to be determined, DPAA officials said. Separately and unequally. Thats how the state of North Carolina is treating its biggest bloc of voters and it needs to end. There are more voters who are registered as unaffiliated in the state (nearly 2.6 million) than either Democrats (nearly 2.5 million) or Republicans (2.2 million). A large share of unaffiliated voters also happen to be younger. As of April, 47% of voters under 25 in the state were registered as unaffiliated, 42% of those ages 25-40. So it makes absolutely no sense that the state Board of Elections makes seats available only to Democrats and Republicans, while effectively excluding 35% of registered voters in the state. So, more power to unaffiliated Tar Heels, who are overdue for a voice at the table. And more power to the nonpartisan nonprofit, Common Cause NC, among other plaintiffs, for filing a federal lawsuit on these voters behalf, calling the current membership rules arbitrary and capricious and not rational. As it stands now, the sitting governor has the power to appoint three members to the Board of Elections from his or her party and two from lists of nominees submitted by the other largest party in the state. In other words, only Democrats and Republicans. The boards makeup matters because of the sweeping and sensitive nature of its work. It investigates election fraud and campaign finance violations. It establishes rules for elections. And it has the authority to appoint four of the five members in each of the 100 county boards of elections. But the current rules leave the largest group of voters in the state, well, on the outside looking in. And there is no logical, or ethical, defense for this. The state law barring plaintiffs and all other unaffiliated voters from serving on the State Board serves no public or valid purpose but instead is a means to entrench the Democratic and Republican political parties in power and give them exclusive control over the supervision, management and administration of the elections system, says the Common Cause lawsuit. Common Cause NC has spent much of its energy in recent years fighting gerrymandering in the state. The makeup of the Board of Elections is, arguably, a different kind of gerrymandering that creates oversized influence for Democrats and Republicans whose numbers in the state are trending downward as the ranks of unaffiliated voters are growing. Then theres the question of trust, credibility and integrity. Even though there is no credible evidence of widespread election fraud in North Carolina or anywhere else, that hasnt stopped conspiracy peddlers. An elections board that is more reflective of the people in the state can only build trust and buy-in. You need to look no farther than Guilford County to see the State Elections Boards influence, direct and indirect. The state and county elections boards voted recently to deny an appeal that would have called for the school construction bond to be voided and held again. And the county board on Thursday rejected a complaint that would have called for the election for at-large seats on the Greensboro City Council to be reheld. Of course, more room for unaffiliated voters on the board would mean less room for Democrats and Republicans. So be it. The Democrats already are suffering heartburn as the Green Party presses its case for a place on the November ballot. Democrats worry that liberal Green candidates are more likely to siphon voters from their candidates. They are especially worried about what impact Green candidates could have on what is expected to be a tight U.S. Senate race between Democrat Cheri Beasley and Republican Ted Budd. (In fact, the State Board of Elections has played a role in that debate as well, voting 3-2 along party lines to deny the Green Party a place on the ballot before reversing that decision unanimously.) But those are the breaks. You choose your nominee. You make your case. And you let the votes fall as they may. As for unaffiliated voters, by any objective measure, its clear that the current way of appointing State Elections Board members is a relic of a different era. The Common Cause lawsuit notes: This law is destructive of our democracy because it undermines citizens confidence in the elections system. Limiting service on the State Board to members of the Democratic and Republican parties encourages citizens to believe that election officials are chosen to look out for their parties interests rather than see that elections are conducted fairly for all. And that, like gerrymandering, is anything but an exercise in democracy. Col. Renea Dorvall assumed command of the Montana Army National Guard during a change of command ceremony held Saturday morning at Fort Harrison. During a brief exchange in front of the few dozen family members and uniformed men and women serving their country now under Dorvall's watch, outgoing Commander Brig. Gen. Donald R. Emerson passed on the colors to Dorvall through Maj. Gen. Pete Hronek, adjutant general of Montana, and Command Sgt. Maj. Claudina Brady. Emerson took over the post in 2018. He previously served as chief of staff for the Montana Army National Guard as well as deputy commanding officer then later commander of the 1889th Regional Support Group. Emerson thanked his colleagues and family for their support of the years, but said during a speech at the event "really this morning is about the future." "The future is here in Renea. She's ready. She's got great energy," he said before offering some parting wisdom. "The center of gravity in the Montana Army National Guard ... it's our soldiers." Emerson joined the Montana Army National Guard in 1987 and was commissioned through the University of Montana ROTC program in 1989. Emerson plans to retire at the end of August after 35 years of military service. Dorvall joined the Montana Army National Guard in 1987 and was commissioned through the state officer school program. She previously served as G3 director of operations and training and also as commander of the 1889th Regional Support Group over more than 2,200 soldiers. Dorvall thanked her family for their support over the years and wished Emerson and his family "the best of luck." "I challenge you to challenge me," she said. "We're a all-volunteer army, so we owe our soldiers the best training we can give. So if you need additional resources to do that, challenge me to make that happen." I like old sayings, and the more unusual the better. An old favorite is when a person is being rushed and protests, Old alligators got FOUR legs, and HE cant go up moren one creek at a time! But be forewarned: The first person who asks me, Hot enough for you? is likely to end up head down in a bone-dry rain barrel! Besides, there are so many better ways to lament our current hot spell. Back in 1879, an officer at Fort Assiniboine up by Havre was so sick of the hot weather that he claimed, Id rather own a grave in Ohio than the whole of this Territory. Of course, in those days the military wore wool uniforms. Back in the 1970s, I wore a blue wool uniform to portray an artillery sergeant at Fort Point National Historic Site in San Francisco. There, the problem was just the opposite. To keep from freezing in the icy winds, I occasionally wore my regular Park Service uniform under the historic one. As Mark Twain is reported to have said, The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. To return now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, during a hot spell in 1891, a visitor to Montana dismissed the complaints of a sweating citizen by claiming, You ought to try a hot spell in Arizona! Have to tie a wet sponge over your mouth when you go out to keep the hot air from cracking the enamel on your teeth and blistering your tongue! A Texan, who had been suffering from the same southwest hot spell, one-upped the Arizonan when he claimed that it got so hot that three Texas ice houses burned down when the ice caught fire from spontaneous combustion. An old saying goes, Everybody complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it. But here, at least, is a hot weather suggestion from the Great Falls Tribune of August, 1891. a few good resolutions should be made. Among the first should be one to cultivate tranquility of mind. In hot weather a fiery argument is almost as productive of a raised physical temperature as is a brisk walk in the blazing sun. So, keep your temper so you dont get hot under the collar! At least one peril of a hot spell is no longer a problem these days. Apparently, glue in scrapbooks mildewed in hot weather back in the late 1800s. The Deer Lodge newspaper advocated making the adhesive out of boiling water and starch. We dont fuss about that. We just file them all on our various electronic gizmos and forget them. In case you dont think Im being serious about what is, after all, a serious situation, I will end this with one old bit of wisdom. A saying from the early 1800s promised, What goes up, must come down. The three candidates running for Montanas new western U.S. House seat will meet in a debate in Missoula on Monday. Ryan Zinke, Monica Tranel and John Lamb have all said theyll attend the town hall-style forum, according to City Club Missoula, which is hosting the event. Its set for Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. at the DoubleTree in Missoula. The forum will also be livestreamed on the Missoula Community Access Television website. According to a press release from City Club Missoula, the forums format will have attendees come up with a question to submit from the group of people at the table theyre sitting with to be asked of the candidates. No electioneering or signage will be allowed on the hotel property. Lee Newspapers, which operates the Missoulian, Helena Independent Record, Montana Standard in Butte, Billings Gazette and Ravalli Republic, as well as the Montana State News Bureau, is also hosting a candidate forum Sept. 29 for the three candidates. Montana Public Radio has partnered on the forum, which will be broadcast over the radio. Zinkes campaign said Friday there arent any other confirmed debates, but theyre waiting to hear about dates for one hosted by the Montana Television Network. Tranels campaign previously sent a press release saying it had requested that Lamb and Zinke participate in organizing debates in all 16 counties in the district, as well as the tribal communities. Lamb, the Libertarian candidate, said in an interview this week he would participate in any type of forums, but its not clear if any have been scheduled yet or who would host and run the events. The election is Nov. 8 and ballots will start reaching voters in October. Participation in forums was an issue raised by Zinkes primary opponents. Former state Sen. Al Olszewski criticized him for not participating in forums like one hosted by the Montana Farmers Union, while Zinke pointed to a series of roundtables he held around the state on ag issues that conflicted with the schedule of the forum. In Zinkes last run for the House in 2016, he also sparred over the debate schedule with his Democratic opponent, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau. Juneau first proposed six debates, including one on an Indian reservation. Zinke responded later by proposing five debates, including two in towns near reservations. In the end there were three events, one in Billings, one in Frazer and one in Great Falls. DECATUR The Early Bird Kiwanis Club of Decatur announced on Sunday they will distribute financial contributions to six nonprofit organizations to support activities and programming toward youth, going along with their mission of Serving the Children of the World. The recipients include: Good Samaritan Inn, $500, providing meals to children of the Decatur community. Baby Talk, $500, providing age-appropriate books to be given away to children during program activities. Childrens Museum of Illinois, $300, funding for themed books that were given away to children during the Storybook Shindig event. Salvation Army, $250, supporting various programs offered to children of the community. Kiwanis International Childrens Fund, $125, supporting grants to community clubs that wish to change childrens lives with emphasis on health care, education and leadership development. Camp Grenada, $125, providing snacks and drinks to children with diabetes during their camp experience at Allerton Park. CHICAGO - A group of law enforcement officials and experts from around Illinois and across the country gathered in mid-June to begin crafting a plan to increase awareness among the general public and fellow cops of a three-year-old state law aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous people. About midway through the agenda, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly posed a direct question to the nearly two dozen in attendance, according to minutes of the meeting: Why are (firearms restraining orders) not being used? During a short discussion, at least one police leader noted there was confusion about when and how to use the orders, which allow a judge to temporarily bar ownership of a firearm if a person is deemed a danger to themselves or others. About two weeks later, a gunman who had allegedly made comments threatening others and had a history of troubling, firearm-related postings online opened fire at the Highland Park Independence Day parade, killing seven and wounding dozens of others in yet another deadly mass shooting that grabbed the nations attention. Robert Crimo III, who last week pleaded not guilty to 117 counts related to the shooting, legally purchased his guns. Questions have been raised about whether Illinois laws could or should have been used to either bar his purchases of firearms or subsequently removed them from his possession. One focus of that discussion has been the Firearms Restraining Order, the states so-called red flag law. In the days after the shooting, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told CNN the state needs to look at changing some of the verbiage in the law on red flags so that something could have been filed that would have prevented Crimo from being able to obtain a firearm owners identification card and, ultimately, a gun. The governor also said a family member would have had to step forward to ask a judge for a restraining order, something that never happened in the Crimo case, though Illinois law also allows law enforcement to petition a court. Whether a restraining order could have prevented the Highland Park shooting is unclear. But those familiar with Illinois law say public details of the case appear to suggest an intervention could have been considered and authorities should examine why it was not. Its a tool in the toolbox, and they need to know when to implement it, said state Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback, a Skokie Democrat and former gun violence prevention advocate. This is the kind of situation the firearms restraining order was designed to address. Since the law took effect in 2019, just 228 of the orders have been granted in Illinois, according to Illinois State Police. In Maryland, an estimated 2,000 red flag orders have been granted since the law went into effect in late 2018, according to data from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University. Researchers in California, meanwhile, say about 1,000 were granted there between 2016 and 2019. The Tribune found inconsistent use of the orders in the 3 years theyve been in effect in Illinois, with at least 70 issued in DuPage County, but just 31 in Cook County and 21 in Lake County, home to Highland Park, according to data from Illinois State Police. Seven were filed in both Will and Kane counties, three in Winnebago, which includes Rockford, and two in downstate Madison County. Overall, the orders were issued in 33 of the states 102 counties. Meanwhile, in the weeks following the shooting, the Illinois attorney generals office scheduled several trainings about the red flag law. And the states police certification board is working to meet its obligation under a new law that went into effect June 1 to lead training for officers on how to use it. Experts agreed the small number of cases filed in Illinois cry out for more training. Especially because they know of hundreds of mass shooting threats in other states that resulted in a red flag order to remove firearms. I think we need to be more comfortable with this responsibility in a country where we have agreed that people should have ready access to guns, said Shannon Frattaroli, a professor and expert from Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions in Baltimore. How law works Firearms restraining order laws, often called red flag laws, have been established in 19 states and Washington, D.C., most of them in the wake of tragic shootings. The Illinois law, which was approved with bipartisan support and went into effect in 2019 after years of negotiations in the state legislature, is designed to temporarily limit access to guns, gun parts and ammunition when people pose a significant threat to themselves or others. There are two types of firearm restraining orders under state law: An emergency order that lasts up to 14 days and a six-month order, but only after court proceedings. The petitioner in such cases can be a spouse, ex-spouse, a parent, anyone related by blood or marriage, a roommate or a law enforcement officer. If an emergency order is issued, a full hearing is scheduled as soon as possible so the subject has the opportunity to present a defense and a judge can consider whether the order should end or be extended for six months. Judges can also extend a firearms restraining order for another six months depending on whether the petitioner goes back to court to raise more concerns. A review of firearms restraining orders filed in Cook County since the law took effect includes people threatening to shoot themselves or family members, including an allegation of someone pointing a gun at a spouse. One report describes a man who had suicidal thoughts and threatened a family member after buying weapons from local gun shops, including the purchase of an assault rifle. Just two months after the law went into effect, police in Sangamon County filed for a firearms restraining order against a 33-year-old man who refused to stop his car for police and barricaded himself inside the vehicle for seven hours. A Sangamon County sheriffs deputy reported seeing a black handle of a pistol in the center console, according to court records. (Expletive) you I have nothing to lose, the man reportedly said. Im ready to die. Two rifles, two shotguns, two revolvers, another handgun, a nonfunctioning shotgun barrel and 1,100 rounds of ammunition were seized within 24 hours of the confrontation, records show. But use of the law has been relatively rare in Illinois compared with other states that have passed similar measures, and its essentially unheard of for restraining orders to be used proactively to keep people from getting guns. Frattaroli said this is a common misconception about red flag laws. There are two provisions of Illinois which is common across all the states, Frattaroli said. Which is they temporarily prohibit possession. But they also temporarily bar new gun purchases. We have found (this) needs to be better understood. Use uneven, unclear Of the 228 firearms restraining orders issued in Illinois, DuPage County has led the way with 70, according to state police data. Illinois is not unusual in these numbers, Frattaroli said, noting the difference between DuPage and the rest of the state. This variation to me signals there is work that needs to be done in order to allow for these to be part of the infrastructure of gun violence safety. People need to engage in these laws. Law enforcement needs to be knowledgeable. They need to know how to use them. In a statement to the Tribune this week, the Illinois attorney generals office acknowledged that the firearms restraining order law rolled out without any funding for training. When the Illinois Firearm Restraining Order Act became law in 2019, it did not provide a process or funding mechanism for training, the statement reads. In late 2020, the office developed training and materials to raise awareness and has since trained law enforcement agencies, states attorneys offices, crime victims organizations, gun safety groups and veterans service providers, the statement read. DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin said after reviewing the red flag legislation in 2018, he immediately added the topic to his annual training for law enforcement. He has also assigned an assistant states attorney to help with the filing of the orders, and he met with the countys chief judge to set up a process to handle the filings, which are all heard in the same courtroom. We knew it would be effective, Berlin said of the law. We got out in front of it. Frattaroli, the Johns Hopkins expert, pointed to a similar outcome in Maryland, where Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin led training and education efforts not only in his county but across the entire state. Before Marylands law went into effect in 2018, Popkin said, law enforcement had few options for keeping guns away from people experiencing mental health problems. This one was a common sense approach to what to do when somebody was an immediate threat to themselves or others and had access to firearms, said Popkin, whose county is located outside of Baltimore. Popkin, who sits on the commission working to improve implementation of the Illinois law, said he was part of a group that put together regional programs for law enforcement to train the trainer in order to more quickly educate some 17,000 law enforcement officers throughout Maryland on how that states law works. About 60% of the red flag petitions have been filed by law enforcement, and the remaining cases have been filed by health care professionals, family members or someone close to the gun owner, he said. He said law enforcement often gets pulled into cases through 911 calls. Family members of a gun owner or someone close to the person might become alarmed by a threat of violence or signs of a mental health crisis. Thats why the training of law enforcement was so incredibly important, Popkin said. The story is similar in California, where training has been key to increasing the use of the law, said Veronica Pear, a University of California at Davis professor. After fewer than 100 red flag orders were filed in each of the first two years the states law was in effect, the city attorney in San Diegoled an effort to increase awareness and coordinate the response of courts and police, and filings there increased, Pear said. While Popkin wouldnt say whether he thinks Illinois red flag law could have prevented the Highland Park shooting, he said there were great similarities to cases hes seen in Maryland, with similar types of behaviors attributed to mental health and people in crisis. Berlin, the DuPage states attorney, said hes not aware of any cases where the Illinois law has been used to prevent someone who isnt already a gun owner from getting firearms. The Highland Park shooting, however, demands a closer look at whether the law could be used more proactively, he said. I am absolutely convinced we saved lives by using this law, Berlin said. I think, obviously, with what has happened in Highland Park and in places across the country that this is an opportunity to educate the public and the police that the law does allow for an order to prevent someone from obtaining a gun. Highland Park case Crimo in February 2020 purchased the rifle he allegedly used to fire from a rooftop onto the parade. He bought the rifle at a federally licensed gun dealer in the Chicago area. Whether there was an opportunity, based on Illinois laws, to prevent that purchase or remove firearms from his possession once he had them is far less certain. In the months before getting approved to carry an Illinois gun permit, or FOID card, Highland Park police made two visits to Crimos home. Neither resulted in an arrest, however. But there were signs of trouble documented in police reports released by Highland Park. The first contact was in April 2019 when police responded to a report that Crimo had allegedly attempted suicide, according to the reports. Officers determined that the matter was being handled by a mental health professional. Five months later, police returned to the home, this time to investigate a report that Crimo made threats to kill everyone, according to the records. Police spoke with Crimo, who admitted to being depressed on the day he allegedly made the threat. The reports notes also that he was not forthcoming as to the language that he used ... nor was his mother. Police removed more than a dozen knives from his bedroom closet. His father, who did not live in the home, said they were his. No arrests were made, but Highland Park police did submit a Clear and Present Danger report to Illinois State Police. Such a report is required of law enforcement and school officials when they determine someone might pose an imminent threat of harm to themselves or others and should therefore have a FOID card revoked or denied. Crimo, at that time, did not have a FOID card or an application for one. State police reviewed the case anyway and determined he was not an immediate threat. Then, under the agencys interpretation of the Clear and Present law at the time, they purged Crimos record. Since the shooting, state police have implemented new rules that will allow the agency to retain and expand the use of such reports. How and whether a firearms restraining order could have been used is a completely separate matter. But its also an essential question in the wake of the tragedy, experts and law enforcement officials said. Highland Park police and Lake County authorities pointed to several reasons why, despite those 2019 police interactions, a restraining order was not sought. For one, there were no weapons in the house and no firearm-related threat. Police on the scene did not observe any violence or hear a threat. In an interview in July prior to a judge issuing an order sealing investigation materials and forbidding prosecutors and defense attorneys from disclosing them Highland Park police Chief Lou Jogmen said the department understood the Clear and Present Danger report to be the most robust and immediate action they could take to protect the public at the time by making sure Crimo couldnt get a gun. The police department said it has filed more than 400 of those orders since 2017. Jogmen and other law enforcement authorities also told the Tribune that the Illinois red flag law has not been commonly understood by police to stop a first-time purchase But they also emphasized that they do not think, even with this understanding, that the circumstances of the police visit would have met the legal standard to obtain a firearms restraining order. The family also had the authority under the law to seek a firearms restraining order. The Tribune contacted the Crimo family attorney to ask whether law enforcement ever made them aware of the option. My understanding is that that was never discussed, the attorney said. State officials have reported that the family helped Crimo secure his permit and ability to purchase guns. In 2020, his father sponsored him for his FOID application because of his age. Potential fixes Even before the shooting, the Illinois General Assembly had already targeted the restraining order law for an overhaul. Legislators last year amended state law to promote awareness and better training for police on how to implement the orders, leading to the launch in June of the statewide task force meeting where Kelly spoke. In addition to working to improve implementation and awareness of the law, the commission is tasked with developing a policy for relinquishing guns in a timely manner, whenever a firearms restraining order is issued. . The amendment, which also made ex-spouses and parents who share minor children eligible to file red flags, was sponsored by Stoneback, the former gun safety advocate who was elected to the House in 2020. In states where this type of law is implemented, petitions have been filed to prevent mass shootings, hate crimes, domestic violence gun crimes and suicides, Stoneback said during the May 2021 debate over her legislation on the House floor. She pointed to a case in Washington where authorities used the states red flag law to disarm the leader of a hate group and to a study that examined 21 cases in which Californias law was used in efforts to prevent mass shootings. The law is not effective unless people are informed and empowered to use it, and it has been underutilized in Illinois, Stoneback said during the debate. Lawmakers are expected to return to Springfield, possibly as soon as next month, for a special session on protections for abortion rights, but theres also been discussion about addressing gun laws as well. House Democrats have created a working group, led by state Rep. Bob Morgan, a Deerfield Democrat who was marching in the Highland Park parade, to work on gun-safety legislation, including potential fixes to the red flag law. Everything is on the table, said Democratic Rep. Maura Hirschauer of Batavia, another gun safety advocate turned lawmaker appointed to the working group. Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI), the frontrunner in digital buildings, has completed the acquisition of Brightly Software, a leading US-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of asset and maintenance management solutions. The acquisition elevates SI to a leading position in the software market for buildings and built infrastructure. It adds Brightlys well-established cloud-based capabilities across key sectors education, public infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing to Siemens digital and software know-how in buildings. Brightlys addition to the Siemens portfolio accelerates the build-up of SIs SaaS business, enabling the companies to deliver superior performance and sustainability for built infrastructure. Were delighted to welcome Brightly to the Siemens family. Together with Brightly, we can take buildings to the next level of performance and strengthen Siemens standing in the fast-growing market of buildings and built infrastructure, said Matthias Rebellius, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure. We see substantial value creation potential and growth opportunities from coupling the offerings under Siemens Xcelerator and Brightlys well-established SaaS business and customer base. The signing of a binding acquisition agreement pertaining to the transaction was announced on June 27 this year. Following the announcement, Siemens launched Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform, to accelerate digital transformation and value creation for customers of all sizes in industry, buildings, grids and mobility. Today marks an exciting milestone in Brightlys history as we join Siemens. With digital transformation and ESG mandates on the rise, our global community is at a crossroads one that requires intelligent software solutions to transform the performance of infrastructure assets, said Kevin Kemmerer, Chief Executive Officer at Brightly. Together with Siemens, were well positioned to help our clients across the world build a future where efficient operations and smart assets power sustainable communities. It is estimated that 7 billion people will live in urban areas by 2050. This trend, coupled with the urgency of tackling climate change, highlights the need for smart and sustainable communities and infrastructure. Siemens strives to build smart communities, enabled by digitalization and intelligent systems. The companys solutions, services, and software connect the real and digital worlds, as well as IT and OT, injecting intelligence into operations of built infrastructure. TradeArabia News Service Milka, milksy, or sides from a small voice would mean pausing dishes from finding their place in cupboards or reports from getting needed edits. With one of my children, we would settle into our big green chair and I would slow down my thinking and enjoy the quiet breastfeeding time. The help I received early in my breastfeeding days inspired me to become an accredited La Leche League Leader. Twenty years later, the bonus of helping new moms breastfeed their babies means getting to enjoy little ones when mine are now quite big. Whether you breastfed babies or not, in our country and others, there was a while where we lost breastfeeding as a practice. Some were still breastfeeding, of course, but we lost enough breastfeeding experience that we did not know how to prevent or deal with breastfeeding challenges. Our grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and friends offered parenting tips and wisdom but not breastfeeding help. A sea change event by a small group of women who came together to support each other with breastfeeding 65 years ago resulted in forming La Leche League International. The work they did fostered the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Program, Peer Counseling Programs, walks and events to increase awareness, in addition to the thousands of peer support groups around the world. Even with their progress, lack of breastfeeding education and support still directly impacts more than 60% of mothers who report not meeting their own breastfeeding goals (CDC), and it impacts our communities and world. Thats why we observe World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) the first week of August, with this years theme Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support. WBW began in 1992 to commemorate the signing of the Innocenti Declaration by countries from around the world at a 1990 WHO/UNICEF meeting, and August is National Breastfeeding Month in the U.S. The Innocenti Declaration states in part that as a global goal for optimal maternal and child health and nutrition, all women should be enabled to practice exclusive breastfeeding and all infants should be fed exclusively on breast milk from birth to 4 to 6 months of age. Thereafter, children should continue to be breastfed, while receiving appropriate and adequate complementary foods, for up to two years of age or beyond. This child-feeding ideal is to be achieved by creating an appropriate environment of awareness and support so that women can breastfeed in this manner. Moving my leadership to Bristol from Raleigh, North Carolina, I was welcomed by LLL Leader Sara Reuning and LLL of Bristol TN/VA. We lead the group, providing free breastfeeding support along with Katherine Wilson-Thompson, together boasting nearly 100 years of experience in many areas. Even so, Katherine shares, I find that much of the support I provide as an IBCLC ends up being basic breastfeeding information, correcting positioning for example, that makes an immediate difference, from toe-curling pain to instant relief and baby taking in an ounce and a half. Linda Smith, IBCLC, LLL Leader and former LLL International Board Member, notes how this basic support is not unusual, and attributes many challenges to providers not being prepared, birth interventions, separation at birth, sleep challenges, excess supplementation, and WHO Code violation (an international code that regulates the marketing of breastmilk substitutes). Free peer breastfeeding support in our own community has been a treasure for 41 years. Were taking that same work of offering four free meetings every month, a variety of topics, personal support, and telephone and online support, equipping new leaders, providing outreach in our region, but stepping up to meet this years theme by announcing our new name Appalachian Highlands Healthy Babies. We like to say, Ahh Babies. Happy World Breastfeeding Week! Samantha Gray is a mother of three and the Coordinator of Bristol's Promise Parenting Education Network (BristolsPromise.org), executive director of Nurturings (Nurturings.org), and the author of Directing Confidence: Cathy DeCaterinas Theatre Bristol and Lets Dress up and Pretend (TheatreBristol.org). Its hard to believe now that the rundown, one-story building near the intersection of Rhoney School Road and Tipps Road, about a mile from N.C. Highway 10 was once the happening spot on the weekends. But thats exactly how Roger Shuford remembers the site back when it was known as Propsts Place. Propsts was the neighborhood store during the day, but at night it would transform into a juke joint where adults would gather to listen to music from the jukebox situated near the door, dance and socialize. Shuford, 55, now lives in Maryland but he makes trips back to his old neighborhood. While he was in town on Wednesday, he paid a visit to the old Propsts site to see what his friend Thomas Tipps had done with the place. Tipps, 59, grew up in the house adjacent to Propsts and he just bought the building last year. Lately, hes spent much of his time and money he estimates about $60,000 at this point in transforming the site into what he calls a community time capsule. Tipps notes theres still plenty he needs to do, from adding a deck and ramp to better accommodate people with disabilities to adding a central heating and air system. Still, its impossible to miss the changes Tipps has already made to the building. He set up a series of stall-like compartments to one side of the building and built replicas of older-style rooms. These include a vintage kitchen, living room with standing record player and representation of a church complete with pulpit and piano. There is at least one modern touch. Tipps installed an Echo Dot in the record player. Those visitors eager to add a soundtrack to their experience are able to ask Alexa to play the songs of their choice. Old photos taken mainly from yearbooks are placed on the two booths near the center of the room and on a counter. Behind the counter, theres a bookshelf with Fred T. Foard High School yearbooks dating from the 1960s to the early 1990s. Tipps hopes the new place, which he calls Rhoneys, will allow older people to find comfort in reconnecting with the past. When they come in here, all those things will go back out the door, the illnesses and all that, because when they sit down and they look and they say, Wait a minute, heres a picture of my great-grandpa. Ive never seen it, or My cousin, I never met this cousin, and it takes you into another place of thought, Tipps said. Shuford was impressed with the changes to the building. He has the rooms built just like the houses used to look back in the day growing up here and so its absolutely amazing, Shuford said. I applaud him every day for what hes done. Both Shuford and Tipps said the building could also be valuable for younger people to learn about history in the area as well. Historically, the neighborhood along Rhoney School Road was predominantly Black, though Tipps said the area has been diversifying. And Tipps time capsule features many photos from Central High School, the segregated high school in Newton that served Black students in the community until its closure during integration in 1967. However, Tipps does not see Rhoneys as a haven for just the Black community. Its not one race of people because in my yearbook, theres every race of people in those yearbooks, Tipps said. Tipps own excitement for the project and powerful sense of nostalgia about his community and that building in particular are palpable. He grins as remembers the times he would come into Propsts from peeling potatoes and would have lunch in the store. When he was short on money, Gertrude Bootsy Propst would give him credit for a piece of candy and allow him to pay later. Even during the later hours on weekends when the partying started at Propsts and the younger people were not allowed in, Tipps would try to get a glimpse of what was going on by cracking the window beside his bed on the top bunk. The revelry at Propsts was a far cry from the environment in Tipps home, where his mother would not even allow a radio. She was dead set: the devils music wasnt coming in there, Tipps said. But I knew where the devils music was at. It was down here for a quarter. Tipps said he found unopened bottles and cans of beer from Propsts in the building when he was going about making his upgrades. While the locations days of serving wine, beer and liquor seem firmly in the past, Tipps is intent on making sure that people who come out to the time capsule have refreshments. I love baking, and when they come to visit, well, Do you want some bread pudding or apple pie?, Tipps said. Im not charging you for it. Were going to sit and eat and have a good time, and you go on. When I went back to college in my late 40s, I remember walking through the libraries at Meredith and Duke talking to the books. I told them that I regretted that I likely would not be able to read all of them, but I thanked them for the knowledge they held, and I wished I could know what they knew. The Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, was the first church I knew about that banned books. I remember pictures of pyres and flames. Other churches fill the news today banning books, like Harry Potter and the Twilight series, because they lead people to the occult and maybe even to witchcraft. Ah, Sorcery. Lets be afraid of imagination. It can be a dangerous thing. Something about this has the ring of the Salem Witch Trials. Burn them at the stake. That almost always works. There may not be malice in book burning, but there certainly is harm. Most of the books banned today deal with issues of racism, gender differences, particularly LGBTQ and trans-gender issues, books about sexuality and reproduction. Also books about slavery, Racism, the Holocaust, Eugenics, Apartheid, and even the Wilmington Riots. Any difficult and embarrassing subject, however enlightening, that might make a few people uncomfortable (mostly straight, white, Christian Zealots who thrive on peddling fear) is fair game in the book banning arena. Funny that we can rail for free speech until it challenges our notions of what is right and what is wrong. People burn books because they are afraid. Afraid that a swath of readers will know first person slave narratives. First person experiences of sexual abuse. First person memoirs of transgender and bisexual and queer life experiences. There almost seems to be a lets keep the people ignorant of what is actually real in the world and in history, then we will be able to control them. This is a dystopian philosophy at the least. Do we really think that ignorance will make slavery and gender differences and climate change issues go away? In a June issue of The Washington Post, an article by Angela Haupt reports that there were 1,586 individual books banned during the nine-month period from July 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Texas had the most bans, followed by Pennsylvania, Florida, then Oklahoma. A recent report in the Wilmington Star News highlights how this book banning movement is reaching into New Hanover Schools now. People are showing up at school board meetings, and they are not necessarily parents of children in those schools. School board disruptions often make the news and most certainly Twitter feeds. People everywhere get riled up about something that shouldnt be a problem in the first place. Prohibitionists in the United States mobilized Congress to pass the 18th Amendment, which was ratified in 1919. The Temperance League, churches and other groups like the Anti-Saloon League fought to have production, importation, transportation and sale of alcohol banned. The ban lasted from 1920 until 1933. Guess what happened during those years? Bootlegging. Speak Easys. Alcohol sales went underground. Clandestine breweries made sure alcohol flowed freely. The same thing happened in South Africa with books that told the story of oppression and brutality happening every day to Native Peoples under the heavy hand of the South African Government. Uncomfortable truths must be dangerous when found out. Because when people know truth, they are empowered to make change, with justice and righteousness on their side. Too bad change scares so many people. This seems like Parenting 101 to me. If I tell my child what he cannot do like, Johnny, dont touch the stove, its hot, what is the first thing he is going to do? He touches the stove. So much for telling somebody they cant do that, they cant read that. In a world where social media is almost the wild, wild west and every kid in America has access to it, why are we concerned about books? Age-appropriate books from across the spectrum of the human experience (sexuality included), from Science, Medicine, the Arts, Humanities, Literature, History, Theology, and everything in between should be read by all people who hope to grow into critical thinkers. Ignoring truth and history through the banning of books will lead us into a great Ignorance from which we may not recover. Re-think the book banning. Lets not go down that path. MATTOON Lake Land College may temporarily lease space for a new childcare lab at the Maranatha Christian Academy school building. The Lake Land Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the proposed lease agreement during its Monday meeting. Greg Nuxoll, vice president for business services at Lake Land, wrote in a report that this proposal follows the board voting in June to accept a $696,605 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Opportunity Grant from the Illinois Community College Board. "As part of the grant, the college will create an early childhood care and education program learning lab to teach child care and education techniques to Lake Land students in a living lab environment that will enroll up to 10 children ranging in age from 3 to 5 years," Nuxoll said. "Thus, the college needs to find a facility to house the early childhood care and education program learning lab as soon as possible." Nuxoll said after a search for locations in the area, the college would like to enter into a five-month lease agreement with Maranatha Christian Academy from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31 for childcare lab space at 3516 W. Powell Lane in Mattoon. The proposed monthly rent is $1,500 per month, and the lease agreement includes a one-year automatic renewal once the five-month agreement expires. "As part of the overall plan, the college is seeking a more permanent location for the learning lab facility that should be ready for use once this short team lease expires," Nuxoll said. Maranatha Academy is preparing to move this fall from its current school site, in the Maranatha Baptist Church building at 3400 DeWitt Ave., to the former Douglas Nursing & Rehabilitation Center that it has been renovating at 3516 W. Powell Lane. Maranatha Academy serves grades kindergarten-12th. The Lake Land board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Kluthe Center satellite campus in Effingham and hear an update on this facility. The board is also set to vote on issuing up to $17 million in bonds for upgrades to Kluthe and the main campus in Mattoon after taking a series of preparatory votes on this proposal since May and holding a public hearing. Lake Land plans to use the bond issue to finance renovating Kluthe, which was built in the mid-1990s, and constructing an adjacent Rural Development Technology Center workforce training facility. The new building will house the Effingham Regional Career Academy high school vocational program, as well. The financing also will cover landscaping improvements to the Mattoon campus and modifications to the field house there. The college plans to pay back this bond issue in installments during the course of four years using existing revenue sources and without increasing its property tax level. I have been privileged to write a monthly legal column for the Winston-Salem Journal for nearly 20 years. After writing 200-plus columns, and conducting a like number of legal talks for companies, non-profits, educational institutions, service organizations and bodies of faith, what do most citizens want and need to know about the law? This: The best legal problems are the ones which never happen. To show citizens how they can often help themselves and avoid many legal problems. And to point citizens to attorney organizations and resources that try to provide to the public solid direction, often without charge or for a very modest expense for those in financial need. Here are the main ones. 1. General Legal Information. The North Carolina Bar Association Lawyer referral line. A citizen in North Carolina in any geographical area and concerning most any legal issue may receive a 30-minute conference with a knowledgeable attorney for no more than $50. (800-662-7660). The North Carolina Bar Association also has a number of other free or low-cost services. Legal Aid helpline of NC. (www.legalaidnc.org; 866-219-5262); NC Free Legal Answers. (www.freelegalanswers.org); and NC Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Program. (www.nc-leap.org. What do you get for free or next-to-free from an attorney? Actually, a lot. Knowledge of the law in a free society is great power. Take advantage of these useful services the North Carolina Bar Association and other non-profits provide, especially for those with limited financial means. 2. Home Construction Projects. Home construction projects go better if you have a solid contractor and a solid contract. Many calls and emails I get concern these legal and practical issues. A good and ethical contractor avoids many issues. Contact the Home Builders Association of Winston-Salem and see what it suggests. www.hbaws.net. (336-768-5942). This website also provides other useful tips. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors also provides a wealth of free information and tips you should review, especially for any significant construction projects. www.nclbg.org. (919-571-4183.) Ask those knowledgeable about local contractors for recommendations. Talk to realtors and friends who have used a contractor. Ask the contractor for references of jobs done, and call the references to get their comments, too. Have there been any complaints about the contractor? Contact the Better Business Bureau of Central and Northwest North Carolina and check if complaints have been reported. (336-852-4240.) These include only reported complaints, but it is a good place to start. 3. General consumer topics. Any number of challenges occur with ordinary purchases. Here are some suggestions: The product you just must have will almost certainly be there tomorrow, despite what the salesperson tells you. Sleep on a decision on a major purchase. Get a major mechanical product you wish to purchase from a friend inspected by a neutral party before you close the deal. Your friend is honest, for sure, but if there is a mechanical issue, your friend may not know about it, either. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is. 4. Other general information sources. Ask Sam in the Winston-Salem Journal. Sam knows a lot of things about a lot of things. Sam researches issues and often reaches out to attorneys and others on various legal questions, too. (AskSAM@wsjournal.com; or write Ask SAM, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102.) Past legal columns. My past columns discuss many other legal issues people face as well. Do a search on the Journals website at www.jounalnow.com. Or google a topic concerning North Carolina law and review articles by other credible sources. The best problems are the ones which never happen because you ask the right questions of the right information source. Take advantage of these resources, and others, when you need them. Remember: An informed choice is a smart choice. A Lexington man has died from injuries that he suffered during a June traffic crash in Winston-Salem, authorities said Saturday. James Lee Myers, 73, died July 29 in Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem police said. Myers was injured on June 17 in a traffic crash that happened near the intersection of Griffith Road and Hampton Road, police said. Officers arrived at the scene shortly before 1:30 p.m. after they received a report of a vehicle collision at that location, police said. Investigators determined that Aryionna Marie LaShaye Pryce of High Point was driving a 2007 Honda Civic south on Griffith Road when her vehicle suddenly stopped in the road, police said. Pryces vehicle was then struck by a 2001 GMC box truck, which was driven by Gilberto Sanchez Giron of Winston-Salem, police said. Girons vehicle also was traveling south on Griffith Road. The collision caused Pryces vehicle to be pushed across the road, and then it collided head on with a 2019 Honda SUV, police said. Karen Mills Myers of Lexington was driving the SUV, and James Myers was a passenger in that vehicle. James Myers suffered injuries in the crash, and he was taken to Wake Forest Baptist for treatment, according to a police accident report. Myers death is the citys 11th traffic fatality so far this year, as compared to 17 fatalities during the same period in 2021, police said. The Winston-Salem Police Departments traffic enforcement unit is investigating the crash. Anyone with information about this incident can call Winston-Salem police at 336-773-7700, Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800 or its Spanish line at 336-728-3904. Crime Stoppers of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County is on Facebook. The Text-A-Tip program at 336-276-1717 allows people to text tips, photos and videos to the police. Dubais Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with Ministry of Education (MoE) to enhance the academic and professional skills of Emirati students by offering them scholarship programmes. This programme, run by the MoE at numerous universities and institutes worldwide, is designed to foster the competencies and skills of Emiratis to enable them to cope with the rapidly evolving technology and growing demands for public transport sector. The agreement calls for a group of high academic achievers among Emiratis students to study undergraduate programmes at prestigious universities and international institutions in a variety of fields, including Transportation Engineering, Railway Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Infrastructure Engineering, Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Transport Economics. By cooperating with national entities, the Ministry of Education is seeking to groom competent Emiratis under the vision of Towards the Next 50 and the directives of our leaders to rank the UAE the first in the world in the economic and human indicators, said Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs, Ministry of Education. Al Mualla stressed the importance of strategic cooperation with RTA in preparing Emiratis at the top global academic institutions to meet future needs, which requires qualified human resources and nurturing a competitive knowledge community. MoE has launched a variety of training programmes for students in several fields such Intilaqa aimed to qualify them in majors of high priority to the UAEs strategy. The programmes will enable them to polish their skills and prepare them to work in a competitive environment besides promoting the culture of lifetime learning in a way befitting their professional interests, knowledge and abilities, he added. Yousef Al Redha, CEO of the Corporate Administration Support Services Sector, RTA, expressed his delight over the signing of the agreement. "This agreement marks a significant step in extending cooperation between the two parties and reaching common goals in academic and professional areas, he said. As part of this agreement, RTA and MoE will strengthen their existing cooperation to forge a sustainable and fruitful strategic partnership in collaboration with other competent entities to develop the scientific and practical skills of Emiratis. The programme is designed to despatch exceptional and qualified students to study abroad in prestigious institutions of higher education in fields that meet the country's academic standards and are ranked among the finest globally. The purpose is to develop Emirati generations possessing cultural and intellectual richness capable of assuming leadership positions in various fields, he added. This cooperation begins before the students receive their scholarship and includes programmes and initiatives offered by both parties to hone the academic and professional skills of students. The scholarship also involves guidance, follow-up, and motivation to ensure continued education, up until the post-graduation stage, via training and job opportunities provided by the relevant entities to serve various sectors of the country and achieve the strategic objectives of all parties, explained Al Redha. The agreement calls for both parties to develop and acquire competent Emiratis in a wide variety of fields and exchange ideas and information to enhance the cooperation and serve the objectives of the agreement. The agreement requires charting out the tasks assigned to both parties and identifying the requirements and the means to provide them. It also calls for proving training and employment opportunities during and after the scholarship period, concluded Al Redha. TradeArabia News Service What just happened? No, really, what was that? There were so many unexpected and unpredictable occurrences last week, from Kansas rejection of abortion restrictions to Republicans praising House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her visit to Taiwan to Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema actually agreeing to support Democratic legislation. If there are people who run odds in Vegas on political developments, I suspect even the savviest gamblers now owe the house bigtime. When it comes to politics, Ive never been one for predictions. Ive never trusted polls or FiveThirtyEight. Even among the most educated and experienced pundits, theres just no way to know for sure whats going to happen next. For people who demand certainty, the N.C. Education Lottery delivers more predictable returns. Several years ago a few readers started telling me things like, Special prosecutor John Durham is going to send Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden to prison. The phrasing was as interesting as the predictions themselves; they didnt say, I hope that Durham sends or, Its likely that Durhams going to . The tone was more certain this is whats going to happen. One reader promised that when there was an opening, President Biden would appoint Kamala Harris to the Supreme Court. Then hed appoint Hillary Clinton to be vice president. Then hed resign and Clinton would be our unelected president. Again, this prognostication was offered with a degree of confidence that would do Dale Carnegie proud. I wondered: Is this a QAnon thing? Is some prophet claiming the gift of clairvoyance, or secret access to hidden government files? Needless to say, none of those predictions panned out. Yet. These past few months, weve all heard, When the Republicans take control of Congress in November a claim that doesnt require much predictive ability. Its a longstanding tradition in the U.S. that the minority party makes substantial gains in mid-term elections, as if to right the ship, whether it swayed port or starboard on the previous election. But in light of the conservative push for harsh abortion restrictions as well as some Republicans insistence that we need to revisit Social Security and Medicare even that certainty seems questionable now. We may be in for a surprise, just as many of us were in 2016 and 2020. Theres a lot of churn in the system a lot more, Id say, than normal. Whatever normal is. I worry about the future sometimes. Especially in light of the climate pushing back against our manipulations. I worry about losing our democracy. I worry about dangerous encounters with urban wildlife, which seem to be increasing. I worry for wildlifes sake; weve not been great at accommodating the needs of the natural world. The increasing degree of uncertainty were facing in America the churn has a profound effect on our well-being. It doubtlessly contributes to our growing national crisis of anxiety and depression. Predictability, any trustworthy economist will tell us, is important not only for individuals, but for society. And yet even our economic system seems to generate more uncertainty these days, and did long before Biden took office. Maybe this uncertainty is what leads so many to listen to the hucksters, whose explanation for the confusion of modern-day life always leads to a conspiracy fomented by them. Beyond the current moment, uncertainty is always present and can be distressing, Buddhist nun Pema Chodron says in her book of meditations, Comfortable with Uncertainty. But its detrimental effects can be mitigated by certain practices meditation, breathing exercises and cultivating the four limitless qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Ive found such practices to be helpful but they require more work and dedication than just blaming a handy scapegoat. There is hope, though. A central character in the Nikos Kazantzakis novel The Last Temptation of Christ reveals a sure-fire way to predict the future: A prophet is the one who, when everyone else despairs, hopes. And when everyone else hopes, he despairs. Youll ask me why. Its because he has mastered the Great Secret: that the Wheel turns. When I get down, I think about that central truth, the most certain I know: Things change. The wheel turns. Weve just got to wait for it to happen. Separately and unequally. Thats how the state of North Carolina is treating its biggest bloc of voters, and it needs to end. There are more voters who are registered as unaffiliated in the state (nearly 2.6 million) than either Democrats (nearly 2.5 million) or Republicans (2.2 million). A large share of unaffiliated voters also happen to be younger. As of April, 47% of voters under 25 in the state were registered as unaffiliated, 42% of those ages 25-40. So it makes absolutely no sense that the state Board of Elections makes seats available only to Democrats and Republicans, while effectively excluding 35% of registered voters in the state. So, more power to unaffiliated Tar Heels, who are overdue for a voice at the table. And more power to the nonpartisan nonprofit, Common Cause NC, among other plaintiffs, for filing a federal lawsuit on these voters behalf, calling the current membership rules arbitrary and capricious and not rational. As it stands now, the sitting governor has the power to appoint three members to the Board of Elections from his or her party and two from lists of nominees submitted by the other largest party in the state. In other words, only Democrats and Republicans. The boards makeup matters because of the sweeping and sensitive nature of its work. It investigates election fraud and campaign finance violations. It establishes rules for elections. And it has the authority to appoint four of the five members in each of the 100 county boards of elections. But the current rules leave the largest group of voters in the state, well, on the outside looking in. And there is no logical or ethical defense for this. The state law barring plaintiffs and all other unaffiliated voters from serving on the State Board serves no public or valid purpose but instead is a means to entrench the Democratic and Republican political parties in power and give them exclusive control over the supervision, management and administration of the elections system, says the Common Cause lawsuit. Common Cause NC has spent much of its energy in recent years fighting gerrymandering in the state. The makeup of the Board of Elections is, arguably, a different kind of gerrymandering that creates oversized influence for Democrats and Republicans whose numbers in the state are trending downward as the ranks of unaffiliated voters are growing. Then theres the question of trust, credibility and integrity. Even though there is no credible evidence of widespread election fraud in North Carolina or anywhere else, that hasnt stopped conspiracy peddlers. An elections board that is more reflective of the people in the state can only build trust and buy-in. Of course, more room for unaffiliated voters on the board would mean less room for Democrats and Republicans. So be it. The Democrats already are suffering heartburn as the Green Party presses its case for a place on the November ballot. Democrats worry that liberal Green candidates are more likely to siphon voters from their candidates. They are especially worried about the impact Green candidates could have on what is expected to be a tight U.S. Senate race between Democrat Cheri Beasley and Republican Ted Budd. (In fact, the State Board of Elections has played a role in that debate as well, voting 3-2 along party lines to deny the Green Party a place on the ballot before reversing that decision unanimously.) But those are the breaks. You choose your nominee. You make your case. And you let the votes fall as they may. As for unaffiliated voters, by any objective measure, its clear that the current way of appointing State Elections Board members is a relic of a different era. The Common Cause lawsuit notes: This law is destructive of our democracy because it undermines citizens confidence in the elections system. Limiting service on the State Board to members of the Democratic and Republican parties encourages citizens to believe that election officials are chosen to look out for their parties interests rather than see that elections are conducted fairly for all. And that, like gerrymandering, is anything but an exercise in democracy. August 1, 2022 Cincinnati, Ohio, National Financial Services is pleased to announce that Sean Quigley, LUTCF, has received its prestigious 2022 David B. OMaley Navigator Award, which honors a financial professional who displays professionalism and integrity in all their dealings with their clients and with the home office; a person who is in the prime of their career and sets a standard of excellence for others. The awarda limitededition globeserves as a reminder of the importance of navigating the right course with wisdom, integrity and quality. Quigley has been affiliated with Ohio National since April 2011. His company honors and awards include six Presidents Inner Circle, four Executive Council and six Council of Honor qualifications. Quigley has won the Senior Associate General Agent Excellence Award one time. He is a sixtime member of ON Concierge Elite and a ninetime member of the Wall of Fame. Quigley has ranked leading agent (Career Top 25) 10 times, is a former member of the Agents Advisory Council and has qualified for the General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA) Frontline Leader Award three times. Quigley currently resides in Lincoln, Nebraska. He can be reached at 402.730.6505 or squigley9696@gmail.com. Lincoln, Neb. (August 6, 2022) Swanson Russell welcomes Olivia Boldt, Madeline Christensen, Serena Hackett, Meg Higgins, Dan Hinz, Ryan Holt and Kate Sliva. Boldt joins the agency as a UX designer based in the Lincoln office. Before joining Swanson Russell, she served as a project manager at Pixel Bakery Design Studio. Boldt originally hails from Madison, South Dakota, and she earned bachelors degrees in both psychology and musical performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Christensen joins Swanson Russell as a designer in the Lincoln office. Before joining the agency, Christensen served as associate creative director at Pixel Bakery Design Studio and, most recently, as an art director at redthread. Originally hailing from Kearney, Nebraska, she earned a bachelors degree in journalism and a bachelors degree in graphic design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hackett joins the agency as an associate graphic designer in the Omaha office. Prior to joining Swanson Russell, Hackett served in graphic design roles at Natures Logic, OneWay Ministries and Jacht. The Omaha, Nebraska, native earned a bachelors degree in graphic design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Higgins joins Swanson Russell as a senior account manager in the Lincoln office. Before coming aboard, she served in roles at The Governance Institute, a division of National Research Corporation, as well as Firespring and IBM. Most recently, Higgins served as a branding specialist at Alexander Mann Solutions. The Lincoln, Nebraska, native earned bachelors degrees in Spanish and journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hinz joins the agency as an associate motion designer in the Lincoln office. Prior to Swanson Russell, Hinz served as a motion lead at Pixel Bakery Design Studio. The Omaha, Nebraska, native earned a bachelors degree in graphic design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Holt returns to Swanson Russell as a senior art director in the Lincoln office. Outside the agency, he has served in various creative roles at SK+G Advertising, Nelnet, Firespring and, most recently at Black Rifle Coffee Company. The Las Vegas, Nevada, native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran earned a bachelors degree in graphic design from the Art Institute of Las Vegas. Sliva joins the agency as social media coordinator in the Lincoln office. Before joining Swanson Russell, she served as a marketing intern at General Excavating and, most recently, as social media coordinator for Transformation Marketing. The Ashland, Nebraska, native earned a bachelors degree in business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Swanson Russell is a nationally recognized full-service branding, advertising and public relations agency in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. The agency partners with clients across many industries while specializing in agriculture, construction, landscape/turf, outdoor recreation and healthcare. To learn how Swanson Russell builds a Real Connection between brands and audiences, visit swansonrussell.com A U.S. District judge sentenced a Lincoln man Friday to 20 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine while carrying a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. In April 2021, Matthew Borden was taken into custody after investigators witnessed another party contact the 33-year-old outside his residence. Officers found the other individual in possession of less than an ounce of meth, so they searched the car Borden was in and found a quarter-ounce of meth, a loaded .38 caliber revolver, ammunition and $6,286 in cash. A search of Borden's bedroom produced another half-ounce of meth and $76. Law enforcement believes Borden delivered at least 1.5 kilograms of meth in the Lincoln area from June 2020 to April 2021. Borden was given 15 years for conspiracy to deliver more than 500 milligrams of meth, with a prior conviction, and an additional five years for possessing a firearm during or in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. Family road trips from Lincoln to the sleepy Wyoming towns of Ten Sleep and Worland were fixtures of Nikki Menard's summers growing up. Her adoptive parents hailed from the two towns in the Bighorn Basin, a sprawling arid plateau flanked by mountains and cut by rivers. But despite how familiar she was with the region, it wasn't until Menard was older that she learned the story of Heart Mountain, one of 10 prison camps in the U.S. where Japanese Americans were relocated during World War II. It's a dark corner of American history that Menard is working to make sure is never forgotten or repeated. The Crete High School English and journalism teacher was one of 72 educators from across the U.S. invited to a workshop at the Heart Mountain National Historic Landmark site to learn more about the camp's history and to create their own lesson plans on the history of Japanese American incarceration. "It was an extremely emotional journey," she said. Menard was among 270 teachers who applied for the National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to attend one of two workshops. Teachers received a $1,300 stipend to cover lodging and travel to the Heart Mountain site, which is near Cody, Wyoming, in the Bighorn Basin. More than 14,000 Japanese Americans, the large majority of them U.S. citizens, were relocated from the West Coast to the internment camp following Japan's 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. At its peak, the site was the third-largest city in Wyoming and featured a hospital, mess hall, schools and other facilities. Barbed-wire fences and guard towers surrounded hundreds of tar-paper barracks, where families were housed in tiny apartments with no indoor plumbing and poor insulation. "It was a pretty wretched place to live by any objective standard," said Ray Locker, who oversees the workshops. Today, the valley is radically changed, home to lush fields of barley and other crops the result of irrigation practices the Japanese Americans introduced during their incarceration. A museum keeps the memory of the site alive, now, and there is a walking trail and expansive root cellar still in place that were built by the prisoners. Teachers spent a week on the site learning from trained faculty about the history of Japanese American incarceration, which President Franklin Roosevelt ordered in February 1942 amid growing concerns about national security. The concerns were unfounded, but about 120,000 Japanese Americans were eventually incarcerated nonetheless. "When you take somebody to the place where a historical event happened like this, it's transformative," Locker said. Educators were also able to meet former prisoners who gathered at Heart Mountain for an annual pilgrimage. And dignitaries including U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and her former vice president father were on hand. For Menard, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, Heart Mountain contains even more meaning beyond its significance during WWII. The land once used to imprison Japanese Americans was originally home to the Crow tribe, which was relocated by the U.S. government. The tribe also holds an annual pilgrimage to Heart Mountain considered sacred by the Crow which Menard was able to attend last week. "It was a really spiritual experience," she said. Now, Menard plans to take what she learned back to her students in Crete through a unit she developed that deals with place, identity and culture. "It deserves attention," she said. "We don't have to make those mistakes again." Arica Bagley has continued her march through the Maxim cover girl competition, and she's asking for more help to reach the final. The Lincoln mother found out Friday that she reached the semifinals. The winner among the chosen contestants earns $25,000, plus a cover spot with the international mens magazine, which has a monthly circulation worldwide of about 9 million. Bagley hopes to share the cover opportunity with Kaelynn Partlow from the television show Love on the Spectrum. Bagley, who has two children, said they are the only contestants shes seen who are donating the entirety of the prize money. Partlow is an advocate for kids with autism. Bagley is an advocate for abused children. "We saw it was an opportunity to bring international awareness to our causes," Bagley said. "We will never stop fighting to bring awareness for autistic and abused children." Bagley, a hairstylist who also is studying film at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was plucked from thousands of submissions. She needs votes to continue in the competition. Supporters can vote once every 24 hours until Aug. 11 at maximcovergirl.com/2022/arica-bagley. "There is no way we can win this competition without the support of our community daily," she said. Radisson Hotel Group has appointed Oussama El Kadiri as Director Development to further drive its growth across the Middle East. The appointment reinforces Radisson Hotel Group's development and growth strategy in the Middle East and the ambition to double its portfolio by 2026, said the group. El Kadiri will be a part of leading the expansion of the company's presence throughout the Middle East region, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia, where he will identify and evaluate business growth opportunities and build on the success of the Group's five-year expansion and transformation plan. Elie Milky, Vice President Development for the Middle East, Pakistan, Cyprus and Greece at Radisson Hotel Group, said: "Oussama has vast experience in the hospitality real estate sector. His knowledge of hotel transactions, established relationships with a strong investor base, and extensive understanding of the Middle East markets, particularly Saudi Arabia, make him a great asset to the team as we continue our ambitious growth and development plans in the region." El Kadiri has over a decade of experience in consulting with exposure to a variety of real estate markets including the Middle East, Africa, and Western Europe. Before joining Radisson Hotel Group, he spent five years with JLL MENA hotels, hospitality, and valuation departments, with key responsibilities including hotel strategic consulting, valuation, and strategic advisory for some of the largest projects in the region. Prior to joining JLL in the Middle East, he covered a variety of valuation and advisory roles at CBRE in Paris, France with a wide exposure to Western European markets. Oussama holds a master's degree in Civil Engineering and Real Estate Management from ESTP Engineering, School, Paris, France. "I am pleased to join Radisson Hotel Group at this time when the company is rapidly growing its presence in the Middle East, and I am eager to deliver the development strategy for this dynamic region. My focus will be on -ongoing relationship management with existing and potential owners, and to support the expansion of the companys presence throughout the region," commented El Kadiri. -TradeArabia News Service LAUREL In this community of about 1,000 people surrounded by rolling hills and expansive farmland, it isn't unusual for people to leave their doors unlocked or their keys in the ignition of their vehicles while they run into one of the dozen or so shops on the city's main street. Its the kind of place, residents will tell you, where everybody knows everybody. That long-held sense of security was shaken Thursday when four people were killed and left in burning homes. Michele Ebeling, a 53-year-old woman who moved to Laurel about two years ago, was the first victim found after an explosion was heard at her home at about 3 a.m. Thursday. Later that morning, neighbors saw smoke coming from the residence of the Twiford family. Inside, Gene and Janet Twiford, a retired couple in their mid-80s, and their 55-year-old daughter Dana Twiford were found dead. All four victims had been shot before their homes, located just three blocks apart, were set ablaze, according to the Nebraska State Patrol. About 24 hours after the first fire was reported, a Patrol SWAT team arrested a 42-year-old Laurel man, Jason A. Jones, in his home just across the street from Ebeling's house. He's been charged with 10 felonies, including four counts of first-degree murder. As news of the gruesome killings spread through town, many residents put themselves on lockdown. Pat Campbell, who runs the front desk at Campbells Service Center on the towns main street, first heard the news from her son, a volunteer firefighter. She closed the shop early, went home and locked her doors. Everybodys reeling, she said. Weve had stuff happen before, like a bar fight where somebody got killed years ago. But nothing like this. Nothing. Rachel Steffen, a volunteer EMT who was on the scene Thursday morning, said everyone was jarred by the killings. An eight-year resident of Laurel, she had never felt unsafe in the small community. Its the type of thing you see on a CSI movie, not something you see in your own town, she said. Ill admit, I felt uneasy going home on Thursday night. The last homicide in Laurel happened in 2005, when a man died following a bar fight and that case was deemed to be manslaughter, not murder. According to town historian Roger Tryon, the last time multiple people were murdered was 1918, when Dr. C.C. Sackett and Harold Crownover were shot and killed by suspected burglars they had been chasing. That was the crime of the 20th century for Laurel, Tryon said. I suspect whats happened here this week will be the crime of the 21st century. 'Everyone knew them' As a motive for the grisly killings remains unclear, tributes have poured in for the victims. The members of the Twiford family had lived in Laurel their entire lives, and townspeople described them as pillars of the community. Both retired, Gene and Janet dedicated their time to volunteering at church and caring for Dana, who had special needs. Gene Twiford, a veteran and member of the American Legion in Laurel, was instrumental in the effort to rename U.S. 20 as the Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway. As part of that effort, he traveled to 31 towns and 13 counties along the highway to get their support for the initiative, according to reporting by the Laurel Advocate. I called them friends all my life, Laurel Police Chief Ron Lundahl said of the Twifords. Their kids were just a little bit younger than I was. We went to the same church for 50 years. Thats going to be a tough one for everyone here. Everyone knew them. Ebeling had not lived in the town long enough to establish the same reputation, but she was described as a friendly face in the neighborhood who would always wave hello to people walking by. Her family described her as warm, chatty and a friend to everyone. In a GoFundMe page raising money to cover funeral expenses, Ebelings daughter, Richele Ebeling, wrote that her mother had called family to check in just seven hours before she was killed. That was just who she was as a person, the post reads. She wanted to check in with everyone simply because she was sitting at home alone and thinking about her family. Arrest brings calm Though the fear in town was palpable Thursday, the next day was far calmer after Jones was taken into custody, residents said. Our town is a little less on edge now that an arrest has been made, Lundahl said. I gotta admit, as I drove through town around midnight on Thursday as I do most nights, I dont think I had ever seen so many lights on in the houses. By Friday afternoon, the community was showing strength and togetherness. Signs thanking first responders and proclaiming #LaurelStrong lined the road into town. Kids gathered under a tent to hand out lemonade, tea and coffee to passers-by with the goal of raising money for the local fire department. The lemonade stand is just one example of how Laurel has banded together. After a long, traumatic day for local first responders, community members collected money to bring pizza and water to those who remained on the scene Thursday afternoon. Local kids baked cookies and carried them to the fire station. Many people have taken to social media to share fond memories of the victims. Lundahl admits that it might take time for Laurel to bounce back from such a horrific event. But he's hopeful the communitys strength and support will help it get through the weeks and months ahead. I want people to know Laurel for what we are, not for what happened in the last two days, he said Friday. Given time, I think people will adjust and come back to the sense of security that we had before. And hopefully we can adjust some attitudes on locking doors and being vigilant. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Six decades ago, the Strategic Air Command realized it needed a plane that could survive Armageddon. So SAC, headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, launched a program called the National Emergency Airborne Command Post, or Night Watch in February 1962. Three four-engine KC-135A jets were modified with 12 state-of-the-art communications systems to serve as airborne command posts for the president and other top leaders in the event of nuclear war. Since then, the aircraft have gotten bigger and the comms systems more sophisticated and numerous. But the planes and their crews still stand by 24/7, at Offutt and other sites, hoping doomsday never arrives but ready to carry on if it does. This week, the 595th Command and Control Group the Offutt-based unit that operates the fleet of four E-4B Nightwatch (the current spelling) jets is celebrating its 60 years of service with a banquet Saturday at Omahas CHI Health Center. Were honoring all the men and women who have served on it, and the community that has supported it, over six decades, said Col. Brian Golden, the 595th Groups commander. Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who also represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate, will be the keynote speaker. Adm. Charles Richard, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, and Gen. Anthony Cotton, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, are among the expected 760 guests. The unit also has been giving tours of its new $16 million E-4B flight simulator, which opened in May at an industrial park in La Vista. It is the first time that Nightwatch crews have had a dedicated simulator. Previously, the crews had been forced to travel to Denver or Miami for simulator training. More practice time also took place aboard the actual aircraft, which at $147,000 an hour is the Air Forces most expensive jet to fly. Simulator time, by comparison, costs only a few hundred dollars an hour. We are fully utilizing the simulator, Golden said. Its been amazing. In the late 1960s, the original KC-135 jets gave way to EC-135J aircraft, similar to the ones used for SACs Cold War command-and-control Looking Glass. They were replaced by E-4As which are modified version of the commercial Boeing 747-200 in the late 1970s, and eventually upgraded to E-4Bs. The mission crews increased from 39 to 112 as the number of the communications systems grew, from 12 on the first jets to 42 today. But they are now showing their age. Only a few commercial 747-200s are still flying, all as cargo jets. The Air Force, which flies two models called VC-25s as Air Force One presidential jets in addition to the four E-4Bs, now operates the largest fleet of that type. Golden said spare parts are getting harder and more expensive to find. The 595th Command and Control Group has endured a series of upheavals since the new unit was stood up in 2016 to take over the Nightwatch mission from the 55th Wing. The following year, and EF-1 tornado struck the Offutt flight line, causing $8.3 million in damage to two of the E-4Bs. The already overextended fleet was left short for two months. Then, in 2019, the 595ths hangar was damaged and its offices and alert facility wrecked during the massive flooding that left one-third of Offutt Air Force Base submerged for several weeks. Finally, a complete reconstruction of Offutts runway unrelated to the flood forced the unit to temporarily move its flight operations to the Lincoln Airport in March 2021. Now, as the Nightwatch marks its 60th birthday, the unit and its mission are on the verge of major changes. The 595ths leadership already has moved into the Riggs Building, the former home of SAC and StratCom and now headquarters for the 55th Wing. Flight operations are expected to resume at Offutt on Oct. 1, with the completion of the runway rebuild. And within a few years, the 595th will have a brand-new alert facility as part of Offutts post-flood reconstruction. By the end of the decade, Golden said, the 595th will begin fielding a new and larger fleet of planes called E-4Cs. The Air Force has specified that the new aircraft must be a commercial model, and it must have four engines. Those limits mean it will almost certainly be a Boeing 747-800, a newer version of the 747-200 that has been in production since 2008. It is the only large four-engine airliner currently in production; all others are twin-engine jets. Our mission set cant take any risks, Golden said. If either of those engines were to fail, we would have to abandon the mission. Golden also said the fleet needs to expand to 8-10 aircraft in order to accommodate additional jobs such as serving as a global command and control jet for the secretary of defense, as well as several classified missions. When factoring in training needs and maintenance, We have no margin at all, he said. This fleet was never (given) enough aircraft. ... Were always needed more. Expanding the fleet won't come cheap. With their up-to-date electronic kit, each aircraft is expected to cost $1.2 billion, Golden said. Next week, Lincoln Public Schools will open doors for the 2022-23 school year, welcoming back thousands of students as schools across the state begin to restore normal after more than two years of pandemic disruptions that kept students at home, in masks at school and altered what and how they were taught. As the pandemic becomes endemic, masks could return to Lincoln on a school by school basis. But one of the biggest immediate challenges for schools is addressing the learning loss of the last two years. Thats the view of new Superintendent Paul Gausman, who told the Journal Star editorial board that LPS needs to further develop its strategy to address learning loss beyond the use of federal pandemic funding for reading and math interventionist and additional hours for teachers for work with special-education and early childhood students. Returning to normal, however, shouldnt mean returning to average. In fact, Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matt Blomstedt urged a gathering of administrators to use lessons from the pandemic to improve schools and, specifically, address problems that plagued public education in the state before COVID emerged in March 2020. Chief among those issues is chronic absenteeism. Some 77,000 students, 23% of the total population, were chronically absent last year. That number is 30,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels. But even that tally of 45,000 is too high. Thats not the normal I want, Blomstedt told the administrators. Similarly, a 31% gap between the math proficiency of English language learners and all students was identified last year, a 5% percent increase from the pre-pandemic gap. Again, Im not happy with normal, Blomstedt said, while citing unacceptable achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, poverty and special needs. Speaking at the Administrators Days conference in Kearney, which is something of a pep rally for those who run the states schools, Blomstedt didnt offer any specific recommendations for addressing the problems. Nor will those solutions likely come from the State Board of Education. Rather, they must be worked out district by district. It is at that local level, as it should be, that school boards and superintendents need to be committed to finding ways to bridge the achievement gaps and teachers committed to implementing those strategies. That is the only way to truly fulfill the Nebraska constitutions requirement of a free education, and just as important, laying the groundwork to hit the target set by the Legislature of least 70% of 25- to 34-year-old Nebraskans having a degree, certificate, diploma or other postsecondary or industry-recognized credential with economic value by 2030. Those degrees and credentials are critical for 21st century economic success, and they simply cant be achieved if public schools dont improve beyond pre-pandemic normal as they prepare students for post-graduation life. Until the pandemic hit, Jana Goodman, a mother of three and longtime resident of Waukesha, never relied on free school lunches. Even though she said her family was always one broken down car away from a disaster, her only school-age child at the time, Jacob, did not qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Then the pandemic sent the Goodmans finances into a tailspin. After 15 years in the medical field as an administrative employee, she was furloughed for most of the summer in 2020. Her husband, who works three jobs, saw income from his most profitable gig as a DJ plummet as people stayed home. They got a lifeline through federal programs that gave schools, even those meeting virtually, the ability to provide free meals for all students during the pandemic. The free meals was a huge one, because it may not seem like it day to day, but lunch money adds up, Goodman said, adding that the family continued picking up the meals through the summer of 2021. What started out as an emergency relief provision has since turned into a nationwide experiment one testing the benefits and costs of offering universal free meals to an unprecedented number of U.S. students, regardless of family income. In 2019, 39% of children qualified for free or subsidized lunches across the 424 Wisconsin school districts participating in U.S. Department of Agricultures child nutrition programs, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. The abrupt halt to the meals during the pandemic was a blow to many who relied on them. For the 2021-22 school year, nearly every school in the state chose to offer universal free meals through the Seamless Summer Option, said Karrie Isaacson, the school nutrition assistant director for the state Department of Public Instruction. But the federal waiver that permitted universal free school meals expired June 30, and legislation to extend or permanently implement a free meals program has stalled at the state and federal level, leaving an uncertain future for free school meals in Wisconsin. Our challenge in Belleville is to make sure that qualifying families fill out the proper forms to keep their meal program in place, said Nate Perry, district administrator of the Belleville School District. They have not had to necessarily complete these forms since the start of the pandemic. The free meals during the pandemic brought other benefits, including freeing up administrators from having to keep track of students eligibility. It frees up their (schools) own resources from having to be gatekeepers and lets them just feed the kids and really treat food just like anything else that you get as part of the school day, said Judi Bartfeld with the School of Social Work at the UW-Madison. It also addressed the problem of unpaid lunch funds. About three-quarters of the school districts in a 2019 national survey said they had unpaid student meal debt. And it eliminated lunch shaming, in which students who dont have money in their meal accounts are given alternative cheaper meals, like cheese sandwiches. After getting a trial run during the pandemic, Isaacson said there is broad support in Wisconsin schools to continue free meals for all. Thats not a surprise, said University of Wisconsin-Madison historian Andrew Ruis. Significant emergencies like the Great Depression (and) the COVID-19 pandemic often change peoples views about what is possible from a social or political standpoint, Ruis said. I think theres a real chance that universal school meals will be realized on a broader scale than they currently are. But funding remains a challenge. For all food service programs, federal money only reimburses the cost of meals served to students eligible for free meals. That means schools must pay costs, such as labor and food, above the provided federal assistance, which Bartfeld said can make it difficult for schools to take advantage of the federal assistance. Democrats in the state Assembly proposed to fill the gap by reimbursing schools that offer free meals to all students. But the measure, AB 805, never made it out of committee in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Battle in Waukesha The Waukesha School District was the only one in Wisconsin to opt out of the Seamless Summer Option last school year. Initially, the School Board voted 9-0 to revert to the National School Lunch Program, which provides free and reduced-price lunches to students based on income eligibility. The Alliance for Education in Waukesha led the charge to change the vote, drafting press releases, hosting rallies and generating local and national media attention, which prompted threats against some board members and spurred media inquiries from as far away as Moscow. Dave Dringenburg, a member of the Alliance and a father of two daughters in the district, said the boards decision was out of touch with the community, where nearly one-third of the districts 11,766 students qualified for subsidized meals in 2019. After the boards decision hit the national news, former member Greg Deets said he received at least 500 emails from around the world. Deets original rationale behind opting out of free meals was the dropping COVID-19 case numbers and the ability to to return to the free meals program if needed. Other members agreed. But what Deets learned in the emails changed his mind and reversed his vote. A narrow majority of the board came to the same conclusion, voting 5-4 last August to keep the free meal program through the 2021-22 school year. Several board members, however, made clear they did not support free meals for all. At the meeting where the decision was reversed, school board member Kelly Piacsek said the program was wasteful by design, noting students who dont need the program cant pay for meals even if they want to. She said Waukesha should not cede its authority to the federal government, likening the issue to the controversy over teaching young children about race and privilege. I believe it was important to make sure all children are fed, said school board member Joseph Como, who voted in favor of the option at a later meeting. I also believe that this program should not exist forever, and this board needs to make sure it does not continue forever. Future murky As the June 30 expiration date approached, Congress passed a bipartisan measure to temporarily increase school meal reimbursements. But it rejected the USDAs recommendation to extend the free meals waiver for another year. States including Maine and California have already passed legislation to ensure free meals for all students in their state budgets. Bartfeld isnt so hopeful here in Wisconsin, noting the states very polarized politics. Deets may be proof of that. He lost his school board seat in April along with two other incumbents to three Republican-backed candidates in the officially nonpartisan race. Deets said he thinks school meals were a piece of the reason he was ousted. For now, Goodman is preparing to face a school year without free meals for her two children now in school. The family finances have still not bounced back from the pandemic. And with food prices rising, she is bracing for a scary time of deciding between buying groceries and paying other household bills. Former President Donald Trump visited southeastern Wisconsin on Friday ostensibly to stump for Tim Michels, his chosen candidate in Tuesdays GOP gubernatorial primary, but spent much of his speech focusing on his baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Trump traveled to the Republican stronghold of Waukesha County to support Michels, the millionaire co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., who is in a close race with Rebecca Kleefisch heading into Tuesdays primary. Kleefisch has been endorsed by Mike Pence once a close Trump ally who, like the former president, is mulling his own 2024 prospects in the latest proxy battle between Trump and his former vice president. After arriving about 90 minutes late due to weather delays, Trump spent much of his speech touting the accomplishments of his term as president and taking aim at President Joe Biden and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, and promoting the lie that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen. Hinting to his prospects of a 2024 presidential campaign, Trump said, I ran twice, I won twice ... Now we may just have to do it again and bring our country back." About 30 minutes into his speech, Trump turned the topic to Michels, who he touted as a businessman, veteran and America First patriot. Trump also took aim at Kleefisch, describing her as the handpicked candidate of the failed establishment, the RINOs. RINO is an acronym for Republican in name only, a derogatory term for party members deemed insufficiently loyal. The winner of the Aug. 9 primary will go on to face Evers, who is seeking a second term, on Nov. 8 in what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races in the country. State Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, and business owner Adam Fischer are also running in the GOP primary. Kenosha and more Michels focused much of his roughly 20-minute speech on Biden and Evers, criticizing the latter for how he responded to protests that turned violent in Kenosha following the shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer. Kenosha was burning and where was he? He showed up days later, Michels said. Im the kind of guy who would be there on the first evening, in the first hour, providing leadership. Its what Ive done my whole life. Michels said his first action if elected governor would be to ensure election integrity by banning private grants for elections, requiring a photo ID to request an absentee ballot and eliminating the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission. While Kleefisch and Ramthun have called for dismantling the six-member commission, which was created by legislative Republicans six years ago, Michels wants to replace it with what hes called WEC 2.0, an agency made up of appointees from each of the states eight congressional districts. Michels has not provided specifics on who would appoint the new agencys members. Michels also reiterated campaign talking points including a call for universal school choice and more funding for police. He did not mention decertification of the 2020 presidential election, a legal and constitutional impossibility. Michels earlier this week said everything will be on the table when asked if he would consider decertifying the election, marking a shift from his comments a week earlier that decertification was not a priority. Michels has embraced Trumps election lies at every turn, saying hes open to overturning election results and dismantling our bipartisan elections system, Evers campaign spokesperson Sam Roecher said in a statement. Race heats up Trumps baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election have become a rallying cry for his supporters, including Adam Steen, a Trump-backed candidate for the state Assembly seat currently held by Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester. Vos, the states longest serving Assembly speaker and one of the most influential Republicans in the state, has fallen out of favor with Trump for not supporting his repeated calls to back the legally impossible decertification of the 2020 election. Theres a huge roadblock in the 63rd (Assembly District) and it must be removed from power, Steen said in a brief speech Friday. Some call him a RINO, others a treasonous traitor. Im partial to the latter, but no matter what you call him its time to do one thing on Aug. 9 its time to toss Vos. Trump said former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who was hired by Vos last summer to review how the election was run, has endorsed Steen in the Aug. 9 primary. Steen said that Gableman "is going to come out and ... knock (on doors) for a couple days" in support of the Steen campaign, the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel reported Saturday. Gableman was outside Blain's Farm & Fleet in Sturtevant, supporting Steen's campaign. Photos posted to the official Adam Steen page on Facebook show Gableman smiling and posing with Steen and his supporters. At Friday's Trump rally, Gableman also posed for a photo with Steen and state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, a core supporter of the effort to decertify 2020. Gableman was hired at a cost of $676,000 after pressure from Trump, though legal fees and other court costs have pushed the price tag to more than $1.1 million all of which will ultimately fall on taxpayers. While Trump spoke highly of the investigation, Gableman himself reversed his position on decertification just weeks after proposing it. In releasing an interim report of his inquiry on March 1, Gableman told state lawmakers they should take a very hard look at decertifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. But just two weeks later, on March 16, the former justice concluded that decertification was a practical impossibility. A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that Biden defeated Trump by about 21,000 votes in the states 2020 presidential election. Only 24 people out of nearly 3.3 million who cast ballots have been charged with election fraud in Wisconsin. The Associated Press and Adam Rogan of The Journal Times contributed to this report. 1. Yes. The new high school has made it a must. Thousands of people are impacted.. 2. Yes. Even if it means revising some budgets, these entities must move on the project. 3. No. Its been known for years that the road was a problem.. Why the urgency now? 4. No. If prioritizing the road means more taxes, forget it. The project will just have to wait. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say until school has been in session for a few months. Vote View Results Air travel showed strong recovery during June 2022 with total traffic in the month (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) increasing 76.2% compared to June 2021, primarily propelled by the growing international traffic, according to new data. Globally, traffic is now at 70.8% of pre-crisis levels, said International Air Transport Association's (IATA) passenger data. Middle Eastern airlines traffic rose 246.5% in June compared to June 2021. June capacity rose 102.4% versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 32.4 percentage points to 78%. Globally, domestic traffic for June 2022 was up 5.2% compared to the year-ago period. Strong improvements in most markets, combined with the easing of some Omicron-related lockdown restrictions in the Chinese domestic market, contributed to the result. Total June 2022 domestic traffic was at 81.4% of the June 2019 level. International traffic rose 229.5% versus June 2021. The lifting of travel restrictions in most parts of Asia-Pacific is contributing to the recovery. June 2022 international RPKs reached 65.0% of June 2019 levels. Demand for air travel remains strong. After two years of lockdowns and border restrictions people are taking advantage of the freedom to travel wherever they can, said Willie Walsh, IATAs Director General. Asia-Pacific airlines had a 492% rise in June traffic compared to June 2021. Capacity rose 138.9% and the load factor was up 45.8 percentage points to 76.7%. The region is now relatively open to foreign visitors and tourism which is helping foster the recovery. European carriers June traffic rose 234.4% versus June 2021. Capacity rose 134.5%, and load factor climbed 25.8 percentage points to 86.3%. International traffic within Europe is above pre-pandemic levels in seasonally adjusted terms. North American carriers experienced a 168.9% traffic rise in June versus the 2021 period. Capacity rose 95.0%, and load factor climbed 24.1 percentage points to 87.7%, which was the highest among the regions. Latin American airlines June traffic rose 136.6% compared to the same month in 2021. June capacity rose 107.4% and load factor increased 10.3 percentage points to 83.3%. After leading the regions in load factor for 20 consecutive months, Latin America slipped back to third place in June. African airlines had a 103.6% rise in June RPKs versus a year ago. June 2022 capacity was up 61.9% and load factor climbed 15.2 percentage points to 74.2%, the lowest among regions. International traffic between Africa and neighboring regions is close to pre-pandemic levels. The Bottom Line With the Northern Hemisphere summer travel season now fully underway, predictions that the lifting of travel restrictions would unleash a torrent of pent-up travel demand are being borne out. At the same time, meeting that demand has proved challenging and likely will continue to be so. All the more reason to continue to show flexibility to the slot use rules. The European Commissions intent to return to the longstanding 80-20 requirement is premature," said Walsh. Just look at the issues that airlines and their passengers at some hub airports are being confronted with. These airports are unable to support their declared capacity even with the current 64% slot threshold and have extended recent passenger caps until the end of October. Flexibility is still essential in support of a successful recovery. By capping passenger numbers, airports are preventing airlines from benefitting from the strong demand. Heathrow Airport has tried to blame airlines for the disruption. However, Service Level Performance data for the first six months of this year show that they have failed miserably to provide basic services and missed their Passenger Security service target by a massive 14.3 points. Data for June has not yet been published but is expected to show the lowest level of service by the airport since records began, said Walsh. - TradeArabia News Service DES MOINES, Iowa Democrats are poised to strip Iowa from leading off their presidential nominating process starting in 2024, part of a broader effort allowing less overwhelmingly white states to go early and better reflect the party's deeply diverse electorate. The Democratic National Committee's rule-making arm had planned to recommend on Friday which states should be the first four to vote, while considering adding a fifth prior to Super Tuesday, when a large number of states hold primary elections. But it delayed the decision until after November's election, lest it become a distraction affecting Democrats in key congressional races. Still, the position of Iowa's caucus remains precarious after technical glitches sparked a 2020 meltdown. More than a decade of complaints that caucus rules requiring in-person attendance serve to limit participation are reaching crescendo. That's ignited a furious push for the No. 1 position between New Hampshire, which now goes second but traditionally kicks off primary voting, and Nevada, a heavily Hispanic state looking to jump from third to first. "I fully expect that Iowa will be replaced," said Julian Castro, a former San Antonio mayor and federal housing chief. "And that the primary calendar will be reordered to better reflect the diversity of the Democratic Party and of the country." Castro isn't on the rules committee but has criticized Iowa being first since his 2019 presidential run. A Democratic National Committee spokesperson said the rules committee "is conducting a thorough process" and will continue to "let it play out." Iowa has survived previous challenges and may do so again, especially given that the final decision won't come for months. It argues that, aside from 2020, voters here have a strong track record launching the nomination process and that its caucuses keep Democrats relevant amid the state's recent shift to the right. Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn said he'd fight to ensure that nearly 50 years of tradition hold. "When I became chair and we started this process, the word was 'Iowa's done,'" Wilburn told reporters Thursday. "But no decision has been made. No calendar has been presented to the committee. We are still in this fight." But many rules committee members privately said that the party is leaning toward either New Hampshire or Nevada going first, or perhaps on the same day. They all requested anonymity to more freely detail discussions that remain ongoing. South Carolina, with its large bloc of Black Democrats, may move from fourth to third, freeing up a large Midwestern state to go next. Michigan and Minnesota are making strong cases, but both can't move their primary dates without legislative approval, requiring support from Republicans. If the committee adds a fifth early slot, that could go to Iowa to soften the blow. Iowa has kicked off voting since 1976, when Jimmy Carter scored a caucus upset and grabbed enough momentum to eventually win the presidency. Since then, it's been followed by New Hampshire, which has held the nation's first primary since 1920. Nevada and South Carolina have gone next since the 2008 presidential election, when Democrats last did a major primary calendar overhaul. Nevada has now scrapped its caucus in favor of a primary. During a recent presentation before rules committee members, its delegation showed a video arguing that "tradition is not a good enough reason to preserve the status quo." "If a diverse and inclusive state isn't at the front of the primary calendar, I'm really concerned that what we're gonna keep seeing is the same criticisms that we've been seeing about the Democratic Party primary process," said Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. Representatives from Iowa and New Hampshire argue that small states let all candidates not just well-funded ones connect personally with voters, and that losing their slots could advantage Republicans in congressional races. The GOP has already decided to keep Iowa starting its 2024 presidential nominating cycle. "Just like when two more states were added to the early window, Nevada and South Carolina," there is a sense that, just like America isn't stagnant, "that the Democratic Party changes and grows with the times as well," said rules committee member Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. New Hampshire Democratic National Committeeman Bill Shaheen said he didn't know what would've happened if the rules committee vote wasn't postponed, but cheered it as "one more chance to show what kind of state we are." When the DNC approved shaking up the primary calendar ahead of 2008, it called for Nevada's caucus after Iowa and before New Hampshire, only to see New Hampshire move up its primary. Shaheen said his state might do something similar this time, regardless of the party's decision. "We're going to do the first primary whether the DNC recognizes it or not," said Shaheen whose wife, Jeanne, is a senator. "There's a great likelihood of that." Those pushing for more diverse states to lead off say Democrats can impose sanctions to prevent such jockeying this time. Non-white voters made up 26% of all voters and supported Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a nearly 3-to-1 margin in the 2020 presidential election, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of the electorate. Nonwhite voters accounted for 38% of Democratic voters then. By contrast, 91% of 2020 Iowa Democratic caucus goers were white and 94% of New Hampshire primary voters were, according to VoteCast surveys. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who is helping lead her state's push to go early, said Michigan reflects diversity "and that's what we are missing in these early primaries." KEARNEY Pat Skiles has seen the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. She cant wait to see The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the wall that will be at Patriot Park 8 a.m. Thursday through 2 p.m. Aug. 14. Like 90% of the 8,000 to 11,000 women who served in Vietnam, Skiles was a nurse. There are names of eight women on that wall. Most were nurses, she said. I am really happy that people can see the wall here. So many people cant go to Washington, D.C., to see the actual wall. Its a way for families to say their goodbyes and for others to honor soldiers, she said. Men dont talk about their service, and kids dont ask about it. I think it is helpful for young people to see that wall, to look at all those names and see the high price they paid, she added. Skiles, a Kearney native and a 1960 graduate of the old Longfellow High School, served for 27 years in the U.S. Air Force. She joined after being a civilian nurse for three years. I wanted to travel a little, but in the 1960s, women didnt just take off by themselves. I thought if I joined the military, theyd send me somewhere, she said. The Air Force did just that, sending Skiles to Vietnam from October 1967 to October 1968. She worked in the air evacuation unit in the Ton Son Nhut Air Force Base in Saigon, where injured military members arrived from field hospitals to be sent to hospitals in Japan or the U.S. within 24 hours. Between 80 and 100 patients came in each day. She noted their surgical needs and medications and put that information on a flight tag attached to each patient. By 4:30 the next morning, nurses roused the patients, fed them and got them on ambulance buses for the airport. There, they were boarded onto enormous cargo planes. They hung patient litters three or four feet high, Skiles said. Many patients she treated were not expected to survive even if they had surgery, but we tried to salvage as many as they could. Nurses take care of everybody. It was really hard to let go, she said. She worked 12-hour shifts six days a week. On Saturday, her only day off, she often went with dentists to do basic dental care in villages near the base. Skiles became close friends with nurses in Vietnam, but when they left for home, We didnt know if wed ever see them again, she said. That was a separation, a grief. We lost the association and the contact. For nurses, there is no Vietnam reunion. After returning to the U.S. in October 1968, Skiles was warned to wear civilian clothes when she landed in San Francisco to avoid war protestors. She then served in Goose Bay, Labrador; Wiesbaden, West Germany; and all over the U.S. before retiring and coming home to Nebraska in 2003. Skiles said no military women went to Vietnam until 1956, when the first female U.S. Army nurses were sent to train South Vietnamese nurses. The Navy began sending female nurses to Vietnam in 1963, mostly on hospital ships. In 1955, the Air Force sent male nurses to help with evacuation flights, but by late 1966-67, they ran out of male nurses, so they began allowing females to go, she said. Most of the military women were nurses right out of nursing school, but women also worked in intelligence and air traffic control, she said. Skiles, quoting from a 1983 book, Women at War by Elizabeth Norman, said that as late as the 1980s, there was no official record of how many nurses were in Vietnam. There werent significant numbers of females, so there wasnt much interest in keeping an accurate account of them, Skiles said. Wed see young men terribly wounded, and wed ask, What kind of life is he going to have? But now, to see how those men survived and became successful was such a positive thing, she said. Men cared more for their comrades than themselves. Men would say, Take care of my men first. They looked out for one another. Those are deep ties of friendship, she said. Skiles was among the first 130 female veterans who flew to Washington, D.C., on the Nebraska Female Veterans Flight Sept. 23, 2018. Prior to that, such flights were limited to men, but Skiles understands why. Unlike today, soldiers who went to Vietnam werent volunteers. They were drafted. My feeling was that the men fought. They should go first, she said. But it was nice, then, to go on an all-womens flight, she said. The women, all strangers, became fast friends. Skiles has never attended a Vietnam veterans reunion, but its amazing to see the support veterans have for one another. In some veterans, you can see their wounds, and in others, you cant, but the wounds are still there. Its really good for groups like this to get together, she said. Hebrews first high priest. Five letters. Unappetizing food. Four letters. Anglers casting plug. Seven letters. Zog I, for one. Eight letters. Clues like these from New York Times crossword puzzles are my bedtime stories. Every night, I crawl into bed, prop up against my pillow, plunk a crossword puzzle book in my lap and try to coax my drowsy brain to decipher such clues before I turn out the light. In the morning, sipping a cup of coffee, I pick up that puzzle again. This time, for reasons known only to the puzzle gods, the answers that had refused to surrender the night before pour out liberally onto those little squares like champagne. This is the best part of the day. My mother would be proud. She did a crossword every afternoon when she got home from teaching fifth grade. She took puzzles to bed, too. I dabbled in easy crossword puzzles when I was young and, like Jack scrambling up the beanstalk, soon graduated to tough ones. I want a challenge. I do all my puzzles in ink. The Sunday New York Times crossword became my gold standard. It appears in the newspaper every Sunday. One summer afternoon years ago, I headed out to my deck with a glass of lemonade and settled in for a long mental slog. I simply wanted to see if I could do it. It was long, all right. After two hours, I set the puzzle aside, mystified by clues like Lachrymal (seven letters) and Parliament prize (four letters) but too stubborn to quit. That evening, I went back to it, and the next evening, too. I pored over my tattered Websters Dictionary and paperback Rogets Thesaurus because Id never heard of at least one-third of the words in the clues, but I kept plugging away. When I finished it, I felt like Id conquered Everest. The next Sunday, I went at it again. Solving a New York Times Sunday puzzle is a bit easier now; its still a grind, but thats the fun. Every puzzle is 21 squares down and 21 across and has 73 black squares. At first, I stare, stymied. Choice for travelers to New York. Five letters. Sticks figure. Four letters. I am stumped. But then I spot an easy clue, like Back hour (shop sign). Little by little, I get an answer. Soon Im off and running sort of. You see, every Sunday puzzle has a quirky theme that applies to about eight or 10 clues. These clues have a question mark after them. The answers to these clues are always a pun related to that theme. For example, in a puzzle entitled Elmer Fudd, the answer to the clue Obstetrics is womb service. Turning down a satirical magazine subscription is waiving Mad. Fudd has a slight speech impediment, you see. I suppose the puzzle-makers are telling us not to take this so seriously, but who are they kidding? I insist on finishing every puzzle completely, and I will not look at the answers (always printed in the back) until I do. My only assistance is three paperback crossword puzzle dictionaries (yes, three), where I can look up oddball answers like the capitals of obscure African countries and old Finnish kings, but even the New York Times Crossword Puzzle Dictionary often fails me. This week, I couldnt find the definition of Guidian in any dictionary, or on Wikipedia and Wiktionary, either. This week, my favorite paperback crossword puzzle dictionary fell apart. It was only a year old, and the cover had fallen off months ago. Alas, now it is split in two on page 412 near the end of the F section, right in the middle of a handy list of French words. As those A-F pages fluttered to the floor, I practically cried. I dont speak French. Now when I need a French word, Im stuck. But I still have the F-Z section of that dictionary, and Ill use it until I can get a new one. I need it. Right now, Im stuck on the clue bedim. With its new petting zoo, Nordic Creamery has finished developing its retail store at 202 W. Old Towne Road, on the west side of Hwy. 14/61, at the south edge of Westby. The store opened in April 2021 and replaced one that had been on the farm (about five miles away) where Nordic Creamery owners Al and Sarah Bekkum produce their specialty cheeses and butters from cow, sheep and goat milk. The store sells both food and non-food merchandise. The petting zoo opened on July 22 and features such farm animals as goats, sheep, steers and Sven, a year-old miniature horse. Were going to kind of rotate them in and out, Sarah Bekkum said of the animals. The Bekkums created the petting zoo next to a huge farm mural that they arranged to have painted on the side of a building. We just thought it would bring more people to our store, Sarah Bekkum said. And that it would create more of a family experience for people who are looking for something to do. The petting zoo is open (weather permitting) during store hours, which are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. While the store is open year-round, the petting zoo will be seasonal. It will be open through Labor Day for sure, Sarah Bekkum said of the petting zoo. And if the weathers still beautiful, maybe a couple more weekends after that. The petting zoo will reopen in the spring. For more information, call the store at 608-634-FARM (3276) or visit www.nordiccreamery.com or the creamerys Facebook page. Amber Blomquist started Wisconsin Coozie Co. in June in West Salem. Her new business makes custom-made coozies, and has made them for things like bachelor/bachelorette parties, weddings, retirement parties, birthdays, vacations, girls nights, funerals, holidays and class reunions. Our most popular kind is the slim coozies used for seltzers or slim cans, Blomquist said. We can do custom orders from one to 100-plus. No order is too big or too small. Wisconsin Coozie Co. makes coozies primarily as beverage holders, but also makes coozies that hold such things as Popsicles. I offer a variety of sizes and colors, Blomquist said. Some examples include normal cans for soda, beer, etc., as well as slim cans, drive-through sleeves for things like coffee and McDonalds drinks, coozies for Popsicles and coozies for pints of ice cream. Blomquist said the new business also sells Midwest Merchandise items that she makes, such as apparel and hats centered around Midwest humor such as you betcha, and other Wisconsin designs. She sells on Facebook and at craft shows, festivals, pop-up boutiques and collaborations with other local establishments. I am not currently in any other retail stores, but I do see wholesale in our near future, she said. Blomquist also owns Creative Bee Boutique, which she started in 2020 during the pandemic. It sells custom shirts, cups, signs, coozies and more crafty items, she said. For more information, call 608-704-9039, email wisconsincoozieco@gmail.com or visit Wisconsin Coozie Co.s Facebook or Instagram pages. The Burger King restaurant that closed in 2017 at 1124 W. George St. in La Crosse may be demolished soon. Eagle Bay Properties LLC, which owns that building as well as the adjacent Bridgeview Plaza shopping center property, has applied to the city of La Crosse for a conditional-use permit that would allow it to demolish the former restaurant for green space. The building is in disrepair, hasnt been used since Burger King closed, and its owner thinks that demolishing it would help in marketing the site for redevelopment, city staff members told La Crosse Common Council and city plan commission members in a report that recommended approving the application. The plan commission and the councils judiciary and administration committee recommended approval at their meetings last week. The full council is expected to vote on the application on Thursday. I have one new detail about the three-unit building thats gone up next to the Chick-fil-A restaurant that will open this fall at the former Fauver Hill School site on the east side of Hwy. 16, south of Interstate 90, in Onalaska. A sketch on the Onalaska projects webpage was updated in the past week to show that Caribou Coffee will occupy the space on the south end, a Mattress Firm mattress store will occupy the center space and Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant will occupy the buildings north end. The identities of the three tenants first surfaced publicly in March. The update shows the space that each will occupy. As I reported in last Sundays column, a Caribou Coffee spokesperson says that company hopes its Caribou Cabin in that location will open in late fall. Five Guys and Mattress Firm havent responded to my inquiries about their timetables. Apple CEO Tim Cook appreciates Vietnam market potential Vietnam, together with Brazil, Indonesia and India that are emerging markets, have made practical contributions to Apples groups outstanding performance in the second quarter of this year, said CEO Tim Cook. Apple CEO Tim Cook. (Photo credit Apple). In its financial report for the second quarter of 2022, Apple announced a record revenue of US$ 83 billion, up 2% over the same period last year, despite market fluctuations. Speaking to analysts after releasing the figure, Cook noted the quarter saw record revenue in developed and emerging markets "with double-digit growth in Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam, and a new doubling of revenue in India." The CEO said that the company continues to execute across some significant geographies with "low penetration of iPhones between Indonesia, Vietnam and India where we did quite well". "iPhone tends to be the engine for those markets, particularly at the beginning of creating the market there for Apple products," he added. The CEO did not specify the growth rate of each region, but iPhone is the device that has brought in the largest revenue in Vietnam. At The Gioi Di Dong stores, four iPhone models were among the top 10 smartphones with the highest revenue in the first half. At FPT Shop, iPhone 13 Pro Max was the best seller device that has generated the highest revenue. During a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Apple Park Campus in California last May, Tim Cook said Apple desires to expand its supply chain in Vietnam. According to reports, Vietnam has 31 companies that employ 160,000 workers producing and assembling electronic parts and equipment for Apple products. Apple is shifting more of its production lines from China to countries like Vietnam and India in order to diversify its supply chain and manufacture more products. It has started assembling some AirPods Pro, iPads, and HomePod mini devices in Vietnam. Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkiye, has launched the Sunflower Lanyard project in a move to continue to improve the travel experience of the passengers with disabilities and limited mobility. Within the scope of the Differences Add Value program, the airline contributes to the awareness of its ground service personnel and cabin crew with the Sunflower Lanyards offered to its passengers with invisible disabilities such as autism, dementia, anxiety disorder, vision or hearing disorders. Commenting on the new program, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi; While we are enhancing the privileged travel experience we offer as Turkish Airlines, we focus on the expectations and needs of our passengers and develop projects accordingly. Therefore, we are able to host hundreds of thousands of guests from different cultures and regions with a high satisfaction ratio above the clouds. As the airline that flies to more countries than any other and believes every destination in its network has its gems waiting to be discovered, we will continue to develop services that will remove the barriers before the clouds. Working with Turkish Airlines on the project, Hidden Disabilities CEO Paul White stated: We are delighted that Turkish Airlines have joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower global network. Delivering our training to 17,000 staff is an incredible achievement that shows the airlines commitment to making aviation accessible. Passengers with non-visible disabilities can travel to 129 countries with Turkish Airlines, secure in the knowledge that the airline staff with greet them with kindness, patience and understanding. Sunflower Lanyards, symbol of invisible disabilities all around the world can be obtained from Assisted counters located in Domestic and International terminals of Istanbul Airport, a Turkish Airlines statement said. TradeArabia News Service When students are prepared for the newness of college life, their well-being is better off. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News vis Getty Images By the time they get through high school, most students are pretty used to transitioning from summer to school time. But starting college brings a whole new set of challenges. First-year college students have to handle additional responsibilities like how much time theyll spend in class, how to manage the time they devote to their coursework and how to take advantage of campus resources like the library. It is vital for emerging college students to understand these changes and adapt to them so they can have a rewarding college experience. For the back-to-school season, The Conversation has put together four articles from our archive that give first-year students and their parents tips on how to set themselves up for success during the college years. 1. Parents, help students prepare for college Graduating from high school and enrolling in college are not all that emerging college students need to worry about. Lara Schwartz, director of the Project on Civil Discourse at American University, gave parents tips on preparing their kids for college. She wrote, Knowing what to expect can make a major difference in a students psychological well-being. Schwartz suggested that parents do five things to help students feel ready for college. Parents should let their children know that professors will expect students to reach out when they need help. They should also discuss what they expect from their children, like how often they should communicate. Because it is the first year, parents should expect students to make mistakes but also encourage their children to recover from those mistakes. Many first-year college students report feeling stressed most or all of the time, regardless of where they go to college, Schwartz wrote. But with some advance preparation, parents can help alleviate that stress. Read more: What parents should do to help students prepare for the first year of college 2. Manage student mental health Nicholas Joyce, a psychologist at the University of South Florida, gave new college students tips on what they can do to maintain their mental health in school. He told students to take responsibility for making sure their work is completed and getting to classes on time. Also, students should not expect colleges to fix their mental health issues. Medical exceptions for mental health can be helpful when students start having poor grades, but they delay graduation dates. Students end up spending more time and money to earn their degree. More importantly, getting a medical exception does not resolve the underlying issue that led to the failure in the first place, Joyce wrote. College libraries are rich in resources but often misunderstood. JHU Sheridan Libraries/Archive Photos via Getty Images 3. Make the most out of the library Carrie M. Macfarlane, director of research and instruction at Middlebury College, wrote that plenty of college seniors told her they regretted not learning more about their library in their first year of school. Macfarlane laid out four ways to make the most out of the college library. Borrowing from the library helps students cut the cost of supplies, and research shows that using the library correlates to students earning a higher GPA. In addition, students can decompress at the library through stress management workshops and events like those that allow students to interact with dogs. Many libraries have job opportunities that allow students to earn money while learning a lot more about whats available at campus libraries. Read more: 4 ways college students can make the most of their college library 4. Be careful with what you post Students might want to share whats on their minds, but they need to think twice before they post on social media. Research shows that an increasing number of employers screen job candidates on social media. Social media posts are part of an individuals brand, according to Thao Nelson, a career counselor and lecturer at Indiana Universitys Kelley School of Business. In an open letter to students she wrote in 2017 that still rings true, she warned students that what you post can wreck your life. She recommended students cultivate an online presence that will improve their chances of getting a job. Nelson advised against posting foul language, bad-mouthing and putting illicit content online. Such posts can always be screenshot and reshared even if the user deletes it. However, Nelson said that students can search their profiles to delete content they do not want job recruiters to see. Remember, social media is not all bad, wrote Nelson; in many cases, it helps recruiters get a good feel for your personality and potential fit. Editors note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. CROOKED CREEK TOWNSHIP, Minn. On a hill in a rolling valley in Houston County, Minnesota, a cluster of headstones has stood for more than a century. This is the resting place of some of the earliest pioneers in Crooked Creek Township, a tiny community about 30 miles south of La Crosse. It is also where, this summer, UW-La Crosse archaeology students are gaining invaluable experience in the field, while helping descendants of those settlers reclaim a piece of their familys history. Led by associate professor of archaeology David Anderson, students are searching the little country cemetery for unmarked graves a critical step toward the familys goal of restoring the site and holding future burials there. Its exciting because we get to work in a new location and use applied archaeology to solve a real-world problem, says Arin Spierings, an undergraduate teaching assistant in UW-Ls Archaeological Field School. Those settlers deserve to be recognized and remembered, adds Cole Schoepp, a senior majoring in archaeology. Its cool being able to bring forward history that has been lost or forgotten. Preserving the past Today, the Crooked Creek German Pioneer Cemetery consists of several headstones some tall and ornate, some short and unassuming on a small, fenced-in patch of wild grass. Most of the stones belong to the family of George F. and Katharine (Weidman) Brenner, who left Germany in 1853 and settled in this picturesque corner of what was then the Minnesota Territory. Over the next half-century, the Brenners became one of the more respected and recognizable families in Houston County George even served as county commissioner. But after Georges death in 1902, the Brenners vanished from the valley, leaving behind only a few stray branches of the family tree. The cemetery, like so many others from that time, might have wasted away if not for the efforts of one of those branches: the Fuchsel family. James Fuchsel, a descendant living in La Crescent, remembers his mother talking about the old family cemetery. She even compiled a book about its history, which she gave to her son shortly before she died. You dont see many people out there resurrecting old cemeteries. Most of them just sit there, forgotten about, Fuchsel says. After my mother passed away, I took it upon myself to get my brothers (Peter and Dan) involved and carry it on in remembrance to her. We didnt want to let it die out. Fuchsel mowed the grass and mended the fence protecting the tombstones. While it was gratifying to maintain the cemetery, he dreamed of a day when it could be something more a way to link the familys past, present and future. Then, as luck would have it, Dana Brenner came along. Brenner, a descendant living in Colorado, learned of the cemetery while doing genealogy research. He reached out to the Houston County Historical Society, which connected him with Fuchsel and provided historical documents related to their ancestors. Together, Brenner and Fuchsel conceived the idea of reviving the cemetery, of burying current and future descendants among those 100-year-old stones. But there was one problem: While reviewing documents, they learned that as many as 15 other burials may have happened at the site graves that had never been marked. The discovery sparked all sorts of questions, chief among them: How could they confirm the presence of these unmarked graves in a noninvasive way? Thats when they contacted UW-L to get an archaeologists take on the matter. Wed love to turn this into a real, functioning cemetery again, but we need to know where the unmarked graves are, so we dont accidentally dig them up, Brenner explains. The most important thing is that we preserve whats there. A look underground On a sun-splashed June morning, Anderson and his students rumbled up to the cemetery in vans filled with archaeological equipment. Instead of digging, the class took turns pushing a ground-penetrating radar cart over the site, the same way beachgoers might run a metal detector over the sand. The machine sends high-frequency radio waves into the earth, recording their movement on a small screen. Because the waves move through different materials at different rates of speed, the user can pinpoint the location of foreign objects or other disturbances in the ground, such as burial shafts. While scanning the cemetery, students found several of these anomalies, which could be anything from unmarked graves to the remnants of old tree trunks. Andersons job, back in the lab, is to study the anomalies and the signals that identified them to determine whether theyre likely to be graves. Its difficult to say with certainty whether or not something is a grave without ground-truthing the anomaly, explains Anderson, referring to the confirmatory practice of excavating a site. But even without ground-truthing, knowing the likely location of graves allows the family to safely dig in the future. In addition to ground scans, Anderson and his students photographed the existing tombstones from a variety of angles. The photos were used to create 3D digital models, allowing family members across the country to see and interact with them online. (https://sketchfab.com/danderson4/collections/old-methodist-cemetery) Anderson also plans to work with the Historical Society to identify other local cemeteries where students can gain experience preparing a site and working in the field. Overall, this has been a great opportunity for our students, Anderson adds. Theyve been able to see a project progress from the very beginning. Theyve been able to familiarize themselves with the equipment. And theyve been able to meet and work with the community. It feels like were home Brenner and Fuchsel never expected their interest in genealogy to evolve into such a complex project one involving hundreds of hours, dozens of people and something as elaborate as ground-penetrating radar. To express their gratitude to UW-L, the Crooked Creek Germany Pioneer Cemetery Association consisting of Brenner, the three Fuchsel brothers and Houston County cemetery expert Richard Cordes made a gift to the UW-L Foundations Archaeology Scholarship Fund. A few people were buried in the middle of nowhere more than 100 years ago, Brenner says. Somehow, it brought us all together. In 2020, the group took another important step: acquiring the one-acre property through a deed from the Crooked Creek Township Board. After more than a century, the cemetery is back in the familys possession, positioned to thrive over the next 100 years. Recently, Brenner and a few family members traveled to Crooked Creek Township to see it for themselves. There was still much to do: leveling the land, keeping the grass in check, identifying locations for future burials. Yet, as he looked around the ancestral valley, Brenner couldnt help but well up with pride. I turned to my sister and said, This is really weird, he remembers. She said, finishing his thought, Yeah, it feels like were home. The phone and internet company Frontier Communications came to an agreement with the state of Wisconsin to improve its broadband service the latest assurance from the company that its slow internet speeds and potentially dangerous phone outages are being modernized. Reached following an investigation into the companys advertising of internet speeds by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the deal includes a $15 million commitment by Frontier to improve its DSL internet infrastructure in Wisconsin over the next four years and a payment of $90,000 to the state. Wisconsin consumers deserve honest advertising and reliable services related to their internet speeds and telephone services, said Randy Romanski, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, in a press release. This agreement ensures these improved practices for Wisconsinites, as well as upgrades to communications infrastructure so future consumers have better access to the high-quality products they pay for. The agreement requires Frontier to improve its disclosure practices regarding internet speeds when installing new service for customers and requires the company provide opt-out opportunities for consumers who do not receive the advertised internet speed purchased, the press release said. It also requires improvements in Frontiers advertising of telephone service and its handling of service outages in Wisconsin, the press release said. The deal mandates semi-annual reporting by Frontier to the state detailing the improvements and expenditures made on its internet infrastructure, said DATCP spokesman Caleb Kulich in an email to The Badger Project. The state will thus be able to track Frontiers fulfillment of this commitment, and can bring an action in court for Frontiers failure to honor this commitment should that be the case, he added. In an email to The Badger Project, Frontier spokesperson Chrissy Murray noted that the issues identified by the state investigation are related to its DSL service, also known as digital subscriber line, a way of connecting to the internet over a phone network, not its fiber optic cable systems. The settlement with the state of Wisconsin stipulates that Frontier has admitted no wrongdoing, cooperated with the state and resolved the state of Wisconsins concerns related to our DSL services, Murray told The Badger Project in an email. We settled the investigation in good faith to put it behind us so we could focus on our business thats in the best interest of all our customers. As of February, Frontier had about 137,000 subscribers to phone or internet services in Wisconsin, Kulich said. Much of their customer base is in rural parts of the state. Frontier declared bankruptcy in 2020. Since 2015, it has received more than $2 billion in federal funds to upgrade its internet service across the country, according to the FCC. More than $215 million of those dollars were intended for internet projects in Wisconsin. Frontier emerged from bankruptcy in 2021 and said in a press release it would upgrade millions of its internet accounts across the country to modern, fiber optic cables from the old and slow copper phone wire. Also in 2021, Wisconsin, five other states and the Federal Trade Commission sued Frontier on the basis that the company hadnt delivered the internet speeds it advertised. The federal court in California dismissed claims brought by Wisconsin and other states, saying they lacked jurisdiction, but allowed the FTC and the state of California to proceed with their case. The parties settled in May, with Frontier agreeing to pay nearly $9 million to customers and make upgrades. The state of Wisconsin conducted its own investigation, resulting in the recently announced agreement. Frontier finishes near the bottom of a ratings survey of telecommunications companies by Consumer Reports, and the Better Business Bureau gives the company a grade of F. Barry Orton, a telecommunications professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and fierce critic of Frontier, said the payment of $90,000 is insignificant compared to the level of the damages to Frontiers customers. Frontier now promises to improve the speed and quality of its broadband service, about which it has continually lied, Orton told The Badger Project in an email. Frontier now also pledges to improve the reliability of its wireline telephone service, especially to elderly and medically fragile customers, even after Frontier deliberately allowed its existing copper-wire facilities to deteriorate, forcing most of its customers to its more profitable wireless services. Will Frontier fulfill these promises to improve service? he asked. I remain skeptical, but I hope Im wrong. Murray responded to the criticism by touting the companys recent rollout of broadband service to what it says are more than 77,000 rural locations throughout Wisconsin using federal funding. It is easy for third parties to be critical of the services Frontier is providing, she said in an email, but they often fail to understand the challenges and costs of providing this critical infrastructure to customers in the most rural, underserved areas of the state where other telecommunications providers have intentionally elected to not provide Internet or telephone service. The Paddling for Hope Campaign aims to raise funds and awareness for Hope Restores, an African American resource center in La Crosse. To read Bobbi Ratherts full blog entry and learn more about the campaign visit https://www.paddlingforhope.com/blog Sheep, war and the Bad Axe confluence, 7/20/22 I pushed away from the sandbar after my apple, nuts and drink with eagerness to move beyond this next bend. But the Bad Axe confluence was right here at the sandbar where I rested. It was the quiet trickle and peace I found. A confluence, to me, is always fast, full of sound and consequence where it goes, but this one was soothing and unpretentious. It was at this point where the Bad Axe Massacre was fought 190 years ago on the days of August 1 and 2. The United States Army massacred the Fox and Sauk tribes, 500 numbered and at the closure of the Black Hawk War. The indigenous troops were led by Black Hawks British Band, which included the Sauk and Fox tribes. This was a land war with the United States and its native allies after being accused of stealing indigenous lands. The army troops were nearly three times as many, but casualties included 150 of the 500 native fighters but only a loss of five soldiers from the army troops. The win against the native people has been called ferocious and devastating over the decades, so much to contradict the calm and peace-filled rest on the sandbar. Paddling along the river below the mouth of the Bad Axe, I was particularly caught by its haunted beauty. The Battle of Bad Axe location is found right here at this place (43.459167, -91.218056) and other commemorative physical attributes surrounding the river are named: Blackhawk County Park, Town of Victory, Battle Bluff, Battle Hollow, Battle Island and Blackhawk Campground to name a few. As I rested on the sand having quiet lunch, I knew the irony. It is the confluence, the joining of two rivers, waters from many places including my land once owned where sheep grazed quietly. This place, a combining and unification of water and land, two states, Minnesota on the west, Wisconsin to the east. I felt the battle there Here is the Minnesota AARP Fraud Watch for August: Last-minute travel scams School supplies have hit the store shelves, but that doesnt mean its too late for one last summer trip. But beware, because the pool of last-minute travel deals is filled with sharks. Criminal scammers create fake travel sites that look just like the real thing and offer prices too good to pass up. They often copy legitimate rental listings, making it especially hard to tell the real from the fake. And they know how to get their fake websites to show up prominently in internet searches. Here are three tips to make sure that your last trip of the summer doesnt go up in smoke. First, be careful where you shop. If you arent using a trusted travel website, do the research to ensure that the company is reputable. Second, be skeptical of any pitch that offers steep discounts on travel and accommodations. And third, dont trust any vacation seller who asks you to pay outside of the online travel platform or app. Scam-tracking map Studies have shown that if you are aware of a specific scam, you are 80% less likely to engage with it, and if you do engage, youre 40% less likely to lose money or sensitive information. So, when it comes to scams and fraud, knowledge is indeed power. But how can we spread that knowledge around, so more people are empowered to protect themselves? One great way to share what you know is through the AARP Scam-Tracking Map (www.aarp.org/scammap). The map shows scams that people experience every day, and it also includes law enforcement warnings. You can submit scams youve encountered and explore whats being reported in your geography. Were all in this together lets share what we know so the next target doesnt become the next victim. Look out for Medicare fraud Congress is talking about changes to Medicare again and scammers are listening. Whenever large government programs like Medicare are in the news, criminals will be on the phones hoping to cash in on the surround sound. One recurring scam involves a Medicare impersonator calling to say that the agency is moving to plastic cards and they just need to verify your Medicare number to issue the new card. This is how criminals collect thousands of Medicare numbers that are ultimately used to fraudulently bill Medicare or to sell to others who will use the numbers for medical procedures. Know that Medicare will not call you out of the blue. If you believe you may have fallen victim to a Medicare scam, report it to Medicare at 800-633-4227. Let it go ... to voicemail When it comes to combating scams, we all have the same superpower. The single most effective way to avoid scam calls is to let your answering machine or voicemail screen calls for you. Its a power we all have, but unfortunately, its not a power we all use. Federal Trade Commission data from last year show that the telephone was the source for more than a third of reported scams. Reported losses were nearly $700 million, with a median loss of $1,200. Thats a lot of phone fraud. Thanks to criminals, we cant rely on Caller ID, so our best defense is letting calls go to the machine. This gives you the opportunity to listen to messages with intent, and with time to consider its validity. So dont forget that YOU have a superpower, one that can protect you from the IRS scam, or the Medicare scam, or the grandparent scam, or dozens of other impostor scams by letting them go to voicemail. The grandparent scam lives on Grandparents love their grandchildren, and criminals love to take advantage of that. Indeed, scammers continue to find ways to put new spins on an old scam to target grandparents hearts and wallets. The grandparent scam typically starts with a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild or a person reaching out on their behalf who needs your help urgently. They will say that your grandchild was in an accident or in jail and that they need money right away. They may ask you for a wire transfer or gift card, but theres a rise in requests for cash cash that the caller will pick up from your home. If you find yourself confronted with such a story and start to feel the emotional tug of the emergency, hang up the phone. Call your grandchild or their family to confirm they are safe. Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for all. Learn how to proactively spot scams or get guidance if youve been targeted. Visit www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call our dedicated helpline to speak to a fraud specialist at 1-877-908-3360. From its beginning in 2004 the Great River Shakespeare Festival performances taught me that once is never enough. The many subtleties in language, settings, scenery, props, plot, and action cannot be absorbed by attending just once. After 20 years in Winona, John and I moved to North Carolina in 2012. Returning for the summer, my delight in GRSF continued. I was unable to come back to Winona the past two summers. This year I was only here for one week, just time enough to attend three plays once and enjoy the Shakespeare for Young Artists productions. Happily, I did get hugs from several actors, now my dear friends, at these performances! Twelfth Night, as always, was a frolic with audience laughter at the antics and un-expected romances. Everyone was superb. Leah Gabriels role as Malvolio reminded me of the same role with Chris Gerson many years before. All the actors were hilarious. As Tarah Flanagan portrayed a Southern woman in Always... Patsy Cline, her drawl was so natural she sounded like she might have lived in the South all her life. Brittany Proias beautiful voice brought Patsy to life, and made me cry, remembering the songs. The band really added to the enjoyment. The audience was reluctant to leave. The African Company Presents Richard III depicted an actual event from 1821 about the beginning of black theater in New York. Five excellent black GRSF actors brought to life the overwhelming difficulties of staging their Shakespeare play across from a white theater. The white supremacist manager (ably acted by GRSF Artistic Director Doug Sholz-Carlson) was hell-bent on making sure they failed. Interactions among the black actors about their Richard III roles and their personal lives revealed complex moral and economic decisions they had to make. The depth of racism, even in free New York, was visible. Later, carefully constructed signs on the wall in the lobby taught me a lot of history I never knew. In the South, with Jim Crow as the norm, the layers of racism are slowly being uncovered. Just last year in 2021, 200 years after 1821, the names of several white supremacist leaders were removed from buildings at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. Among them was Julian Carr. (I had gone to classes in Carr Building at Duke in the 1950s!) The Josephus Daniels Middle School in Raleigh, N.C., was renamed. His reporting, as publisher of the Raleigh News and Observer, helped overthrow the prosperous black community in Wilmington NC in 1898. The Green Planet, a tropical rainforest within a bio-dome in Dubai, has welcomed two anacondas measuring approximately four metres in length from South America. The four-story biodome in Dubais City Walk is now offering tickets to observe this amazing reptile up close in the recently renovated nocturnal walkthrough area of The Green Planet along with several other new nocturnal roaming residents such as a prehencile porcupine, armadillos, tamandua anteaters, the famous rescued slow loris family, Burmese pythons, forest scorpions and more. Found in South America, anacondas or water boas use their immensely powerful jaws to capture prey, then use their bodies to suffocate it before swallowing it whole. The Green Planets social media channels are featuring more information about the majestic anacondas coming to the region for the first time this summer. TradeArabia News Service African countries have reclaimed many historic objects, called artifacts, from European countries. Recently, Nigeria and Germany signed a deal for the return of hundreds of artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes. The deal followed French President Emmanuel Macron's decision last year to sign over 26 pieces known as the Abomey Treasures. Those are valuable artworks from the 19th century Dahomey kingdom in present-day Benin. But many artifacts are still missing and some countries have also been resistant to returning them. One such object is an eight-legged seat from the old kingdom in Uganda. The important artifact now sits at a museum thousands of kilometers away in Britain. The wooden seat is housed at the University of Oxford. It is one of at least 279 objects there taken from the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom during colonial times. Oxford has fought off attempts to have the artifact taken back to Uganda, saying it was donated to the university. Apollo John Rwamparo is a deputy prime minister of Uganda. He urged the British to do like the French and the Germans have done and return the artifacts. Uganda officials are preparing to meet in November with the University of Cambridge in Britain. The school has an unknown number of artifacts from Africa. It recently returned a bronze cockerel to Nigeria. But London's British Museum has been hard to negotiate with, said Rose Mwanja Nkaale. She is Uganda's commissioner for museums and monuments. We can start with those that are willing to cooperate. It is not useful to fight these people." The British Museum holds a large collection from across Africa. It is protected by a 1963 law preventing the museum from returning artifacts unless the objects are considered unfit or useless. Some African officials believe that law is increasingly weak as other nations have been more open to returning them. Abba Isa Tijani is director-general of Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments. He said Nigeria is pressuring Britain and other countries to change the laws permitting the return of disputed collections. But he expressed concern that while some countries are starting to open up, in Britain such efforts have not even started. Many of the artifacts from Africa cannot even be found. That led to an organization started by late Congolese art collector Sindika Dokolo. It offers to buy stolen African art from collections in foreign countries. By 2020, when Dokolo died, his group had successfully recovered 15 items. However, recovery of artifacts remains a struggle for African governments. And the African Union has put the return of stolen cultural property up for discussion. The union aims to soon have a common policy on the issue. Zimbabwe has pushed for the return of about 3,000 artifacts from Britain. They include weapons as well as the skulls of fighters who fought against colonialism. Their heads were cut off and shipped away as war prizes. Talks between British and Zimbabwean officials have produced no big agreement. But the issue is so important for Zimbabwe that President Emmerson Mnangagwa last year suggested an exchange. Zimbabwe would return the remains of colonialist Cecil Rhodes, who is buried in the country. In return, Zimbabwe would receive the remains of the fighters. Rwanda recently made an agreement with its former colonial occupier, Belgium. The deal included the sharing of digital copies of over 4,000 songs and other recordings kept at the Royal Museum for Central Africa outside Brussels. But the location of the remains of one of Rwanda's last kings, Yuhi Musinga, is a serious issue in the East African country. Many Rwandans believe the body of Musinga, who resisted the Belgians and died in Congo, was sent to Belgium. Antoine Nyagahene is a professor of history at Rwandas Gitwe University. He said there should be some justice in that case. We were robbed of our cultural values and, as you know, a people without roots are a people without a soul, he said. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story kingdom n. a country whose ruler is a king or queen museum n. a building in which interesting and valuable things are collected and shown to the public cockerel n. a young male chicken monument n. a building, statue, etc., that honors a person or event colonialism n. control by one country over another area and its people root n. the family history of a person or a group of people ________________________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is a blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. Researchers say experiments on pig tissue suggest that tissue can be preserved and cells can regain the ability to work an hour after death. The study, by a team of Yale University researchers in the United States, recently appeared in the scientific publication Nature. The researchers suggested that their experimental technology could help increase the number of organs available to patients who need organ transplants. In the experiment, the researchers stopped the hearts of several pigs. After an hour, the animals were attached to a specialized machine which pumped a blood substitute through their bodies. The fluid contained some blood and about 13 chemicals meant to support cell activity and decrease inflammation. Six hours later, the treatment had reduced or cancelled some of the damage that resulted from lack of oxygen when the heart stopped pumping blood. For example, organ inflammation and collapsed blood vessels had reduced or were corrected, the scientists said. The researchers call the treatment OrganEx. The results showed that when the heart stops, the body is not as dead as we previously assumed, Zvonimir Vrselja said. He is one of the writers of the Yale University study who spoke with reporters. He added, We were able to show that we can persuade cells not to die. In the study, the scientists said genetic examination of the tissue suggested that the process of repairing cells began once circulation was brought back. The researchers said that during the experiment, the pigs showed no evidence of electrical activity in the brain. They hope OrganEx will permit increased use of organs taken after withdrawal of life support from donors with severe brain injuries they cannot recover from. Their aim is to prevent damage to organs that happens when blood stops circulating. Currently, organs taken from brain-dead donors who were taken off life support systems do not perform as well as those taken from such donors with circulating blood. Using OrganEx on human organs, however, could be years away. Stephen Latham is of Yale's Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics. He said the result of the study stops far short of saying that any organs were restored to the level of function necessary to support life. Some observers are suggesting that, in theory, the technology could someday be used to bring someone who has just died back to life. Latham said, In order to do that, there's a great deal more experimentation that would be required. He added, And you'd have to think about what is the state to which a human being would be restored. Latham said use of OrganEx in organ transplants is a more realistic goal. He added, any use of OrganEx in a medical treatment of a patient is going to be a long ways away. Im Gregory Stachel. Nancy Lapid reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story transplant v. to perform a medical operation in which an organ or other part that has been removed from the body of one person is put into the body of another person inflammation n. a condition in which a part of your body becomes red, swollen, and painful vessel n. a vein or artery that carries blood through the body assume v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true donor n. a person who gives something (such as blood or a body organ) so that it can be given to someone who needs it function n. the activity, purpose or job that something or someone does _______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of future organ transplants? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. Students seeking college degrees in sociology and psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are required to take a class in mathematical statistics. Statistics is a kind of math that studies numbers that represent pieces of information. Many of the students say they feel anxious about the statistics class. In other words, the class causes them worry and concern. Two University of Nebraska professors sought to understand their students anxieties, or fears. They hoped to be able to help educators improve their teaching of statistics and lessen students worries. Kelly MacArthur teaches statistics in the department of sociology and Jonathan Santo teaches the class in the department of psychology. They spoke with VOA Learning English about their study and its surprising results. A surprise The two researchers explored several areas of the relationship between statistics anxiety and classroom results. They looked at how anxiety levels changed from the start of the class to the end. They also looked at how those levels related to exam results. And, they explored the role that gender plays in statistics anxiety and actual class results. MacArthur and Santo found that, in general, female students were much more anxious about the class than males were. Yet, based on their study, women did not need to be as worried as they were. The researchers found that the female students scored 10 percent higher than male students on the final exam. Males and females had scored more similarly on exams at the start of the term. Sample questions MacArthur and Santo studied 111 students who answered a series of questions at the beginning and end of the school term. They wanted to see how worried their students were about the class, and then follow their progress over a number of months. At the start, the professors said, more men than women answered the questions confidently. But by the end, the number of women who were confident about their abilities increased. Their exam scores rose, too. Why is this? One students opinion Frances Anderson is one of Santos former students. She is working on an advanced degree in educational leadership. She remembers being fearful of statistics classes even though she had a history of doing well in math classes. After the first, I think it was one or two lectures, I felt completely incompetent. I felt like all of the other students knew what was going on, I didnt know anything. Anderson said she thought she would fail the class. She even called some friends crying, saying theres no way that I have the ability to do this. After the concerns at the start, Anderson said she made friends with other students who offered help. She also spent one-on-one time with Santo going over the material and followed issues of interest so she could ask deeper questions that helped her understand the class better. But the biggest reason she sought extra help? She did not want to be seen as an impostor -- someone who did not belong in the class. I think its almost like someones going to catch you and so youre trying to work to stay ahead of that. So its sort of like well, I know if I just stay like one foot ahead, it wont be possible. Anderson said her fear of being seen as not good enough made her work very hard. Study results MacArthur and Santo wrote about their study in the Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education. They noted that problems with statistics classes can present a barrier to graduation. Santo said the level of concern about statistics has always surprised him. He said he often tries to let his students know that math in statistics classes is more practical, or useful in everyday life. But he said it is important for students to accept that they are dealing with math questions that do not have clear answers. That is different from other kinds of math problems. Santo said students are used to doing work that results in a right answer. But in a statistics class for psychology or sociology, they should accept the idea that research data does not always produce clear results. Santo also said statistics professors should find ways to make students feel comfortable asking for help. For these students, if theyre stressed out to the point that theyre avoiding it or avoiding talking to their teachers, or avoiding asking for help, thats going to have a long-term impact on their grades. Anderson said sometimes students set up roadblocks for themselves. In this case, she said, the students create a barrier to success by thinking they are not good at math. Anderson offered suggestions for people to get past those roadblocks: Ask questions and find other people who are facing similar roadblocks. The only unsuccessful students Ive ever seen are those that dont ask questions, Anderson said. Im Dan Friedell Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on his interviews with Santo and Anderson and a story in The Conversation. Quiz - Women Are Better at Statistics than They Think Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story degree n. a certificate showing the completion of school gender n. male or female scoren. a way to keep track of points or goals or how someone does on an exam, in school often the number of points out of 100 confidentlyadv. describing someone who does something without worry or concern advancedadj. something that is at a higher level than something else lecturen. a talk or presentation by a professor or teacher incompetent adj. used to describe a person who is not good at something impostor n. a person pretending to be someone else barrier n. something that blocks movement from one place to another stress n. a state of mental tension and worry impact n. an influence or effect _______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of the students concerns about statistics? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. A Middleton man suspected of attacking a woman in a Walmart parking lot on Friday was arrested after the tires of her stolen vehicle were flattened during a chase, police reported. At about 7:45 a.m. Friday, the woman was loading groceries in the parking lot at Walmart, 4198 Nekoosa Trail, when she was attacked and had her 2013 Land Rover stolen. An employee who came to her aid was injured, Madison police said. At about 10:30 a.m., the Columbia County Sheriffs Office Dispatch Center was notified by the Sauk County Sheriffs Office Dispatch Center that they had just terminated a pursuit of the 2013 Land Rover, which was believed to be heading east on Highway 60 entering Columbia County, Lodi Police Chief Wayne Smith said in a statement. At about 10:35 a.m., a Columbia County Sheriffs Office sergeant saw the Land Rover heading east on Highway 60 just west of Lodi, and Smith attempted a traffic stop of the Land Rover in Lodi, but the driver refused to stop, Smith said. A short time after the pursuit began, a second Lodi officer deployed a tire deflation device on the Land Rover, which headed out of town south on Highway 113, eventually crossing into Dane County. The pursuit speeds were reduced due to the tires of the Land Rover being deflated, and eventually the vehicle spun out and came to a stop, Smith said. The person who was driving the Land Rover then tried to flee on foot but was quickly arrested, Smith said. The driver, Keewan J. Singleton, 34, was taken to the Columbia County Jail on tentative charges of felony eluding, operating a motor vehicle without the owners consent and miscellaneous traffic offenses. Madison and the Sauk County authorities may have additional charges, Smith said. No injuries were reported, but the incident resulted in minor damage to the Land Rover and a Columbia County Sheriffs Office squad car, Smith said. Whats new for the school year? Six school districts across Dane County shared updates on long term projects and previews into new initiatives ahead of the 2022-23 school year: Deforest Two major Deforest School District construction projects are on scheduled to be finished this summer, marking the end of several projects completed after the district passed its 2019 referendum, spokesperson Rebecca Toetz said. Among those projects, the entire center portion of Yahara Elementary School was completely renovated to provide innovative special education and core classroom learning spaces, art and music classrooms were relocated, and flexible areas within the new library media center were added including a Makerspace for students to innovate, engineer, and create, Toetz said. The district is also on schedule to complete a construction project at the high school, which aims to integrate the districts alternative program into the high school building and establish a new library media center with an integrated media lab and small group instruction spaces. The high schools science wing, career technical education classrooms, and media rooms will all be new and open, to support hands-on learning for students. Deforest also plans to launch a community initiative to focus on supporting the social and emotional learning of students, with different themes each month. Middleton-Cross Plains A two-year-long high school campus renovation project is complete just in time for the start of the 2022-23 school year, Middleton Cross Plains Superintendent Dana Monogue said. The renovated school will welcome approximately 2,400 students, of the districts roughly 7,200 enrollment, onto its new campus. That new campus will house both Middleton High School and Clark Street Community School. The high school stadium complex is currently undergoing renovation which is expected to conclude in the spring. Stoughton The Stoughton Area School District has several training opportunities planned for August, along with some new elementary school initiatives going into the 2022-23 school year, district spokesperson Abby Sharp said. Among new plans and programs for the school year, the district was awarded a $90,000 grant from Dane County to hire a mental health coordinator, to support student behavior and mental health. Trainings will take place August 8-9 and 11-12 and will focus on restorative justice a method of enforcing discipline through proactive action and dialogue, rather than punishment and emergency response management. Elementary school programs will focus on building family and community relationships. This last year our district and school worked hard to rebuild a culture of learning and belonging in all our schools, Erin Conrad, Kegonsa Elementary Principal, said. We want to extend our work around belonging to include our families. The effort includes a low-key weekly gathering called Families in the Playground, to give parents and guardians the opportunity to meet their students classmates and to exchange contact information with other parents and guardians for playdates. We believe that when we know one another, it's easier to care for one another. Our kids see that care. It's a ripple effect, Conrad said. At Fox Prairie Elementary School, staff and students will be assigned to small, multi-age groups that meet at least once a month to build community. The groups plan to focus on themes such as integrity and being grateful. Sun Prairie With the completion of Sun Prairie West High School, the district will shift from one comprehensive grade 10-12 school to two grade 9-12 grade schools at the start of the school year. Over the summer, Sun Prairie East High School underwent $5 million in changes to create more collaborative learning environments, district spokesperson Patti Lux said. The district plans to relocate Prairie Phoenix Academy, its alternative school, to a new space and the old building will be torn down this fall. The district also plans to convert and consolidate different buildings into three schools for students in grades 6-8. Grand opening events will be held on Aug. 28 and Sept. 19. Verona At the end of the 2021-22 school year, the Verona Area School District completed its first year of in-person learning in the brand new Verona Area High School, funded by a 2017 facilities referendum that also included other upgrades, district spokesperson Marcie Pfeifer-Soderbloom said. Over the summer, the district focused on routine projects to maintain existing facilities and to prepare them for the upcoming school year. Those summer projects included boiler replacement as well as roof and walkway upkeep. Staff also spent time in the summer completing safety inspections of all playground equipment, waxing floors, and making sure each building is ready to welcome students at the start of the school year, Pfeifer-Soderbloom said. Wisconsin Heights Wisconsin Heights Elementary School is currently under construction to combine grades 4K-12 onto one campus for the 2022-23 school year, district administrator Jordan Sinz said. Having a new elementary school for our students, staff, and community is very exciting, he said. The Wisconsin Heights School District also took the lead on applying for a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation grant to create a "grow your own" teacher education program in an effort to combat the ongoing staffing crisis felt in schools across the county, state and nation. Cambridge, Lodi, and Sauk Prairie school district joined Wisconsin Heights to form a consortium that was awarded a $264,000 grant to support the program, Sinz said. Other Dane County school districts did not respond to a request for information regarding new projects for the coming school year. Power was fully restored to UW Hospital Saturday evening after a malfunction to one of the buildings electrical transformers caused the emergency department to divert patients for more than five hours while power to critical infrastructure and equipment ran on a backup generator. The cause of the power outage at University Hospital was related to one of the buildings electrical transformers. It was resolved within hours and the hospital is back on normal utility power, UW Health spokesperson Emily Kumlien said in a statement Sunday. Around 1 p.m. Saturday, an electrical transformer at the Madison hospital malfunctioned. The transformer shut off power in the hospital and hospital staff had to begin diverting patients from the emergency room. Power to critical infrastructure and equipment was immediately restored through a backup generator system, UW Health said in a statement Saturday. The backup system meant the hospital was never without power, UW Health spokesperson Gian Galassi told the Wisconsin State Journal on Saturday. Still, the hospitals emergency department was placed on full patient diversion until around 6:15 p.m. Saturday evening, according to UW Health. The hospital said the diversion was put in place out of an abundance of caution. Kumlien did not provide specifics Sunday regarding the cause of the electrical transformer malfunction. A developer wants to demolish the shuttered Market Square Theater on Madisons West Side to build a $22 million development that includes housing, commercial space and parking. The proposal and a separate plan for a four-story, mixed-use redevelopment at a nearby site are the first major projects offered since the city approved a sweeping Odana Area Plan in September for housing and mixed-use developments in a 1,044-acre area roughly bordered by the Beltline, Mineral Point Road and University Research Park. Apex Real Estate Holdings and Walter Wayne Development are proposing to demolish the former movie theater at 6604 Odana Road to build the six-story project offering about 98 apartments, 2,500 square feet of commercial space and two levels of parking. The five-screen theater, built in 1989 and known for its affordable prices, initially went dark at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 but reopened in September 2021. It abruptly closed again in February. The property is assessed at $435,000. It would be costly to retrofit the 20,374-square-foot building, so Apex looked to the Odana Area Plan for guidance on a redevelopment project, said Bruce Bosben, chairman of Apex Real Estate Holdings. Apex also owns the Market Square shopping center at 6692 Odana. Currently, the Odana area lacks a sense of place, with acres of empty parking lots, vacant storefronts, and limited housing without meaningful access to open space, the area plan says. The Odana Area Plan takes into account the changing retail landscape and the citys housing and transportation goals, said City Council President Keith Furman, 19th District, who represents the area. It calls for more mixed-use development and higher density to take advantage of its proximity to the Beltline and future bus rapid transit. Its like theyre trying to make it more mixed-use rather than a commercial desert, Bosben said. I think its a great idea. As Apex finalizes its plans, Northpointe Development and DreamLane Real Estate are proposing to tear down The White House Shoppes, 6706-14 Odana Road, to build a four-story project with 124 lower-cost apartments, about 5,000 square feet of commercial space and parking, according to documents submitted to the city and a blog post by Furman announcing a virtual neighborhood meeting on the project on Aug.10. There are currently six active leases at the 1970s-era White House Shoppes; they expire by May 2024. Developers are asking tenants if they want to lease space in the new building, according to the developers request for city Affordable Housing Fund support. The housing would be targeted to several tiers of income limits with 75 units set aside for those making no more than 60% of the Dane County area median income, or $62,280 for a household of three. The developers declined to discuss details until after the neighborhood meeting. These new development projects are the first major proposals since the adoption of the (area) plan and will help start reshaping the area into a vibrant new community that will include more green space, better transportation networks, housing, retail and employment opportunities, Furman said. Im hopeful these proposals will also encourage more mixed usage as well. The Apex proposal would include about 98 market-rate apartments, although some units would be smaller and offer fewer amenities to allow a rental cost of under $1,000 a month, Bosben said. The roughly 2,500 square feet of commercial space would face South Yellowstone Drive, he said. He did not know what type of business might move into the space. The building would offer one level of underground parking and some structured parking on the first floor, he said. The second and sixth floors would feature patio space with grills and other amenities for residents, and the project would also include a conference room, co-working space, sauna, and dog-washing and bike-repair stations, he said. Were trying to be as user-friendly as possible, he said. At a recent neighborhood meeting, residents at the adjacent Normandy Square senior apartments, built at 6509 Normandy Lane in 2019, voiced concerns about the Apex project causing disruptions during construction and other possible impacts, such as increased traffic. Apex hopes to submit a formal land-use application in September and start the project in the spring of 2023, Bosben said. This State Journal editorial ran on Aug. 6, 1872, three months before President Ulysses Grant, a Republican, easily won reelection over New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley, including in Wisconsin. Greeley ran as a Liberal Republican but also gained support from the Democratic Party, which viewed him as the only chance to defeat Grant. Greeley died shortly after the election: There is some question as to whose circus Horace Greeley belongs to. He said in his speech that the Democrats were no less Democrats, and he was no less a Republican, on account of Greeleys (Democratic) nomination. U.S. Sen. Charles Sumner says Greeley is an old abolitionist, and declares that Democrats are converted to Greeley abolitionists. Down in Kendall County, Illinois, the honest Democrats go for President Grant and declare they cannot support Greeley. They do not believe in casting out devils through ... the prince of devils. U.S. Sen. Carl Schurz claims Greeley as a civil service reformer, and the temporary chairman of the Cincinnati Convention repudiates him as not a liberal. In Louisiana, the Democrats cant unite on Greeley. They say they cant do it because Greeley is obnoxious. The Mobile Register asks if it is supposed that the Democratic and Conservative party will abdicate and allow the election to be fought under a Liberal Republican flag. ... The Georgia Constitutionalist finds 114 Democratic papers that refuse to support the Greeley ticket in any way. From present appearances, the inspired Harlequin (Greeley), we quote from the Chicago Tribune, will not be on exhibition after Nov. 5. The people will not patronize a concern where the chief performers are quarrelling about the party flag, and dont agree which circus the inspired Harlequin belongs to. Of all the political grandstanding this campaign season in Wisconsin, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toneys sad stunt is among the worst. Hes fanning irrational fears of voter fraud which has become disturbingly common in Republican primaries and hes throwing the book at ordinary people who made small mistakes when casting ballots to participate in their democracy. Awkwardly, Toney even charged a Trump supporter voting for the first time in the 2020 election. Toneys rash approach to the law doesnt instill confidence in his bid to become attorney general. The Wisconsin State Journal editorial board isnt endorsing in any of Tuesdays primary races. As usual, well wait for the general election to recommend candidates. Yet statewide voters should remember Toneys willingness to harass and harm people for perceived and narrow political advantage. Toney charged five Fond du Lac County residents with election fraud for using a UPS Store as their voting address. This includes Jamie Wells, 53, who said her vote for then-President Donald Trump in 2020 was the first time she cast a ballot. She told Wisconsin Watch she didnt know state law requires a residential address to register to vote. The law makes an exception for people without traditional housing, but that requires more documentation. Wells and her husband, whom Toney also charged, have used the UPS Store in Fond du Lac as their address for decades. They dont have a residential address, Wells said, because the couple lives in a 42-foot trailer. Her husband works on farms across the state, so they live in the camper. Yet they consider Fond du Lac their home. Toney seems to think Im a criminal, Wells told Wisconsin Watch in a recent report in the State Journal. And thats the part that upsets me most. Every voter should be upset, not just the handful Toney is trying to make into examples. More than 150 other people across Wisconsin used post office boxes as addresses during the same election, and they arent being prosecuted. A warning not to do it again would have been the commonsense solution. But Toney wants to appeal to Trumps staunchest followers in Tuesdays GOP primary election. Trump has lied about widespread voter fraud which doesnt exist to try to explain away his loss to President Joe Biden. Trump all but requires GOP candidates seeking his endorsement to regurgitate his false claims. Yet dozens of court rulings, independent audits and official recounts have consistently shown that Biden won, including by more than 20,000 votes in Wisconsin. The few discrepancies Trump loyalists have uncovered dont come close to changing that. And in Wells case, throwing out her vote would have widened Bidens victory. Toney no doubt hoped that criminally charging a handful of Fond du Lac area residents for using post office boxes as voting addresses would convince more Trump supporters to back him in Tuesdays primary. He faces Adam Jarchow and Karen Mueller for the GOP nomination. The winner will challenge Democratic incumbent Attorney General Josh Kaul on Nov. 8. But fraud charges should apply to people trying to deceive not to an honest mistake involving a single ballot. The Wellses have been used as political props and shouldnt be threatened with felonies carrying penalties of up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Even the $500 fine and court costs Toney secured against a different defendant, after dismissing a felony count for a misdemeanor conviction, seems excessive. Wells said she and her husband have had to borrow money to cover what they expect will be about $17,000 in legal bills. At the state GOP convention, Toney touted himself as one the most aggressive prosecutors of election fraud in Wisconsin. By charging Wells and other eligible voters with felonies, Toney has shown hes one of the most irresponsible and foolish. Wisconsin State Journal editorial board The views expressed in the editorials are shaped by the board, independent of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper. STAFF MEMBERS KELLY LECKER, Executive editor SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial page editor PHIL HANDS, Editorial cartoonist COMMUNITY MEMBERS JANINE GESKE SUSAN SCHMITZ Wisconsin State Journal editorial board The views expressed in the editorials are shaped by the board, independent of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper. STAFF MEMBERS KELLY LECKER, Executive editor SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial page editor PHIL HANDS, Editorial cartoonist COMMUNITY MEMBERS JANINE GESKE SUSAN SCHMITZ TWIN FALLS Those attending Saturdays Magic Valley Beer Festival enjoyed warm weather, good music and cold beer. With 120 beers by 48 brewers to choose from, I think a lot of people who come here have a strategy, said Jennifer Moss of the Blue Lakes Rotary Club, which sponsored the annual event, in its 11th year. Some people might stick to porters, others to IPAs, Moss said. No matter what beer they chose, they got something good. It was common to hear those attending encouraging others on what beers to select with their allotted tickets. Marshall Bolen, visiting from Boise, enjoyed himself. This is great, Bolen said, taking notice of the setting and the unique City Park bandshell where Front Porch Flavor was playing, belting out tunes from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty. The Heath Clark Band and Shenanigans were also scheduled to perform. The Blue Lakes Rotary Club raised $58,000 last year that went toward various local charities and Moss hoped for a similar amount this year. A good chunk of this years money will go toward the planned Childrens Museum of the Magic Valley. A silent auction was held, and raffle items included a grill and kayak. Some 900 tickets were sold prior to the festival and tickets were available at the gate, along with $10 tickets for designated drivers. 10 years of beer and more beer: Magic Valley Beer Festival returns this weekend The Magic Valley Beer Festival is returning to Twin Falls City Park for its 10th year with even more brewers. BOISE Chad Martin never thought hed find himself cleaning up a students blood in the aftermath of a school shooting. But, not wanting to put that burden on others, the superintendent of the Jefferson County School District and members of his staff did just that after a May 2021 shooting at the districts Rigby Middle School that left two students and a staff member injured. There were more surreal moments like when FBI agents with machine guns were striding across the school campus, or when a parent saw his injured child being put in an ambulance. More than a year after the shooting, Martin reflected on that unforgettable day with education leaders from across the state at the Idaho Association of School Administrators Conference at the Boise Centre. Wednesdays presentation was especially timely in light of the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 students and two teachers dead. With the school year around the corner and safety foremost on administrators minds, Martin discussed what Rigby has done to prevent violence, protect students, and heal a community in the wake of a shooting that left indelible marks. It was hell in all honesty, he said of the shooting. But if we can help another district to avoid that, its worth sharing. The shooting sparked change in Jefferson County Another incident, which also occurred last school year, contributed to change in Jefferson County. In September, a second student brought a gun to Rigby Middle School. We thought the first one was bad, try doing that to your community twice, Martin said. Thats when all hell broke loose for us from a community level. One similarity from both incidents stood out: both students brought guns to the school in backpacks. That drove Martin to make a decision that he said has been his most unpopular banning backpacks. Students could still bring guns to school in other ways, but Martin hoped to make it more difficult. Plus, he didnt want other students to become anxious as they sat in class looking at backpacks and wondering what was in them. Kids responded by bringing their books to school in creative ways using sleds or shopping carts instead. The backpack ban even made national news. Community outcry prompted the district to switch to clear backpacks. It doesnt fix everything but it reduces student anxiety, Martin said. The district has made other changes, too. Rigby Middle Schools assistant principal, Whitney Wagoner, doubles as a student safety coordinator. Wagoner has helped develop initiatives like Dads on Duty and Hope Squad, a peer support program that empowers kids to help kids. But Martin said the best thing the district has done is create a multi-disciplinary threat team which includes juvenile probation officers, local law enforcement, mental health agencies, counselors, and administrators. The team meets weekly to discuss students and put puzzle pieces together. After a shooting, investigations usually show that a variety of people knew a little bit about the shooter, but they hadnt connected those pieces to see the whole picture, Martin said. The team meetings are an effort to change that and get ahead of things. The hope is to identify kids who need counseling or interventions to stop issues before they become tragedies. More school resource officers and deputized staff help the effort Since the shooting, the district has added two more school resource officers for a total of four who work in schools. The day of the shooting, the SRO who usually works at the middle school was gone, and the other SRO was not on site at the time of the incident. The district also has three staff members who are deputized and carry concealed weapons at their schools. Bryan Lords, the principal at Rigby High School, is one of them. Weve got 2,100 students at our high school, he said. One SRO is not enough. In the event of a shooting, deputized administrators or teachers become law enforcement at that moment, he said. Lords became deputized in 2018 after seeing similar programs in out-of-state districts where hed worked. He went through a 16-week training program and spends 120 hours a year re-certifying. The day of the Rigby shooting, he grabbed his gun and went to help. He supervised the handcuffed shooter so another officer could help a wounded student. Lords stressed that he already had a relationship with local law enforcement officers otherwise, running onto campus with a gun during a shooting would be a bad idea. But, he added, the best way to prevent shootings is to form relationships with kids and to talk to them. If one adult cares, they could be the person who helps minimize a shooting, he said, giving the example of the Rigby teacher who hugged and disarmed the shooter. Communication and reunification are key Shootings are usually over before law enforcement gets there, Martin told administrators Wednesday. You are the first responders. When he arrived on scene of the May 2021 shooting, a victim was on the sidewalk and a teacher was already disarming the shooter. An officer arrested the shooter, and shortly after that parents started arriving. Martin advised administrators to be the calm in the chaos, and that communication is key. Martin notified the victims parents, then sent out a mass communication telling parents that if they hadnt been contacted, their student was okay. But community members were also getting misinformation from their students or social media, which was hard to manage. Communicating with teachers and other schools proved difficult as well. For example, Martin inadvertently left the high school on lockdown for too long and some classes were starting to get ready to use their emergency buckets as toilets. The reunification process was also chaotic. Martin urged schools to practice that process and have a plan in place. He also added items to his districts emergency supply cache games for students to play while waiting for their parents, reunification cards for families to fill out when they pick up a student, bullhorns and extra batteries, snacks and identification lanyards for volunteers. Volunteers come out of the woodwork to help during crises like this, and Martin urged administrators to appoint someone to coordinate efforts because the offers to help while appreciated can be overwhelming. Martin also described weathering a storm of media members from across the country who relentlessly pushed for information. And he urged district offices to take as much off the plate of the affected school as possible in terms of managing parents, communicating with the community, or even cleaning up blood. But even once students are home safe and school has resumed, the work is far from over. The district renewed its focus on mental health and active-shooter drills The shooting created ripples of trauma throughout the community, Martin said. Recovery begins when the event ends, and I dont know when recovery ends because were not there yet. When school resumed in May 2021, the district brought in counselors, therapy dogs, and additional substitutes in case teachers couldnt finish the day. Richard Howard, the principal at Rigby Middle School, said that for the first six months after the shooting, some students were especially sensitive. Even just hearing the word gun could trigger a stress response and interrupt learning. One teacher asked to teach half days, and the district lost three to four staff members because of the shooting. Mental health is real, Martin said. Honestly, thats where were lacking. Thats got to be foremost. And sometimes mental health priorities conflict with the need for practicing safety protocols. The district will be conducting an active shooter drill in a few weeks, Martin said, and he is worried about the effect it will have. That scares me because it will reopen wounds, but its something we have to do. In the past, the district has trained teachers to lock the doors and hide themselves and their students during active shooter drills. This year, that will change. The district will be implementing ALICE training, which gives teachers response options like barricading doors, breaking windows, and using alternative escape routes. We are not going to just lock doors and hope, he said. Opinion: Imagine you are new to Idaho. Youve left your trusted longtime physician behind, and now you need a new primary care doctor. How are you supposed to judge whether a new doctor is qualified, gives good advice and will take good care of you? So you pick one off of your insurers website and hope shes a good one. A week before the House of Representatives approved a ban on assault weapons, a federal judge in Denver explained why such laws are unlikely to pass constitutional muster. House Democrats either were not paying attention or did not care because they view the Second Amendment as an outmoded provision that imposes no meaningful limits on gun control. Unfortunately for them, the Supreme Court has repeatedly held otherwise, ruling that the government may not prohibit law-abiding Americans from keeping handguns at home or carrying them in public for self-defense. The Court also has said the Second Amendment covers bearable arms in common use for lawful purposes, which presents a problem for Democrats who want to ban many of the most popular rifles sold in the United States. On July 22, U.S. District Judge Raymond P. Moore, an Obama appointee, issued a temporary restraining order that bars Superior, Colorado, from enforcing its ban on assault weapons. The city defines that category to include semi-automatic center-fire rifles that accept detachable magazines and have any of four features: a pistol grip, a folding or telescoping stock, a flash suppressor, or a barrel shroud. Two gun-rights groups argued that Superiors ordinance, which also bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, violated the Second Amendment. Moore concluded that they had a strong likelihood of success on the merits. Moore noted that the plaintiffs had cited statistics to support their claim that the guns and magazines targeted by Superiors ordinance are commonly used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes. He also mentioned an earlier case in his court where both sides had stipulated that semiautomatic firearms are commonly used for multiple lawful purposes, including self-defense, and that lawfully owned semiautomatic firearms using a magazine with the capacity of greater than 15 rounds number in the tens of millions. Under the Supreme Courts test, Moore said, those facts mean that the right to possess, sell, or transfer the arms covered by Superiors ordinance is presumptively protected. The burden is therefore on the city to show that its ban is consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. That will be a formidable challenge, Moore suggested. The Court is unaware of historical precedent that would permit a governmental entity to entirely ban a type of weapon that is commonly used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, whether in an individuals home or in public, he said. Like Superiors ordinance, the bill that the House narrowly approved on July 29 covers large capacity magazines and includes a general definition of assault weapons, although its list of prohibited features is slightly different. It also bans many specific models by name. During the debate over the bill, Democrats said the rifles they want to ban are the weapon of choice for mass shooters, which is not true: Most mass shooters use handguns. Democrats said the features targeted by the bill make rifles especially deadly, which also is not true: With or without those features, a rifle fires the same ammunition at the same rate with the same muzzle velocity. Even while implying that the rifles covered by the ban are good for nothing but mass murder, Democrats emphasized that the bill would exempt the 24 million or so assault weapons that Americans already own. They refused to grapple with the constitutional implications of banning guns that millions of people use for lawful purposes. When confronted by that reality, Republicans noted, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said, The problem is that they are in common use. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), the bills sponsor, likewise had no patience for Second Amendment arguments, saying, Spare me the BS about constitutional rights. Unlike Nadler and Cicilline, federal judges like Moore cannot ignore the constitutional issue raised by this sort of legislation. Democrats will have to comply with the constraints imposed by the Second Amendment, no matter how much they might wish that it did not exist. BOISE The Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit that challenges Idahos restrictive abortion law, arguing that it conflicts with a federal law requiring doctors to provide pregnant women medically necessary treatment that could include abortion. The federal government brought the lawsuit seeking to invalidate the states criminal prohibition on providing abortions as applied to women suffering medical emergencies, Attorney General Merrick Garland said. The announcement is the first major action by the Justice Department challenging a state trigger law since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. The courts decision has led some states to enact restrictive abortion laws and is likely to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states in the U.S. The Justice Department brought the suit because federal prosecutors believe Idahos law would force doctors to violate the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a federal law that requires anyone coming to a medical facility for emergency treatment to be stabilized and treated, Garland said. Idahos law would make it a criminal offense for doctors to provide the emergency medical treatment that federal law requires, Garland said. Idaho, like many Republican-led states, has several anti-abortion laws on the books, creating a legal quagmire now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade. The law targeted by the Justice Department criminalizes all abortions, subjecting anyone who performs or attempts to perform an abortion to a felony punishable by between two and five years in prison. People who are charged under the law could defend themselves against the criminal allegations by arguing that the abortion was done to save a pregnant person from death, or that it was done after the pregnant person reported that they were a victim of rape or incest to a law enforcement agency and provided a copy of that report to the abortion provider. Under the Idaho law, once effective, any state or local prosecutor can subject a physician to indictment, arrest, and prosecution merely by showing that an abortion has been performed, without regard to the circumstances, the Department of Justice wrote in the lawsuit. The law then puts the burden on the physician to prove an affirmative defense at trial. Advocates for sexual assault survivors have said the rape and incest exception is essentially useless, because Idahos public record law doesnt allow law enforcement agencies to release reports when a case is still under investigation a process that generally takes weeks or months. Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, a family physician, and a regional Planned Parenthood organization have already sued over the abortion ban and two other anti-abortion laws in the Idaho Supreme Court, which is expected to hear arguments in the case on Wednesday. In the lawsuit, Gustafson contends that the exception for medical emergencies is vague and impossible to interpret. It would be very difficult, if not impossible, for me to implement the medical exception and provide care to a pregnant person whose life may be at risk, wrote Gustafson, noting that some serious pregnancy-related medical conditions like preeclampsia can cause death though it is not guaranteed to do so. Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, said the U.S. Supreme Court gave states the ability to regulate abortion, end of story. He promised to work with the states attorney general, Lawrence Wasden, to defend the law. The U.S. Justice Departments interference with Idahos pro-life law is another example of Biden overreaching yet again, Little said in a prepared statement. Wasden, also a Republican, said the lawsuit was politically motivated and said the Justice Department should have reached out to Idaho some time over the past six weeks work out the issue. Instead of complying with the requirements of this provision, Wasden said, referencing the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or even attempting to engage Idaho in a meaningful dialogue on the issue, the federal government has chosen to waste taxpayer dollars on an unnecessary lawsuit. Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea praised the Justice Departments lawsuit in a prepared statement, saying the states Republican politicians would rather let a pregnancy kill a person than allow them to receive an abortion. Idahos radical abortion ban gives health care providers an impossible choice: withhold medically necessary care or face prison time, Necochea said. In states where these bans have gone into effect, providers are waiting for medical conditions to worsen before assisting their pregnant patients, increasing the risk of sepsis and other life-threatening complications. This is immoral. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last month informed hospitals that they must provide abortion services if the life of the mother is at risk, saying federal law on emergency treatment guidelines preempt state abortion bans if the bans dont have adequate exceptions for medical emergencies. In response, the state of Texas sued the federal government, contending that the guidance from the Biden administration is unlawful and that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act does not cover abortions. That case is still pending. Cynical Democrats have cause to rejoice. They decry Republican voters who embrace GOP candidates who spout the lie that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. At the same time, they do their utmost to make sure big-lie believers win GOP primaries so that Democrats are more likely to win in November. On Monday, Rep. Peter Meijer, a House Republican who voted to impeach Trump, warned that he could lose the primary in Michigans third House district thanks to Democrats funding of his MAGA rival, John Gibbs. In 2016, Gibbs claimed Hillary Clinton stalwart John Podesta had taken part in Satanic rituals. He also believes President Joe Biden didnt really win in 2020. Tuesday, Meijer met the train he saw coming. Writing on Substacks Common Sense the day before the election, Meijer warned that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (or DCCC) spent $435,000 in a naked political gambit, ostensibly to warn Michigan Republicans that Gibbs was too conservative when really, too conservative is music to grassroot ears. Talk about putting party interests over country. Democrats denounce Republicans who believe the big election lie as delusional and bad for democracy. Then they help the crazies win GOP primaries to make the general election field more friendly to their side. Its an ugly trend. In July, state lawmaker Dan Cox won the GOP primary for Maryland governor after the Democratic Governors Association poured more than $1 million into his campaign. The Democrats feared a win by Kelly Schulz, who had the support of the popular but term-limited GOP Gov. Larry Hogan. Cox claims the 2020 election was stolen, so the chances of winning a state where, according to Pew Research, Democrat-leaning adults outnumber Republican-leaners by some 23% theyre not good. But then, Trump doesnt care if his primary picks lose in November. He just wants all the candidates to kiss his ring. And if his ring-kissers lose, hell say the election was rigged. For their part, the Democrats feel no shame for their dirty tricks. On Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press, the DCCC put out a news release attacking Gibbs as a far-right extremist who was carried over the finish line in his primary only by the most fringe elements of his party. Thats inaccurate. Gibbs was carried over the finish line by fringe voters and dirty-trick Democrats. They think theyre so wonderful its completely fine for them to deceive voters so that they can pick vulnerable opponents. Where this approach prevails, every election becomes a choice between the lesser of two evils. Its been just since her retirement that Genie Elgin has been able to devote herself to art and that dedication has been rewarded with the Peoples Choice award at Piedmont Arts for one of her pieces. She retired from the Martinsville post office in 2018. She first heard about Piedmont Arts Expressions exhibit, she said, when Piedmont Arts supporter Will Gravely was at the post office one day and encouraged her to enter her art in it. Genie Elgin has been participating in Expressions since 2018 and has one multiple awards throughout the years. This year she was awarded first place in drawing and the Peoples Choice award for her drawing Mystical Touch. Peoples Choice is voted on by visitors to the museum throughout the time Expressions is open, and the winner is announced on its closing day, which was July 29. Mystical Touch is a pencil drawing of a hand, modeled after Elgins own hand, with butterflies alighted upon it. The background of the drawing features detailed depictions of plants and flowers and a chameleon, lady bugs, a bee and caterpillars. Im just so grateful to the people, Elgin said. Because working with people in customer service for over 40 years Ive always liked people, and by them voting for me it just meant a whole lot. She has been into art since she was 4 years old, she said, growing up in an artistic family. That exposed her to different artistic formats throughout her early childhood. Any free -time in my whole life was spent drawing or making some kind of art, she said. Having won for art judged by professionals and by area residents, Elgin said, when its judged, you feel like your hard work paid off for all the hours that youve been trying to have time for your skill or talent It just feels good. She was excited to have more time to work on her art after retirement, she said. Along with running her art business, Genies Art, which she started in May 2018, Elgin teaches art and craft classes at multiple locations in the area including the Spencer-Penn Centre, various branches of the Blue Ridge Regional Library and Piedmont Arts. Her friend Jennifer DeLong, the owner of Sweetcakes Bakery in Collinsville, was the first person to commission an art piece from Elgin after she started Genies Art. The commission was a painting for her bakery when it was brand new. DeLong also offered to let her hang other pieces on the wall for sale to customers. Jan Harrison, an early childhood education instructor at Patrick & Henry Community College and a schoolmate of Elgin, suggested that she start hosting paint parties. Elgin began by holding classes at Harrisons church and then she began holding classes for other people. Spencer Penn Centre Executive Director Susan Sabin was one of the people who invited Elgin to hold classes. She has been holding classes at Spencer-Penn since 2018 and just finished a summer class last week. The morning light is the best, Elgin said. She enjoys just taking out paper and pencil and sitting by a window in her house, using the natural sunlight instead of the harsher light of lamps. She likes to experiment with all kinds of mediums, she said, from her pencil drawings, to oil pastel, acrylic, watercolor, Prismacolor pencils and charcoal. She also does a lot of crafting as well. In her pool room, Elgin has displayed a Elvis caricature made from clay pots stacked on top of each other and painted. She uses smaller pots that hang from strings as hands and feet and has made multiple versions; one other piece resembles Dolly Parton. I dont know how my husband puts up with me, because its art 24-seven, Elgin said. Yet it was her husband, Mike Elgin, who bought her her first box of Prismacolor pencils. My husband has always encouraged me, she said. He bought me my first French easel Hes just been real encouraging for forever. Kate Keller has been the president of The Harvest Foundation for two years now, and through the struggles of the pandemic, has emerged with new ideas for the foundation to serve in the Martinsville and Henry County area. Keller and her husband, Craig Keller, have two children: Allie Keller, a junior at Ohio State University, and Charlie Keller, a senior at Northern Guilford High school in North Carolina. The family live in Summerfield, N.C. Kate Keller is from Cincinnati, Ohio. Before coming to The Harvest Foundation, she had worked in health philanthropy and worked for an organization that has a similar past as The Harvest Foundation. She said she was connected to the job at Harvest through a recruiter, had several conversations with the board and found a real connection between what my values are and the values of the board and this organization It was just a great fit. The Harvest Foundation works with its community partners to overall improve the quality of life for everyone who lives and works here, Keller said. Some of their community partners include city and county school systems and governments, economic development organizations, area health care providers and smaller organizations in the area that are interested. Harvest does this in a variety of ways, but the three main areas that they focus on, Keller said, are helping area youth thrive, creating community and building a strong, resilient and diverse economy. I think a lot has changed over the past two years here at Harvest, Keller said. Obviously COVID has a significant role in how we work Internally weve become a much more flexible organization because of the state of the world from the pandemic requiring them to be available to the community in different ways. She added that two years ago The Harvest Foundation started what she called an equity journey where they began diving down and understanding the disparities of our community and the inequities that exist within local systems. From that, she said, Harvest is working to become a more equitable organization. I think that is showing up not only within the staff and how we think about our investments in the community, but also how we make ourselves much more available to the community, Keller said. She added that they have made themselves available to community partners who may not have thought they could have access to Harvest resources. Harvest brings hope to the community, Keller said. I think our focus on bringing hope and rebuilding and taking this community into its future is our greatest strength. We have a lot of community partners who are doing really great work and who are working really hard at it every single day. Harvests overall strategic plan has lots of components to it, Keller said, but they all build up to the concept of bringing hope back to the community in varying different forms. Over the past 10 years, Harvest has seen a lot of growth in the community with job opportunities, wages going up and just general growth in the area, she said. One of their goals now is to find ways to connect people who dont feel like there is a future for themselves to those opportunities and then connect people to each other to help each other, build each other up and build a stronger community. I think COVID had a real strong impact on creating isolation, so getting people back into connection with other people is webbed throughout or strategic plan, she said. Once people have hope, they take action. To achieve this goal, Harvest is in the process of building and rebuilding non-profit networks to connect individuals with each other and those opportunities. A summit is being planned for the fall for area residents, and Harvest is actively looking for even more ways to provide that connectivity to the community, she said. Caught in the slow cogs of Virginia government are guidelines for adding context to war monuments, with experts and officials doubtful of approval anytime soon, even after more than two years in the making. Once on the fast-track for approval, guidelines about adding context onto public memorials for war veterans are now taking the longer route toward completion, while localities sit by awaiting the guidance, said Stephanie Williams, deputy director for Virginia Department of Historic Resources. It just ends up taking a while sometimes, Williams said. We did get a number of objections, so we had to forego the fast-track process and enter into the standard regulatory process. Guidelines for contextualizing war monuments are now in the second of three review rounds, she said. State offices reviewing the regulations include the attorney general, department of planning and budget, secretary of natural and historic resources, and the governor. They each get a whack at it. Some of those agencies technically have deadlines by which they need to complete their review, some dont, Williams said. Sometimes things just get held up. Sometimes some of these agencies meet their review deadlines, and sometimes they dont. A law passed by state legislature in 2020 codified that localities can move or remove their war monuments, as has happened with Civil War statues depicting Confederate leaders in cities such as Charlottesville and Richmond. But officials elsewhere are still waiting on these state guidelines before they go adding context to statues like the Confederate memorial owned by Roanoke County in downtown Salem. It was the subject in 2021 of a judges order for removal, which was then rejected by county leadership. Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Mahoney said the governing body has not recently discussed adding contextual placards to that two-story statue, which features Confederate flags in its detailing. Were kind of treading water, quite frankly. Were waiting to see whats going to happen, Mahoney said. Whenever that state agency puts out the guidelines, well follow those. Adding context to the statue is important to the board, he said. Its a topic where passions run high, especially in recent years. We have a lot of additional issues that are very important, Mahoney said. Were trying to come up with a way without breaking the bank to pay for a new career and technical education facility, were struggling to attract county staff were trying to build a new fire station out in east county, we have gaps being able to provide public services to our citizens, and I think a lot of the board members are really focused on these critical issues. Even after the guidelines are passed, however, nothing is required to be done. Alterations are simply permitted. Mahoney said future changes to any monuments will still be subject to public hearings. It would take some time, because you want to do it right, Mahoney said. You want to give all elements of our citizenry a chance to weigh in. As for when these state guidelines, some 2 1/2 years in the making, are going to see final approval, Williams with DHR said she has no crystal ball. Oh gosh, she said. Your guess is as good as mine. To Bill Leighty, former head of the Virginia Retirement System and chief of staff for previous Gov. Mark Warner, the current governors administration seems poised to continue delaying the promulgation process. My guess would be that they have no desire whatsoever to approve these regulations, Leighty said. In this case, I have no doubt that there are a number of people who are not quite so sure that this needs to happen with the change of administration. So they can take their sweet time making this happen. He said it can take up to 18 months for a regulation to work its way through the system, and thats if the agencies involved really want it to happen. But regulations also require a governors signature for final approval. It is not unusual for the governors office to be backed up on approving regulations generally, and really backed up when they dont like regulations at all, Leighty said. I assume this administration doesnt like the regulations at all. So even when the regulations make it through to the final step of requiring a governors signature, they could be sent back to repeat much of the same process. It is possible for a governor who doesnt like regulations to stymie the effort of the General Assembly in enacting a law, he said. The governors office always has the option of sending them back and saying, I dont like this. You need to do it again. Its one of the reasons, he said, that during his seven years heading the state retirement system, the department never issued any regulations. Because quite frankly, it was easier to go to the General Assembly and change the law than it was to issue the regulation, Leighty said. That would have been a straighter path, to write the contextualization in the law, rather than doing it by regulations. In downtown Marion, you can now get shave and a haircut, two beers. On Friday, the McDowell Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Barber & Beer shop. It is at 41 S. Main St. in the historic building that was for many years known as City Barber Shop. This place is truly a McDowell County and North Carolina landmark because a barber shop of one form or another has operated in that building since 1899. That makes it the oldest one in North Carolina to operate continuously at the same location, according to local officials. Located right beside the McDowell County Courthouse in the heart of downtown, it has been for decades a favorite place to not only get a haircut but for friends to meet friends. The single-story building covers 900 square feet. The new Barber & Beer shop is continuing that more than 100-year-old tradition of providing old-style haircuts and shaves. We are trying to bring back the old tradition of old-timey barber shop, said owner and operator Jamie Mills. Mills purchased the operation after Chris Harris, who owned City Barber Shop, decided to retire from the business. Mills had done his apprenticeship under Harris more than 10 years ago and got his start working there. Mills has done very well for himself since he went out on his own. He regularly travels to cut hair for various celebrities before they go on TV. Some of his clients include WWE wrestlers, the Atlanta Braves and the Asheville Tourists, according to his website. Mills opened Barber & Beer at 244 Governors View Road in Asheville and on Friday, his Marion location was formally inaugurated. The two locations are putting a 21st century cutting edge to the old-time barber shop. At Barber & Beer, you can get a haircut, a beard trim, a haircut and a beard trim and a straight-razor shave, which includes hot towels, warm lather and cold towels. Mills said this is a true shave from the past. There are also haircuts for kids and ones for senior citizens. There is also a military-style cut and buzz cuts. And any customer who is older than 21 and has a valid ID can get a complimentary beer, with two being the maximum. On Friday, the cooler in the back of the building was stocked with craft beverages from Catawba Brewing and Highland Brewing, as well as the popular brands like Pabst Blue Ribbon and Bud Light. The cooler has Bold Rock hard cider along with non-alcoholic drinks like Coca-Cola and Gatorade. Beers are complimentary so please help yourself to one but please remember this is a barbershop not a bar so no more than two beers maximum, reads a notice at the shop. The interior has been updated and a friend of Mills has painted a mural that celebrates downtown Marion. Barber & Beer in Marion will strictly be a walk-in barbershop and everybody is welcome, new and old clients, said Mills. We are here for you. At Fridays ribbon-cutting, Mills was joined by the barbers who will work with him at the Marion location. They are Jordan Dalton, Antonio Perez and Kirk Blinson. The barbers who work at the Asheville location were on hand too. They are Andy Jaime, Logan Warren, Dashawn Sparrow and Gabriel Vargas. Representatives from the McDowell Chamber of Commerce, city of Marion, Marion Business Association and Rotary Club of Marion were there to wish them a big success and welcome them to the city. Its a great concept, said City Manager Bob Boyette. It fits in with the new cool vibe we have here in our downtown. Im excited about your addition to Main Street, said Chamber Director Kim Effler. Tonia Hampton said she is very proud of her son Jamie Mills and his businesses. I am so proud of my son, said Hampton. Hes a remarkable young man. He has a strong entrepreneurial interest. Mills said he is happy to bring his business to Marion. This is my hometown, he told The McDowell News. Ive been here my whole life. It is the first barbershop I ever started out in. Ten years ago, I did my apprenticeship under Chris Harris. I want to emphasize how excited I am to give back to the community that I grew up in. We are a walk-in barber shop that welcomes everybody. Barber & Beer in Marion is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063781263945. Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch have been finger-pointed lately for their partial and often subjective reports. The latest such reports was issued by AI on Thursday August 4 on the war in Ukraine, which accuses the Ukrainian military of endangering the lives of civilians by installing military infrastructure in inhabited areas which are then shelled by the Russian army. Amnestys report angered Ukrainian authorities. Actually, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the NGO of trying to amnesty the Russian terrorist state by putting the victim and the aggressor in a certain way on an equal footing. The decried report also led to the resignation of the head of Amnesty International in Ukraine, Oksana Pokaltchouk who said she outraged by the content of this report. Pokaltchouk even stated in a press release posted on her Facebook page that the said report turned out to be a Russian propaganda tool. If you dont live in a country invaded by occupiers who are dividing it up, you probably dont understand what it is to condemn an army of defenders, added the head of Amnesty in Ukraine, specifying that she had attempted, but in vain, to convince the management of Amnesty International that the report was partial and did not take into account the point of view of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. This Saturday August 6, she announced her resignation from her post. The management of certain international NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have turned the organizations into businesses to steal money from sovereign States, imposing a vision that is often far from reality. In this connection, late last month, Human Rights Watch has once again derailed from its watchdog mission, issuing a politically-motivated heinous report on the state of human rights in Morocco in which allegations are taken as facts! The biased report speaks volumes about the true intentions of this NGO which leads a hostile and systematic campaign against Morocco, without providing the least objective and convincing arguments on the alleged repression of what it calls dissidents. In a 129-page report that is more of a diatribe than an objective compilation, HRW rehashed one-sided stories and statements from a group of self-proclaimed activists who have been using human rights to serve an anti-Moroccan agenda. Many analysts criticized this diatribe/report as it says much about the political intentions of HRW, and how the NGO has betrayed its ideals of objectivity in treating human rights issue. In reacting to the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, many countries, including Morocco, have called for restraint and emphasized the need to restore calm in the region. Morocco is following with great concern the serious deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip, due to the return of acts of violence and fighting, which have caused human casualties and material damage, said in this connection the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement released Saturday. The Foreign Ministry stressed that Morocco, whose Sovereign, King Mohammed VI chairs the Al-Quds Committee, calls for avoiding further escalation and restoring calm so that the situation does not degenerate, thus sparing the region further tensions that jeopardize the chances for peace. While reiterating its constant positions supporting the rights of the Palestinian people, Morocco affirms that the lasting solution to the conflict between the two parties, Palestinian and Israeli, lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian State living side by side with the State of Israel in security and peace, the statement concludes. The UN has also expressed concerns about the serious escalation, saying that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is already dire and can only worsen with this most recent escalation. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council announced it would convene a closed-door emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the latest escalation in the Gaza Strip. The emergency meeting will be held at the request of the United Arab Emirates. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain One in eight people who get coronavirus develop at least one symptom of long COVID, one of the most comprehensive studies on the condition to date suggested on Thursday. With more than half a billion coronavirus cases recorded worldwide since the start of the pandemic, there has been rising concern about the lasting symptoms seen in people with long COVID. However almost none of the existing research has compared long COVID sufferers with people who have never been infected, making it possible that some of the health problems were not caused by the virus. A new study published in The Lancet journal asked more than 76,400 adults in the Netherlands to fill out an online questionnaire on 23 common long COVID symptoms. Between March 2020 and August 2021, each participant filled out the questionnaire 24 times. During that period, more than 4,200 of them5.5 percentreported catching COVID. Of those with COVID, over 21 percent had at least one new or severely increased symptom three to five months after becoming infected. However nearly nine percent of a control group which did not have COVID reported a similar increase. This suggested that 12.7 percent of those who had COVIDaround one in eightsuffered from long-term symptoms, the study said. The research also recorded symptoms before and after COVID infection, allowing the researchers to further pinpoint exactly what was related to the virus. It found that common long COVID symptoms include chest pain, breathing difficulties, muscle pain, loss of taste and smell, and general fatigue. 'Major advance' One of the study's authors, Aranka Ballering of the Dutch University of Groningen, said long COVID was "an urgent problem with a mounting human toll". "By looking at symptoms in an uninfected control group and in individuals both before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, we were able to account for symptoms which may have been a result of non-infectious disease health aspects of the pandemic, such as stress caused by restrictions and uncertainty," she said. The authors of the study said its limitations included that it did not cover later variants, such as Delta or Omicron, and did not collect information about some symptoms such as brain fog, which have since been considered a common sign of long COVID. Another study author, Judith Rosmalen, said "future research should include mental health symptoms" such as depression and anxiety, as well as aspects like brain fog, insomnia and a feeling of malaise after even minor exertion. Christopher Brightling and Rachael Evans, experts from Britain's Leicester University who were not involved in the study, said it was "a major advance" on previous long COVID research because it had an uninfected control group. "Encouragingly, emerging data from other studies" suggests there is a lower rate of long COVID in people who have been vaccinated or infected with the Omicron variant, they said in a linked Lancet comment. Explore further Most reliable estimates to date suggest one in eight COVID-19 patients develop long COVID symptoms More information: Persistence of somatic symptoms after COVID-19 in the Netherlands: an observational cohort study, The Lancet (2022). Journal information: The Lancet Persistence of somatic symptoms after COVID-19 in the Netherlands: an observational cohort study,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01214-4 2022 AFP A new technique can revive the cells and organs of pigs an hour after death, offering hope for future human organ donations. Scientists announced Wednesday they have restored blood flow and cell function throughout the bodies of pigs that were dead for an hour, in a breakthrough experts say could mean we need to update the definition of death itself. The discovery raised hopes for a range of future medical uses in humans, the most immediate being that it could help organs last longer, potentially saving the lives of thousands of people worldwide in need of transplants. However it could also spur debate about the ethics of such proceduresparticularly after some of the ostensibly dead pigs startled the scientists by making sudden head movements during the experiment. The US-based team stunned the scientific community in 2019 by managing to restore cell function in the brains of pigs hours after they had been decapitated. For the latest research, published in the journal Nature, the team sought to expand this technique to the entire body. They induced a heart attack in the anesthetized pigs, which stopped blood flowing through the bodies. This deprives the body's cells of oxygenand without oxygen, cells in mammals die. The pigs then sat dead for an hour. 'Demise of cells can be halted' The scientists then pumped the bodies with a liquid containing the pigs' own blood, as well as a synthetic form of hemoglobinthe protein that carries oxygen in red blood cellsand drugs that protect cells and prevent blood clots. Blood started circulating again and many cells began functioning including in vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidney, for the next six hours of the experiment. "These cells were functioning hours after they should not have beenwhat this tells us is that the demise of cells can be halted," Nenad Sestan, the study's senior author and a researcher at Yale University, told journalists. Co-lead author David Andrijevic, also from Yale, told AFP the team hopes the technique, called OrganEx, "can be used to salvage organs". OrganEx could also make new forms of surgery possible as it creates "more medical wiggle room in cases with no circulation to fix things," said Anders Sandberg of Oxford University's Future of Humanity Institute. The technique could potentially also be used to resuscitate people. However this could increase the risk of bringing back patients to a point where they are unable to live without life supporttrapped on what is called the "bridge to nowhere," Brendan Parent, a bioethicist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a linked comment in Nature. Could death be treatable? Sam Parnia of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine said it was "a truly remarkable and incredibly significant study". It showed that death was not black and white but rather a "biological process that remains treatable and reversible for hours after it has occurred", he said. Benjamin Curtis, a philosopher focused on ethics at the UK's Nottingham Trent University, said the definition of death may need updating because it hinges on the concept of irreversibility. "This research shows that many processes that we thought were irreversible are not in fact irreversible, and so on the current medical definition of death a person may not be truly dead until hours after their bodily functions have stopped," he told AFP. "Indeed, there may be bodies lying in morgues right now that haven't yet 'died', if we take the current definition as valid." During the experiment, pretty much all of the OrganEx pigs made powerful movements with their head and neck, said Stephen Latham, a Yale ethicist and study co-author. "It was quite startling for the people in the room," he told journalists. He emphasized that while it was not known what caused the movement, at no point was any electrical activity recorded in the pigs' brains, showing that they never regained consciousness after death. While there was a "little burst" on the EEG machine measuring brain activity at the time of the movement, Latham said that was probably caused by the shifting of the head affecting the recording. However Curtis said the movement was a "major concern" because recent neuroscience research has suggested that "conscious experience can continue even when electrical activity in the brain cannot be measured". "So it is possible that this technique did in fact cause the subject pigs to suffer, and would cause human beings to suffer were it to be used on them," he added, calling for more research. Explore further Newly developed technology restores cell, organ function in pigs after death More information: Nenad Sestan, Cellular recovery after prolonged warm ischaemia of the whole body, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05016-1 Journal information: Nature Nenad Sestan, Cellular recovery after prolonged warm ischaemia of the whole body,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05016-1 2022 AFP ELMO Residents, firefighters, tourists and rubberneckers on the west shore of Flathead Lake this past week may have noticed something unusual in the air. There is, of course, the massive plume of lung-choking smoke rising from the fast-growing Elmo 2 fire. But flying in formation through that smoke were up to six purpose-built firefighting planes rarely deployed in the U.S., and never deployed in such numbers to the same incident in Montana. The most conspicuous of the fleet are the four yellow-and-red "Super Scoopers" operated by Belgrade-based Bridger Aerospace. Clocking in at $30 million each, the four planes were joined by two nearly identical aircraft operated by Spokane's Aero-Flite. Unlike most other aerial firefighting resources, from single-seat helicopters to massive turbofan-powered air tankers, the CL-415 plane operated by Bridger and Aero-Flite is a unique firefighting machine. Helicopters employed over fires are usually repurposed military helicopters or their civilian aviation counterparts. Air tankers are built from airframes of commercial jets, like the BAe-146 or the DC-10, a storied commercial airline mainstay. Scoopers are commonplace among firefighting aircraft used in Canada and Europe, but are rarely seen in the U.S. The Elmo 2 fire is an anomaly with six scoopers working one blaze. "It's a purpose-built firefighting aircraft the only one in North America," said Will Wood, a Super Scooper pilot for Bridger Aerospace. "This airplane's specifically designed to do this job, so everything about it is really optimized for being over fire and getting the most water delivered to the fire as quickly as possible." The Super Scoopers operated by Bridger are technically CL-415EAF models. The EAF signifies "enhanced aerial firefighter," a designation bestowed by manufacturer Viking Aircraft for the planes Bridger ordered. They feature more powerful engines and are capable of longer flights than the CL-215 firefighting plane the model was developed from. "The interior of the airplane's been stripped out to make it as light as possible," K Mita, Bridger's director of marketing and communications, said inside the fuselage of a Super Scooper parked in Kalispell on Thursday. "Really, the primary goal of this airplane is to carry these two tanks." The tanks carry a combined total of 1,412 gallons of water. The plane can cruise at just over 200 mph and fly as slow as 78 mph, according to Wood, who described "a big range of operating parameters that we can use." The planes can fly for up to four hours before refueling, and pilots can fly up to eight hours daily according to U.S. Forest Service regulations, he said. During those flights, pilots try to make as many laps as possible between a water source and a fire. Another unique factor, and the plane's namesake: A Super Scooper doesn't land or return to a base to refill its tanks. Instead, the plane skims a body of water at around 100 mph while forward-facing intakes on the underside of the fuselage fill the plane's internal tanks by force, without a pump. Once tanks are full, water overflows out of the sides of the plane and the pilots retract the intakes. The filling process take about 12 seconds, allowing for 23-minute laps around a fire. On Thursday afternoon, Northern Rockies Team 7 Public Information Officer Dan McKeague said that the team had "efficiently and effectively" used scoopers to significantly slow the Elmo 2 fire front as it approached a road that ground crews were reinforcing as a fire line. "The other day we did 104 drops on the fire in one day with one airplane," Wood said. "We're doing a whole circuit every two minutes to three minutes. Fourteen-hundred gallons every two minutes from one airplane, and then we've had four to six airplanes doing that. So we're putting up to eight to ten thousand gallons of water on the fire every three minutes, and it's very efficient compared to it's a different tool in the toolbox but we put a lot more product on than the retardant airplanes. They're putting on 3,000 gallons every 40 minutes to an hour. Every two to three minutes we're doing twice that, three times that." But, Wood reiterated, scoopers fill a wholly different purpose than retardant planes: "We're trying to go direct on the fire. They're putting it out in front of the fire so it has something to bump into, slow the fire down." In fact, a whole menu of different aerial resources, each with its own purpose, can be deployed to fight a wildfire, and many of them have already been used on Elmo 2. Planes don't put out fires Pilots in firefighting planes and firefighters on the ground agree: Aircraft don't put out fires firefighters on the ground do that. "Neither of us really put out fires," Wood said of scoopers and air tankers. "We slow the fire down so the ground resources can get in. They're the ones that put out fires, and so we try to support them and keep their operation going, whatever they want on the ground." Before his two seasons flying scoopers, Wood worked Air Attack on wildfires for five years, and he's been flying a variety of planes for more than 40 years. Above the helicopters and planes large and small that work a wildfire, he said, Air Attack coordinates the airshow of various aircraft. "They're kind of like observation platforms," he said, "and they do all the air-traffic control over the fire to keep everybody safe." Generally, when pilots take off in a scooper, they'll communicate first with air-traffic control at the local airport tower, and then they'll check in with the Forest Service. As they approach a fire, pilots check in with Air Attack. "He'll give us a task when we're coming in," Wood said. "He'll kind of pre-brief us when we're coming in so we can get a picture in our head of what we're going to do. Once we come on site he'll give us a target description and he'll get us lined up on the part of the fire that he wants us to work." After that, scooper pilots figure out where to scoop from (Super Scoopers can draw from water as shallow as 6 feet, as short as a mile, and in waves up to 2-feet tall), and then they develop a circuit between their water source and their target. "We make it safe first," Wood said. "And then effective getting water to the fire, and then we try to make it efficient, getting there as quickly as possible." Like helicopters, scooper planes drop water from local sources directly onto flames in an effort to suppress fire. The goal is to dampen fire activity and slow growth so that ground-based firefighters can build lines or protect structures in the path of a blaze. A scooper plane drops its 1,412 gallons of water over about 100 yards. Helicopters drop far less water but they can hover precisely and deliver a water drop to a specific point identified by firefighters on the ground, such as torching trees near a house. Type-I helicopters are heavy-lift helicopters capable of carrying a "Bambi bucket" of up to 700 gallons of water. A helicopter hovers over water and dunks the bucket to fill it, then ferries it to a target to douse. Some helicopters, like the twin-rotor CH-47 Chinook helicopters operated by Columbia Helicopters and Billings Flying Service, are outfitted with an internal tank and snorkel that sucks water into the tank from below the helicopter. Occasionally a Sikorsky S-64 Sky Crane, another heavy-lift helicopter, will work a wildfire. A Sky Crane was making water drops on the Elmo 2 fire Thursday alongside a Chinook. The specialized KMAX single-seat helicopter is also often employed on wildfires. The lighter-duty Bell UH-1 "Huey," iconic for its heavy usage in Vietnam, is a Type-II helicopter. It can carry up to 300 gallons of water in a bucket and is often used by state and federal agencies in wildland firefighting. Type-III helicopters can carry up to 180 gallons of water and are often used for observation and personnel transport. "Helos are great for pinpoint drops," Mita said. "Of course they have the ability to hover, and they really can get down to the nail-drop of a drop where the firefighters need." Out ahead of fires, air tankers drop retardant with the hope of slowing or stopping a fire when it reaches a line of retardant. Retardant foam essentially a mixture of water, dye and ammonium phosphate fertilizer doesn't put out flames. Instead, it makes treated fuels less likely to ignite. "If you think about a house fire," Mita said, "when you have fires coming at you, you want to build a moat around your house to protect from fire, to protect your house from catching on fire. What the retardant guys do is they'll come around and they'll drop the retardant around your house, and basically create a moat to protect your house. The issue is that, when your house is on fire, that's not their role. They're not designed to suppress or extinguish fire. That's where the water comes in." Single-engine air tankers, often referred to as SEATs, can deliver up to 800 gallons of retardant in a drop. SEATs are generally propeller planes operated by a single pilot. They're "ideal for wildfires in lighter fuels like grasses and sagebrush," according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Large air tankers, or LATs, generally feature two or four propeller or jet engines and carry up to 4,000 gallons of retardant. Some, like the BAe-146 aircraft operated by Missoula-based Neptune Aviation, are unusually powerful and maneuverable aircraft for their size, making them ideal for wildland firefighting applications. But when quantity is the utmost consideration, a very large air tanker can be deployed. Referred to as VLATs, this class of firefighting aircraft is primarily the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Carrying up to 10,000 gallons of retardant, there are only four DC-10 VLATs operating in the U.S., and at least one has worked the Elmo 2 fire so far. A variety of entrepreneurs and companies have found limited success operating a converted Boeing 747 carrying up to 20,000 gallons of retardant. The plane, dubbed "Global Super Tanker," was mothballed last year. The plane is set to become a freighter, as it was before becoming a tanker, but another company purchased the tanker's retardant delivery system and hopes to build another 747 into the Global Super Tanker. And above all of those aircraft, most of which were present at Elmo 2 the past week, Air Attack is orchestrating the show. "There are a lot of great assets out there," Mita said, "everything from helicopters, single-engine air tankers, and then you've got the big boys LATs and VLATs. And we kind of have a nice, cool sweet-spot right in the middle of those." FREEDOM! That word is the clarion call of the Republican Party. It is on practically all their parade banners and political signs. It is so widely espoused that it is maddening and confounding that the Republican Party doesnt see the hypocrisy in the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade which took away a womans constitutional right of autonomy and freedom to make decisions about her own life. Women have exercised the freedom to make their own personal health and reproductive decisions for over 50 years, resulting in a general increase in their standard of living. It afforded the freedom to obtain better access to health care and education, increasing the economic wellbeing of their children, family, and the nation. Since the Supreme Courts decision took away a womans constitutional right and deferred the issue to individual state governments, the Republican Party of Montana has pledged to take away that freedom by amending the Montana Constitution, attacking Article II, Part X Right of Privacy: The right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest. There is no predicting the amount of pain, suffering, and economic impact to the women and children in Montana that will be caused by eliminating a womans right and freedom to make her own reproductive decisions without interference by the government. And if the Right of Privacy clause is amended to prohibit abortion, its predictable that other rights or life decisions made that are dependent on privacy by anyone will also be in jeopardy. This is unacceptable. The Ravalli County Democratic Party will not stand by and allow the Republican Party to take away a womans freedom, autonomy, and right to live her life the way she chooses. We will fight to ensure that the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness is guaranteed to all its citizens. Freedom isnt just for those who agree with Republican ideology. Freedom means freedom for everyone. The Ravalli County Republican Party has been busy pushing to get the state party to adopt their resolution that continues to promote propaganda and the lie that the 2020 election was stolen and they have been browbeating their own candidates to take an oath of allegiance to the GOP Party Platform. In contrast, the Ravalli County Democratic Party has passed a resolution that is committed to protect everyones freedoms and our right to privacy. We strongly believe that the government has no place in invading this most intimate aspect of a womans life. We also believe that the notion that life begins at conception is no more correct or deserving of legal protection than the belief that it does not. We want the voters of Ravalli County to know that the Ravalli County Democrats are committed to keeping this issue front and center for the voters of Ravalli County. We will work hard to protect the Montana Constitution from being used as an ideological warclub. Of all the state constitutions in the nation, the Montana State Constitution provides us with the most expansive rights, the strongest protections, and the greatest ability to observe and participate in our government. Protecting the Democratic values enshrined in our state constitution is the highest priority issue facing voters in the next election and the 2023 Legislative Session. The Ravalli County Democrats will do everything in our power to protect freedom for all Montanans now and into the future. Join us in making that happen. Mooresville Arts has two exciting new exhibits on display now at the gallery, which is located at 103 W. Center Ave. Interminglings is a five-person group exhibit featuring multiple art forms, which will be on display in the Center Gallery. The artists include: Eva Crawford, a Charlotte-based artist who has paintings and mixed media work on display, which showcase the art and storytelling of portraiture. Esther Moorehead, also a Charlotte-based artist, is featuring graphic and colorful acrylic paintings of figures and scenes. Jake Pfeifer of Hot Glass Alley, another Charlotte-based artist, has contemporary hand-blown glass pieces on exhibit, which highlight form, color and pattern. Ray Isales, a Mooresville artist, is a self-taught woodturner who finds the beauty, form and function in a piece of wood and then turns it into a piece of useable art. Sharon Muldoon, a Huntersville artist, creates functional and sculptural clay pieces, utilizing found objects, her imagination and whimsy for one-of-a-kind pieces. The second exhibit, Pleinly Seen, is a nine-person group exhibit, which will be in the Skylight Gallery and features the art of the Wayside Plein Air Painters. The Wayside Painters are a group of local artists who gather regularly to paint en plein air, which translates to in the open air. Their intent for this exhibit is to highlight the beauty and history of the local area, showcasing places and scenes that are often overlooked. Participating artists include Nancy Rosel Brown of Mooresville, Leslie Davis of Statesville, Robert Cline and Kathy Murray, both of Cornelius, Anne Gallagher of Sherrills Ford, Beth Taft of Concord, Charles Bo Jones of Charlotte, Ray Richardson of Spencer and Sherry Mason of Tennessee. Both exhibits will be on display through Sept. 22. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An artists reception will be held Aug. 12 from 6-8 a.m., and all are welcome attend. Artists will be in attendance and available to meet and chat with visitors about their work. Light refreshments will be served. For additional information or to learn more about the artists and the exhibits and view some of their work, visit the Mooresville Arts website at https://mooresvillearts.org/ and click on the Learn More tabs for each event. MUSCATINE Wednesday morning started as just a normal morning for Tabitha Story. But when she arrived at her laundromat Park Avenue Laundry, 2102 Park Ave. she soon discovered that things were far from normal. I woke up and did my normal looking around, and I thought, Hey, the change machines look weird, Story explained. So I zoomed in on the footage and realized that my change machines were gone. Using footage from her security cameras, Story witnessed the entire theft in which the thief used a crowbar to break open the machines. It only took (the thief) about five minutes, which was really surprising to me because there was a steel bar across (the machines). But he just took the crowbar and out he went, Story said. Discovering this theft hours after it happened, Story admitted that she felt completely devastated as she watched the footage. My heart just sank. ... Just because weve put so much time and money and everything into this place to make it safe, and then you wake up and somebodys destroyed that, she said. Making the situation even worse was just how much the robbery set her and her business back financially. Although insurance will help cover the cost of new change machines, as well as the damages, Story estimated that she still lost around $500-$700 worth of quarters. In her two years of owning her laundromat, Story said she hasnt had too many other similar instances outside the theft of one of her security cameras several months ago. While that thief was eventually caught, the police are still investigating this latest incident, according to her. Were just kind of in limbo of whats going on, Story said. Wanting to spread the word in the meantime, Story also shared a photo and video of the theft on her Facebook page. Since then, several others have reached out to her with responses and potential tips regarding the thiefs identity alongside their support of her and her business. Luckily, people have been really understanding of our situation and have been going to the bank and bring quarters here, Story said. If it werent for the community, I wouldnt have a business, and everything we do here we keep the community in mind as far as how we price things and the hours we stay open. Not wanting to leave her customers without one of her laundromats biggest conveniences, Story assured that she is going to try to purchase another change machine as soon as possible, with this one being much more secure and being stationed in the back of the laundromat instead of the front. Regarding other future security measures, Story shared that she is also going to install more security cameras as well as an automatic lock on the doors once she decides on the laundromats new hours. But while the situation has been stressful and even a bit heartbreaking, Story is still thankful for the support that she and her family have received during this time. Ive always been known in the community through my parents and through running this laundromat and through Peyton and his food pantry, Story said. We know everybody, and the communitys been really great. I want to thank the community for all the encouragement and support. Without the community, Id probably go crazy. As for the thief himself, although shes angry at him, Story also said she hopes he gets some help. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT; 4:30 p.m. EDT). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would respond strongly if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft had pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Forty-three Palestinians were killed over three days, including 15 children and four women, and 311 were injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Israel said some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gazas ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye, said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, al-Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. During the funeral for Mansour, Israeli air strikes hit what the military said were suspected rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel said some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was struck by an errant rocket. Israel's Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza hit the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans daily. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the hall's entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihad's commander for northern Gaza. Israel said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Lapid said. U.S. President Joe Biden said he welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza-based militants. Over these last 72-hours, the United States has worked with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and others throughout the region to encourage a swift resolution to the conflict, he said in a statement. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday on the violence. China, which holds the council presidency this month, scheduled the session in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab nations on the council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway. We underscore our commitment to do all we can towards ending the ongoing escalation, ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population, and following-up on the Palestinian prisoners file, said U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas. Israel estimates its airstrikes killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its arsenal. Both groups call for Israel's destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. Hamas had a strong incentive to avoid another war. Last years Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Over the past year, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting another 2,000 permits. In a sign of the broad immediate impact on the Gaza population, the territory's lone power plant ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans could use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed. Capitec spokesperson Francois Viviers has confirmed that all of the banks digital channels are online again, and any delayed payments should now have been processed. The bank added that it will refund all banking fees that were incurred due to the downtime. We know weve let our clients down and we sincerely apologise, said Viviers. This was an internal infrastructure issue, and we want to assure our clients that their money and data are safe with us, as always. We have never experienced an issue of this magnitude and will continue to do our best to ensure that this does not happen again, he added. Viviers explained that the bank is implementing system upgrades and tests to support this. Capitec outage This follows a period of approximately 40 hours where Capitecs digital channels were unavailable to the banks customers. The bank explained that this was to ensure a sustainable recovery after one of its banking system databases slowed down sporadically. Customers could not access the banking app, USSD, and internet banking, but could still access their money at point-of-sales and ATMs. For over a decade now, for 10 days in the middle of every July, Festival Napa Valley has combined concerts by an array of virtuosic international musicians and performing artists with food and wine hosted by the valleys most interesting wineries. This year, I had the luxurious good fortune to attend seven concerts and four dinners, barely a quarter of the total number of events that take place during the entire festival each year. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The festival was already in full swing on a Monday night when my contact got me a ticket to a donor-only concert at Mont La Salle monastery on Redwood Road on Mount Veeder, with dinner to follow at Hess Persson Estates next door. The concert featured Tessa Lark on violin, who began effortlessly with Bach, continued with a dizzying, Roma-inspired piece by Ravel, and finished with Gershwins Summertime, which included an improvised interlude that ripped a hole in the spacetime continuum. Afterward at Hess Persson, I also got a private viewing of Hess formidable modern art museum, which includes a typewriter on fire and a delicate twig installation by Andy Goldsworthy. At dinner, I feasted on an arugula salad with apricots and goat cheese and quail so delectable I ate it with my fingers. I only looked at the petits fours in the end, because I was too full to eat anymore. The second night I saw Dave Brubecks orchestral suite Ansel Adams: America. This is a piece of music Brubeck and his son Chris wrote, inspired by Adams photographs. It was a sensory feast; I was completely engrossed by such arresting auditory and visual stimuli. I concluded that there is no better way to appreciate Adams photography than accompanied by Brubecks music. Dinner afterward was at, officially, The Resort at 400 Silverado Trail in Calistoga, or what everyone just calls the Four Seasons Napa Valley. Were I the CEO of Four Seasons, I would have shut down the hotel, given how bad the service was. Our server was holding the bottles of wine by the neck and poured Chardonnay into my glass of Champagne. They also served wine from Santa Lucia Highlands for the first course -- a tone-deaf insult to the Napa Valley. The next night, the Charles Krug stage hosted Tchaikovsky in America, in which Lark played the composer's Violin Concerto in D major as if propelled by a steam locomotive. She was followed by Russian pianist Dmitry Masleev playing the Piano Concerto No. 1 so powerfully that his bottom bounced off the piano bench. The dinner that followed was in the courtyard at Trinchero, which included the most delectable dessert of the entire week: a pavlova with lemon curd, summer berries, whipped cream and a blackberry coulis. It was served with Trincheros off-dry Vin Santo: summer in a glass. On Thursday night, my last day at the festival, the program included a potpourri of dance: the classical ballet of Balanchine and Baryshnikov paired with modern numbers set to music by The Rolling Stones. Sasha de Solas Dying Swan from Camille Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals evoked agonizing pain from the audience. She was so delicate, almost brittle, in her portrayal of the expiring icon of grace. That nights dinner was at Beringer, a first-time participant in the festival. It was a flawless evening catered by Tre Posti in the redwood grove next to the famous Rhine House. The menu was pleasantly simple, beginning with a butter lettuce salad paired with Beringer's classic Private Reserve Chardonnay. Then followed a filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables and Sauce Bordelaise, which could not have been more perfect with the two classic Cabernets that were poured. The dinner ended with a fruit crostata and Creme Anglaise, but that was beside the point since it was paired with Beringers Nightingale, a manually botrytized Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the ingenious jewel in Beringers crown. At 11 a.m. each day I attended Festival Live!, a series of informal free concerts in the amphitheater at Copia in Napa. They were a refreshing, casual way to appreciate classical music. At one of the concerts, Tabea Debus showed me that the recorder, what I previously thought was a simple instrument, could be used to make complicatedly beautiful music. My contact at the festival apologized when she said the festivals finale, the opera Lelisir damore, which was produced, from first casting to final dress rehearsal, all within the 10 days of the festival, was sold out. I didnt mind at all. Any one of these experiences is priceless and they happen nowhere else on Earth, except here in the Napa Valley. Realizing a complex public art project can be as shaky as the magnitude-6.1 South Napa earthquake of Aug. 24, 2014. Just ask Kristina Young, a Napa-based artist who specializes in mosaics, murals and public art installations. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Young is the lead artist, project manager and shepherd of the Quake Mosaic, an artist-led, community-built work created to document and honor the aftermath of Napas natural disasters. A nearly 10-year trajectory, full of shakes, rattles and rolls is leading toward a projected 2024 completion for the public and privately funded work of art. Rather than a reminder of loss, said Young, its meant to symbolize healing, recovery and strength, and to help inspire people to find beauty and meaning by supporting each other after trauma. The genesis of creating this large artwork to memorialize a terrifying quake (and subsequently, the 2020 wildfires) began to take shape when Young, who was then managing the Grand Hand Gallery in downtown Napa, found the contents of the store decimated post-quake. Soon she was hearing countless stories of loss from friends and neighbors. The remains of cracked and broken collections of ceramics and glass began pouring in. I met with a few other artists who wanted to do something with the material/concept, Young said, so I set up the gallery as a collection point through about October 2014 and worked with several volunteers to sort by color and material over the next year. I had literally tons of material but no design yet. I really believe in site-specific design, so I needed a location and substrate before I could go any further. By 2016 Young and the Rail Arts District had formed a partnership to create and install the Quake Mosaic. The RAD is a two-mile linear arts area that runs adjacent to the Napa Valley Wine Train tracks and the Napa Valley Vine Trail through the heart of downtown Napa. The Wine Train then donated a train car to be used as a substrate for the mosaic. Placement of the car was to be off the tracks near Soscol Avenue and below Vallejo Street in downtown Napa, part of RADs Southern Gateway. With two crucial partnerships in place, Young set about creating a design to grace one side of the 12-by-40-foot rail car. The final image, containing more than 31,000 shards grouted into 406 separate sections, is meant to resemble a rectangular core sample of the earth, sitting on top of the ground, composed of horizontal bands of various sizes, shapes and colors. Take a peek In partnership with the Napa Town & Country Fair taking place Aug. 11 through 14, fair-goers can catch a preview of 80 sections of the Quake Mosaic (or a fourth of the total design) attached to a temporary 8-by-20-foot wall in front of Chardonnay Hall. For fair tickets and information, visit napafair.org. (The) new CEO Corey Oakley reached out about adding more art elements to the fair, said Young. When he heard about the Quake Mosaic, he got really excited and worked with me to find a way to showcase part of it at the Expo in time for this years event. Hes been incredibly supportive, and Im thrilled hes working with local artists to re-imagine what the fairgrounds can be for Napas future. Napa fair provides emotional rebuilding after earthquake Residents have swept up broken china, and businesses have straightened and reopened their shop floors, since the Aug. 24 earthquake rocked Nap Youngs deep roots in the community enabled her to enlist the support of hundreds of volunteers, students, business owners, nonprofits, funders and fellow artists in the realization of her multilayered vision. Since 2016 Young has held more than 50 workshops in schools, nonprofits and in her own studio with over 1,000 community members, old and young alike, helping to create the bulk of the mosaics design. See a glimpse of Sort Day in 2017 with New Tech students at www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRKt7V5JiOM. Phase one of the design and construction of the Quake Mosaic was well underway when in 2019, the Oxbow Commons flood bypass projects new floodplain-designated area in downtown Napa prevented the rail car from being placed at that site. Young had always been adamant about the minimum requirements needed for the Quake Mosaics landing in downtown close to the area where so much of the significant earthquake damage had taken place; in an area that would provide safe, easy and free access to all; and ideally in a green space of some kind to provide a site for calm reflection. It was also imperative to Young and her collaborators that the public have easy access to the work, both to find their shard donations as well as the sections they had worked on. In addition, the Quake Mosaic site needed to be viewable from a distance so that the whole of the design would make visual sense. The search for a new location began. By 2020, however, the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing the project to go dormant for two years. Thanks to a re-commitment this year from the Rail Arts District, the Napa Valley Wine Train and with the help of a Leadership Napa Valley practicum group, partners are fully back on board to help secure a permanent location and raise completion funds for installation, site prep, engineering and landscaping, thus completing phase two of the Quake Mosaic project. To make a charitable donation, visit radnapa.org. For additional information about the Quake Mosaic and to learn about the public and private artworks created by Kristina Young, visit www.studiokly.com. Three people were arrested in connection with separate thefts during the weekend that involved two cars and a bicycle, Napa Police reported. Saturday afternoon, 25-year-old Julio Cesar Gomez and 24-year-old Idalia Hernandez were detained after the reported thefts of two cars about an hour apart near York and F streets, according to Sgt. Tommy Keener. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The first vehicle was reported stolen at about 2:40 p.m. and was found 25 minutes later, unoccupied, outside the Lucky supermarket at 2355 California Blvd., Keener said. Then, at 3:38 p.m., an officer saw Gomez and Hernandez in a second vehicle near the York and F intersection, according to Keener. Gomez reversed the car away from police for a short distance before running from the vehicle, but was detained after a brief pursuit, Keener said. Hernandez also was detained at the scene. Gomez, who had no listed address, and Hernandez, a San Rafael resident, were booked into the Napa County jail on suspicion of larceny and criminal conspiracy. In addition, Gomez was booked on suspicion of felony vehicle theft, as well as on auto theft warrants from Sonoma and Marin counties, according to Keener. Gomez continued to be held in the jail Sunday afternoon, while Hernandez was released Sunday morning, according to booking records. Earlier, someone used bolt cutters to steal a bike valued at $3,000 from outside the Ranch Market at 4215 Solano Ave. on Friday, Keener said. At 2:25 p.m. on Saturday, police arrested 29-year-old Jose Negrete of Napa in the 600 block of Lincoln Avenue and recovered the stolen bike, according to Keener. Negrete was booked into the Napa jail on suspicion of felony grand theft before being released Saturday evening, jail records show. Nikkei: Apple in talks to manufacture Apple Watch and MacBook in Vietnam Chery to release new flagship crossover Tiggo 9 FT: Risk of Eiffel Tower collapse due to rust will persist until 2030 Apple Inc. to introduce iPhone 14 on September 7 Cambodia accuses American billionaire of buying stolen sculptures Suren Petrosyan: Aghavno systematically surrendered UK inflation hits new 40-year high in July What is reason for restrained US reaction to reports about Turkey's purchase of second regiment of S-400? Germany warns gas will run out in less than three months if Russia completely cuts off supplies Rescuer: Site is difficult, there are large structures, we try to cross sections piece by piece Thames Water bans customers from using hoses for irrigation Search operations at Surmalu shopping center ceased until morning Most polluted cities revealed Investor pessimism in Germany has worsened even more in August Electricity prices in Europe continue to rise steadily NATO to increase its peacekeeping forces in Kosovo in case of escalation of tensions with Serbia OPEC Secretary General: Organization is not involved in gas and oil prices rise Estonia to ban Russian citizens who received visa in third EU country from entering Estonia Goldman Sachs: Europe's chances of recession are now twice as high as US NEWS.am BREAKING on Yerevan market blast: 16 people killed, 1 person still missing French MFA expresses solidarity with Armenia over Surmalu tragedy Philippines ready to support US in case of war with China Mayor of Venice looking for two 'pushy idiots' who raced Grand Canal Mishustin and Pashinyan discuss cooperation in trade and economic sphere Velayati says China is strategic ally of Iran Norway will provide military aid to Ukraine Garo Paylan appeals to Ankara Prosecutor's Office Mourning liturgy for victims of explosion and fire at Surmalu will be held in Armenia Iran to develop cooperation with Pakistan UN Secretary General arrives in Lviv Explosions and fires in at least 17 locations in southern Thailand Lithuanian FM calls for cancellation of tourist Schengen visas for Russians Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan sign agreement on international transit corridor Management of Surmalu shopping center expresses condolences in connection with explosion Wildberries denies information about leakage of customer data 1 injured in explosion has been discharged, and four citizens are currently undergoing treatment Armenia Investigative Committee asks to hand over unused fireworks obtained from Surmalu market to police Iranian Foreign Ministry aims to expand regional transit routes Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia Eurozone GDP is up in second quarter Charles Michel expresses his condolences in connection with Surmalu explosion Israeli President welcomes Turkey's decision to restore diplomatic relations Turkey decides to restore diplomatic relations with Israel Five injured in explosion are being treated at medical centers NYT: Western countries want to give Russian diamonds bloody status Karabakh teen drowns in reservoir (PHOTOS) More than 50 people questioned in Yerevan shopping market explosion criminal case President: Armenia underscores development of mutually beneficial cooperation with Indonesia Azerbaijan ombudsperson is interested in convicted Armenian captives Kazakhstan President sends condolence message to Armenia PM Armenia has new consul general in Russias Rostov-on-Don No bombs found at Gyumri international airport, railway station 3 men who strangled Yerevan woman, 47, to death are arrested People continue bringing flowers, toys nearby tragic Yerevan explosion site Book of condolences opened at all Armenia diplomatic missions abroad Bomb threat made at Gyumri international airport, railway station Russian embassy upset by reports about Russia organizations participation in Yerevan market tragedy Armenia ex-deputy PM Avinyan visits Yerevan market blast site Yerevan market explosion: We have one missing person, Armenia official says Armenia Prosecutor Generals Office: No one is charged in Yerevan market blast case World oil prices going up Day of mourning declared in Armenia, Artsakh today and tomorrow Kazakhstan embassy offers condolences over Yerevan market explosion People laying flowers nearby Yerevan market blast site Newspaper: One person is charged in Yerevan market explosion case Newspaper: Armenia ruling party plans to make state institutions employees become party members Yerevan explosion: 2 people still being searched for Yerevan market explosion: 2 people still considered missing as of midnight (PHOTOS) Turkey launches airstrike on Aleppo countryside, 3 Syria soldiers dead Is Western unity over Ukraine about to crack? Which countries could survive nuclear war? Surmalu re-inspection scheduled for November In Lebanon, man who held hostages in bank released without charges TerraPower of Bill Gates raises $750 million for projects in nuclear energy and medicine China's 'Galaxy Fold clone' sold out in five minutes and became a bestseller Germany plans to postpone closure of its last three nuclear power plants Expert estimates environmental consequences of Yerevan explosion and gives advices Switzerland signs agreement with Uzbekistan to return $131 million seized from Gulnara Karimova Artsakh also declares mourning Norway can no longer supply Germany with more gas UN Secretary General to meet with Presidents of Ukraine and Turkey in Lviv Ministry of Emergency Situations: There were about 4 tons of flammable substances in Surmalu Russian Security Council says Kyiv threatens global nuclear security Content of toxic substances in air after explosion in Yerevan has increased sharply Scholz says Sweden and Finland's NATO accession process goes according to plan Macron and Zelenskiy discuss situation over Zaporozhye nuclear power plant Expert: Biden is not preparing Americans for what is to come Armenian Prosecutor General's Office: Representatives of management and employees of Surmalu will be interrogated Mourning declared in Armenia Latvia will not extend residence permits previously issued to Russian citizens NEWS.am BREAKING on Yerevan market explosion: 16 people killed First Lady of US contracts COVID-19 Aghvan Hovsepyan undergoes surgery Investigative Committee: More than 20 people questioned in case of Surmalu explosion in Yerevan Head of Armenian HM visits victims of explosion on territory of Surmalu in Yerevan Deputy PM of Singapore: US and China may slide into conflict Director of Surmalu shopping center is in heavy psychological state and does not comment Identity of another victim of Surmalu shopping center in Yerevan established Two Armenian startups advance to EWC Global Finals (PHOTOS) Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences in connection with Surmalu shopping mall explosion The first-ever trial with the Vatican as a defendant could take place on British territory, The Daily Telegraph reported, citing the Court of Appeal for England and Wales. According to the article, the possible lawsuit is based on a story about irregularities and abuses in the purchase of real estate in London in 2014 for 124 million (about $150 million at the rate of August 7). At issue is the high-profile case of the Vatican's knowingly high-priced purchase of a building in the center of the British capital as an investment through donations. Financial leakage is estimated by the investigation from tens to hundreds of millions of euros. The trial in the case began in the Vatican last July, and the 11 defendants, including high-ranking cardinal Angelo Becciu, are charged with fraud, abuse, providing false information, corruption, money laundering, and disclosure of secret documents. British financier Raffaele Mincione was among those against whom charges were brought. According to the Vatican, he committed fraud by artificially inflating the price of the property when the companies sold it in 2018. However, the businessman disputed these charges in a British court, insisting that he had not committed anything illegal. He also argued that the valuation of the property, the former Harrods department store warehouse in Chelsea, which was intended to be converted into luxury housing, was made by independent experts and was correct. According to The Daily Telegraph, the Court of Appeal for England and Wales upheld Mincione. In the verdict, the date of which is not specified, he ruled that the British court had the right to examine the documents on the sale of real estate and decide whether all parties to the transaction, both the companies Mincione and the Vatican acted in good faith. The newspaper specifies that the principle of immunity of the sovereign state from civil liability referred to by the Vatican lawyers is not applicable in this case because it is a commercial transaction. At this point, it is unclear who exactly will be the witnesses in this case from the papal city-state, or when the case might be heard. Notably, the internal investigation at the Vatican began after a signal from the Vatican bank Institute of Religious Affairs (IOR), and a media leak led to the resignation of the head of the Vatican Gendarmerie, Domenico Giani. He resigned, taking responsibility for his subordinates who allegedly shared the information with journalists. Pope Francis believes that it is legitimate to invest church money in order to multiply it for charitable purposes. The current pontiff has introduced a series of reforms to the Vatican's judicial system. This is the first time that such a high-ranking member of the curia, Becciu, has been tried in the papal city-state, with secular judges, Ansa notes. It is also the largest trial in Vatican history for financial crimes. The Parliament of Lithuania will discuss the construction of military fortifications on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, said the chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense, Laurynas Kasciunas, reports TASS. According to him, the country's border guards have already prepared an analysis of the most problematic areas on the border between the two countries. "At the meeting on Wednesday [August 10th] it is planned to discuss the issue of construction of the engineering fortification lines on the border with Belarus. At our request, the border agency [Lithuanian State Border Guard Service] has prepared an analysis of the most problematic places on the border," Kasciunas said. According to the Lithuanian deputy, the Seimas Committee on National Security will be looking for ways to help Lithuania "slow down the advance of the enemy" deep into the country in case of a possible attack from Belarus. The border between Lithuania and Belarus is about 680 km long. Vilnius has been talking since last year about the need to strengthen it, initially this issue was associated with the migration crisis, which arose because of the sharp influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa to the Baltics and Poland from the territory of Belarus. The US authorities are committed to the provisions of the mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, said State Department Chief Antony Blinken, writes CNN. He said Washington is prepared to defend Manila in the event of an attack on the republic's forces in the South China Sea. "An armed attack on Philippine Armed Forces public vessels or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke the US Mutual Defense commitments under that treaty," Blinken said at a news conference following a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The US secretary of state made the statement amid rising tensions around Taiwan because of China's large-scale military exercises near the disputed island. The maneuvers were launched by Beijing in response to a visit to Taipei by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi without the consent of the PRC. The trip provoked an extremely negative reaction from China, despite attempts by the White House to downplay its importance in reducing the risks of escalation in the region. At the same time, as CNN points out, cooperation with the Philippines is important for the US because Manila can be called a fulcrum in the geopolitical confrontation between Washington and Beijing. According to the channel, Marcos Jr. will have the difficult task of balancing cooperation with both countries. Cuba seeks help to end massive oil blaze Flames and smoke are seen rising from the Matanzas supertanker base as a major fire entered its second day on Saturday. Photo: AP A massive oil-fed fire burned for a second day on Saturday near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, as Mexico and Venezuela sent teams to help fight the inferno and Cuba accepted a US offer of unspecified "technical advice". On Friday evening, lightning struck one of eight storage tanks at the facility east of Havana. Heat from the blaze reached a second tank on Saturday and the wind blew flames dangerously close to a third. "We express deep gratitude to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Chile ... which have promptly offered material aid in the face of this complex situation," tweeted Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. "We also appreciate the offer of technical advice from the US," he said. Cuban authorities said at least 121 people were injured in the second blast, of which 36 remained in hospital, five in critical condition. One person was listed as dead and 17 firefighters were unaccounted for. More than 1,000 civilians were evacuated from the area. "There was a very big explosion yesterday around 8pm and today at 5am a second explosion so big it lit up the area like the sun," local resident Alfredo Gonzalez said. Diaz-Canel visited the scene around midnight, then returned to spend Saturday coordinating the response as state-run television broadcast live coverage of the unfolding disaster. Before the second blast, Diaz-Canel posted on Twitter that first responders were "trying to avert the spread of the flames and any spill of fuel" into the Matanzas bay. Military helicopters were dumping seawater on nearby storage tanks as smoke reached Havana and residents were warned to avoid acid rain. Cuba has been suffering daily blackouts and fuel shortages. The loss of fuel and storage capacity is likely to aggravate the situation which has led to small local protests in the last few months. Jorge Pinon, director of the University of Texas at Austin's Latin America and Caribbean Energy and Environment Programme, said the area had eight big tanks each with a capacity of 300,000 barrels. "The area is a transshipment point for fuel to various thermo-electric plants, not just the one nearby, so this could be very bad news for the power grid," he said. (Reuters) Israel reportedly agrees Gaza truce A Paletinian rocket is fired from Gaza City toward Israel. Photo: AFP Israel has agreed to a truce in Gaza, an Egyptian security source said on Sunday. "The Israeli side has accepted," the source said, adding that Cairo was waiting for the Palestinian response, as part of Egyptian mediation efforts three days into renewed conflict in the Gaza Strip. Since the conflict began on Friday, 31 Palestinians -- including six children -- have been killed, while 275 people have been wounded, said health authorities in the enclave where several buildings were reduced to rubble and militants fired their first rockets at Jerusalem. The fighting is the worst in Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the impoverished coastal territory, home to about 2.3 million Palestinians, and forced Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. Egypt, a historic broker between Israel and armed groups in Gaza, negotiated the ceasefire that ended an 11-day conflict in May of last year. (AFP) Actor-director R. Madhavan's recently garnered a laudatory review as the film 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' was screened in the Parliament of India. An unseen video of Madhavan watching Rocketry with Nambi Narayanan is surfacing on social media. Taking to his Instagram stories, R. Madhavan re-shared a video from his fan club page and captioned the post, "Ha ha wow." The video was shared by the Instagram handle, @endrendrum_maddy. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg7COgFAYLh/ In the video, the scientist Nambi Narayanan was seen watching the scenes from his biopic film, directed by Madhavan. Recently, the biographical drama was screened in Parliament and it received quite a phenomenal response. The Indian Government political leaders felicitated the actor and the scientists with bouquets. Talking about the same, director-actor Madhavan said "It was quite a humbling experience. I was proud and nervous at the same time. You have to realise this isn't a common occurrence and I still cannot believe it happened. And of course, I am eternally grateful that the film was so well received." 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' is a 2022 Indian biographical drama film written, produced and directed by R. Madhavan in his directorial debut. The film is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, played by Madhavan, a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation. For the unversed, 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' was released on June 1. The film features Madhavan in the lead role of scientist Nambi Narayanan.The movie was shot in India, France, Canada, Georgia and Serbia. Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya played cameos in the film. Talking about the superstars' cameos, Madhavan revealed that they did not charge a single penny. "The two (SRK and Suriya) did not charge a single penny for their work in the film. They did not charge anything for caravans, costumes, and assistants. In fact, Suriya flew out to shoot in Mumbai with his crew on his own money. He did not charge for the flights or for the dialogue writer who translated his lines in Tamil. There are a lot of good people in the industry. I am an outsider and I have met several people in my career who wholeheartedly helped me. Just on my request, Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) or Priyanka Chopra post a tweet (to show their support for the film). I am grateful for their love and respect," Madhavan had shared. 'Rocketry' was released in six languages worldwide, including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. (ANI) Taking to Twitter, Nagarjuna said: "Had the privilege of watching Aamir Khan's 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. A breath of fresh air! "A film which goes more than surface deep. A film which stirs you from deep within!! Makes you smile, cry, laugh and ponder!! It comes with a simple message saying love and innocence conquers all!! "Was wonderful to watch Naga Chaitanya grow as an actor. Director Advait Chandan, writer Atul Kulkarni and team, you just lift our spirits up!!" The film, which is the remake of the Hollywood classic 'Forrest Gump', marks the Bollywood debut of Naga Chaitanya. Adapted by actor Atul Kulkarni, the film is scheduled to hit screens on August 11. --IANS mani/sks ( 174 Words) 2022-08-07-19:48:01 (IANS) Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate has also marginally risen to 13.84 per cent, and the number of active cases stands at 7,349, out of which 4,586 patients are being treated in home isolation. With 1,837 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries has gone to 19,33,427, while Delhi's total caseload is 19,67,104 and the death toll continues at 26,328. The number of Covid containment zones stands at 217. A total of 16,702 new tests -- 11,773 RT-PCR and 4,929 Rapid Antigen - were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,96,01,980 while 13,551 vaccines were administered - 1159 first doses, 2,094 second doses, and 10,298 precaution doses. The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 3,59,24,705, according to the health bulletin. --IANS avr/vd ( 176 Words) 2022-08-06-22:26:02 (IANS) At least 63 people died of Japanese Encephalitis in Assam in the last 37 days while 347 were infected, prompting the Health Department to undertake various measures to deal with the disease, officials said on Saturday. Three fresh deaths were reported from Nagaon district on Saturday while fresh infections were reported from 10 districts including Cachar, Dibrugarh and Kamrup Metro. According to the National Health Mission (NHM), since July 1, at least 63 people have died after being infected by the vector-borne disease in more than 22 of the state's 35 districts. NHM officials said that they directed the district authorities to constitute District Rapid Response Teams and accordingly, these were constituted to keep a close watch on the situation and to take preventive measures. Japanese Encephalitis and malaria kill many people in Assam every year, specifically during the monsoon season that usually starts in May and stretches to October. Principal Secretary, Health, Avinash Joshi and NHM Director M.S. Lakshmi Priya are in close touch with the district authorities and asked them to remain pro-active to deal with the situation. The NHM has also issued a standard operating procedure and guidelines to tackle the situation arising with the outbreak and health workers have been conducting a massive awareness campaign against the disease. Last year, at least 40 deaths were reported due to Japanese Encephalitis, officials said. Japanese Encephalitis is transmitted by infected mosquitoes mainly during the monsoon. --IANS sc/pgh ( 250 Words) 2022-08-06-23:18:03 (IANS) The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved Aduhelm, a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid beta (A), as the first Alzheimer's disease treatment (AD). Its impact on cognitive improvement, however, is controversial. Moreover, about 40 per cent of the patients treated with this antibody experienced serious side effects including cerebral edemas (ARIA-E) and haemorrhages (ARIA-H) that are likely related to inflammatory responses in the brain when the Ab antibody binds Fc receptors (FCR) of immune cells such as microglia and macrophages. These inflammatory side effects can cause neuronal cell death and synapse elimination by activated microglia, and even have the potential to exacerbate cognitive impairment in AD patients. Thus, current Ab antibody-based immunotherapy holds the inherent risk of doing more harm than good due to their inflammatory side effects. The findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Medicine. To overcome these problems, a team of researchers at KAIST in South Korea has developed a novel fusion protein drug, aAb-Gas6, which efficiently eliminates Ab via an entirely different mechanism than Ab antibody-based immunotherapy. In a mouse model of AD, aAb-Gas6 not only removed Ab with higher potency, but also circumvented the neurotoxic inflammatory side effects associated with conventional antibody treatments. "FcR activation by Ab targeting antibodies induces microglia-mediated Ab phagocytosis, but it also produces inflammatory signals, inevitably damaging brain tissues," said paper authors Chan Hyuk Kim and Won-Suk Chung, associate professors in the Department of Biological Sciences at KAIST. "Therefore, we utilized efferocytosis, a cellular process by which dead cells are removed by phagocytes as an alternative pathway for the clearance of Ab in the brain," Prof. Kim and Chung said. "Efferocytosis is accompanied by anti-inflammatory responses to maintain tissue homeostasis. To exploit this process, we engineered Gas6, a soluble adaptor protein that mediates efferocytosis via TAM phagocytic receptors in such a way that its target specificity was redirected from dead cells to Ab plaques." The professors and their team demonstrated that the resulting aAb-Gas6 induced Ab engulfment by activating not only microglial but also astrocytic phagocytosis since TAM phagocytic receptors are highly expressed by these two major phagocytes in the brain. Importantly, aAb-Gas6 promoted the robust uptake of Ab without showing any signs of inflammation and neurotoxicity, which contrasts sharply with the treatment using an Ab monoclonal antibody. Moreover, they showed that aAb-Gas6 substantially reduced excessive synapse elimination by microglia, consequently leading to better behavioral rescues in AD model mice. "By using a mouse model of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a cerebrovascular disorder caused by the deposition of Ab within the walls of the brain's blood vessels, we also showed that the intrathecal administration of Gas6 fusion protein significantly eliminated cerebrovascular amyloids, along with a reduction of microhemorrhages. These data demonstrate that aAb-Gas6 is a potent therapeutic agent in eliminating Ab without exacerbating CAA-related microhemorrhages." Professors Kim and Chung noted, "We believe our approach can be a breakthrough in treating AD without causing inflammatory side effects and synapse loss. Our approach holds promise as a novel therapeutic platform that is applicable to more than AD. By modifying the target-specificity of the fusion protein, the Gas6-fusion protein can be applied to various neurological disorders as well as autoimmune diseases affected by toxic molecules that should be removed without causing inflammatory responses." Professors Kim and Chung founded "Illimis Therapeutics" based on this strategy of designing chimeric Gas6 fusion proteins that would remove toxic aggregates from the nervous system. Through this company, they are planning to further develop various Gas6-fusion proteins not only for Ab but also for Tau to treat AD symptoms. (ANI) Union Animal Husbandry Minister Parshottam Rupala on Saturday said that Central and Rajasthan Governments are making serious efforts together to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease in cattle, and will soon be able to control it. Describing the efforts being made by the state government to prevent the disease as satisfactory, he assured all possible help from the Centre. Rupala was reviewing measures being taken for prevention of lumpy skin disease along with the state government ministers and departmental officers at the Government Secretariat here on Saturday. The Union Animal Husbandry Minister said that efforts are being made with full capacity to prevent the spread of this virus-borne disease. He said that the animals which have become infected with it should be kept separate from healthy animals. "Vaccination of healthy animals should be done. Dedicated isolation centres should also be set up, so that it can help prevent infection. Goat pox vaccine is completely effective to avoid this disease," the minister stated. Rupala further assured to give priority to funding along with ensuring the availability of vaccines and medicines. All the demands of the state would be seriously assessed and help would be given, said Rupala appreciating the initiative taken by the State Government to create a separate department of animal husbandry and the schemes being run for cow protection and promotion. State Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria informed about the efforts being made by the state government for the prevention of lumpy skin disease. He said that the availability of medicines has been ensured in the affected area and medical teams are reaching the spot and treating the cows. Urging the Union Animal Husbandry Minister to send an expert team, he expressed hope for all possible cooperation from the Centre to save the animals from the infectious disease. He also thanked the Union Minister for visiting the state. Central Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr. Praveen Malik said that there can be no comparison of lumpy skin virus with Corona virus. "Corona is an RNA virus, which keeps changing its form, whereas it is a pox virus. In this, the goat pox vaccine is completely effective, instructions have been given to the manufacturing companies to increase the supply," he added. --IANS arc/uk ( 387 Words) 2022-08-06-22:10:02 (IANS) In a one of its kind move, the remote Bachawarpara village in Balrampur district will now have a school, said officials on Friday. The village was alien to the concept of a school due to geographical challenges and its inaccessible remote location. However, now the educational institution would be set up in the area on the directions of the district magistrate. Currently, the construction work has begun and the materials required for building the school are being transported uphill crossing an 8-km steep hill on foot. What makes the task even more challenging is that the distance to the rural area has a difficult, inaccessible wild passage. "The village got permission for school building years ago but as it's situated at a remote location, construction was hindered. But now, building materials were carried to the village through the mountains. We'll try to finish construction in 2 months," District Magistrate, Vijay Dayaram K told ANI. Around 40 children in the area have been studying in a mud house till now and the district administration's prompt response to the request by villagers will help establish a formal schooling culture in the region. The village Sarpanch said the demand for a new school building was made in Bachwar Para and now the village will finally have a school building. "The village will finally have a school building for which the collector took initiative. The school children will have a concrete building and will now get rid of the mud house," said Sarpanch Babita Khalkho. (ANI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two more persons in connection with the Rs 25 lakh Paradip Port Trust (PPT) bribery case, sources said on Saturday. The CBI had arrested PPT chief mechanical engineer Saroj Kumar Das and three others on Friday after conducting raids at several places in the state. After their interrogation, the agency arrested Charchit Mishra, director of Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL) and the son of the state's leading industrialist, Mahimananda Mishra, on Saturday, the sources said. The agency also apprehended real-estate developer Sisir Kumar Das in this connection, which took the total number of arrests made so far in this case to six. After producing them before a local court, the CBI has taken them on remand. The accused will again be produced before the special court on August 10. Mishra's lawyer Joydeep Pal claimed that there is no direct evidence against his client. "As he is the director of OSL and was looking after the business at Paradip port, he has been arrested," Pal said. Apart from Charchit, Sisir and the engineer of the port, the others arrested include Surya Narayan Sahoo, Deputy GM (operations) of OSL, Sumanta Rout and Sankha Subhra Mitra, the manager of Kolkata-based logistics company Karam Chand Thapar (KCT). As per sources, OSL officials allegedly damaged the conveyor belt at the Paradip port while unloading cargo, and its repairment cost the port a lot. The port's Chief Mechanical Engineer, in alleged conspiracy with Charchit, Mitra, and conduit Sumanta Rout, got it repaired with funds from the Paradip Port Trust. In return, on behalf of Das, the conduit allegedly demanded Rs 60 lakh as bribe. Accordingly, he collected Rs 25 lakh from Cuttack and kept Rs 10 lakh separately for himself, the CBI said. It was also alleged that the conduit handed over Rs 10 lakh to Sisir, with whom Saroj had allegedly booked a property. --IANS bbm/sks/arm ( 331 Words) 2022-08-06-22:44:01 (IANS) The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology on Friday analysed two monkeypox cases of travellers who had returned from the UAE. The analysis showed that two cases were infected with monkeypox virus strain A.2 which is related to the lineage of hMPXV-1A clade 3. "The complete genome sequences obtained from skin lesions of cases 1 and 2 showed similarity of 99.91 and 99.96 per cent respectively with MPXV_USA_2022_FL001 West African clade," read the ICMR-NIV study "Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two cases were infected with Monkeypox virus strain A.2 which belong to hMPXV-1A lineage of clade 3," it added. The study also mentioned the details about both the cases where a 35-year-old male and 31-year-old male from UAE tested positive for Monkeypox. Both the cases had no traces of sexual contact. The background of the first male revealed a history of similar lesions amongst his friends and contact with a suspected Monkeypox case. "Case 1, a 35-year, male, resident of UAE had developed low-grade fever and myalgia on July 5 2022. On the next day, he developed multiple vesicular rashes in the oral cavity and lips followed by a single lesion on the genital organ. The lesions were umbilicated with the size 0.5 to 0.8 cm," the study explained the history of the first case. Another case of a 32-year-old male from Dubai, UAE travelled to his hometown Kerala on July 13, 2022, and tested positive for Monkeypox. "A 31-year male in Dubai, UAE had developed dysuria and genital swelling on July 8, 2022. On the next day, he developed fever with chills, myalgia, backache and headache," the study stated. As per the research, he developed multiple vesicular rashes on the genital organ and on both hands on July 10, 2022. The lesions progressed and later spread to the face, back, neck and forearm with cervical lymphadenopathy by July 15, 2022."He did not have any co-morbidity and denied any sexual or physical contact with suspected or confirmed MPXV case," it added. Samples from multiple sites (lesion fluid, lesion roof and lesion base) of both the cases were collected on the ninth post-onset day of illness i.e., July 13, 2022, and July 16, 2022, respectively. Further, they were referred to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for emerging and re-emerging diseases, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India for the MPXV diagnosis. (ANI) Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has no moral courage to face Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence he is boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting with lame-duck excuses. Sanjay lashed out at KCR for his remarks made at the press conference. He said if the chief minister was really worried about the state, he could have raised the concern at the meeting. He said KCR's decision to boycott the meeting amounted to insulting democratic institutions. Sanjay said KCR never showed interest in going to official meetings during the last eight years. The BJP leader remarked that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president visits Delhi only for political benefit and to meet leaders of political parties but never went there for the sake of people. "KCR is saying that he is boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting but the days are not far when people of Telangana will boycott him," he said. Reacting to KCR's remarks, Sanjay said the chief minister was giving a lecture on the history of Planning Commission, co-operative federalism and democratic spirit but not doing his duty. Stating there is a shortage of teachers in the educational institutions in Telangana, he advised the KCR to go and give lectures there on how he failed as the chief minister. The BJP leader said before speaking on the NPAs of companies in the country, KCR should explain why industries are getting shut down in Hyderabad. He said it was ironic that the chief minister was speaking about imports from other countries when his government is unable to make Bathukamma sarees in Telangana and is sourcing the same from Surat. Bandi Sanjay also wanted to know why KCR imported furniture for Pragati Bhavan (official residence of Chief Minister) from China. Alleging that KCR is responsible for suicides of farmers, weavers, intermediate students, unemployed and employees, the BJP leader said it was shameful that he is criticising the Centre. Sanjay also referred to KCR's remark that he stayed in Delhi for 5 days and forced the Centre to allow the state to raise debt of Rs 10,000 crore. "KCR said that last year, the Centre did not give more than Rs 5,000 crore to the state. If the Centre had really not provided the funds, what was he doing for one year," he asked The BJP state chief also asked if KCR will apologise in Assembly if proved that Centre had given more than Rs 5,000 crore. Sanjay remarked that NITI Aayog doesn't exclusively work for KCR and only gives strategic advice on policy issues to make the economy strong. --IANS ms/pgh ( 453 Words) 2022-08-06-23:14:03 (IANS) Hundreds of tribals belonging to Chakma and Hajong community on Saturday organised a peaceful yet massive protest at Diyun in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district against the denial on issuance of Residential Proof Certificates (RPC) to the applicants of these communities, allegedly "as part of the state government's policy to throw them out". According to the agitating tribals, on July 29, the state government suspended the RPCs already issued and asked the officials further not to issue any RPCs. Krishna Chakma, spokesperson of the Chakma Hajong Rights Alliance, said that the denial of the RPCs is nothing but continuation of racial profiling of the Chakma and Hajong tribals. The two tribal communities would not accept 'Kangaroo justice', Krishna Chakma said, adding that this is not something allowed in a country governed by the rule of law. "The first victim of the denial of the RPCs are job seekers and the students. They are citizens of India and often join recruitment in the army. The same is being denied through suspension of the RPCs as the recruitment drive into the Indian Army has started," said Rup Singh Chakma, President of the Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students Union (APCSU). Another Chakma student leader Sumangol Chakma said that this is nothing but an attempt to deny the existence of the Chakmas and Hajongs in the state. The agitating tribals accused the role of All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union behind the issue. There are about 65,000 tribals belonging to Chakma and Hajong community in Arunachal Pradesh who fled from East Pakistan and were settled by the Central government in the then North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in 1964 to beef up security following the 1962 Indo-China war. Krishna Chakma said that though they are citizens, Arunachal Pradesh has been denying the same despite the Supreme Court directing to process the citizenship applications on January 9, 1996. "Not a single application has been processed as on date but in 2021, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister announced to resettle the Chakma and Hajong tribals outside the state. The denial of the RPCs is a part of the same campaign," Krishna Chakma said. --IANS sc/pgh ( 367 Words) 2022-08-06-23:28:01 (IANS) The accused CISF Head constable AK Mishra opened fire from his AK 47 rifle in the Indian Museum of CISF Barrack situated at Park Street in which CISF Assistant Sub Inspector Ranjit Kumar Sarani, a resident of Orissa died while Assistant Commandant Suvir Ghosh sustained injuries. Soon after the information, Kolkata Police surrounded the area and nabbed Mishra. Kolkata Police Commissioner rushed to the spot following the incident. "One assistant-sub inspector has been killed, and one assistant commandant rank officer is injured. As to why he opened fire is a matter of investigation, it is still too early to say anything," said VK Goyal, Kolkata Police Commissioner. The investigation is underway. (ANI) With the centre's Har Ghar Tiranga campaign gaining pace across the country, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that all preparatory activities have been completed and the programmes on the Har Ghar Tiranga from August 13 to 15 will be a big success. "The Kudambasree Self Help Groups have started producing the national flags in their local area in a decentralised manner, assessing an initial requirement of 26.25 lakh national flags as on August 1 with a priority to manufacture in khadi and cotton materials. All preparatory activities are completed and the programmes on the Har Ghar Tiranga from August 13th to 15th will a big success," said CM Vijayan. He also highlighted that commemorating the 75th anniversary of India's Independence is a tribute to the persons who sacrificed everything for attaining the freedom of this Nation. "The State celebrates the 75th year of Independence to uphold the value of Democracy, Secularism and Social equality," he added. In Kerala, departments of local self-government and general education have been entrusted as nodal departments and District Collectors have been instructed to ensure the timely completion of the distribution of flags. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke while addressing the 3rd National Committee meeting of Azadi ka Amritmahotsav held at the Culture Centre in Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital. Har Ghar Tiranga' is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India's independence. The program 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. (ANI) During his visit, the Army chief reviewed the operational preparedness along the Line of Control. "General Manoj Pande, #COAS visited the forward areas of Poonch & Rajouri Sectors and reviewed the operational preparedness along Line of Control. #COAS also interacted with all ranks and exhorted them to keep working with the same zeal & enthusiasm," said the Additional Directorate General of Public Information in a tweet. Earlier on Thursday, General Pande held a video telephonic interaction with South Korean counterpart Jeong Hwan and discussed steps to enhance bilateral defence ties between the two countries. "Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande had a video telephonic interaction with General Park, Jeong Hwan, Chief of Staff, the Republic of Korea Army and discussed steps to enhance bilateral defence ties between the two Nations," Indian Army tweeted. The phone call came amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait after the brief trip of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei. India and the Republic of Korea, as Special Strategic Partners, continued to have high-level engagements last year, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) annual report. Former South Korea Defence Minister Suh Wook visited India in March 2021. During this visit, India-Korea Friendship Park in Delhi was inaugurated. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1973, relations between India and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have been cordial. India has been consistently supportive of efforts to bring about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy. (ANI) Jivba Dalvi, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Mapusa said that on Friday midnight, the tourist, a woman from Chennai, landed at Goa International Airport in Dabolim and boarded a shared cab to Anjuna. Dalvi further said that while other passengers got down at Panaji, the woman proceeded to Anjuna and while she was getting down from the cab, the driver molested her by grabbing her. She immediately ran into the villa and lodged a police complaint on Saturday. "Upon receipt of the complaint the taxi number was identified by the police and the driver of the said taxi Mithun Shrikant Gaur, a native of Gulbarga, Karnataka was apprehended and placed under arrest under Section 354-A within two hours of lodging the complaint by PI Prashal Dessai and PSI Sahil Warang," said Dalvi. Further investigation is in progress. (ANI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday will launch its first new rocket the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. The launch of the SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission is scheduled at 9:18 am (IST). To mark the country's celebrations of "Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav", the SSLV will have a co-passenger satellite called "AzaadiSAT" comprising 75 payloads built by 750 students from 75 rural government schools across India. Girls who designed Satelite are in Sriharikota to witness the SSLV-D1 launch today. Speaking to ANI, Shreya a student from St Francis Girls High School, Telangana said, "Three groups from our school have participated in this SSLV launch. I am very glad that we got this opportunity. We really worked hard on it and today we will witness the launch of the AzaadiSAT satellite." A student from the same school, Zoha Anam thanked her teachers and said it is a lifetime moment. "This project gave us an opportunity to explore spacecraft and aeronautics. It inspires girls to pursue careers in space. This shouldn't have been possible without our teacher's efforts. It is indeed a great movement for all of us as we come here to witness this phenomenal event," Anam said. Expressing gratitude to the Central government, another student from the same school, Genevieve Thomas said it is a memorable and proud moment for Telangana. "We are here today for satellite launch. This is the Central government's project and we're celebrating 'Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. We are really proud that we are here. We worked hard for this moment. really. We are also proud that our state Telangana has come so far. Thankful to the central government for encouraging girls," Thomas said. Founder and CEO, science and tech incubator Space Kidz India, Dr Srimathy Kesan said this launch is to mark the 75th year of independence and to bring the focus that girls should be encouraged. "Extremely privileged to be here, hardly people get this opportunity. We are launching our SSLV Satellite which was built by girls students and is a dream for millions," Dr Kesan said. "A total of 750 girl students have made 75 payloads which have been put in a Satellite to be launched today. We wanted to make this 75th year of independence a remarkable one and bring the focus towards girl children," she added. The ground testing of the newly developed solid booster stage (SS1) for the new launch vehicle of ISRO i.e. Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) was carried out on March 14, 2022, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota at 1205 hrs. All the propulsion parameters during the test are found satisfactory and closely matching with the predictions. SS1 motor is a three-segmented solid propulsion stage incorporating many new technologies and innovative processes which include a bond-free joint between the segments, high power electromechanical actuator with digital control electronics, optimized ignitor and simultaneous propellant casting of all segments, which have been successfully validated in the ground test. The successful test of the solid booster stage has given sufficient confidence to proceed with the first developmental flight of SSLV (SSLV-D1) which is scheduled for May 2022. The remaining stages of SSLV i.e. SS2 & SS3 stages have successfully undergone necessary ground tests and are ready for integration. (ANI) The rally witnessed the participation of about 150 military personnel. Shiv Shankar Upadhyay, CRPF commandant, said, "'Har Ghar Tiranga' is a campaign to mark the 75th year of India's independence. I request everyone to turn the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign into a mass movement by hoisting or displaying the national flag at their homes between August 13-15." He further said that this campaign is launched to spread awareness among citizens. Local police said, "This yatra is initiated to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of Independence." 'Har Ghar Tiranga' is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India's independence. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of India's people, culture and achievements. The program 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. (ANI) Former All India Congress Committee (AICC) Spokesperson Dasoju Sravan, who recently resigned from Congress, joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Minister and party leader G Kishan Reddy here on Sunday. In a setback to the Congress party in Telangana, Sravan resigned from the party on Friday, alleging chaos within the party under the direction of state Congress unit chief Revanth Reddy. "Telangana Congress committee's President Revanth Reddy is working against fundamental principles of Congress party and value system of democracy and social justice, he's running the party as per his whims and fancy," he told ANI. "He (Reddy) is showing disregard toward backward classes, demonstrating upper-class hegemony. Because of Reddy, Congress pushed to a position where they cannot fight the dictatorial rule of KCR. I thus resign with resentment," Sravan alleged after resigning from Congress. He further said Revanth Reddy had disregarded all of Sonia Gandhi's and Rahul Gandhi's ideals.Sravan's resignation from the party is the second one this week. Earlier on Tuesday, senior Congress leader and MLA from Telangana's Munugode constituency, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy announced his resignation from the Congress party and also as a legislator. Sravan contested as an MLA from the Khairatabad constituency in 2014. "Since 2014, I have been fighting on behalf of the congress party as a spokesperson against the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party with the hope to dethrone KCR, but unfortunately because of tyrannical tendencies, dictatorial tendencies of Revanth Reddy, the congress party has pushed itself in the position where they cannot fight with KCR and TRS party." "I tried speaking to Rahul Gandhi and my mentors in Congress like Jairam Ramesh but unfortunately they are also helpless because of this erratic attitude of Revanth Reddy," he said.Sravan further said he will continue to fight against KCR. "My views against KCR or TRS won't change just because I have quit the party. Since 2014, I am continuing to fight against KCR and will continue to fight against KCR," he asserted. (ANI) Police said that during the checking drive under Police station sector 39 near the forest in the Sadarpur outpost area, an encounter occurred in which one miscreant was injured. The injured miscreant was identified as Baddu, a resident of Delhi, involved in several robberies and snatching cases. Several cases have been registered against him in different police stations of NCR. He used to snatch ornaments and others items when people used to be on their morning walk, Police added. There are two other accomplices in his gang out of which one is in jail and another is absconding. Police said, "A stolen motorcycle, a 315 bore pistol, 01 blank cartridge and 5 live cartridges have been recovered from the possession of the miscreant." Further investigation is underway. (ANI) In a recent study, functional magnetic resonance imaging was utilized to track 51 male-female romantic partners' brain activity as they encountered real-time intimate partner hostility. They found that aggression toward intimate partners was associated with aberrant activity in the brain's medial prefrontal cortex, or MPFC, which has many functions, but among them is the ability to foster perceptions of closeness with and value of other people. The study led by Virginia Commonwealth University researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the brain activity of 51 male-female romantic couples as they experienced intimate partner aggression in real-time. They found that aggression toward intimate partners was associated with aberrant activity in the brain's medial prefrontal cortex, or MPFC, which has many functions, but among them is the ability to foster perceptions of closeness with and value of other people. "We found that aggression towards intimate partners has a unique signature in the brain," said lead author David Chester, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences. "There is something distinct happening at the neural level when people decide whether to harm their romantic partners, a process that differs in a meaningful way from decisions about whether to harm friends or strangers." The research was led by Chester's Social Psychology and Neuroscience Lab, which seeks to understand the psychological and biological processes that motivate and constrain aggressive behavior. The study, "Neural Mechanisms of Intimate Partner Aggression," will be published in the journal Biological Psychology. The researchers were able to observe couples' brain activity during intimate partner aggression by asking participants to play a computer game against three people, one at a time: their romantic partner, a close friend, and a stranger. In reality, they were playing against a computer. The participants were tasked with pressing a button faster than their opponents. The loser, they were told, would be punished with a nasty blast of sound in their headphones. The researchers measured aggression by giving participants, and their fictitious opponents, the opportunity to select the volume of that sound blast, with higher volume representing more aggression, and lower volume representing less aggression. "Basically, we gave participants repeated opportunities to hurt or not hurt each of these three people, and we examined how brain activity changed based on who they thought they were hurting," Chester said. "But ... no one was actually hurt by this computer game, participants unknowingly played against the computer." The researchers' findings also extended beyond the lab into the real world. They had participants fill out a validated questionnaire that asked whether they had perpetrated acts of intimate partner violence prior to the study. They found that blunted medial prefrontal cortex activity predicted some of the participants' real-world acts of intimate partner violence. "We expected to see that intimate partner aggression was linked to a unique signature of brain activity," Chester said. "What we were surprised about was the ability of this brain signature to predict real-world intimate partner violence." They also investigated how men's and women's neural activity affected each other's aggression. They found that women's intimate partner aggression was predicted by their male partner's brain response to a perceived provocation. "This result fits with the well-established finding that women's intimate partner aggression may very often be in self-defense," Chester said. Taken together, he said, the study's results provide new insights into brain regions that are likely to be fruitful targets for interventions that aim to reduce intimate partner aggression and help science build an accurate brain model of such harmful acts. Chester added that the researchers approached this study with utmost care. Couples were pre-screened to ensure they were not at elevated risk for intimate partner violence. The researchers carefully debriefed each participant individually to make sure they felt comfortable being reunited with their partner. And they carefully debriefed both partners again as a couple to make sure there were no lingering, negative effects of the study. "We had robust protocols in place in case anything went wrong, to safeguard the well-being of our participants," Chester said. "It is of paramount importance that studies into intimate partner aggression prioritize the safety and well-being of their participants, and we believe we achieved this goal." While this study focused on male-female intimate partner aggression, Chester said future work is needed to examine these dynamics across a greater diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman on Sunday slammed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting stating that "it will be a big loss for the state". The seventh meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in the national capital is underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing the meeting. The meeting is the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. KCR said he will boycott the meeting saying he doesn't find it useful to attend the meeting and his decision is a mark of protest against what he termed as the Centre's alleged blatant discrimination against states including Telangana. Responding to KCR's statement, the BJP MP Laxman said, "This is most unfortunate politics as it has nothing to do with Niti Aayog. Boycotting the meeting will not cause loss to him or his family but it is a big loss for the state." He further said that being a Chief Minister, KCR should attend meeting to discuss and raise issues related to the state. "Niti Aayog was formed so that chief ministers can discuss issues, can give their advice and ask questions from the government. Now you left this opportunity.KCR should come to the meeting and discuss whatever KCR had said in front of media," said BJP MP. The BJP leader said that the people of Telangana are fed up with the TRS government and they think that BJP is the only alternative for Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). "We have ample time to discuss here and now KCR is running from the meeting to cover up his failures. He is trying to divert the attention of the people by boycotting NITI Aayog. Now Telangana people are fed up with the TRS government and understand that only BJP is a reliable party who thinks about people welfare and TRS only alternative is BJP," he added. Earlier addressing a press conference KCR said, "As a mark of serious protest against the Government of India, I am boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi because the cooperative federalism and the team India spirit is totally lost by the central government and NITI Aayog." The TRS chief alleged the Centre is running a "dictatorship" and is imposing schemes which are undesirable to the states. He said the GST imposed on handloom products, milk and crematorium should be withdrawn. The agenda of the NITI Aayog meeting includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the National Education Policy-school education; implementation of the National Education Policy-higher education; and urban governance. In the drive toward building a steady, sustainable and inclusive India, the seventh governing council meeting of the government think tank Niti Aayog is expected to pave the way for synergies towards a new era of collaboration and cooperation between the Centre and states and union territories. As India commemorates 75 years of Independence, it is the need of the hour for the states to be agile, resilient and self-reliant and move towards 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' in a spirit of cooperative federalism, an official statement said. As part of preparations for this meeting, the National Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in Dharamshala in June 2022 which was the culmination of the six-month-long rigorous exercise by the Centre and States. The conference was chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, along with senior officials of the Central and State Governments. The governing council comprises the Prime Minister of India; Chief Ministers of all the states and union territories with the legislature; Lt Governors of other UTs; Ex-Officio Members; Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Full-Time Members, NITI Aayog; and Union Ministers as Special Invitees. The statement said that the meeting is particularly important as the country enters Amrit Kaal against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of India hosting the G20 Presidency and summit next year. The meeting would also lay emphasis on the importance of the Presidency for India for the federal system and the role that states can play in highlighting their progress at the G-20 Platform. (ANI) A team of the Delhi Crime Branch arrested an accused in a case of robbery at Uttam Nagar Police Station, Delhi on Sunday. He had been absconding for the last five years. According to DCP, Crime Vichitra Veer, "The Northern Range-II of Crime Branch unit at Rohini Sector-18, Delhi received an input about a wanted criminal namely Mukesh Sharma, a resident of Uttam Nagar, Delhi. He was involved in the case that took place on December 27, 2017, and cases were registered under sections 392, 411 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)." The complainant had stated in his complaint that he was a taxi driver and he had then come to drop passengers in the vicinity of Uttam Nagar, Delhi. Suddenly four persons had come in front of his vehicle and stopped his car. They allegedly pushed the complainant from his car and looted his cash, mobile and tried to flee. Two persons namely Sunil and Mukesh were apprehended on the spot while two other persons managed to escape. Sunil and Mukesh later got bail from the court but Mukesh jumped bail and did not appear before the court for trial. The court later issued a non-bailable warrant against him and later on issued an order of attachment of property against the accused. Later on, Crime Branch received input and located the hideout of wanted criminal Mukesh in Dwarka, Delhi and the accused was apprehended. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) The accused has been arrested and the case registered against four unknown persons, police said. During the operation, one police constable received minor injuries. "Police fired air gun shots in self-defence during a tense operation to arrest an alleged bovine smuggler at Chak Gota under Lakhanpur PS last night. One constable received minor injuries. Accused arrested, case registered against 4 unknown persons," J&K Police. (ANI) Vietnam makes active contributions to International Law Commission Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao has pledged to make more contributions to the progress and development of international law, for peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development in the world. Speaking at the 73rd session of the International Law Commission (ILC) on August 5, the ambassador, on behalf of the Asian States regional group, spoke highly of efforts by the commission as well as its contributions and support to developing countries. Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao (Photo: VNA) The 73rd session is the final meeting of the commission in the 2017-2022 tenure, which lasted up to six years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The session took place from April 18 to June 3, and from July 4 to August 5. Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao was re-elected to the International Law Commission (ILC) for the 2023-2027 tenure on November 12, 2021, with 145 out of 191 votes, ranking fourth among 11 candidates from Asia-Pacific. During the 2017-2022 tenure, Ambassador Thao was the first Vietnamese to be elected to the ILC. He actively joined and offered ideas to the committee's important discussions regarding environment protection in armed conflicts, atmosphere protection, response to rising sea level and international law. Thao earned a doctorate degree on law from the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne and previously held important positions such as Vice Chairman of the National Border Commission and head of the Vietnamese delegations to negotiations on border agreements with neighbouring countries of Vietnam. The ILC is an independent body of the UN, and specialises in developing and codifying international law, and reporting to the UN General Assemblys Legal Committee. It is composed of 34 members who are elected by UN member states every five years via secret ballot. Turkey's Midyat District Meeting Point for Assyrian Expats Mardin, Turkey -- Turkiye's Midyat district is a meeting point for Assyrian expats who left their homeland many years ago. The historical district in the southeastern province of Mardin is a melting pot of different cultures and languages -- Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac. The expats and tourists from different parts of the world breathe new life into Midyat during the summer season. The top attractions in the region are the thousands of years old stone houses, inns, mosques, churches, and monasteries. Turkiye's Assyrian expats, who are predominantly Christian, travel miles from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Lebanon to spend their summer holidays in Midyat, their hometown. The population of Assyrians in Midyat increases manifold with the arrival of the expats in the summers. Assyrian expats stay in detached houses built from famous Midyat stones. They enjoy being able to converse in their native language, Syriac. The community has seen its numbers rise again in recent years with those who emigrated to other countries returning. Revisiting our roots Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Nebil Celik, 57, who is settled in Giessen, Germany, said: "Although we live in Germany, we are so excited to come here every year. Do people ever forget where they were born? Our roots are here, we grew up here." Celik went on to say: "Syriac is our mother tongue, we speak Syriac with our friends here in Midyat." Zeki Arsan, who is also visiting from Germany, said his family completed the house they were building in the rural neighborhood of Elbegendi this year. Syriac expat Ercan Methe said he visits his hometown every three years to catch up with his loved ones. Expressing his admiration for the culture, Methe said: "Here, Muslims and Christians live together. That is why Midyat is so beautiful. "I miss everything about Midyat. When I come here, I remember the old days. We forget everything when we come here. We visit churches and monasteries. People don't want to leave here, but we have to do so." Nuri Ergin, an artisan in Midyat, said Assyrian expats buy and build houses in the district and also repair their old houses. Deputy mayor Abdurrahim Celik said: "Assyrians living abroad spend their summer holidays in the district in peace. The historical district is at the crossroads of religions, languages, cultures, and tolerance among Midyat residents has never faltered." In view of heavy rainfall, the State Water Authority of Kerala on Tuesday opened a shutter of Kerala's Idukki dam as the water level continues to rise. "Shutter No 3 of the Cheruthoni dam was opened at 6 in the morning by 40 cm but it was raised to 60 cm on 8.30 am," said Idukki district officials. The district administration has issued an orange alert as the water level in the reservoir there touched 2401.58 feet. Kerala is experiencing continuous rains these days, which is wreaking havoc in the state. Due to the rain, life has been disturbed all around the state. Earlier, on Friday also, the administration opened four shutters of the Malampuzha dam and also issued a warning for those living close to the banks of the Mukkaipuzha, Kalpathipuzha, and Bharathapuzha rivers. As per the rule curve, the capacity of the dam is 112.99 meters. The situation is not alarming at present but the shutters were opened and raised up to 5 cm in view of the heavy rains. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread rains in Kerala from August 4 to 8 and warned that the state can expect isolated extremely heavy rainfall over its Ghat regions. Earlier in the month of July, the Kannur and Kasargod districts witnessed heavy showers with the rivers of Kasargod overflowing.Several houses in Kannur collapsed and got partially damaged due to the inundation of rainwater inside. One family had to be shifted from the Payannur municipality due to the overflow.The water levels of Kadalundi (Malapuram), Bharathapuzha (Palakkad), Shiria (Kasargod), Karavannoor (Thrissur) and Gayathripuzha (Thrissur) rivers have reached the warning level. On August 4, the shutters of Sholayar and Peringalkuthu Dams were raised and the Chalakudy river is in the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged people living on the banks of the Chalakudy river to move out as the water flow is likely to increase by evening. He said that those living in the low-lying areas of Thrissur and Ernakulam districts to be cautious. Many landslides have also occurred in the last months. A heavy landslide was reported on Friday in Munnar Kundala estate in Kerala leading to submerging a temple and two shops completely. However, no casualty was reported, but at least 175 families are affected due to the occurred landslide. Due to heavy downpours in the state, six deaths have been reported so far. As per the CM, the state government has prepared a united emergency cell of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state forces emergency control room at the Kerala State disaster management authority office. Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts are experiencing heavy rains. Water levels in rivers are rising in many places. Many streams overflowed. (ANI) Accusing the ruling government, Panneerselvam said, "When AIADMK was in power, the Mullaperiyar dam was held up to 142 feet several times but this system was not followed for two years after DMK came to power." At present, the level of Mullaperiyar dam has reached 137 feet due to continuous rains in Western Ghats and catchment areas. Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin asking him to take steps to release the excess water. Following this, there have been reports that the Tamil Nadu government has released 534 cubic feet of water per second from the Mullaperiyar dam to the Kerala region without consulting the farmers of Tamil Nadu. Farmers from Madurai, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts of Tamil Nadu who benefit from the Mullaperiyar dam claim that the "rule curve" is the reason why the Mullaperiyar dam does not store water up to 142 feet. The agricultural unions have also strongly condemned this "rule curve" provision. This "rule curve" rule is said to be the reason for the release of water from the Mullaperiyar dam. A rule curve is a measure that defines the storage or the vacant space maintained in a reservoir at different times of the year. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emphasised the ways to strengthen the spirit of 'Jan Bhagidari' and the need to fulfil the vision of freedom fighters. "Yesterday, the National Committee on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav met. Heard the insightful inputs of fellow members of this Committee. I emphasised on ways to strengthen the spirit of Jan Bhagidari and the need of fulfilling the vision of our freedom fighters," PM Modi said in a tweet today. "The success of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is due to the contribution of every citizen of the country. The committees at the national, state and district levels have been working day and night to take Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to the masses," PM Modi said addressing the third meeting of the National Committee on Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in New Delhi. Calling the emotional flavour of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav the core of the campaign, he said, "The patriotic fervour which was witnessed during the freedom struggle was unprecedented. It is what we need to imbibe in our current generation and channelise for nation building." He further said that the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is creating an atmosphere of patriotic zeal in the country and it is a golden opportunity to establish an emotional connection of youth towards nation building. "It is a Sanskar Utsav for the youth which will fill them with the undying passion to contribute to the country. The current generation will be tomorrow's leaders and therefore we have to inculcate a sense of duty and responsibility in them so that they realise the dreams and vision of India@100," he said. In his address, PM Modi also highlighted the contribution of tribal freedom fighters and said that we should pay tribute to them by building local tribal museums. He suggested that the border village programme should be taken up for the youth to familiarise them with the life of the people residing in the last mile of the country and the programme to construct 75 sarovars (lakes) in every district. The Prime Minister further said that we must nourish and nurture our unity and promote India as Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat because a united nation is a progressive nation. "In this light, our national flag Tiranga is a symbol of unity-- which brings positivity and prosperity for the nation," he said. Expressing faith in the "ongoing period of Amrit Kaal", PM Modi said that the period marked by the spirit of Sankalp se Siddhi will take our country to the peak of success in the next 25 years." Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the committee members comprising Lok Sabha Speaker, Governors, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, political leaders, officials, media personalities, Spiritual Leaders, artists and film personalities, and other prominent persons from different walks of life and several other participants joined the meeting virtually. Secretary Culture, Govind Mohan gave a presentation on the overview of activities under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav since its inception on 12 March 2021. In the third meeting, Shah explained that more than 60,000 programmes have been organized successfully in the country till date and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav has percolated down from the national to the state, district and grassroot levels. (ANI) As the festival of Rakshabandhan is approaching, a shop from Surat has some really good collections of Rakhis. Starting from thread rakhis to rakhis made up of gold, silver, platinum to Diamond-studded rakhis, people are admiring the rakhis in awe. To add a feather to the hat, the most expensive and the centre of attraction is a rakhi worth Rs 5 lakh. The festival of Rakshabandhan is an important festival showing the relationship between brother and sister. On the day of Rakshabandhan, a sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist and takes a promise of protection from her brother, and then in return, the brother gives some gift by giving a promise. Keeping in mind the festival of Rakshabandhan, the country's most expensive Rakhi has been prepared in Surat, Gujarat. A jewellery shop owner Deepak Bhai Choksi told ANI, "The rakhis prepared by us can also be worn as ornaments after Rakshabandhan. We try to celebrate this holy festival in a new way every year" You must have been shocked to hear the cost of a Rakhi, but it is true that on the festival of Rakshabandhan, only sisters used to tie Rakhi made of silk thread on the wrists of their brothers, although this trend is still not over in rural areas. But the changing times in urban areas have changed the definition of rakhis. [{a12d98b5-df2c-4628-adee-51faeedbd655:intradmin/urvgurygueruerghieg.jpg}] A local customer, Simran Singh said, "Different types of rakhis have been made from gold, silver and platinum in a jeweller's showroom in Surat. In this showroom, rakhis ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 5 lakh have been prepared for the festival of Rakshabandhan." (ANI) Highlighting the efforts of state governments in combating the challenge of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said collective efforts in the spirit of cooperative federalism as a force helped India emerge from the COVID pandemic. Addressing the seventh meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, PM Modi said, "Every state played a crucial role according to its strength and contributed to India's fight against COVID. This led to India emerging as an example for the developing nations to look up to as a global leader." This was the first physical meeting of the Governing Council since the onset of the pandemic, with the 2021 meeting held via video conferencing. The meeting was attended by 23 Chief Ministers, three Lieutenant Governors and two Administrators and Union Ministers. The meeting was moderated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In his inaugural address, Prime Minister said India's federal structure and cooperative federalism emerged as a model for the world during the COVID crisis. He said that India had sent a powerful message to the developing nations of the world--that it is possible to overcome challenges with resilience despite resource limitations. PM Modi said that the credit for this goes to the state governments, which focused on grassroots delivery of public services to the people through cooperation across political lines. The Prime Minister highlighted that the seventh meeting was a culmination of months of rigorous brainstorming and consultations between the Centre and States to identify national priorities. "For the first time in India's 75 years of independence, all of India's Chief Secretaries met together in one place and deliberated on issues of national importance for three days. This collective process led to the development of the agenda for this meeting," Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister further highlighted the need for India to focus on modernized agriculture, animal husbandry, and food processing to become self-sufficient and a global leader in the agriculture sector. He said rapid urbanization can become India's strength instead of weakness by leveraging technology to ensure ease of living, transparent service delivery, and improvement in the quality of life for every citizen of urban India. He also spoke about India's G20 presidency in 2023 and called it a unique opportunity to show the world that India is not just Delhi--it is every State and Union Territory of the country. PM Modi said we should develop a mass movement around G20. This will allow us to identify the best talent available in the country. He also said there should be a dedicated team for G20 in the states to derive the maximum possible benefit from this initiative. Speaking about G20 presidency, Union Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar said, "The G20 Presidency presents a great opportunity and a great responsibility. For the first time in the history of G20, India will host the G20 meetings over the year, not only in Delhi but in every State and Union Territory." While highlighting several initiatives undertaken to boost learning outcomes, capacity-building of teachers, and skilling, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, thanked and requested further support of the States for the successful implementation of the National Education Policy. Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Suman Bery, reiterated that India's transformation has to take place in its states. He reaffirmed the need for the combined efforts of the Centre and States to realize the vision of a resurgent India post the pandemic. Every Chief Minister and Lt Governor present at the meeting addressed the meeting, highlighting the priorities, achievements, and challenges of their respective States and Union Territories with a special focus on the four key agenda items. In his closing remarks, PM Modi said that each state should focus on promoting its 3Ts - Trade, Tourism, Technology, through every Indian Mission around the world. He said the States must focus on reducing imports, increasing exports and identifying opportunities for the same in every state. "We should encourage people to use local goods wherever possible," he said. 'Vocal for local' is not the agenda of an individual political party, but a common goal, he added. PM Modi said even though the GST collection has improved, our potential is much more. "Increasing GST collection requires collective action by the Centre and States. It is crucial for strengthening our economic position and becoming a USD 5 trillion economy," he said. Speaking on the National Education Policy, PM Modi said the NEP has been formulated after considerable deliberations. He said we should involve all stakeholders in its implementation and develop a clear, timebound roadmap for the same. He expressed his gratitude to the CMs and LGs for participating in the meeting and sharing their views and experiences. He said NITI Aayog will study the states' concerns, challenges, and best practices and subsequently plan the way forward. He said the issues discussed in this meeting will define the national priorities for the next 25 years, adding that the seeds we sow today will define the fruits reaped by India in 2047. The 7th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan's Cultural Centre in the national capital on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of the States and Union Territories, legislators, Lt Governors of UTs, Ex-Officio Members, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Full-Time Members of NITI Aayog and Union Ministers as Special Invitees. However, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped the meeting. Notably, this meeting is the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. The agenda of the NITI Aayog meeting includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses; implementation of the National Education Policy-school education; implementation of the National Education Policy-higher education; and urban governance. (ANI) Demand for national flags has accelerated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 'Har Ghar Tiranga campaign'. The unprecedented demand for the flags from across the country has forced flag makers in West Bengal to spend sleepless nights in order to complete the humongous orders. The artisans had to refuse further orders in order to meet the current demand. The traditional tricolour makers said that after the Centre's appeal for the Tiranga campaign, they received a huge order from states like Bihar, Assam and Sikkim. Rustam Mandal, an artisan said, "After the Prime Minister's appeal for the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign as a part of celebrations of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' for India completing 75 years of Independence, the demand for the flags had surpassed the demand of previous years." "Following the situation, we are finding it difficult to source materials to make the flags," he added. Sukanta Mandal, another artisan said, "we are under huge pressure to complete the orders. People are coming from various places to get the flags, but we are not able to take orders." 'Har Ghar Tiranga' is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India's independence. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of India's people, culture and achievements. The programme envisages inspiring Indians everywhere to hoist the national flag at their home. The aim of the programme 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 tricolour. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday participated in the 7th meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Minister said that according to the expectation of the Prime Minister, the state government has started the work at a quick pace by making its mantra 'ideal Uttarakhand/2025', said a press release on Sunday. The Chief Minister said that in the Himalayan states, the NITI Aayog should make a model of development through science and technology, which is based on ecology, population, and environmental sensitivity. A special seminar should be organized for Himalayan states under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The Chief Minister said that after the year 2014, Prime Minister's blessings are moving forward to progressively progress from roads, railroads, health services and various centric cherished schemes. Work is also being done at a fast pace, according to the World Prasadav Pilgrimage Site Badrinath, Kedarnath's Master Plan. Uttarakhand is the leading state in achieving SDG goals. Giving information about development work in different areas in the state, the Chief Minister said that there is immense potential for agricultural diversification in the state. Mandua, Jhingora, Madira, Ramdana, mountainous pulses such as gambling, rajma etc. and tongue and medicinal plants are being consistently promoted. The area and food processing capacity of the Kiwi fruit with apple and high value are being expanded. Biological production of millet and nutritious grain crops in a 38,500-hectare area in the state is being done. The proceedings of the cluster selection for natural farming in the 6400-hectare area have been completed. In order to promote the sector in the state, the location of the International Level State of the Art Laboratories was founded by Center of Excellence for Aromatic Crops. Aroma Park has been established on 40 acres in the state. In which the establishment of Aroma industries will have to invest around Rs 300 crore and more than 5,000 job opportunities. Horti-tourism is being developed to promote tourism and Horticulture in the state. In order to promote online education, Virtual Class Room has been established in 500 schools in all 13 districts of the state. In 200 schools, 08 business education courses have also been started. The Chief Minister said that in higher education, the National Education Policy-2012 has been implemented from the academic session 2022-23 in the state. Students such as co-curriculum have been implemented as co-curriculum such as Vedic Science, Vedic Mathematics and Bhagwad Geeta with the aim of introducing Indian culture and Indian knowledge system. (ANI) Samsung has officially started to roll out its One UI 5 open beta to Galaxy S22 owners in the US, Germany, and South Korea. According to the Verge, just a few days before Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked presentation and a few weeks before the anticipated release of Android 13, the update is released. The One UI 5 beta appears to be a very minor update that brings additional customization choices, notifications that have been tweaked, as well as accessibility and security settings. By providing 12 more colour options for your home screen, icons, and quick panels in addition to up to 16 pre-made colour themes based on your wallpaper, One UI 5 expands upon the theming possibilities available in Android 13 for mobile devices. Additionally, it adds a method for piling widgets of the same size on top of one another in order to appear less crowded. New accessibility capabilities include a magnifier tool that enlarges text and objects in real life using the phone's camera as well as choices to have your phone read your keyboard input aloud. Other innovations that One UI 5 has taken from Android 13 include new notification settings that mandate that app developers get your consent before sending you notifications, according to information provided by Samsung. You may also select your favourite language for each individual app in the One UI 5 beta, and you have access to a newly built security dashboard that checks your phone for any problems. The One UI 5 beta is now only accessible for S22 smartphones in the US, Germany, and South Korea, but Samsung intends to expand its availability in the near future to more devices and geographies. At Samsung's Unpacked presentation on August 10th, where the company is reported to introduce a number of new products, including the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Z Fold 4, Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Buds Pro 2, we could learn more about what One UI 5 has to offer. (ANI) A CISF personnel was shot dead while another was injured when their colleague opened fire inside the Indian Museum CISF barrack in Kolkata on Saturday evening. The accused CISF Head constable AK Mishra allegedly opened fire from his AK 47 rifle in the CISF Barrack of Indian Museum situated at Park Street in which CISF Assistant Sub Inspector Ranjit Kumar Sarani, a resident of Orissa died while Assistant Commandant Suvir Ghosh sustained injuries. Soon after the information, Kolkata Police surrounded the area and nabbed Mishra. Kolkata Police Commissioner rushed to the spot following the incident. "One assistant-sub inspector has been killed, and one assistant commandant rank officer is injured. As to why he opened fire is a matter of investigation, it is still too early to say anything," VK Goyal, Kolkata Police Commissioner had said. The investigation is underway. (ANI) Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar on Sunday termed a US Navy ship arriving in India for repairs for the first time ever as a "great feat and recognition for L&T Shipyard". While addressing mediapersons in Kattupalli, Thiruvallur, Kumar said, "It's a great feat and recognition for L&T Shipyard that was not only able to win the confidence of US Command but give a better offer than all those who were in competition for this." "This is a new chapter in the shipbuilding industry of this country. This is the new chapter in the growing defence relationship between India and the USA," he added. Further, he said, "L&T will undertake the repair over the next one week to 10 days. We are always hopeful that this would lead to more repairs of US naval ships in India." Adding a new dimension to the burgeoning India-US strategic partnership, US Navy Ship (USNS) Charles Drew arrived at Kattupalli shipyard in Chennai on Sunday for undertaking repairs and allied services. According to the Ministry of Defence, this is the first ever repair of a US Navy ship in India. The US Navy had awarded a contract to L&T's shipyard at Kattupalli for undertaking maintenance of the ship. The event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market. Indian shipyards offer wide-ranging and cost-effective ship repair and maintenance services, using advanced maritime technology platforms, said the ministry. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area Rear Admiral S Venkat Raman and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence visited the shipyard to welcome the vessel. Consul General of US Embassy in Chennai Judith Ravin and Defence Attache at the US Embassy at New Delhi Rear Admiral Michael Baker were also present. Terming the event as a red-letter day for the Indian shipbuilding industry and the India-US defence relationship, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said, "We are indeed pleased to welcome US Naval Ship USNS Charles Drew to India, for making her voyage ready. India's initiative also assumes special significance in furthering the strategic partnership between India and the US. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for deeper engagements." Kumar described the arrival of USNS Charles Drew for repairs as a sign of the maturing Indian shipbuilding industry. "Today, India has six major shipyards with a turnover of nearly USD 2 billion. We are making ships not only for our own requirements. We have our own design house capable of making all kinds of state-of-the-art ships. The country's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant is a shining example of the growth of the Indian shipbuilding industry," he said. "Under the new innovation ecosystem, vessels capable of undertaking autonomous missions have been built by Goa Shipyard Limited and some of our start-ups. The shipbuilding industry today is not just carrying out conventional things, but is also amalgamating the latest technologies with it," he added. The Defence Secretary also asserted that the ties between India and US have been expanding in scale and scope and are based on common values and beliefs of an open, inclusive and rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific and the rest of the global common systems. He added that there has been a tremendous amount of traction in the defence industry cooperation over the last couple of years between the two countries. "Indian defence exports have seen a massive increase in the last four-five years. Exports, which were worth about Rs 1,500 crore in 2015-16, have now grown by 800 per cent to around Rs 13,000 crore. A major destination for Indian exports is the US," Ajay Kumar said, thanking the US partners for their cooperation and support to the Indian defence industry. He hoped that the defence exports will increase further in the times to come. Consul General of US Embassy Judith Ravin called it a new leaf in the India-US strategic relationship signifying the deepening bonds between the two nations. The USNS Charles Drew will be at the Kattupalli shipyard for a period of 11 days and undergo repairs in various areas. (ANI) (AINA) -- The Simmele () Massacre of Assyrians occurred between August 7 and August 11, 1933, in the town of Simmele, North Iraq, and its surroundings. It was carried out by the Iraqi Army, led by General Bakir Sidqi, a Kurd, and Kurdish and Arab irregulars. The report below is presented in original form; some spelling may be non-standard. The number of victims has been subsequently determined by researchers to be 3,000, since the massacre was not confined only to the village of Simmele. Because of the Simmele Massacre, August 7 was chosen to become the official Assyrian Martyrs Day. Here is an account of the massacre. Simmele is on the main road to Zakho, about eight miles from Dohuk, under the administration of which qodha it came. It was the largest village in the neighborhood and consisted of over one hundred Assyrians and ten Arab houses. The total population would have been about 700, most of the Assyrians belonging to the Baz tribe, with others of the Upper Tiyari and the Diz. The headman was a strong supporter of the Mar Shimun and with fifty others had followed Yacu into Syria. These fifty were almost entirely Tiyari, hardly any of the Baz being among them. The feeling of unrest in the village increased. On August 8th the Qaimaqam of Zakho appeared with a lorry full of soldiers. No satisfactory answer has yet been given to the question why he should have come with troops into a district that was outside his administration. He entered the village and told the Assyrians to surrender their rifles, as he feared that fighting might occur between the rebel Assyrians and the Government forces, in which case the people of Simmele would be less likely to be involved if they had no rifles. Plausibly, but with lies in his heart, he assured them that they would be safe under the protection of the Iraqi flag which flew over the police post for Simmele, being a large village, had a police post of one sergeant and four men. The Assyrians then handed in their arms, which were taken away by the troops. Next day more troops returned, this time without the Qaimaqam, and disarmed further Assyrians who in the meantime had come in from the surrounding villages. The following day, the 10th, passed comparatively quietly. Nothing happened except that Arabs and Kurds could be seen looting neighboring villages. They even came in and stripped the communal threshing floors on the outskirts of Simmele, where the cut barley and wheat was stacked in piles, for it was full time of harvest and the villagers were engaged in threshing and winnowing. The unarmed Assyrians could do nothing and the police did not intervene; they explained that they had no orders and that in any case their numbers were insufficient. It was becoming quite clear now to the Assyrians what was likely to happen. Not only had they seen this looting going on, but they suddenly found they were forbidden to draw water from the village spring, being permitted only to go to the main stream, which was dirty. They knew that the Army had already shot many Assyrians. They had seen their head priest, Sada, taken out of Simmele. All day they watched the looting Arabs and Kurds. Not one of them dared to move from the neighborhood of the police post, except one or two whose houses were near by, and who went to and fro on pathetic household tasks such as the making of bread, the last meal that many of them were destined to eat. They were now in a state of deadly fear, and they spend that night in and around the police post, which is built on a small hill. They now knew only too well the sentiments which the Arabs, and particularly the Arab Army, harboured towards them, and in the small hours of the 11th, when the moon had risen, the watching Assyrians began to observe their Arab neighbours of the village starting away driving their flocks before them. This opened their eyes beyond possibility of error. They realized the trap they had been led into and they knew that they were entirely helpless. The police sergeant ordered the Assyrians from the out lying villages to return to their homes. When they refused, saying that it was unsafe, he ordered them to leave the police post and go down to the houses in the villages below. They obeyed reluctantly. Some went to the house of Gavriel and his brother Tinan, who kept reassuring them that they would be safe and that the Government would protect them. As others were going down to the houses they suddenly saw lorries of troops and armoured cars arriving. Looking round to the police post they saw a policeman pulling down the Iraqi flag, which until then had been flying, as it had flown for years, as a symbol of the law and order under which every inhabitant of Iraq could live in safety and security. Suddenly and without the least warning the troops opened fire upon the defenseless Assyrians. Many fell, including some women had children, and the rest ran into the houses to take cover. Not a soul was to be seen in the streets. The troops well knew that there was not a rifle or revolver left in the village. An officer then drove up in a car and the troops came in. This officer has since been identified as Ismail Abawi Tohalla, who comes of a well know but by no means respectably Mosul family. He shouted to the soldiers not to kill the women and children. These were ordered to come out of the houses and go up to the police post. Many did so. Your browser does not support the video tag. Interview with Simmele Survivor A cold blooded and methodical massacre of all the men in the village then followed, a massacre which for the black treachery in which it was conceived and the callousness with which it was carried out, was as foul a crime as any in the blood stained annals of the Middle East. The Assyrians had no fight left in them, partly because of the state of mind to which the events of the past week had reduced them, largely because they were disarmed. Had they been armed it seems certain that Ismail Abawi Tohalla and his bravos would have hesitated to take them on in fair fight. Having disarmed them, they proceeded with the massacre according to plan. This took some time. Not that there was any hurry, for the troops had the whole day ahead of them. Their opponents were helpless and there was no chance of any interference from any quarter whatsoever. Machine gunners set up their guns outside the windows of the houses in which the Assyrians had taken refuge, and having trained them on the terror stricken wretches in the crowded rooms, fired among them until not a man was left standing in the shambles. In some other instance the blood lust of the troops took a slightly more active form, and men were dragged out and shot or bludgeoned to death and their bodies thrown on a pile of dead. Your browser does not support the video tag. Interview with Simmele Survivor Youkhanna Odicho Biro Gavriel, who has been mentioned in an earlier chapter as the individual who raised cheers for the Army at the Mosul meeting of July 11th, went out to plead for the Assyrians. He explained who he was, and said that his nephew, Ezra Effendi, had long been an officer in the Iraqi police. He showed his nationality papers, but these were torn in pieces before his face and he was shot in cold blood. A priest named Ismail who had taken refuge in the police post was driven out by the police, a rope was tied round his neck and he was kicked down the steps and dragged away by the troops, who shot him, afterwards throwing his body on the steadily growing heap of corpses. Whilst this organized slaughter was going on, the police sergeant, who had from the beginning taken a leading part in the diabolical plot, ordered the Assyrian women to clean up the blood from the neighborhood of the police post. The women complied, but only for a time. Suddenly they rebelled against this inhuman order and told the police sergeant to turn the machine guns on them as they would rather die. The soldiers then took the men that remained down to a ditch and went on killing until every man was dead. It was then discovered that a few men had taken refuge among the women and that some of them had hastily got into women's clothes. These were rounded up and murdered. Your browser does not support the video tag. Interview with Simmele Survivor Elias_Haroon (with English subtitles) They went off to Aloka for their midday meal and afternoon siesta. As soon as the troops had gone, the tribes, who had been interested spectators, came in and completed the looting of the houses which the soldiers had commenced. The tribes had taken no part whatever in the massacre, but as the Army were equipped with modern machine guns and had no opposition, there was of course no need for any help. Later in the evening the troops came back, for the police sergeant had reported by telephone that a number of Assyrian men had appeared at the police post and taken refuge there. These were hunted out and killed. The shooting went on until about sunset. In the meantime the other houses in the village were crowded with weeping, terror stricken women and small children. Few of them had any meal that night or for the next few days, for what grain there was in the village had been removed by the Kurds, who had also gone round the houses removing cookery utensils, bedding, and in some cases even the roof beams. Your browser does not support the video tag. Interview with Simmele Survivor Elias_Haroon (in Assyrian) Next morning the women, already distracted beyond all reason, had a further shock when they saw the Army returning, for they did not know what this might portend. The Army, however, had merely come back to bury the dead. The bodies were collected and placed in a shallow ditch. It must be remembered that the month was August with a daily sun maximum of 160 degrees Fahrenheit! According to the military report 305 men, four women, and six children were buried. Many of the killed were little more than half grown boys. Some other twenty women and children were wounded. I myself saw later one child who had been shot in both wrists as he was being held in the arms of his father who was killed. That night and the subsequent night some of the women were raped by the police sergeant and the soldiers. Doing everything possible to minimize what had happened, the Arabs have stated that no such incidents occurred. This is a lie. All that can be said is that throughout these terrible days there were fewer outrages on women than would have been expected. It was also everywhere stated at the time that this massacre was the work of the tribes and the irregular police. This, too, is a lie. It was the work of the Iraqi Army, disciplined troops under the direct command of their officers, the troops re sponsible for practically all the killing being the motor machin gun detachments, while other troops who were passing the village throughout the day did nothing to stop what was going on. Bekir Sidqi himself, who was to be acclaimed by the Baghdad mob as a conquering here, and what was even worse was later decorated and promoted by the Iraqi Government, was not in Simmele but spent that day in Mosul, though there is no question but that he planned the whole affair. Indeed, it was subsequently admitted that the Army, had it not been prevented, had intended to carry out a similar massacre of Alqosh, and that he reports that Assyrian rebels had entered that village had been deliberately spread about to afford an excuse. Assyrians evacuated From Simmele by the British Royal Air Force, 1933. The burial in the shallow ditch, which was carried out most inefficiently, caused the stench under the burning sun to become almost unendurable, and every fly and pestilential insect for miles around was drawn to the village. In this unspeakable atmosphere there lived for six day one thousand terrified women and children who had seen all their male relations killed before their eyes. All they had to eat was a few dried water melon seeds and they had scanty water. Even at night they had little sleep, for they did not know what might be coming next, and their dreadful experiences let them to put little trust in the protestations of the police that they were quite safe and that nothing more would happen. A little bread was send from Dohuk, but nothing on an adequate scale was done until Hikmet Beg Suleiman himself on the 15th arrived in the village and was overcome by what he saw. As soon as he returned doctors and sanitary men were sent to Simmele, and the bodies were decently and properly re interred. when I visited Simmele myself with Major Thomason on August 17th few traces could be seen of what had occurred, but the sight of the women and children is one which I shall never forget and I spent more than tree years in the trenches in France! That day the women and children were removed to Dohouk, and thence, as there was no proper accommodation, to Mosul, where they were placed under canvas in a camp, which will be described later. Every effort was made to hush up what had occurred and a censorship for a time imposed on out going letters. It was soon seen, however, that the killing could not be kept secret, for the Christians in the north had sent the news abroad, and in the nature of things an affair of this kind was bound to get out. In fact, the details were published in the Beyrouth newspaper before they were known in Mosul. So the Baghdad Government began to admit that there had been a slaughtering of the Assyrians, but they threw the blame on the tribes and the irregular police. Later this was found to be useless, and Yasin Pasha, the Iraqi delegate to Geneva, had to admit that the excesses had been committed by the regular Army. The Pasha went on to add that the excesses merited and had received severe condemnation. This was untrue. Actually the troops were given triumphal receptions when they returned to Mosul, Kirkuk, and Baghdad. In Mosul the Crown Price, who is now King of Iraq, at a great military review, decorated with his own hands the colours of the troops who had been engaged against the Assyrians. Bekir Sidqi, Hajji Ramadhan, and the other officers concerned were promoted. Bekir Sidqi on his arrival in Baghdad motored through the crowded streets amidst enthusiastic applause, sitting on the right hand of the Prime Minister. However much Iraqis may deplore what occurred and in private many express a genuine disgust no one of them has yet stated publicly in Iraq that the Army had behaved itself otherwise than well. Assyrian family waiting to be transported by plane from Mosul to Hinaidi military camp near Baghdad, after the Simmele massacre. But though the worst massacres of all took place at Simmele, this was not the only place where Assyrians were murdered. The killings at Dohuk have already been described, and many also were shot at and near Zakho. The first reports regarding the number of Assyrians killed were greatly exaggerated; two thousand was a figure often mentioned, and few people, even Iraqis, suggested less than one thousand. Actually, as the result of careful inquiries; I have come to the conclusion that not more than six hundred lost their lives. The great majority of these were peaceful cultivators, who had committed not the smallest offence against the Iraqi Government. Altogether upwards of five hundred and fifty Assyrians were killed by the Army, of whom not more than twenty could, by any stretch of the imagination, be said to have been killed in action. The Kurds, as a whole, behaved considerably better than might have been expected, especially in view of the undoubted encouragement they had received. Only at two places were they guilty of murder, though they did much looting. At a place named Savora the followers of Nisham Agha murdered twelve Assyrians in cold blood. At Qalla Badri, near Dohuk, some Assyrians women were killed and mutilated under atrocious circumstances. Other Assyrians in other places were killed by the Kurds in the course of their robbing and looting, but probably Kurds did not kill more than fifty altogether. On the other hand, several instances were reported of Kurds protecting Assyrian women and children. Mohammed Agha of Germawa, in particular, showed a fine spirit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to India's rich cultural diversity and all those working to celebrate India's artistic traditions on the occasion of National Handloom Day. The Prime Minister also urged all youngsters associated with the world of StartUps to take part in the Handloom Startup Grand Challenge. The Prime Minister tweeted, "On National Handloom Day, a tribute to India's rich cultural diversity and all those working to celebrate our artistic traditions. My Handloom My Pride" "An excellent opportunity to ideate and innovate for weavers. Urging all those youngsters associated with the world of StartUps to take part...My Handloom My Pride", added PM Modi. National Handloom Day is observed every year on August 7 to recognise the contributions of the handloom weavers of the country. On this day, the handloom weaving community is honoured and the contribution of this sector in the socio-economic development of this country is highlighted. PM Modi declared August 7 as National Handloom Day to mark the Swadeshi movement as it was on this day that the movement was launched in 1905. The movement involved the revival of domestic products and production processes. A symbol of our country's rich and varied cultural heritage, the Handloom is an important sector providing livelihood in rural and semi-rural parts of our country. It is a sector that directly addresses women's empowerment with over 70 per cent of all weavers and allied workers being female. One of the defining movements in our struggle for freedom was Swadeshi Movement. August 7 was chosen as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched on this day in 1905 in the Calcutta Town hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government. The first National Handloom Day was organized by PM Modi in Chennai, in 2015, with the main aim to make people aware of the rich history of Indian handloom. Not only does the day celebrate India's rich handloom heritage but also commemorates 1905 Swadeshi Movement, one of the several campaigns to help the handloom industry. (ANI) Former US Vice President Dick Cheney has attacked ex-President Donald Trump, calling him a "coward who lost big" and who poses the "greatest threat to our Republic" in what appears to be a vociferous defence for his daughter Liz Cheney, Vice Chair of the January 6 Capitol Hill insurrection panel, a target of Trump and Republicans' ire for her statements in the panel against Trump for "dereliction of duty". Dick Cheney, known as a Vice President who yielded enormous power under George W. Bush's presidency as a Republican, branded Trump as the greatest "threat to our Republic" in a new campaign ad for his daughter Liz Cheney, who is running for re-election in Wyoming. Poll pundits rate her re-election chances as fairly low with Republicans campaigning for her opposite GOP candidate Hariet Hageman, who has endorsed Trump's claims of a 2020 stolen election. "In our nation's 236-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our Republic than Donald Trump," said Dick Cheney, who served as Vice President for two terms under George W. Bush. "He (Trump) tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He is a coward. A real man wouldn't lie to his supporters. He lost his election, and he lost big. I know it, he knows it, and deep down I think most Republicans know it," Dick Cheney was quoted by The Guardian in the campaign ad for his daughter Liz Cheney seeking re-election from Wyoming in the midterms for the House of Representatives. . Dick Cheney also said how proud he was of his daughter "for standing up to the truth, doing what's right, honouring her oath to the Constitution when so many in our party are too scared to do so". The one-minute ad featured the elder Cheney's sharpest public attacks against Trump to date. Best known as the most powerful Vice President in American history, and a major figure in leading the US to war in Iraq, he has taken to defending his daughter in her fight against Trump. "There's nothing more important she will ever do than lead the effort to make sure Donald Trump is never near the Oval Office. And she will succeed," he said in the ad. The younger Cheney has been widely praised by liberals as vice-chairwoman of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill. Liz Cheney has been one of Trump's most pointed critics, accusing him of violating the Constitution for his role in the insurrection. In return, she has been largely ostracised from her party. Cheney faces an uphill re-election battle against the Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman, who maintains that the 2020 election was stolen. "Liz Cheney has long forgotten she works for Wyoming (or perhaps she never knew), not the Radical Democrats. Wyoming deserves a Congresswoman who will represent us and our conservative values. It's time to retire the elitist Liz Cheney," Hageman tweeted on Thursday. Though Liz Cheney has at least a million dollars more in donations to her campaign against Hageman, she was 22 points behind Hageman in a July poll conducted by the Casper Star-Tribune. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Liz Cheney said she does not expect to lose on August 16. "I really believe that the people of Wyoming fundamentally understand how important fidelity to the constitution is understand how important it is that we fight for those fundamental principles on which everything else is based," she said. --IANS int/arm ( 609 Words) 2022-08-06-22:40:02 (IANS) A total of four people were fatally shot on Friday at multiple sites in Butler Township, Ohio and the police are now searching for the man who is possibly connected to the shootings, media outlets reported. The shootings took place in a small Ohio town, just north of Dayton. Addressing a media briefing, Butler Township Police Chief John Porter said, Stephen Marlow, a "person of interest" is likely armed and dangerous, reported CNN. Butler Township Police Chief, in a statement, said that authorities are being assisted in the search by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Furthermore, as per the statement, information indicates Marlow may have fled outside Ohio. The FBI said he has ties to Lexington, Kentucky, Indianapolis and Chicago and may be in one of those cities, as per the media portal. Describing Marlow's physical appearance, Porter said that he was 5'11" and about 160 pounds, with brown hair. Authorities believe Marlow, 39, was wearing shorts and a yellow T-shirt and fled in a white 2007 Ford Edge. Asking anyone with information about Marlow to contact the FBI, authorities said the suspected shooter should not be approached. Police responded to a report of shots fired just before noon Friday, Porter said, and the four victims died at the scenes. "This is the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory," Porter said. "We are working to determine if there was any motive to this horrible tragedy or if mental illness played any role." Police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the neighborhood but have deployed additional crews and the Dayton Police Bomb Squad out of an abundance of caution, Porter said. Porter said people should call the police dispatch if they have information on Marlow's whereabouts or see the Ford Edge. Butler Township is a town of just under 8,000 residents about 9 miles north of Dayton. (ANI) The Maldives government has reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China policy, but said that it would not issue any official statement on it, according to local media reports. Answering media queries, the Foreign Ministry of the country stressed on Maldives' commitment to the "One China" policy. However it added that the Ministry will not issue an official statement on the matter, reported Avas.mv. The Maldives, a key neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region occupies a special place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. However, under the pro-China ex -president of the Maldives, Abdullah Yameen, who launched the "India Out" movement, the two nations' ties were severely strained. When Abdulla Yameen Yameen was the president of the Maldives, China and the country established strong ties. Yameen was ousted from power in 2018, with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih becoming the new President. Notably, India's relations with Maldives have significantly grown under Solih and have been multi-dimensional, largely cordial and cooperative. In recent years, both sides assert that the partnership has witnessed rapid growth in most areas of cooperation, especially in the field of development. Recently, President Solih visited India from August 1-4 for the third time since assuming office and was accompanied by a high-level official delegation. The meeting resulted in the announcement of a number of key agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) exchanged. Meanwhile, earlier, the Pakistan and Sri Lankan government had also reaffirmed their commitment to the One China policy. (ANI) Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has identified four employees of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretariat, whose personal and salary accounts were used for receiving foreign funding. News International newspaper reported that the agency said funds were received in the bank accounts of Muhammad Arshad, Tahir Iqbal, Muhammad Rafique, and Nauman Afzal. In the statements, the PTI employees that they used to give the money received in their accounts to the Imran Khan party's finance manager, as per the report. They said they would give signed blank cheques to the finance manager. According to the publication, the FIA came to know during the investigation that besides other accounts, foreign funding was also received in employees' salary accounts. FIA has earlier constituted a six-member team to probe into PTI prohibited funding case. This investigation came days after the three-member Election Commission of Pakistan bench in a unanimous verdict ruled that the PTI received prohibited funding in the case pending since 2014, ARY News reported. On August 4, the Pakistan government decided to file a disqualification reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan after the verdict of the prohibited funding case and the federal cabinet accepted the recommendation. Pakistan's Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in her press conference that the PTI used overall 16 bank accounts that were not found on the records. She alleged that PTI used donations to the charity as party funds and an inquiry will be conducted into it. "For the first time in Pakistan, a political party is declared a foreign-funded party. The accounts of the PTI secretariat employees were used for foreign funding," she added. Aurangzeb said that PTI was declared a 'foreign-funded party' in light of the ECP verdict, according to ARY News. The Commission found that the donations were taken from 34 countries in fundraising. These included America, Australia, and the UAE, Geo News reported. The ECP also said that the PTI had taken funds from an American businessman. In its verdict, the ECP observed the 'unknown accounts' and said that hiding accounts are a "violation of the Constitution". Moreover, it found that PTI Chairman Imran Khan submitted a false Nomination Form I. The ECP decided to issue a show-cause notice to the PTI to explain why the commission should not seize the funds it received. According to the publication, the ECP had released the cause list for the case. The cause list showed that the verdict would be announced by a three-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, who arrived early in the morning at the office. (ANI) Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has praised India for its digital identity and payment systems and said that it is a "clear opportunity" for the country. In Saturday's statement after his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Cambodia, Balakrishnan noted two basic areas including certain strengths which India has and economic integration. "India has certain strengths - FinTech, digital finance, digital inclusion, and what they have done with digital identity and payment systems, is a clear opportunity for us," the Singapore Foreign Minister said. "In Singapore, of course, we have all those systems as well, but for the rest of Southeast Asia, to explore how we can interconnect our payment systems, our financial systems, in order to facilitate payments and expand opportunities for small businesses across the subcontinent and across into Southeast Asia," he added. Furthermore, Balakrishnan stated: "We are reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement to facilitate trade to facilitate customs clearance and to reduce the friction for the movement of goods between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. We have got quite a lot of work there." The Foreign Minister also said that he had the chance to meet Jaishankar twice in the last couple of months and there will be more meetings. India-Singapore relations are based on shared values and approaches, economic opportunities, and convergence of interests on key issues. Political engagement is regular. The defence relations are particularly strong. Economic and technological ties are extensive and growing. Additionally, the cultural and human links between both nations are very vibrant. There are more than 20 regular bilateral mechanisms, dialogues, and exercises. There is great convergence on a broad range of international issues and both are members of a number of forums, including the East Asia Summit, G20, Commonwealth, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) and IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium). Singapore is India's 6th largest trade partner (2020-21) with a share of 3.2 per cent of India's overall trade. In 2021-22 (April - September 2021) bilateral trade stood at USD 14.2 billion. In 2020-21, bilateral trade stood at USD 21.98 billion. The cumulative FDI inflows from Singapore to India stood at USD 118.39 billion (April 2000 -June 2021) which is 22 pc of total FDI inflows in India. Singapore was the largest source of FDI in India in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. During the second wave of the pandemic, Singapore's position as a logistic hub enabled both the public and private sectors to source emergency relief supplies such as oxygen- tanks, cylinders, concentrators, and ventilators among others from Singapore to India. Till the end of June 2021, 26 Indian Air Force sorties and 4 Indian Navy Ships transported substantial quantities of these items from Singapore to India. The close ties between India and Singapore have a history rooted in strong commercial, cultural and people-to-people links across a millennium. India and Singapore added new momentum and direction to their Strategic Partnership in 2018, anchored in the official visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore from May 31 to June 2, and his second visit on November 14-15 for attending the ASEAN-India and related Summits. (ANI). Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has praised India for its digital identity and payment systems and said that it is a "clear opportunity" for the county. In Saturday's statement after his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Cambodia, Balakrishnan noted two basic areas including certain strengths which India has and economic integration. "India has certain strengths - FinTech, digital finance, digital inclusion, and what they have done with digital identity and payment systems, is a clear opportunity for us," the Singapore Foreign Minister said. "In Singapore, of course, we have all those systems as well, but for the rest of Southeast Asia, to explore how we can interconnect our payment systems, our financial systems, in order to facilitate payments and expand opportunities for small businesses across the subcontinent and across into Southeast Asia," he added. Furthermore, Balakrishnan stated: "We are reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement to facilitate trade to facilitate customs clearance and to reduce the friction for the movement of goods between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. We have got quite a lot of work there." The Foreign Minister also said that he had the chance to meet Jaishankar twice in the last couple of months and there will be more meetings. India-Singapore relations are based on shared values and approaches, economic opportunities, and convergence of interests on key issues. Political engagement is regular. The defence relations are particularly strong. Economic and technological ties are extensive and growing. Additionally, the cultural and human links between both nations are very vibrant. There are more than 20 regular bilateral mechanisms, dialogues, and exercises. There is great convergence on a broad range of international issues and both are members of a number of forums, including the East Asia Summit, G20, Commonwealth, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) and IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium). Singapore is India's 6th largest trade partner (2020-21) with a share of 3.2 per cent of India's overall trade. In 2021-22 (April - September 2021) bilateral trade stood at USD 14.2 billion. In 2020-21, bilateral trade stood at USD 21.98 billion. The cumulative FDI inflows from Singapore to India stood at USD 118.39 billion (April 2000 -June 2021) which is 22 pc of total FDI inflows in India. Singapore was the largest source of FDI in India in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. During the second wave of the pandemic, Singapore's position as a logistic hub enabled both the public and private sectors to source emergency relief supplies such as oxygen- tanks, cylinders, concentrators, and ventilators among others from Singapore to India. Till the end of June 2021, 26 Indian Air Force sorties and 4 Indian Navy Ships transported substantial quantities of these items from Singapore to India. The close ties between India and Singapore have a history rooted in strong commercial, cultural and people-to-people links across a millennium. India and Singapore added new momentum and direction to their Strategic Partnership in 2018, anchored in the official visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore from May 31 to June 2, and his second visit on November 14-15 for attending the ASEAN-India and related Summits. (ANI). Amid the food and debt crisis in Pakistan, the country is considering refusing Russia's offer to supply 120,000 metric tons of wheat at a price of USD 399.50 to save USD 1.4 million. According to The Tribune Express, Pakistan demanded Russia to further reduce the rate by 2.4 per cent due to the falling global commodity prices. However, Russia made the final offer to supply the wheat at Rs 399.50 per metric ton under the government-to-government deal. As per the food and national security ministry, Pakistan has around 7.7 million metric tons of wheat that are sufficient for 168 days of consumption. The decision was taken on Friday by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet after consulting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It was presided over by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, The Tribune Express reported. According to a statement issued by the finance ministry, the committee observed that there was a declining trend in the price of wheat which may further reduce in the coming days. "The ECC decided that the Russian side may be offered the price of USD 390 and the offer may be cancelled if they (Russians) do not accept the offer," it added. Some members of the ECC were against the decision to reject the Russian offer because of the relatively thin position of the wheat stocks. Pakistan has, however, lost the deal as the validity period to accept the offer was Friday 6 pm, Moscow time. The Pakistan government proposed USD 390 per ton, which is USD 9.5 or 2.4 per cent less than the final offer given by Russia, which in total will save USD 1.4 million of Pakistan at the total offered quantity of 120,000 metric tons. Pakistan had decided to import three million metric tons of wheat this year to meet its consumption and strategic reserves requirements of which 986,000 metric tons of wheat have already been procured through three different international competitive bidding deals. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) had initiated the process of importing wheat from Russia on a government-to-government basis. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the two governments in June this year. Initially, Russia had offered the wheat price at USD 410 per metric ton, which it subsequently lowered by 2.6 per cent. The prime minister had formed a committee under Tariq Fatemi, his special assistant without a portfolio, to negotiate with the Russian Embassy on the price of the wheat. Sources said some of the ECC members strongly encouraged the finance minister not to turn down the Russian offer. The PML-N-led coalition government has already decided to reduce the wheat strategic reserves requirements from two million tons to one million tons in a meeting held last month. With the reduction in the reserves requirement, the overall wheat import requirement has also been reduced to 1.6 million metric tons. The country had already signed deals for the import of nearly one million tons. The decision to reduce the strategic wheat reserve requirements by half was made due to thinning foreign exchange reserves and high global commodity prices. The ECC was informed on Friday that the International Grants Council, London, had reported the price of Black Sea wheat at the level of USD 354 per metric ton and the prices were on a downward trajectory after a deal between Russia and Ukraine. However, the ECC was also informed that the wheat prices had increased on Friday by USD 4 on fears of supply disruptions due to increasing tensions between China and Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait. (ANI) Istanbul [Turkey], August 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Four bulk carriers with agricultural products have left Ukrainian ports and are heading to Istanbul, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said on Sunday. "The Mustafa Necati vessel, carrying 6,000 tons of sunflower oil, which is heading to Italy. Star Helena, transporting 45,000 tons of sunflower seeders, which are heading to China. Glory, carrying 66,000 tons of corn, which is arriving in Istanbul. The Riva Wind vessel, carrying 44,000 tons of corn, is arriving in Iskenderun. [The vessels ] left the Ukrainian ports. The ships will be anchored north of Istanbul, and will be inspected by the Joint Coordination Center [JCC]," the ministry said. (ANI/Sputnik) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's relationship with the army has deteriorated, particularly in recent days. Some of the top leaders of PTI, who are in rare contact with the army, received some angry calls after the party's social media ran a negative campaign regarding the army's helicopter crash in which six soldiers, including corps commander Quetta, were killed, The News International reported. After the hatred tweets for the army were shared with PTI's leader, the party's official Twitter said, "These accounts have got nothing to do with PTI official team, we have zero tolerance about accounts that spew hatred. Zero tolerance for national tragedies is being used to create divisions. Such accounts will be blocked by PTI officials." Yet some of those appear to be the PTI followers continuing their anti-army tweets. While there was no role of the party leadership seen in this dirty campaign it is pointed out that such hatred has been infused by the PTI leadership to its followers that they have lost balance and stopped thinking rationally. It is also said that there has also been no condemnation of such social media campaigns from the PTI leadership, most of which is really active on Twitter and other social media platforms, according to The News International. The PTI followers' campaign against the army had really hurt the defence officers and their family members and for the same reason, President Arif Alvi was politely advised not to attend the funeral of the soldiers in Rawalpindi the day before yesterday. However, it was good on part of the PTI Chairman Imran Khan to visit the family of Shaheed Lt Gen Sarfaraz Ali on Friday and offer condolences. Imran Khan is hardly seen attending funerals or visiting bereaved families for condolences even over the death of his closest friends. On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani and PMLN Punjab leader Malik Ahmad Khan held their press conferences in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Both asked Imran Khan if he had the courage, to name the neutral, reported The News International. While the relationship between the PTI and the establishment was already going from bad to worst, Shireen Mazari tweeted about the recent US drone attack in Afghanistan as: "Puzzling question: a US drone flew into Afghanistan from the direction of Gulf region- assuming Pakistan hasn't given bases yet (unless this govt has done so covertly)- but flew over which country's airspace? Iran does not give any airspace rights to US mly so was Pak airspace used?" She added, "Is that why PM IK had to be removed after his Absutely Not to US demand? I always date US regime change conspiracy from June 2021. Enough evidence." Her June 2021 reference was clear who she was targeting in the tweet. (ANI) The slow investment in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects establishes the fact that Beijing is dealing with an economic downfall as the investment projects in the 147 countries went down in the first half of this year and it is likely to decline further. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the outlook for FDI in 2022 is "worrisome". International project finance in infrastructure sectors is expected to continue to provide growth momentum. Reports say that a new project activity in the first quarter of 2022 recorded a decrease of 21 per cent, and international project finance deals were down 4 per cent. The same trend is observed in BRI investments, as per European Times. According to a study by the Green Finance & Development Center, Chinese Belt and Road financing and investments, in the participating 147 countries of BRI fell in the first half of 2022. During the period financing and investments were recorded at USD 28.4 billion, compared with USD 29.4 billion in the same period a year earlier. The first-half figures were 40 per cent lower compared with the same period in 2019. The declining trends in BRI investments are likely to continue in the second half of 2022 as well due to both China's own economic challenges as well as global uncertainty. Notably, BRI is stretching its business from East Asia to Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, where it is helping to develop crucial infrastructures such as rail-road, ports, water pipelines and power projects. It is alleged to exploit disproportionate leverage over certain economically weaker partners in bilateral negotiations pertaining to BRI projects, European Times reported. In terms of carbon emissions, the green energy total engagement (solar, wind, hydro) in the first half of 2022 dropped by 22 per cent compared to the first half of 2021 to about USD 3 billion. While, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) plans for China to invest USD 550 billion (that includes non-BRI countries), down 25 per cent from USD 740 billion in the 2016-2020 period, European Times reported. In May, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang underlined the importance of implementing policies for stabilising the economy and supporting market entities to bring the situation back to the normal track in an unusually stark warning that comes as COVID curbs have adversely impacted the second-largest economy. Keqiang had painted a grim picture of the job market in the world's most populous nation due to COVID-19 lockdowns. He had called the employment situation "complex and grave." It is to be mentioned, China Evergrande Group, one of the largest property developers in the country by sales has said that it will unveil the restructuring plan within 2022, amid the constantly drowning economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the troubled property developer had promised to release an initial restructuring plan by the end of July, according to The Wall Street Journal. (ANI) Bangladesh and China on Sunday signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to boost cooperation between the two countries, according to local media. According to Dhaka Tribune, the cooperation documents were signed after an hour-long bilateral meeting between Chinese State Councillors and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen at a city hotel. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Dhaka on Saturday. He was received by Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, it added. On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said they will have an exchange of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of shared interest. We highly value our relationship with Bangladesh, she added. "We hope the visit will provide an opportunity to further implement the common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and elevate the relationship to a new level," she said during a press conference. She said they "highly value" their relationship with Bangladesh and the Chinese Foreign Minister is visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of Foreign Minister Momen. This visit comes even as tension is brewing in the Taiwan Strait after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's high-profile visit to the self-governed island China claims as its territory. Earlier, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said it is closely following the developments in the Taiwan Strait and urges all parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint and refrain from any actions that may aggravate tensions and undermine peace and stability in the region and beyond. "Bangladesh reiterates her firm adherence to the One China policy and urges the parties concerned to resolve their differences in accordance with the UN Charter and through dialogue," the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (ANI) Several student organizations including Bangladesh Students' Federation staged rallies protesting against the sudden rise in fuel prices in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh on Saturday, Dhaka Tribune reported. Meanwhile, the progressive student alliance held a separate protest rally. "Common people are already in hardship to cope with the rise of living costs. Government's looting of Public property and mismanagement led people toward this suffering," one of the protesters said as quoted by Dhaka Tribune. Moreover, several buses in Dhaka are reportedly overcharging passengers on Sunday. Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS), however, rejected the recent hike in bus fares due to the increased price of fuel and demanded that the new bus fare should be set after "proper cost analysis". During a meeting between Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and bus owners in view of the increase in fuel prices, BJKS said, Dhaka Tribune reported. Meanwhile, the Bangladesi publication stated that the consumers in the areas under Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) will experience power cuts for three hours today. On Friday night, the government raised prices of diesel by Tk34 per litre, octane by Tk46 per litre and petrol by Tk44 per litre. The sharp rise came up as a shock to the people who thronged filling stations on Friday night. In numerous videos shared on social media platforms, thousands were seen crowding the filling stations and jostling to get their vehicle tanks filled. Meanwhile, several filling stations in Dhaka's Mohammadpur, Agargaon, Malibagh, and other areas reportedly suspended their operations after the news broke, declaring their sales would resume after midnight when the new prices would come into effect, Dhaka Tribune had reported.(ANI) At least three people were killed and seven others suffered injuries in a blast that occurred near the Pul-e-Sokhta area in the west of Kabul on Saturday, local media reported citing the statement of the commander of PD6 in Kabul, Mawlawi Zabihullah. According to the TOLO News, the explosives were put in a pot on the side of the road. Meanwhile, Kabul security department spokesman Khalid Zadran on Saturday said that two people were killed and 22 others were wounded in the blast that took place in the Pul-e-Sokhta area of Kabul. "Two of our compatriots were martyred and 22 others were injured due to the explosion of explosives planted in a vase in Pul Sokhta area of the sixth district of Kabul city, one of whom was in a critical condition," he tweeted. It has been reported that security forces were not harmed in the explosion. This comes a day after at least eight people were killed and 18 others injured in Kabul on Friday during a Shia community mourning gathering following the holy month of Muharram. A Taliban spokesperson had said that the explosion took place in the Sarkariz area of the capital city, TOLO news reported. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has condemned Friday's attack in a majority-Shia area of Kabul causing dozens of casualties. "UNAMA condemns yesterday's attack in a majority-Shia area of Kabul causing dozens of casualties. De facto authorities must prevent such indiscriminate attacks, and launch thorough and transparent investigations. Our condolences to families of the killed & speedy recovery for the injured," the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted. ISIS has claimed the responsibility for the bomb attack in Kabul on Friday, according to reports. The Shias community have been facing persecution in Afghanistan for many years. Since the Taliban regime took control of Afghanistan, blasts and attacks have become a regular affair with unabated human rights violations involving ceaseless murder of civilians, destroying mosques and temples, assaulting women, and fueling terror in the region. (ANI) Amid soaring cases of targeted killings in Afghanistan, another incident of killing has come to light where a tribal elder was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen on August 6. The incident took place in eastern Afghanistan on Friday and it resulted in protests by the locals of the region who blocked the Torkham-Jalalabad route for almost two hours at the tribal elder's death, Khaama Press reported. The protesters called for justice and urged the security officials to apprehend the criminals responsible for the crime. The tribal leader who was killed in the horrifying incident was Malek Jameel, who according to the local media was forcefully taken out of his residence on August 5 by unidentified armed men before being shot dead. According to Khaama Press, the tribal elder was taken forcefully abducted from his house on Friday night and his body was found the next morning. The rising cases of attacks on Afghan people since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan have increased manifold. Another tribal elder, on Friday was killed by unidentified attackers while performing morning prayers at a mosque in the Chaparhar district of the eastern Nangarhar province. In both incidents, no group or organization has claimed responsibility for the killings of two influential tribal elders in Nangarhar province. The assurances of the Taliban for the provision and maintaining the security of the Afghan people have fallen flat as crimes and target killings, in particular, have increased in different provinces of Afghanistan, reported Khaama Press. A latest report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) lists at least 160 extrajudicial killings of former government and security officials by members of the de facto authorities between 15 August 2021 and 15 June 2022. Former soldiers, government officials, and those who have worked with foreign alliances are not yet safe since the Taliban's takeover. They are either killed or imprisoned and the Taliban are taking no responsibility and are closing the files as mysterious murders by unknown gunmen. The law and order situation has deteriorated since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan last August. Although the leader of the Taliban Hibatullah Ahkundzada announced a general amnesty following the unexpected fall of the former government, there have been several reports of arbitrary detentions, targeted killings, and attacks on local residents as well. Besides these brutal killings, Afghanistan's economy has also crashed since the Taliban's take over of Kabul, plunging the country into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. (ANI) Amid an increasing number of attacks and Friday's explosion in the west of Kabul, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett urged Taliban officials to take responsibility to ensure the Afghan people's safety. The "dreadful attack on civilians in crowded Hazara market West Kabul, continuing pattern of crimes claimed by ISIS," the UN senior official tweeted on Friday, Khaama Press reported. He extended his sympathy to the victims' families and expressed his concern for them. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery. Bennett emphasized that the Taliban authorities are accountable for defending the rights of Afghans. According to a tweet from the Taliban's senior spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, the explosion on Friday occurred in a wheelbarrow between civilians in Kabul's Police District 6, "martyring" 8 people and injuring another 18, reported Khaama Press. "Such actions are the work of those who detest our country, our religion, and who do not wish for its safety and happiness," spokesperson Mujahid wrote. Law and order situation has deteriorated since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan last August. Although the leader of the Taliban Hibatullah Akhundzada announced a general amnesty following the unexpected fall of the former government, there have been several reports of arbitrary detentions, targeted killings, and attacks on former Afghan government employees. The government officials and several local residents have not yet been safe in the country since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. They are either killed or imprisoned and the Taliban are taking no responsibility and are closing the files as of mysterious murders by unknown gunmen, reported local media. Earlier in a statement, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet said that since the Taliban took power, not only women and girls in Afghanistan but the locals were experiencing the most significant and rapid rollback in the enjoyment of their rights across the board in decades. "Their future would be even darker unless something changed. The international community was witnessing the progressive exclusion of women and girls from the public sphere and their institutionalised and systematic oppression," she said. According to HRC, Afghanistan was suffering from multi-dimensional problems, including humanitarian, economic and political crises. (ANI) Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of destroying the country's economy and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), in exchange for foreign funds. "A conspiracy project, launched by Imran Khan, was executed in the country through the foreign funds received by his party during different periods including 2008-13, 2013-18 and 2018-22," the Express Tribune reported Marriyum as saying. "Imran tried to weaken the parliamentary system and democracy in 2013 under the project which came into effect in 2008," Marriyum added, alleging the PTI chief instigated his workers to attack the Supreme Court building and launch civil disobedience campaign bringing political instability in the country. Blaming Imran Khan for the country's faltering economy, Marriyum asserted that he took a wrong decision by approving the appointment of Sikandar Sultan Raja as the Chief Election Commissioner, and said that Khan rendered the youth jobless and is responsible for the current crises which were created to fulfil the commitments made with foreign funders, the Express Tribune reported. "These were the milestones, delivery points and commitments which Imran made to his funders in exchange for the foreign funding," she said, adding that the followers of the PTI chief would have to ask him where the funds were spent. "Imran was miserably exposed before the nation after the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) verdict in the PTI prohibited funding case," she said. According to the Express Tribune, the minister said Imran misled the nation by consistently telling lies over a case that was investigated by the ECP for eight years and remarked the funds were also received in the personal accounts of other PTI leaders including Asad Qaiser, Imran Ismail, Shah Farman, Saifullah Niazi and others. Since her days as information secretary of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Marriyum Aurangzeb has accused Imran Khan of introducing dirt and filth into Pakistan's politics. The foreign funding case is pending since November 14, 2014, and it was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S Babar who had alleged that there are some financial irregularities in the PTI's funding from Pakistan and abroad. On January 4 this year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)'s scrutiny committee submitted its report on the PTI's foreign funding case after 95 hearings. The ECP's committee was formed in March 2018. (ANI) A Pakistan Navy warship crossed the maritime boundary line off the coast of Gujarat and entered Indian waters but was detected and forced to retreat by an Indian Coast Guard Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft. The action took place on the high seas at the peak of the Monsoon season in the first half of July when Pakistan Navy Ship Alamgir moved from its side to Indian waters across the maritime boundary line between the two countries, Government sources told ANI. Soon after it entered Indian waters, it was detected first by an Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft which had taken off for maritime surveillance from an air base in the vicinity, they said. On the maritime boundary line near Gujarat, Indian agencies do not even allow their own fishermen to undertake their activities within five nautical miles on their own side. After detecting the Pakistani warship, the Dornier informed its command centre about its presence in Indian waters and continued to keep a watch on it. The Dornier issued warnings to the Pakistani warship about its location and asked it to return to its area but it did not respond, the sources added. They further said that the Dornier kept hovering over PNS Alamgir and even tried to call it on its radio communication set to know its intent but the Pakistani Captain chose to maintain complete silence and did not respond. The Dornier flew twice or thrice right in front of the Pakistani warship which after some time retreated towards its side knowing very well that its presence has been detected, sources added. It would have also realised that more assets from the Indian side would be on their way to the area to tackle it, the sources said adding that on the purpose of the Pakistani warship, they might be probing how far can they go inside Indian waters without getting detected but were spotted and confronted soon after they came in. When asked about the incident, Indian Coast Guard officials refused to give any comment. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Air Force have been very active along the Gujarat coast to prevent any misadventure from the Sir Creek area to the high seas where Pakistani activities especially in narco-terrorism have gone up in the recent past. Indian Coast Guard also recently carried out Operation Island Watch to clear the uninhabited islands near Dwarka and other coastal locations of any possible anti-national elements. The Indian Coast Guard Director General VS Pathania also recently visited the Porbandar area to review the preparedness of his formations there and induct new ALH Dhruv choppers for coastal surveillance. The hovercrafts of the force are also deployed in significant numbers in the area and carry out surveillance in both high seas and shallow waters. (ANI) The anti-crime campaign that China has been using to eradicate criminal forces and ensure political security and social control across the country is now also used by authorities in China's far-western Xinjiang region to target Uyghurs, continuing the crackdown on the minority. The anti-crime campaign was rolled out by Chinese President Xi Jinping's close ally Wang Xiaohong who was appointed public security minister on June 25 to eliminate criminal forces and ensure political stability and social control across the country. Authorities in China's Xinjiang region used the Chinese government's 100-day crackdown on criminals to target Uyghurs deemed "religious extremists" and "two-faced," a police officer in a major city said, reported Radio Free Asia. As per the reports, Wang directed police to diffuse all kinds of safety risks and resolutely safeguard social stability" in the run-up to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party later this year. The campaign affected the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang at various levels as the community have been subjected to the brunt of China's oppressive policies for decades, Radio Free Asia reported, adding that the public security sweep in Xinjiang targeted mainly Uyghurs deemed religious extremists, separatists, terrorists and two-faced persons. The Chinese Communist Party uses the term "two-faced" to describe people usually officials or party members who are ideologically disloyal to the party, however,it is most often applied to Uyghurs in official positions who are interested in carrying on their cultural and religious traditions. The anti-crime campaign elsewhere in China focused on crimes like theft, while in Xinjiang officers sought to catch allegedly disloyal Uyghurs, local media reported citing Police officials. Authorities focused on "operations against evil forces" in Hotan, the Police officials added. Xinjiang's Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in Xinjiang have been subjected to severe human rights abuses, torture and forced labor, as well as the eradication of their linguistic, cultural and religious traditions in what the United States and several Western parliaments have called genocide and crimes against humanity. Chinese authorities have detained up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in internment camps since 2017, according to numerous investigative reports by researchers, think tanks and foreign media. However, China always declines the blames and claims the camps were vocational training centers meant to deter religious extremism and terrorism, reported Radio Free Asia. The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group, whose origins can be traced to Central and East Asia. Their native region is considered to be the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. Xinjiang is technically an autonomous region within China. The Uyghurs are Muslim, they don't speak Mandarin as their native language, and their ethnicity and culture is different from that of mainland China. Over the past few decades, as economic prosperity has come to Xinjiang, it has brought with it a large numbers of the majority of Han Chinese, who have cornered the better jobs, and left the Uyghurs feeling their livelihoods and identity are under threat. This led to sporadic violence, in 2009 culminating in riots that killed 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, in the region's capital Urumqi. According to reports, since 2016, over a million Uyghur Muslims have been detained in Xinjiang re-education camps by the Chinese Government. The main purpose of these re-education camps was to ensure adherence to the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese authorities have been accused of imposing forced labour, systematic forced birth control and torture, and separating children from incarcerated parents.Several countries, including the US, Canada and the Netherlands, have accused China of committing genocide - defined by international convention as the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". China has been forcibly mass sterilising Uyghur women to suppress the population, separating children from their families, and attempting to break the cultural traditions of the group. China denies all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, claiming its system of "re-education" camps is there to combat separatism and Islamist militancy in the region. (ANI) China is conducting live-fire exercises from August 6-15 in the southern part of the Yellow Sea, the Maritime Safety Administration said in a statement recently, CGTN news reported. In addition, military exercises are also being conducted in the northern part of the Bohai Sea on Saturday. The People's Liberation Army's (PLA) drills were held in the East China and South China Seas on July 30, while on August 1-4, live-fire military exercises were held in the waters of the Gulf of Bohai and on August 2-6, regular drills were held in the South China Sea, according to CGTN News. Notably, the Chinese army has been conducting a number of military exercises amid US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent Taiwan visit, China is holding threatening military exercises in six zones off Taiwan's coasts that it says will run through Sunday. Missiles have also been fired over Taiwan, defence officials told state media. The speaker is the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years. China opposes the self-governing island having its own contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit has been unusually vociferous. China said Friday that more than 100 warplanes and 10 warships have taken part in the live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan over the last few days. Multiple Chinese planes and ships were detected around Taiwan Strait, simulating an attack on its main island and some of them also crossed the median line, the local media reported. China opposes the self-governing island having its own contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit has been unusually vociferous. (ANI) With tensions simmering in the Taiwan strait, Chinese President Xi Jinping is facing a mammoth challenge as his response to the situation is not just about catering to Chinese nationalist sentiments ahead of his third term in office but also managing the economic costs and diplomatic fallout with the US, media reports said. Xi continues to struggle in figuring out a way to deal with the recent US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan which has riled up China. This is a politically sensitive time for Xi as he faces a 20th party congress which is fast approaching. He wants to show the Chinese people that China remains undeterred in its resolve to deal with the tensions in the Taiwan strait. China's show of its military muscle will have repercussions and Xi must ensure that he is able to tackle them in an effective manner without damaging the Chinese economy, reported Al Jazeera. Chinese economy is already showing negative trends and amidst this every step that Xi takes will have to be measured with caution. Stephen Nagy, a Tokyo-based China analyst and senior fellow at Canada's MacDonald-Laurier Institute while speaking to Al Jazeera said, "It's put him (Xi) in an impossible position." "He has to maintain economic growth, which would be severely hampered by any kinetic response to the US and the increasing international recognition of Taiwan as a political entity," Nagy said. "Yet he is under tremendous pressure from nationalist forces inside China, who expect a strong response to what they understand to be a clear violation of the 'One China Policy'... I'm doubtful he can strike this balance." After US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China conducted live-fire exercises and staged its largest-ever military exercises in waters around Taiwan. Conducting military exercises was not the only action the Chinese authorities have taken, in order to cripple Taiwan of its economy, they are adopting to cold war tactics. They have banned imports of over 2,000 Taiwanese food products and halted sand exports to Taiwan. In addition this week Taiwan's government websites were hit by overseas cyberattacks. "It's not finished yet," said Nagy. "I expect more provocative military activity from China in the coming months ... we can also expect more cyberattacks, restrictions on Taiwanese businesses operating in China, and even secondary sanctions to increase the pressure on Taiwan's friends." Over Pelosi's visit, Chinese state media also took over social media platforms and ran nationalistic hashtags about "reunification" of China with Taiwan. These posts have generated several billion views on the microblogging platform Weibo. "This was a truly international event and something that was very much developing in real-time," Manya Koetse, a veteran analyst of Chinese social media and editor-in-chief of WhatsonWeibo, told Al Jazeera. (ANI) Alabama has already begun recruiting for the 2024 recruiting cycle. One recruit that is receiving high interest from the staff is 2024 power forward Donnie Freeman. Freeman is one of the eight power forwards that the coaching staff has extended offers to thus far. Alabama has seen recent success at the power forward position with players like Herb Jones, Alex Reese and Donta Hall all having great careers in Tuscaloosa. When Freeman spoke with On3s Jamie Shaw about his skillset, here is what he had to say: I try to be as versatile as possible, Freeman told On3. I can rebound, guard the best player, handle the ball. Im trying to do as much as I can on the court and always getting better. I watch a lot of Scottie Barnes and Paul George; they are always playing hard. I feel that motor and the versatility differentiate me in this class. Coach Oats and the rest of the coaching staff have done a phenomenal job in recent years of recruiting players that fit the Tides style of play. Freeman certainly appears to fit the profile. When Freeman was asked about Alabama and their recruiting efforts, here is what he said: I really like Coach (Nate) Oats. They tell me how much they like my potential and my skill set and frame. I havent watched them play much yet, but I want to learn more about them. Roll Tide Wire breaks down the rest of Freemans recruiting profile below. Rankings Stars Overall State Position 247 4 33 1 4 Rivals 4 24 ESPN 4 20 1 2 On3 Recruiting 4 42 1 10 247 Composite 5 25 1 4 Vitals Hometown Washington, DC Projected Position Power forward Height 6-8 Weight 190 Class 2024 Recruiting Landed an offer from Alabama on April 20, 2022 Has not taken a visit to Alabama at this time Offers Alabama Marquette Georgetown Maryland Virginia Tech Xavier Twitter Blessed and thankful to have received an offer from Coach Oats and The University of Alabama. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/aPJDI7sBBU Donnie Freeman (@DonavanFreeman1) April 20, 2022 1 1 Story originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire Aug. 6GREAT LAKES, Ill. Sailors are some of the most highly-trained people on the planet, according to Navy officials, and at Recruit Training Command, otherwise known as "boot camp," these skills are taught by hard-charging, Navy professionals who transform civilians into disciplined, qualified U.S Navy sailors. Lt. Donny James II, a native of Albany, plays an important role at RTC, supporting these sailors as a surface engineer limited duty officer. James is responsible for managing instructors who provide training for new recruits. A 2003 graduate of Sol C. Johnson High School in Savannah, James joined the Navy 19 years ago. "I joined to accelerate my life and be part of something bigger than myself," he said in a Navy news release. According to James, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Albany. "I learned if you're going to do something, do it all the way," he said. In 1994, RTC Great Lakes became the Navy's only recruit training facility. The mission of RTC is to transform civilians into smartly disciplined, physically fit, basically trained Sailors who are ready for follow-on training and service to the fleet while instilling in them the highest standards of honor, courage and commitment. Recruit training involves a change in the mental and physical capacity of the new recruit, according to Navy officials. From the first day at RTC through graduation day, when new Sailors board the bus to depart, recruits find themselves in a whirl of activity. Every recruit entering the Navy today will remember RTC as their introduction to Navy life. Bootcamp lasts approximately eight weeks, and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Their basic training curriculum comprises five core competencies: firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing and physical fitness. Through a hands-on learning approach, recruits "train how they fight" and receive critical warfighting skills during the sailor development process. The command consists of more than 1,100 staff members, with an average of 6,000 recruits in training at any time. Story continues Jobs are highly varied at RTC, both sailors and civilians work together to keep the command running smoothly. This includes coordinating public affairs events, religious ministries, and providing administrative and logistic support. With more than 90% of all trade traveling by sea, and 95% of the world's international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy. According to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, four priorities will focus efforts on sailors' readiness, capabilities and capacity. "For 245 years, in both calm and rough waters, our Navy has stood the watch to protect the homeland, preserve freedom of the seas, and defend our way of life," Gilday said. "The decisions and investments we make this decade will set the maritime balance of power for the rest of this century. We can accept nothing less than success." Serving in the Navy means James is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America's focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy. "The Navy is the primary source of global sea power," James said. "I'm most proud of getting commissioned as a Naval officer." As James and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy. "I have an opportunity to serve in various leadership roles," he said. "I'm always being encouraged to grow. I get to be an example and role model for others to follow." EUROPEAN PRAVDA SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST 2022, 18:27 On the 14th anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia called on Russia to "stop illegal actions", to implement the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and withdraw the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from the occupied territories of Georgia. Source: statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by News-Georgia, reported by European Pravda "On the 14th anniversary of the occupation, Russia does not fulfil the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, and expands its illegal control of the occupied regions," the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia states. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that with its actions, Russia "is undermining the security, human rights and humanitarian situation on the ground and is trying to isolate the people living in the occupied territories from the rest of Georgia and the international community." The ministry calls on Moscow to change the illegal decision to recognise the occupied territories [as Georgian]. The agency emphasises that for 14 years, Russian forces have continued the building of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the occupation line, illegal detentions and kidnappings. "Violation of fundamental human rights in Georgias Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, ethnic discrimination and the violation of the right of hundreds of thousands of IDPs and refugees to return to their homes in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia continues to be a heavy humanitarian burden of Russias illegal occupation," the ministry said in the statement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia notes that during all these years, Russia has prevented the access of international human rights organisations and the entry of the EU Monitoring Mission to the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, for its part, declared its strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and demanded the liberation of Georgias occupied territories. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda! Aug. 6This year, Athens Intermediate School will welcome Jennifer Sallee to their team as an assistant principal. "My mother, aunt, and both maternal grandparents were English professors, so I knew I wanted to teach English from a young age," said Sallee. "My desire to work in administration stems from conversations I had with my teachers while in high school." She went on to say, "they complained about policies that prevented them from being able to teach effectively. I decided then that I wanted to be in a position to support teachers and help to alleviate some of the challenges that teachers face." Sallee began teaching in January of 2008 in the Metro Nashville Public Schools where she taught high school English for five years. She then went to Williamson County, Tenn. where she taught at Brentwood Middle School for two years. After Brentwood, she came to Athens as an EL Specialist teaching English language development to English learners at Athens Intermediate and then at Athens High School. During the 2016-17 school year, she became the assistant principal at Athens Renaissance School. For the following three school years, she was the assistant principal at the iAcademy at Athens Elementary School. For the last two years, Sallee has served as the Federal Programs Administrator. She will continue in this role in addition to being the assistant principal at AIS. "Although I am still serving in this role, I have taken on the additional role of assistant principal because I miss how rewarding it is to get to work directly with students, parents, and teachers," said Sallee. She is excited to work with fellow assistant principal, Orlando Turner, and Principal Cindy Davis in the coming school year. "Together we have plans to help our teachers to accelerate learning and overcome the effects of learning loss that are still being felt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Sallee. Story continues She went on to say, "we are revitalizing our AVID program school-wide and looking to bridge the gap between the themed academies of our four traditional elementary schools and the career and technical opportunities offered at Athens Middle School through implementing Project the Lead Way." Sallee hopes students at AIS feel supported. "I want all students at Athens Intermediate School to know that their teachers and administrators care about them as individuals and want the very best for them," said Sallee." I want them to know that they are part of a community where we support one another." She went on to say, "with this foundation, our students will be able to more easily overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential." [This story originally aired on August 25, 2021. It was updated on August 6, 2022.] For nearly two decades, an anonymous letter writer terrorized the town of Circleville, Ohio, by sending threatening letters that exposed alleged secrets about neighbors and friends. The mystery has long intrigued TV shows, podcasters and now "48 Hours" in the quest to finally unmask the writer.MARIE MAYHEW ["Whatever Remains" podcast]: Something pretty disturbing happened in Circleville, starting small and flourishing over decades. ... Residents ... began to receive letters that accused the citizens of being involved in some pretty terrible things embezzlement, domestic violence, affairs, and even murder. Marie Mayhew: The Circleville letter writer ... knew everything about everyone ... and knew everyone's secrets. Robin Yocum: They were vicious and ... ugly. Someone with severe psychological problems, I would hazard to guess. The threatening, anonymous letters kept coming hundreds of them. Most were postmarked from Columbus, Ohio, about 30 miles north, which is where "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty grew up and was living in March 1977 when small town Circleville began to feel under siege. When just a walk to the mailbox could trigger terror, especially for one woman who lived there, a school bus driver by the name of Mary Gillispie. Marie Mayhew: Mary Gillispie goes out to her mailbox. She receives a letter. ... She opens it. It's an anonymous letter ... distinct handwriting, and it's telling her to end the affair ... with the superintendent of the school there, Gordon Massie: Mrs Gillispie :Stay away from Massie: Don't lie when questioned about meeting him. I know where you live: I've been observing your house and know you have children. This no joke. Please take it serious. Everyone concerned has been notified. It wil be over soon: ERIN MORIARTY [reading a letter]: "Mrs. Gillispie, stay away from Massie. I've been observing your house and I know you have children." ROBIN YOCUM [reading a letter] It's your daughters turn to pay for what you've done. ... I shall come out there and put a bullet in that little girl's head." Robin Yocum: These letters were being sent to newspapers, elected officials, private citizens. Story continues Marie Mayhew: And they're all saying the same thing, that basically Gordon Massie, the superintendent ... he needs to be exposed. He needs to be fired. Marie Mayhew: Her husband, Ron Gillispie, begins to receive them as well. MARIE MAYHEW [reading a letter]: "Mr. Gillispie, your wife is seeing Gordon Massie. ... You should catch them together and kill them both. ... He doesn't deserve to live." Janet Cassady: Well, he got letters saying that if he didn't do something about this affair, his life would be in danger. MARIE MAYHEW [reading a letter]: "We know what kind of car you drive ... We know where your kids go to school ..." MARIE MAYHEW [podcast]: By August of 1977, everything changes when Ron Gillispie gets a call late one night. Enraged, he picks up a gun, gets in his truck ... and drives off. Martin Yant: And told the ... daughter that he ... was going to confront the letter writer. Martin Yant: He was traveling at a high speed ... lost control of the truck ... went off the road, hit a tree ... and was killed. Martin Yant: The letter writer had made threats to ... Ron Gillispie that .... he could end up dead. And then he ended up dead. MARIE MAYHEW [podcast]: Was Ron Gillispie's death an accident or was he murdered? Pam Stanton: Murdered. Erin Moriarty: This case has really left its mark. Pam Stanton: Yeah, it has destroyed a lot of people. June Whitehead: I think there was a big cover-up. Martin Yant: Turned out to be quite a mystery. Four decades later, the debate over the writer's identity continues. Could a forensic document expert have the answer? Erin Moriarty: Do you think you know who wrote those anonymous letters? Beverley East | Forensic document expert: Yes, I do. A MYSTERY BEGINS Circleville, Ohio, has the look and feel of a quaint Midwestern town. Martin Yant: In many ways it's sort of an all-American town. ... Still has a pretty rural character to it. ... And some families have been there for decades. Its major attraction, says journalist Martin Yant, is the annual Pumpkin Show. Janet Cassady: Well, it was a good place to live. ... fairly peaceful 'til all this stuff started [laughs]. Janet Cassady is talking about that barrage of anonymous poison pen letters that began arriving in mailboxes all over Circleville in 1977. MARIE MAYHEW [reading from podcast]: "Small towns have big secrets buried deep under those freshly mowed lawns ..." It caught the attention of Marie Mayhew, who researched the story for her podcast "Whatever Remains." MARIE MAYHEW [reading from podcast]: "This anonymous author was hell-bent to expose every ugly little secret in Circleville." At first, the writer seemed fixated on the married school district superintendent and his rumored relationship with the school bus driver. School bus driver, Mary Gillispie (left) became the main target of the letters. The writer accused Gillispie, who was married, of having an affair with married school superintendent Gordon Massie (right). / Credit: Jackson Middle School yearbook Marie Mayhew: Gordon Massie ... was a well-thought-of man in Circleville. Marie Mayhew: Mary Gillispie was a wife and a mother ... they were accusing her of adultery. Erin Moriarty: You've got the superintendent possibly having an affair with a school bus driver? Wasn't that kind of the talk of town? June Whitehead: Yeah, it was, definitely. June Whitehead grew up in Pickaway County with her sister Janet. Janet Cassady [referencing a yearbook photo of Mary]: Have you seen Mary's picture? ... She was Miss Jackson. Erin Moriarty: She looks really attractive there. Janet Cassady: She was. Mary married her high school sweetheart Ron Gillispie. Janet Cassady: And you wouldn't find a better person than Ronnie Gillispie. The couple had two children and settled in Circleville. Erin Moriarty: I mean, this had to be very awkward ... for Mary Gillispie, her children ... for Gordon Massie, for his wife, for his son ... Marie Mayhew: It must have been awful ... I mean it was just sort of this all-invasive poison. ... there was nobody that was off limits to this letter writer. And it wasn't just a campaign of letters. There were phone calls and offensive signs that began appearing along Mary's bus route. Marie Mayhew: Ron would have to go out and ... he would have to find and pick up all the signage about his wife and kids around Circleville. Determined to stop the writer, the Gillispies brought their letters to the sheriff's office. Marie Mayhew: There was an ongoing investigation. ... They were tapping phones. They were watching houses. ... They tried to work with the USPS to ... check the mail. But the letters continued, and small-town Circleville was consumed with speculation. Was the writer male or female? Did the writer live in town? Then in August 1977, Mary left her husband and children at home and drove to Florida with her sister-in-law. Marie Mayhew: Ron had told her he knew who the letter writer was and he was going to take care of this problem while they were in Florida. They were en route when they learned Ron had crashed his truck into a tree after getting that mysterious phone call. The coroner ruled his death an accident, but Ron's brother-in-law, Paul Freshour, believed he'd been murdered. One evening in August 1977, while his wife was on her way to Florida, Ronald Gillispie received a mysterious phone call allegedly from the writer. He drove off in his pickup truck and was killed when he crashed into a tree. A gun that had been fired once was found under his body, raising the question if he had been firing at the letter writer. The coroner ruled Gillispie's death an accident, but others suspect he was murdered. He was 35 years old. / Credit: Pickaway County Sheriff's Office/Ohio BCI Martin Yant: Although a number of people told me that he was not a heavy drinker, he had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. Also suspicious, under Ron's body, police found a .22 caliber revolver. Martin Yant: The gun had been fired once. So, then the question was, was he shooting at the letter writer? ... The sheriff didn't give that any credence at all. But Paul Freshour kept pushing the Pickaway County sheriff to take a closer look. Pam Stanton was close to the Freshours. Pam Stanton: He wanted the truth about Ron's death. He wanted to know who was writing the letters too. The attacks on Mary Gillispie and Gordon Massie didn't stop. Now, letters were also being sent to local businesses, government offices, schools and people who lived in the area. Martin Yant: This person was, at that point, pretty unbound, not afraid to say anything. ... And it scared a lot of people ... you know, is he coming after me or is she coming after me? Mary had always denied having an affair with Massie, but after Ron's death, she says, they began seeing each other. That's when the threats against her became even more vicious. / Credit: Pickaway County Sheriff's Office/Pickaway County Courthouse ROBIN YOCUM [reading a letter]: "Everyone knows what you have done. If you don't believe us, just make them mad and find out for yourself." Robin Yocum writes mysteries, but back in the early 1980's he was a crime reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Robin Yocum: There were obscenities and threats ... to do harm to Mrs. Gillispie's daughter. ROBIN YOCUM [reading a letter]: "It's your daughters turn to pay for what you've done ... On February 7, 1983, at 3:30 p.m., Mary Gillispie was driving her empty school bus, heading to pick up kids. She was about to turn left on Five Points Pike, when she looked over and saw a handmade sign on a fence. It talked about her 13-year-old daughter and it was obscene. She pulled the bus over. But when she tried to pull the sign off the fence, she realized it was rigged with twine and a box. She says she took that box home; she then opened it and got a shocking surprise. Marie Mayhew: It was a gun, and it was ready to go off. When Mary brought the box to the sheriff's office, investigators quickly realized it was a booby trap. Yocum was in the newsroom when word got out. Robin Yocum: And I remember the excitement ... From a newspaper perspective, it's a great story a woman who had been the target of all these letters finds a booby trap with a .25 caliber handgun rigged to it. ... All reporters would want to cover that story. Especially if there was a dramatic twist. EVIDENCE AND THEORIES MARIE MAYHEW [reading from podcast]: "There's small town intrigue, a seemingly omnipresent unknown villain extracting revenge on the people of Circleville by uncovering their secrets, a mysterious death, an elaborate attempted murder ..." To this day, there's a fierce debate about who that villain is or was. So, we'll take you back through the evidence and theories and you can decide. Erin Moriarty: This sounds like something out of an Agatha Christie novel, doesn't it? Marie Mayhew: It does. ... there's a cast of characters ... the letters would keep coming. ... And then ... the inevitable attempted murder. But it is very much an Agatha Christie feel to it. Mary Gillispie took the box to the police, and they quickly realized it was a booby trap. Investigators at Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) uncovered the gun's serial number and traced it back to someone Mary Gillispie knew. / Credit: Pickaway County Sheriff's Office/ Ohio BCI And just like one of Christie's mysteries, the gun found in the booby trap provided the first clue. Firearm examiners at BCI Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation were able to restore the partially filed off serial number. Martin Yant: And when they traced the gun, it came to a co-worker of Paul's ... And he said, "yeah, I sold that to Paul Freshour." On the surface, says Martin Yant, it was shocking because Paul Freshour and his wife, Karen Sue, had been close to Mary Gillispie and her late husband Ron Karen Sue's brother. Martin Yant: It was kind of an extended family that seemed to socialize together. But by 1983, when sheriff's investigators went to talk to Karen Sue, the Freshour's were in the midst of a contentious divorce. Martin Yant: Karen Sue gave them quite an earful. She told investigators Paul had become infuriated with Mary. MARIE MAYHEW [reading from podcast]: "Karen said Paul had thought the world of Ron and Mary before Ron died. But after his death Paul hated Mary hated her over the 'Massie deal'." And then Karen Sue told them that her estranged husband was behind Circleville's anonymous letters. Martin Yant: She had found one letter torn up in a commode. And she had found a couple of other letters hidden in the house. When investigators went to see Paul Freshour, Marie Mayhew says, he was very cooperative. Erin Moriarty: Did he demand to have a lawyer? Marie Mayhew: No. ... he answered all of their questions. And readily admitted the gun belonged to him. Martin Yant: Well, they ask him ... how the gun ended up in the booby trap. ... and he said, "I don't know." Freshour told investigators his gun had been stolen weeks earlier and allowed them to search his house and his car. He even gave them samples of his handwriting. Marie Mayhew: It definitely does seem like he has absolutely nothing to hide at that point. He denied being the letter writer and said he had nothing to do with the booby trap. But he failed a polygraph. So, Paul Freshour was arrested for the attempted murder of Mary Gillispie. Erin Moriarty: Were you surprised when he was charged with attempted murder? Pam Stanton: Yes. Yes. Yeah, I was. This was the man Pam Stanton called "Uncle Paul," and says their families were so close she thought of him as a second father. Pam Stanton: I mean, was he worried ... His life was on the line, his freedom ... Yeah, he was scared. Anybody would be. Freshour was never charged with sending any of the threatening, harassing letters. But, in Circleville, there was an assumption that the letter writer was finally behind bars. On October 24, 1983, Paul Freshour went on trial at the Pickaway County Courthouse in Circleville. Robin Yocum: It was a big deal. Robin Yocum didn't cover the trial, but he followed all the news coverage. Robin Yocum: You know, he was the mastermind behind this alleged booby trap. ... but almost everything focused on the letters. First up was the intended victim: Mary Gillispie. She testified about finding the booby trap and then, over the defense objections, she was asked about the anonymous letters she had received. Erin Moriarty: How damaging was that to Paul Freshour at his trial? Marie Mayhew: That was very, very damaging. The defense argued there was no direct threat to Mary's life and the letters, so they weren't relevant to the case but the judge allowed in 39 of them. It was a break for the prosecution, which claimed the writing on the booby trap shared similarities to those letters. Marie Mayhew: The letter and the writing that was on the 2x4 ... was the same block handwriting, sort of the same cadence and the same message as the anonymous letter writer. The state brought in the BCI handwriting analyst who compared the writing on the booby trap to the letters sent to Mary and then to samples of Paul Freshour's handwriting. Martin Yant: They had handwriting analyses that indicated that the letters could have been written by Paul Freshour. And a second expert originally a defense witness agreed. Erin Moriarty: I mean, that's pretty damaging, isn't it, when a witness hired by the defense ends up testifying for the prosecution? Marie Mayhew: I can only imagine it was something you'd want to avoid [laughs]. It was far more difficult for the prosecution to prove Freshour made the booby trap. Erin Moriarty: Was Paul Freshour's fingerprints found on the gun or the box that held the gun? Martin Yant: No. ... and they didn't have a whole lot of evidence about the booby trap other than he admitted that was his gun. There was circumstantial evidence. Freshour had taken the day off from work the same day the booby trap was found. And that box that held the gun an industrial sized chalk box was easily found at Anheuser Busch where Paul worked. Martin Yant: They had his gun and the booby trap, and they had the chalk box ... So, they thought they had plenty of evidence. But no one saw Freshour near the booby trap. Martin Yant: He had a pretty good alibi for most of the day. Paul Freshour didn't take the stand, but multiple defense witnesses testified to seeing him at home. He was having work done on his house. The reason, he said, he took that day off. Robin Yocum: As the trial progressed ... I'm thinking a lot of this stuff just doesn't add up. You know, where are the fingerprints? ... Where's the physical evidence? Paul Freshour had become a suspect after the gun in the booby trap was traced to him. And although he denied setting up the device and told investigators that his firearm had been stolen weeks earlier from his garage, his fate was sealed after investigators spoke with his estranged wife, Karen Sue. She told them that she believed Freshour was, in fact, the Circleville letter writer. / Credit: Craig Holman/USA Today Network But it was enough evidence for the jurors. They found Paul Freshour guilty of attempted murder. Erin Moriarty How did you hear the verdict? [Pan Stanton cries] Even after all this time, it's still hard, isn't it? Pam Stanton [crying]: I got home, and everybody was just a basket case. They were crying. Everybody was upset. He received the maximum sentence: 7 to 25 years in prison. Erin Moriarty: When Paul Freshour was convicted, did everybody in town breathe a sigh of relief? The letter writer is caught. It's over. Robin Yocum: I think that's a fair assessment. ... they've linked him to the letters, they linked him to the booby trap. We're going to get this guy out of our community, get him in prison ... Everything will kind of go back to normal, except it didn't because the letters never stopped. QUESTIONS REMAIN Robin Yocum: Paul was living a pretty good life. ... had never had any problems with the law ... basically, he lost everything. ... lost his home, lost his job, went to prison. It was inconceivable to Paul Freshour's family and friends that the man they so admired could be convicted of attempted murder. Pam Stanton: It's just preposterous. ... there's no way. Janet Cassady: He wasn't dumb enough to put his own gun in a booby trap [laughs]. Anybody could have gotten that gun. Even today, former investigative journalists Martin Yant and Robin Yocum question whether Freshour's verdict was fair. Robin Yocum: Can I tell you I'm 100% sure that he didn't do it? No, I can't. ... But I can tell you ... had I been sitting on that jury I would have never sent a guy to prison based on that flimsy evidence. Martin Yant: The more I got involved in the case and ... the more I saw, there were just too many question marks. At trial, the prosecution had branded Paul Freshour the Circleville letter writer. But once he was locked up, how did menacing anonymous letters keep coming? Robin Yocum: I'm not talking about one or two letters ... there were hundreds of letters that went out after he was in prison. The Pickaway County sheriff couldn't say how Freshour was able to write and send those letters, but he was certain Paul was responsible. The prison warden disagreed. Martin Yant: His warden insisted that would be impossible. They kept him in isolation. They did not allow him to have pens or paper. Robin Yocum: He was strip searched ... All his incoming and outgoing mail was inspected. ... There is absolutely, positively no way Paul Freshour was writing those letters and smuggling them out from prison. No way. After Yocum and Yant wrote articles about Paul Freshour, they also received letters. And, inexplicably, so did Paul Freshour while behind bars. Paul Freshour served 10 years in prison for the attempted murder of Mary Gillispie. He wasn't allowed pens or paper while behind bars but the letters still continued. Even Freshour received one. The letter to Freshour reads in part: Martin Yant: The letter writer bragged about setting him up. ... He said, "when we set him up, we set him up good." Erin Moriarty: And who did Paul think had set him up? Martin Yant: Karen Sue. Erin Moriarty: His ex-wife. Martin Yant: His ex-wife. Paul Freshour's lawyer raised that very possibility during his closing argument: "Who hated Paul enough to try to get him into trouble ... if you read the divorce decree, who stands to profit financially, if Paul is convicted goes to prison." Pam Stanton says, during that divorce battle, Karen Sue lost her home, custody of their daughters, and was living in a trailer on Mary Gillispie's property. Pam Stanton: If Uncle Paul was out of the picture, she got it all. And Karen Sue was one of the first to link Paul to the anonymous letters. Remember, she told investigators she found some at their home, including that one in the commode. MARIE MAYHEW [podcast]: Karen tried to piece it back together when Paul was not at home and said she could make the name of Gillispie out on the letter. Erin Moriarty: Could she show them these letters? Martin Yant: No. ... she didn't keep the letters. Erin Moriarty: Does that make sense? Martin Yant: Not to me ... why wouldn't she run off right away to the sheriff's office and say, look, this is from my husband. He's the letter writer. ... she didn't do any of that until after the booby trap was found. Erin Moriarty: Do you believe that Paul Freshour did set up the booby trap and tried to kill Mary Gillispie? Martin Yant: No, I don't. I think somebody stole his gun to set him up, and it worked. In the early 1990s, when Martin Yant began investigating Freshour's case, he discovered evidence in police reports of an alternate suspect. Martin Yant: There was another bus driver ... who saw what I think is very significant. .... It was something that never came up at trial and it points in a whole different direction. Investigators never followed up, but Yant did. The female bus driver told him that 20 minutes before Mary found the booby trap, she had driven by the same spot. Martin Yant: She said ... she saw a man standing beside an ... El Camino ... But the man turned away from her and acted like he was going to the bathroom ... So, she didn't get a good look at him. The description didn't seem to match Paul Freshour. Martin Yant: She said he was a large man with sandy hair. And Paul was not large, and he had very dark hair. Erin Moriarty: And wasn't Karen Sue at that point dating a man who was large with sandy hair? Martin Yant: Yes. And what about the El Camino? Martin Yant: There's no evidence that any inquiries were made about who might have an El Camino. Erin Moriarty: Didn't in fact ... Karen Sue's brother have an El Camino? Martin Yant: That's what I've been told. But Marie Mayhew believes trying to connect the booby trap to Karen Sue is tenuous at best. Marie Mayhew: There's someone who looked like the man she was dating driving a car that looked like it could have been her brother's.... none of that points back to Karen Sue. Marie Mayhew: I don't believe that she framed her husband for this or was responsible for it. Ten years after Paul Freshour went to prison, the intrigue surrounding the case caught the attention of the television series "Unsolved Mysteries." But in December 1993, before filming even began, the show received a postcard with an ominous threat. MARTIN YANT: [reading postcard] "Forget Circleville, Ohio. ... If you come to Ohio, you el sickos will pay. The Circleville writer." It didn't deter the show from going to Circleville. Even Paul Freshour, who had just been released on parole, agreed to talk. PAUL FRESHOUR ["Unsolved Mysteries" interview]: I'd really like to see someone really look at this case, on the letters. Reopen the letter part of it and get in and find out who wrote the letters. Pam Stanton says Karen Sue was not happy "Unsolved Mysteries" was in town, or that Stanton agreed to be interviewed. Pam Stanton: I got a phone call and her telling me it would be in my best interest not to go. Karen Sue didn't participate in the program, but according to Stanton, she kept track of everyone who did. Pam Stanton: She sat in a car on the other side of the intersection and took pictures of everybody going in and out for the interviews. If true, Marie Mayhew says that doesn't prove anything. What's more, Karen Sue has never been considered a suspect by police. Marie Mayhew: I think she's a very convenient villain. "48 Hours" reached out to her, but she did not respond to our requests for an interview. Martin Yant: There are so many twists and turns in this case ... all-of-a-sudden something ... will surface and makes you rethink what you were thinking. Martin Yant is right. And there's another twist to come. A NEW TWIST IN THE CASE It took nearly 20 years, but in 1994 the Circleville letters abruptly stopped when Paul Freshour was released from prison. Erin Moriarty: Did people when he got out still think he was the letter writer? Pam Stanton: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Martin Yant: He was very hurt. And he was hurt with what it did to his family. A very uncivil war had been raging for years between Paul Freshour and his ex-wife, Karen Sue. Even their two daughters were divided over their dad. And caught in the middle was their son, Mark. Pam Stanton: He was so loyal to his mom. ... But he loved his dad, too. But with Sue ... you were going to be her son or his son. Pam Stanton says Mark chose his mom, and never once visited his father in prison. Pam Stanton: He wouldn't tell me why. He just said he couldn't. It was Paul Freshour's gun discovered in the booby trap that helped land him behind bars. According to Martin Yant, Freshour strongly suspected that the thief was his own son. Martin Yant: He did tell some people that the gun had been stolen. And I did interview one man that said he specifically told him that he thought it was Mark, the son. Erin Moriarty: And this was before there was any talk of a booby trap? Martin Yant: Before the booby trap. Freshour kept his suspicions about his son to himself, says Yant. Martin Yant: Family loyalty meant more to him, even though his son had totally rejected him. Erin Moriarty: Why didn't he ... point the finger at his son? Pam Stanton: Paul ... get his son in trouble? No, Uncle Paul would've never done that. Erin Moriarty: But he knew he could go to prison. Pam Stanton: No, I don't care. ... Uncle Paul would have died before he had seen Mark go to jail. Pam Stanton: All this destroyed Mark. ... The divorce, the letters ... it all destroyed him in a way that can never be fixed. Just before sunrise on September 11, 2002, in Portsmouth, Ohio, a man's body was found floating in the Scioto River. It was 39-year-old Mark Freshour. He had shot himself. His mother, Karen Sue, later told police her son had suffered for years from depression. Pam Stanton: And I firmly believe when Mark took his life, he could not deal with the guilt any longer. If Paul Freshour actually had nothing to do with the booby trap, is it also possible he had nothing to do with the letters? Robin Yocum: As he told me ..."I didn't write the letters. ... I didn't do this." Martin Yant: Even after he got out of prison, he approached the FBI and asked them to ... investigate the case. The FBI never responded, says Yant. But nearly three decades later, one of its former star profilers agreed to examine the Circleville letters for "48 Hours." Mary Ellen O'Toole has explored some of the darkest criminal minds from the Green River Killer to the Unabomber. Mary Ellen O'Toole: Whoever the writer is, they're flying under the radar screen ...coming across as very normal ... and people would not suspect them. One letter to Mary Gillispie reads: Who was the Circleville writer? Or were there multiple writers? O'Toole believes one solitary author churned out every letter. Mary Ellen O'Toole: When you have one person and one person only ... that person can take the secret to the grave. Erin Moriarty: Do you think it's male or female? Can you tell? Mary Ellen O'Toole: All right [laughs]. I knew that would be one of your first questions. ... When it comes to the letter writer, gender is very difficult to discern. That's because the writer was clever, consistently deceptive, and manipulative, says O'Toole. Mary Ellen O'Toole: You see the manipulation continue throughout these letters. She went all the way back to the writer's first letters in 1977, hunting for hints about gender and found some. Mary Ellen O'Toole: The letter writer kept referring to, "I'm the boyfriend of a woman." ... They wanted to make you believe, "I'm not a woman, I'm a man." Mary Ellen O'Toole: And seeing ... how they were trying to hide who they were makes me think there could be a ... good possibility, it's a female. Altogether, O'Toole inspected 98 letters, finding the word choices and the grammar revealing. Erin Moriarty: How educated is this writer? Can you tell? Mary Ellen O'Toole: I would say this is not a highly educated person. ... because of the quality of the sentences and how they were put together. Significant, says O'Toole, considering that Paul Freshour had a job as a manager at Anheuser Busch and a master's degree. She says there were other identifying clues from the anonymous writer. Mary Ellen O'Toole: As you read these letters, you can see the letter writer is really havin' a good time. Erin Moriarty: What does that say about that person? Mary Ellen O'Toole: The letter writer is pretty callous. ... This person ... would have to know, "I'm hurting people and that's OK with me." A sign the writer might have been suffering from a personality disorder, says O'Toole, meaning that he or she knew the difference between right and wrong, but simply chose "wrong." Mary Ellen O'Toole: So, that would suggest to me that in their regular everyday life, they sought ways to be a bully ... to be intimidating. If that's the case, Pam Stanton says that does not sound like her Uncle Paul. Erin Moriarty Did he have like a dark side to him or anything? Pam Stanton: Never. Uncle Paul was never bitter, never angry. Erin Moriarty: Do you think the letter writer was Paul Freshour? Mary Ellen O'Toole: Right now, I have my doubts. Mary Ellen O'Toole: Sitting here today, I'd say I can't rule him out. But I'm ... looking at other reasons that tell me ... it might in fact be somebody different. And O'Toole does not believe the secretive writer would risk exposure by setting a booby trap in a public place. Mary Ellen O'Toole: That suggests to me that may have been done by somebody else who took advantage of the situation. The mystery seemed to only deepen. But one expert is convinced she does know the identity of the Circleville writer. Beverley East: 100% sure. THE LETTER WRITER REVEALED? When the 1980 Robert Redford prison drama "Brubaker" needed extras in the Columbus area, Paul Freshour channeled experience as a former prison guard to play one on the big screen. Little did he know he'd eventually serve a decade for attempted murder. And although never charged with terrorizing Circleville with the letters, he had to live with people believing he was the writer. But not sisters, Janet Cassady and June Whitehead. Erin Moriarty: What is one thing that you really want to see corrected? June Whitehead: I don't think Paul's guilty. I think he served those 10 years in prison, and I don't think he was guilty of the attempted murder. And I don't really think he was the letter writer. And with former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole believing the writer could be someone other than Paul Freshour, it calls into question the testimony of those two handwriting experts at his trial linking him to the letters. So, "48 Hours" turned to forensic document expert Beverley East, looking for her independent analysis. Beverley East: I don't wanna hear the story 'cause ... the documents tell me the story. That story, says East, begins by identifying distinct writing patterns in Paul Freshour's known writing. In this case, letters he wrote to a friend. Beverley East: The "G" in Grimer is a very unusual G. Looks like a six, a number 6. Erin Moriarty: And that's unusual? Beverley East: That's very unusual. She then studied a selection of 49 of the anonymous letters spanning from when they first started in 1977 through the 1990s and found that unusual "G" shaped like a number 6 in several of the Circleville letters, including one sent while Paul Freshour was in prison. Beverley East: So Gillispie, Gillispie, gettin', Gillispie, and Gordon, you've got that number 6. East says numbers can tell a story of their own. East says numbers can tell a story of their own, pointing to this zip code written by Paul ... there's an ambiguous number "3" that might also be a "2." Beverley East: Numbers don't lie. Numbers don't lie. Beverley East: It's like he's not sure if it's 4-2-1-1 2 or 4-3-1-1-3. ...In the anonymous letters on the zip code ...I found the same mistake. While East admits there are writing patterns in the anonymous letters that don't look like Paul Freshour's, after showing "48 Hours" almost 100 examples of his distinct quirks that she was able to identify, she is convinced one person was responsible. Beverley East: I would go into court and swear on the Bible on the evidence that I found. Erin Moriarty: And when you say you'd swear on the Bible, what would you say? Beverley East: I would say one person wrote all of these. And the one person is this person. Erin Moriarty: Paul Freshour. Beverley East: Paul Freshour. Erin Moriarty: And if you saw that a document examiner today thought, in fact, he did write those letters, would that change your mind? Pam Stanton: No. And there is a historical basis for skepticism. Erin Moriarty: You know that some document examiners have been wrong in the past. Beverley East: I cannot ... speak for others ... there are always gonna be times where people are inaccurate. And it's not because the science is not accurate. It's because ... that particular examiner has not done due diligence to arrive at the opinion that they should do. Beverley East: You can't be wrong [laughs]. You 'cause ... somebody's life and livelihood is at the end of your opinion. So, I am not wrong. While studying the thousands of pages of the case file, Marie Mayhew made a discovery that supports East's findings. Investigators had found Paul Freshour's fingerprints on about a dozen letters postmarked while he was incarcerated. Marie Mayhew: Those fingerprints are there and they're his. Erin Moriarty: Do you think that Paul Freshour is the Circleville letter writer? Marie Mayhew: Yes, I honestly do. Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole says she cannot explain those letters. But she also cannot ignore that during Freshour's decade in prison, the phantom writer mailed hundreds of letters. Mary Ellen O'Toole: If a crime continues on and you have someone ... in custody for a long period of time ... you have to say, "Somebody else is sending these letters. ... they're not happening by magic. Somebody else is writing the letters." Erin Moriarty: If in fact Paul Freshour was the letter writer, is it possible that he mass-produced letters, went to prison, and then had somebody else send them while he was in? Mary Ellen O'Toole: Anything is possible. ... That would have to be investigated and ruled out. Paul Freshour died June 28, 2012, at age 70, still fighting to prove his innocence. Instead, what's left behind is an unfinished portrait. Was Paul Freshour the successful, loving family man he appeared to be? Or was he a cruel, even dangerous, criminal mastermind? Whatever your conclusion, Paul Freshour predicted when interviewed by writer Robin Yocum 36 years ago that his notoriety as the Circleville letter writer would long outlive him. ROBIN YOCUM [Reading]: "When I'm dead and in my grave, people are going to believe I'm sending those letters." Unfortunately, Paul died. ... and we'll never know. We'll never know. No one has ever been charged with writing the Circleville letters, but the Pickaway County Sheriff's office says the case is closed. bruProduced by Lisa Freed and Richard Fetzer. Mead Stone is the producer-editor. David Dow and Tamara Weitzman are the development producers. Jud Johnston, Ken Blum and Diana Modica are the editors. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Jacob Smith: The legally blind 15-year-old freeride skier Fogo Island: A far away comeback story "Top-down incompetence": Investigating military vehicle training deaths Leandro Lo competing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2014 One of Brazil's greatest Jiu-Jitsu champions of all time, Leandro Lo, has been declared brain dead after being shot in the head in a Sao Paulo club. Lo was one of the most successful Jiu-Jitsu athletes of all time, having won the World Championships eight times. Witnesses said Lo and his friends were approached by a man in a threatening manner, Lo immobilised the man, but after he let him go, the man shot Lo. The suspect fled the scene but has since handed himself in to police. An investigation for attempted murder has been opened. A friend of Lo who was with him at the time, said a lone man approached their table, took a bottle from it and waved it around in a menacing way. Lo had pinned the man to the ground to "calm him down". But after he let him go, the man shot Lo in the head, the unnamed friend told Brazilian news site G1. A lawyer for the Lo family, Ivan Siqueira Junior, said Lo and his friends had tried to prevent the incident from escalating. According to Mr Siqueira, the suspect kicked Lo twice while the latter was already lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his head. Lo was rushed to hospital, where he was declared brain dead. His family said his condition was irreversible. The 33-year-old won the World Championships eight times in five different weight classes, an all time record. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation called him "one of the greatest athletes our sport has ever produced". "An example of a true black belt, martial artist and champion on and off the mats," the federation tweeted. EUROPEAN PRAVDA SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST 2022, 08:57 European Pravda has reported that the latest update from British Defence Intelligence indicates that at least six Russian commanders have been dismissed since the beginning of Russias invasion in Ukraine. Another 10 Russian generals have been killed. "The poor performance of Russia's armed forces during its invasion of Ukraine has been costly for Russias military leadership, highly likely resulting in the dismissal of at least six Russian commanders since the start of hostilities in February 2022," the British Intelligence update states. In particular, the commanders of Russias Eastern and Western Military Districts have lost their commands. General-Colonel Aleksandr Chayko was dismissed as Commander of the Eastern Military District in May 2022. General-Colonel Aleksandr Zhuravlev, who has commanded the Western Military District since 2018, was absent from Russias Navy Day in St Petersburg on 31 July 2022 and has highly likely been replaced by General-Lieutenant Vladimir Kochetkov. General Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dvornikov has subsequently been removed after been given overall command of the operation in Ukraine, and General Sergei Surovikin has assumed command of the Southern Grouping of Forces from General Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko. "These dismissals are compounded by at least 10 Russian Generals killed on the battlefield in Ukraine. The cumulative effect on consistency of command is likely contributing to Russian tactical and operational difficulties," the update concludes. The US has also reported on Russian losses in the war with Ukraine, stating that Russia is losing hundreds of its troops each day. On 6 August, British intelligence reported that Russias war on Ukraine is about to enter a new phase as Russian forces are massing in southern Ukraine. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work! (Reuters) - Chad's transitional authorities and rebel groups are expected to sign an agreement in Doha on Monday paving the way to a broader national reconciliation dialogue later this month, the Qatari foreign ministry said. The announcement follows five months of peace-building talks in Qatar between rebel factions and Chad's interim military government headed by Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power following his father's death last year. Deby has said the dialogue would be a first step toward planning long-awaited elections. But it has not been clear if the armed groups would participate in the talks as the terms for their involvement were under discussion. "The agreement paves the way for the start of the comprehensive and sovereign national dialogue in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, which aims to achieve comprehensive national reconciliation," the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Deby has been in Doha since Friday, participating in the final stage of negotiations. On Sunday, his office said a deal was imminent without specifying exactly when it would be signed. There was no immediate comment from the rebel side. Deby declared himself head of a Transitional Military Council in April 2021 after his father, Chad's longtime ruler Idriss Deby, was killed while visiting troops fighting the rebel insurgency in the north. Initially his council said it would oversee an 18-month transition to democratic rule, but it has shown little sign of organising elections as that deadline nears. The national dialogue, which is meant to include a wide range of groups and parties as well as the government and the rebels, is currently set to start on Aug. 20. (Reporting by Ahmad Elhamy and Mahamat Ramadane,; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), whose criticism of former President Trump has alienated some Republicans, said in a new interview that the GOP is very sick and predicted it could take several cycles for the party to heal from internal strife and aggressive extremism. Cheney told The New York Times a little more than a week before her primary challenge against a candidate endorsed by Trump that she is a Republican for life but not a supporter of the current state of the GOP. She said the GOP is continuing to drive itself in a ditch and I think its going to take several cycles if it can be healed. Cheney also questioned other rising stars in the Republican Party, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green (Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (Colo.). The Wyoming lawmaker told the Times that DeSantis has lined himself up almost entirely with Donald Trump, which she said could be dangerous, and also that she would rather serve with most Democratic women than Republicans like Greene and Boebert. What the country needs are serious people who are willing to engage in debates about policy, she told the Times. Cheney, the vice chair of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump over the rioting. The congresswoman also went to great lengths during a series of congressional hearings this summer to place Trump at the center of the Capitol attack, alleging he was directly responsible for the attempted insurrection after repeating false election claims, pushing to find ways to swing the 2020 election in his favor, and urging rioters to march on the Capitol. Cheneys campaign against Trump has had an impact on the race. She is trailing Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman ahead of the primary by around 20 points, according to a Casper Star-Tribune poll released last month. Story continues Facing an uphill battle, Cheney has listed instructions on her website informing Democrats and independents how to register as Republicans to support her in the primary. Last week, she also aired a new campaign ad with her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who said Trump was a coward and a threat to our republic. Liz Cheney, however, has said telling the truth about Jan. 6 is more important than winning reelection. If I have to choose between maintaining a seat in the House of Representatives or protecting the constitutional republic and ensuring the American people know the truth about Donald Trump, Im going to choose the Constitution and the truth every single day, she said on CNN last month. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Two senators on Sunday urged the Biden administration to go further in its support for both Ukraine and Taiwan, as U.S. tensions with China bubble up after Rep. Nancy Pelosis trip to Taiwan. In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) backed the House speakers travel to Taiwan and tied the two foreign policy issues together warning that China is watching how the U.S. continues to respond to Russias attack on Ukraine as the war nears its sixth month. Graham directed his message directly at China and pushed for the passage of the bipartisan Taiwan Policy Act, which is aimed at bolstering Taiwan economically and militarily. Almost six months into this war, Ukraine is bloodied but still standing unbowed. NATO is bigger, not smaller. The International Criminal Court is coming after Putin and his cronies, and we're going to strangle the Russian economy as long as they're the largest state sponsor of terrorism. If you want to receive what [Vladimir] Putin did, try to go into Taiwan, Graham said. The right response is to push back against a bully, not cower, he added. The increased pressure from lawmakers comes after China launched a series of military exercises around Taiwan following Pelosis visit, what Blumenthal called bullying and blustering. The White House has been skittish on the bipartisan bid for a more aggressive posture on U.S.-Taiwan policy and has worked to reel Congress in, as the administration fears the legislation could interfere with its assurances to Beijing about upholding the One China policy a diplomatic acknowledgment of Beijings position that there is only one Chinese government. Russias invasion has caused both Democrats and Republicans to reevaluate Americas policy of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, with which the U.S. has had an awkward official relationship since it recognized the government of mainland China in the 1970s. Story continues China is watching what we do in Ukraine. Thats why we need to send more of the HIMARS multiple long-range artillery so that Ukraine is successful during this next month during its counteroffensive, Blumenthal said. He also called for moves to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, more sanctions against the Kremlin and additional humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) echoed this sentiment in a separate interview on NBCs Meet the Press, noting that China has seen Russias tough fight in Ukraine, and saying that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan isnt inevitable. We need to help Taiwan make that as difficult as possible for China, and weve been doing that by supplying Taiwan with military assistance, Van Hollen said. We need to continue to do that to make Taiwan into the porcupine, so that when China looks at Taiwan, it realizes that this is going to be a hell of a fight and not a winnable fight. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), who accompanied Pelosi on her visit to Taiwan, defended the trip, saying he wouldn't allow China's leadership to dictate where members of Congess can go. "We are going to stand by our friends, our partners and our allies," he said on CBS' "Face the Nation." Associated Press U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner awarded $106 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages to nearly 300 people in a long-running civil suit against the judges, writing the plaintiffs are the tragic human casualties of a scandal of epic proportions. In what came to be known as the kids-for-cash scandal, Mark Ciavarella and another judge, Michael Conahan, shut down a county-run juvenile detention center and accepted $2.8 million in illegal payments from the builder and co-owner of two for-profit lockups. Ciavarella, who presided over juvenile court, pushed a zero-tolerance policy that guaranteed large numbers of kids would be sent to PA Child Care and its sister facility, Western PA Child Care. Rabbi Stanley Skolnik, who served the Passaic, Clifton and Bloomfield communities for more than 30 years, died on Friday from COVID-19 complications. Skolnik, 79, was a Montclair resident and known for being an activist as well as a beloved member of the Reformed Jewish community, his daughter Julie Skolnik said. "My father was a nice, funny guy, but he didn't care about being liked," Julie said. "He cared about doing the right thing. My dad led a very extraordinary life and as a righteous man he was an activist." He leaves behind his wife Norma, sister Eva, children Jonathan, Julie Miri (spouses: Masha, Tressa and Al) and grandchildren: Robbie, Tosha, Sonia and Jake. Skolnik graduated from the University of Cincinnati and attended Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. He was ordained as Rabbi at HUC-JIR in New York in 1969. He served as rabbi at Temple Bnai Abraham in Hagerstown, Maryland from 1969 to 1974, and at Temple Beth El in Charlotte, North Carolina from 1974 to 1975. He then moved to New Jersey and served as rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom in Clifton and Passaic from 1975 to 2009, when Beth Sholom merged with Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield. After the merger, Skolnik served the congregation as Rabbi Emeritus until his death. During his years in Maryland, Skolnik began his activism work. After being in town for only a month, he served on the low-income housing, interracial, and interfaith committees, his daughter said. During his time there, he fought for a town employee to be fired for using a racial slur and began holding protests against the Vietnam War, which upset members of the community and his congregation. For subscribersIn target-rich NJ suburbs, police battle alarming rise in luxury auto theft Monkeypox in NJ:Answering your questions about the virus He didnt care about being liked or making waves, Julie Skolnik said. He was undeterred and vowed to hold a protest once a month until the war was over. Story continues After relocating to Passaic, his family eventually moved to Montclair because Skolnik wanted to be in a progressive political and racially integrated town, his daughter said. His activism showed no bounds, she said. In October 1999, Skolnik spoke out against capital punishment in an interview with The Record, saying execution is not supposed to be an act of emotional revenge. It should only be used when no other recourse is available for the punishment of a truly heinous crime, he said. It is notmoralto kill someone because its cheaper than keeping them in jail. A memory that Julie Skolnik said would always stand out was her father's support of a local mosque's opening despite considerable opposition in the community. He did it even though he knew some people at the mosque would be in support of the destruction of Israel, but he said it was religious discrimination, she said. The mosque did open and Skolnik remained friends with the leaders there for years. Anytime there was an issue of injustice, my father was the first to write a letter, go to a meeting, protest or speak out whatever he had to do and it was something he installed in his children, Julie Skolnik said. He was never motived by money or faith, he just was doing the right thing even it was at a personal cost for himself. When discussing his eulogy, his children said the one message they needed to convey was to stand up for others. Dont just do it when theyre there and asking you, Julie Skolnik said. Do it when theyre not there and stand up for other people and help people in need. His family said there has been an outpouring of support, from phone calls to social media messages. His family will remember him jumping to help anyone. Julie Skolnik recalled a memory from her childhood, before people had cellphones. A car came speeding to the front of the Skolnik home and a woman jumped out, screaming Wheres your father? The baby is dying. The next thing she saw was her father running out of the house holding his shoes and jumping into the car. He would fly in an instant if someone needed him, Julie Skolnik said. We love him and will miss him very much. Skolnik was taken to Mountside Hospital on July 23 with symptoms of COVID-19. He just finished recovery from a double-bypass surgery and was doing better, his daughter said. His appetite was beginning to return, and even half asleep, his sense of humor still came through when a nurse asked if he wanted to eat egg salad or a pastrami sandwich, he had to ask, Where do you get your pastrami from? On July 27, Skolnik went into cardiac arrest and was placed on a ventilator. A funeral will be held Sunday at Temple Ner Tamid, 936 Broad St. in Bloomfield followed by a burial at Menorah Cemetery in Clifton. Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: cattafi@northjersey.com Twitter: @KristieCattafi This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Clifton NJ: Rabbi Stanley Skolnik dies from COVID at age 79 Mud and debris from flash flooding trap vehicles at the Inn at Death Valley in Death Valley National Park on Friday. The area received "unprecedented amounts of rainfall." (Associated Press) Photographer John Sirlin was in a canyon in the northeast part of Death Valley National Park late Thursday to shoot lightning in an expected thunderstorm. Then the lightning petered out and the storm became a nonstop torrential downpour that lasted for hours, bringing near-record rainfall to one of the hottest, driest places on Earth. It seemed serious, said the 46-year-old from Chandler, Ariz., who also leads storm-chasing workshops. It was a magnitude of flooding I had not experienced before. More analysis will be needed to determine whether climate change helped drive the storms intensity. But its extreme nature is consistent with what can be expected as global temperatures rise, experts said, drawing parallels with the historic flooding that damaged Yellowstone National Park in June. Were already in a climate where the odds of intense precipitation are elevated, said climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh, a professor and senior fellow at Stanford University. And we have a clear understanding that as global warming continues, the heavy precipitation events are likely to continue to intensify overall. Rainfall totaling 1.46 inches was recorded at Furnace Creek Visitors Center on Friday, surpassing the Aug. 5 record of 1.10 inches set in 1936 but falling just short of the parks heaviest rainfall of 1.47 inches on April 15, 1988, said Brian Planz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. Death Valley has averaged about 1.96 inches of precipitation per year since record keeping began in 1911, according to the Western Regional Climate Center. Nearly 75% of that amount fell in the space of a few hours on Friday. Videos posted to social media showed roads turned to rushing rivers that uprooted trees, overturned boulders and flooded park facilities. Dumpsters careened into parked cars, and cars collided with one another, the National Park Service said. At one point, about 1,000 residents and visitors were trapped in the park due to the rising waters and debris, according to officials. Story continues Where it really got crazy was between 4 and 4:30, Sirlin said. We went from having a little bit of water running through the dips and washes, water a couple of inches deep, to suddenly you could hear the sound of rocks and boulders. Traveling with his corgi, Aspen, he drove to Badwater Road near Highway 190 and waited it out in his car there. I knew from experiencing past monsoon-type floods that stuff can get crazy in a hurry, so I made the decision to get to higher ground, he said. After sunrise, he began driving toward the eastern entrance to the park, stopping as he went to move boulders and branches out of the road. At times, he had to use flat rocks to build bridges over washed-out sections of the road, he said, and estimated the 35-mile trip ended up taking about six or seven hours. Different areas of the park flooded at different times. You could get clear of one area and another wash would be running and you would have to wait 15 minutes, he said. By Saturday afternoon, most visitors had been able to leave the park, said incident information specialist Jennette Jurado of the National Park Service. Law enforcement escorts helped them avoid multiple places where the pavement was undercut, with asphalt hanging over unsupported areas at risk of collapsing, she said. U.S. Navy and California Highway Patrol helicopters were conducting aerial searches to make sure there were no more stranded vehicles. No injuries had been reported, but some roads sustained extensive damage. You can just make a blanket statement that every roadway known in the park has debris washed over it, Jurado said. Sometimes the debris is light, only a couple of inches deep, and in other areas its feet deep. Summer storms in Death Valley are usually more localized, closing a road or two and maybe causing an alluvial fan to flash flood, Jurado said, calling Friday's downpour exceptionally rare. The last time the park saw rain this widespread was in 2015, when a powerful weather system dropped nearly 3 inches of rain in five hours, triggering a 1,000-year flood event that battered historic structures. Scotty's Castle, a Spanish-style mansion that offered guided tours, was severely damaged and has been closed to the public ever since. It seems like every time we get rain here in Death Valley, it makes the rocks move. So that itself wasn't a surprise, Jurado said. But just having it be so widespread and having so much volume of rain is certainly a pretty big deal for us. More rain fell in this one storm than during any August in recorded park history, she added. Although the rainfall was greater than normal, such storms arent atypical for Death Valley at this time of year, when monsoons often bring moisture from Mexico, Planz said. He attributed the storm to a combination of monsoonal moisture and an inverted trough moving across the Southwest that provided energy. All the right ingredients came together, he said. Now that Earth has warmed 1 degree Celsius above preindustrial levels, the odds are elevated that when factors known to produce intense storms do align, their effects will be even more extreme, Diffenbaugh said. What were seeing with climate change consistently is that when the conditions that are well understood to produce intense precipitation do come together, the fact that theres more moisture in the atmosphere as a result of long-term warming means that those conditions are primed to produce more intense precipitation, he said. Although it can seem counterintuitive, he said, the same dynamic often described as the increasing thirst of the atmosphere is also contributing to the historic drought, more intense, frequent heat waves and increasingly extreme wildfire behavior that have beset the western United States. While it might appear to be paradoxical that we're getting both extreme hot and dry and extreme wet in the region simultaneously, its very consistent with both the baseline climate dynamics of the region and with the multiple ways in which global warming is increasing the odds of extreme events, he said. Friday's storm marked the second time flash flooding hit Death Valley within a week, with some roads inundated during a storm on Sunday. Flash flooding also washed out parts of the Mojave National Preserve, with most paved roads into the park remaining closed as of Saturday. And late last month, heavy monsoonal rains saturated Las Vegas, sending water cascading into casinos. Death Valley officials said it would take time to assess the extent of the damage over the parks 3.4 million acres, which include 1,000 miles of roads. The Park Service's Emergency Operations Center building and staff residences sustained water damage, and some of them remained without water service because water lines in Cow Creek were blown out in multiple locations, according to authorities. Highway 190, the parks main east-west road, remained flooded in some areas and blocked by debris flows in others. About 20 palm trees had fallen into the roadway by the Inn at Furnace Creek; the highway's shoulder was destroyed and its asphalt damaged. California Department of Transportation crews were working around the clock to restore access and hoped to be able to partly reopen the road by Tuesday. Numerous debris flows were reported elsewhere in the park, including across Badwater Basin Road and Artists Drive. Along other roads, storm waters removed swaths of asphalt that will require filling and new pavement, Jurado said. With some areas that have complete pavement removal, its going to take some time to rebuild, she said. I cant speculate on whether thats weeks or months, but theres definitely going to be some long-haul repairs. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian mediators have proposed a Gaza truce that would take effect at 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Sunday, an Egyptian security source said, adding that Israel had agreed while Cairo was still seeking a Palestinian response. There was no immediate confirmation from Israel or Palestinian Islamist Jihad militants. The sides have been exchanging fire across the Gaza border since Friday. (Writing by Dan Williams; editing by James Mackenzie) The Daily Beast Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero / The Daily Beast / GettyAt the risk of awarding the title prematurely, we think weve found the weirdest study published in 2022. Scientists strapped GoPro cameras to the bodies of six dolphins trained by the U.S. Navy, and recorded them hunting for food and consuming their prey in grisly detail. According to the study, there was a purpose behind this potential invasion of dolphin privacy; namely, to learn more about how the mammals hunted and ate.Scientists SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Croatian water-bomber planes joined dozens of firefighters on Sunday to help contain a wildfire that killed one man on the Adriatic island of Hvar, Croatian media reported. The fire, which broke out early in the afternoon, threatened residential areas close to the town of Stari Grad. The man died when he tried to keep the flames away from his property, state news agency Hina reported. Fire brigade chief Ivan Kovacevic said the fire no longer threatened houses but continued to burn in a pine forest. "The situation at the site is currently good," he told Hina. Over the past month, a series of wildfires have raged along the Croatia's Adriatic coast as a heatwave intensifies there and across much of Europe. (Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; editing by John Stonestreet) SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST 2022, 16:15 - OLEKSIY PAVLYSH The bulk carrier Fulmar S has entered the Port of Chornomorsk and is ready for loading. This is the first vessel to enter a Ukrainian port since the full-scale Russian invasion. This was reported by Ukraines Ministry of Infrastructure on Telegram. "The ship entered in the course of the implementation of the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Food Products from Ukrainian Ports," the ministry said. Reminder: On Sunday, 7 August, the second convoy of ships carrying Ukrainian food left the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk 3 vessels from Chornomorsk and one from Odesa. On Saturday evening, the bulk carrier Fulmar S arrived for loading - the first ship to do so since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. On 2 August the Turkish Ministry of Defence confirmed the arrival of the grain carrier Razoni loaded with Ukrainian grain - the first ship to set off under the "grain agreement" between Ukraine, Turkey, the UN and Russia. On 3 August the inspection of the first vessel loaded with Ukrainian grain was completed in Turkey. The ship passed through the Bosphorus and headed for the Sea of Marmara. See also: Istanbul as "Minsk": what Russia will get from the West in the "Grain Agreement" and beyond. Ekonomichna Pravda Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work! KYIV (Reuters) - The first cargo vessel since the Russian invasion arrived at Ukrainian Black Sea port of Chornomorsk for the future transportation of grain to international markets, Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said on Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, four ships carrying Ukrainian foodstuffs sailed from Ukrainian Black Sea ports as part of a deal to unblock the country's sea exports. "Bulk carrier FULMAR S has arrived at Chornomorsk port and is ready for loading," the ministry said on Facebook. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) EUROPEAN PRAVDA SATURDAY, 6 AUGUST 2022, 20:40 The bulk carrier Fulmar S is the first ship to arrive in Ukraine since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion on 24 February. The vessel arrived on the evening of Saturday, 6 August. Source: Oleksandr Kurbakov, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, quoted by European Pravda Details: Kurbakov has said that the ship has arrived in Ukraine as part of the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Grain and Food Products from Ukrainian Ports. Kurbakov believes that the arrival of Fulmar S signals the beginning of the two-way operation of the "grain corridor", allowing ships to both enter and leave Ukrainian ports. Kurbakov has added that "This event sends an important signal to the [global grain] market, indicating that the grain corridor is a safe and, crucially, profitable business opportunity for ship owners who might be considering a return to Ukraine." The dry goods cargo ship left the Turkish port of Bandirma in the Marmara Sea over 10 days ago. Up until 2 August the ship was anchored near another Turkish port, Pendik; then it was anchored near the Bosphorus Strait in the Black Sea until 5 August. It set sail in the direction of the Chornomorsk port in Ukraine at 15:50 on 5 August. Background: On 22 July, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, and the UN signed a so-called "grain deal" in Istanbul, an agreement to lift the blockade on Ukrainian food and in particular grain exports via the Black Sea. On 2 August, Turkish Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Razoni ship carrying grain cargo from Ukraine had arrived in Turkey as part of the "grain deal". On 3 August, representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations at the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul completed their inspection of the ship, the first ship to pass through the "grain corridor" from Odesa. The ship passed through the Bosphorus and headed for the Sea of Marmara. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda! Warner Bros. Pictures is reportedly still going ahead with the upcoming superhero movie The Flash, despite multiple controversies involving lead actor Ezra Miller. Miller, who was arrested earlier this year in separate incidents for assault and disorderly conduct, has more recently been accused of grooming minors, as detailed in an investigation by Insider. The actor has also faced accusations of other troubling behavior, including harassment, and allegations that they housed a woman and her children in unsafe conditions at a Vermont farm, as reported by Rolling Stone. In 2020, video emerged that appeared to show Miller choking a woman at a bar in Iceland. Nevertheless, Warner Bros. remains excited about Millers upcoming film, Variety recently reported. We have seen The Flash, Black Adam and Shazam 2, said Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav during an earnings call on Thursday. We are very excited about them. Weve seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better. Notably, it was also reported last week that Warner Bros. Discovery had canceled its Batgirl movie, which had finished shooting and was slated to be released on HBO Max. Batgirl was to star Leslie Grace who, unlike Miller, has not been embroiled in multiple scandals in the title role. The Flash is set for a June 2023 release. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... A former Georgia postal worker has pleaded guilty to trying to send drugs in the mail while he was on disability. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Robert Elliott Sheppard, 60, of East Point is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and unlawfully using the mail to commit that crime. Sheppard worked as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in 2014. According to the Department of Justice, he delivered 5-pound packages of drugs through the U.S. mail to 60-year-old Dexter Frazier of Fairburn, a drug trafficker who sold cocaine and marijuana. In 2016, Frazier spoke with Sheppard about delivering additional drug packages. According to the release, Sheppard was on disability and wasnt able to block and deliver packages. Sheppard offered to get other mail carriers to deliver drugs for Frazier if he paid Sheppard referral fees comprised of cash and marijuana. Frazier agreed. TRENDING STORIES: In the report, Sheppard contacted two coworkers, Tonie Harris, 59, of Decatur and Clifton Lee, 46, of Lithonia. Sheppard told Harris and Lee that in order to get paid, Frazier needed them to deliver drug packages. Sheppard taught Harris and Lee how to position the deliveries to avoid detection. Harris and Lee agreed to take part in the scheme, and Sheppard gave their phone number to Frazier. Frazier then coordinated the illegal deliveries with Harris and Lee. Harris and Lee each delivered three packages for Frazier. They contained 2 kilograms of cocaine or 10 pounds of marijuana, the release states. Postal carriers occupy a position of trust in our communities and Sheppard violated that trust by exploiting his role as a mail carrier to traffic kilogram amounts of cocaine as well as marijuana, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. Sheppards conduct is especially egregious because he recruited other postal carriers to participate in his criminal scheme once he was on disability leave. His conduct and greed potentially exposed countless innocent postal workers and the public to dangerous drugs and to the violence that these crimes frequently cause. Story continues [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Other participants in the scheme previously pleaded guilty. Frazier was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,700. Lee was sentenced to three years, 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,800. Harris was sentenced to three years, one month in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,450. Harris and Lee both worked for the Sandy Springs Post Office. Sheppard enlisted the help of two co-workers to smuggle drugs through the United States postal system, entangling them in a drug conspiracy and furthering dangerous criminal activity. It is now Sheppards time to be held accountable for his selfish actions, said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. Sheppards sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3. IN OTHER NEWS: Some Forsyth County teens whose parents hail from India are shooting for the moon. They just won a prestigious award in the field of rocket science. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Channel 2s Berndt Petersen spoke with the Lambert High School students. Although just 16 and 17 years old, they already have a company with a plan to fly to Mars. Sarvesh Prabhu and his best friends like to put their heads together. Something Ishan, Srirag, and I have been doing for years is just bouncing ideas off each other, Conrad challenge winner Sarvesh Prabhu said. TRENDING STORIES: They just won one of the most prestigious rocket science awards called the Conrad Challenge at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. NASA wants fuel cells that last 10,000 hours. The current fuel cells only last 5,000, challenge winner Ishan Mahajan said. Prabhu said the competition featured high-caliber competitors from all over the world, who come from all different backgrounds and have all different ideas. Id like to call it a brainstorm, he said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Prabhu and his team are among the brainiest. They have a company called Astracell, and ever since they won the award, grant money has been pouring in. It all started, just bouncing ideas off each other. We always want to shoot for the stars. One day were with NASA or SpaceX or other insane space organizations., and Astracell...one day we can be up there with the big names as well, challenger winner Srirag Tatavarti said. The teens plan to continue their research with the Morehouse School of Medicine. IN OTHER NEWS: By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) - Police in New Mexico and federal agencies were probing the murders of four Muslim men to determine if the killings, the latest of which happened on Friday evening, were linked while the state's governor described them as "targeted killings." Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina told reporters on Saturday that a "young man who is part of the Muslim community was murdered." The victim's name and the circumstances of the murder were not disclosed. In the previous three cases, the victims were ambushed and shot without warning, police said. Medina said the killing was possibly linked to the previous three murders. Police in New Mexico had said earlier that the other three Muslim men murdered in the state's largest city in the past nine months appeared to have been targeted for their religion and race. "The targeted killings of Muslim residents of Albuquerque is deeply angering and wholly intolerable," New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted late on Saturday. She also said she was deploying extra state police officers to Albuquerque to assist in the investigation. Two of those murdered men were members of the same mosque, who were shot dead in Albuquerque in late July and early August. Police said there was a "strong possibility" their deaths were connected to the November killing of an Afghan immigrant. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, a planning director for the city of Espanola who came to the United States from Pakistan, was shot dead on Monday outside his Albuquerque apartment complex while Aftab Hussein, 41, was found dead of gunshot wounds on July 26 near the Albuquerque's international district. Those deaths are likely linked to the shooting of 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi in a parking lot by a halal supermarket and cafe on Nov. 7 last year, police said. New Mexico State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Marshals Service are among several agencies involved in probing the murders. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) A beluga whale is seen swimming up France's Seine river, near a lock in Courcelles-sur-Seine, western France on August 5, 2022. - The beluga whale appears to be underweight and officials are worried about its health, regional authorities said. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images French officials are trying to rescue a beluga whale trapped in the River Seine, AFP reported. Officials say the mammal is visibly malnourished and attempts to feed it have been unsuccessful. The whale was first spotted in the river on Tuesday by French rescue personnel. French officials are attempting to use a vitamin cocktail to rescue a beluga whale that has become trapped in the River Seine, according to the AFP News Agency. The BBC reported that authorities hope the vitamin injection will stimulate the beluga's appetite so it can continue its journey through the river, out to the English Channel, and back to its Arctic habitat. AFP reported the whale was first spotted in the river on Tuesday. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images A beluga whale swims between two locks on the Seine river, in Notre-Dame-de-la-Garenne, northwestern France, on August 6, 2022. Lamya Essemlali, the head of Sea Shepherd, a non-profit marine conservation organization, told the AFP that "the environment is not very welcoming for the beluga, the Seine is very polluted and cetaceans are extremely sensitive to noise." While belugas aren't endangered, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service the whales are vulnerable to a number of stressors which include pollution, habitat degradation, and other types of human disturbance. The beluga whale appears to be underweight and officials are worried about its health, regional authorities said. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images Experts haven't been able to figure out how the whale ended up in the Seine. The BBC said officials located small spots on the beluga's skin but aren't sure whether it's a reaction to the water in the river or a sign of the animal's waning health. This isn't the first time a mammal has wound up in the French waterway: In May, a killer whale was found dead in the River Seine after becoming ill with mucormycosis, a rare but serious disease that causes a fungal infection. Read the original article on Business Insider Made in China RED (Macro) Getty Images A far-right apparel company Lions Not Sheep was fined by the FTC for replacing Made in China tags for Made in USA tags. Lions Not Sheep sells apparel with far-right slogans like "Let's Go Brandon" and "#FJB." The FTC ordered the owner Sean Whalen and the company more than $200,000 for misleading consumers. A Utah-based apparel company known for selling far-right and pro-trump merchandise is ordered to pay more than $20,000 to the FTC for replacing "Made in China" tags with "Made in USA" tags. Lions Not Sheep and its owner Sean Whalen was fined $211,335 by the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims that their imported merchandise from China was made in the US, according to a July statement from the FTC. Lions Not Sheep became popular with far-right conservatives for promoting pro-trump, pro-gun, anti-Biden, and anti-mask messages on their products and on their website. Shirts that read "Go Brandon" or "#FBJ", can be purchased on their website. According to the release, the FTC filed its complaint in May of this year, in addition to the hefty fine, Whalen and the company were ordered to "stop making bogus Made in USA claims and come clean about foreign production." According to the complaint, Whalen posted a video on Twitter titled "Made In America!" with a Chinese flag symbol in which he stated he could conceal the fact that his shirts are made in China by ripping out the tag and replacing it with his made in the US tags. The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the final order to charge Whalen and the brand for misleading consumers, per the release. Read the original article on Insider Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) criticized her fellow Republicans on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday morning for aggressively putting forward severe abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade earlier this summer. Handmaid's Tale was not supposed to be a roadmap, she told NBC host Chuck Todd. And she warned of the potential for the conservative partys severe overreach to blow up in the GOPs face come Novemberby drawing out a wave of otherwise tepid voters to vote Democrat. Her comments of course come on the heels of Tuesdays stunning upset in Kansas, where a surprise showing of voters blocked the states attempt to roll back abortion rights. Democrats Should Frame Abortion Rights as Health Care, Not Choice Im staunchly pro-life, Mace began with a caveat. It will be an issue in November if were not moderating ourselves. We cant go to the far corners of the right or the far corners of the left, she said. Somewhere in the middle is where weve got to meet. On the TV news program, Mace stressed the need for making exceptions for women who have been victims of sexual assault, noting a traumatizing personal experience she first revealed publicly three years ago: that she was raped at 16 years old. And South Carolinas lone congresswoman turned up the heat on her own state as well. In my state of South Carolina theres legislation that would ban the word abortion on a website or a website server. There are folks that want to ban women from traveling out of state, there are folks like in my state that want to ban abortion for women who are victims of rape and girls who are victims of incest, she lamented. The vast majority of people here are OK with some guard rails but they dont want the extremities of either side, she said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A convoy of four grain cargo ships have departed Ukraine, setting sail from two ports in Odesa Oblast Read also: Three cargo ships with Ukrainian grain leave Odesa Oblast port The second convoy of ships, carrying Ukrainian agricultural produce, has just set sail from the ports of Odesa and Chromomeres, the message said. Read also: Lebanon releases ship with stolen Ukrainian grain from custody, Kyiv warns Beirut of consequences Merchant vessels MUSTAFA NECATI, STAR HELENA, GLORY, and RIVA WIND are hauling nearly 170,000 tons of cargo. Were working on raising the throughput to at least 100 ships per month in the near future, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. Read also: First shipment of Ukrainian grain leaves Odesa Kubrakov added that the port of Pivdennyi will soon open for maritime trade. We expect to be able to ship out at least 3 million tons of cargo every month, the minister concluded. Read also: Zelenskyy in Odesa Oblast inspecting grain agreement preparations The UN and Turkey brokered a multi-lateral treaty between Ukraine and Russia on July 22, which provides for a flow of grain out of Ukraines Black Sea ports. The agreement establishes a coordination center and on-board inspections, allowing participants to verify that cargo doesnt include any items related to either sides war effort. Read also: Coordination center for export of Ukrainian grain officially opens in Istanbul The first grain ship departed from Odesa on Aug. 1, bound for Libya. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) Gunmen shot dead four people including two police in northwestern Pakistan in an attack targeting a provincial lawmaker from former Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party, police said. Lawmaker Malik Liaqat Khan no relation to Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was wounded in the attack late Saturday along with three others and was hospitalized in the provincial capital of Peshawar, police said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The assault took place in the Maidan area of the Lower Dir district of conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which is governed by Khans party. Police officer Zar Badshah said among those killed were the nephew and brother of the PTI lawmaker, who was returning home after attending a funeral late Saturday. The area has been a stronghold of late religious leader Sufi Mohammad, who preached a strict version of Islam in the 1990s and later led his followers in fighting in Afghanistan against the U.S. and allied forces. It remained under the influence of the Pakistani Taliban until 2009. Lordn / iStock.com Americans who apply for federal Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are required to meet an extended set of eligibility criteria to qualify, and one of those has to do with income. SNAP Investment: USDA Offers $5 Million Grant to Expand Online EBT Food Stamp Acceptance See: Looking To Diversify In A Bear Market? Consider These 5 Alternative Investments SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides food-purchasing assistance to low-income households. Beneficiaries now pay with electronic benefit transfer cards instead of food stamps. Everyone who lives together and purchases and prepares meals together is grouped together as one SNAP household, according to the USDA. Thats the case even if they purchase and prepare meals separately. In most cases, you are not eligible for SNAP benefits if an institution gives you most of your meals, but there are exceptions for elderly persons and disabled persons. In terms of income eligibility, the USDA looks at both gross income and net income. Normally, your household must meet both the gross and net income limits or you are not eligible for SNAP and cant receive benefits. The exceptions are households with an elderly or disabled person, in which case you only need to meet the net income limit. For the purposes of SNAP, gross income is a households total, non-excluded income before any deductions have been made. Net income is gross income minus allowable deductions. If all members of your household receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income or, in some places, other general assistance, your household might be deemed categorically eligible for SNAP because you have already been determined eligible for another means-tested program. The current income eligibility limits listed below apply to households in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia that apply for SNAP between Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022. SNAP gross and net income limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii, so if you live in those states, contact your local SNAP administrator. Story continues SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food? Explore: Surprising Things You Can Buy With Food Stamps Household Size Gross monthly income Net monthly income 1 $1,396 $1,074 2 $1,888 $1,452 3 $2,379 $1,830 4 $2,871 $2,209 5 $3,363 $2,587 6 $3,855 $2,965 7 $4,347 $3,344 8 $4,839 $3,722 Each additional member +$492 +$379 More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What Is the Highest Income for Food Stamps in 2022? Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced Saturday that he had pardoned his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, who faced a 20-year jail term for a 2018 conviction over political unrest. "In the interests of strengthening social cohesion, I have signed a decree granting a presidential pardon," Ouattara said in a speech to mark the 62nd anniversary of the country's independence. The president said he had asked that Gbagbo's bank accounts be unfrozen and that his life annuity be paid. Ouattara also said he had signed a decree for the conditional release two of Gbagbo's closest associates, former navy chief Vagba Faussignaux and a former commander of a key gendarmerie unit, Jean-Noel Abehi, both convicted for their role in the post-election unrest. Gbagbo was acquitted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes committed during the 2011 civil conflict that broke out after he refused to recognise Ouattara's victory in presidential elections a year earlier. But in 2018, an Ivorian court handed Gbagbo a 20-year term in absentia over the looting of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) during the country's post-election crisis. After his acquittal by the ICC, Gbagbo returned from exile in 2021 and launched a new political party, but he has kept a low profile since, despite having said he wants to remain in politics until his death. Since his return to the country, there had been no attempt to imprison him on the basis of the 2018 conviction. - A 'fraternal meeting' - The announcement of the pardon comes just weeks after a meeting on July 14 between Outtara, Gbagbo and another former president, Henri Konan Bedie. Ouattara, in his speech Saturday, described that occasion as a "fraternal meeting" in which the three men had "discussed, in a friendly atmosphere, matters of the national interest and the ways and means of consolidating peace in our country". Both Gbagbo and Bedie have been invited to attend independence day celebrations on Sunday at Yamoussoukro, the country's political capital. Story continues In 2020, the ex-presidents had challenged Outtara's candidacy for a new term -- which they deemed unconstitutional -- with that election also leading to political violence. But reconciliation efforts began the following year during legislative elections, which took place without major incident. Though Ouattara's party won that poll, it did allow for the return of the opposition to the National Assembly, including Gbagbo's supporters, who had boycotted every election since his defeat in 2010 after 10 years in power. A "political dialogue" between the government, parties and civil society organisations is currently under way with the aim of allowing local polls in 2023 and the next presidential election in 2025 to go ahead without violence. Ivorian political life has been dominated for more than 20 years by Ouattara, Bedie and Gbagbo, aged 80, 88 and 77, respectively. stb/jj/smw/mtp Jack Ma china economy - Getty Images Contributor As a Chinese success story, Alibaba is unrivalled. As its founder, Jack Ma soared in power and prestige, acquiring a global reputation that spread alongside the companys growth into a global e-commerce giant. Yet the entrepreneur, who first used the internet in 1995 on a business trip to the US, made a fatal mistake: in a country dominated by Xi Jinpings cult of personality, he became a recognisable leadership figure, with what appeared to be his own power base. In 2020, Ma criticised Chinas regulatory system, a move perceived as an assault on the Chinese state and one that sparked his downfall. Without risk, no innovation can happen in this world, he told a conference in Shanghai in October 2020. Good innovation can coexist with regulations, but not regulations of yesterday, he said, in comments that were interpreted as a direct challenge to the ideologues running China. A week later, officials summoned him to a closed-door meeting. A day after that, Alibaba financial services affiliate Ant Groups 30bn initial public offering was abruptly cancelled. Now, his effectively forced departure from Ant Group, announced last week, highlights Chinas growing shift towards a communist-style command economy where all activity must visibly support the ideological underpinnings of Xi. Last week a regulatory filing revealed Ma, who stepped down as chief executive of Alibaba in 2013 and retired as chairman in 2019, intends to reduce and thereafter limit his direct and indirect economic interest in Ant Group over time, running down his 50pc stake to less than a tenth. With Jack stepping down, a significant key man risk will be removed from the neck of Ant, Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners, told Bloomberg. The billionaires retreat follows him pulling back from public view almost two years ago as Beijing derailed Ants listing, which would have been the worlds largest, and financial regulators ordered it to restructure operations into a financial holding company. The filing said regulators didn't demand the change but have given their blessing. Story continues Jack Ma China - Blondet Eliot/ABACA It is part of a wider reining in of corporate titans and the booming tech sector by the Chinese government, set in motion by Mas criticisms, which has not only hit Alibaba but also its rivals. An estimated $1 trillion (822bn) has been erased from their collective value. Last week, Hangzhou-based Alibaba which was founded in 1999 and brings in 110bn in annual revenue, serving 1.3 billion users globally posted its first quarterly decline in growth since listing in New York in 2014. It reported revenue of 205bn yuan (25.2bn), narrowly beating analysts predictions, and halved profits. The host of challenges facing Alibaba, including Covid and Beijings policies, has sent its share price to just 5pc above its listing price, from a peak of 249pc higher in late 2020. It has been a choppy few months for Alibaba, like two steps forward, one step back, said David Waddell of Waddell & Associates in a note. Meanwhile, Mas decision to step down will only further delay Ant Groups plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO). Companies need to wait up to three years to list in mainland China after changes to their controlling shareholder, while Hong Kong requires a year-long hiatus. Floating the tech company on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock markets was supposed to have signified Chinese pragmatism meeting the western way of doing business, even as the US threatened to delist Chinese companies from its markets. Angela Huyue Zhang, an associate law professor at the University of Hong Kong, told Channel News Asia when the listing was cancelled that Mas scathing criticisms of Chinese financial regulation directly irked many senior officials who previously had voiced contrasting opinions on the same regulatory issues. It was rumoured his remarks made it as far as president Xi. Perhaps the ideological divergence was no real surprise. The former English teacher has all the trappings of the capitalist executives lifestyle. He owns a superyacht, the Zen, and is reportedly worth in excess of $35bn (28bn). Ma has even perfected the rags-to-riches story. Yet however smart he may be, Mas public criticism of Beijing's regulatory system was a step too far. Once outspoken, he has since kept a low profile since vanishing and reappearing as his business empire leaves his grasp. Had Chinas rulers kept themselves in check, perhaps Chinas economy which is suffering in the wake of Xis zero-Covid policy would be enjoying a measure of greater prosperity. A man was fatally stabbed Saturday afternoon at a North Town Fork Creek apartment complex, Kansas City police say. Officers were called at 4 p.m. to the 3000 block of East 49th Street on reports of a stabbing, said Capt. Leslie Foreman, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department. When police arrived, they discovered a man suffering from stab wounds in the stairwell of an apartment building. He was transported to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Authorities are still investigating and asking the publics help in finding a suspect. Anyone with information can call the Homicide Unit at 234-5043 or the TIPS hotline at 474-TIPS. There is up to a $25,000 reward for an arrest in this case. The killing marks Kansas Citys 96th homicide of 2022, according to data maintained by The Star. Last year, the city saw 157 killings, representing the second-deadliest year on the citys record. Katharine McPhee is blaming "woke" voters for the rise in crime in Beverly Hills. On her Instagram story on Wednesday, the "American Idol" alum expressed her frustration at the "sad state" Los Angeles finds itself in. "I blame every single one of you woke voters," she said. "Seniors getting beat up while walking. Keep voting for this. What a sad state this city is in." Katharine McPhee blames "woke" voters for rising crime in Los Angeles. Jamie McCarthy During McPhee's rant, the singer said she will no longer be wearing her expensive jewelry, specifically on her wrists and fingers, while shes out and about in Los Angeles. In her posts, she also mentioned her endorsement of Rick Caruso, who is running for mayor in Los Angeles. KATHARINE MCPHEE HITS BACK AT 'OVERLY SENSITIVE SOCIETY' FOLLOWING CRITICISM OVER BIKINI PHOTO: 'GET A LIFE' In her first Instagram story, McPhee, 38, reshared an article about an elderly man being "jumped," "mugged and beaten up" in the upscale city. "This is literally my worry and thought every time I go out now. We need @rickcarusola," she wrote alongside the article. McPhee continued: "What's this world coming to?" The singer said she no longer feels comfortable wearing expensive jewelry in Los Angeles. Paul Morigi Her next slide showed a conversation with her friend, Sara Mann, who advised her not to wear any expensive jewelry. "Don't wear your Rolex," Mann told McPhee. McPhee responded with, "No rings no watches." KATHARINE MCPHEE SLAMS STACEY ABRAMS FOR MASKLESS CLASSROOM PHOTO: THE HYPOCRISY CONTINUES "This is the real life text/convos you have with fam and friends about living in LA now. We need @rickcarusola," she wrote alongside the screenshot. McPhee then uploaded an image of herself with both of her hands in the air to prove that she did not have any pricey jewelry on. "No rings watches or anything out in LA anymore," she wrote before tagging Caruso again. This is not the first time the "American Idol" alum has shared her opinion on politics. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER In February, McPhee slammed Stacey Abrams, who is running for governor of Georgia, for posing maskless with a group of schoolchildren despite a mandate being in place. Story continues "What the actual hell politicians at their finest. Mask up the children and you yourself sit without a mask. The hypocrisy continues," McPhee wrote on her Instagram story at the time. "Im sure she will say but I had my mask in my hand!" In February, McPhee slammed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, right, for posing maskless with a group of schoolchildren despite a mandate being in place. Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images - Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Abrams had already responded to the backlash the photo caused after sitting Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp joined several other conservatives in criticizing the candidate over the photo. "It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during the pandemic," a statement from her campaign posted to Instagram reads. Fox News' Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report. A Lawrenceville man pleaded guilty to his involvement in cyber fraud scams against the elderly and was ordered to pay over $200,00 to his victims, according to Attorney General Chris Carr. Carr said on Aug. 3 that Borin Khoun pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft relating to his involvement in cyber fraud scams targeting the elderly. Borin Khoun engaged in online scams targeting older adults and their hard-earned dollars, and now he is paying the price for his illegal actions, said Carr. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Carr said he and other partners on the Cyber Fraud Task Force were able to find Khoun and identify his role in the fraud scheme. We will not hesitate to prosecute those involved with cyber fraud schemes as we specifically target these types of criminal enterprises in our state, said Carr. TRENDING STORIES: Kerri Farley, a special agent in the FBI, said that the guilty plea is a result of the public reporting tips to the FBI. This guilty plea is a direct result of the public reporting tips to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) where we were able to share the information with our local partners and bring Khoun to justice, said FBI special agent Keri Farley. Khoun was separately indicted in April 2022 after stealing over $180,000 from a senior citizen in Arizona. In total, Khoun stole more than $230,000 from the two victims. A Gwinnett County Superior Court judge sentenced Khoun to 15 years, including 90 days to be served in jail and nine months in a work release program. The judge also imposed a $1,500 fine and ordered Khoun to pay $234,479.48 in restitution to his victims. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: For seven years, Timothy Jay Fowler rotated between jail, forced psychiatric hospitalization, and freedom. In 2014, the Great Falls, Montana man was charged with assaulting two detention officers while he was in jail, accused of theft. A mental health evaluation concluded that Fowler, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was unfit to stand trial, according to court documents. After Fowler received psychiatric treatment for several months, a judge ruled that he was unlikely to become competent anytime soon. His case was dismissed, and after a stay in the state-run psychiatric hospital, he was released. Photo: AdobeStock Roughly eight months after the dismissal, Fowler was arrested again, accused of beating a stranger with a metal pipe. As before, he was found unfit for trial, the charges were dropped, and he was eventually released. At least five times from 2014 through 2021, Fowler went through the same cycle: He was picked up on serious charges, mental health professionals declared him incompetent, and his case was dismissed. Fowler declined to be interviewed for this article. As of July, he hadnt faced felony charges for more than a year. In the U.S., criminal proceedings are halted if a defendant is determined to be incompetent. What happens after that varies from state to state. No one is tracking how often criminal charges are dismissed because defendants mental illness prevents them from understanding the court process to help in their defense. Some states have policies to transition hospitalized patients to independence after their criminal charges have been dropped. But in others, such as Montana, there are few landing spots for such patients outside of jail or a hospital to aid in that transition. Health professionals, county attorneys, and criminal defendants have said people declared unfit for trial may have a short stay in a psychiatric hospital before being released without additional oversight. The vast majority of people with a chronic mental illness arent violent, and they are far more likely to be victims of crime than the general population. Plus, health professionals say most defendants who are determined to be incompetent become stable enough through treatment for their case to continue. Story continues Some never do. The criminal justice system has long been a revolving door for defendants with mental illnesses. The national nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center, which advocates to make treatment for severe mental illness more accessible, found that as of 2017, 21 states made little-to-no effort to create programs that treat those defendants. That failure leaves individuals without stability, and some go on to hurt themselves or others. Theyre receiving only emergency care, followed by no care, said Lisa Dailey, the centers executive director. She added that people go untreated until they face new charges: Youre creating a system that requires a victim. Dr. Karen B. Rosenbaum, a forensic psychiatrist and a vice president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, said experiences like Fowlers show a system that fails people who have been released from psychiatric care. There should be a lot of steps before you go back to the community, Rosenbaum said. Some states have created such steps. Colorado has a team of navigators to help coordinate care for people deemed incompetent to stand trial and a restoration program to deliver treatment for patients close to home. In Oregon, a psychiatric review board works with the state hospital to supervise people found incompetent to reduce the risk of future dangerous behavior. But even in states with programs to stabilize people with a serious mental illness, that treatment isnt guaranteed, often because of the limited availability of psychiatric services. Minnesota has a process to identify, treat, and manage risk for people determined to be mentally ill and dangerous. However, maintaining appropriate staffing levels at treatment facilities has been a problem, as has finding enough community-based options for people who need a higher level of care than typical group homes can offer. Last year, a KARE 11 statewide investigation found dozens of cases in which people charged with serious crimes including assaults, rapes, and murders were deemed mentally incompetent and released without steady treatment or supervision. As a result, more people were hurt, according to the investigation. Forcing someone into psychiatric care is controversial, creating a tension between autonomy and public safety. For decades, mental health advocates have pushed for local services, such as intensive outpatient treatment programs and transitional placements. But as psychiatric hospitals have been whittled down, local options often dont have the resources to meet the need. In Montana, when cases are dropped because defendants are found to be incompetent, local officials must file a petition seeking a judges order to have them admitted into psychiatric care. People can be required to attend outpatient treatment options, although attorneys and state officials have said those services often dont exist or are stretched too thin. More often, people are admitted to the short-staffed state-run psychiatric hospital, which earlier this year lost federal funding because of unsafe conditions and patient deaths. Montana court and state officials have said cases that are dismissed because a defendant is incompetent are outliers. However, the state doesnt have a way to track when that happens or how many people in that situation get additional treatment. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher said people are sometimes released as soon as their case is dismissed. An involuntary commitment for a mental illness requires people to be an imminent threat to themselves or others. Gallagher said thats a high bar to meet. By the time a motion for commitment goes before a judge after someone is found unlikely to become fit to stand trial, the defendant could have been jailed or hospitalized for months. That time frame makes it hard to prove an imminent threat remains, Gallagher said, and a judge is likely to deny the commitment. Theres a hole in the system, he said, adding that he has filed motions knowing they will be dismissed because he cant meet the burden of proof. Daylon Martin, a Great Falls defense attorney, said that if clients whose charges were dropped because of an illness are hospitalized, their discharge is often the end of their care. People just get released back into the community with the expectation theyll take their medication, Martin said. There needs to be a better transition. The state-run hospital has long had a waitlist. Dr. Virginia Hill, a recently retired psychiatrist who worked at the Montana State Hospital for more than 35 years, told lawmakers this spring that a typical stay is two to four weeks, a short commitment in the big scheme of things when youve been charged with a very serious felony. She said that a patient typically leaves the hospital with medicine in hand and local appointments booked but that the patient then exits the system. That is the revolving-door population that we have, Hill said. The charges are dismissed, and out they go. And theyre usually pretty ill. She asked lawmakers to consider defining in state law a way to manage people determined unlikely to become competent. To understand what problems exist, Hill said shed like to see more data on who the state hospital treats, whether they receive care elsewhere, and the outcome. Montana lawmakers drafted a proposal for next years legislative session aimed at boosting treatment coordination for people discharged from psychiatric care after they were sentenced for a crime. Matt Kuntz, executive director of the Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is glad to see the proposal but said it doesnt include people whose charges were dismissed over a competency issue. Sometimes people would rather just let the status quo keep going, Kuntz said, even if theres something thats clearly not working. KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrios Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to Dear Culture with Panama Jackson. The post When mental illness leads to dropped charges, patients often go without stabilizing care appeared first on TheGrio. By Soo-hyang Choi SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will convene two key meetings, including one to review the country's anti-epidemic policy, in coming weeks, state media said on Monday, as it claims no new COVID-19 cases since late July. The North Korean Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the isolated state's rubber-stamp parliament, will meet on Sept. 7 to discuss law on rural development and organizational matters, according to the official KCNA. Separately, North Korea decided to hold a national meeting for emergency anti-epidemic review early August "to confirm the new orientation" in its policy. The COVID meeting comes as North Korea has said last week all of its patients with fever have recovered, marking the end of its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic since its admission of the virus outbreak in mid-May. The reclusive country has never confirmed how many people were infected with COVID-19. But it said around 4.77 million fever patients have fully recovered and 74 have died since late April. North Korea's parliament rarely meets and usually serves to approve decisions on issues that have been created by the state's powerful Workers' Party, members of which form the vast majority of the assembly. The decision to convene the parliament came at a plenary meeting of the SPA's standing committee on Sunday, KCNA said. At the weekend meeting, the participants adopted the law on medicines to establish a "strict system" to promote public health, among other issues. Other matters on the table included revising the aerospace development law "to further legalize the activities" in the field and adopting the "law of self-guard" to establish what it calls "all-people self-guard system" to protect people's life and property, KCNA said, without elaborating. Space launches have long been a sensitive issue on the Korean peninsula, where North Korea faces international sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile programme. Story continues In March, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un called for expanding its space rocket launch site to advance its space ambitions, after South Korea and the United States accused it of testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile under the guise of space development. (The story corrects meeting agenda items in paragraphs 2, 7-9. Some of these items were discussed at a plenary meeting of the SPA's standing committee on Sunday, and are not on the upcoming agenda.) (Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; editing by Diane Craft) The Daily Beast NewsmaxNewsmax host Eric Bolling pounced on Laura Ingrahams apparent skepticism of former President Donald Trumps potential run for office, using the opportunity to knock his former Fox News colleague and the network itself.Regarding another Trump presidential campaign, Ingraham said on a podcast Monday that well see whether thats what the country wants.The country, I think, is so exhausted, theyre exhausted by the battle, the constant battle, that they may believe that, well, maybe its One person is dead, 17 people are missing, at least 122 are injured, and hundreds have been evacuated after a lightning strike caused a massive fire at a Cuban oil storage facility in the city of Matanzas. During a storm on Friday, lightning struck one tank at the facility, causing it to catch fire and making another nearby tank go up in flames. This morning was, once again, difficult, the Cuban presidency wrote on Twitter in a statement on Sunday. Firefighters continue fighting the intense fire as help comes from friendly countries. Today will be a pivotal day in our fight for life. The containers held, between them, 26,000 cubic meters of petroleum and 50,000 cubic meters of fuel oil, according to the provincial government. A massive plume of smoke and fire has been burning over the facility for days. Amanece en la ciudad de #Matanzas. La madrugada fue nuevamente dura. Los bomberos continuan luchando contra un fuego intenso, mientras comienza a llegar la ayuda de paises amigos. Hoy sera un dia determinante en esta batalla por la vida. #FuerzaMatanzas pic.twitter.com/9Zx24zXcvQ Presidencia Cuba (@PresidenciaCuba) August 7, 2022 Officials say they recovered the remains of Juan Carlos Santana Garrido, a firefighter, at the site of the of the Matanzas Supertanker Base on Saturday. We lament this loss for his family and friends and send our most heartfelt condolences, the Cuban public health ministry wrote on its website . On Sunday, Cuban President Miguel Dias-Canel Bermudez met with those injured in the blaze, as well as the families of the missing. Presidente @DiazCanelB intercambia #AHORA, en el Hotel Velasco, con familiares de desaparecidos en siniestro de la Base de Supertanqueros de #Matanzas. Todo el apoyo para ustedes y estamos aqui para lo que necesiten, les dice. Lo acompanan @MMarreroCruz y @DrRobertoMOjeda. pic.twitter.com/8tFhvv1NPv Presidencia Cuba (@PresidenciaCuba) August 7, 2022 Teams of firefighters from Mexico and Venezuela are on the ground in Cuba assisting with the blaze. Story continues Welcome our Mexican brothers, the president wrote in a Twitter post on Sunday. Were counting on your expertise and solidarity to carry on confronting the fire in the Matanzas Supertanker Base. Thank you to [Mexican] President Lopez Obrador for the immediate response to our urgency. Military helicopters have dropped water on the facility, and officials hope to keep the remaining intact fuel tanks cool to avoid a further escalation of the situation. Roughly 800 people have been evacuated from the nearby Dubrocq neighbourhood. I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies, resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press on Saturday. The city has a strong smell of sulfur. The operation of the nearby 225 MW Antonio Guiteras power plant, one of the countrys largest, is not currently threatened, according to the state-run Prensa Latina. State-run Prensa Latina reported that the fire did not pose an immediate threat to the operation of the nearby Antonio Guiteras 225 MW power plant, one of the countrys largest. A variety of nations have offered their support in battling the blaze, including Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Chile, and, notably, the US, which has kept trade with the island under embargo for the last six decades. Michigan's Tudor Dixon made history Tuesday, handily beating four men in the race to become the first woman to run as the Republican nominee for governor. And Dixon, a businesswoman and conservative commentator, will face another woman this fall: incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has become a powerhouse within the Democratic Party and was a contender to become President Joe Biden's running mate. These two women appear fairly similar on the surface. Dixon is the mother of four daughters. Whitmer has two daughters. Theyve been successful in their careers. Their policies, however, couldnt be more different. And they are already trying to out-woman each other, making a case for how each would better prioritize womens issues. More: Listen to the 'On The Line' podcast: Tudor Dixon, Gretchen Whitmer and the Trump factor More: Opinion: Tudor Dixon needs to do these things in a hurry The battle lines in this race couldnt be any clearer, for this is going to be an epic battle between a conservative businesswoman and mother and a far-left birthing parent and career politician, Dixon said during her acceptance speech. Record number of women are running This will be a fascinating dynamic to watch this fall in Michigan and other states where women are battling it out with other women. Five states (Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon) have gubernatorial races where women are the nominees for both major political parties the most ever. In U.S. history, there have only been four other instances of women vs. women in gubernatorial contests. It also will be telling to see whether Republican women can start catching up to the numbers of elected Democratic women. That discrepancy exists starkly in Congress and in governors offices. Currently, nine women are governors and only three are Republicans. According to Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), 2022 has set multiple records for the number of women filing to run for governor and winning nominations. Story continues It makes sense. From abortion to education to high gas and grocery prices, many of the issues driving voter interest this election cycle directly affect women and mothers, and female candidates are in a position to speak personally on these matters. Women also constitute a higher percentage of the electorate. Here are other numbers from the Rutgers center: Out of 36 states with gubernatorial races, eight incumbent women are running for reelection three are Republicans. In six states, 12 women are running for open seats seven are Republicans. In 15 states, 18 women are running as challengers to incumbent governors six of the candidates are Republicans. While its encouraging to see such an increase in participation by women, they still make up a small minority of elected leaders who serve in governors' offices. USA TODAY columnist Ingrid Jacques The dynamics are changing, though. Kelly Dittmar, director of research at CAWP, points to how man vs. man elections remain more common than woman vs. woman matchups, but the majority of the gubernatorial contests decided so far this year are either woman vs. woman (five) or mixed-gender races (11). GOP women need more support Dittmar says some of the discrepancies in political diversity among elected women stem from different support infrastructure among the parties. Democrats have traditionally had stronger organizations that recruit and fund liberal women (think groups like EMILYs List), while Republicans tend to shy away from identity politics. This seems to be changing as the GOP realizes that it needs to diversify its candidate base if it hopes to compete with Democratic contenders. In Michigan, if the largely unknown Dixon is to have any shot against Whitmer, the Republican Party will have to shower her with as much support as possible in the next few weeks. With the governor's strict COVID-19 shutdowns that hampered Michigans economy and schools, Whitmer made a lot of enemies on the right, and they have said theyll do everything they can to oust her. Now they need to follow through. Whitmer has a proven record as a strong fundraiser shes sitting on roughly $15 million in campaign cash. Dixon has a fraction of that with $1.8 million. Regardless of the outcome, it's good for Michigan, and the other states in this position, to have two accomplished women battling for the states top job. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: Why more women are running for governor in 2022 Does the August share price for Lynas Rare Earths Limited (ASX:LYC) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. See our latest analysis for Lynas Rare Earths The Calculation We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$416.3m AU$726.3m AU$884.8m AU$822.1m AU$787.7m AU$768.9m AU$760.4m AU$758.6m AU$761.5m AU$767.7m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -4.19% Est @ -2.38% Est @ -1.12% Est @ -0.23% Est @ 0.39% Est @ 0.82% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 6.4% AU$391 AU$642 AU$735 AU$642 AU$578 AU$530 AU$493 AU$462 AU$436 AU$413 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$5.3b Story continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.8%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = AU$768m (1 + 1.8%) (6.4% 1.8%) = AU$17b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$17b ( 1 + 6.4%)10= AU$9.2b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$15b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of AU$9.3, the company appears quite undervalued at a 42% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Lynas Rare Earths as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.075. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Looking Ahead: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Lynas Rare Earths, we've put together three essential aspects you should further research: Financial Health: Does LYC have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does LYC's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Australian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden sees strong ties with Pacific Island countries as a priority, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said in the Solomon Islands on Sunday, underscoring the stakes of her visit as tensions have been mounting in the region. At a World War Two memorial event in the Solomons' capital, Honiara, Sherman rebuked governments that she said sought to dismantle the rules-based international order. She did not specify which governments she was criticizing but tensions in the region has been mounting between U.S. allies and China. The Solomons surprised their neighbour Australia, and the United States, this year by striking a security pact with China. "President Biden has made solidarity with the Pacific Islands a priority for his entire administration from the very beginning," Sherman said at the event, also attended by top diplomats from Australia and New Zealand. "We have built profound and enduring ties with each other, as one Pacific family." Sherman referred to her father, a U.S. Marine who was wounded in the World War Two Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomons. "Some around the world ... seem to have forgotten the awful lessons learned here," she said. She called out "leaders who believe that others must be diminished if they are to rise (and) believe that coercion, pressure, and violence are tools to be used with impunity". Those leaders, who she did not name, appeared to "believe that the principles and institutions the world set up after the Second World War, the rules-based international order ... can be ignored and undermined, diminished and destroyed". At the event, U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, whose father, President John F. Kennedy, also served in the Solomons, said that "countless Americans and allied families have Solomon Islanders to thank for their survival". Australia's minister for international development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, referred to an agreement with the police in the Solomons to dispose of unexploded ordnance from World War Two, saying it was "ultimately about supporting (the police) to ensure the safety of Solomon Islands people". Story continues Sherman's tour is ostensibly timed to commemorate important battles in World War Two, but several senior U.S. officials have visited the region this year as geostrategic competition has increased. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Samoa and Tonga in May, followed by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in early June. The United States has said it wants to open embassies in the Solomons, Kirabati and Tonga, where Sherman visited the day before. (Reporting by Byron Kaye in Sydney; Editing by David Gregorio and Gerry Doyle) If you want to know who really controls Pantheon Resources Plc (LON:PANR), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. Companies that used to be publicly owned tend to have lower insider ownership. Pantheon Resources isn't enormous, but it's not particularly small either. It has a market capitalization of UK902m, which means it would generally expect to see some institutions on the share registry. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Pantheon Resources. View our latest analysis for Pantheon Resources What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Pantheon Resources? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. We can see that Pantheon Resources 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. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Pantheon Resources' historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Pantheon Resources. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Farallon Capital Management, L.L.C. with 5.0% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 3.7% and 3.4%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Story continues On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest. 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 is a little analyst coverage of the stock, but not much. So there is room for it to gain more coverage. Insider Ownership Of Pantheon Resources The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. We can see that insiders own shares in Pantheon Resources Plc. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth UK35m. Most would see this as a real positive. It is good to see this level of investment by insiders. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 47% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. 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. Private Company Ownership Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 3.6%, of the company's shares. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Pantheon Resources better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Pantheon Resources you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored. But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) The prosecutor seeking to sentence Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz to death let the facts speak for themselves as he presented his case: terrifying witness accounts; heartrending statements from parents and spouses; chilling surveillance videos; gruesome autopsy and crime scene photos; and, as a capstone, Thursdays jury walk-through of the three-story building where it happened, bloodstains and Valentines Day cards still clinging to the floors. Lead prosecutor Mike Satz, the 80-year-old former Broward County state attorney, then rested his case against the defendant who murdered 14 students and three staff members at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. Cruz's attorneys repeatedly objected that Satz's case went beyond what was legally allowable or necessary and was aimed primarily at inflaming the jurors' emotions objections that were denied by Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer. There was never any doubt Satz would be able to prove the killings were cold, calculated and premeditated, that Cruz's actions were heinous, atrocious or cruel and created a great risk to many persons and four other aggravating circumstances listed in Florida law that make him eligible for a possible death sentence. But Satz also had to give them heft as they must, in the jurors' unanimous opinion, outweigh the mitigating factors the defense will soon present. I didn't think there were any surprises, but what surprises could there have been? said Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University in suburban Fort Lauderdale. The jurors knew walking in what Cruz had done. ... The question that kept running through my mind was, Was it too much? He did a fantastic job, said David S. Weinstein, a Miami criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. He has built a case that I think has given the jury more than enough to find these aggravating factors and was not over-the-top at all. Story continues After a one-week break, the sides will spend a week without the jury arguing before Judge Scherer over what evidence Cruz's defense can present about how his birth mother's drinking and drug abuse during pregnancy affected his brain and whether defects can be seen on scans. Jennifer Zedalis, a University of Florida law professor, said such arguments over fetal alcohol syndrome scans go back 20 years. Brain scans, MRIs, we can learn from them the argument will be over whether the evidence reaches a the standard of relevance and reliability to be permitted, Zedalis said. She said if the evidences admissibility is borderline, she would expect the judge to side with Cruzs lawyers as appellate courts have said a defendant on trial for his life deserves wide latitude. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder; the trial is only to decide whether the former Stoneman Douglas student is sentenced to death or life without parole. Once they begin deliberating, likely several weeks from now, the jury will take separate votes for each victim. For each death sentence, the jury must be unanimous or the sentence for that victim is life. After Scherer rules, lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill is expected to give her opening statement Aug. 22 and then she and her team will present their case. That's when the trial really begins, Jarvis said. Instead, they are expected to focus on his life, starting with his birth mother's addictions; his severe emotional and behavioral problems that began in preschool and the holes in his treatment; his adoptive father's death when he was 5; his adoptive mother's death three months before the shootings; his alleged sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted peer; that he was an immature 19-year-old; and the bullying he endured from his brother and his brother's friends. McNeill and her team are unlikely to downplay the severity of Cruz's actions they have conceded in court several times that the murders were horrible and wiped away tears during some parents' statements about their dead child. The defense will argue, If you send him to death, you are ignoring all of that and that is just wrong, Jarvis said. Weinstein said the defense has a tough task. The jurors all swore they could vote for either death or life, based on the evidence. Even if the defense can prove some mitigating factors, he said, it will be difficult for those to outweigh 17 people murdered in cold blood. I don't think you can paint a picture of Cruz as sympathetic, that he's not as bad as what the prosecution has said, Jarvis said. Instead, they have to show that he is a victim, that he fell through the cracks, that society failed him from the outset. ...Society created this monster and failed to stop this monster." Weinstein said the prosecution will argue if the death penalty is not appropriate in this circumstance, why do we have it? What could happen that's possibly any more egregious than this? The seaweed in the pilot test was harvested by a mechanical arm At a testing site way off the Dutch coast a breakthrough was made this summer. Some 12km (7.5 miles) out at sea, a converted fishing boat mechanically harvested a batch of farmed seaweed. The kelp had been grown on netting hanging below a 50m (164ft) long plastic tube that was floating on the water, held in place by buoys and two anchors on the seafloor. The boat was positioned alongside, and an 8m tall, electric-powered cutting arm was moved into the water. It pulled up the tubing and sliced the long strands of seaweed from the 2m wide net. The seaweed was then automatically bagged-up, and dropped onto the deck. North Sea Farmers, the consortium behind the test, says it was the world's first mechanical harvest of an offshore (some distance from the coast) seaweed farm. Eef Brouwers, North Sea Farmers' manager for farming and technology, says that the successful harvest was "an important first step" towards the large-scale cultivation of commercial seaweed farms in the North Sea. Eef Brouwers, pointing in the direction of the seaweed farm out at sea, says that the North Sea Farmers consortium will now move onto larger-scale testing as it moves towards commercial production North Sea Farmers has almost 100 members including food and consumer goods giant, Unilever, and energy firm Shell. They hope to dramatically increase Europe's production of farmed seaweed over the next decade. Currently global seaweed production is dominated by Asia, and particularly China. The total worldwide harvest in 2019 was 35.8 million tonnes, and of that amount 97% came from Asia, with more than half from Chinese waters. By contrast, Europe produced just 287,033 tonnes that year, or 0.8% of the global total, with almost all of this being the harvesting of wild stocks. New Tech Economy New Tech Economy is a series exploring how technological innovation is set to shape the new emerging economic landscape. While most of us don't give seaweed much thought, it is an increasingly sought after crop. Its uses ranging from a human food and additive, to animal feed, land fertilizer, an ingredient in cosmetics, as a form of bio-packaging in place of plastic, as a biofuel, and to absorb carbon dioxide. Story continues There are thousands of different types of seaweed around the world, but seven are harvested more than most. These include kelp and pyropia. The latter is used to make nori, the dried Japanese seaweed sheets that wrap rolled sushi. The seaweed industry was worth $40bn in 2020, according to one report. However, the same study predicts that this will soar to $95bn by 2027. Given those figures, it is not surprising that European producers wish to start farming seaweed at significant scale. Seaweed for Europe, another trade group for seaweed producers, wants the European Union to produce eight million tonnes of farmed seaweed by 2030. Adrian Vincent, an associate at the organisation, says this goal is "ambitious but completely achievable". What will greatly help is that the target is being backed by the European Commission. A spokesman for Brussels added that the EU is already giving financial support of 273m ($277m; 228m) to seaweed projects, a figure "that is expected to grow". Meanwhile, the Dutch government is proposing setting aside 400 sq km (154 sq miles) of its territorial waters in the North Sea for large-scale seaweed cultivation. Germany and the Republic of Ireland are also at the forefront of developments. In the UK, which of course is no longer in the European Union, Scotland is leading the way. Dutch firm The Seaweed Company is now farming kelp off the west coast of Ireland, plus in Moroccan and Indian waters, and in its home country. "We are seaweed pioneers," says Joost Wouters, the firm's founder. "Scale and speed is our mission. To be sustainable from the financial, social and ecological side, you need a lot of seaweed." Joost Wouters tasting seaweed at his company's Irish processing facility Located above the picturesque Mulroy Bay in County Donegal, the company's Irish processing facility consists of a barn where harvested seaweed is shredded and then dried in in the firm's specially-designed own machine. Mr Wouters refuses to allow the dryer and mechanical cutters to be photographed, wanting to protect the company's technology from rivals. In order to farm seaweed, the company first has to cultivate spores in a laboratory, which are then placed on ropes in hatcheries. Once the seaweed starts to grow, the lines are moved to the open ocean. Harvest takes place just a few months later. "That's the beauty of it," he says. "You don't need land, fresh water or fertiliser. That's why so many people are now seeing interesting opportunities in algae." Lucy Watson, the development executive at Ireland's Seafood Development Agency, says that the country has "good sites [for farming seaweed], well informed industry players, and R&D capacity". She adds: "There are no negative environmental impacts of farming seaweeds per se." Staff at The Seaweed company's Irish facility cut the kelp from netting by hand Others are not convinced, such as Marc-Philippe Buckhout from Seas At Risk. The group is a coalition of more than 30 European environmental organisations working to protect Europe's seas and the wider oceans. He fears that seaweed has become the new green hype, with potentially negative repercussions, such as crowding out other sea organisms. "Large scale farms might be the industry's preferred way forward," he says, "but we would definitely favour smaller operations that are set in the sort of carrying capacity of the area that they're situated in." Reinier Nauta, a specialist seaweed researcher at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, shares these concerns. "One of the most important questions is the impact of algae cultivation on the nutrient balance of the sea," he explains. He points out that farming seaweed at scale could result in a decline in phytoplankton, an important food for fish, and these fish are, in turn, then feeding seals and porpoises. North Sea Farmers' Eef Brouwers admits that in order to fully determine the environmental impact there will have to be much larger test farms. "We need to get to a large scale first to be able to figure out what's going on," he says. Off Germany's Baltic Sea coast, Eva Strothotte a biologist from Kiel University of Applied Science is managing an EU-funded project to see if growing kelp at offshore wind farms is technically and economically viable. The test site is 100km from the coast and subject to extreme weather. Her team has had to develop specially toughened moorings for the lines, and set up an extensive array of sensors to monitor the seaweed's growth. She says: "We talked to seaweed producing companies in Scotland and Norway, and they said 'you must be absolutely crazy, there's no way to grow seaweed in such a location', but if you can do it here then you can do it anywhere." Back in Mulroy Bay, Mr Wouters admits he is concerned that the fast-growing industry could "attract people who don't care about nature, and don't want to grow with nature." Additional reporting by Ingrid Gercama and Nathalie Bertrams. SRINAGAR, India (AP) Police on Sunday detained dozens of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir as they dispersed Shiite Muslims who attempted to participate in processions marking the Muslim month of Muharram. Scores of Muslims defied severe security restrictions in parts of the main city of Srinagar and took to streets chanting religious slogans. The restrictions include a ban on the Shiite religious procession. Muharram is among the holiest months for Shiites across the world and and includes large processions of mourners beating their chests while reciting elegies and chanting slogans to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammads grandson Hussein and 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq. Sundays procession marked the eighth day of Muharram, two days before its peak on the day of Ashura. In 2020, dozens were injured as Indian forces fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse the procession. Some main Muharram processions have been banned in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir since an armed insurgency broke out in 1989 demanding the regions independence from India or its merger with neighboring Pakistan. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Kashmiri Muslims have long complained that the government is curbing their religious freedom on the pretext of maintaining law and order while promoting an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan Amarnath Shrine in Kashmir that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. The ongoing Hindu pilgrimage has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors from across India amid massive security with tens of thousands of soldiers guarding the routes leading to the cave shrine. An investigation into the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has progressed with the arrest of a primary suspect. Police announced the arrest on Tuesday, saying it was connected to the recent murder of a Muslim man and the suspect was tracked down via the vehicle they were driving. The development came two days after authorities released a photo of a vehicle of interest in the probe encompassing the murders of four men: Aftab Hussein, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, Naeem Hussain and Mohammad Ahmadi. Three of the four deaths happened in quick succession, leading investigators to argue a strong possibility the men were targeted because they had Muslim or South Asian backgrounds. Police are expected to provide more information about Tuesdays arrest at an afternoon press conference. In the meantime, heres what we know so far: Four killings believed to be linked On 26 July, Aftab Hussein, 41, a cafe worker and member of Albuquerques large Afghan community, was found dead from gunshot wounds near the city internationals district. Two weeks later, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, who came to the US from Pakistan and worked as planning director for the city of Espanola, was also found dead from gunshot wounds in Albuquerque. Then, on Friday, Naeem Hussain was shot to death in the parking lot of an Albuquerque NGO that offers services to refugees and asylum seekers, according to the Islamic Center of New Mexico. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, was killed on 1 August 2022 (Albuquerque Police Department) Aftab Hussein, 41, was killed on 26 July (Albuquerque Police Department) Mr Hussain, who is from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and has no apparent relation to Muhammad Hussain, had visited a funeral for two other slain men the day of his killing. Now, people are beginning to panic, Tahir Gauba, the director of public affairs for the Islamic Center of New Mexico, told the Albuquerque Journal. I mean especially right after the funeral, the same day, that thing happened again. So its just really crazy. Police believe the killings may be linked to the death of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, who was shot behind the halal market he owned with his brother in November Story continues Theres one strong commonality in all of our victims their race and religion, Albuquerque police Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said this week during a press briefing, as per Reuters. Naeem Hussain, 25, was killed on 5 August 2022 (Albuquerque Police Department) Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, was found dead on 7 November 2021 (Albuquerque Police Department) Victims brother describes fear gripping Albuquerque Muhammad Afzaal Hussains brother spoke to The Independent on Monday, describing the shockwaves the recent killings have sent through the community. In the immediate wake of his brothers death, Muhammad Imtiaz Hussain said he couldnt comprehend why his sibling would have been targeted. That changed when he learned two other Muslim men had been gunned down in the same part of Albuquerque in a matter of days. Then we thought something was happening against Muslims, he told The Independent. Mr Hussain said that while he wont jump to conclusions until authorities pin down a motive, the possibility of a faith-based link has upended his community. No one went to work, no one went outside for groceries, people cancelled their meetings. I cannot sit on my balcony. I cannot go outside of my apartment. This is very painful for us, he said. Community reacts The Council on American-Islamic Relations is reportedly offering a $10,000 reward for anyone with information leading to arrests for those involved in the killing. Albuquerque police are offering a $15,000 reward, as per NPR. Officials have called for community members of all backgrounds to work together and find a stop to the killing. This is something that impacts us all, Bernalillo County district attorney Raul Torrez said during a news conference on Saturday. Every member of this community has to stand up. The citys Office of Equity and Inclusion provided information about the killings in Arabic, Farsi, Dari, and Urdu on Saturday and asked for community help in catching the killer or killers. We urge our entire interfaith community of Albuquerque and all the people of Albuquerque to help law enforcement identify and catch the person or persons responsible, Michelle Melendez, who directs the office, said during the briefing. Please, please, call with any bit of information. Local leaders condemned the violence. Ahmad Assed, the president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, told The New York Times : We are incredibly sickened with the idea that someone has this much hate against innocent people. Were scared for our families, were scared for our children. And we are incredibly confused about why this is happening. The Albuquerque Police Department asked for the publics help in locating a Volkswagen sedan linked to the killings (Albuquerque Police Department) New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Saturday on Twitter the murders were deeply angering and wholly intolerable and promised to do everything we can to support to the Muslim community of Albuquerque and greater New Mexico during this difficult time. You are New Mexicans, you are welcomed here, and we stand with you, she added. We will continue to do everything we can to support to the Muslim community of Albuquerque and greater New Mexico during this difficult time. You are New Mexicans, you are welcomed here, and we stand with you. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) August 6, 2022 Local police, as well as the FBI; New Mexico State Police; Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Marshals Service are all assisting in the investigation. On top of our investigations into this murder, were devoting resources to key patrol areas and neighborhoods within Albuquerque, APD Chief Harold Medina said on Saturday. We lifted overtime caps for our officers so that we could utilize several of our specialized units to help ensure the strong presence of Albuquerque officers to keep the community safe. There is a hotel development proposed for this vacant lot at the corner of West Via Olivera and Palm Canyon Dr. in Palm Springs, Calif., July 21, 2022. Ronda Rich is a best-selling Southern author. Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter. You would never think that a spot of red clay in the midst of humble folks would intersect in the hot, dusty desert land of Palm Springs, California, a well-known enclave of rich and famous. But, somehow, I keep finding my way there. First, I love that Palm Springs pays homage to those who plopped down second homes in a place where sand can blind you if a wind storm kicks up and anything green is hard to find. More from Ronda Rich: The library and the comeuppance Gene Autry, a 1930s pioneer movie cowboy, was a genius businessman. When he died, he was worth hundreds of millions in real estate, radio, television stations and was the owner of the California Angels. He invested early in Palm Springs real estate. Palm Springs has not forgotten the cowboy known now by few. There is a bronze statue while Gene Autry Trail is one of the busiest boulevards in town. Then there is Frank Sinatra Way and other main thoroughfares named for Ginger Rogers, former president Gerald Ford, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dean Martin and others. A few years after my first book - "What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should)" - a womens book club in Palm Springs wrote and asked if I could possibly consider being their guest to speak to the club. We have discovered that though we are women from California and Nevada, that we identify with your book. Wed love to honor you with a Southern tea. As fate would have it, I had just agreed to attend a small corporate event at the Rancho Mirage Resort. It was the easiest job I ever had - I merely had to spend the weekend at the resort, then enjoy dinners with a group of Fortune 500 executives and their wives while making dinner conversation. For the book club, I agreed to come on that Saturday at 2 p.m. Twelve lovely women, dressed in beautiful hats, greeted me then spent the afternoon, pouring tea from silver pots and serving finger sandwiches. Story continues They all spoke of personal experiences that were similar to what I had written. The most surprising was a woman in her fifties who had spent 30 years as a successful blackjack dealer in Las Vegas. I used charm to get big tips. I made more than any dealer in the casino! It was the first that I knew that casino dealers were tipped. I was out of my league. Last year, Tink and I were in Las Vegas for the sad yet celebratory funeral of our friend, Gavin MacLeod, an original cast member of the Mary Tyler Moore Show and forever remembered as Captain Stubing of The Love Boat. We loved Gavin and his wife, Patti. We visited them in Palm Springs occasionally and called them regularly. I have never met people who loved Jesus more than they. Particularly Gavin who wouldnt hesitate to walk up to a stranger and ask, Could I tell you about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When Gavin died, and the memorial was being planned, I called Patti to check on her. Ronda, do you think, she began in her soft, humble voice, that John (Tink) would mind speaking at Gavs memorial? More from Ronda Rich: When jury duty calls He would love to! I responded enthusiastically, knowing how much Tink hates to speak in front of people. Never have I been prouder of John Tinker. You have to talk about Jesus, I had said. Thats what Gavin would want. Tink followed the vibrant Pat Boone and said, If you want to see Gavin again, you better know Jesus because thats who hes with. Ronda Rich Recently, we were there for an event with the stars of Knots Landing (the first show Tink worked on) and to spend a day with Patti. Later, driving to the airport in a swirl of sand, I thought, Isnt it funny where a country road can take you? From dirt to sand. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Rich: The unlikely worlds of Palm Springs and Rural Route One Billionaire Robert Brockman, who was indicted in 2020 in what has been called the largest ever tax evasion case against an individual in the U.S., has died. He was 81. Brockman's death was confirmed Saturday by his lead attorney, Kathy Keneally. Additional details and the cause of death were not immediately available. His attorneys had been arguing in court that he had dementia and was incompetent to stand trial. But a judge in May ruled him competent and set a February trial date. Robert Brockman in 2011. (Dave Rossman / Houston Chronicle via AP) Brockman, a Florida native and Houston resident whose fortune Forbes has estimated at $4.7 billion, was the former CEO of Reynolds & Reynolds, an Ohio-based software company that provides solutions to businesses. In October 2020, the government charged him in a 39-count indictment with evading taxes on $2 billion in gains, wire fraud, money laundering and other offenses. He pleaded not guilty. The alleged scheme to conceal the billions in income from the IRS spanned decades, the Justice Department said in its announcement of the indictment. David L. Anderson, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, said at the time that the "allegation of a $2 billion tax fraud is the largest ever tax charge against an individual" in the U.S. Keneally, a longtime tax specialist who was Brockmans lead lawyer, was the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's tax division from 2012 to 2014. According to court records, the wealthiest Black citizen in the U.S., Robert Smith, Brockman's former business associate, was to be a key witness against him. Smith avoided charges by admitting to evading taxes, paying $139 million in taxes and penalties and agreeing to cooperate, records show. At issue in the criminal case against Brockman was the allegation that he avoided taxes through an offshore charitable trust that prosecutors said he secretly controlled and which he said was independent. Story continues Prosecutors said he used ill-gotten gains to buy a Colorado fishing lodge, a private jet and a 200-foot yacht, among other things. The government filed paperwork last year to seize the 100-acre fishing retreat in the Rockies, The Aspen Times reported then. It was not immediately clear how Brockmans death would affect the governments ability to recover the taxes it says are owed. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy; a son, Robert Brockman II; a brother; and two grandchildren, according to Bloomberg. ALONA MAZURENKO FRIDAY, 8 JULY 2022, 22:41 The monitoring group "Belaruski Gayun" has reported that Belarus has seen an increase in air training at 5 airfields at the same time; pilots from the Russian Federation have arrived and paratroop training has begun. Source: "Belarusian Gayun" Quote: "Fighter pilots are training in Baranavichy: take-offs with combat equipment, a rapid start and a fast climb. Starting from 16 June, the airfield has been periodically used for training troop landings from a Belarusian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter. Usually, such training sessions are held a few times a year, but in three weeks their annual norm has already been exceeded. In addition, about 20 pilots from the Russian Federation have arrived in Baranavichy. They arrived in the city on the morning of 7 July by the regular Moscow-Brest train. Moreover, this is not the first report that the Russian military has again started arriving in Belarus by regular passenger trains. There is a certain correlation between the arrival of the Russian military and an increase in the number of air training sessions." Details: Also among the atypical exercises was the frequent landing of troops in Machulishchy (near the town of Gatovo). On 8 July, for the first time, a landing exercise was held in the Yelsk district, between Yelsk and the village of Dvizhki. It is reported that the landing took place at the highest point of the area, in 3-4 approaches of 9 soldiers each. Just like in Baranavichy, they landed from a Belarusian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter, which then flew towards Mozyr. The resumption of training flights has also been recorded in Luninets and Lida, and in the latter town, extremely low flights of L-39 Albatros aircraft, usually used to train beginners, have been seen directly above the roofs of houses. In Babruysk, landing exercises over the airfield have taken place twice since 6 July. It is reported that there have been some cases recently of training outside specially designated places in Belarus. Story continues For example, training sessions were held on 5-6 July, near the village of Zabozie (Yelsk district, Gomel Oblast), on shooting from an under-barrel grenade launcher, presumably the GP-25 Kostyor. On 7 July, exercises accompanied by the sounds of explosions were noted near the river Sozh in Cherykaw (Mogilev Oblast). The number of training sessions at military airfields in Baranavichy, Machulishchy, Lida, Luninets and Babruysk also increased. Reminder: On 26 June, Ukraines military intelligence service announced that Russia was again increasing its military presence in Belarus, specifically military aviation, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Belarus was being dragged into the war more actively than at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Jon Cherry/Getty Images The Secret Service has provided a list of agency-issued phone numbers to the Jan. 6 House committee. The unusual move will allow investigators to determine which agents' records to review, ABC reported. The Secret Service has faced criticism for deleting text messages sent during the attack on the Capitol. The US Secret Service has turned over a list of agency-issued cell phone numbers to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, according to reports by ABC and CNN. The "highly unusual" move to release agents' numbers will allow investigators to determine which officers' records they wish to review as part of their investigation, ABC first reported, and could indicate a renewed effort by the agency to cooperate with investigators. CNN reported the current USSS director, James Murray, is delaying his retirement to oversee the agency's cooperation with investigators. "I feel strongly about using this time to oversee and ensure our agency's continued cooperation, responsiveness, and full support with respect to ongoing Congressional and other inquiries," CNN reported Murray said in a message to his workforce. The records are being released after the agency faced criticism that it deleted text messages from agents' phones that could have possibly been used as evidence in the investigation. As part of a separate, agency-wide investigation connected to the attack on the Capitol, ABC reported, the inspector general responsible for the Secret Service also obtained a listing of personal cell phone numbers for the agents. Deleting agents' text messages may have violated federal record-keeping laws and caused the loss of potentially relevant information regarding the events of Jan. 6 House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney and Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson have accused the independent watchdog that oversees the Department of Homeland Security of covering up parts of its investigation into the missing messages. "We are writing with grave new concerns over your lack of transparency and independence, which appear to be jeopardizing the integrity of a crucial investigation run by your office," the lawmakers wrote in an open letter to Trump-appointed DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari. "These documents also indicate that your office may have taken steps to cover up the extent of missing records." Thompson and Maloney have called for Cuffari to remove himself from oversight of the investigation, saying his delayed disclosure to Congress about the deleted Secret Service records casts "serious doubt on his independence and his ability to effectively conduct such an important investigation." Read the original article on Business Insider kupicoo / iStock.com One of the reasons Social Security checks can cover bills for some retirees and not others is because benefits are based on income earned before retirement. The more you earn working, the more you pay into the Social Security system, and the higher your benefit. Two retirees can work the exact same number of hours and years but still have drastically different Social Security checks. Social Security: Why You Dont Have To Entirely Depend on It, Even With No Savings Learn: 15 Best Places in Texas for a Couple to Live Only on Social Security This goes a long way toward explaining why the average Social Security check for women is much smaller than for men. As of May 2022, men received about $1,848 per month on average, USA Today reported. In contrast, the average monthly check for women was only $1,494 per month a difference of about $354 per month, or $4,248 per year. If you want to know how much that difference adds up over the course of a retirement, consider this: During a 20-year retirement, the average man will receive about $85,000 more in Social Security benefits than the average woman. Over 30 years, the difference is more than $127,000. You dont need an economics degree to figure out why: Its because women have consistently earned less than men over the decades and that pay gap still exists. Heading into 2022, women earned 82 cents for every dollar men, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, which cited research from Payscales 2022 State of the Gender Pay Gap Report. Women are also much more likely than men to leave the workforce to care for children. The result is that they dont earn nearly as much money as men over the course of their professional lives. This has a major impact on their Social Security retirement benefits, which are based on income during your 35 highest-earning. When someone drops out of the workforce for a substantial number of years, those zero-income years are factored into the benefit calculation, which shrinks checks even more. Story continues There have been some encouraging developments, however. The Social Security gender gap has been slowly narrowing over the last few decades as the gender pay gap shrinks as well. As USA Today noted, in May 2000, women received less than 77% of the average mans Social Security check. As of May 2022, the difference was closer to 81%. For women (and others) in the working world who want to help increase their Social Security benefits in retirement, the best strategy is to find opportunities to boost income. Consider asking for a raise, obtaining licenses and certifications that can lead to higher pay, or switching to a better-paying job. If you cant work outside the home due to caretaking responsibilities, look for remote jobs or side hustles that can bring in income. Just keep in mind that if you do get a side hustle that involves 1099 income rather than W-2 income, youll need to pay into Social Security on your own through estimated tax payments or on your tax returns. Social Security: How Much Is the Spousal Benefit Actually Worth? Discover: 5 Things Millennials Should Know About Social Security Its also important to earn income for at least 35 years, even if some of those years only involve working part-time or side gigs. If you can make it past 35 years while earning a high income, the higher-earning years will replace any lower-earning years that came earlier. Another way to boost your Social Security check is to delay signing up for benefits as long as you can. Although you can sign up as early as age 62, waiting a few years will lead to a higher Social Security check. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security: Women Get $354 Per Month Less Than Men Heres Why Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams talks with the press after a group discussion with women impacted by miscarriage in Atlanta, Georgia, United States on August 03, 2022. Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Stacey Abrams said she used to be anti-abortion in her college years due to her Christian faith. She said she changed her mind after she learned what "abortion care really is." Abrams is the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, where abortion is mostly banned after six weeks. Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, said she used to be anti-abortion many years ago, but eventually changed her stance. Abrams, a staunch advocate of abortion rights in a state where the procedure is mostly banned after six weeks, told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday that her Christian faith influenced her perspective. "I have thought about my faith a great deal. I was anti-abortion until I went to college," Abrams said. "And, there, I met a friend who has my shared faith values, but we started having conversations about what reproductive care and abortion care really is." "She was able to give me a different perspective," Abrams added. "And over the course of the next few years, I really started thinking about, what role should the legislature play? What role should government play?" Abrams is also the daughter of two retired United Methodist pastors. "This is health care. This is about a woman's right to control her body. This is about a woman's right to experience and determine her future. And that, for me, as a matter of faith, means that I don't impose those value systems on others," Abrams said. "More importantly, I protect her rights. I protect her humanity, and that should be my responsibility." In the weeks following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, a judicial order allowed a 2019 Georgia law banning abortion after six weeks to go into effect. Gov. Brian Kemp, Abrams' opponent in the race, praised the order, saying it "affirms our promise to protect life at all stages." Read the original article on Business Insider Sarma Melngalis of Bad Vegan (L), and Cecilie Fjellhy of Tinder Swindler (R) Theo Wargo/WireImage, David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Netflix The stars of "Bad Vegan" and "The Tinder Swindler" feel they were misrepresented by Netflix. Cecilie Fjellhy said her Tinder fraudster was a "dangerous man" but wasn't presented that way. Sarma Melngailis of "Bad Vegan" said Netflix "made a mockery" of her abuse. "'Bad Vegan: Fame: Fraud: Fugitives" and "The Tinder Swindler" were huge hits for Netflix in 2022. But for the women whose experiences at the hands of manipulative men were revealed to millions in the compelling scammer documentaries, the exposure has been a mixed blessing a source of regret but also a cause for hope. Cecilie Fjellhy was the victim of a high-profile romantic scam by Simon Leviev (whose real name is Shimon Hayut), the so-called Tinder Swindler. Leviev is a "dangerous man," whom she fell in love with and lost all her money to after months of financial and emotional abuse, Fjellhy said. Once she realized what was happening that her lover was behind a Ponzi scheme designed to scam women out of tens of thousands of dollars she went to the police, who just laughed at her, she told Insider. She turned to the media in her home country of Norway, and her story went viral. Raw Films, an award-winning production company in London, picked it up and turned it into the hit docuseries "The Tinder Swindler," distributed by Netflix. 'It's just another telling of how stupidly in love we were' Fjellhy wanted a factual documentary, she told Insider. "I wanted to know why it is so difficult to catch this guy. To know why the police aren't doing enough, why it was so simple for him to commit this fraud? Those were the big questions I wanted the film to answer." "So when we were told it was not going to be that, I was really disappointed. It's just another telling of how stupidly in love we were," she said. "Even calling it the 'Tinder Swindler,' it just was branded from the start," she said. "It just made it seem not as serious." Netflix focused on the ways the women fell for the fraud rather than the cruel crimes committed by Leviev, Fjellhy said. Story continues The Tinder Swindler was released on February 2, 2022. Netflix "A lot of people don't even understand that it's a documentary," Fjellhy told Insider. "We have people come up to us as though we're actresses and asking if we're real. Sometimes documentaries can be too well-made. People aren't even looking at you as a real person. "And this is hard when you're airing your most personal stories. You have to show how you went from being very much in love, you know, to have to talk about how you almost killed yourself." Fjellhy said she cried the first time she saw it. "I just felt stupid because I was the one picked to be the symbol of love," she said. "I had to be honest about how many matches I had on Tinder, how long I'd been on there, and how I viewed love. I had to say that I slept with him on the first date. I had to say stuff that I didn't want to say. So you're being used." In describing the negative feedback she got after the show aired, she said that a man approached her in Los Angeles to tell her she was "so embarrassing," instead of the victim of a complex crime. When asked if Netflix portrayed the abuse correctly, Fjellhy said, "No, that's why I wanted it to be more investigative and maybe have a psychologist. Someone to explain what the abuse actually was." Breaking bad vegan Another documentary star, Sarma Melngailis of "Bad Vegan," also criticized Netflix for its portrayal of her. Sarma Melngailis, co-author during "RAW FOOD/real world" Book Launch Celebration at Pure Food and Wine in New York City, New York, United States. Theo Wargo/WireImage Melngailis put raw vegan food on the map. Her New York restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, opened in 2004 and helped plant-based eating move away from a minority niche to being favored by the rich and famous. Celebrities flocked to her restaurant to sample such dishes as mango and Thai basil salad, which a New York Magazine review described as offering "as much exotic sunniness as one bowl can contain." Her business venture was a success, and Melngailis was feted. And then she met her abuser. Netflix documented the rise and public fall of Melngailis in "Bad Vegan," directed by Chris Smith of "Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened" fame. Melngailis' businesses collapsed in 2015 after her unpaid staff walked out, and she was nowhere to be found. There was confusion and anger from her employees, friends, and associates how did this woman crash everything she'd worked so hard to build? Behind closed doors, she was being sexually, mentally, and financially abused, Melngailis told Insider. Her partner, Anthony Strangis, was manipulating her into eventually stealing $2 million from her investors and employees. The pair went missing and were found ordering pizza in a hotel room in Tennessee in 2016. In 2017, Melngailis took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to criminal tax fraud, grand larceny, and premeditated fraud, and served four months at Rikers Island in the summer of 2017. She spent four months in prison, and Strangis spent nearly a year behind bars. Melngailis felt Netflix was mocking her Sarma Melngailis and her dog Leon Sarma Melngailis Netflix "made a joke" of the trauma she endured at the hands of Strangis, Melngailis said. "Bad Vegan" included many inaccuracies, she claimed, and did a "great disservice to all the people that have been through something like this." The most mind-blowing part of Melngailis' abuse may be the immortal-dog storyline: Strangis was able to convince the successful restaurant entrepreneur that her beloved Staffy, Leon, could become immortal. For people who haven't experienced abusive control, this might sound inconceivable, but the docudrama establishes that it was part of the way Strangis managed to control Melgnalis and convince her that he had superhuman powers that she, too, could access if she just did what he said. One day, as Melngailis was scrolling through Twitter, she came across a post from a spoof account called Perpetual Pup, run by Netflix. "You wanted to make your dog immortal. You're not alone," read the tweet, which had a video attached called "Not All Dogs Have to Go to Heaven." Confused, Melngailis watched the video of dogs chasing Frisbees, while a narrator said you can "say goodbye to saying goodbye." "Side effects may include confusion, sudden changes in behavior, and/or loss of money. Excessive wire transfers may occur. If you have a history of questionable romantic relationships, Perpetual may be right for you," the ad riffed, before cutting to a picture of Melgnailis' face, revealing itself as an ad for "Bad Vegan." "I would genuinely be curious, just as a study of human nature, to ask all those people to explain what they were thinking," said Melngailis. "Because you know what, would they have made a promo like that for a documentary about Harvey Weinstein? "I've been physically, emotionally, and sexually abused and they made a mockery of the whole thing. They were basically mocking psychological abuse." Sarma Melngailis' dog Leon Sarma Melngailis Melngailis said that even she doesn't fully understand how Strangis did what he did. "It's not so much that he had me fully convinced of these things, it's more that he was able to get my consciousness to grab on to these concepts as possibilities, and the more I imagined them, the more detached from reality I got." "What I do know," she continued, "is that this kind of manipulation abuse, really is so much more common than we think, and so for Netflix to have made that campaign was a kick in the face to a lot of people who have endured such abuse. It was reinforcing the idea that he couldn't be legitimate, that we are the crazy ones." Netflix has not responded to Insider's request for comment. Previously asked by The Guardian if the show was fair to Melngailis, director Chris Smith said "Look, everything is shades of grey." "We tried to represent it as accurately as we could from the information we had through the documentation that was presented to us and through the interview." The profits go to Netflix Romantic scams, and scammer documentaries in general, have proven incredibly lucrative for Netlflix. "Bad Vegan" and "The Tinder Swindler" were both in the top-10 most-viewed shows the week they aired, according to Netflix data. But the stars said that having their story platformed doesn't fix their financial losses. The payment for the rights to their stories didn't cover their debts, they said. Melngailis said that it wasn't worth it for all the backlash and abuse she faced after the documentary aired which she blames on the show's framing. "They made my life more difficult and put me through more shit," she said. Fjellhy told Insider that after being a part of a popular and influential Netflix documentary, "everyone is thinking that we're millionaires now," she said. In "The Tinder Swindler,Cecilie Fjellhy talks about falling in love with a man on Tinder who turned out to be a seasoned con artist. Courtesy of Netflix "The people at the bottom that get the least give it all. I don't see anything of this success. We're still struggling with debt, and we're in courts and everything. But it was amazing for Netflix," Fjellhy said. Netflix did not reply to Insider's requests for comment on Fjellhy and Melngailis' complaints. In response to Melngailis' criticism of "Bad Vegan," director Chris Smith told The Guardian: "Look, everything is shades of gray. We tried to represent it as accurately as we could from the information we had through the documentation that was presented to us and through the interview." From scam victims to heroines In terms of impact on the lives of scam victims everywhere, Melngailis, Fjellhy, and Ayleen Charlotte, another one of Simon Leviev's victims, told Insider they were grateful for the opportunity to help people. Despite the hardships that have come from both the scam itself and the aftermath of the documentary, Fjellhy said it was "worth it" for the love she has also received. "I've gotten so many messages saying I'm inspiring and I'm brave, and they really admire the courage that's taken, which has made it much more worth it," she said, adding that people tell her she'd helped them overcome their embarrassment over being the victim of a scam. Charlotte the "bad bitch" victim of "The Tinder Swindler," as she put it had a positive experience with the documentary, she told Insider. "I wanted to put his face out there because nothing had been done with my case. Second, I want to help people. And that's what I did. I mean, I got so many amazing messages from all over the world, and that I gave a lot of people a lot of courage for doing what I did, as well," Charlotte told Insider. Melngailis, while remaining critical of Netflix, agreed that "one of the things that I've heard over and over again it is usually women but occasionally men but people who have been manipulated in some kind of similar way feel less alone." "I've also heard from loads of people telling me that watching it has inspired them to try going or shifting towards vegan. So that's nice, at least! A few animals saved, perhaps," she said, ending our email communication with a winking emoji. Read the original article on Insider (Bloomberg) -- Taiwan pledged it wont succumb to pressure from China after days of air and sea military drills in areas all around the island, with hostilities set to continue even as world leaders urge an end to the strife. Most Read from Bloomberg The Peoples Liberation Army said it conducted exercises around Taiwan on Sunday, with the drills focused on testing the capabilities of joint firepower on long-range air and ground strikes. While theres been no official announcement on whether the drills have ended, Hu Xijin, former editor of the Communist Partys Global Times newspaper, said they had been extended. China also publicized drills in other areas along its coast, including live-weapon firing from Aug. 6-15 in the southern part of the Yellow Sea separating the mainland from the Korean Peninsula -- a frequent area for exercises. The Maritime Safety Administration also said military exercises will take place in parts of the Bohai Sea in the north for a month from Aug. 8, and warned ships to avoid entering the area. Drills were also held in that region around this time last year. Taiwan said Sundays Chinese drills had again simulated attacks on its main island as well as Taiwanese ships. China also deployed drones near Taiwans outlying islands, the Defense Ministry said, adding it responded by sending airplanes and ships and monitored the situation through surveillance and reconnaissance. The PLA flew some 66 sorties on Sunday, including 22 that crossed the southwest air defense identification zone, the ministry said. Some 14 Chinese warships were detected around the Taiwan Strait as of 5 p.m. local time. Separately, a drone was found approaching the restricted waters of the Kinmen area and was driven away by flares, Taiwans army said. Story continues Beijing has carried out its most provocative military drills in decades in the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosis trip to Taiwan last week. It has also likely fired missiles over the island of 23 million people, sent warships across the Taiwan Straits median line, and flew waves of warplanes across the US-defined boundary. China has brutally used military actions to disrupt regional peace and stability, Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Sunday. We will never bow to pressure. We uphold freedom and democracy, and believe Taiwanese disapprove Chinas bullying actions with force and saber-rattling at our door. Su said the Chinese government shouldnt flex its military muscles. It is not only Taiwan that suffers, he said. Neighboring countries have protested loudly, and freedom-loving and democratic countries such as the United States have strongly condemned it. Why Taiwans Status Risks Igniting a US-China Clash: QuickTake Beijing denounced the visit by Pelosi as a violation of the US pledge 50 years ago not to formally recognize the government of Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. It announced on Friday a set of measures including cutting off defense talks with the US, marking a further deterioration in relations between the worlds biggest economies. China is engaging in increasingly destabilizing action, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on Saturday, saying hes communicated that to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Blinken said tensions between the US and China need to be de-escalated, and that hed told Wang that lines of communications between the two sides must be kept open. The differences between Taiwan and the mainland need to be resolved peacefully, said Blinken. Countries throughout the region and around the world are very concerned about that. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens election in 2016 upended Beijings efforts to deepen economic and social ties with the island. Tsai, who hails from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, rejects the One China framework and has sought greater US ties to reduce reliance on the mainland. Chinas New Flash Point With U.S. Allies Is a Hotspot for Spying Pelosis visit demonstrated how the intensity of the conflict has been at that level for a good while now, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Saturday after meeting with Blinken. We sort of got used to the idea. Chinas military exercises made ships think twice about heading into one of Taiwans most important ports, creating potential delays for shipments of electronic goods. Ship owners, worried about possible missile strikes, chose to idle vessels and burn extra fuel until the drills pass. The Taiwan Strait is a key route for supply chains, with almost half of the global container fleet passing through the waterway this year. While vessels are continuing to travel through the strait during the military exercises, they are navigating around the drill zones. The Taiwanese Maritime & Port Bureau on Thursday told ships to avoid designated areas around the island until Aug. 8 in waters to the east of the island. It is an issue that can lead to conflict and war to the detriment of all parties involved, especially the people in Taiwan, Teo Chee Hean, Singapores coordinating minister for national security, said in a Facebook post. These tensions also have a negative impact on us here in South East Asia. We hope that wisdom will prevail. (Updates with drill details in the third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. A Texas man has died after his girlfriend allegedly set him on fire at a gas station during a domestic violence incident. According to WFAA, 25-year-old Ricky Doyle was transported to a hospital in critical condition after he was burned on July 18 in Arlington, Texas. Doyle, who was burned across his body, died on Wednesday. The woman, 24-year-old Breana Johnson, will now face a charge of murder, The Arlington Police Department announced. 25-year-old man dies after being set on fire at gas station by girlfriend. Investigators say she went inside the store and paid for $0.50 cents worth of gas. pic.twitter.com/iUebYO5Odn SAY CHEESE! (@SaycheeseDGTL) August 5, 2022 When officers responded to the gas station on July 18, they found bystanders using fire extinguishers to help Doyle, who was then taken to the hospital. Witnesses said Doyle and Johnson started arguing after arriving at the gas station in a Jeep. As the pair argued, Johnson allegedly pumped gasoline into the backseat of the Jeep where Doyle was sitting and intentionally ignited the car. After Doyle rushed out of the engulfed vehicle, Johnson got back into the Jeep and drove away from the scene, police said. The suspect was taken into custody the following day, facing one count of aggravated assault. After Doyles death, police said Johnsons charges have been upgraded to murder. She is being held at the Tarrant County jail. Logo Amnesty International Read also: 361 children have been killed by the invaders since the beginning of the war The article, whose byline reads simply The Times, called Amnesty International Putin's propagandists, stressing that the organization decided to shred its credibility in the service of Kremlin disinformation. The Times notes that Amnestys use of international humanitarian law, such as Ukraines obligations under the Geneva Convention, which the Amnesty report refers to, "is altogether different from blaming and defaming the victims of aggression, which is what Amnesty is doing here." Read also: Russians still refusing Red Cross access to Olenivka prison camp, UN ignoring Ukraines requests, says Ukrainian human rights ombudsman "It is little wonder the groups Ukraine office, which was not consulted, condemned these purported findings, while the Russian embassy in London eagerly reproduced them," writes The Times. The article also points out that the Russian army constantly attacks civilian objects even during the war in Chechnya and Syria. "Ukrainian forces are valiantly resisting these depredations while striving to help civilians leave the endangered areas," the journalists write. Read also: Branding Azov fighters as terrorists, Russia seeks to justify its own war crimes Ukrainian intelligence The Times notes that the organization already has a "previous form in abasing itself before the Kremlin" by refusing to recognize Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as a prisoner of conscience. "Amnesty evidently learnt nothing from that fiasco, The Times writes. Agnes Callamard, its secretary-general, today ululated that the group had received rebukes on social media, as if it were somehow a wronged party and that its frivolous feuilleton on Ukraine had the status of holy writ. The newspaper called for Callamard to resign immediately, though they note that even that would not be able to save Amnestys tattered reputation among Ukraine and its supporters. Story continues "A once-respected humanitarian campaign, Amnesty now evinces a deplorable indifference to oppression. Having shown itself soft on crime and soft on fascism, it should have the decency to depart the stage," The Times opines. International human rights organization Amnesty International has accused Ukraine of "violating the laws of war" due to the alleged placement of military bases in residential areas, schools, and hospitals. Read also: The growing circle of Putins friends in the West Amnesty Ukraine, the organizations local branch, stated that it had not recorded evidence of these claims itself, and that a separate team from the Crisis Response department of Amnesty International was engaged in the preparation of the report. The director of the Ukrainian office of Amnesty International, Oksana Pokalchuk, announced on Aug. 5 that she was resigning as a result of her disagreements with the head office. The Office of the President has said that Amnesty International is participating in a Russian disinformation campaign. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that Amnesty International creates a "false balance between the criminal and the victim," and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov called the report "out of touch with reality and a way to destroy the authority" of the organization. Help NV continue reporting on the Russian invasion Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas on Saturday. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Trump baselessly said Jan. 6 instigators and a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer were "fake." He alluded to conspiracy theories about the Capitol riot being orchestrated by FBI agents. Trump made the comments while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas. Donald Trump said Capitol riot instigators and the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were "fake" in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday. The former president made the comments after talking about the January 6 Congressional hearings, which he called a "one-sided witch hunt." "As another example, the sting they did involving Gretchen Whitmer was fake. Just like those who instigated January 6. It was a fake deal. Fake. It was a fake deal," Trump said. "Gretchen Whitmer was in less danger than the people sitting in this room right now." In 2020 the FBI said it had thwarted a plot by members of a right-wing militia group to kidnap Whitmer and overthrow the state government. Of the six men initially charged, two pleaded guilty, two were acquitted, and a hung jury was declared for two. A federal judge has ordered a new trial for the two with deadlocked juries. Trump also alluded to conspiracy theories about the Capitol riot being orchestrated by FBI agents, propagated by his allies, including Ted Cruz and Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson. The conspiracy theory largely centers around Trump supporter Ray Epps, who attended the riot and was later baselessly accused of being an undercover FBI agent. Trump has previously mentioned Epps by name, denied any connection to the FBI, and said that the allegations have made his life "hell." Earlier in the speech on Saturday, Trump described the events of January 6, 2021, as "a protest over a rigged and stolen election that nobody wants to look at. Look at all the people who are in prison whose lives have been destroyed on January 6, destroyed." Trump has often expressed sympathy for those charged over the Capitol insurrection and has said he would consider pardoning them if he were to return to office. Read the original article on Business Insider Former President Donald Trump applauds upon arrival at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Trump was the choice of 69% of CPAC attendees to become the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. DeSantis, who has emerged as a potential 2024 contender, came in second place, winning 24% support. Most CPAC attendees thought Gavin Newsom and not Biden would be the 2024 Democratic WH nominee. Former President Donald Trump on Saturday easily won an unofficial straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a sign of his continued strength among grassroots activists and the GOP base as he mulls a 2024 White House campaign. At the CPAC convention in Dallas, Trump received 69% of the vote, with Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida coming in second place with 24% support. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas came in third with 2% support, with other potential candidates receiving 1% of the vote or less. The showing reflects an increase in support for Trump from the last CPAC straw poll taken in February, when the former president received 59% of the vote, compared to 28% for DeSantis. The former president had a 99% approval rating among CPAC attendees, with nine-out-of-ten respondents expressing that they strongly approved of his job performance while he was in the White House. If Trump decides not to enter the race, DeSantis would become the runaway favorite to succeed the former president as the GOP presidential nominee, as he received 65% of the vote in such a scenario, with Donald Trump Jr. coming in second place with 8% support, followed by Cruz at 6% and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with 5% support. DeSantis, who is running for reelection to a second term this fall, has become one of the most-talked about Republicans in the entire country as he has used his governorship to enact sweeping conservative policies across the Sunshine State. However, Trump remains enormously popular among Republican base voters and would almost certainly command a strong showing of support among GOP lawmakers if he were to announce a third presidential campaign, which could come in advance of the 2022 midterm elections when the party hopes to flip one or both chambers of Congress. Story continues When it comes to the vice presidential slot, though, DeSantis came out on top, winning 43% support in a CPAC straw poll, followed by Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota at 9% and Pompeo with 7% support. As it relates to Democrats, most CPAC attendees didn't think either President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris would be that party's nominee in 2024, despite Biden's plans to seek reelection with Harris as his running mate that year. Among attendees, 37% expected Gov. Gavin Newsom of California to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024, followed by former first lady Michelle Obama at 16%, Biden at 8%, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at 8%. Harris was selected as the likely Democratic nominee by 4% of attendees. Read the original article on Business Insider The University of Floridas Academic and Professional Assembly (APA) has received the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) 2022 Human Resources Innovation Award for its Warm Welcome project. The HR Innovation Award recognizes innovative thinking in higher education HR, especially models that can be adapted for use on other campuses. CUPA-HR made a $5,000 contribution to the University of Florida in recognition of the award. Recognizing a gap in the sense of belonging felt by new staff at their large institution, the volunteer-led APA began thinking about ways to better foster inclusion and belonging on campus while also creating a stronger connection between staff and leadership. Our staff wanted to feel welcomed, valued and inspired, and they wanted to break the silos that tend to plague higher education, said Honey Langford, HR Generalist II, in her nomination of the project. In designing a welcome experience, the APA board engaged in deep thinking and purposeful decision-making. Their goals were to officially welcome new staff, to foster a sense of belonging and community among all staff, to offer inspiration from leaders and to spark connections. The inaugural Warm Welcome took place in the fall of 2019 and was an in-person event which included involvement and personal stories from the president, vice president of HR, chief diversity officer and a college dean. The first Warm Welcome received great feedback and the APA was successful when pivoting the event to a twice per year Zoom experience following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual format allowed the event to reach a broader audience and proved even more accessible to more staff. Today, the Warm Welcome alternates from in-person to virtual while continuing to allow new colleagues to see the human side of a large institution. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UFs Academic and Professional Assembly receives Human Resources award LONDON (AP) A London museum agreed Sunday to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria as cultural institutions throughout Britain come under pressure to repatriate artifacts acquired during the colonial era. The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London said that it would transfer a collection of 72 items to the Nigerian government. The decision comes after Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments formally asked for the artifacts to be returned earlier this year and following a consultation with community members, artists and schoolchildren in Nigeria and the U.K., the museum said. The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria, Eve Salomon, chair of the museums board of trustees, said in a statement. The Horniman is pleased to be able to take this step, and we look forward to working with the NCMM to secure longer term care for these precious artifacts. The Hornimans collection is a small part of the 3,000 to 5,000 artifacts taken from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897 when British soldiers attacked and occupied Benin City as Britain expanded its political and commercial influence in West Africa. The British Museum alone holds more than 900 objects from Benin, and National Museums Scotland has another 74. Others were distributed to museums around the world. The artifacts include plaques, animal and human figures, and items of royal regalia made from brass and bronze by artists working for the royal court of Benin. The general term Benin Bronzes is sometimes applied to items made from ivory, coral, wood and other materials as well as the metal sculptures. Countries including Nigeria, Egypt and Greece, as well indigenous peoples from North America to Australia, are increasingly demanding the return of artifacts and human remains amid a global reassessment of colonialism and the exploitation of local populations. Story continues Nigeria and Germany recently signed a deal for the return of hundreds of Benin Bronzes. That followed French President Emmanuel Macrons decision last year to sign over 26 pieces known as the Abomey Treasures, priceless artworks of the 19th century Dahomey kingdom in present-day Benin, a small country that sits just west of Nigeria. But British institutions have been slower to respond. Nigerias Federal Ministry of Information and Culture formally asked the British Museum to return its Benin Bronzes in October of last year. The museum said Sunday that it is working with a number of partners in Nigeria and it is committed to a thorough and open investigation of the history of the Benin artifacts and the looting of Benin City. The museum is committed to active engagement with Nigerian institutions concerning the Benin Bronzes, including pursuing and supporting new initiatives developed in collaboration with Nigerian partners and colleagues, the British Museum says on its website. The Horniman Museum also traces its roots to the Age of Empire. The museum opened in 1890, when tea merchant Frederick Horniman opened his collection of artifacts from around the world for public viewing. Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, the museum embarked on a reset agenda, that sought to address long-standing issues of racism and discrimination within our history and collections, and a determination to set ourselves on a more sustainable course for the future. The museums website acknowledges that Frederick Hornimans involvement in the Chinese tea trade meant he benefitted from low prices due to Britains sale of opium in China and the use of poorly compensated and sometimes forced labor. The Horniman also recognizes that it holds items obtained through colonial violence. These include the Hornimans collection of Benin Bronzes, comprising 12 brass plaques, as well as a brass cockerel altar piece, ivory and brass ceremonial objects, brass bells and a key to the kings palace. The bronzes are currently displayed along with information acknowledging their forced removal from Benin City and their contested status. We recognize that we are at the beginning of a journey to be more inclusive in our stories and our practices, and there is much more we need to do, the museum says on its website. This includes reviewing the future of collections that were taken by force or in unequal transactions. VALENTYNA ROMANENKO SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST 2022, 08:27 Russian forces are concentrating their main efforts in eastern Ukraine. In particular, they stormed the village of Verkhnokamianske (Luhansk Oblast). Source: Serhii Haidai, Head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "Despite having transferred some manpower and equipment to southern oblasts, the Russians continue to concentrate their main efforts in eastern Ukraine. The enemy conducted three assault operations; during each, they attacked [the Ukrainian Armed Forces] from several directions at once. In particular, [the enemy] attempted to advance near Verkhnokamianske, but our armed forces have forced [the Russians] to retreat." Details: Haidai has added that the Russian forces fired on Luhansk Oblast using tubed artillery 12 times, four times using rocket artillery, and four times using mortars. The Russians also carried out two missile strikes on the oblast. Russian forces fired on the towns and villages in the contact zone using all types of weapons at their disposal, including tank guns. Russian attack and army aircraft carried out six airstrikes in Luhansk Oblast on 6 August. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work! Alisha Moore worries she has only five days until she permanently loses electricity and water at her east Memphis apartment complex. Its so unfair, she told FOX13 on Sunday. I just want to break down and cry. Moore said she has lived at the Highland Hills Apartments since last September and has consistently paid her rent and bills on time. She provided a letter dated Aug. 2 from Memphis, Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) that reads: Circumstances require termination of MLGWs current business relationship with your landlord or homeowners association. The customers master meter(s) will be disconnected on Aug.12, according to the letter. This is such short notice, Moore said. Its going to be hard to find somewhere to live thats going to be the toughest thing right now. Other neighbors also said they received the letter on Friday and have been unable to reach management all weekend. FOX13 made multiple attempts to contact the management company, Multi-South Management Services. However, a voicemail for the company said offices are closed on the weekend. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: A Utah man was arrested Saturday after authorities say he stole an excavator from a construction site and drove it a mile to a grocery store in Salt Lake City, where he used the machinery to rip up the parking lot. Police began investigating around 12 p.m. after receiving calls about a man "randomly" digging a grass strip and sidewalk outside Smiths grocery store at 828 South 900 West, the Salt Lake Police Department said. Video and photos shared by the department show a freshly dug muddy trench in the stores parking lot. Police said the suspect caused significant damage after hitting a water pipe and ripping out fiber optics utility lines that were recently installed. Utility crews determined there was no gas leak and were assessing the extent of the damage. FLORIDA WOMAN CAUGHT ON VIDEO HOLDING PITCHFORK, WHIP DURING RAINSTORM BEFORE ARREST The suspect had hopped into the excavator which had been left running while at a job site at 900 South 300 West, police said. Construction crew members followed the suspect to the grocery store, where he commenced the destruction. It was unclear why the man allegedly stole the heavy machinery. A group of witnesses stopped the suspect from leaving the scene until officers arrived. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and was expected to be booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of felony theft and felony criminal mischief, according to authorities. His name and age were withheld until the booking process was complete. Police said no injuries were reported and no crashes occurred while the excavator was being illegally operated. The Polk County Sheriff's Office has identified the victim of an apparent early Saturday morning homicide on Des Moines' north side. Deputies responded to a residence in the 300 block of NE 46th Ave., north of Des Moines, around 12:30 a.m. Saturday after two 911 calls reporting gunshots. Sheriff's deputies located the body of Scott Alan Crane, 51, of Des Moines inside the residence. He appeared to have died from a gunshot wound, according to Polk County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Lt. Ryan Evans. Scott Alan Crane, 51, of Polk County died Saturday night in what authorities believe was a homicide, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The Polk County Sheriffs Office was investigating the incident with assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Evans said in a written statement. Grace Altenhofen is a news reporter for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at galtenhofen@registermedia.com or on Twitter @gracealtenhofen. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Authorities identify Polk County man killed in apparent homicide Pat Westhoff To understand markets for cattle and beef, it is important to remember a few simple things. Cows have calves. Calves grow up to become animals ready for slaughter, and the whole process takes time. This basic biology provides some clues for how cattle markets may evolve. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated that there were 2% fewer beef cows in this country on July 1 than there were a year ago. The same report also showed a 3% drop in the number of heifers (female cattle that have not yet had their first calf) that producers intended to keep to replace beef cows leaving the herd. Cows only give birth once a year, so fewer cows now probably mean fewer calves born in 2022 and 2023. Fewer calves born will eventually translate into fewer animals ready for slaughter. All else equal, that means lower beef production, which usually implies higher cattle prices. That relatively simple story is consistent with current USDA projections, which suggest a very sharp drop in beef production in 2023. In its July report, USDA projected that cattle prices would increase for the third straight year in 2023. Especially large was the increase in expected prices for the type of cattle Missouri producers send to feedlots in other states. As important as this basic biology is, there are complications. For example, USDA expects beef production to be about the same this year as last year, even though July cow numbers have declined every year since 2019. Why hasnt this drop in cow numbers translated into less beef production in 2022? One part of the story is the drought that is affecting many western states and parts of Missouri. With inadequate forage, some cattle producers have little choice but to send some cows to slaughter and other cattle to feedlots earlier than usual. While that reduces future cattle numbers and beef production, it actually adds to beef production in the short term. Even if the number of animals slaughtered declines, it does not necessarily mean less beef is produced. The average carcass weight of slaughtered animals varies from year to year based on a wide range of factors, including the type of animals entering feedlots and the relative prices of cattle and feed. Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in beef production per slaughtered animal. Story continues Another complication is trade. The United States imports about 2 million head of cattle each year from Mexico and Canada, and if that trade changes a lot from year to year, it can affect beef production. Finally, of course, cattle and beef prices depend not just on supply but also on demand. In 2022, demand for beef has been strong, as domestic and foreign consumers have continued to buy about the same amount of U.S. beef in spite of higher prices. While basic biology suggests higher cattle prices in 2023, these various complications mean a lot of uncertainty remains. A recession could result in weaker consumer demand, or there could be major shifts in trade. Even the underlying estimates of cattle numbers may prove incorrect. Higher cattle prices in 2023 appear likely, but are far from a sure thing. Pat Westhoff is director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri and a professor of agricultural and applied economics. The opinions expressed here are his own and do not reflect official positions or endorsements of the University of Missouri. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Biology suggests likelihood of higher 2023 cattle prices Commentary: DPP authorities to face reckoning of history for relying on U.S. to seek "Taiwan independence" Xinhua) 16:17, August 06, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- When Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited China's Taiwan region, Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities tried to ingratiate themselves with her, betraying the interests of the Chinese nation. Tsai and the DPP authorities, colluding with external forces for "Taiwan independence" provocations, are pushing Taiwan into danger. Their clumsy performance exposes their political nature of splitting the country. To gain the so-called external "support" or "protection," Tsai and the DPP authorities have for some time sped up the collusion with external anti-China forces. Politically, they have continuously elevated the level of interaction with the United States, and followed the rhetoric of the United States and some other Western nations to hype up the so-called "China threat". Militarily, they have been deeply involved in the U.S. "Indo-Pacific strategy," and sought the expansion of arms sales from the United States to beef up the attempt to resist reunification by the use of force. Economically, they have claimed that Taiwan would "decouple" with the mainland, dreaming of being totally absorbed into the industrial and supply chains of the United States and other Western nations. In the meantime, they have spread fallacies such as "Taiwan's status is undetermined" and "Taiwan's future should be determined by itself," attacked UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and deliberately challenged the one-China principle, which is a basic norm of international relations. Tsai and the DPP authorities stubbornly pushed for Pelosi's Taiwan visit, which has seriously undermined the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, gravely endangered the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and severely harmed the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. During their meeting, Tsai and Pelosi "sang a duet" aimed at packaging separatist attempts for "Taiwan independence" in the guise of "upholding democracy." No matter how Tsai and the DPP authorities try to justify or whitewash their acts, what they have done proves that they are troublemakers seeking to instigate cross-Strait confrontations, saboteurs of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and perpetrators who harm the interests of the Taiwan people. The DPP has taken Pelosi's visit as a tool to help it gain an advantage in upcoming local elections, as it desperately needs something to dilute public discontent over its incompetent governance and to divert public attention from scandals surrounding the DPP candidates standing for local elections. The latest clumsy show of the DPP and Pelosi has once again exposed the DPP authorities' despicable political inclination to place its own interests above those of the Chinese nation, and to prioritize its electoral interests over Taiwan people's well-being. The DPP should know that China's reunification is the trend of the times that cannot be reversed. All necessary measures will be taken to firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is manifested in the military drills in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island and the punishments to be slapped on die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements and relevant organizations connected to them, among others. The trend of the times cannot be reversed, and the will of the people cannot be defied. Pelosi's visit has caused strong indignation among all Chinese people, including compatriots in Taiwan. More and more Taiwan compatriots have realized that the external forces manipulate Taiwan-related issues only to seek their own political gains, boost the scheme to use Taiwan to contain China, and reap benefits from arms deals, in total disregard of the interests of people in Taiwan. According to public opinion polls, more than two thirds of netizens in Taiwan were not supportive of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Lately, political parties, groups, and individuals in Taiwan that oppose "Taiwan independence" and stand for reunification have expressed their protest against Pelosi's visit and slammed Tsai and the DPP authorities for colluding with external forces. Pelosi's visit to Taiwan cannot change the iron-clad fact that Taiwan is a part of China, and won't shake in the slightest the inevitable trend of reunification of China. "Taiwan independence" is a dead end. We have this stern warning for Tsai and the DPP authorities that any attempt to rely on the United States to seek "Taiwan independence" is bound to fail. Anyone who betrays the collective interests of the Chinese nation and engages in "Taiwan independence" activities will come to no good end. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) Photo: The Canadian Press Rockets fired by Palestinian militants toward Israel, in Gaza City, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed at least 10 people, including a senior militant, and wounded 55 others. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair) Israeli airstrikes flattened homes in Gaza on Saturday and Palestinian rocket barrages into southern Israel persisted for a second day, raising fears of another major escalation in the Mideast conflict. Gazas health ministry said 24 people had been killed so far in the coastal strip, including six children. The fighting began with Israels killing of a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group in a wave of strikes Friday that Israel said were meant to prevent an imminent attack. So far, Hamas, the larger militant group that rules Gaza, appeared to stay on the sidelines of the conflict, keeping its intensity somewhat contained. Israel and Hamas fought a war barely a year ago, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years that exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2 million Palestinian residents. Whether Hamas continues to stay out of the fight likely depends in part on how much punishment Israel inflicts in Gaza as rocket fire steadily continues. The Israeli military said an errant rocket fired by Palestinian militants killed civilians late Saturday, including children, in the town of Jabaliya, in northern Gaza. The military said it investigated the incident and concluded without a doubt that it was caused by a misfire on the part of Islamic Jihad. There was no official Palestinian comment on the incident. A Palestinian medical worker, who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the blast killed at least six people, including three children. An airstrike in the southern city of Rafah destroyed a home and heavily damaged surrounding buildings. The Health Ministry said at least two people were killed and 32 wounded, including children. A teenage boy was recovered from the rubble, and the other slain individual was identified by his family as Ziad al-Mudalal, the son of an Islamic Jihad official. The military said it targeted Khaled Mansour, Islamic Jihad's commander for southern Gaza. Neither Israel nor the militant group said whether he was hit. The Civil Defense said responders were still sifting through the rubble and that a digger was being sent from Gaza City. Another strike Saturday hit a car, killing a 75-year-old woman and wounding six other people. In one of the strikes, fighter jets dropped two bombs on the house of an Islamic Jihad member after Israel warned people to evacuate the area. The blast flattened the two-story structure, leaving a large rubble-filled crater, and badly damaged surrounding homes. Women and children rushed out of the area. Warned us? They warned us with rockets and we fled without taking anything, said Huda Shamalakh, who lived next door. She said 15 people lived in the targeted home. Among the 24 Palestinians killed were six children and two women, as well as the senior Islamic Jihad commander. The Gaza Health Ministry said more than 200 people have been wounded. It does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. The Israeli military said Friday that early estimates were that around 15 fighters were killed. The lone power plant in Gaza ground to a halt at noon Saturday for lack of fuel as Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans can get only 4 hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. Throughout the day, Gaza militants regularly launched rounds of rockets into Israel. The Israeli military said Saturday evening that nearly 450 rockets had been fired, 350 of which made it into Israel, but almost all were intercepted by Israels Iron Dome missile-defense system. Two people suffered minor shrapnel wounds. One rocket barrage was fired toward Tel Aviv, setting off sirens that sent residents to shelters, but the rockets were either intercepted or fell into the sea, the military said. Sunday could be a critical day in the flare-up, as Jews mark Tisha Bav, a somber day of fasting that commemorates the destruction of the biblical temples. Thousands are expected at Jerusalems Western Wall, and Israeli media reported that the Israeli leadership was expected to allow lawmakers to visit a key hilltop holy site in the city that is a flashpoint for violence between Israelis and Palestinians. The violence poses an early test for Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who assumed the role of caretaker prime minister ahead of elections in November, when he hopes to keep the position. Lapid, a centrist former TV host and author, has experience in diplomacy having served as foreign minister in the outgoing government, but has thin security credentials. A conflict with Gaza could burnish his standing and give him a boost as he faces off against former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a security hawk who led the country during three of its four wars with Hamas. Hamas also faces a dilemma in deciding whether to join a new battle barely a year after the last war caused widespread devastation. There has been almost no reconstruction since then, and the isolated coastal territory is mired in poverty, with unemployment hovering around 50%. Israel and Egypt have maintained a tight blockade over the territory since the Hamas takeover in 2007. Egypt on Saturday intensified efforts to prevent escalation, communicating with Israel, the Palestinians and the United States to keep Hamas from joining the fighting, an Egyptian intelligence official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. The latest round of Israel-Gaza violence was rooted in the arrest earlier this week of a senior Islamic Jihad leader in the occupied West Bank, part of a monthslong Israeli military operation. Israel then closed roads around Gaza and sent reinforcements to the border, bracing for retaliation. On Friday, it killed Islamic Jihads commander for northern Gaza, Taiseer al-Jabari, in a strike on a Gaza City apartment building. An Israeli military spokesman said the strikes were in response to an imminent threat from two militant squads armed with anti-tank missiles. Hamas seized power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, two years after Israel withdrew from the coastal strip. Its most recent war with Israel was in May 2021. Tensions soared again earlier this year following a wave of attacks inside Israel, near-daily military operations in the West Bank and tensions at a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site. Iran-backed Islamic Jihad is smaller than Hamas but largely shares its ideology. Both groups oppose Israels existence and have carried out scores of deadly attacks over the years. From 'Dicki Minaj' to the 'Bondi Bitches', visitors didn't hesitate to hit the purple runway at Brighton Pride. (Christian Cassiel) The Yahoo catwalk caused much hilarity at Brighton Pride 2022. The weekend, running from Saturday 6 August to Sunday 7 August, is jam-packed with performances from artists including Christina Aguilera, Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Ella Henderson and Bimini, as well as the LGBTQ+ Community Parade, the Pride Village Party in Kemptown, the Pride Community Dog Show and much more. Yahoo is the official headline sponsor for the events (delayed) 30th anniversary this year, called We Are Fabuloso. This is part of a long-term commitment to both celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and to help raise awareness of the prejudice still faced. To add to the fun of the weekend, members of the public got the chance to get glammed-up, nab some free swag and walk the purple catwalk on the Yahoo stand the perfect photo-op of course. Read more: Christina Aguilera uses Pride show to highlight Floridas Dont Say Gay bill The Yahoo compere whipped up a sense of excitement on the catwalk. (Christian Cassiel) Those stepping into the spotlight were in great company with the legendary House of Suarez dancers (everyones highlight from the official Pride Parade). The purple, shimmering stage set the mood and helped to turn ordinary people into runway superstars with the best entrance possible. Read more: Brighton & Hove Pride: Meet Darren Suarez whose dancers are joining the Yahoo stage Sean Blyth, aka Dicki Minaj, takes a curtsy mid-catwalk. (Christian Cassiel) Sean Blyth, (drag queen name: Dicky Minaj), from Stratford-upon-avon, said: Its amazing, theres something so special about being at Pride. Its the only event where you go and everyones there to celebrate love. Its the best atmosphere, everyones so happy and its a gorgeous feeling. It seems Blyth didnt exactly plan the appearance on the runway, but gave the people what they wanted, in a pink ball gown, adorned in dazzling jewels. I was dragged in from the crowd and I thought, What is going on? and then I was likeIm gonna work a catwalk for you! Read more: Kiss FM presenter Harriet Rose: My first ever Pride The Bondi Bitches make an entrance, hyped up by the House of Suarez dancers. (Christian Cassiel) Ellie, Jasmine, and Katrina were introduced by the compere as the Bondi Bitches as they hit the catwalk. So how has their Pride been? Story continues Ellie, from East Grinstead, wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, told us, Its been epic, just watching everybody in their really cool outfits and everybody being so confident in who they are is awesome. The catwalk was great, we had no idea thats what we were signing up for but were very happy we went and nailed it. Jasmine, from Brighton, in top to toe pink, said, Its been epic, its been really nice to see everyone going for it and being themselves. Katrina, from Belfast, adding some sass with a purple fan, said: [Pride is] absolutely splendid, the weather is fantastic, all the activities are really good, really awesome apart from the tenner on a burger! Read more: Brighton Pride festival finally back after pandemic Tiago was a complete natural on the Yahoo catwalk. (Christian Cassiel) Tiago, who is from Portugal, but lives in London, shared a personal highlight of the day, The Yahoo place catwalking for tons of people was amazing. Brighton Prides big return after being cancelled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic was also a major stand-out. Being a part of a community means a lot, especially after so much time away from everyone, so it feels good to celebrate together again, Tiago told us, dressed in a cropped-purple T and colourful headband, smiling from ear to ear. Watch: Kiss FM's Harriet Rose: My first ever Pride parade The YMCA of Central Florida is getting some financial help when it comes to the construction of its new family center in Orlando. Dr. Phillips Charities has given an $805,000 grant to support the new Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family YMCA. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< This grant will fund capital expenses for exercise equipment and pool shade at the new YMCA family center, which is expected to open in Orlandos Packing District later this year. Dr. Phillips Charities has been a long-term supporter of the YMCA of Central Florida and continues to work with the YMCA to increase the opportunities for safe places that invite children and families to live healthy, connected, and successful lives, said Ken Robinson, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities. The YMCA provides these opportunities through its programs and continues to serve as the cornerstone of neighborhoods throughout Central Florida. Read: Enter for chance to win tickets to the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 The new Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family YMCA is a 33,000-square-foot facility that will serve residents in Orlandos College Park area and the surrounding communities We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Phillips Charities for their steadfast commitment to enrich communities across Central Florida through their generous support of the Y, said Kevin Bolding, president and CEO of the YMCA of Central Florida. This much-needed grant comes at a pivotal stage as we actively seek support from our community to fully fund this new Y. Thanks to the Dr. Phillips Charities who have now provided a total of over $9.7 Million toward the construction of the Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family YMCA, we are one step closer to achieving this goal. Read: Lights out: Give Kids the World ends Night of a Million Lights holiday tradition Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Zac Efron has been criticised by PETA. (WireImage) Zac Efron has come under fire from animal rights organisation PETA for appearing in an advert with a captive bear. The High School Musical star was promoting Kodiak Cakes, a health foods brand, with a bear called Tank who was born in captivity and featured on the Discovery+ show Man Vs. Bear. Read more: Christopher Biggins turned down All Star I'm A Celeb In the ad, Tank, 27, appears to wave at the camera from behind Efron, 34. Although the brand is donating some profits to conservation, PETA criticised the decision to feature a bear who had spent its entire life in captivity. PETA foundation director of captive animal welfare Debbie Metzler told TMZ: "Its hypocritical to exploit one animal to potentially help another. "No true conservation group would ever force captive animals to perform tricks for the camera in order to raise awareness about their wild counterparts." Read more: Sheridan Smith quits Starstruck She also added to Metro: "Tank, the bear used in Kodiak Cakes promotions, was sent to a Hollywood trainer by a breeder when he was only six weeks old about the age when brown bears normally open their eyes. He likely never got the opportunity to see his mother, let alone spend up to three years playing, socialising, climbing, swimming, foraging, and roaming vast distances by her side, as he would have in nature. "Treating Tank like a prop and not appreciating that, unlike Zac, hell never get to choose his roles is a form of speciesism. "PETA urges Kodiak Cakes and Efron to focus on truly protecting wild bears by leaving Tank and any other performing animals out of their ads." The actor had teamed up with a health foods brand. (ABC via Getty Images) PETA urged the brand to either take their ads down or replace Tank with a CGI bear, as well as putting pressure on Efron to support them. Kodiak Cakes posted a clip of Efron laughing as Tank waved behind him on Instagram, writing: "First-ever limited-edition conservation drop thatll drive you wild! Story continues "Weve teamed up with @zacefron, @draplin, and @vital_ground to preserve Grizzly Bear habitats and wild places through #KodiakKeepItWild. "Go grab some great food and epic gear where 100% of online sales goes to supporting a grizzly cause!" Watch: Zac Efron set for Netflix romcom with Nicole Kidman Try to identify a different piece of Lynchburg-area history every week. If you have any mystery pictures of your own (or any old photos of Lyn Friday marked the 116th anniversary of the Persian Constitutional Revolution, the first democratic revolution in the Middle East. And the protest culture spawned by that revolution is alive and well in Iran today. In recent months, Iranians have taken to the streets over President Ebrahim Raisis cuts to food subsidies, which have resulted in price hikes of as much as 300%. Small businesses in the country have temporarily shut down to declare their objection to a sudden jump in sales tax. Iranian women have risked arrest by publicly removing their hijabs, demonstrating against the governments required Islamic dress code. Actions like these have their roots in 1906, when, after years of boycotts, strikes and bloody street protests, a band of young Iranian revolutionaries forced the ailing monarch, Muzaffar ad-Din Shah, to sign the countrys first constitution, establishing the rule of law and severely limiting his unchecked powers. The Persian Constitutional Revolution was the first of its kind in any Muslim majority state. Its fundamental goal was to marry traditional Islamic principles with modern concepts such as individual rights and popular sovereignty. While the revolutionaries lifted some of their language and ideas from Europe and the United States, the movement itself was firmly grounded in more than a century of Persian political thought. The result was a truly indigenous democratic movement, one that led to a freely elected independent parliament and a constitution guaranteeing basic rights for all Iranians. The ties between the events of the Persian Constitutional Revolution and the U.S. would go beyond language. In 1907, not long after the constitution was signed, a young American missionary from Nebraska named Howard Baskerville arrived in the northwestern city of Tabriz. Baskerville was there to teach English and preach the gospel. But when Muzaffar ad-Din Shah died shortly after signing the constitution, his young son Mohammed Ali ascended the throne. The new Shah tore up the constitution and attacked the parliament building with the parliamentarians still inside. He then sent his troops to besiege the last bastion of the revolution: the city of Tabriz, where Baskerville resided. Baskerville was caught in the middle of a civil war. Spurred by the suffering of the people around him, Baskerville gave up his missionary post, surrendered his U.S. citizenship and joined the revolution. On April 20, 1909, he led a force comprising his own students on an ill-fated mission to break through the Shahs siege and get food to the starving inhabitants of the city. During the attempt, he was shot in the heart and killed. Baskervilles death galvanized the revolutionaries. They eventually broke the siege, marched to Tehran and removed Mohammed Ali Shah from his throne. The Persian constitution was reestablished and a new parliament elected. Its first act was to pay homage to the young American missionary who died defending Iran from tyranny. Of course, Irans experiment in constitutional democracy did not last. In 1921, a military commander named Reza Khan marched his troops into Tehran and, with the full backing of the British government, declared a military coup. Iran was transformed once again into an absolute monarchy. Reza Shahs Pahlavi Dynasty would itself be overthrown in 1979 by yet another popular revolution this one replacing 2,500 years of monarchy with the Islamic Republic of Iran, a different form of autocracy that remains in power today. It is tempting to conclude that the Constitutional Revolution was an abject failure that there is, in effect, nothing to celebrate on its anniversary. But that would be shortsighted and naive. The Persian Constitutional Revolution may not have transformed Iran into a real democracy. But it set the precedent for the exercise of people power in Iran, creating one of the most robust protest cultures in the world. Other recent protests in Iran have seen retirees demanding an increase of pensions and farmers, factory workers, teachers and merchants going on strike to demonstrate against deteriorating living conditions. While most of these latest protests are fueled by social and economic issues, demonstrators have increasingly been emboldened to march through the streets calling for the fall of the regime. Beneath the current economic grievances is long-simmering frustration over the same issues that compelled Baskerville to join his Iranian students on the battlefield more than a century ago: that people should be masters of their own fate, should be free to act and think without coercion and should have a say in the decisions that rule their lives. Today, this vibrant peoples movement has yet to achieve the freedom that all Iranians deserve. But that is not because the people are too weak or the government too strong. It is because the country remains, to this day, a pawn in the hands of global powers. A tyrant stays in power by isolating his people from the rest of the world. In the case of Iran, four decades of sanctions, containment and global isolation imposed by world powers have done the tyrants work for him. The legacy of the Persian Constitutional Revolution can be seen in the Iranians who have never stopped beating on freedoms door. Now that door is cracking ever so slightly, as a government whose chief duty is to feed and protect its citizens has proved utterly incapable of doing either. Perhaps with just a little more nudging, the door will break open, and the Iranian people will again gain power, as they first did in 1906. Iowas Republican nominee for attorney general Brenna Bird said, if elected, she would challenge the Biden administration on various executive and administrative rules around climate change and the environment that she sees as hurting farmers. Bird held a press conference Wednesday with Republican Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig, criticizing both the Biden administration and Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, for what they said was federal overreach on agriculture. Bird pointed to several administrative rules, which she said shed challenge in court as Iowas attorney general, including plans to change the Waters of the U.S. rule, implementation of the Endangered Species Act and Environmental Protection Agency rules regulating the use of herbicides. Those are unconstitutional overreaches that have to be stopped, and theyre stopped in court with a federal judge, and thats exactly what I aim to do as attorney general, she said. The previous day, Bird had visited the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy facility in Council Bluffs, where she met with CEO Mike Jerke, CFO Ann Reis, plant manager Dan Wych, regulatory manager Justin Schultz, and others. She emphasized the need for greater partnership between the attorney generals office and the agriculture and biofuels industries. I think there just needs to be a greater level of engagement so that as attorney general, I can know, okay, what is coming a couple years from now as far as regulatory threats that go beyond what the federal governments allowed to do? Bird said. So that we can be prepared to work with other states that have some good AGs in them and file lawsuits or fight back bad lawsuits. Bird also criticized the Biden administration for issuing industry regulations through executive orders. Looking at whats happening in D.C. right now, I think weve got another couple of years that are gonna be very challenging when it comes to regulations just being put out rather than going through kind of a proper law and order process, she said. I think youre gonna see the executive branch doing a lot more on its own, and that has potentially devastating effects for agriculture and agribusiness, and all of Iowa. At Wednesdays press conference, Naig said climate and environmental rules from the Biden administration have hampered farmers controls over their land and warned that more regulation would hurt farmers at a time when input prices are historically high. Weve seen that this administration has not been friendly to the ag sector and further efforts along this line could make things worse, he said. Waters of the U.S. is an administrative rule that defines which waterways can be regulated by the EPA under the Clean Water Act. During President Barack Obamas presidency, the rule was extended to small streams and wetlands, which affected what farmers could do near those waterways. The rule became a common rallying point for Republican politicians, and it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in 2015. President Donald Trump in 2020 implemented a narrower reading of the rule. Under President Biden, the EPA is currently in the process of rewriting the rule. The EPA is also considering adding or changing rules around common herbicides and pesticides, which has been challenged by some farm groups and Republicans. In an interview, Miller said hes been focusing on agriculture issues for his whole career, and he said Bird was running a campaign focused on ideology and politics. We think we have a strong and broad record on serving farmers, he said. Thats always been a huge concern and priority of mine. Miller pointed to a study he commissioned in February into the causes of high fertilizer prices to determine whether price gouging was occurring in the market. In 2021, he filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court over exemptions for some fuel refineries from blending renewable fuels into their gasoline and diesel, and he said he has led antitrust efforts against the meatpacking industry. I care deeply about farmers, Ive worked with them for 40 years and Im working very closely with them as we speak on the fertilizer industry, he said. Bird also took issue with the structure of Millers farm division, a division of the office dedicated to farm issues. The division does not have dedicated attorneys, which she said shows a lack of focus on the area. The current attorney general says he has a farm division, but there are no lawyers in it at all, she said. Miller said the structure of the farm division allows for streamlined handling of agriculture issues based on the issue. Lawyers assist with the division based on their expertise, such as consumer protection and environmental law. So were able to access the right people and the right resources when we need them for farmers, he said. Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs was recently awarded a $40,000 one-year grant by United Way of the Midlands, according to a press release from Habitat. The funds will allow Habitat to increase peoples access to affordable housing and provide repairs that will preserve owner-occupied homes in the community. Habitat Council Bluffs launched the Home Owner Repair Program in spring 2021, the press release stated. The program seeks to maintain the housing stock in the community and help individuals stay in their homes. Repairs can be costly, and finding a subcontractor willing to do the smaller jobs is difficult. Habitat Council Bluffs has developed relationships with many area contractors and handles the job of securing bids, inspecting the work and meeting with the homeowner to determine if they are satisfied. This support is especially helpful with elderly applicants. Often these applicants are nervous about incompetent contractors or are unable to get bids at all. Having a recognized, knowledgeable partner walking with them throughout the process ensures the completion of quality repairs. With the help of this grant, Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs has set a goal of completing a minimum of 10 owner-occupied home repairs in 2022. This program is open to applicants at or below 80% of HUD Area Median Income for household size, owners who occupy their home and agree to partner with Habitat throughout the entire process. A recent recipient of a repair through the program stated that without the help of Habitat Council Bluffs, my home would not have been a safe place to live anymore. I cant afford to move and would have faced homelessness. United Ways support for this program is greatly appreciated, and many lives will change in a positive way, thanks to all who made a contribution, said Blake Johnson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs. United Way of the Midlands has served the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro for more than 95 years. Guided by best practices and community input, it approaches poverty in a specific way a united way. With the support of volunteers, community partners and donors, UWM invests donor dollars efficiently and effectively in our local community. These dollars fund basic needs, education and financial stability programs at local nonprofits, creating a circle of support for people in need. Please visit unitedwaymidlands.org for more information. Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs has served the community since 1993 and works hard to build strong, thriving neighborhoods and help families in need. The Habitat ReStore is a discount home improvement outlet that sells new, used, and surplus merchandise at prices 50-70% less than their retail cost, and all proceeds go back to Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs. For more information, visit habitatcb.org. Several international human rights watchdogs have lately come under virulent criticism from various sides because of their biased and controversial reports. Like Human Rights Watch, whose broad, sweeping reports conveniently omit or forget about the other side of the ledger, Amnesty International is currently under heavy criticism for a controversial report it published Friday on the situation in Ukraine. In the provocative report, AI blames Ukrainian forces for endangering the lives of civilians, by installing military infrastructure in populated areas as they repelled the Russian armed forces. The report provoked the anger of kyiv and led to the resignation of the head of the NGO in Ukraine, Oksana Pokaltchouk. The report, described as a blunder even by AI members, triggered the indignation of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who accused the NGO of attempting to whitewash what he called the terrorist Russian state by putting the victim and the aggressor in a certain way on an equal footing. For Oksana Pokaltchouk, the organization published a report which inadvertently supports the Russian version. Initially meant to protect civilians, this report has become a tool of Russian propaganda, deplores the head of AI in Ukraine who announced her resignation this Saturday, August 6. Likewise, late last month, Human Rights Watch has once again derailed from its watchdog mission issuing a politically-motivated heinous report on the state of human rights in Morocco in which allegations are taken as facts! In a 129-page report that is more of a diatribe than an objective compilation, HRW rehashed one-sided stories and statements from a group of self-proclaimed activists who have been using human rights to serve an anti-Moroccan agenda. Many analysts criticized this diatribe/report as it says much about the political intentions of HRW, and how the NGO has betrayed its ideals of objectivity in treating human rights issue. The government of Morocco has voiced deep concern over the serious deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip following the surge of deadly acts of violence and fighting between a Palestinian militant group and Israeli forces. In a statement released over the weekend, the Moroccan ministry of Foreign Affairs said Morocco, whose Sovereign, King Mohammed VI, chairs Al-Quds Committee of OIC, calls for avoiding further escalation and for calm to spare the region more tensions that will undermine the chances for peace. Rabat reiterates its constant positions supporting the rights of the Palestinian people, and reaffirms that the lasting solution to the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian State living side by side with the State of Israel in security and peace, underlines the FM statement. Like Human Rights Watchs latest controversial report on Morocco, Amnesty Internationals Friday report on the war in Ukraine is the target of strong international criticism, casting doubt on the credibility of the two NGOs, accused of pernicious actions that resemble attempts at destabilization. Amnesty Internationals latest report accusing Ukrainian forces of endangering the lives of civilians has in fact prompted the resignation of the head of the NGO, Oksana Pokaltchouk, and the indignation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has accused the NGO to attempt to absolve the terrorist state by putting the victim and the aggressor in a certain way on an equal footing. Morocco had also denounced the tendentious allegations contained in the latest HRW report and which are based on untruths distilled by the local NGO, AMDH. For the Moroccan government, these slanders will not deter Morocco from continuing to build the rule of law and institutions and defend rights and freedoms, according to its spokesperson, Mustapha Baitas. The Inter-ministerial Delegation for Human Rights (DIDH) also expressed indignation at HRW report. By acting in this way, this organization ignores the principles of professionalism, objectivity and impartiality, and thus clearly unveils itself as an instrument in the hostile and systematic campaign against Morocco. In sum, HRW one-sided biased and heinous report is evidence of the freedom that human rights activists enjoy in Morocco, the only oasis of stability and freedoms in a turbulent region mired in authoritarianism and media blackout. Actually, like Amnesty International, which is now denounced by its own officials, HRWs reports have also been denounced by one of its founders. Shortly before his death in 2019, Robert L. Bernstein called HRW morally bankrupt. As early as 2009, he had already strongly criticized, in a New York Times column, the leaders of the NGO for having misguided the initial mission of HRW which he led for 20 years in the service of the defense of human rights in the world, and which now finds itself in the ranks of organizations dedicated to slander and self-serving reporting. You probably think I do this for everybody, Meryl Streep, as Rachel, says to Jack Nicholsons Mark in the 1986 film Heartburn, after cooking up a late-night carbonara. We cant all be Meryl Streep, but you can whip up a mean pasta with this foolproof recipe from Ian Fisher, which calls for pecorino and Parmesan, egg yolks and whole eggs, and olive oil-fried guanciale, which permeates the dish with its irresistible porkiness. This dish is a deli egg-bacon-and-cheese-on-a-roll that has been pasta-fied, fancified, fetishized and turned into an Italian tradition that, like many inviolate Italian traditions, is actually far less old than the Mayflower. Because America may have contributed to its creation, carbonara is Exhibit A in the back-and-forth between Italy and the United States when it comes to food. Remember: The main goal is creaminess. Yield: 4 servings Total time: 25 minutes Salt 2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan Coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 1/2 ounces of slab guanciale, pancetta or bacon, sliced into pieces about 1/4-inch thick by 1/3-inch square 12 ounces spaghetti (about 3/4 box) 1. Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water for serving, and set aside. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper. 3. Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and saute until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside. 4. Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so. 5. Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Lebanon has called on the European Union to cooperate on a roadmap for the gradual return of Syrian refugees to their country. Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic and social crisis in its modern history, under which 80% of the Lebanese are living under poverty line, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry cited the presence of Syrian refugees as a main reason of the Lebanese economic crisis. Lebanon and the EU have a common interest in finding a sustainable solution to the Syrian displacement issue, which protects Lebanon socially, economically and on a security level, in addition to preemptively protecting European countries from the consequences of any possible deterioration, the ministry said. Lebanon calls for cooperation, consultation and dialogue to lay down a roadmap that would allow the gradual dignified and safe return of displaced Syrians to their homeland, the statement added. Lincoln County commissioners Monday are expected to choose a new county veterans service officer to succeed the retiring Paul Cooper. A proposed resolution to support the Trailblazer Pipelines conversion from natural gas to carbon dioxide transport also appears on the agenda. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the commissioners room in the North Platte courthouse, 301 N. Jeffers St. It will be livestreamed on the countys YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/UCHdGjLPMx3O-wSu3T3aMWlg. The countys Veterans Service Committee will present its choice to succeed Cooper at 9:30 a.m. The County Board then will consider whether to ratify that choice. After that vote, commissioners will decide whether to support the move by two Tallgrass Energy subsidiaries to start shipping carbon dioxide west inside the 40-year-old Trailblazer instead of natural gas east from Wyoming. Trailblazer Pipeline Co. LLC and its sister firm, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, have applied for permission for the conversion from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Public comments must arrive at FERCs Washington, D.C., office by 5 p.m. ET Wednesday. Trailblazer, finished in 1982, and the 2009 Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) run parallel to each other through southern Lincoln County, passing near Wallace and Wellfleet. REX would pick up Trailblazers natural gas load and customers along the latter pipelines western 392 miles. The eastern end, ending at Beatrice, would continue to carry natural gas. Tallgrass is developing a commercial-scale carbon sequestration hub in eastern Wyoming thats expected to go online in 2024. The Colorado parent company signed an agreement in May with Archer Daniels Midland to ship carbon dioxide from its Columbus corn processing plant. General Hospital Days of Our Lives The Young and the Restless Brace yourselves for whats about to happen next in Genoa City! #YR is new this week on @CBS. Watch the latest episodes on @paramountplus. pic.twitter.com/oEBCYXzGJl Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) August 7, 2022 The Bold and the Beautiful Breaking News! Sheila Carter is gone for good. #BoldandBeautiful is new this week on @CBS! Watch the latest episodes on @paramountplus. pic.twitter.com/AiiUzueqot Bold & The Beautiful (@BandB_CBS) August 7, 2022 This Week in Soaps history... August 12th-16th, 2013 This week on the US Daytime Soaps...Jason Derulo performed at the gala. Celia suspected that Pete had arranged for her to win the bachelor auction, but Pete denied that he'd had anything to do with it. Celia remained insecure about Colby despite Pete's assurance that he only wanted Celia.Joe intervened when a reporter asked Angie some uncomfortable questions about Jesse's resignation. Dixie suspected that David wanted to take Jesse's place in Angie's life, so Dixie warned David to keep his distance from the Hubbards. Jesse arrived at the gala drunk and became enraged when he saw David and Angie dancing together. Zach appreciated that Miranda and AJ had been there for one another as friends, but Zach urged Miranda not to let fear hold her back from opening her heart to more. Miranda was hurt when she saw Heather and AJ kissing. Cara wondered if Tad knew that JR had awakened from the coma, so Dixie confessed that she hadn't been able to reach Tad. A technical error with JR's presentation forced Brooke to resort to the backup presentation that she had prepared. Enraged, JR accused Brooke of plotting against him. Adam returned to Pine Valley for a brief visit. Colby was hurt that her father hadn't spent any time with her. David found Olivier unconscious on the floor.Wyatt set out to forge peace with Liam. Liam was willing to give it a try but warned Wyatt against making another move on Hope. Wyatt, however, had secret designs on taking Liam's place in the family business. In Monte Carlo, Bill told Brooke that he was ready to commit his life to her. Brooke, however, insisted that they hear Katie out before making any decisions. They flew back home, and Katie implored Bill to give the marriage another chance. Carter became smitten after a kiss and platonic night with Maya. Maya and Rick made up about Rick missing the premiere, but Carter's kiss lingered in her mind.Someone sent Sami a threatening message in jail. Gabi showed Sami a video from Rafe that moved Sami to tears. E.J.'s plan to frame Bernardi backfired. The judge granted Sami a closed trial but upheld the order to deny her bail. Sami and Kate learned the gruesome truth behind Stefano's actions against Rafe.The book club members who met at Jennifer's house accidentally ate the doughnuts that J.J. had spiked with marijuana. Daniel told Jennifer that he could not be with her on her terms, but later had second thoughts about his decision. J.J. was happy when he thought that Jennifer was no longer dating Daniel.Chad told Cameron that he would fight hard against his brain cancer.Will confronted Brent about his feelings for Sonny. Later, Sonny reassured Will that no one would ever stand between them.Eric seemed moved by Kristen's compassion for children. Brady nearly caught Kristen with a home pregnancy test kit. Kristen told Jennifer that she might be pregnant, but that Brady would not be the daddy.Brady and Nicole remembered Madison a year after her death.Rafe met his female physical therapist, Jordan.E.J. asked for Rafe's help to free Sami, but Rafe told E.J. that he could not break the law. Jennifer, Abigail, and J.J. remembered Jack at the memorial service.Nicole caught a glimpse of Kristen holding a home pregnancy test kit.Luke learned that the Balkan had shot Sean with a bullet that had been laced with polonium-210. Luke vowed to find the cure for himself and for Sean, so Sean gave Luke information that led Luke and Holly to Corinth, PA, and an abandoned home of a woman who had murdered her entire family and numerous friends.Dr. Obrecht attempted to kill Anna, but Duke inadvertently ingested the propofol-tainted champagne. Duke recalled seeing the diabolical doctor before he had passed out, so he shared the information with Anna when he woke up from a brief coma. Spinelli discovered that Liesl Westbourne had changed her name to Liesl Obrecht, so Spinelli and Felix warned Anna that Britt might be harboring Britt's evil mother. Anna arrested Britt. Dr. Obrecht managed to escape but soon found herself looking down the barrel of Luke's gun.Mac and Felicia went ahead with their wedding, but an unwanted guest crashed the ceremony.Michael raced to the courthouse to stop Morgan and Kiki's wedding, but he was too late. Morgan denied that he had known that Kiki was not a Quartermaine prior to the wedding.Lulu became concerned when she noticed that Maxie had developed a maternal attachment to the baby. Maxie's water broke.Connie overheard Olivia admit to Sonny that Olivia and Sonny should have fought for each other.David agreed to paint Rama as the villain on his reality show by blaming Rama for being the driving force behind the breakdown of his marriage to Dorian.Viki showed Clint the damaging video of him punching Diego at Shelter and advised Clint to step down as Man of the Year. Clint accused Viki of trying to ruin him and threatened to pull his large donation from the organization if he didn't receive his award. Dorian advised Viki to post the video of Clint, so Viki discussed it with Natalie. Natalie pointed out that Clint had only himself to blame for his disgraceful actions. The Veterans' Organization dumped Clint after the damaging video surfaced.Bo was selected as the new Man of the Year. Tea was shocked when she noticed Blair's wedding ring. Blair refused to let Tea wallow in misery, so she insisted that Tea attend the gala.Carl Peterson was pleased that Jeffrey had followed the plan to befriend Matthew in London, to get close to Viki, and to replace one of Clint's prescriptions with a drug that had made Clint "go nuts." Carl Peterson revealed that his sister, Allison, had Victor and that Todd would be walking into a trap. Everyone gathered for the gala as Clint sat in his office, drinking and seething with rage.Victor refused to give in to Billy's bribery attempt, and he publicly declared his support of Adam. Melanie vowed not to back off until Adam's life was ruined. Victoria and Billy reunited. Chelsea gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Connor. Victoria agreed to stop threatening to tell the truth about Connor's paternity. Chelsea ordered Anita out of her life.Lily and Devon were suspicious of Hilary's true motives. The blogger's posts caused tension in Cane and Lily's marriage. Neil offered to meet the blogger in person to explain his role in Rose's death, but the blogger declined. Neil suspected that the blogger was Rose's daughter, Anne. Hilary had a photo of Rose on her computer, and she spied on Neil.Sharon faked a sprained ankle to spend time with Nick. Sharon received a speeding ticket from the night of the gala. Sharon turned down Adam's request to be a character witness.Avery returned home and found Sharon, Nick, and Faith in a cozy situation.Jack fought the urge to call his dealer. Summer opened up to Jack.Summer was upset when she saw Kyle on a date.Katherine's family and friends received postcards from various places around the world. Katherine summoned her loved ones to her home for a homecoming party, but the guests were concerned when Katherine and Murphy didn't show up. As a storm raged outside, Murphy called to inform Jill that he'd be late, and everyone wondered what had happened to Katherine.THE WEEK OF AUGUST 11th-15th, 2003Eve arrived home unexpectedly and nearly spotted TC and Liz kissing.Chad, Fox and Whitney caught Ethan and Theresa is bed together. Fox got Vivian to keep Chad busy while he tried to spend time alone with Whitney.Luis asked Beth to undergo an ultrasound so he could be more involved with her pregnancy.Gwen had a nightmare about Ethan and Theresa. Source 3 and Source 4 I need that "This just keeps on getting better and better" gif from The Mummy Reply Thread Link Oh, haven't seen the mummy in a while. THat might make my day better. Thanks for that! Reply Parent Thread Link Lol I like it when actors are honest like this Reply Thread Link Again: Fuck everybody involved with this shit. What kind of pr nonsense. I tried arguing against it, but you know, were recreating books in another medium so we cant possibly take any creative decisions whatsoever. FUCK YOU MATT! Reply Thread Link Was this series based off books tho? ETA I see they are based on a book, but a real book, not some money grab tie in attempt. Edited at 2022-08-07 08:31 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link It's based off a book, but the book itself is told from a third party POV who is collecting the history of the Targaryens. I haven't read it because I refuse to read anything else by GRRM unless TWOW comes out, so people can correct me if I'm wrong. But it's not how the ASOIAF books are written. Like, instead of a story, it's written as if non-fiction (if the world of ASOIAF were real). Edited at 2022-08-07 08:59 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I mean, I dont think Matt would have a say though in whether scenes stay in. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't want to see Matt Smith having sex with anybody. Reply Thread Link not unless he's doing the morbius dance Reply Parent Thread Link so unrealistic lol Reply Parent Thread Link Their hips aren't even moving together in the second one, they look like two eels fighting Reply Parent Thread Link that last gif is my thirteenth reason jfc Reply Parent Thread Link It's weird to remember that, compared to the racist pilot they did with Naomi Watts, this was the less bad Game of Thrones prequel option. Reply Thread Link idk what is going on with naomi watts' career lately but girl deserves much better than what she is getting Reply Parent Thread Link Racist pilot?? Reply Parent Thread Link long story short: the other show was supposed to be about the children of the forest, a non-human species. On GoT that species was very make-up intensive, so the people making the pilot decided to shortcut all that make-up by... casting all black actors as the non-humans because you know... that's how you know they're not human? it was so wildly racist that HBO was like, nope Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Except isnt Fire & Blood not a novel? Isnt it written more like a historical account being dictated? Are there sex scenes in it to begin with? Reply Thread Link I read the (incredibly repetitive) book but can't remember any sex scenes and definitely not sexy ones. Just "he lay with her", "he laid with her sister", "he laid with her mother", "he laid with his mother" etc, pretty sure. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Edited at 2022-08-08 02:46 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link GRRM's mind... imagine mapping out incestuous family trees Reply Parent Thread Link the way this is written out is sending me lmao "he laid with his mother" the escalation!! Edited at 2022-08-07 09:03 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link The escalation of this is sending me, he was dad vibes for 2022. Love is dad truly Reply Parent Thread Link I read it when it came out (before Season 8 of GoT killed my interest), and yeah it is a history book so no, there's no sex scenes. Edited at 2022-08-07 08:16 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link It's written as a historical account and there are no sex scenes. It's mentioned like so-and-so liked to lay with his wife a lot, so-and-so was trying very hard to conceive, etc. but no sex scenes. Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] and an implied abuser based off of spoilers Edited at 2022-08-07 09:26 pm (UTC) Basically, the in universe author of the book uses multiple sources and one of them is overly salacious and the type to say sex was involved in a certain event while another is full puritan and said it's a false rumor and never happened; i.e. character x took character y's virginity instead of z or c, y tried to seduce a or vice versa, h had a secret love affair with v (who may or may not even exist), etc. From what I've gathered the show runners were either trying to go for a middle ground between this kinky sex thing happened and another source saying it's completely false, or completely removing it from the show all together. Outside one of the characters being a sex pest, the most fucked up sexual situation GRRM came up with would either happen at the very end of the show or will most likely be removed. Reply Parent Thread Link someone lied to him Reply Parent Thread Link lol ONTD is gonna be thrilled about this, I know y'all just dying for some Matt Smith smut! Reply Thread Link ONTDs future boyfriend (until he does something to remind everyone hes a white guy). Reply Parent Thread Link Any Matt Smith sex scene is an unnecessary sex scene Reply Thread Link a truly unfortunate foot face Reply Parent Thread Link Any sex scene with Matt Smith is never needed. In anything. Thanks. Reply Thread Link But Fire and Blood reads like a history book. You could easily just cut so many of these out because it's basically a free for all when it comes to adaptation. I'm-- Reply Thread Link Maybe now that it's a man saying it the neckbeards will pay attention. Or they'll just use this as "see, it's not just the women who have to do those scenes", which is more likely. Reply Thread Link Why do I feel like most, if not all, of his sex scenes will be him aggressively pounding a female character from behind before discarding her like a used tissue? Reply Thread Link none of them will be playing that HAVE SEX HAVE SEX song from Morbius in the background and thus will be disappointing Reply Parent Thread Link I can't remember a single sex scene in GOT that was not like this tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Because thats what sex is on tv and film Reply Parent Thread Link And without lube. I hate it. Reply Parent Thread Link lol Matt Smith catching strays in this post damn Reply Thread Link Making editorial decisions to cut superfluous scenes is not diluting source material, its a necessary part of adapting for film. Still, he probably cant sit there and totally trash the producers of his current project mid promo without at least pretending to see their viewpoint lol Reply Thread Link You know what? When even A MAN is coming out to say he feels like the sex scenes are too much says a lot about the direction this series is going to take. I think I'm going to stick with th new LOTR adaption, thanks. Reply Thread Link I agree. But the truth is I would be glued to the screen if it was a hot man saying this. Reply Parent Thread Link As we enter heating season in Europe, which is still struggling with a natural gas shortage, demand for distillates will only climb. Distillate fuel inventories in the U.S. just witnessed the biggest drawdown for this time of year in at least 32 years. With a European ban on Russian crude and fuels looming, diesel markets are set to tighten even further despite weak economic growth. Despite signs of weakening economic growth globally, regional diesel markets are tight and could tighten even further when winter comes and when Europe bans imports of Russian crude and fuels. Distillate fuel inventories are low in the United States and Europe. Stockpiles in the U.S. haven't increased this summer as usual, and in one month since the end of June, they have seen the biggest drawdown for this time of the year in at least 32 years. The fuel market in Europe is even tighter as industries and utilities look to switch to oil products from natural gas, whose prices are at record highs after Russia slashed deliveries to the EU and showed it could not be considered a reliable energy supplier. Over the next few months, the shortages could become even worse when heating season begins, which will coincide with the planned EU ban on imports of Russian seaborne fuels at the start of 2023. The U.S. exports growing volumes of diesel to Europe, but it is unlikely to ramp up flows much higher because American inventories are also well below seasonal averages while refineries already operate at close to capacity levels. Distillate fuel inventories in the United States fell by 2.4 million barrels in the week to July 29 and are about 25% below the five-year average for this time of year, the latest weekly inventory report by the EIA showed this week. At 109.3 million barrels as of July 29, the stockpile of diesel, heating oil, and other distillate fuel oils currently sits at its lowest level for this time of the year since 1996, according to estimates from Reuters market analyst John Kemp. Typically, U.S. distillate fuel inventories rise during the summer season when refiners process crude into more gasoline to meet summer driving season demand. But this has not been the case this year. In fact, distillate stocks fell in July by up to 3 million barrels, which is the largest seasonal drawdown since at least 1990, Kemp notes. In Europe, the looming EU embargo on Russian crude and products is prompting traders to source growing amounts of diesel from non-Russian sources. The U.S. has been one such source, and its exports hit 1.4 million bpd in July, the highest in five years. A lot of the increase is coming from Europe. Europe itself hasn't made a significant advance in cutting its diesel imports from Russia - it actually increased imports of Russian diesel in July, data from energy analytics firm Vortexa showed this week. European diesel imports from Russia rose to an unseasonably high level of 680,000 bpd in July, up by 13% month-on-month and 22% year over year, and outpacing non-Russian supplies by about 200,000 bpd, according to Vortexa data. Related: Energy Bills Are Set To Soar In The UK "Overall it appears questionable whether Europeans will manage to fully carry through on the announced diesel import ban, given record diesel prices already over the last five months, Europe's rising rather than falling dependency on Russian diesel, limitations within the global refining system, and the likely significant role of diesel as a replacement fuel for natural gas and power shortfalls. The above will challenge the resolve of Europe and its politicians in particular," Vortexa Chief Economist David Wech wrote. Going forward, it will be crucial to see if U.S. refiners attracted by high European margins would produce more diesel for export to Europe, Wech told the Financial Times. According to U.S. refiners, there isn't much room for a further increase in diesel shipments from America to Europe. Gary Simmons, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Valero Energy, said on the Q2 earnings call last week that "It's going to be a real challenge for us to be able to supply a lot more diesel into Europe." With U.S. inventories low and "the industry basically running all out," "it's very difficult for me seeing that there's going to be a lot of flow from the U.S. into Europe," Simmons added. Fuel supply across Europe is being further disrupted by critically low water levels on the River Rhine, a major petroleum product transportation corridor. The German unit of OMV told Bloomberg it "is observing a current run on heating oil and diesel." Even as economies slow down, the fuel switch to oil from gas in Europe as we approach the winter heating season is likely to support distillate fuel demand and potentially tighten the diesel market further. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gazprom is not just losing a commercial opportunity -- and taxes for the state -- but also actively destroying its own market, Nadia Kazakova, an energy analyst said. Gazprom possesses the world's largest reserves of natural gas, but losing one of its biggest markets could crush its profitability. Gazproms future is facing increasing uncertainty as Europe races to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. When senior managers at Kremlin-controlled natural gas producer Gazprom arrived in New York in February 2020 to present a business update to U.S. investors, the company had just wrapped up the best three-year stretch in its export history. Gazprom had delivered an average of nearly 200 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas a year via pipeline to Europe, including Turkey -- one-third more than the average over the previous decade and generated more than $120 billion in revenue over that period. The management team told the U.S. investors that it expected Gazproms exports to Europe to remain around that record level for the next decade, extending the financial windfall for the company -- a key pillar of the Russian economy -- far into the future. Two years later, the prognosis is starkly different. Russian President Vladimir Putins decision to launch a large-scale assault on Ukraine and his moves to cut gas exports to the European Union over its support for Kyiv following the February 24 invasion -- have cost Gazprom that lucrative future on the continent, experts say. The company -- considered a Kremlin slush fund because of its business ties to friends and close associates of Putin -- stands to lose hundreds of billions of dollars in European revenue over the long term. And that bleak outlook will have ripple effects on Gazproms efforts to compensate with a pivot to Asia by undermining its negotiating position with China, experts said. In the short term, though, Gazprom can expect to enjoy a bonanza. Even as its volumes to Europe tumble, the company will generate record export revenue this year -- and strong earnings over the next two to three years -- because prices for the fuel have surged amid a shortage triggered by what Brussels has called Kremlin blackmail. But by mid-decade, as new supplies of natural gas flood the market and the EU further cuts Russian gas imports, Gazprom will face a sharp drop in revenue and profits at a time when the rest of the economy will be struggling under Western sanctions, analysts say. Gazproms rising exports to Asia will not offset the lost income. The impact on Russia will be meaningful as Gazprom is one of the nations largest companies by revenue, employees, and capital expenditures, and is a major contributor to the federal budget. 'Off The Boil' Gazprom is not just losing a commercial opportunity -- and taxes for the state -- but also actively destroying its own market, Nadia Kazakova, an analyst at the U.K.-based Renaissance Energy Advisors, told RFE/RL. Gas prices in Europe will eventually come off the boil but Gazprom will never recover its market share, she said. In Russias long-term planning for Gazprom, it was never supposed to be Europe or Asia -- it was supposed to be both, with eastward exports serving as a growth driver for the company and the country. Gazprom possesses the world's largest reserves of natural gas, enough to supply both continents with large quantities of the fuel for decades. Before the February invasion of Ukraine, Gazprom had been Europes biggest gas supplier, accounting for about one-third of the continents needs. Putin apparently did not expect that to change. He was clearly confident of a quick and decisive victory in Ukraine -- one that would subordinate Kyiv to the Kremlin -- and analysts say he apparently believed the West would grudgingly accept that outcome, with the United States and the EU imposing limited sanctions as they did after Moscows seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Instead, the European Union has vowed to sharply cut imports of Russian energy, including gas, to deprive Moscow of revenue for its military campaign -- albeit gradually, at a pace aimed to ease the pain for EU countries and their citizens. Putin has tried to turn the tables on the EU by reducing gas flows to the bloc at a faster pace, helping drive prices to record highs and sparking fears that Russia might completely halt exports this winter. Natural gas is largely used for heating homes and buildings in winter, in industrial processes, and for generating power. Right now, Russia [is] calling the shots, said Karolina Siemieniuk, a gas analyst at the Norway-based research firm Rystad Energy, in a July 26 note. 'Russias Game Plan' Kazakova said she does not expect Putin to completely cut off gas exports to Europe. Russias game plan is to keep exports to Europe flowing at a level which allows the government to collect sufficient revenues and taxes but potentially keeps Germanys gas market short, she said. Germany had been the largest importer of Russian gas in Europe. Based on current prices and volumes, Kazakova expects Gazprom to earn $79 billion in European export revenue this year and $67 billion next year, far surpassing the record $51 billion it received in 2021. Sergei Vakulenko, a Bonn-based independent energy analyst, said in a post that some Russian officials may be betting that a peace deal on Ukraine will include an agreement with the West on long-term Russian gas supplies and forgiveness of legal claims stemming from cutoffs. Such a wager on the Kremlins part would be a colossal miscalculation, Ed Chow, an energy analyst at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told RFE/RL. Even if the war in Ukraine were to end immediately, irreparable damage has been done to the decades-old symbiotic gas relationship between Europe and Russia, he said. After building a reputation as a reliable gas supplier for more than 50 years, Russia has thrown it out the window in five months, Chow said. Moscow never cut off its gas supply to Western Europe for political gain during the Cold War. Rather, it served as a bridge between the two camps, analysts said. Bread And Butter European sales have been Gazproms bread and butter over the decades, accounting for around 70 percent of the companys gas revenue and 40 percent of total revenue. Gazprom, which sells more gas by volume domestically than it sells to Europe, also generates revenue from oil and power production. European sales enabled Gazprom to overcome the turbulent 1990s, when Russia was transitioning to a market economy and many households and companies could not -- or would not -- pay for gas. Grasping the potential power of Gazproms influence at home and abroad, Putin quickly took steps to consolidate his control over the company after first taking office in 2000. In May 2001, a year after his inauguration, Putin ousted the companys long-serving chief, Rem Vyakhirev, and installed Aleksei Miller, a loyalist from his hometown of St. Petersburg. Miller runs the company to this day. Putin early on defeated bids by powerful business interests to break up Gazprom and end its monopoly on pipeline exports. He also began using it as a foreign policy tool -- mainly, at first, in scraps with other former Soviet republics. 'Last Hurrah' Looking to the future, Europes gradual shift toward alternative sources of energy to combat climate change meant that Russias revenue from fossil fuels sales to the continent would eventually decline. But the Kremlin could have still expected two more decades of abundant last hurrah oil and gas revenue, Thane Gustafson, a professor at Georgetown University who has written several books on Russias energy industry, said in a recent post. The invasion will likely shorten that period of respite, he said. Related: China Hits Back At The United States Following Pelosi Visit To Taiwan The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that Gazproms pipeline exports to Europe will fall to about 80 bcm by 2025 -- about 40 percent of the peak reached in 2018. The EU, which accounts for the lions share of Europes gas demand, has said it will aim to end Russian gas imports by 2027 though some analysts say that could be hard to achieve. James Henderson, chairman of the gas research program at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, said that Europe does not need to completely halt Russian gas to end Kremlin influence over the sector. He said that reducing Russias share of the European gas market to less than 10 percent, or less than 50 bcm annually, would essentially end Moscows sway if those exports were spread around many nations. 'Second-Best' As Gazprom loses its dominant position in Europe, it is seeking to widen its footprint in Asia, especially in the fast-growing gas market of China -- a shift that coincides with Moscows sharpening geopolitical turn toward Beijing amid increasing isolation from the West due to anger and dismay over its unprovoked war on Ukraine. Russia could begin exporting additional volumes of natural gas to China through a new pipeline by as early as 2027 -- just when the EU aims to end imports -- if the two sides can reach a deal, said Henderson. Moscow and Beijing have been in talks for years over Power of Siberia 2, which would carry up to 50 bcm of natural gas to China from fields on Yamal, the peninsula in northwestern Siberia that supplies Europe with fuel. Russia is currently exporting gas to China through Power of Siberia 1 from fields in Eastern Siberia. That pipeline is expected to reach its maximum capacity of 38 bcm in 2024. Russias loss of the European market makes a deal with China more urgent and thus weakens the Kremlins negotiating position, Chow said. It is a case of deja vu. The Kremlin was desperate to sign a deal with Beijing for Power of Siberia 1 after the West first slapped sanctions on Russia in 2014 following the occupation and takeover of Crimea. China was able to clinch an agreement at a very attractive price, Chow said. Kazakova, the U.K.-based analyst, estimated that China in July paid about a quarter of what Europeans paid for Gazproms pipeline gas. Russia is simply late to the Asian energy market and will never achieve the dominant position it had in Europe, Nikos Tsafos, the chief energy adviser to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and a former analyst at CSIS said in a May note. In volume terms, Asia could maybe match Europe one day as a market for Russian gas, but as a source of income and geopolitical heft, Asia will be a second-best alternative. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After seeing a short-term bullish rebound in July, aluminum prices began to decline again in early August modestly. All in all, the rebound was insufficient to suggest a bullish reversal. As such, global aluminum prices remain within a macro downtrend despite recent directional uncertainty. Aluminum Prices Move Sideways as Energy Costs Make Production Unprofitable Before Russian energy giant Gazprom decided to cut Nord Stream 1 gas flows to 20%, Europe had already shuttered roughly half of its aluminum smelting capacity. According to Alcoa CEO Roy Harvey, high energy prices mixed with low aluminum spot prices in June made between 10% and 20% of global aluminum smelting operations unprofitable. In China alone, smelter unprofitability extended to around 50% that month. Meanwhile, Norsk Hydro ASA CFO Kildemo estimated that more than one-third of global smelters had operated at a loss. Now that European countries face energy rationing as energy prices continue upward, aluminum production, especially in Europe, remains pressured. According to a survey conducted by the German Aluminum Association, 9 out of 10 companies would be unable to switch energy sources should gas become unavailable. Indeed, energy shortages could cause the roughly 900,000 tons of production cutbacks weve witnessed this year to double moving into 2023. Europes energy crisis was enough to pause the 4-month downtrend in aluminum prices, if only temporarily. Since mid-July, prices appeared to hit a bottom, reaching their lowest point since April of 2021. Soon after reaching this grim milestone, they began to move sideways. Its true that the crisis may not be enough to reverse the price trend, especially amid a worsening global demand outlook. Still, for now, its enough to add some visible friction to the downward momentum. China is Filling Supply Gaps on Both Sides of the Sanctions So far this year, Chinese products have increasingly filled the gaps left in the wake of the war in Ukraine. And while Western sanctions have avoided targeting Russian aluminum specifically, the downstream effects of Australias export bans on bauxite ore and alumina have disrupted Russian production nonetheless. Related: Sanctions Are Making It Difficult For Afghanistan To Pay Its Energy Debts That said, Chinas increased alumina production and its willingness to ship to Russia limits the effects of these shortages. These shipments have also helped turn China into a net exporter of alumina, a rank it achieved back in April. In Russian LNG exports once destined for Europe have now pivoted toward China. In addition to alumina, China boosted both its primary aluminum production and exports. Specifically, primary unwrought aluminum exports rose by nearly 364% in the first half of the year over 2021, with a large portion of that material going to Europe. Aluminum Ingots Hit Hardest, But Semis Also Impacted While ingot production will suffer the brunt of Europes energy crisis, semis will also see an undeniable impact. For one, any reduction of primary metal and increase in physical delivery costs will support conversion premiums, especially if high prices are to blame. Secondly, European semis mills continue to face competition from Chinese imports. Its true that some Chinese-sourced products have quota restrictions and/or anti-dumping duties, but many do not. Beyond that, those duties become more easily surmountable as the cost of European-produced semi-manufactured products increases. The return of European anti-dumping duties following a temporary suspension should stem at least some of the flow from China. Nonetheless, semis exports from the country continue to increase. Following an 18% year-over-year rise in 2021, semis exports have seen a 28% increase since the start of 2022. By AG Metal Miner More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When the company that became Enron skipped town en route to its corporate meltdown, executive Howard Hawks decided to remain in Omaha and start something new. After co-founding Tenaska Energy in 1987, Hawks helped build an $18 billion company that now ranks among the largest privately held corporations of any kind in the United States. Now after 35 years of executive leadership at Tenaska, Hawks is preparing to step down as company chairman. His move is also leading to a reshuffling at the top of Tenaska. Current CEO Jerry Crouse will transition into the role of chairman of the board, taking over at the end of the year. And Chris Leitner, currently president of a Tenaska group focused on strategy and acquisitions, will succeed Crouse as president and CEO. Hawks, who recently turned 87, said the changes have been in the works as part of its long-term succession plan. He had previously stepped down as CEO in 2010. Hawks said he plans to remain actively engaged and involved with the company as both a member of the board and chairman emeritus, helping guide the companys overall direction and management. I have a major stake in this company, and I plan to continue tending to it, he said. I have worked with Jerry and Chris for many years, and we are aligned in our understanding of Tenaskas mission, goals and strategy. In 1985, Omaha-based natural gas company InterNorth acquired a Texas-based power company, then moved its headquarters to Houston and became Enron. But Hawks and five other former InterNorth executives decided to stay in Omaha to start a new energy company. In 1987, they launched Tenaska, with Hawks as chairman and CEO. Hawks team set out to use their combined experience and contacts in the private energy field. Enron eventually collapsed under a corporate scandal that sent some of its executives to prison. But Tenaska thrived. Over the past 35 years, it has developed expertise in power plant development and operation, including renewables; buying and selling electricity, natural gas and biofuels; finding, producing and delivering natural gas; and putting together billion-dollar energy deals. The private energy companys profile is relatively low in its home state. Since Nebraskas power is provided by publicly owned utilities, most of Tenaskas plants are elsewhere. But Tenaska, which has 700 employees, currently ranks 53rd on Forbes list of Americas largest privately held companies. Its also the nations No. 2 marketer of natural gas. Hawks was selected as the first independent power representative on the board of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. and is a member of both the Omaha Business Hall of Fame and Nebraska Business Hall of Fame. In addition to his leadership of Tenaska, Hawks served for 18 years on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents before deciding not to seek election to a fourth term two years ago. A native of Bruning, Nebraska, Hawks said the leadership changes at Tenaska will also free up more time for philanthropic interests important to him and his wife, Rhonda. That includes ongoing efforts to raise $60 million for an outpatient mental health treatment facility in Omaha. Hawks also has served on the boards of Creighton University, Joslyn Art Museum, the Omaha zoo, Boys & Girls Club of Omaha, the Greater Omaha Chamber, Methodist Hospital, Heritage Omaha, the Omaha Symphony and Opera Omaha. Crouse joined Tenaska in 1991. Prior to taking over as CEO, he served as chief financial officer. (Crouse) has played an integral role in driving growth and innovation in our business, and I look forward to his next chapter as chairman, Hawks said. Leitner joined Tenaska in 2003 as an executive responsible for investing capital and managing energy-related assets. Crouse said Leitner is an innovator who understands Tenaskas history and culture. He is the right leader at the right time to help navigate our company through an increasingly complex and changing energy landscape, Crouse said. The 6th Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, James M. McCoy, was laid to rest during an interment ceremony at the Omaha National Cemetery on July 29. McCoy, who served as the first senior enlisted advisor of Strategic Air Command and was selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year in 1974, passed away July 13 at the age of 91. In attendance were multiple dignitaries, including Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass and five former Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force. He dedicated his life to service, Bass said. Service to his nation, service to our Air Force, and most importantly, service to our Airmen and their families. The Air Force Honor Guard performed the military honors while two B-52H Stratofortress from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, provided a flyover. He wore the uniform for over 30 years, but his impact extends to our Airmen still serving today, Bass said. Our Airmen and our Air Force are no doubt better off because of him. As the 6th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, McCoy set out to improve the enlisted retention rate that had dropped to as low as 25% in the late 1970s. He also created the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program and expanded professional military education options. McCoy also worked to introduce maternity uniforms for female Airmen. One of the unique aspects of McCoys career lay in his time at Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School, now Airman Leadership School, where he instructed the 5th Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force and his friend Robert Gaylor. I am filled with mixed emotions, Gaylor said. I am saddened by the loss I feel of my very dear friend and at the same time, I am uplifted having the many years Ive spent serving with him. We were like brothers. He died 17 days short of his birthday and is survived by his wife, Kathy McCoy, and seven of his eight children: Debbie Paxton, Jim McCoy, Teresa Cloughesy, Barb Branco, Steve McCoy, Matt McCoy and Tom McCoy. One son, Mike McCoy, preceded him in death. View more photos from the ceremony at tinyurl.com/jamesmccoy. In the popular culture and various corners of our own lives, we confront the unknown in one form or another, learning something about our own fears and desires. The examples defy rational explanation. The Monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Mist in Stephen Kings novella. The Smoke Monster in Lost. The Great Boyg in Henrik Ibsens Peer Gynt. The line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, its shape and duration endlessly mutating into something beyond human comprehension. Annihilation adds a nervy but frustrating chapter to this encyclopedia of metaphor. Advertisement It comes from writer-director Alex Garland, whose previous film, Ex Machina (2015), was unusually effective speculative fiction involving artificial intelligence and Oscar Issacs dance moves. Here, no such levity: Garland adapts Annihilation from the first in a 2014 trio of books by Jeff VanderMeer collectively known as the Southern Reach Trilogy. Its place on the bafflement spectrum lies midway between the Mist on one end, and the Monolith on the other. The plot sounds like a straight-ahead Predator scenario, but with a weirder variety of predators and a predominantly female ensemble. An extraterrestrial life form crash-lands by a lighthouse somewhere along the Florida coast. The resulting, amorphous phenomenon, called The Shimmer (Area X in VanderMeers novel) invites exploration and human intervention, since it may well destroy Earth as we know it. A dozen separate teams on a dozen separate missions, however, have gone missing once inside the translucent Shimmer. Advertisement Natalie Portman leads the latest mission. She plays Lena, an ex-Army biologist whose husband (Oscar Isaac) has disappeared, along with so many others, inside The Shimmer on previous forays. Lena heads a team of formidable colleagues: Anya, a tough Chicago paramedic (Gina Rodriguez of Jane the Virgin); physicist Josie (Tessa Thompson of Thor: Ragnarok and Westworld); and anthropologist Cass (Tuva Novotny). Jennifer Jason Leigh portrays the mission overseer, a psychologist who knows more than shes telling a Jennifer Jason Leigh specialty. The Shimmer has put the whammy on its little corner of earthly, swampy paradise, remaking the ecosystems on a cellular level, causing species of flora and fauna to mutate, while making conventional time and human psychology its plaything. Garland maintains a scrupulously methodical pace throughout this journey. The tone is somber, grief-shrouded, yet there are glimmers of wonder as the women find themselves transformed, in ways alternately subtle and alarming, by the world inside the aurora borealis blob. What does Lena find when she arrives at her destination? Many things, among them: spoilers; a subjective riddle; a metaphysical tunnel containing well, as I said, thats a spoiler. Many inevitably will be driven nuts by Annihilation because this is not 1968 and this is not 2001, which found a huge popular audience ready to tangle with Stanley Kubricks brilliant, icy imaginings. The narrative direction taken by Garland (the climactic discovery is considerably wiggier than the novels) trades in a degree of ambiguity and philosophical reflection rare in commercial moviemaking today. And yet it doesnt quite fall together in that transporting way of top-flight science fiction. The occasional jolts are jolting, all right, as the mission encounters a speedy, hungry albino alligator and, later, a mutated bear-beast (the latter makes for a particularly grueling attack sequence). But the movie feels torn between styles and intentions. Its trippier than Ex Machina, and Garland makes a valiant go of its concerns, but Annihilation feels like a short-story amount of story pulled and twisted into feature length. Commercially, of course, its prudent to venture into avant garde science fiction territory on a smallish budget, the way Jonathan Glazer did with his truly disorienting and memorable 2013 alien visitation film Under the Skin. Shot in mid-2016, Annihilation reportedly tested not well, leading to a dispute between its producers and, ultimately, the decision on behalf of Paramount Pictures to sell the overseas streaming rights to Netflix for a substantial portion of the films estimated $55 million budget. (The movie goes to Netflix in other markets a mere 17 days after its theatrical bow stateside.) Finance aside, certain ideas and images stay with you, and thats to the credit of Garland, the performers, cinematographer Rob Hardy (filming took place at Pinewood Studios near London) and a host of designers. You may find yourself thinking about Annihilation a few days after you see it, simply because the idea of a reordered world of new life forms is so powerful. Heres a peculiarity, though: The Shimmer itself? It looks sort of blah. The sight and presence of the alien jellyfishy thingie should be an omnipresent source of dread, wonder or a mixture of the two. As realized in Annihilation, its oddly ordinary. Some big ideas, metaphorical or not, are very hard to realize on screen. I will try this movie again sometime. And I wonder if a stranger, more persuasively boggling directors cut might someday emerge from the swamp. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @phillipstribune [ RELATED: Interview with 'Annihilation' costars Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez and Tessa Thompson ] [ The Tribune's Michael Phillips on Alex Garland's 'Ex Machina,' 'sleek and stylishly ominous every second' ] [ In 'Black Panther,' she's the one-woman geek-squad princess ] ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Two Anchorage police officers violated department policy during a traffic stop last month when a woman in town for a rally by former President Donald Trump showed them a white privilege card instead of a drivers license and was not ticketed, an Alaska newspaper reported. However, its not clear what policy was violated or what disciplinary actions the two officers faced, if any, because the department is treating it as a confidential personnel matter, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Mimi Israelah said in a Facebook post that she was pulled over for weaving at 3:43 a.m. on July 9 while driving to a pizzeria in Anchorage after arriving on an early-morning flight from California for Trumps rally. She couldnt find her drivers license, she wrote on Facebook in a now-deleted post. When I saw my White Privilege card, I gave to him if its ok, she wrote. He laughed and called his partner. Its their first time to see a White Privileged (sic) card, she said. The top of the novelty card reads: White Privilege Card Trumps Everything. Israelah in her Twitter biography describes herself as Pinay, or a woman of Filipino origin. A video apparently taken by Israelah of the encounter has been reposted on Twitter. Two officers are seen standing outside her car window. She asks one, You like my White Privilege card? One officer says, Thats hilarious. Anchorage police officers identified in the incident were Nicholas Bowe and Charles Worland. Deputy Chief Sean Case said some people who saw the post had negative reactions to it, and believed it was inappropriate. We recognize that, he said. Israelah was not cited during the stop. She did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Anchorage municipal code requires that all drivers carry their license at all times when operating a vehicle. Police spokesperson Sunny Guerin said police can do a computer check to determine if a person has a valid drivers license. Police Sgt. Jeremy Conkling, president of the police union, said officers have discretion and generally dont write citations for minor offenses, like not having a physical license present. Especially in this circumstance, where you had a very, very low-level minor offense and the officers are really just focused on trying to find DUIs Im not at all surprised they didnt write a citation. I dont know that a lot of officers would have written that citation, if any, Conkling said. However, Celeste Hodge Growden, president of the Alaska Black Caucus, said she wonders if the lack of citation was tied to the novelty card. Is it because the white privilege card was effective? she asked. Worland and Bowe were placed on administrative during the 11-day investigation, Case said. Police would not provide additional information about the internal investigation, including which policies were violated and what, if any, repercussions the officers faced. The investigation regarding the incident is completed and is a part of confidential personnel files that will not be released publicly, Guerin said. Another police spokesperson said both officers remain employed by the department. Hodge Growden said she wants the police department to accept accountability for what happened and be transparent about any disciplinary actions the officers faced. This could have been a teachable moment, she said. MANILA, Philippines (AP) Newly elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday the Philippines has no plan to rejoin the International Criminal Court, a decision that supports his predecessors stance but rejects the wishes of human rights activists. Former President Rodrigo Duterte withdrew the Philippines from The Hague-based court in 2019 in a move rights activists said was an attempt to evade accountability and prevent an international probe into thousands of killings in his campaign against illegal drugs. The Philippines has no intention of rejoining the ICC, Marcos Jr. said in response to a question at a news conference. Marcos Jr., who took office on June 30, said he recently met his justice secretary and other legal advisers to discuss the possible resumption of an ICC investigation into the drug killings. Judges at the ICC in September authorized Prosecutor Karim Khan to investigate killings during Duterte's crackdown from Nov. 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019. The probe, however, was suspended in November after the Philippines said in a letter to Khan that it was already investigating the allegations so the international court did not have jurisdiction. We are saying there is already an investigation here and the investigation is continuing. Why will there be such? Marcos Jr. said, questioning the possible resumption of the ICC probe. The ICC is a court of last resort for cases that countries are unwilling or unable to prosecute. Under the courts rules, a country can request deferral of an investigation if it is already investigating on its own. Khan, however, has sought to resume his probe, saying in June that I have concluded that the deferral requested by the Philippines is not warranted, and that the investigation should resume as quickly as possible. More than 6,000 mostly poor drug suspects were killed in Dutertes police-enforced crackdown, based on police statistics. Human rights groups say the death toll is considerably higher and should include many unsolved killings by motorcycle-riding gunmen who may have been deployed by police. Duterte has defended the crackdown as lawfully directed against drug lords and pushers who have for many years destroyed the present generation, especially the youth. He has denied condoning extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, although he has openly threatened suspects with death and has ordered police to shoot suspects who dangerously resist arrest. Marcos Jr. has faced calls to prosecute Duterte over the drug deaths but has instead praised his predecessor in recent speeches. His vice president, Sara Duterte, is the former president's daughter and helped with Marcos Jr.'s election victory in May. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is calling for calm in the Taiwan Strait, urging against any provocative action in the wake of a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that has infuriated Beijing. In a rare statement on such issues from the 10-nation group, some of whose members drift more toward China in allegiance and some toward the United States, ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia said Thursday that they were concerned the situation could destabilize the region and eventually could lead to miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers. Both U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi were taking part in the ongoing ASEAN meetings in Phnom Penh on Thursday and Friday. Pelosi received a euphoric welcome as the first U.S. House speaker, and highest ranking U.S. official, to visit Taiwan in more than 25 years, and China swiftly responded by announcing multiple military exercises nearby. China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments. Beijing has accused the U.S. of breaking the status quo with the Pelosi visit, while the U.S. insists there has been no change to its one-China position of recognizing the government in Beijing, while allowing for informal relations and defense ties with Taipei. On the other side, with China's recent increase in military activities around Taiwan, Washington accuses Beijing of no longer accepting the status quo. Shortly after Pelosi landed Tuesday night, China announced live-fire drills that reportedly started that night, as well as the four-day exercises starting Thursday. The Peoples Liberation Army Air Force also flew a contingent of 21 warplanes toward Taiwan. Meantime, the U.S. has an aircraft carrier group and other naval assets in the region. In their statement, the ASEAN foreign ministers called for maximum restraint and for all sides to refrain from provocative action. The world is in dire need of wisdom and responsibility of all leaders to uphold multilateralism and partnership, cooperation, peaceful-coexistence and healthy competition for our shared goals of peace, stability, security and inclusive and sustainable development, they said. We should act together and ASEAN stands ready to play a constructive role in facilitating peaceful dialogue between all parties including through utilizing ASEAN-led mechanisms to deescalate tension, to safeguard peace, security and development in our region. ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. BLOOMINGTON Police in Bloomington said a driver was ticketed after their vehicle hit a bicyclist Friday on the east side of the city. Lt. Clayton Arnold said officers responded to the reported collision at 8:39 p.m. Friday at Hershey Road and Clearwater Avenue. He said a vehicle turned off of westbound Clearwater Avenue onto northbound Hershey and hit a bicyclist who was in the crosswalk area. Arnold said the cyclist is a minor. He added EMS arrived at the scene. Its unclear whether the cyclist was injured. The police lieutenant said the driver, a 29-year-old man, was given a citation for not yielding to the right of way for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. No further information was available as of Monday afternoon. BLOOMINGTON Police in Bloomington arrested a Galesburg man Friday after he was found driving a stolen vehicle. Lt. Tim Spanesa with the Bloomington Police Department told The Pantagraph that officers spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Galesburg, and stopped it at 5:20 p.m. Friday near Lee and Oakland streets. He said the driver, a 48-year-old man from Galesburg, was arrested without incident. Spanesa said he is being held on a preliminary charge of possession of a stolen vehicle. The mans bond has not yet been set in McLean County court. 100 years ago Aug. 7, 1922: For the second time last week, the store of Edward Kreis, 1217 W. Olive St., was robbed by two men who later held up L.T. Wallberg, 1409 W. Olive St., knocking him down. Earlier in the week, the Kreis store was entered late at night and looted of about $10 and a revolver. Both men appeared about 30. The big one was evidently an experienced bandit; he was cool and cautious, while the little fellow was extremely anxious. 75 years ago Aug. 7, 1947: Two young men from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and a girl from Malaya will expand the number of overseas students attending Illinois Wesleyan University to a record-breaking total of 26 this fall. The cosmopolitan group reached a previous high of 22 last year when the late President William E. Shaw announced that Wesleyan would continue to accept as many overseas students as possible. 50 years ago Aug. 7, 1972: Volunteers were on the McLean County fairgrounds cleaning up paperwork and debris to close the grounds for another season. Fair officials estimated attendance for the five-day fair at close to 55,000. That is about equal to attendance a year ago when the fair ran six days. The biggest crowd came Saturday night for the demolition derby, which drew an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 spectators. 25 years ago Aug. 7, 1997: Dry summer weather has been a boon to area road construction projects, with at least one major project expected to be completed months ahead of schedule. All lanes on West Market Street from east of Wylie Drive to Caroline Street in Bloomington could be open in about two weeks, according to IDOT. The resurfacing project began in May and was set for completion in November. CHICAGO - A suburban Woodridge man was arrested in the South Sides Englewood neighborhood earlier this week after police found several loaded weapons and notes with ramblings about mass shootings in a minivan, according to Cook County court documents. Chicago police officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at 3:30 p.m. Thursday after one round was fired in the 1200 block of West 57th Street, where they found Alexander Podgorny, 29, near a minivan with its driver and passenger doors open, according to a Chicago Police report. One of the officers looked at nearby camera footage which showed a round from what looked like a shotgun had been fired into a nearby park, the report said. In a pat-down search, officers found a handgun in Podgornys left pocket with a round in the chamber and live rounds in the magazine, the police report said. In the front drivers seat of the minivan, officers found a shotgun loaded with seven live rounds, and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a live round in its chamber and in its magazine, the report said. Additionally, in a plastic bucket on the front passenger seat, police found at least two more handguns. All firearms were readily accessible and ready to be fired, officers wrote in the police report. Officers also found more than 300 shell casings, an ammunition box, six pistol magazines with live rounds and two AR magazines with live rounds and a Beretta shotgun, according to the report. Additionally, in the minivan, police found a large number of handwritten notes and documents with incoherent rants and references to mass shooting events, police said in the report. Officers found Podgorny had a valid firearm owners identification card and no concealed carry license, the report said. Officers completed a clear and present danger form, which is intended to revoke a persons FOID card. Podgorny, who was charged with five counts of unlawful use of a weapon charges, all of which are felonies, appeared in court on Friday, where Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad set a $300,000 cash bail. Several messages to a lawyer for Podgorny, listed as James A. Podgorny, went unanswered. Podgorny is due back in court on Friday. CHICAGO Chicago police and transit officials on Saturday pledged additional security for the city's trains to stem a spike in violent crime after the shooting death of a passenger overnight. A 29-year-old man, Diuntel Moon, was shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen on a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train on 79th Street in the Chatham neighborhood about 2 a.m. Saturday, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference. Moon was pronounced dead at a hospital. No suspects are in custody, Brown said. "Senseless gun violence and incidents like these ... have no place in this city. It is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Brown said. "No resident should think twice about their safety on any part of CTA or in our neighborhoods." Brown and CTA president Dorval Carter denounced the spike in numbers, not seen for a decade. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that as of mid-July, CTA has reported 488 violent crimes this year, higher than at any point since the same period in 2011. Brown promised additional police officers will be assigned to the CTA starting Sunday, but he declined to specify how many for security reasons. He said the police presence on the CTA had been fortified earlier this year as well. The CTA, which has an unarmed security force, will reinstate the use of canine patrols, Carter said without elaborating. "It's just another additional resource to use, obviously, in addition to the security guards ...," Carter said. "There's nothing magical about the canine unit." "The more we can add to the CTA in both an unarmed security and prevention mode, armed CPD officers in an enforcement mode and really aggressive investigative efforts in bringing offenders to justice is all part of the criminal justice effort," Brown said. Gov. Otto Kerner waves to the crowd at the state fair in Springfield as he met with visiting Democratic party leaders during Governor's Day in 1967. Adlai Stevenson III, state treasurer, is at left behind Kerner. Mayor Richard J. Daley is on the right. (UPI Telephoto) As Judge Otto Kerner was in the midst of a trial in a Chicago courtroom in January 1972, the Daily Herald recalled how a reporter once wrote that he had perhaps the most erect, ramrod posture in the state. Advertisement Kerners bearing reflected a service record that conditioned him to expect to be treated with deference. He saw combat in North Africa and Sicily during World War II and retired from the National Guard as a major general. Spectators lined up to shake his hand as he walked through that courtroom 50 years ago. But when he sat down, it was not on the bench, but at the defendants table. Advertisement Not guilty, he replied when asked how he pleaded to a charge of having accepted a bribe as Illinois governor in the 1960s. The trial stemmed from a scandal involving Arlington Park, the suburban Chicago horse racing track that shut down last fall. Former Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge when this news conference was held in December 1969, vigorously denied charges he received stock in a bank in return for influencing court decisions. (Walter Neal/Chicago Tribune) The Tribune reporter covering the trial noted that Kerner spoke loudly and forcibly, staring directly at the prosecutors, James Thompson and Samuel Skinner. Did that convey patrician contempt? It has been said of Otto Kerner that he was born with a golden ballot in his mouth, the New York Times wrote. Raised in Chicago, Kerners father served on the same federal appeals court where his son would later hold forth. Kerner was an Ivy Leaguer who also studied at Cambridge University in England and married the daughter of Anton Cermak, founding father of Chicagos fabled political machine. Kerners attorney was Edward Bennett Williams, a prominent Washington lawyer with A-list clients, plus a few sketchy ones, like Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa and Frank Costello, a notorious mob boss. Until the bribery accusations, Kerners long public career had been eminently respectable. He was a partner in his fathers law firm, joined the Young Democrats and was named U.S. attorney for Northern Illinois. He was elected governor for the first of two terms in 1961. It was as governor he crossed paths with Marjorie Lindheimer Everett. Fated to be Kerners nemesis, her more immediate goal was to be known as the Queen of Illinois Horse Racing. She knew that the potential for scandal haunts every tracks paddock, having dropped out of Northwestern University to work at Arlington Park, her fathers racetrack. Marjorie Lindheimer Everett, joined by Mayor Richard J. Daley, points to a photo of Round Table, one of five thoroughbreds whose winnings have topped $1 million, at the dedication of the Lindheimer Room, honoring her late father, in McCormick Place in 1966. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Weve thrown out dozens of undesirables, including a bookmaking relative of mine who is racing right now in New Jersey, she told Sports Illustrated, after inheriting Arlington in 1960. Advertisement Racing is a spectator sport, but consider this: If tracks didnt have pari-mutuel windows, would fans be attracted simply by the sight of horses running around an ellipse of 8 furlongs or so? And where there is betting, is not fixing sure to follow? Trainers are tempted to drug horses, making winners out of also-rans. Frank Costello, a client of Kerners attorney, reportedly fixed races for FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover. Everett was betting the millions she spent renovating Arlington as well as Washington Park racetrack in south suburban Homewood, which she also owned. That made her beholden to the Illinois Racing Board, which decided when each track could run races. In hindsight, it was apparent that those decisions werent entirely gratis. When the Kerner scandal broke, the Tribune discovered that a track only suitable for warm-weather racing had been given winter dates. Implicit was a price tag for fixing the problem. The Illinois Racing Board hears testimony from Marjorie Lindheimer Everett as she sought harness racing dates for Aurora Downs for the next winter on Nov. 20, 1970. (Guy Bona/Chicago Today) Everett sold stock in her racetracks at a fraction of their market value to Kerner and Theodore Isaacs, his campaign manager. She also left a paper trail: On her income tax return, she claimed a deduction for the difference between the stocks market value and the bargain-basement price she sold it for. Should an Internal Revenue Service agent stumble on it, wouldnt he or she wonder: Why would a sane person sell something for far less than they paid? Advertisement But for years the clue lay unexamined in the IRS archives. Meanwhile, Kerner got good marks for his governorship. President Lyndon Johnson picked him to head an investigation of violent and sometimes deadly riots in Chicago, Newark, Detroit and other cities. He took colleagues on walks through inner city neighborhoods so they could sense the desperation and anger that exploded in violence. He distilled the Kerner Commissions findings into one sentence: Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white separate and unequal. For his blunt eloquence, LBJ rewarded Kerner with a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. On July 15, 1970, IRS agents came to Kerners chambers in the Dirksen Federal Building to give him the notice he was due to be under investigation. IRS audits are randomly generated, and Everetts taxpayer number had come up. Asked who had bought her discounted stock, she flipped. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 37 Straw-hatted racing fans crowd along the rail at Arlington Park in an undated photo. (Tribune Archive Photo / Chicago Tribune) With news that Everett avoided prosecution to testify against Kerner, the dam broke and the Tribune wrote a number of stories about political shenanigans connected to horseracing under headlines such as: All Harness Groups Gave Politicians Big Cut of Stocks. Even a racing board member held stock in a racetrack, a self-evident no-no. Kerners supporters tried to use those revelations as evidence that he was a scapegoat for other officials winking at wrongdoing. Advertisement The government acknowledged that proving Kerners guilt wouldnt be easy. It was a complicated stock deal, not just a matter of cash being handed over the table, Skinner told the jury. By the feds theory, Everetts stock came to Kerner through a slush fund used to pay off officials. The funds proceeds were doled out by William Miller, head of the racing board, and the stock passed through multiple hands en route to its final recipients. The end result of all these transactions was that Isaacs and Kerner had each gained $159,800 from sales and dividends and were each out of pocket only $15,079, the feds argued. The trial was reminiscent of Rashomon, a Japanese movie that showed alternate versions of the same incident as different participants remembered it. Former Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner stands in an elevator at the Dirksen Federal Building that took him up to a courtroom in 1973, where he faced a trial on charges of accepting racetrack stock as a bribe while governor. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Everett testified: Mr. Miller, chairman of the Illinois Racing Board, asked that this stock be made available to the governor and his aide, and I didnt feel that I could at that point gamble by crossing him. Miller testified that he told Kerner of Everetts stock offer, the governor replied: Thats nice of Marje. Advertisement Thomas Bradley, another racing board head, testified that he was told to take away racing dates from a competitor of Everetts, Maywood Park. When he declined, Kerner said: Well, now, Tom, this is an order. Kerner was asked if he signed legislation enabling a racetrack owner to run both thoroughbred and harness races because it would benefit Everett. The governor replied: I didnt realize it had such great importance until my indictment in 1971. His co-defendant, Isaacs, didnt testify. Nor did the two exchange a word during the seven-week trial. Some courtroom observers read that body language to mean each thought the other was going to blame him for the stock fiasco. Kerners attorney pleaded with the jurors: Vintage Chicago Tribune Weekly The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune's archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city's past, present and future. > If you convict him of even one of the many counts in this 64-page indictment the government has thrown many mud balls, hoping one will stick you will destroy this man. On July 30, 1973, Kerner was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Advertisement Convicted on bribery charges, former Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner, center, was driven from the Dirksen Federal Building after receiving a 3-year sentence. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) This was not easy for him, the judge began, and Kerner said: I do not envy your position, " a Tribune reporter noted. Again, apologetically, Judge Taylor told Kerner he didnt have to worry about going through the normal routine of reporting to the United States marshals office for processing or posting a new appeal bond. I dont intend to run away, Kerner said. I know you dont, the judge said. His appeal was rejected, but Kerner only served 7 months because he was suffering from cancer. He died in 1976, still proclaiming his innocence. Sign up to receive the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter at chicagotribune.com/newsletters for more photos and stories from the Tribunes archives. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at rgrossman@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com. CHICAGO - About 35 people gathered outside a four-bedroom house in Humboldt Park on Friday enjoying some sunshine, music and food. They were stationed there to serve as a barrier between the people who lived in the house and the people trying to push them out. The home was one of four houses that about 12 people were illegally locked out of, on July 26, said social researcher Emma Tamplin, 26, who is helping the people who have called 1629 N. Washtenaw Ave. their home since the new year. KD Williams, 39, and Wilson Mather-Glass, 25, are two of those occupants. They said they moved in Jan. 1 after seeing a homeless encampment pop up in the neighborhood, while a large number of homes allegedly owned by the Chicago Housing Authorities remained vacant. The housing authority has owned the property at 1629 N. Washtenaw Ave. since 1996, according to city records. Williams said there was no notice of eviction prior to July 26, which is when employees from the Hispanic Housing Development Corp. allegedly showed up to the house and removed some of their belongings and asked Williams, Mather-Glass and a third roommate, who was out of town Friday, to remove the rest. They broke down our door, broke a bunch of our things, threatened us, used many homophobic and transphobic slurs, Williams said. A representative for the Hispanic Housing Development Corporation said Friday all requests for comment would be referred to the CHA. The housing authority said in a statement, CHA takes these issues seriously and follows all appropriate legal processes to remove squatters from our property. We have viewed the video of the encounter on July 26 and have concerns about how this situation was handled by our third-party property manager and this incident is under investigation. As of Friday, Williams and Mather-Glass have made their way back inside the home with their stuff. Williams said occupying vacant houses is a way to stand up against the housing authoritys practice of holding houses vacant for years. Tamplin, Williams and Mather-Glass call their initiative the Humboldt Park Housing Project. The house at 1629 N. Washtenaw Ave. had several code violations as of 2019, according to city building permit and inspection records, including not registering the building vacant within 30 days of it becoming vacant or within 30 days after assuming ownership of an existing vacant building. The house was also cited for failure to maintain the exterior walls and keeping the structure free of holes, breaks and any other conditions that could allow rain or moisture into the walls. Williams, who works as a teacher and is also studying civil engineering, said its clear the house was not built to last. None of these vacant houses have been maintained because theyre all falling apart, Williams said. Then thats their excuse for leaving them vacant. The housing authority said it maintains more than 16,000 units of public housing and a portion of the units are vacant for a number of reasons at any given time, including scheduled redevelopment, work such as painting and minor repairs and units undergoing more extensive capital improvement work. As units become ready to be occupied, they are offered to applicants on the housing authoritys public housing waiting lists, which are open and subject to HUD regulations, the housing authority said. CHA provides safe and stable housing to 63,000 families throughout the city, according to the statement. We partner closely with other city and nonprofit agencies to provide housing opportunities to address homelessness, including recently issuing nearly 1,200 emergency housing vouchers. Tamplin said the four homes that about 12 people were locked out of last week were vacant for several years. As of Friday, she wasnt sure if any of the other three houses had been reoccupied since July 26, two of which were previously occupied by more vulnerable folks experiencing homelessness that the Humboldt Park Housing Project is trying to protect, she said. The biggest thing is turning over these vacant houses, Tamplin said. They need to be made available to people who need them. Its absurd. People need housing, and if theyre going to go on about the need for affordable housing, they should do the bare minimum and spend what theyre paid every year to take care of these places and make them available immediately. Mather-Glass, 25, is a special education classroom assistant, musician, activist and restaurant worker, and he said the community has been supportive of the groups efforts. There have been no signs of trouble from the group, Mather-Glass said, and at the end of the day, most people are primarily worried about keeping their neighborhood safe. We hear about it every day, but where is this violence coming from, Mather-Glass said. What are the things that are pushing people into the streets and pushing people into desperation? Not having a home, that foundation being removed from under you, that is square one. Once that happens, youre sliding down. A former schoolmate of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has detailed how he joined the Tamale Methodist Boys Brigade before his mother converted to Islam. According to Mr. Rajah Ishwsh, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia joined the Boys Brigade in the Tamale Methodist Church in the 1960s. My name is Rajah Ishwah. I grew up in Tamale in the 60s, born in 63 the same year as the Vice President, we are just three months apart. We both went to Sakasaka Primary school, we were mates from Primary 1 to class five I think. While I was in Primary school the Vice President was my very good friend. I happened to be a Methodist and wemy brothers and I joined the Boys Brigade when we were in class 3 or 4. The Vice President one time we were marching through town and at the time he lived with his parents in the center of Tamale, second storey building in downtown Tamale so he saw us and was really excited. Even though already he knew I was a member of Boys Brigade because we talk at school, so he expressed interest and asked me to talk to his mum. So I came over and fortunately for us she agreed. She had no reservations about the fact that it was a Christian Youth Organization. She agreed and have us the money to pay for the uniform and the membership which we did and we were with the boys brigade till we left for Secondary School. At that time it was a boarding school so there was no way we could attend meetings and since then weve still been in touch, our mothers went to the same school, he said. He indicated that hes not surprised that people doubt the Vice President when he says he is a member because he grew up in a Muslim home. However, he was quick to add that the Boys Brigade is non-denominational and accommodates all and sundry. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia while speaking at the 175th anniversary of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Accra touted the peaceful co-existence in Ghana and the fact that the country always ranked well for peace. He recalled his days as a member of the Methodist Boys Brigade. Growing up I was an active member of the Methodist Boys Brigade until my mum changed to Islam. I suspect Im the only Muslim Member of the Boys Brigade. To date out of the seventeen siblings, nine are Christians and eight are Muslims. That is the beauty of religious acceptance in Ghana. Social Media users casted doubt at the claims by the Vice President whom they believe has been a Muslim all his life. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday inaugurated the Osman Nuhu Sharubutu Central Mosque and School Complex at Ablekuma-Joma in the Greater Accra Region for worship, teaching and learning of Islamic values to young ones. The mosque and the school were constructed by His Eminence National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu as a place of worship and education for young Muslim children on Qu'ran recitation. The ceremony attracted high-profile personalities across the country and high-powered Muslim delegations from Nigeria and Senegal. In an address, Vice President Bawumia said Sheikh Sharubutu had been a champion of community and national development, especially in education, and his latest charity works attested to his commitment to service and humanity. "I am constantly humbled and inspired by Sheikh Sharubutu's prolific and unstinting charitable works. "May the Almighty Allah reward him," he said. Dr Bawumia noted that the National Chief Imam had been an iconic of tolerance and peace in Ghana and Africa whose charitable works had made a difference in the lives of many Muslims. He lauded the Chief Imam for facilitating the construction of various school blocks at Shakura, Nima, Fadama and an ongoing one at Tenkoran to promote education in Muslim Communities. The Vice President pledged the Government's commitment towards promoting access and inclusive education for all Ghanaians of school-going age to serve as a foundation for national growth and development. Vice President Bawumia donated an amount of GHc100,000 to the National Chief Imam for his charity works and to build more schools and mosques across the country. Sheikh Sharubutu, who spoke through his Spokesperson, said development could only take place on the foundation of knowledge and urged government to remain steadfast in investing in the children's education for a brighter future. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ugandan officials have banned a prominent LGBT rights group in a major setback for the community there. Sexual Minorities Uganda (Smug) has been ordered to shut down with "immediate effect" for not registering properly with authorities. The campaign group decried the order as a "clear witch hunt" by the government against LGBT Ugandans. Sexual minorities face widespread persecution in Uganda, where anti-gay and transphobic views are common. Gay relationships are illegal in Uganda, where they can be punished by up to life in prison for committing "unnatural offences." Official police data shows that 194 people were charged with the offence between 2017 and 2020, including 25 who went on to be convicted. "This is a clear witch hunt rooted in systematic homophobia, fuelled by anti-gay and anti-gender movements," said Smug's director Frank Mugisha, who is a gay Ugandan activist. He accused authorities of treating members of Uganda's LGBT minority as second-class citizens and trying to erase their existence completely. On Friday Ugandan officials announced they were halting Smug's operations because the campaign group, founded in 2004, had failed to register its name with the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) properly. It is the same reason given last year when dozens of civil society groups - including pro-democracy organisations - were also banned by Ugandan authorities. This time officials say that the issue stems from Smug's name itself - Sexual Minorities Uganda. In a statement, the NGO Bureau acknowledged that Smug had attempted to register with authorities in 2012, but that the application had been rejected because Smug's full name was considered "undesirable." President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in office since 1986, has made homophobic comments in the past - including in a 2016 CNN interview when he called gay people "disgusting." Although there are no laws specifically criminalising being transgender in Uganda, trans people are regularly prosecuted for other offences including "personation" (false representation), according to reports compiled by rights organisations. Since its establishment almost two decades ago, Smug has campaigned for the rights of LGBT people in Uganda by promoting access to health services and supporting members of the LGBT community to live openly. It has also taken legal action to protect gay people from hostility, including in 2010 when it successfully petitioned a Ugandan judge to order a newspaper to stop publishing the names and photographs of gay Ugandan men under the headline "hang them". The group said several of its members had been attacked or harassed as a result of the article - including one woman who was almost killed when her neighbours began throwing stones at her house. At the time, Ugandan politicians were preparing to debate whether or not to introduce the death penalty for same-sex relationships - a legislative amendment that attracted widespread international condemnation before eventually being dropped. More recently, Smug has vocally criticised anti-gay speeches delivered by Ugandan politicians - including in the run-up to national elections in 2021. "The politicians are using the LGBT community as a scapegoat to gain support and win votes and it is fuelling homophobia," Smug's director Frank Mugisha told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Two new modernized communities have been commissioned in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region as part of a resettlement package to pave way for large-scale gold mining activities. The two communities, Digaare (Accra Site) and Biung were on land that had been leased out to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, a subsidiary of Shandong Gold, a Chinese Mining Firm, to engage in large-scale mining operations, for the next 15 years, hence the need for the resettlement of affected families. Commissioning the new communities, Mr Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, commended Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited for sticking to the resettlement plan and providing improved infrastructure to the communities. The new communities with 117 families are fitted with urban-type services including well laid concrete residential buildings, reticulated electric power, improved water supply and sanitation and improved community roads. Social amenities such as well-equipped school infrastructure with disability friendly Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and recreational facilities, healthcare facilities, teachers and nurses accommodation, mosques and churches, graveled roads connecting houses among others have also been provided. The construction was done in accordance with the Minerals and Mining Act of 2006, Act 703 and Minerals and Mining Compensation and Resettlement Regulations of 2012, L.I. 2175 which enjoins Mining companies to resettle all persons who would be affected by their mining operations. Mr Jinapor explained that the communities were constructed in accordance with the resettlement action plan approved by the District Land Use and Special Planning Authority, the Minerals Commission and conformed to International Finance Cooperation Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability to ensure health and safety. The Minister assured the chiefs and people that government was committed to ensuring that the exploitation of the mineral resources of the country inured to the benefit of the Ghanaian people and underscored the need to cooperate with the Mining Company to bring the needed development including employment. Government is also committed to ensuring that Ghanaians benefit from our natural resources through policies such as value addition, local content, and local participation. And that is why I can assure the Chiefs that government will work hand in gloves with Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited to ensure that indigenes and locals of the Talensi Traditional Area do benefit from whatever operations we will have arising out of the mining operations which is going to take place in this catchment area, he assured. Mr Jinapor revealed that government would soon commission the first state owned gold refinery established through a public private partnership to add value to gold and noted that government was determined not to repeat past mistakes but to negotiate properly to benefit from the exploitation of the countrys mineral resources. Mr Luis Santana, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, noted that a 25 kilometre road from Balungu to the mining site costing about US$ 7 million was under construction to improve road network in the area. To ensure sustainability and mitigate the impact of the resettlement, the CEO said, the Company had already put in place livelihood and vulnerable assistance programmes to empower the affected people economically and enhance their social status. Digaaran Bileg Sung Nanmalting Alhaji Ibrahim Boarebon, sub-chief of Digaare, commended the stakeholders for the support to the communities and appealed to the Mining Company to factor in local content especially employment and provision of other social amenities including a Senior High School. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A three-day workshop on nuclear energy for regional managers and selected editors of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) has ended with a call on the media to educate the public and clear misconceptions about nuclear energy. Ambassador Blay Amihere, the Board Chairman of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), observed that the fears and concerns among the public over nuclear energy could thwart Ghanas quest for a Nuclear Power Plant and tasked the media to demystify that energy source. He said public appreciation and acceptance of nuclear technology were critical to the countrys industrialization agenda and urged journalists to spearhead and facilitate the campaign. There will be opposition but theres the need to inform the public because any change that comes without public education cannot succeed. Let them know the benefits of nuclear power to Ghanas energy mix, he said. Ghana has initiated a process to introduce nuclear power into its energy mix by 2030. The workshop, organised by Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), was, therefore, to build the capacity of the participants in managing stories and news on Nuclear Energy and Ghanas Nuclear Power Project to engender public acceptance. It was on the theme: Nuclear Safety and Environmental Concerns, Strengthening Public Understanding. Amb. Amihere stressed that there was the need to increase and improve reportage on nuclear science and nuclear energy to enlighten the public for a social licence. He commended NPG for creating the platform to educate journalists on the subject, adding that the media needed to learn more to perform what it had been tasked to do. The Board Chairman of the GNA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, applauding NPG, said the workshop was fulfilling. He was, however, quick to add that the media needed to undergo more training to be efficient and effective given the technical nature of the field. The media must help demystify nuclear energy but we need to be educated ourselves. So, dont end the learning process here. Continue to read around the subject and build yourself in the area, he urged. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A member of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to have given up on any good thing coming out of the Nana Addo-led government which might help advance the cause of the country. According to Anthony Kweku Boahen, a Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC, living in Ghana is extremely frustrating especially when the government has turned deaf ears to citizens. Speaking on Ghanas ailing economy on NEAT FMs morning show, Ghana Montie, the NDC communicator wondered if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is aware of the mass suffering his government has imprinted on the lives of Ghanaians due to his bad leadership. I doubt it, he is so clueless about what is going on in Ghana. I wont blame him, he opined. Touching on assurances by some government appointees that the economy will certainly bounce back in a matter of months, the NDC Deputy Communications Officer questioned; from where? Lets see if this economy can bounce back. What has he done over the years? Anthony Kwaku Boahene only hope for Ghanas distressed economy to be revived is former president John Dramani Mahama. He [Mahama] has done it before and will revive this economy after the 2024 elections when he's voted back to power, he asserted. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video FILIPINO-AMERICAN R&B/Hip-Hop artist Rocky Sandoval, has been on a constant grind dating back to 2006, with no signs of slowing down. He launched his sophomore release Belly Full of Lies on July 22 via Warner Music Philippines. The new offering is a showcase of Rockys versatility, drawing on real-life experiences and expressing them through R&B, a different direction to his debut Deadstock which was released earlier this year. Belly Full of Lies touches on todays relationship values, based on a perspective of waiting for a chance of love when the one you are seeking is already taken. Complete with R&B production to set the mood, synths, and drums laid down by frequent collaborator and producer 300 Cam help convey Rockys storytelling into a groove that you can get down to. Rockys signature melodic vocals accompany the release as well. The Tacoma, Washington-based artist is no stranger to the demands of a superstar, having dealt with an impressive stint on American Idol back in 2002, as well as appearing on MTVs Making The Band and The Voice. These opportunities lead to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to support R&B legends Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight and K-ci & Jojo. On past releases, hes worked with Grammy Award-winning producers, The Stereotypes, who produced Bruno Mars 24K Magic which saw global success. Rocky owns his own company, Baguio City Music Box, that deals with fashion, music publishing, and events which hasnt slowed him down in the slightest, and proved it by releasing 14 records between 2020 and 2021, which ultimately caught the attention of Warner Music Philippines, and led to his present partnership with the major label. Rocky Sandoval has only just begun his run of releases for 2022 and will be releasing a few more teasers before his highly anticipated album drops in November 2022. (PR) The beluga is only the second one who has been recorded seen in a French river since 1948. French authorities were preparing Saturday to give vitamins to a beluga whale that swam way up the Seine river, as they raced to save the malnourished creature, which has so far refused food. The visibly underweight whale was first spotted Tuesday in the river that flows through Paris to the English Channel. On Saturday it had made its way to around 70 kilometres (44 miles) north of the French capital. "It's quite emaciated and seems to be having trouble eating," Isabelle Dorliat-Pouzet, a senior police official in the Eure department in Normandy, which is overseeing the rescue operation, told journalists. Rescuers had tried feeding it frozen herring and then live trout, but it did not seem to accept either, she said. It is hoped that injecting the animal with vitamins will stimulate its appetite, she said. Authorities were deciding whether to keep the animal in the waterway so it could regain its appetite or guide it back toward the sea, she said, adding that no decision has yet been taken. She said that small spots had appeared on its pale skin, but that scientists hadn't yet determined whether these were a natural occurrence because of the fresh water or signs of health difficulties. On Friday, Gerard Mauger of the GECC marine conversation society told AFP that despite being a notably sociable mammal, "it is behaving the same as yesterday, it seems very skittish. It rises to the surface only briefly, followed by long dives." Based on sonar recordings, it was also emitting very few of the chirps and quicks the whales are known for, raising further concerns about the animal's health. Mauger appealed to the public to stay away from the animal. "Even trying to approach it with a lot of precautions, it's difficult," he said. Rare sighting Belugas are normally found only in cold Arctic waters, and while they migrate south in the autumn to feed as ice forms, they rarely venture so far. An adult can reach up to four metres (13 feet) in length. It is only the second recorded sighting of a beluga in a French river since 1948, when a fisherman in the estuary of the Loire river found one in his nets. The sighting comes just a few months after a killer whalealso known as an orca, but technically part of the dolphin familybecame stranded in the Seine and was later found dead between Le Havre and Rouen in late May. An autopsy found that the animal, more than four metres long, had likely suffered exhaustion after being unable to feed, though officials said they had also discovered a bullet lodged in the base of its skullthough it was far from clear that the wound played a role in its death. Explore further Health fears over Beluga whale spotted in France's Seine river 2022 AFP A picture provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, showing the latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii which is enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP A trunk with its lid left open. A wooden dishware closet, its shelves caved in. Three-legged accent tables topped by decorative bowls. These latest discoveries by archaeologists are enriching knowledge about middle-class lives in Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius' furious eruption buried the ancient Roman city in volcanic debris. Pompeii's archaeological park, one of Italy's top tourist attractions, announced the recent finds on Saturday. Its director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said the excavation of rooms in a "domus," or home, first unearthed in 2018 had revealed precious details about the domestic environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was destroyed in 79 A.D. In past decades, excavation largely concentrated on sumptuous, elaborately frescoed villas of the Pompeii's upper-class residents. But archaeology activity in the sprawling site, near modern-day Naples, has increasingly focused on the lives of the middle class as well as of servants and other enslaved people. "In the Roman empire, there was an ample chunk of the population that struggled with their social status and for whom 'daily bread,' was anything but a given,'' Zuchtriegel said. "A vulnerable class during political crises and food shortages, but also ambitious about climbing the social ladder." The finds unveiled on Saturday include furnishings and household objects in the domus, which was dubbed the House of the Larario for an area of a home devoted to domestic spirits known as lares. The home unearthed in 2018 has one in the courtyard. In this image provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, archeologists work on the site of a new discovery. The latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii are enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP Zuchtriegel noted that while the courtyard also had an exceptionally well-adorned cistern, "evidently, the (financial) resources weren't enough to decorate the five rooms of the home.'' One room had unpainted walls and an earthen floor apparently used for storage. In a bedroom, archeologists found the remains of a bed frame with a trace of fabric from the pillow. The kind of bed is identical to three, cot-like beds unearthed last year in a tiny room in another residence that archaeologists believe doubled as a storeroom and sleeping quarters for a family of enslaved inhabitants of Pompeii. The bedroom findings announced Saturday also included the remains of a wooden trunk with an open lid. Although the weight of beams and ceiling panels that crashed down in the wake of the volcanic explosion heavily damaged the trunk, among the objects found inside was an oil lamp decorated with a bas relief depicting the ancient Greek deity Zeus being transformed into an eagle. Nearby was a small, three-legged round table, similar to the accent tables in vogue today. A picture provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, showing the latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii which is enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP A picture provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, showing the latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii which is enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP In this image provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, an archeologist works on the site of a new discovery. The latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii are enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP A picture provide by the Pompeii Archeological site press office, showing the latest discoveries in the ancient city of Pompeii which is enriching knowledge about the everyday lives of middle-class households. The director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, that excavations of rooms in a home first unearthed in 2018, revealed the environment of ordinary citizens of the city, which was flourishing before being destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Credit: Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP Exposing the storeroom revealed a wooden closet, its backboard still intact but the shelves caved in. Archaeologists believe the closet had at least four panel doors and held cookware and dishes for the nearby kitchen. The excavators found a hinge from the enclosure. Other objects found in the house include a large fragment of what had been a translucent, rimmed plate in brilliant hues of cobalt blue and emerald, and a well-preserved incense burner, shaped like a cradle. Explore further Tortoise and her egg found in new Pompeii excavations 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Jacques Wallace visits the unmarked grave of his mother, Jacqueline, at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park. She died during a brutal heat wave in July 2012. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) If it were up to Jacques Wallace, no Chicagoan would find a loved one dead of heat stress, without air conditioning, ever again. Wallace still remembers how hot it was a decade ago when he walked into the Near West Side building where his mother, Jacqueline, lived in a studio apartment. It was over 100 degrees in there, in the building, period, he said. It was steaming. A senior with a disability, Jacqueline Wallaces sole income came from a monthly Social Security check that covered her rent and little else, her son said. Air conditioners rested on the window sills of some apartments in the four-story building, but hers wasnt one of them. On the first Friday of July 2012, Jacques Wallace had just gotten paid and was planning to buy his mom an air conditioner, he said. Instead, he found her dead at 64, one of the casualties of a particularly brutal run of hot days that month. Guilt over his moms death lingered with him through the years, he said. But Wallace came out the other side resolute. Something needs to be done, he said of legislators. They can pass a bill they can get some funding for ... basic necessities like air conditioning. Because if that was the case, my mom would still be here. Or at least she wouldnt have died from the heat. Were advertised as the land of the free and home of the brave, and here you got people dying because they dont have air conditioning," said Jacques Wallace, a military veteran. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) As climate change brings hotter, longer and more frequent heat waves, the health risks residents face are growing. Yet access to air conditioning at home, the simplest way to prevent heat illness and death, remains inequitable. Some renters who spoke to the Tribune this summer said their landlords didnt provide air conditioning. In Jacqueline Wallaces building, a bring your own AC policy remains in effect. In Chicago, building owners must ensure that occupants dont freeze at home in winter, but city ordinances dont similarly protect residents from unsafe temperatures during the summer. The City Council amended Chicagos heating and cooling ordinance in June after three deaths in an overheated building, but even the alderman who sponsored that effort acknowledged that the changes were only a first step. Illinois offers low-income residents help with their heating and energy bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, funded by the state and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But applications arent taken from June through August, when heat waves and heat deaths tend to occur. The state hasnt had a formal cooling assistance program since 2015, even though the administration of President Joe Biden has encouraged states to provide cooling assistance as part of the program, known as LIHEAP, since July 2021 and reiterated that guidance this year. [ Heat wave: How you can help yourself and the people around you when its hot outside ] Nearly 30 states and U.S. territories and about 100 Native American tribal grantees do provide a formal cooling program, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Illinois, U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that upward of 330,000 households a conservative estimate meet the income criteria to receive LIHEAP aid, which are based on household size. Patricia Briggs said she tried to apply to LIHEAP this summer but it was too late to qualify. You cant get on for help until September, she said. In the meantime, Briggs is skimping on using the air conditioning in her new Uptown apartment to limit costs. The rent at her prior longtime apartment included electricity, Briggs said, and she doesnt want to be surprised with a charge she cant afford. Its so warm in the apartment, she said. A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity noted in a statement that before Illinois closed LIHEAP applications in May, Gov. J.B. Pritzker granted a $200 summer supplemental benefit to more than 250,000 households already enrolled in the $405 million program. With rising temperatures, the state remains committed to supporting those who need it the most and we are currently evaluating options to provide additional support to Illinoisians, Emily Bolton wrote. She did not address why the state didnt adopt federal guidance to reopen its cooling program in the current year. In the heat waves of July 2012 that Jacqueline Wallace didnt survive, at least 30 additional lives were lost, according to a review of Cook County medical examiner data. Ten years later, Chicago saw consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures for the first time since that deadly month. But in 2022 the extreme heat came sooner, arriving in June following record-setting high temperatures in May and prompting multiple safety warnings. To Wallace, who works as a sales and marketing representative, it is time to change the norm where some people have a safe, cool environment and others do not. We get so used to not being taken care of, as far as not having the things we should have as citizens, as residents of the city, especially in Black and brown communities, he said. Were advertised as the land of the free and home of the brave, said Wallace, a military veteran, and here you got people dying because they dont have air conditioning. Air conditioning is a necessity In addition to help with utility costs, the Biden administration has encouraged states to cover the purchase of energy efficient air conditioners or heat pumps and to provide non-monetary aid in the form of targeted outreach. For households that lack air conditioning altogether, have inadequate equipment, or cannot afford the energy costs of running their units, extreme heat conditions can pose severe risks of health impacts, the Biden administration wrote in September 2021. But in Illinois, energy assistance is limited to direct payments from the state to utility companies to help people pay their energy bills, plus a home weatherization program that can cover replacement of an existing cooling system. Residents whose LIHEAP applications were accepted before the summer cutoff date in May said the aid is a big help in making ends meet. But people who were unaware of the deadline to apply or who encountered issues with their applications said other forms of assistance and availability in summer would make it easier for them to get by. Linda Jackson, who lives in senior housing in Uptown, says her application for energy assistance was deemed illegible and denied. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Linda Jackson, who is on a fixed disability income, said her LIHEAP application was deemed illegible. She tried to figure out how to fix it but couldnt find help, she said. I kept emailing. I kept calling nothing, said Jackson, who lives in senior housing in Uptown. Thats the one thing that raises the electricity the air conditioning. It would be beneficial to at least have (aid) in the summer. Armando Valdovinos, of Berwyn, applied for LIHEAP assistance in April, hoping for help with his electricity and gas bills. But two weeks before the end-of-May cutoff, Valdovinos got a rejection letter, written in English. I dont know why, he said in Spanish. A DCEO partner organization helped Valdovinos submit his application. He provided the Tribune a copy of the letter, citing a missing document as the reason his request for gas bill assistance was denied. Help with his mounting electricity bill didnt come either, he said. A retired single father of two boys ages 15 and 22, Valdovinos said getting aid would mean hed have some extra money to buy his sons clothes and food. The family has AC in their two-bedroom apartment, but Valdovinos limits how often they turn it on. His Social Security income leaves him with $250 each month after paying rent. Valdovinos sometimes finds ways to make a little money to help pay bills. His oldest son also works and helps buy necessities. We have to struggle and do what we can, he said. Cities and towns are often slow to adapt policies based on past weather to the new realities of climate change, said environmental epidemiologist Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Climate and Health at Boston University. We acknowledge that everybody needs heat in the winter, at least in the northern climates. But theres not widespread recognition amongst the public or even amongst many policymakers that air conditioning is a necessity rather than a luxury good, said Wellenius, who analyzed a decade of deaths across nearly 300 U.S. counties as part of a study published in the journal Environmental Epidemiology in 2020. How do we adapt? In Chicago, Ald. Maria Hadden did take action after a trio of elderly Black women died in May in an overheated building in the Rogers Park ward she represents. The amended ordinance she championed requires new day care, school and residential construction projects to include cooling systems and obligates owners of senior housing, high-rises and 100-plus-unit buildings to provide a communal cooling area if the heat index exceeds 80. Three women were discovered dead in overheated units at the James Sneider Apartments in Rogers Park in May. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) The vast majority of Chicagoans, however, live in buildings with fewer than 20 units, according to estimates from the Census Bureaus 2020 American Community Survey. Haddens chief of staff, Leslie Perkins, described the June amendment as an incremental but critical first step. Swift action was needed, but more needs to be done, said Perkins. How do we adapt our building code and our municipal code and city for very real changes that are here at our doorstep and prevent more deaths? she said. There is an air-conditioned communal room in the Lakeview high-rise where Sharron Melendez lives in senior housing. But since theres no place in that cooled space to sleep at night, she questions its usefulness. In her own unit, the motorized scooter she needs to get around is often plugged in to charge while an air conditioner sits unused in her closet. If I put my air conditioner on it blows fuses. Im not doing that, she said. If that happens, she said, You gotta wait three or four hours for the maintenance to come in. Sharron Melendez, 70, endures a hot day in her Lakeview apartment in July. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Instead, she relies on fans and prayers to stay safe in the heat. A drawer next to her bed overflows with the bottles of prescription medications Melendez takes to treat multiple chronic conditions. If he could put air conditioning downstairs, how come he cant put it through the whole building? Melendez said of building management. East Lake Management, which manages the building where Melendez lives, takes the safety and comfort of our residents very seriously, said Eileen Rhodes, company president. While some buildings the company manages have central air, Rhodes said, older buildings like Melendezs high-rise do not. Rhodes pledged company maintenance would find a permanent solution for residents whose air conditioning shorts out. Meanwhile, Chicagos new cooling requirements dont apply to the building in Little Village where Joe Rio rents an apartment. Rio worked two jobs in elder care until a recent stroke left him with no income in a home without air conditioning. Im at that point now where I need help myself, he said. Members of the grassroots community organization Unete La Villita recently gave Rio an air conditioner. But he needs help installing it and is afraid to ask the landlord, given recent difficulties with his lease. So hes still relying on a single fan to get through the rest of summer. One of the citys six cooling centers is 2 miles from Rios home. But the stroke impaired his mobility, and during recent heat advisories Rio bided his time at home. I just laid in the bed, he said. Chicagos cooling centers are operated by the Department of Family and Support Services. Data obtained from the agency through a public records request shows that during heat advisories in 2020 and 2021, no more than 10 people were recorded as using the cooling centers in any given hour. Wellenius, the environmental epidemiologist, said research indicates that cooling centers alone arent an effective way to save lives, noting that data from multiple cities show few people use them. (An exception, he said, was Seattle.) Possible obstacles include transportation, work, lack of mobility and discomfort in cooling center settings, sometimes located in police stations. Cooling centers cannot possibly be the only solution or even the most important solution to protecting people, he said. We should try to figure out who is highest risk and how to get them help. In addition to Chicagos six cooling centers, Family and Support Services also runs six senior centers and 15 satellite locations where seniors can go during the day, said Joseph Dutra, the agencys public affairs director. These locations serve as safe spaces for residents seeking refuge and relief from the weather, Dutra said. Milton Williams at a city cooling center at the Garfield Community Service Center in July 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) The departments efforts to help high-risk residents during extreme heat include robocalls to seniors who use agency programs and working with service providers to connect older adults to air conditioning units or fans, Dutra said. If the air conditioning in a senior building isnt functioning, Dutra said, the department will conduct well-being checks and, in extreme circumstances, coordinate with other city agencies to provide an air-conditioned bus on site or transportation to a cooling center. Transportation to cooling centers is provided to residents experiencing homelessness, he said. Unnecessary suffering When Hafiz Bey-Shabazz arrives home after regular 13-hour days delivering packages, the heat inside the Austin apartment Bey-Shabazz shares with his fiancee matches the heat outside, he said. They have a window unit that cools their place down eventually, he said. But that isnt true for all of the renters in the building of around 30 units, owned by Pangea Properties. The company, which describes itself as one of the largest landlords of market-rate housing in low-income Chicago neighborhoods, is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in which tenants allege a range of issues, including regular electricity outages. You only got a handful of people that actually got ACs in their window, Bey-Shabazz said. The lack of central air is a safety issue that doesnt sit right with him, he said. A building resident died of heat stress in 2015, according to Cook County medical examiner records. If you are in a position to help, you should. If youre in the business of renting people apartments, Bey-Shabazz said, provide the necessities to live. Pangea is committed to providing quality, attainably priced housing and gives back to the communities it serves by way of charitable donations and volunteering, a company spokesperson said in an email. Chicago landlords arent required to provide air conditioning in apartments, he noted. Regarding the electricity outages alleged in the tenants lawsuit, he said: While we take all resident concerns seriously, we strongly deny the allegations made in the complaint, which run counter to (Pangeas) high service standards. Broader air conditioning protection could come in the form of legislation. Local jurisdictions that already enforce minimum residential cooling requirements include Dallas, Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona and Montgomery County, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C. The state of California is studying the possibility as part of its extreme heat action plan. Perkins, chief of staff to Ald. Hadden, said her office is continuing talks with the Department of Buildings and environmental agencies on how we can build off of this legislation and work toward broader protections. Michael Mini, executive vice president of the Chicagoland Apartment Association, said the organization of landlords, property managers and developers is committed to playing a constructive role in addressing heat-related health impacts. The safety of all residents is our top priority. We support the principle of the recent ordinance and look forward to working with officials to ensure proper implementation, Mini wrote in an email. Many apartment owners have already made required changes, or are working diligently to make the proper infrastructure adjustments. He didnt comment on the associations position on the prospect of minimum cooling requirements in residential units. But, he added: We will continue to work in partnership with public officials, residents and community members on these vital issues. Washington Park renter Santresa Harris said the stakes are too high for a cooling requirement not to exist. A malfunctioning window unit made home temperatures in the 80s a miserable new norm for her family, said Harris, who works at a nonprofit supporting survivors of domestic violence and lives with two of her four kids. People pass away due to overheating, said Harris. You would think those adjustments would have been made due to those facts, especially (for) elderly, and physically challenged people. The company that manages the Chicago Housing Authority row home Harris rents wouldnt replace the air conditioner thats built into her wall, she said. Its kind of the energy of: You better shut up and just be grateful for what you have, said Harris. It just felt like suffering, like unnecessary suffering. Santresa Harris, who lives in a Chicago Housing Authority row home in Washington Park, said a malfunctioning air conditioning unit made for miserably hot home temperatures in June. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) East Lake Management also manages Harris building. Rhodes, the company president, said East Lake will provide a portable air conditioner if a renter with central air is awaiting a repair and a substitute unit when a window unit malfunctions. It is our goal to address all air conditioning issues as quickly as possible to maintain tenants comfort, Rhodes said. Harris never received a substitute, though, and replaced the unit herself, with the help of the East Lake Tenants Union, in July. In the absence of further action at City Hall, other residents have similarly turned to community organizations for assistance. Robin Semer, a volunteer with Unete La Villita, said the group has distributed a few used air conditioners that were donated this summer. But the need in South Lawndale outpaces what the group can supply. Its a Band-Aid while were wishing that things would change, said Semer. Her experiences helping to enroll Little Village families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a rental assistance program in 2021 sparked Semers fear that a real tragedy is underway, she said. Lots of tenants, while they were trying to apply for money for utilities, for rent and stuff, were in the process of getting utilities shut off during the summertime, when it was super hot. And a lot of people didnt have air conditioners, but they at least had fans. So then they didnt have fans that would work, Semer said of the disconnected families she helped. Things are only getting worse and are only going to keep getting worse, with the climate. Chicago Tribunes Stephanie Casanova contributed. smacaraeg@chicagotribune.com QUEENSBURY The towns Planning Board has two meetings scheduled for this month to hear updates from some familiar projects and learn about a few new plans. The West Mountain Ski Area will go before the board on Aug. 16 to present plans for the 365-acre property. The application states the ski area intends to use a portion of the land to host outdoor community and family events such as mountain biking, concerts, festivals, endurance races and other recreational events. The resort is seeking to host 10 single-day events and eight multi-day events that would fall outside of their regular season of operation, which requires additional approvals from the county Department of Health and New York state. Each concert is subject to approval for a special use permit from the Planning Board. A public hearing will be held at the meeting. Earlier this year, in May, the propertys owners presented plans for The Woods at West Mountain, to the public. The Post-Star previously reported on the proposed ski-and-stay resort, which would cost an estimated $140 million, is planned to include 46 single-family homes, three buildings holding 18 apartments each, four condominium buildings with 72 units in total, 20 duplex townhouses, a hotel with 60 to 80 rooms, a village center with a pond and an additional 126 apartments. A beach area will also be included, and space for a retail plaza, an amphitheater and a high-speed chairlift are a part of the plans. Members of the community will also be welcome to comment on the proposal of two, 8-acre solar farms at the Warren County airport. A company called Southern Gateway Renewables has applied to use 27 acres of an 80-acre plot of land at the airport for a 8.25-acre, 5.0-megawatt solar farm with 16.5-foot-high to 19.5-foot-high panels. The location is described as south of the airport on the west side of Queensbury Avemue. Northern Gateway Renewables applied to place solar panels at the airport as well, with an address listed as 443 Queensbury Ave. The plans include using 31 acres of a 510-acre lot for an 8.3-acre, 5.0-megawatt solar farm. Both hearings will open at the Aug. 16 meeting at 7 p.m., as well as the second public hearing for the proposal of a 24-unit apartment building with retail/office space on the first level at 78-80 Main St. On Aug. 25, the board will open the floor to the public regarding plans for a six-unit manufactured home park on Pinello Road. Applicant Dan Hunt currently owns two units already existing on the property and was referred by Queenburys Town Board for a State Environmental Quality Review, or SEQR, to be conducted by the Planning Board. Residents of the town are encouraged to attend the open meetings at the Queensbury Activity Center on Bay Road or remotely via a Zoom link available on the towns website. OCEAN CITY Hundreds of people enjoyed the art, local artists and the positive atmosphere present at the 59th annual Boardwalk Art Show presented by the Ocean City Arts Center on Saturday. The free art show, which began Friday and ends Sunday, had 60 artists from the tri-state area, representing different niches in acrylic, oil, pastel, photography and abstract art on a variety of medium. The show spanned from 7th to 10th streets on the Boardwalk. The show was slightly smaller than last years (10 fewer vendors) since the Ocean City Arts Center is trying to focus more exclusively on fine arts and photography. Were reasserting our integrity, said Jack Devine, president of the board of trustees for the Ocean City Arts Center. He noted the original purpose of the Boardwalk Art Show was to feature imaginative, aesthetically pleasing, intellectually stimulating content that is considered fine art. Crafts are wonderful, but we want to focus exclusively on fine arts and photography. There were a handful of jewelry vendors, but the arts center hopes to move jewelry outside the art show by next year so it can have another show specifically for jewelry, Devine said. Were compelled to fulfill the original mission of the art show by emphasizing fine arts, said Chase Jackson, executive director of the Ocean City Arts Center. Devine said the Ocean City Arts Center was founded because of the Boardwalk Art Show. The show also adds a cultural aspect to the city, due to the diverse artists, their experiences and different artistic perspectives that onlookers who come to the city get to witness. The show allows you to stretch your mind and stretch your legs, said Devine, noting the beach, Boardwalk and friendly atmosphere were also draws to the show. It gives you a new way to look at things. Jim and Ruth Cottingham, both retired, are artists from Pitman, Gloucester County, who came to Ocean City on Saturday morning to check out the show for the first time, having missed last years show due to COVID-19 worries. We actually came to scope out the show and see if we should enter next year, said Jim Cottingham, a retired high school art teacher who taught for more than 23 years and now gets commissioned to do oil paintings of classic cars. Ruth Cottingham paints watercolors on papers and has even illustrated a few childrens books. She said the show brings people and artists from all over just for the show. It was Heather Lynn Gibsons 10th time being featured in the Boardwalk show. Nothing makes an artist happier than when somebody falls in love with your work, she said of her repeat customers. The painting picks the person. The person never picks the art. Gibson is an alla prima oil painter, which means she doesnt layer her pigments on canvas. She mixes her pigments on her palette to achieve the color she wants and applies them to canvas with a single layer, unlike other oil painters who create their art with multiple layers of paint. This year, her oil painting Sunhat & Sunglasses won the Arlene Fisher Best of Show award, which came with a $500 cash prize. The Ocean City art show is great, said Gibson, who lives in Berlin, Camden County, and spent many of her summers in Ocean City while visiting her grandmother. Its on the Boardwalk, everything I can possibly eat is right here, and the people are great. Gibson also said the show was great for new artists because of the amount of people that attend, the energy of the crowd, and how smoothly the event runs due to the Ocean City Arts Center running it. Molly Goehring, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was one of the many artists who decided to participate in the Ocean City Boardwalk Art Show for the first time. Goehring and her family spend every summer in Ocean City, so her first time participating in the show was a happy accident in planning, since the art show coincided with her familys first day of vacation. Ive been really excited being here, said Goehring, who she nabbed an honorable mention for her abstract Sewing Machine Art, which featured paint on canvas and sewing thread scribbles. Goehring primarily does mixed media art and two-dimensional paintings that mix classical art with abstract characteristics. Although she said she felt like an outlier at a show where many artists have beach-inspired art and photography, the other artists and people made her feel at home. Theres a strong sense of community here. The artists have been super helpful, and everyones been super supportive, said Goehring. Sandi Gelona comes to the show every year for the art and camaraderie. I love meeting the artists and interacting with them, said Gelona, a show visitor who also is an artist. The artists are friendly and willing to share. Its much different than looking at their work on a wall of art. Gelona has participated in numerous art classes, including ones at the Ocean City Arts Center. She likes to paint still-life art and photos she takes. Although Gelona only does art as a hobby, she said Ocean City was one of the best places for photos and inspiration. She said always leaves with a full camera. The art show not only draws people the Ocean City, but it also enlightens people to multi-talented people in our area that are willing to share their work, said Gelona. The 59th annual Ocean City Arts Center Boardwalk Arts Show ends Sunday at 8 p.m. For more information about the event, visit Ocean City Arts Center. Merrill Davis will celebrate his 95th birthday with an open house given by his family, daughters Cindy Davis (Littleton, CO), Dori & Steve Wauer (Bettendorf, IA), Grandson Thomas Wauer (Bettendorf) and Granddaughter Rachael & AJ Ash (Des Moines) and hosted at the home of Dori and Steve Wauer on August 7th. Merrill was born August 10, 1927, in Ottumwa Iowa to Harold and Margaret Davis. He was the youngest of two sons and grew up to attend Iowa Wesleyan University. He went on to serve with the 11th Airborne Division in the Asia Pacific Arena during WWII. After the war he returned to Ottumwa Iowa and began working for John Deere & Co. It is then that he met the love of his life, Carol. They were wed in 1955 and were blessed with 62 years of marriage. While working with Deere, our family moved to Monterrey Mexico, Dubuque Iowa, and finally in Moline where he retired in 1984. He didnt stay idle however, and started M. Davis Inc., a manufacturing representative business, now run by his son-in-law, Steve. Merrill has always had a passion for flying. He was one of the original members of the QC Commemorative Airforce, supporting the renovation of WWII planes and the start of the Quad Cities Air Show. As a pilot, he has owned and flown a variety of planes and will be celebrating his 95th, by taking a flight in a Stearman Open Cockpit Biplane out of Davenport. Our family is truly blessed to have such a wonderful and loving patriarch. He is an amazing example to us all, a successful man, a loving father and husband, and as a member of the Greatest Generation, an American Hero! We are so honored to wish him a most Blessed and Happy Birthday! CHICAGO - If it were up to Jacques Wallace, no Chicagoan would find a loved one dead of heat stress, without air conditioning, ever again. Wallace still remembers how hot it was a decade ago when he walked into the Near West Side building where his mother, Jacqueline, lived in a studio apartment. It was over 100 degrees in there, in the building, period, he said. It was steaming. A senior with a disability, Jacqueline Wallaces sole income came from a monthly Social Security check that covered her rent and little else, her son said. Air conditioners rested on the window sills of some apartments in the four-story building, but hers wasnt one of them. On the first Friday of July 2012, Jacques Wallace had just gotten paid and was planning to buy his mom an air conditioner, he said. Instead, he found her dead at 64, one of the casualties of a particularly brutal run of hot days that month. Guilt over his moms death lingered with him through the years, he said. But Wallace came out the other side resolute. Something needs to be done, he said of legislators. They can pass a bill they can get some funding for ... basic necessities like air conditioning. Because if that was the case, my mom would still be here. Or at least she wouldnt have died from the heat. As climate change brings hotter, longer and more frequent heat waves, the health risks residents face are growing. Yet access to air conditioning at home, the simplest way to prevent heat illness and death, remains inequitable. Some renters who spoke to the Tribune this summer said their landlords didnt provide air conditioning. In Jacqueline Wallaces building, a bring your own AC policy remains in effect. In Chicago, building owners must ensure that occupants dont freeze at home in winter, but city ordinances dont similarly protect residents from unsafe temperatures during the summer. The City Council amended Chicagos heating and cooling ordinance in June after three deaths in an overheated building, but even the alderman who sponsored that effort acknowledged that the changes were only a first step. Illinois offers low-income residents help with their heating and energy bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, funded by the state and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But applications arent taken from June through August, when heat waves and heat deaths tend to occur. The state hasnt had a formal cooling assistance program since 2015, even though the administration of President Joe Biden has encouraged states to provide cooling assistance as part of the program, known as LIHEAP, since July 2021 and reiterated that guidance this year. Nearly 30 states and U.S. territories and about 100 Native American tribal grantees do provide a formal cooling program, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Illinois, U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that upward of 330,000 households a conservative estimate meet the income criteria to receive LIHEAP aid, which are based on household size. Patricia Briggs said she tried to apply to LIHEAP this summer but it was too late to qualify. You cant get on for help until September, she said. In the meantime, Briggs is skimping on using the air conditioning in her new Uptown apartment to limit costs. The rent at her prior longtime apartment included electricity, Briggs said, and she doesnt want to be surprised with a charge she cant afford. Its so warm in the apartment, she said. A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity noted in a statement that before Illinois closed LIHEAP applications in May, Gov. J.B. Pritzker granted a $200 summer supplemental benefit to more than 250,000 households already enrolled in the $405 million program. With rising temperatures, the state remains committed to supporting those who need it the most and we are currently evaluating options to provide additional support to Illinoisians, Emily Bolton wrote. She did not address why the state didnt adopt federal guidance to reopen its cooling program in the current year. In the heat waves of July 2012 that Jacqueline Wallace didnt survive, at least 30 additional lives were lost, according to a review of Cook County medical examiner data. Ten years later, Chicago saw consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures for the first time since that deadly month. But in 2022 the extreme heat came sooner, arriving in June following record-setting high temperatures in May and prompting multiple safety warnings. To Wallace, who works as a sales and marketing representative, it is time to change the norm where some people have a safe, cool environment and others do not. We get so used to not being taken care of, as far as not having the things we should have as citizens, as residents of the city, especially in Black and brown communities, he said. Were advertised as the land of the free and home of the brave, said Wallace, a military veteran, and here you got people dying because they dont have air conditioning. Air conditioning is a necessity In addition to help with utility costs, the Biden administration has encouraged states to cover the purchase of energy efficient air conditioners or heat pumps and to provide non-monetary aid in the form of targeted outreach. For households that lack air conditioning altogether, have inadequate equipment, or cannot afford the energy costs of running their units, extreme heat conditions can pose severe risks of health impacts, the Biden administration wrote in September 2021. But in Illinois, energy assistance is limited to direct payments from the state to utility companies to help people pay their energy bills, plus a home weatherization program that can cover replacement of an existing cooling system. Residents whose LIHEAP applications were accepted before the summer cutoff date in May said the aid is a big help in making ends meet. But people who were unaware of the deadline to apply or who encountered issues with their applications said other forms of assistance and availability in summer would make it easier for them to get by. Linda Jackson, who is on a fixed disability income, said her LIHEAP application was deemed illegible. She tried to figure out how to fix it but couldnt find help, she said. I kept emailing. I kept calling nothing, said Jackson, who lives in senior housing in Uptown. Thats the one thing that raises the electricity the air conditioning. It would be beneficial to at least have (aid) in the summer. Armando Valdovinos, of Berwyn, applied for LIHEAP assistance in April, hoping for help with his electricity and gas bills. But two weeks before the end-of-May cutoff, Valdovinos got a rejection letter, written in English. I dont know why, he said in Spanish. A DCEO partner organization helped Valdovinos submit his application. He provided the Tribune a copy of the letter, citing a missing document as the reason his request for gas bill assistance was denied. Help with his mounting electricity bill didnt come either, he said. A retired single father of two boys ages 15 and 22, Valdovinos said getting aid would mean hed have some extra money to buy his sons clothes and food. The family has AC in their two-bedroom apartment, but Valdovinos limits how often they turn it on. His Social Security income leaves him with $250 each month after paying rent. Valdovinos sometimes finds ways to make a little money to help pay bills. His oldest son also works and helps buy necessities. We have to struggle and do what we can, he said. Cities and towns are often slow to adapt policies based on past weather to the new realities of climate change, said environmental epidemiologist Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Climate and Health at Boston University. We acknowledge that everybody needs heat in the winter, at least in the northern climates. But theres not widespread recognition amongst the public or even amongst many policymakers that air conditioning is a necessity rather than a luxury good, said Wellenius, who analyzed a decade of deaths across nearly 300 U.S. counties as part of a study published in the journal Environmental Epidemiology in 2020. How do we adapt? In Chicago, Ald. Maria Hadden did take action after a trio of elderly Black women died in May in an overheated building in the Rogers Park ward she represents. The amended ordinance she championed requires new day care, school and residential construction projects to include cooling systems and obligates owners of senior housing, high-rises and 100-plus-unit buildings to provide a communal cooling area if the heat index exceeds 80. The vast majority of Chicagoans, however, live in buildings with fewer than 20 units, according to estimates from the Census Bureaus 2020 American Community Survey. Haddens chief of staff, Leslie Perkins, described the June amendment as an incremental but critical first step. Swift action was needed, but more needs to be done, said Perkins. How do we adapt our building code and our municipal code and city for very real changes that are here at our doorstep and prevent more deaths? she said. There is an air-conditioned communal room in the Lakeview high-rise where Sharron Melendez lives in senior housing. But since theres no place in that cooled space to sleep at night, she questions its usefulness. In her own unit, the motorized scooter she needs to get around is often plugged in to charge while an air conditioner sits unused in her closet. If I put my air conditioner on it blows fuses. Im not doing that, she said. If that happens, she said, You gotta wait three or four hours for the maintenance to come in. Instead, she relies on fans and prayers to stay safe in the heat. A drawer next to her bed overflows with the bottles of prescription medications Melendez takes to treat multiple chronic conditions. If he could put air conditioning downstairs, how come he cant put it through the whole building? Melendez said of building management. East Lake Management, which manages the building where Melendez lives, takes the safety and comfort of our residents very seriously, said Eileen Rhodes, company president. While some buildings the company manages have central air, Rhodes said, older buildings like Melendezs high-rise do not. Rhodes pledged company maintenance would find a permanent solution for residents whose air conditioning shorts out. Meanwhile, Chicagos new cooling requirements dont apply to the building in Little Village where Joe Rio rents an apartment. Rio worked two jobs in elder care until a recent stroke left him with no income in a home without air conditioning. Im at that point now where I need help myself, he said. Members of the grassroots community organization Unete La Villita recently gave Rio an air conditioner. But he needs help installing it and is afraid to ask the landlord, given recent difficulties with his lease. So hes still relying on a single fan to get through the rest of summer. One of the citys six cooling centers is 2 miles from Rios home. But the stroke impaired his mobility, and during recent heat advisories Rio bided his time at home. I just laid in the bed, he said. Chicagos cooling centers are operated by the Department of Family and Support Services. Data obtained from the agency through a public records request shows that during heat advisories in 2020 and 2021, no more than 10 people were recorded as using the cooling centers in any given hour. Wellenius, the environmental epidemiologist, said research indicates that cooling centers alone arent an effective way to save lives, noting that data from multiple cities show few people use them. (An exception, he said, was Seattle.) Possible obstacles include transportation, work, lack of mobility and discomfort in cooling center settings, sometimes located in police stations. Cooling centers cannot possibly be the only solution or even the most important solution to protecting people, he said. We should try to figure out who is highest risk and how to get them help. In addition to Chicagos six cooling centers, Family and Support Services also runs six senior centers and 15 satellite locations where seniors can go during the day, said Joseph Dutra, the agencys public affairs director. These locations serve as safe spaces for residents seeking refuge and relief from the weather, Dutra said. The departments efforts to help high-risk residents during extreme heat include robocalls to seniors who use agency programs and working with service providers to connect older adults to air conditioning units or fans, Dutra said. If the air conditioning in a senior building isnt functioning, Dutra said, the department will conduct well-being checks and, in extreme circumstances, coordinate with other city agencies to provide an air-conditioned bus on site or transportation to a cooling center. Transportation to cooling centers is provided to residents experiencing homelessness, he said. Unnecessary suffering When Hafiz Bey-Shabazz arrives home after regular 13-hour days delivering packages, the heat inside the Austin apartment Bey-Shabazz shares with his fiancee matches the heat outside, he said. They have a window unit that cools their place down eventually, he said. But that isnt true for all of the renters in the building of around 30 units, owned by Pangea Properties. The company, which describes itself as one of the largest landlords of market-rate housing in low-income Chicago neighborhoods, is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in which tenants allege a range of issues, including regular electricity outages. You only got a handful of people that actually got ACs in their window, Bey-Shabazz said. The lack of central air is a safety issue that doesnt sit right with him, he said. A building resident died of heat stress in 2015, according to Cook County medical examiner records. If you are in a position to help, you should. If youre in the business of renting people apartments, Bey-Shabazz said, provide the necessities to live. Pangea is committed to providing quality, attainably priced housing and gives back to the communities it serves by way of charitable donations and volunteering, a company spokesperson said in an email. Chicago landlords arent required to provide air conditioning in apartments, he noted. Regarding the electricity outages alleged in the tenants lawsuit, he said: While we take all resident concerns seriously, we strongly deny the allegations made in the complaint, which run counter to (Pangeas) high service standards. Broader air conditioning protection could come in the form of legislation. Local jurisdictions that already enforce minimum residential cooling requirements include Dallas, Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona and Montgomery County, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C. The state of California is studying the possibility as part of its extreme heat action plan. Perkins, chief of staff to Ald. Hadden, said her office is continuing talks with the Department of Buildings and environmental agencies on how we can build off of this legislation and work toward broader protections. Michael Mini, executive vice president of the Chicagoland Apartment Association, said the organization of landlords, property managers and developers is committed to playing a constructive role in addressing heat-related health impacts. The safety of all residents is our top priority. We support the principle of the recent ordinance and look forward to working with officials to ensure proper implementation, Mini wrote in an email. Many apartment owners have already made required changes, or are working diligently to make the proper infrastructure adjustments. He didnt comment on the associations position on the prospect of minimum cooling requirements in residential units. But, he added: We will continue to work in partnership with public officials, residents and community members on these vital issues. Washington Park renter Santresa Harris said the stakes are too high for a cooling requirement not to exist. A malfunctioning window unit made home temperatures in the 80s a miserable new norm for her family, said Harris, who works at a nonprofit supporting survivors of domestic violence and lives with two of her four kids. People pass away due to overheating, said Harris. You would think those adjustments would have been made due to those facts, especially (for) elderly, and physically challenged people. The company that manages the Chicago Housing Authority row home Harris rents wouldnt replace the air conditioner thats built into her wall, she said. Its kind of the energy of: You better shut up and just be grateful for what you have, said Harris. It just felt like suffering, like unnecessary suffering. East Lake Management also manages Harris building. Rhodes, the company president, said East Lake will provide a portable air conditioner if a renter with central air is awaiting a repair and a substitute unit when a window unit malfunctions. It is our goal to address all air conditioning issues as quickly as possible to maintain tenants comfort, Rhodes said. Harris never received a substitute, though, and replaced the unit herself, with the help of the East Lake Tenants Union, in July. In the absence of further action at City Hall, other residents have similarly turned to community organizations for assistance. Robin Semer, a volunteer with Unete La Villita, said the group has distributed a few used air conditioners that were donated this summer. But the need in South Lawndale outpaces what the group can supply. Its a Band-Aid while were wishing that things would change, said Semer. Her experiences helping to enroll Little Village families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a rental assistance program in 2021 sparked Semers fear that a real tragedy is underway, she said. Lots of tenants, while they were trying to apply for money for utilities, for rent and stuff, were in the process of getting utilities shut off during the summertime, when it was super hot. And a lot of people didnt have air conditioners, but they at least had fans. So then they didnt have fans that would work, Semer said of the disconnected families she helped. Things are only getting worse and are only going to keep getting worse, with the climate. Chicago Tribunes Stephanie Casanova contributed. After four years away, Lynyrd Skynyrd will return to the Buffalo Chip's Wolfman Jack Stage Sunday night. Johnny Van Zant, lead vocalist and youngest brother of original band member Ronnie Van Zant, said it will be homecoming of sorts for the band. "We've been like their house band for years, so it's good to get to come back," Van Zant said. "Lynyrd Skynyrd and bikers, what do you want? Don't get much better than that." Van Zant joined the band about 10 years after Ronnie, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and Dean Kilpatrick, along with two pilots, died in an airplane crash Oct. 20, 1977 on a return trip from Greenville, South Carolina. The rest of the band recovered. Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited in 1987 for a full-scale tour with Van Zant on lead vocals. They have not rested since. The band is now made up of Van Zant, original member Gary Rossington, Rickey Medlocke, Mark "Sparky" Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Johnny Colt, Peter Keys, Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Chase. Van Zant said for him, he loves coming back to Sturgis and seeing all the "nice rides" and meeting different people. "There's all aspects of life out there," he said. "There's doctors, lawyers, I even met a monsignor out there and have become good friends with him over the years." Van Zant said unfortunately this year the band won't be able to stay and enjoy the festivities as much, but hope to be back next year to celebrate 50 years of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He said it marks the the 50th year from when the first album was released. "What better way to do it than to come to Sturgis," he said. "I hope it happens for us. We're teaming up with some of our good friends. I can't really announce it right now, but we're working on teaming up with people that we have played with multiple times for next year to celebrate Lynyrd Skynyrd." He said it's awesome to see all the different generations joining in the music over the years. He said it really has become a family thing. Lynyrd Skynyrd headlines the Wolfman Jack Stage at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at the Buffalo Chip. Bush precedes the band at 8:30 with Devon Worley Band at 7:05 p.m. Do you have an event or calendar item you would like published in the Ravalli Republic? Please email your submission to events@ravallirepublic.com. Submit information in paragraph form. Posters and flyers will not be accepted. Monday, Aug. 8 Bitterroot Public Library, beeswax wrap take-home kit for kids. First come, first served grab-bag kit. Instructions and materials included. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Mother Goose on the Loose, 10:30-11:30 a.m., babies and todders. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville, northvalleylibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Hand and foot, every Monday, 12:30 p.m. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday at 6 p.m. by Florence Carlton Church Soul Suppers. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Ravalli County Collaborative Committee meets in Commissioners Conference Room Agenda: Minutes; Updates from T Love & S Kimball; Sub Comm Updates; Wildfire Position Statements; Forest Health Position Statements; Public comment. Join Zoom Meeting pwd=V2ZEcVJ0WWtZczlvRDhTekNKOFJYZz09 Meeting ID: 850 9738 6174 Passcode: 649586 Tuesday, Aug. 9 Bitterroot Public Library, Juntos! (Together!) Storytime, meeting room, 9:30 to 10 a.m, registration required. Spanish language storytime for ages 2-5 years old. Hear stories, learn simple phrases and sing along while learning a new language. Coloring Club for Adults, meeting room, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Indulge your creative side and be social. Socrates Cafe, 6:30 to 9 p.m., meeting room. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Role Playing Games (RPGs) in-person or online, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). Enter the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Create your own character and join an online campaign. No experience required. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville, northvalleylibrary.org. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club. Exercise, 10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Darby Farmers Market, open 10 a.m.2 p.m. every Tuesday through Sept. 14 at Main Street Park. Hamilton School District Regular Board Meeting and Final Budget Hearing, 6:30 p.m., Washington Elementary, room 4. The Board will be conducting this meeting with live participation. In addition to meeting in person, the District will broadcast the meeting LIVE on the HSD#3 Facebook page. You are encouraged to join the meeting at: https://www.facebook.com/HamiltonSchoolDistrict3 Corvallis School District Regular Board Meeting, 7 p.m., Central Office Board Room. Wednesday, Aug. 10 Bitterroot Public Library, Baby and Toddler Story time, meeting room, 10:30 a.m. Registration required. Join Annika or Kat for a story, finger plays, rhymes and songs. Ages 0-2. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday at 6 p.m. by Florence Carlton Church Soul Suppers. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. Pinochle games, 1 p.m., multiple bid, $2. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Thursday, Aug. 11 Bitterroot Public Library, Artful Thinking, 2-3 p.m. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Art with Annika, 4-5 p.m., (children). For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville, northvalleylibrary.org. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club. Exercise, 10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Bitterroot Newcomers Club is a friendly group of women who wish to socialize and visit new places together in the Bitterroot Valley. Our Aug. 11 meeting is at 10 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Hamilton (378 Fairgrounds Road, across from Hamilton High). We will drive and carpool south to Darby for a tour of the newly remodeled Old West Antiques & Candy Store at 202 S. Main Street. We'll have plenty of time for browsing and shopping in this large, unique store, which carries many items from the "Yellowstone" TV series. Sandwiches, salads, shakes, fudge, parfaits, etc. are available to purchase and enjoy. Please join us all visitors and members are welcome! Friday, Aug. 12 Bitterroot Public Library, spectrUM Summer of Science, 1-3 p.m. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. North Valley Public Library, Open World Fridays, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). Make Fridays more exciting, come to the library for an all access pass to all the cool stuff. Choose to 3D print objects and then paint them, create a craft, explore the Dungeons & Dragons handbooks, or make a zine, it's up to you. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville, northvalleylibrary.org. Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Pinochle games, 1 p.m., $2. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton. Stevensville Senior Center, 8 a.m. Coffee Club, meals at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton. Saturday, Aug. 13 Bitterroot Public Library, Yoga for Beginners, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., meeting room, every Saturday morning in August. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org. Free Family Activity: Let's go fishing! Create a collage representing a home for fish. We will use our imagination as we design a watery world for fishes. The cool mountain streams and lakes are full of sleek, shimmering fish swimming silently under the surface. Craft a collage to represent their world. 10 a.m.-noon, Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford St., Hamilton. 406-363-3338. Stevensville Senior Center, pinochle at 7 p.m. 100 Mission St., Stevensville. Hamilton Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., downtown Hamilton on Bedford, 2nd and 3rd Streets. Lone Rock Farmers Market with live music, 4-7 p.m., Ambrose Community Center, 4415 Sunnyside Cemetery Rd., Stevensville. For more info &/or to become a vendor, text 406-396-1236 or email joylnelson21@gmail.com. AA Meeting, 6-10 p.m., Bitterroot Public Library, 306 State St. Bitterroot River Clean Up, volunteers sign up for a floating or walking section to help clean 155 miles of our Bitterroot River. Clean up on your own schedule and celebrate together from 4-7 pm. Volunteers who sign up will receive a voucher for one free pint of locally-brewed beer from one of three breweries from Darby to Stevensville. Vouchers can be redeemed from 47 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Blacksmith Brewing in Stevensville, Bitter Root Brewing in Hamilton, or Brigand Taphouse & Brewery in Darby. Sign up or learn more at brwaterforum.org/clean-up. Each year we pull roughly 2,000 pounds of trash from the river. Sunday, Aug. 14 Farm Fun Day with Cultivating Connections, 2-7 p.m. Join Cultivating Connections Montana in celebrating food, family, farming and fun. Learn from our summer AmeriCorps members and Youth Farm Interns, tour the farm, create your own tasty pizza with all local ingredients, ride the ice cream bike, pet the goats and hold the chicks, play fun games, sample recipes using all Montana ingredients, and connect to our community! This event is free and open to the public. Donations to Cultivating Connections are welcome. Further ahead Tuesday, Aug. 23 Corvallis Sewer District monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., 234 Brothers Way. Sunday, Aug. 28 The Victor Heritage Museum will be holding our Annual Ice Cream Social, a Thank you to our Community, from noon to 3 p.m. We will be partnered with Outwest Wagons for wagon rides around Victor and with the Bitterroot Community Band at the Victor Park at 1 p.m. Also, the Gut Bomb food truck will be at the park. The Museum is located at 125 Blake Street on the corner of Blake Street and Main Street in downtown Victor. Call 406-642-3997 or 406-363-3165 if you have questions. Tuesday, Sept. 27 Corvallis Sewer District monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., 234 Brothers Way. Tuesday, Oct. 25 Corvallis Sewer District monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m., 234 Brothers Way. Its a horrific reality for Montanans to consider, but human trafficking takes place every day in our state. The odds are most of you have seen it but didnt know. Last month, a man involved in a sex trafficking ring in Billings was sentenced to nearly 27 years after exploiting vulnerable victims for nearly a decade plying them with drugs and alcohol to create addictions and then forcing them into commercial sex. The operation also led to the tragic death of one of the victims. Four other men were sentenced for their role in this criminal enterprise. In June, in a case led by our Department of Justice human trafficking agents, another perpetrator was found guilty of multiple drug and human trafficking crimes and will face at least 27 years in prison. He transported a 19-year-old girl to Colorado where he sold her for commercial sex and sexually assaulted her. He also kidnapped two girls one from the Crow Reservation and one from Billings for the purposes of sexually assaulting them. Thankfully, these criminals are being held accountable for their reprehensible actions. However, they represent just two of the human trafficking cases that were aware of. The number of suspected cases tracked by the Montana Department of Justice went from 7 in 2015 to 68 in 2021, an increase of 871 percent. More awareness among the public leads to more reported cases, but the numbers point to a deep-seated problem. Its a problem we cant afford to ignore there are victims right now who need relief from their oppressors and deserve justice. Thats why as attorney general Ive made it a priority to eliminate human trafficking. Across the Montana Department of Justice, we are committed to finding these dangerous predators, holding them accountable, and fighting for the people who are targeted because of their vulnerabilities. During my first year and a half in office we have already taken several steps toward our goal to eliminate this heinous crime in Montana. Our Prosecution Services Bureau is now providing training for county attorneys to help them recognize trafficking cases that come across their desk. At the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, weve enhanced training so that all local, state, and tribal law enforcement officers entering the field know how to spot human trafficking. All uniformed Montana Highway Patrol troopers are now trained on identifying and responding to human trafficking cases. In response to the increase in cases, the 2019 Legislature passed a bill that created a two-person human trafficking enforcement team within the Department of Justice. That was a good start and these agents have done fantastic work since then but its not enough. In the next legislative session, I will be asking our lawmakers for additional agents dedicated to the fight against human trafficking. To make Montana a truly hostile place for human traffickers, the Legislature will also need to look at our criminal code. Specifically, giving more teeth to the statutes to prosecute and crack down on the criminal trafficking enterprises that are profiting from the suffering of others. In the meantime, I will continue my efforts to bring anti-human trafficking organizations and regional task forces to the table to work with government agencies and law enforcement to improve resource coordination, identify gaps in services, and explore additional policy proposals. You dont need to wait for the Legislature to play an important role in the fight against human trafficking. Learn the indicators and commit to reporting suspected cases to law enforcement. As Montanans, we typically dont like sticking our nose into other peoples business, but your phone call could save a life. If you notice any indicators of human trafficking dont hesitate to call 911 in an emergency or 833-406-STOP in a non-emergency situation. If possible, take pictures of the trafficker, victim, and vehicle license plate, but do not intervene and remain at a safe distance. Human trafficking and sexual slavery will not go away if we turn a blind eye. We must continue to work together to eliminate these crimes in Montana. Austin Knudsen, Montana Attorney General Dear Amy: You often mention the need to exercise compassionate detachment, especially with adult children. I need advice on how to make that shift. There is a saying that being a parent is like having your heart wander around the world without you, and it is so true. Advertisement As a mom who is only as happy as my most unhappy child, I struggle with this all the time. I have really improved in terms of not offering unsolicited advice and comments, but I constantly worry about choices they make and feel their pain possibly even more acutely than they do (and often long after). Advertisement This is made worse by the fact that one of my adult children has significant mental health issues. It is to the point where I often wake up in the middle of the night worrying. Do you have any techniques or books you would recommend that would help me to develop greater compassionate detachment? Worried Mom Dear Worried: Surely you remember the old Dunkin Donuts ad: Its time to make the donuts! Your adult children have a negative experience, and your mom-brain goes: Ding! Its time to make the donuts! And you either fly into action or fall into worry-mode (or both). Developing loving and compassionate detachment is a process that involves a certain amount of realistic self-assessment. Some people are temperamentally more inclined toward worry than others. And any time your child struggles with serious health issues, this will trigger a wave of worry. Its helpful to ask yourself realistically what purpose your worrying serves. Advertisement Does your fretting serve your children, ease their pain, or soothe their wounds? Does it make you (or them) stronger or more resilient? Does it make you a better person or parent, or better able to serve your own highest purpose? No. Worrying diverts your mind and saps your strength. Worrying expresses a parents clutching desire to control the outcome, even when they know they cant. If you truly understand and accept your powerlessness; if you accept that other adults have the right to make choices even bad ones you will see that oftentimes the most powerful thing you can do is to abide with others through their challenges. I often picture this powerful witnessing process as holding hands and walking together neither leading nor being led. Advertisement Letting go of your need to worry is liberating even for the person you are worrying about. And once you truly understand that you dont have to make the donuts, you will experience your most tender relationships in a new way. Cogent teachers who will help you to work through these feelings and impulses are: Pema Chodron, Brene Brown, and Glennon Doyle. All have multiple books and video teachings available. Dear Amy: Several years ago, longtime friends ghosted us. There was no argument that precipitated that occurrence. I asked what was wrong and was told that she and her husband have decided to travel alone because they are fuddie-duddies. Advertisement We had vacationed together for years and there was no change in how we did the arrangements. They totally cut us off after this and there has been no contact since. A recent picture on social media showed the spouse looking quite frail, as if they were on chemo. I dont know whether to reach out, since I do not know for sure or whether to let things stand as they are. What do you think? Ghosted Friend Advertisement Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from Americas Favorite Advice Columnist for $5. > Dear Friend: If you are connected with this couple on social media, then you have a channel through which to communicate. Yes, I think you should reach out. You do not need to refer to the frail appearance of this spouse, but you could message them to say, I just saw a picture of George on FB and it made me think of you and to remember some of our times together. I hope you are both doing OK, and encourage you to reach out if ever you would like to be in touch. Dear Amy: Regarding the letter from Proud Daughter of a Veteran, the National Cemetery Administration (part of Veterans Affairs) has a new process to assist veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors in planning for burials with military honors. Here is the website. Ted Wong, Branch Chief-CX Communications Sustainment, Veterans Experience Office Dear Ted: Thank you! To clarify this site helps families to determine eligibility. It is not necessary to register in advance of a veterans passing. Advertisement 2022 Amy Dickinson. Goochland County Supervisors gave their unanimous stamp of approval to a proposed 650,000-square-foot e-commerce fulfillment center on Aug. 2, clearing the way for what promises to be one of the most significant economic development projects in the countys history. But while the board members were clearly aligned in their support of the $500 million projectnoting, among other benefits, the fact that the 105-acre property at 1990 Ashland Road is located in an area of the countys eastern end designated for industrial development--dozens of residents who live near the site took the opposite view. For several weeks, those residents, many of whom live in the Parkside Village subdivision just a few miles north of the site, had been waging a well-coordinated campaign against the plan, dubbed Project Rocky in county filings. While the company behind the project has not been revealed, many have suggested it could be Amazon. Chief among residents concerns is the potential increase in traffic the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation would bring to the Ashland Road corridor, a place that has been on the countys list of critical areas to address for years. According to information provided by the developer, the California-based Panattoni Development Co., the fulfillment center will employ around 1,000 people over two shifts and include 55 loading docks and 414 parking spaces designated for tractor trailers. According to JoAnne Hunter, Goochlands deputy county administrator for community and economic development, the fulfillment center would not be considered a last-mile facility, meaning that traffic in and out would be limited to large trucks bringing in shipments to be sorted and then sent out to other facilities. But that information did little to alleviate the concerns of those opposed to the project, who told board members that both the employees and the incoming truck traffic will surely make the already challenging traffic situation on Ashland Road even worse. In addition to the traffic, many residents who spoke out against the project shared fears over the environmental and health impacts such a large-scale industrial operation would have on those living nearby. In order to address the potential increase in traffic, developers have proffered to widen Ashland Road in order to add two turn lanes coming from either side of the entrance to the new facility, and to add a right turn lane to allow drivers to bypass the light when getting onto I-64 west from Ashland Road. The developers will also create a signalized intersection at the entrance of the fulfillment center. Signage will be added that prohibit trucks from turning left onto Ashland Road, and instead will route trucks back toward the interchange. About 80% of employee traffic is also expected travel back toward the interchange as well. Perhaps the most significant improvement will be the installation of a four-lane divergent diamond interchange at Ashland Road and I-64, which will replace the two-lane style version the county, had initially planned for that location. Hunter told board members on Aug. 2 that the county had met with VDOT officials to discuss that change, and said all were in agreement that the four-lane interchange was the more appropriate choice. Funding for the project is expected to include the $17 million already allocated by the Central Virginia Transportation Authority. In their remarks prior to voting on the rezoning request, board members stressed that the project is n keeping with the countys comprehensive plan, and that it could ultimately provide a way to improve the areas traffic problems rather than exacerbate them. The only way that you get [improvements] done in a county our size, with our resources, is by having great projects, said board chairman Neil Spoonhower. We want to make this work, and what I can tell you that is this board is going to work for you. Spoonhower also reiterated that the county and the developers still have a long road ahead in order to complete the project. Richmond police have identified the victim in Thursdays homicide on Forest Hill Avenue as Candice Gomness, 23, of Chesterfield County. Police responded to reports of random gunfire around 3:13 p.m. near the 4000 block of Forest Hill Avenue. At the scene, officers located a vehicle nearby on West 44th Street that had collided with a curb near the Forest Hill intersection. Police said they discovered a man and a woman occupying the vehicle, both suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims were transported to a hospital, where Gomness later died. The mans injury is not considered life-threatening, police said. Miguel Rampersad, 20, of Richmond has been charged with attempted murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Additional charges are pending. The medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death. Major Crimes detectives believe the shooting may have occurred in the 4000 block of Forest Hill Avenue, near the intersection of Roanoke Street. The Richmond Region League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is calling on Richmond Public Schools to establish a commission to support the success of Latino students in the district. According to state data from the fall of 2020, 18.5% of the districts student body was Hispanic, while Black students made up 55.4% of the student body and white students accounted for 21%. For the past three school years, according to state data and the organizations letter, Latino students in RPS have trailed all of their peers with on-time graduation rates. For example in the 2020-21 school year, 57.2% of Latino students graduated from RPS, compared with 80.1% of Black students, 93.3% of white students and 78.5% of all students, according to state data. Why these Chesterfield students are heading back to class now Hundreds of Chesterfield County students returned to classrooms on Monday, marking the begin Establishing a communitywide Commission on the Status of Latino students in RPS is needed to comprehensively assess current issues related to the academic and non-academic success of Latino students (including English learners) and to identify policy, programmatic, and administrative steps aimed at significantly improving academic and non-academic outcomes for RPS Latino students, according to an Aug. 1 letter from the Richmond chapter of LULAC. A report on K-12 performance that the Youngkin administration released in May found that following the states public school closures during COVID-19, the most devastating learning loss affected Black and Hispanic students and students living in poverty. Vilma Seymour, president of the Richmond branch, submitted the letter last week to RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras and School Board Chairwoman Shonda Harris-Muhammed. Seymour also read portions of the letter during public comment during Mondays School Board meeting. There was no formal discussion of the proposal. However, later during the meeting, School Board member Stephanie Rizzi asked her colleagues to consider LULACs proposal in full, including forming the commission. Harris-Muhammed immediately concurred. The proposal looks to charge a commission with assessing existing programming that is designed to meet the needs of Latino students and English learners, develop a multiyear plan to improve academic outcomes and the well-being of Latino students, gather perspectives from the Latino community and more. [While] Latino students are the fastest-growing segment of RPS enrollment ... RPS has never focused sustained system-wide priority attention on specific issues impacting the well-being and achievement of Latino students, the proposal letter reads. Youngkin names new members to Board of Education Gov. Glenn Youngkins new appointees to the Virginia Board of Education include members whos The commission, according to the proposal, would have between four and six community members (including parents of RPS Latino and English learner students), two or three Latino high school students, community organization representatives, RPS staff, two School Board members (with at least one representing a South Side district) and more. The Richmond LULAC chapter wrote that its proposal is consistent with the Dreams4RPS Strategic Plan and the districts overall commitment for equity for all students. Dreams4RPS, a five-year plan that ends in 2023, includes prioritizing safe and loving school cultures, hiring high-quality staff, fostering a passion for learning with engaging instruction, establishing community and family partnerships, and modernizing buildings. In a July appearance before the School Board, Seymour asked for the commission to be formed. She brought a letter from a concerned member of the George Wythe High community that she said detailed unacceptable treatment of the Latino and English learner population at the school. Seymour said English-learner students are crammed into small classrooms with not enough desks, forcing some to sit on the floor. Spanish-speaking school visitors are routinely ignored by front desk personnel, said Seymour, adding that teachers have been told they will not receive a substitute to cover their class because the substitutes only want to work with students who speak English. The Richmond LULAC chapter is asking for the commission to be established ahead of the upcoming school year and for members to be named no later than Sept. 20. The 2022-23 academic year begins Aug. 29. The Richmond areas two historically Black universities intend to build college partnership laboratory schools, seizing an opportunity introduced by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and backed with $100 million in startup funding for a statewide effort. Details are scant. Leaders for Virginia State University in Ettrick and Virginia Union University in Richmonds North Side cant say where the schools will be built, how many students will populate them or who will teach the classes. A spokesperson for Virginia Union declined to speak in detail about the universitys plan. But a VSU dean said opening a lab school brings the university closer to its community, delivers real-life experience and innovation to K-12 students, and helps education leaders learn more about what works and what doesnt between a teacher and the classroom. Were definitely interested in partnering with our surrounding community to effect change in education, said Willis Walter, dean of the College of Education at Virginia State. The two universities are among the first colleges in the state to announce such plans. In June, the General Assembly allocated $100 million of the state budget toward seed funding for the establishment of lab schools, an alternative form of public K-12 education that's allowed greater autonomy and is funded through a separate budget. Youngkin had sought $150 million for the initiative by taking funds from existing K-12 coffers. But legislators resisted and approved the lesser amount. The law allows for colleges and universities with teacher education programs to open lab schools. Public and private four-year universities plus community colleges are eligible. Lab schools can have specific focuses, such as STEM, at-risk students, special education or career and technical education, according to Virginia law. They can begin in preschool and last through the 12th grade. The schools, which can offer alternative instruction, scheduling, management and structure, award spots through a lottery based on availability, and students pay no tuition. They will be funded through the College Partnership Laboratory School Fund, and the Board of Education will decide how much of the pot each school receives. Individual schools will manage their own budgets. To begin the process, a college must apply for a lab school by detailing 31 separate items, including its vision, targeted student population, proposed location, estimated enrollment, names of proposed founding governing board members, a calendar and daily schedule, an academic program and more. Once a school receives approval from the Board of Education, it must reapply every five years. At the time of his announcement, Youngkin specifically mentioned historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs, expressing hope they would participate. VSU and VUU are among the first to throw their hats in the ring. The Richmond areas other four-year schools Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond and Randolph-Macon College havent indicated their plans. A spokesperson for the State Council of Higher Education said she did not know which colleges in the state plan to apply. Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for the governor, said there is great interest across the commonwealth to launch lab schools, which will expand opportunities for students in need of a different approach to learning. One such example might be found at Southside Virginia Community College, which has seven campuses across the southern end of the state. The college is planning a collaboration between Microsoft and the schools Center for Information Technology Excellence to mold eventual data center technicians. Lab schools would take a step beyond the colleges program, Youngkin said, because they have the ability to reach younger students. I heard a lot of the word partnership, the governor said in South Hill on Friday during a roundtable of Southside school officials and SVCC staff and students. I heard a lot about ninth and 10th grade. A lot about licensure. And I keep hearing hands on and thats so important to get students of all ages, 6 to 60, to engage with the future. Its a challenge keeping students focused on math classes when they can meet the Standards of Learning requirement by grade nine or 10, Mecklenburg County school Superintendent Paul Nichols told Youngkin during the roundtable. The city of Petersburg has expressed interest in partnering with VSU, university leaders said. Its unclear if the school would be in Petersburg or on VSUs campus, which sits across the Appomattox River from downtown. Julius Hamlin, Petersburg schools interim superintendent, did not respond to a request for comment. But VSU also predominantly serves Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and Prince George counties and the city of Colonial Heights, Walter said, and VSU could partner with all five localities. Lab school partnerships arent limited to a single school division. VSUs lab school could focus on agriculture, engineering or computer science, Walter said, three fields the university already prioritizes. In the past three years, VSU has introduced students to augmented reality, virtual reality, three-dimensional printing and computer coding all of which could find a place in a K-12 setting. Virginia State professors and students already conduct robotics activities with nearby children and visit preschools across the street in Ettrick. A lab school would be a continuation of some of these efforts, Walter said. It remains to be seen if teachers, professors or both would teach the classes. Not only would a VSU lab school give students and families a new educational opportunity, it would present VSU professors and students with living, breathing research subjects for the field of education. The school would literally become an education lab. Thats why theyre called lab schools, Walter said. There are numerous examples of lab schools across the country that VSU can look to as models. Supporters of lab and charter schools say such initiatives give parents in struggling school districts a new option for educating their children. But critics say they can become yet another way to separate the haves from the have-nots or segregate white students from Black students. This is where location and transportation are critical. If a school doesnt provide free transportation, families without cars may not be able to access it. Walter said its a priority for VSUs lab school to benefit the vast majority of students. How thatll happen, he doesnt know yet. Starting a lab school is a great opportunity to reconnect with one or more school divisions or communities in a much stronger way, he said. World War II veteran Russell L. Scott, comic book hero. Well, sure, why not? The late Scott, a B-25 tail gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps who was held as a prisoner of war, certainly had a story to tell. To sum up, as he told me in 2014, seven decades after it all happened in 1944, I got to Corsica on the 18th of May. On the 23rd of May, I went on my first mission. And on the 25th of May, I went on my last mission. The mission on May 25 was his last because enemy fire hit his B-25 over Italy. Scott attempted to bail out, but the escape hatch wouldnt open, so he had to head-butt the canopy over the tail gunners position to get out, said Ralph Fields, who volunteered with Scott at the Virginia War Memorial and became a close friend. Scott slid onto the planes tail assembly as the plane was going down, sitting there momentarily with his feet dangling. The reason for his hesitation? He had a parachute, but he had never used it. He said the ground kept getting closer and closer and that helped him make up his mind, Fields recalled. He just had a way of telling his story that fascinated everybody. Scott hit the ground awkwardly, suffering a broken back, and was immediately captured by Germans, leading to a long journey of being moved as a prisoner of war from Italy to Germany to Poland and back to Germany. At one prison camp, he transformed powdered milk cans into stovepipes - hed done body-and-fender work back home so he was familiar with working with metal so the coal stoves in each crowded room wouldnt asphyxiate the inhabitants. He surely saved lives. He survived the war, returned to his native Richmond and became a longtime volunteer at the local veterans hospital as well as at the Virginia War Memorial. He died in 2019 at age 99. But his story lives on. Virginia Commonwealth University student Maggie Colangelo, a senior and double-major in VCU Arts and environmental studies who also works in the universitys Virtual Curation Laboratory, was intrigued when she heard about Scotts story and set about creating a detailed, three-panel comic, describing his harrowing experience. Comics are a great way to reach out to people, Colangelo said. When youre trying to get kids to read, its way easier to hand them a comic than to get them to slog through a whole chapter book. Her comics, which she creates digitally, represent visual learning, but they also convey actual information. Ive really found a niche that I like in making educational comics, said Colangelo, who also has created comics about the Founding Fathers obsession with giant Ice Age animals and the Isle of Wight County Museums Worlds Oldest Ham. Her goal is to make her comics humorous and interesting because she remembers when she was growing up history was my least favorite subject. Which is odd because there are so many interesting things happening in history, said Colangelo, who lives in Ashburn. It should be the most amazing class ever, but somehow it was just the most endless hour of my life every class. Colangelo learned about Scott from Bernard K. Means, an assistant anthropology professor at VCU and director of the Virtual Curation Lab, who had worked with Scott on another project a few years ago. Means met Scott in the fall of 2014 while he was doing a 3-D scanning demonstration at the Virginia War Memorial; the lab partners with museums around the world, using 3-D object-scanning to record artifacts, fossils and historic objects for analysis, conservation and educational outreach. Means learned of Scotts story that day, as well as plans to display a model of the B-25 Scott flew aboard. He made a 3-D scan of Scott right then and there, with the idea of producing a miniature model of Scott to go on exhibit with the model plane. Means used his labs 3-D printers to create a plastic model of Scott that was scaled to the size of the B-25 model. Chelsea Miller, then a VCU history major who was interning at the war memorial, researched WWII-era uniforms and painted the miniature of Scott so it looks like the flight suit he wore then. The miniature B-25, with Scott perched on the tail assembly, remains on display at the war memorial, hanging from the ceiling in the lobby of the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center. When he leads tours at the war memorial, Fields often starts by pointing out the B-25 and talking about Scott. He was kind of like a brother, said Fields, whose own brother was killed in World War II when his plane was shot down over Germany. The first day I met Russell, we just kind of bonded. We had so much in common. In 2017, Fields accompanied Scott on a ride in a B-25 similar to the one Scott had flown in. He describes it as a highlight. I got to fly with a World War II tail gunner in a World War II bomber, which was quite special, Fields said. It was Fields who set in motion the events that led to the lobby exhibit. Some years back, he spied a radio-controlled B-25 with a 9-foot wingspan for sale at the Williamsburg Antique Mall. He told Scott about it at one of their Wednesday volunteer shifts, and they drove to Williamsburg in Fields pickup truck that afternoon. Scott fell in love with it and bought it on the spot and then donated it to the war memorial. Hed always tell everybody I made him spend all his money on that airplane, Fields said. Russell had this wonderful sense of humor. He loved to cut up and tease and all. He was just a very special person. And a charmer. He told my wife he didnt have any wrinkles because he smiled all the time, he said. Everybody loved Russell. When he and Scott were leading tours together, Fields would tell groups, You picked the perfect time to visit the war memorial because youre going to meet a real-life World War II hero. Funny thing, though, Fields said, Russell never considered himself a hero. So, what would Scott think of being the star of a 21st-century comic? I think he would like it, Fields said. VCUs Means agreed, although Scott might have been bemused to be the subject of such a project, but not because he was unfamiliar with the medium. Comics were very popular among U.S. soldiers during World War II, Means said, and he bets Scott read a ton of comic books. Sometimes, the evolving confidence games borrow elements from each other such as a banker-impersonator who induces people to buy thousands worth of gift cards without telling anyone as part of a fraud investigation. The very first scam this column ever broached was the sweepstakes scam, and that was back in 2012. Alas, its still happening both in Virginia and the United States. The Better Business Bureau says that scam has been around the longest, and that its gotten worse in the past four years. Heres how didnt work back in 2012 on Hugh Elliott. Then 77, Elliott received a letter at his northeast Roanoke home stamped Royal Mail. It informed him hed won $150,000 in in the UK & North American Shoppers Sweepstakes sponsored by The National Lottery Inc. Elliott could not recall entering such a contest. But the scammers had that base covered, too. You have won this prize by shopping in one or more of the selected stores in North America: Wal-Mart, Sears, Walgreens, Kmart, Costco, Staples, Home Depot, Office Depot, etc., the letter read. I think Sears and Kmart are now gone, but most Americans have visited one of those retailers at one time or another, right? The letter also mentioned a minor hitch: British taxes needed to be paid on Elliotts prize before he could collect. The taxes in question totaled $1,950, the letter said. Where was Elliott going to get that sum? No problem, the letter continued. Also enclosed was a neatly typed official-looking check, made out to Elliott in the amount of $3,750. The check bore the name of a real bank based in Ohio. Oddly, the payor was a Japanese automaker that had its American headquarters in Indiana. All Elliott had to do was deposit the $3,750 check into his own bank account, then wire $1,950 of that to the British tax agent. He could keep the excess for his trouble. His net, including the prize, would be slightly under $150,000. Elliott, who made a career out of paying bills for his former employer, Norfolk-Southern Corp., didnt fall for the scheme. But others who were less alert eventually discovered the official-looking $3,750 check was a forgery. (These days, its easy to conjure almost anything with a computer and a printer.) The victims lost the $1,950 theyd wired to the UK & North American Shoppers Sweepstakes which was phony. Elliott escaped being victimized by following the Better Business Bureaus No. 1 rule whenever dealing with any purported sweepstakes: Never pay money to claim a prize. Thats worth repeating. NEVER. The BBB put it in bold, as with a headline, on a flyer it prepared to warn folks away from sweepstakes scams. The studys title: Sweepstakes, Lottery, and Prize Scams: A Better Business Bureau study of how winners lose millions through an evolving fraud. There are legitimate sweepstakes. One of the best known is Publishers Clearinghouse (if thats still around). They send multiple pieces of mail, encouraging people to subscribe to magazines. By law, no purchase is necessary to enter that sweepstakes, though. And your chances of winning dont increase if you do make a purchase. The company doesnt demand its winners pay taxes or other upfront fees to claim a prize. Other kinds of sweepstakes letters arrive at American homes every day. Theyre received by people of all ages. Some purport to be from well-known companies such as auto insurer GEICO. Most people throw that stuff in the trash. But a percentage dont. Instead, they respond. Typically, recipients are hit with a request for money, for fees, taxes, processing, whatever, to claim their nonexistent prize. Frequently the scammers masquerade as legitimate-sounding charities. Sometimes they want the money wired to them, directly from your bank or Western Union. Other occasions they request victims buy gift cards in supermarkets and read the scammer the scratch-off numbers on the back. That transfers the value of the card to the scammer. And other times scammers induce victims to put cash in an envelope and mail it directly. According to the BBB, in sweepstakes scams, the average amount taken from victims aged 18-54 is $259. For people 55 or older, its $978. Interviews with victims show they are not overcome with greed, the BBB report notes. Rather, scammers encourage them to think about the nice things they can do for their families or communities with the money. Perhaps they want to help out a relative in financial distress, or have a grandchild who wants to go to college. For many seniors, it may be a way to increase their importance in the lives of their families. That last sentence is heartbreaking, because many elderly victims often recall when they raised and supported offspring who are now adults and no longer need the support. For them, a sudden large windfall looks like a chance to reclaim the provider role. Most victims are over 55, said Julie Wheeler, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia. And, once you get tangled up in one, you end up on a list and are targeted by more. Some are related but some are where your name is sold as a willing victim to other scammers. What happens next is letters and packages fill a trusting victims mailbox, promising five-figure (or greater) prizes. Then the requests for processing fees or taxes or some other justification begins. In one case, according to the report, a scammer promised a elderly woman that shed won $2.5 million plus a new Mercedes. The only problem was $400 in taxes needed to be paid before she could collect. After the lady sent that money, the scammer contacted her again. He told her he was driving to her house from Chicago in her new Mercedes when he was stopped by police. He needed bail money, so she sent him more. Those calls continued. Ultimately she lost $4,000 before she realized she was being taken. Wheeler said theres a very simple bottom line with sweepstakes scams: You do not pay money to win. If you are paying money to enter, its not legitimate, Wheeler said. From 2015-17, law enforcement authorities in the United States and Canada reported 500,000 sweepstakes scam complaints from victims, according to the BBB. Total losses in 2017 alone totaled $117 million. The true scale of the fraud is likely far higher, the BBB warns in the report. Thats because victims rarely complain about this type of fraud. Victims often send $20-$30 each time, over months, and individual losses can mount into the tens of thousands of dollars. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission found after bringing suit that only one victim in 1,000 had ever filed a complaint. Moreover, many caregivers or local police do not necessarily understand this fraud, and they may not provide help to repeat victims or assist them in reporting to BBB or law enforcement, the report warned. Thats why youre reading about it in this column today. Its a warning, to help you keep your hard-earned money. Dont give any away to letters promising riches, or to a voice on the other end of the phone. The perpetrators are evil, and theyre organized. They have black hearts. Theyve figured out a process to squeeze money out of good-natured and well-meaning people. And behind the scenes, they celebrate their scamming acumen, high-fiving each other with every new mark. So if you see the word sweepstakes on a mailer delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, throw it away. Dont fall prey to their tricks! Chicago authorities issued an alert Saturday afternoon for a man caught inappropriately touching women on camera. At 10:15 a.m. on Saturday the man approached a woman in the 1100 block of South State Street from behind and touched her the same man similarly touched a woman on June 1 in the 400 block of West Lake Street. Both times, the unnamed man wore a white helmet. On Saturday, he was photographed also wearing sunglasses, a blue polo shirt and blue jeans. Advertisement An unknown male subject wearing a white helmet, sunglasses, blue polo shirt, and blue jeans riding a one wheel motorized skateboard was caught inappropriately touching women on camera. (Chicago Police Department) The police alert recommends individuals be aware of their surroundings, remember unique characteristics of offenders like scars, pay attention to loiterers, never pursue assailants, walk in pairs, and call 911 immediately after an incident of assault. Police ask that anyone with information call 911. CHRISTIANSBURG Kayla Lynn Raines on Thursday pleaded guilty to drug distribution and other charges, winding up a case that included authorities tracking 70 pounds of marijuana from Northern Virginia to Montgomery County. Raines, 29, of Christiansburg, was the last of four people arrested in the case to resolve her charges. In Montgomery County Circuit Court, Raines pleaded guilty to possessing more than five pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute it, and with contributing to the delinquency of a minor the latter charge tied to the presence of her 18-year-old son during the marijuanas delivery. Other charges were dropped in a plea agreement and Judge Mike Fleenor imposed the agreements recommended sentence of a total of 10 years behind bars, with the entire sentence suspended. Raines is to be supervised by the probation office for five years, Fleenor said, and must complete parenting classes. She is barred from using marijuana or any THC-containing substance, can have no abusive contact with her son, and must forfeit a vehicle that investigators said was involved in the drug transactions, the judge added. Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Rachel Shrader said Thursday that Raines was the girlfriend of Tomas Alenayehu Keno, 31, of Radford, who was selling marijuana that he obtained from Northern Virginia. A search of Raines phone found messages that showed she was helping arrange sales, but Keno was the principal dealer, Shrader said. Defense attorney Rob Dean of Roanoke said that he did not object to Shraders summary of the prosecution case. According to Shraders summary, and to prosecution statements at an earlier hearing, Raines and Keno were arrested April 14, 2021, along with Samson Desalegne Alemu, then 31, of Springfield, and Natnael Kifle Yilma, then 20, of Herndon. Investigators had been watching Kenos drug sales and Christiansburg police moved in after Alemu delivered marijuana to him. Officers found 66 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle Alemu drove, then parked in the townhouses garage, and another four pounds in the townhouse. They also found $31,000 in Raines dresser, though she said that she did not know how it got there. Amid the money was $200 that police identified as bills used in a controlled drug buy from Keno. Alemu was convicted this year of possessing more than five pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute it and was sentenced to serve a year in prison. Yilma was found guilty of improperly carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to serve 40 days behind bars. Keno was convicted of possessing more than five pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute it and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was sentenced to serve nine months. CHRISTIANSBURG Nearly two-dozen people applied for the job of superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, according to an update on the search. Which was a really outstanding output, said county School Board Chairwoman Sue Kass. And considering were told it was a shallow pool, it sounds like it wasnt so shallow after all. Following a review of the applications, six people have been selected for a first round of interviews that will be done via Zoom video calls this week, said Kass. That will be a closed interview process that will be done on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10. From there, Kass said, there will be a closed process for two chosen candidates to meet and interview with the board. The board has made the decision to do no community presentation of the finalists, Kass said. The biggest reason is we are now starting a new school year, she said, adding that the applicants are currently employed and there is a concern that the confidentiality of the search could be compromised. District officials earlier this year had brought up the possibility of presenting the final candidates to the community when they outlined the searchs timeline. I will continue to provide updates in board meetings, Kass said. Were very excited about the opportunity. Weve seen some really outstanding people, and were really looking forward to finding the right person for our school district. The update from Kass marks the latest in the superintendent search, a process that was prompted by the unanimous dismissal of former MCPS chief Mark Miear in March. The district has 180 days from the former superintendents March 17 termination to complete the search. MCPS has contracted firm GR Recruiting for the search, work that is costing the district $20,000. The school board earlier this year also decided to advertise an annual salary of $240,000 for the next superintendent, an amount higher than the $217,542 base salary listed in Miears last contract. Miear, who was county superintendent for just over six years, has since the March termination been hired by Minnick Schools as the new assistant director of education. Minnick Schools is the education division of enCircle, a nonprofit that operates seven private day schools in five different Western Virginia localities that focus on students with special needs. In these isolating times of COVID coupled with national unrest, most people in our country need to be lifted through words of affirmation that we speak to each other. Add mental illness to lifes uncertainty, and it is like dousing a fire with gasoline. My mental illness has taught me to be mindful of what some may view as the little things of life a dash of sun in the chill of winter, a slice of pizza, or a cup of recharging coffee, or perhaps a compliment. Every month I must go to the veterans hospital for a blood check and to get my medication. I do not necessarily look forward to the trip, because I must wake up at 7 a.m. It is, however, nice to get out of my apartment routine and see real people. Even though I do talk to my parents daily by phone, it is reassuring to be face to face with my psychiatrist and my nurse who gives me my long acting injectable. I look forward to the interaction I have with them. During my appointment with my psychiatrist, I mentioned how annoying it is to experience waves of delusions that fill up my mind. I felt relief when she did not increase my medication. Her words reminded me that, despite my obstacles, I am doing the best I can. While I was waiting for my injectable, I noticed another veteran who was also waiting to see the nurse. This person was wearing a very extravagant hat that looked like an explosion of color. Not a hat one would usually see at the veterans hospital. When it was my turn for a shot, I casually asked the nurse if she sometimes felt depressed by being around unusual people all day. She thought about it, and answered, I see mental health as any other condition. She went on to say, I use to work with in-patients, and they are like any other patient with an illness. My heart sprung up as her words lifted me. I felt happy to hear a nurse explain her opinion which is exactly what ignites my advocacy. That was something I agree with, but occasionally forget. Mental health consumers need this constant reminder our mental illness is the same as a physical illness. I told her she was a saint and thanked her for her service. I hoped my appreciation of her comment would encourage her to keep going forward during this typical Tuesday. On my way out of the hospital, I stopped by the restroom where I saw a janitor who was mopping the floor. Not wanting to walk on his wet floor, I asked, Are you cleaning? He answered, Go ahead. As I was leaving the restroom, I thanked the janitor for his service, hoping he would know how much I appreciated his contribution to keeping our hospital clean. I could not imagine his job cleaning up after others during a pandemic. He was probably also a veteran who had served his country. That Tuesday visit to the veterans hospital was certainly worth waking up early. For me, I acknowledge the little things that shine a light into the cave of negativity, no matter how small. There is no cure for my schizophrenia, but I will win daily no matter how small the battles are. I acknowledge the little details that keep my heart beating. Our nation is strong, we need each other to get through difficult times. We need to accept the light from strangers and shine the light on others who might need to be inspired to get through life. The Virginia General Assembly wont meet again for another six months, but when they do, that esteemed body should tackle the practical problems with the bed of last resort law. Passed in 2014, this law mandates that state mental hospitals find a bed for a patient under a temporary detention order if no bed in a private psychiatric facility can be found within eight hours of the person being taken into emergency custody. The primary sponsor of that law, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, sought to address circumstances that brought about a heart-rending personal tragedy in 2013. Deeds 24-year-old son Gus was released from emergency custody because the Rockbridge Area Community Services Board failed to find a bed for him in a psychiatric hospital. Gus Deeds returned home, stabbed his father multiple times in the face and chest with a knife, then used a firearm to take his own life. Evidence later emerged that two state psychiatric hospitals had beds available that night, but the community services board evaluator never contacted them. The bed of last resort law specifically prevents that situation by making it so that the search must continue until a bed is found in the state system. However, critics of the law said that it would increase the burden on understaffed state hospitals, given that private institutions can still be choosy about their admissions. This has proven true: by 2021, emergency admissions at state institutions had increased almost 400%, creating a crisis of overcrowding that has been worsened by staffing shortages and by COVID-19 outbreaks that killed patients and employees. As a result, the practice of streeting has become increasingly common. Thats when patients are released without receiving treatment because their temporary detention order expires before they can be admitted to a hospital. This is usually a matter of the hospitals inability to meet the required ratios of staff to patients. Clear and present danger The admissions crisis has more than once pitted local governments against state mental health facilities, with the care of children hanging in the balance. A judges dismissal last month of a lawsuit filed by the Giles County Department of Social Services against the Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents in Staunton and against the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services puts this dangerous problem back into the spotlight. As reported by the online news site Virginia Mercury, Staunton Circuit Judge Anne Reed dismissed the Giles County suit, ruling that the complaint became moot because the 9-year-old girl whose welfare forms the lawsuits central concern was admitted and treated to the Commonwealth Center during a second mental health crisis a few days later. The ruling, however, in no way addresses the problem raised by the countys lawsuit. In the document, Giles County Attorney Richard Chidester warns that the state behavioral health departments repeated violation of Virginias Mandatory Admission Provisions constitutes a clear and present danger to the juveniles who are the subject of the temporary detention orders and other persons who may be harmed by the actions of such juveniles. The suit describes the Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents refusing to admit the girl, despite claiming that the center would have a bed for her in an e-mail sent to a Giles foster care worker. The girl ended up spending the night in a hospital emergency room with only a police officer for company. She was returned to Giles County without receiving treatment. Giles County is hardly the only local government that has been faced with this dire problem. This wasnt an original idea on our part, Chidester told the Virginia Mercury. Thered been discussion amongst many local government attorneys about filing something, and we felt like the facts of this case were bad enough to warrant it. When the hospitals refuse admittance, localities are not equipped to step up themselves. Our local hospital, they dont have any mental health professionals, so youre not going to get any treatment, and sitting for four days in a hospital until the TDO expires is not going to help, Chidester said. Theres plenty of evidence the problem persists. In May, WSLS (Channel 10) shared extraordinary body cam footage of a Covington police officer bringing a 16-year-old boy to the Commonwealth Center. As shown in the video, a center staff member turned the officer away. I am commanded to execute this order, the officer said, holding up his paperwork to the window. As the staff member continued to argue, the officer pointed into the hall, saying there is a chair right there for the boy to wait. Ultimately, he told the boy to stay put, got in his patrol cruiser and drove out of sight of the entrance, though he did not leave the grounds. Covington Police Chief Chris Smith told WSLS, It was the intention of the officer to give them the appearance he actually left to force them to bring that child into that location. Dont stop at studies Psychiatric hospitals and police should not be pitted against one another. This problem must not be waved off with an out of sight, out of mind approach. A pair of bills sponsored this year by Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, that were passed unanimously by both houses and signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin offer hope for partial solutions. One directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to study options for alternative custody arrangements that alleviate the burden on police when transporting someone subject to a temporary detention order. It also calls for state officials to study ways to increase the number of beds available for TDO subjects. The second bill permits the training of auxiliary police officers who can be called in to provide transportation in temporary detention order cases, giving police departments a way to handle that duty without tying up regular officers for days at a time. Though these new laws represent movement in the right direction, its too soon to know how effective they will be in assisting the treatment of these vulnerable patients. The real answers these measures might provide cannot come soon enough. Chittagong (Bangladesh) Hindus six grocery shops were burnt down by Muslims in the Kadurkhal village of Boalkhali sub-District. In this arson, even two goats died, as per the information given on the Twitter account of Voice of Bangladesh. 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Party troops UAS ucc uddhav thackeray Ukraine United Nations vhp vladimir putin war web series WHO world war xi jinping yajna yoga yogi adityanath zakir naik Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com . If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Moussa Faki Mahamat (President Commission UA) Le president de la commission de l'Union africaine (UA) a condamne dimanche les "attaques aeriennes" israeliennes dans la bande de Gaza alors que l'escalade de violences se poursuivait. "Moussa Faki Mahamat condamne fermement les frappes aeriennes continues d'Israel sur Gaza qui ont tue plus de 30 civils palestiniens, dont 6 enfants", indique l'UA dans un communique. "Le fait de cibler des civils ainsi que l'occupation illegale continue des territoires occupes par les forces de securite israeliennes constituent une violation flagrante du droit international et compliquent la recherche d'une solution juste et durable", poursuit le texte. La flambee de violences entre l'armee israelienne et le Jihad islamique retranche dans la bande de Gaza se poursuivait dimanche sans signe de repit. Il s'agit de la plus grave confrontation depuis une guerre eclair l'an dernier sur ce territoire cotier qui abrite quelque 2,3 millions de Palestiniens. Nuclear weapons must be wiped off the face of the Earth, UN chief says on Hiroshima anniversary On the 77th anniversary of the worlds first atomic bombing at Hiroshima, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres doubled down on his harsh critique of nuclear weapons by saying they must be wiped off the face of the Earth. Mr Guterres had earlier said at the start of a UN conference that the world was just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation. This time, he warned of a new global arms race putting the nuclear threat back in focus at a gathering in Hiroshima. The UN chief joined thousands of others on Saturday at Peace Park in the centre of the Japanese city to mark the anniversary of the bombing that killed 140,000 before the end of 1945. As the Peace Bell sounded, the crowd gathered at the park, including Japan prime minister Fumio Kishida, observed a moment of silence at the exact time the bomb exploded. Nuclear weapons are nonsense. They guarantee no safety - only death and destruction, Mr Guterres said at the occasion. Three quarters of a century later, we must ask what weve learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled above this city in 1945. People pray in remembrance of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. 6 August 2022 marks the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during the Second World War in which between 90,000-146,000 people were killed and the entire city destroyed in the first use of a nuclear weapon in armed conflict (Getty Images) We cannot forget the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We must act in their memory and wipe nuclear weapons off the face of the earth once and for all, Mr Guterres later tweeted. At a time when geopolitical tensions are rising and the nuclear threat is back in focus, Japans strong and consistent voice on peace is more important than ever, he added. However, the UN chief sidestepped a direct mention of Russia, which calls its invasion of Ukraine a special military operation. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lays a wreath at the cenotaph for the atomic bombing victims at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park during the ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing in the city (AP) Prime minister Kishida said the use of nuclear weapons is once again becoming a real problem, adding that the momentum for a world free of nuclear weapons is seemingly receding. We must not repeat the tragedy of the use of nuclear weapons, I appeal to the people of the world with a loud voice, Mr Kishida said. This is the responsibility of Japan, the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings, and my pledge as Prime Minister, who hails from Hiroshima, he added. Story continues In Hiroshima today, I paid tribute to the tens of thousands of people killed by atomic bombs 77 years ago. We cannot forget the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We must act in their memory & wipe nuclear weapons off the face of the earth once and for all. pic.twitter.com/taMQFAjD92 Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 6, 2022 Criticising Moscows military action against Ukraine, Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui said the Russian leader elected to protect the lives and property of his people, is using them as instruments of war. Around the world, the notion that peace depends on nuclear deterrence gains momentum, Mr Matsui warned, according to Reuters. These errors betray humanitys determination, born of our experiences of war, to achieve a peaceful world free from nuclear weapons. To accept the status quo and abandon the ideal of peace maintained without military force is to threaten the very survival of the human race, he said. Earlier on Friday, Mr Kishida said Chinas military exercises aimed at Taiwan following the visit of US House speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island represents a grave problem threatening regional peace and security that needs to be stopped immediately. A suburban Woodridge man was arrested in the South Sides Englewood neighborhood earlier this week after police found several loaded weapons and notes with ramblings about mass shootings in a minivan, according to Cook County court documents. Chicago police officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at 3:30 p.m. Thursday after one round was fired in the 1200 block of West 57th Street, where they found Alexander Podgorny, 29, near a minivan with its driver and passenger doors open, according to a Chicago Police report. Advertisement One of the officers looked at nearby camera footage which showed a round from what looked like a shotgun had been fired into a nearby park, the report said. In a pat-down search, officers found a handgun in Podgornys left pocket with a round in the chamber and live rounds in the magazine, the police report said. Advertisement In the front drivers seat of the minivan, officers found a shotgun loaded with seven live rounds, and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a live round in its chamber and in its magazine, the report said. Additionally, in a plastic bucket on the front passenger seat, police found at least two more handguns. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > All firearms were readily accessible and ready to be fired, officers wrote in the police report. Officers also found more than 300 shell casings, an ammunition box, six pistol magazines with live rounds and two AR magazines with live rounds and a Beretta shotgun, according to the report. Additionally, in the minivan, police found a large number of handwritten notes and documents with incoherent rants and references to mass shooting events, police said in the report. Officers found Podgorny had a valid firearm owners identification card and no concealed carry license, the report said. Officers completed a clear and present danger form, which is intended to revoke a persons FOID card. Podgorny, who was charged with five counts of unlawful use of a weapon charges, all of which are felonies, appeared in court on Friday, where Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad set a $300,000 cash bail. Several messages to a lawyer for Podgorny, listed as James A. Podgorny, went unanswered. Advertisement Podgorny is due back in court on Friday. Mourners gather in Bangladesh to offer the funeral prayer for British father and son who died of suspected poisoning (PA) A 20-year-old woman has become the third member of a British family to die from suspected poisoning in Bangladesh, Cardiff local, Samira Islam, died on Friday after being found unconscious in a flat with her family in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Her father, Rafiqul Islam, 51, and 16-year-old brother, Mahiqul, died on Tuesday from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. British taxi driver Rafiqul Islam, 51, who died along with his son in what police suspect was a poisoning (Family handout) (PA Media) The family from Riverside, Cardiff were on a two-month holiday visiting family in the country and were renting a flat in the eastern city of Sylhet. Ms Islams uncle, Shabul Mian, said the death of the three family members was indescribably sad. First it was the father and son who died, then today the daughter also died. I pray for them to be granted paradise (in the afterlife), he said. The 20-year-olds funeral took place on Saturday in Bangladesh. Her mother, Husnara Begum, 45, and a second brother, Sadiqul, 24 were in critical condition following the suspected poisoning but have since been released. The family, from Riverside in Cardiff, were on a two-month holiday visiting family in Bangladesh (PA) The two surviving family members told police that there was a faulty electrical generator at the property they were staying at, according to the BBC. They said it was used in an emergency on the night of the poisoning due to a power cut. According to superintendant Farid Uddin, when the police visited the property, the generator was pumping out smoke. Samples have sent to the laboratory to be analysed. On 28 July, hundreds of people attended the funeral prayers of the father and son. Family members including Mr Islams mother, brother and sister have flown to Bangladesh, according to a family friend. Members of the community say they are in complete shock over the tragedy. Muhibur Islam, from Jalalia Mosque and Islamic education centre, described Mr Islam as a well-loved and well respected member of the community. Its been a complete shock, it still hasnt sunk in for everyone. Most of us are now praying the remaining members of the family pull through this. All are thoughts are on them surviving. This is such an awful tragedy and were in utter disbelief. We ask that everyone pray for the family, he added. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: We are providing consular assistance to a British family following an incident in Bangladesh and are in contact with the local authorities. LE MARS, Iowa -- A Le Mars hardware store was chosen from among 24 competitors statewide for the top prize in the annual "Open 4 Business" pitch contest organized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. Hardware Hank & Flooring, a hardware and flooring store, won $20,000 in a pitch contest held in Pella, Iowa, on Aug. 1. Last month, the store won $8,000 in an earlier, regional round of the business pitch competition. Scott Pageler, who has owned Hardware Hank & Flooring for 12 years, pitched a high-tech "mobile flooring showroom" to demonstrate how the flooring would look inside a customer's home or business. "Instead of coming down to the store, looking samples over, taking samples out to the car, taking them into your house, looking them over, back to the car, back to the store -- I bring the flooring showroom to you," Pageler said. Pageler began bringing samples to the customer in recent years, but he doesn't yet have the equipment to bring them the mobile showroom experience he has in mind. Thus, the grant. The enclosed trailer was ordered Wednesday, Pageler said. Inside the trailer-showroom will be samples of flooring, a big-screen television, a mobile wi-fi hotspot, and a tablet-computer. The technology allows the customer to see how their flooring choice would look. "So, what happens is, we go inside, we take pictures of their home, of the flooring, and then we can go back out to the trailer and upload those pictures to manufacturers' websites, where they have -- it's like a flooring visualizer tool -- and so we can plug different flooring options right on top of their existing floor," he said. The mobile showroom would be especially attractive for older residents, busy parents and businesses considering a new floor, Pageler said. "Elderly people hesitated taking any samples because they were cumbersome, moms that are busy with kids running around the store -- it's hard for them to stay focused," he said. "So we started delivering samples to peoples' houses. But there's always a better way to do something." In addition to the trailer, Pageler said he's planning to expand the store's flooring displays. The IEDA grant is expected to cover about 75 percent of the cost of the mobile showroom, which Pageler said will be completely sourced from local firms. The other 25 percent will be paid for by Pageler. Initially, Pageler had forecast 10 percent growth in demand for flooring jobs during the first year the mobile showroom is up and running, but the publicity generated by his winning the IEDA contest has already begun fueling demand, well before the trailer is ready. "We don't even have a trailer yet, and our foot-traffic for flooring has increased -- so I would say probably more along the lines of 15 to 20 percent in the first year, we're projecting," he said. The other finalists in the contest at Pella didn't go home empty-handed. The first runner-up in the competition, Candle Ready Cakes in Dubuque, won $10,000; the second runner-up, The Beancounter Coffeehouse & Drinkery in Burlington, won $7,500; and two honorable mentions, The Hangry Lady in Cedar Rapids and The Corner restaurant, won $5,000 each, according to an IEDA announcement. "All of the participants actually ended up getting something," Pageler said. The big ideas pitched by these small business owners exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit and strength of small businesses and Main Streets across the state," Debi Durham, executive director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and Iowa Finance Authority, said in a statement. STORM LAKE, Iowa Storm Lake Community School District Superintendent Dr. Stacey Cole has been appointed to serve on the Iowa Department of Educations Superintendent Advisory Council for the 2022-23 school year. As a part of the Superintendent Advisory Council, Cole will represent her colleagues throughout the region. She will collaborate with state leaders to inform and impact educational initiatives that affect all public schools across Iowa, according to a press release. During her time here in Storm Lake, Dr. Cole has shown an incredible dedication to our students, educators, families, and community," David Skibsted, president of the Storm Lake Community School District Board of Education, said in a statement. Other school districts with superintendents serving on the Superintendent Advisory Council this year are Bettendorf, Council Bluffs, Dike-New Hartford, Denison, Fairfield, Iowa City, Lewis Central, MFL, Ogden and West Des Moines Valley. SIOUX CITY -- MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center has announced that Olusola (Shola) Ogundipe, MD, MBA and Vanessa Ogundipe, MD, a husband and wife, are joining the staff. Dr. Shola Ogundipe joins Dr. Daniel Lamptey in MercyOne's infectious disease care clinic which offers a wide range of services, including specialized care for infections of the skin, soft tissues, bones, brain, spinal cord and pneumonia, according to a press release from MercyOne. The clinic also offers specialized care for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B and C infections. Dr. Ogundipe started out as a registered nurse for more than a decade before attending medical school, according to a statement provided by MercyOne. Dr. Shola Ogundipe trained in infectious disease at the Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak and Oakland University - William Beaumont Medical School both in Michigan. He also received training in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Michigan, which is a part of Trinity Health. His wife, Dr. Vanessa Ogundipe, joins MercyOne in geriatric medicine. She completed residency training in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Michigan. Following that, she completed her fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of Michigan. LE MARS, Iowa -- Brooke Konz , MD has signed an agreement to begin general surgery practice at Floyd Valley Healthcare and its network partner Sioux Center Health beginning in August 2022. Dr. Konz recently completed her residency at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Sioux Falls, according to a press release from Floyd Valley Healthcare. From the moment our family visited Le Mars on the interview trail, it has felt like home, Dr. Konz said in a statement provided by Floyd Valley Healthcare. I could not be more thrilled to join the teams at Floyd Valley and Sioux Center Healthcare and to raise my children in this beautiful community. A suspect in the shooting deaths of four people in Ohio has been arrested in Kansas. Police in Montgomery Countys Butler Township said late Saturday night that 39-year-old Stephen Marlow was taken into custody by local police in Lawrence, Kansas. Chief John Porter said Marlow will be extradited to Ohio to face charges in Friday's slayings. The Montgomery County coroners office on Saturday identified the victims as 82-year-old Clyde Knox, 78-year-old Eva Knox, 41-year-old Sarah Anderson and a 15-year-old girl whose name wasnt released. All were pronounced dead at the scene. Court documents dont list an attorney representing Marlow. Mass shootings are awful, but what about fentanyl poisonings? Why do poisoning deaths caused by illegal drugs get so little national news coverage compared to deaths caused by mass shootings? A mass shooting gets national, wall-to-wall coverage. How many individual murders on the streets of Chicago and our other great cities get even an iota of national coverage? How many illegal-drug poisoning deaths even get noticed? Here are a few uncomfortable facts. In 2020, there were 19,384 gun murders in the US. In 2020 there were 615 mass shootings in the USA. These resulted in 521 deaths. If in 2020 the mass shootings caused 521 deaths, 18,863 Americans were murdered in shootings, other than mass shootings. 97.3% of the murder victims murdered with guns were not victims of mass shootings. In 2020, fentanyl killed 57,834 Americans! In 2021! fentanyl killed 71,238 Americans! Gun Deaths in US in 2020 According to Pew Research, in 2020, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. That figure includes primarily gun (a) murders and (b) suicides. But it also includes three other, less common types of gun-related deaths. In 2020, 54% of all gun-related deaths were suicides; a total of 24,292 suicides. In 2020, 43% of all gun-related deaths were murders; a total of 19,384 murders. Of the remaining 2020 gun deaths (a) 535 were unintentional; (b) 611 involved law enforcement; and (c) 400 were from undetermined circumstances. The 19,384 gun murders that took place in 2020 exceeded the previous peak of 18,253. However, while 2020 saw the highest total number of gun deaths in the U.S., this statistic does not take into account the nations growing population. On a per capita basis, there were 13.6 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2020 the highest rate since the mid-1990s, but still well below the peak of 16.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 1974. Fentanyl, Meth and Cocaine Deaths in the US in 1920 and 1921 Provisional data from CDCs National Center for Health Statistics indicate: Synthetic Opioids (fentanyl) accounted for 71,238 deaths in 2021; 57,834 deaths in 2020. Psychostimulants (meth) accounted for 32,856 deaths in 2021; 24,576 deaths in 2020. Cocaine caused 24,538 deaths in 2021; 19,927 in 2020. Prescription drugs caused 13,403 deaths in 2021; 13,722 in 2020. Do not misunderstand me. 615 mass shootings, resulting in 521 Americans being murdered is awful. But the murder of 18,863 is far worse. And the 24,538 poisoning deaths from cocaine in 2021 are even worse. As are the 32,856 meth poisoning deaths in 2021. But fentanyl killed 71,238 Americans in 2021! The staggering number of 71,238 fentanyl deaths in 2021 is only 5530 deaths less than the 76,768 deaths caused by gun murders, meth and cocaine, combined! And when you combine the fentanyl deaths with those occasioned by meth and cocaine, you find that 128,632 Americans were killed by these three illegal drugs, as opposed to 19,384 killed by gun murders. Six times as many Americans were killed by fentanyl, meth and cocaine, as were murdered by guns! The US Customs and Border Patrol website tells us that the eight South Texas ports of entry, during the year beginning Oct. 1, 2020, and ending Sept. 30, 2021, saw a 1,066% increase in fentanyl seized, and a 98% increase in cocaine seized. At those eight entry ports, from Brownsville to Del Rio, the CBP seized (a) 41,713 pounds of marijuana; (b) 8,592 pounds of cocaine; (b) 33,777 pounds of methamphetamine; (d) 1,215 pounds of heroin; (e) 588 pounds of fentanyl; (f) 463 weapons; and (g) 84,863 rounds of ammunition. The DEA states that 2.2 pounds of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people! CDC says a 3-milligram dose of fentanyl, is enough to kill an average-sized adult male. Fentanyl, according to the CDC, is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and many times more potent than heroin. Drug dealers are mixing fentanyl with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc. So, whats my point? Every time there is a mass shooting, President Biden and his minions are all over the television demanding gun control, and the banning of certain weapons proposals that ignore the fact that most criminals use guns that are stolen, or purchased on the black market. But nearly four times as many Americans are being killed by fentanyl as are being murdered by guns. When it comes to fentanyl, Mr. Biden is back in his basement. Where is Joe Bidens action to stop fentanyl, cocaine, meth and heroin from flooding across our open southern border? How many Americans have to die so that the Mexican drug cartels can become richer? More destructive? How hard is it for the cartels, in the absence of Mr. Trumps proposed border wall, to run illegal drugs into the US between our ports of entry? When it comes to doing deeds to protect American lives from Mexican drug cartel fentanyl, America appears to have a feckless, uncaring president. Mr. Biden has said that the stopping transportation of fentanyl across our southern border is a matter of national defense. Time for his deeds to match his words. Talk is cheap. This story was originally published by Yale Environment 360 and has been republished here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. From the ground, the new solar farm shimmers like a mirage oasis on a hot summer day. Instead of row after slanting row of shiny panels stretching taller than corn, this array, mounted directly on the earth, lies flat as water. From the air, it looks like an acre-sized swimming pool. Yet despite its modest stature, this new type of photovoltaic plantone of five now producing a combined 2.5 megawatts of energy in Californias Central Valleycan match the output of conventional solar farms nearly three times its size. Advertisement In a meadow in southwestern Germany, solar panels stand upright in long, thin lines, like a series of fences. While farmers raise hay in the wide spaces between rows, the vertical power plant generates carbon-free electricity for the nearby town. Across the border in France, both wine and watts flow from panel-topped vineyards. Tea grows under solar panels in Japan, while pollinators are nurtured in the United States. And from Canada to Australia, utility-scale solar farms producing power for thousands of homes share their space with sheep. These diverse approaches have the same goalto help meet the burgeoning global demand for green energy by lightening the footprint of solar farms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sharp and immediate cut in fossil fuel emissions needed to keep climate change in check requires a massive ramp-up in clean energy production around the world. The International Energy Agency calls for 630 gigawatts of new solar power and 390 gigawatts of new wind power to be added each year by 2030. (One gigawatt can power roughly 190,000 average U.S. homes.) That growth rate is quadruple the record set in 2020. For solar power, it amounts to building the worlds largest current solar farm nearly every day. Advertisement Advertisement Nations are under pressure to accelerate their clean energy rollout. The U.S. bid to decarbonize its electric grid by 2035 would require the nations solar capacity to increase roughly tenfold over the next dozen years. The European Union, forced in the wake of the Ukraine invasion to reckon with its reliance on Russian oil and gas, now calls for doubling member nations solar capacity by 2025. Major deployments are in the works in South America, India, China, and around the world. But the rush to switch on green electricity faces a challenge: finding suitable land to produce it. Phalanxes of rooftop panels are a key part of the energy transition, analysts say, but utility-scale, grid-connected solar operations are crucial for powering up cities quickly and economically. Ground-based solar is land-intensive, however, with utility-scale arrays often spanning hundreds of acres. Wind farms have their own sprawling land needs. And increasingly, proposed clean energy plants set off conflicts with agriculture, wildlife, recreation, culture, land rights, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Battles are being waged across the U.S. by groups such as the residents of Jacumba Hot Springs, a tiny town in the San Diego County desert, which last year sued to stop construction of a nearby 600-acre, 90-megawatt solar facility over fears for their property values and rural lifestyle. Dozens of major projects have been delayed or halted by Native American tribes concerned about impacts on sacred landscapes, conservationists worried about damage to ecosystems, farmers anxious over encroachment on agricultural land, and others. Local resistance poses a significant obstacle to the nations clean energy goals, a new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concludes. Renewable energy development faces similar hurdles in Europe and elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The availability of land is very important, and its not something we can take for granted, said Julia Zuckerman, an executive of Clearway Energy, which is developing Arica and Victory Pass Solar465 megawatts of solar capacity plus 400 megawatts of four-hour battery storage on 2,665 acres of California desert east of Palm Springs. Solar site possibilities are limited by the need for good sunlight, fairly level ground, and proximity to the electric grid. So the more that land is then further restricted, you really are reducing the options in terms of where we can put renewable energy, Zuckerman said. Thanks to improving technologysuch as bifacial panels able to harvest sunlight on both sidessolar farms are already producing more power on less land. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that the average power density, or peak output per acre, of utility-scale plants increased by as much as 52 percent in the past decade. Energy density, or total megawatt hours generated per acre over the course of a year, rose by up to one-third. Advertisement Yet most estimates of solar energys land requirements are outdated, still relying on numbers from the early days of utility-scale operations, when the efficiency was significantly lower, said study coauthor Mark Bolinger. Arrays that track the sun throughout the day, the dominant technology currently in use, need approximately four acres of panels for every megawatt of powerless than half the land needed a decade ago. That trend, Bolinger said, should continue into the foreseeable future. Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, manufacturers are packing larger silicon wafers into solar cells and boosting panels ability to convert sunlight into watts. Increasingly efficient technologies such as heterojunction cells, which are able to capture photons that can pass through traditional cells, are gaining steam. And photovoltaics are continuing to evolve. There are plenty of ways to make a cell more efficient, said Jenny Chase, head of solar analysis for BloombergNEF. Advertisement Chase said new designs that aim to lighten solars footprint are unlikely to replace conventional utility-scale plants anytime soon. But these novel approaches could help spur solar energy deployment by making land use more efficient and easing siting conflicts. In Californias Central Valley, five new horizontal solar farms are turning conventional photovoltaic plant architecture on its side. We call it high-density solar, said Daniel Flanigan, chief marketing and product officer of Erthos, the projects Arizona-based designer. Laying panels side-by-side on the groundinstead of atop rows of metal racks spaced to prevent self-shading and allow trackingcuts land use by two-thirds, Flanigan said. Flat solar plants are also cheaper and faster to build because they eliminate the costly steel and engineering of conventional solar farms, according to the company. And the panels low profile makes them less noticeable on the landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the flat design loses the energy-yield benefits of sun-tracking systems, Flanigan said the system makes up for it by packing in more panels. Also, the earth serves as a heat-sink, keeping solar cells from losing efficiency as they heat up. Erthos expects to have another 40 megawatts of horizontal solar arrays operating in the U.S. by the end of this year, according to Flanigan. Similar horizontal plants are appearing in the Netherlands, Australia, and elsewhere. Advertisement An innovative solar farm in Germany takes the opposite tackstanding panels upright. Vertical bifacial modules at a 4.1-megawatt plant in Baden-Wurttemberg generate power for 1,400 homes, according to developer Next2Sun. This novel layout is most productive when the sun is at low anglesboosting the electricity supply during the low-output, high-demand hours of mornings and afternoons. A recent analysis by Germanys Leipzig University of Applied Sciences concluded that adding vertical solar plants to the renewable energy mix can help stabilize the electric grid and lower the need for natural gas-fired peaker plants that generate electricity at times of maximum demand. Advertisement Whats more, the rows of upright panels occupy very little ground, leaving room for crops and farm equipment in betweena technology known as agrivoltaics or agrisolar. Were not necessarily lowering the land footprint, but really lowering the impact of the land footprint, said Jordan Macknick, a National Renewable Energy Laboratory researcher who heads InSPIRE, a U.S. Department of Energy project working on ways to integrate agriculture and other land benefits into solar farms. Advertisement While still fairly limited, agrivoltaics has grown dramatically in recent years. As of last year, the total global capacity exceeds 14 gigawatts, according to Germanys Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. The worlds largest dual-use system is in China, where solar panels topping a massive berry farm on the edge of the Gobi desert can produce 700 megawatts of power, according to the institute. Advertisement Agriculture has been mixed with solar for some time in Japan, where everything from flowers to rice has been grown under elevated panels. Installations are expanding in Europe, such as a solar vineyard in the south of France that produces 2 megawatts of electricity, along with Chardonnay and other grapes. The U.S. lags behind, but projects are beginning to blossom, including a 13-megawatt plant that houses bees in Oregon and a 2.9-megawatt farm in Connecticut that will raise vegetables while helping power the states colleges and universities. Researchers are experimenting with which plants do best under solar panels and even trying to grow tomatoes and potatoes between rows at existing utility-scale farms, Macknick says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While diversified harvests compound solar land benefits, analysts point out that agrivoltaics are difficult to scale up and may never achieve more than niche use. Combining agriculture and energy can be costly, requiring special technology, such as raised panels, to make room for plants or animals. To date, most dual-use operations are fairly small. Advertisement Theres a limited number of crops you can do, and most of the work has focused on either vegetables or berries that dont need the full amount of light, Bloombergs Chase said. Advertisement Advertisement And farmers arent exactly clamoring to add energy production to their chores. We are seeing a bit of an imbalance of this being driven more by the solar side than from the agricultural side, Macknick said. Still, he said, the field is really just emerging I think were going to see a lot of innovative demonstrations over the next couple years. So-called high-density solar also faces scalability questions. Placing panels flat on the ground raises concerns about soil blowing onto the panels and damage from high winds or hail. Moreover, the land under the tightly packed modules cant be used for any other purpose. Advertisement Erthos Flanigan counters that the system is built to withstand hail and hurricanes. The panels are robotically cleaned. And the condensed profile increases options for solar farm siting. Say you have sensitive habitat or culturally sensitive areas on that site, Flanigan said. You have more freedom to avoid those specific areas. Despite its challenges, the energy transition continues to be powered by favorable economics. Solar is the cheapest way of generating bulk electricity in quite a lot of countries right now, Chase said. And its critical to finds ways to both generate gigawatts of green electricity and safeguard land for other important needs, said Ileene Anderson, senior scientist and public lands director for the Center for Biological Diversity. Anderson is cautiously optimistic that Californias Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan provides a good first step. The collaborative effort earmarks nearly 400,000 acres for utility-scale clean energy development on public land in the Mojave and Colorado/Sonoran desertswhile preserving millions more for wildlife, culture, and recreation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of work went into that plan, Anderson said. A lot of sitting around the table and actually listening and trying to solve the issues that came up from all sides. The result: We have a plan, everybody knows what the rules are, and its being implemented as we speak. Last December, after modifying their footprints to avoid sensitive natural resources, the Arica and Victory Pass solar farms, which will power 132,000 homes, became the first two projects to gain approval under the plan. Earlier this month, after making habitat mitigations, the 500-megawatt, 2,700-acre Oberon solar project became the third. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer who left the High Court days after the ruling that ended abortion protections told a crowd of lawyers in Chicago Saturday evening that he remains hopeful about the American legal system. Over long periods of time, weve had an America a system that has adjusted, with its drawbacks, with its going the wrong way from time to time ... but overall, Im still an optimist, said Breyer, who dissented in the abortion ruling. Advertisement Touted as one of his first speeches since his retirement in June, Breyer quipped, Why is the world in such a mess? a line that got a big laugh at the American Bar Association event after he was reminded that hed written 525 legal opinions. Breyer, 83, did not directly speak about the abortion ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, nor did he address other controversial decisions the High Court handed down this spring with its sharp turn to the right in recent years. Advertisement But in a nod to the pragmatism for which hes known he spoke broadly about the importance lawyers and law professors analyzing legal rulings, so that when the issues come back before judges, they have a much better idea of what it is theyve done. And they can adjust accordingly. Over time, he said, you have a growing body of doctrine ... which we hope, as Martin Luther King (said), arcs towards justice. It doesnt always, but we hope. And those parts of the profession working together, I think, in general, do reach in that direction, at least some of the time and not always. Breyer also noted: This is not a country of sheer ups. I mean, there was a Civil War. There was 200 years of slavery, if not more, and it was 80 years of Jim Crow segregation in this country. Breyer joined Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan on the dissenting side of the June ruling that ended constitutional protection for abortion a stunning reversal of a half-century legal standard that jolted the nation, even though a draft had already emerged publicly in an unprecedented leak. With sorrow for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection we dissent, they wrote. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > Breyers retirement took effect June 30, just days after the abortion ruling was announced. The departing justice swore in his successor, federal appellate court judge Katanji Brown Jackson,a nominee of President Joe Biden. In this image from video provided by the Supreme Court, retired Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, right, administers the Judicial Oath to his successor on the court, Ketanji Brown Jackson as her husband Patrick Jackson holds the Bible on June 30. Breyer spoke Saturday in Chicago, where he was awarded a medal by the American Bar Association. (Fred Schilling/Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States) Breyer, nominated by then-President Bill Clinton in 1994, spent almost 28 years on the court in the courts liberal wing, though he bristled at such labels. One of his most-referenced opinions was in 2015, when the courts majority upheld lethal injection. Breyer dissented and questioned the constitutionality of the death penalty. For 28 years when I sat on that court, I see in front of me people of every race, every religion and every point of view possible, he said Saturday. Advertisement The same week as the late June abortion ruling, the Supreme Court also expanded gun rights, striking down a New York law that required people to demonstrate a need to carry a concealed weapon. Breyer again dissented, writing that there had been 277 reported mass shootings year to date and said his fellow justices in the majority acted without considering the potentially deadly consequences. He said the ruling would make it more difficult for states to pass laws that limit firearms sales and use. President Joe Biden listens as Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer announces his retirement in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Jan. 27, 2022. Breyer retired from the Supreme Court on June 30. (Andrew Harnik/AP) Breyer was the lead author of Supreme Court opinions that upheld reproductive rights in 2000 and 2016, acknowledging in the earlier one that the views of those who see abortion as murder and those who support it being legal are virtually irreconcilable. But said the High Court has determined and then redetermined that the Constitution offers basic protection to the womans right to choose. Saturday Breyer was awarded the ABA Medal, the Chicago-based bar associations highest honor, given to judges and attorneys. Several Supreme Court justices have received the honor, including Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1931, Thurgood Marshall in 1992 and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2010. Associated Press contributed. Pictures of the seven people who died during the Highland Park mass shooting are displayed at memorial in Port Clinton Square on July 11, 2022, one week after a mass shooting at the city's Fourth of July parade. Questions have been raised about whether Illinois laws could or should have been used to either bar the alleged shooter, Robert Crimo III, from buying firearms or subsequently removing them from his possession. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) A group of law enforcement officials and experts from around Illinois and across the country gathered in mid-June to begin crafting a plan to increase awareness among the general public and fellow cops of a three-year-old state law aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous people. About midway through the agenda, Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly posed a direct question to the nearly two dozen in attendance, according to minutes of the meeting: Why are (firearms restraining orders) not being used? Advertisement During a short discussion, at least one police leader noted there was confusion about when and how to use the orders, which allow a judge to temporarily bar ownership of a firearm if a person is deemed a danger to themselves or others. About two weeks later, a gunman who had allegedly made comments threatening others and had a history of troubling, firearm-related postings online opened fire at the Highland Park Independence Day parade, killing seven and wounding dozens of others in yet another deadly mass shooting that grabbed the nations attention. Advertisement Robert Crimo III, who last week pleaded not guilty to 117 counts related to the shooting, legally purchased his guns. Questions have been raised about whether Illinois laws could or should have been used to either bar his purchases of firearms or subsequently removed them from his possession. One focus of that discussion has been the Firearms Restraining Order, the states so-called red flag law. In the days after the shooting, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told CNN the state needs to look at changing some of the verbiage in the law on red flags so that something could have been filed that would have prevented Crimo from being able to obtain a firearm owners identification card and, ultimately, a gun. The governor also said a family member would have had to step forward to ask a judge for a restraining order, something that never happened in the Crimo case, though Illinois law also allows law enforcement to petition a court. Whether a restraining order could have prevented the Highland Park shooting is unclear. But those familiar with Illinois law say public details of the case appear to suggest an intervention could have been considered and authorities should examine why it was not. Its a tool in the toolbox, and they need to know when to implement it, said state Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback, a Skokie Democrat and former gun violence prevention advocate. This is the kind of situation the firearms restraining order was designed to address. State Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback at March for Our Lives rally at Federal Plaza on June 11, 2022, in Chicago. The (red flag) law is not effective unless people are informed and empowered to use it, and it has been underutilized in Illinois, Stoneback said during a debate on the House floor in May 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Since the law took effect in 2019, just 228 of the orders have been granted in Illinois, according to Illinois State Police. In Maryland, an estimated 2,000 red flag orders have been granted since the law went into effect in late 2018, according to data from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University. Researchers in California, meanwhile, say about 1,000 were granted there between 2016 and 2019. The Tribune found inconsistent use of the orders in the 3 years theyve been in effect in Illinois, with at least 70 issued in DuPage County, but just 31 in Cook County and 21 in Lake County, home to Highland Park, according to data from Illinois State Police. Seven were filed in both Will and Kane counties, three in Winnebago, which includes Rockford, and two in downstate Madison County. Advertisement Overall, the orders were issued in 33 of the states 102 counties. Meanwhile, in the weeks following the shooting, the Illinois attorney generals office scheduled several trainings about the red flag law. And the states police certification board is working to meet its obligation under a new law that went into effect June 1 to lead training for officers on how to use it. Experts agreed the small number of cases filed in Illinois cry out for more training. Especially because they know of hundreds of mass shooting threats in other states that resulted in a red flag order to remove firearms. I think we need to be more comfortable with this responsibility in a country where we have agreed that people should have ready access to guns, said Shannon Frattaroli, a professor and expert from Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions in Baltimore. How law works Firearms restraining order laws, often called red flag laws, have been established in 19 states and Washington, D.C., most of them in the wake of tragic shootings. Advertisement The Illinois law, which was approved with bipartisan support and went into effect in 2019 after years of negotiations in the state legislature, is designed to temporarily limit access to guns, gun parts and ammunition when people pose a significant threat to themselves or others. There are two types of firearm restraining orders under state law: An emergency order that lasts up to 14 days and a six-month order, but only after court proceedings. The petitioner in such cases can be a spouse, ex-spouse, a parent, anyone related by blood or marriage, a roommate or a law enforcement officer. A Smith & Wesson M&P-15 semi-automatic rifle, similar to the one used in the Highland Park Fourth of July mass shooting, is displayed during the National Rifle Association meeting in Houston on May 28, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP-Getty) If an emergency order is issued, a full hearing is scheduled as soon as possible so the subject has the opportunity to present a defense and a judge can consider whether the order should end or be extended for six months. Judges can also extend a firearms restraining order for another six months depending on whether the petitioner goes back to court to raise more concerns. Advertisement A review of firearms restraining orders filed in Cook County since the law took effect includes people threatening to shoot themselves or family members, including an allegation of someone pointing a gun at a spouse. One report describes a man who had suicidal thoughts and threatened a family member after buying weapons from local gun shops, including the purchase of an assault rifle. Just two months after the law went into effect, police in Sangamon County filed for a firearms restraining order against a 33-year-old man who refused to stop his car for police and barricaded himself inside the vehicle for seven hours. A Sangamon County sheriffs deputy reported seeing a black handle of a pistol in the center console, according to court records. (Expletive) you I have nothing to lose, the man reportedly said. Im ready to die. Two rifles, two shotguns, two revolvers, another handgun, a nonfunctioning shotgun barrel and 1,100 rounds of ammunition were seized within 24 hours of the confrontation, records show. But use of the law has been relatively rare in Illinois compared with other states that have passed similar measures, and its essentially unheard of for restraining orders to be used proactively to keep people from getting guns. Advertisement Frattaroli said this is a common misconception about red flag laws. There are two provisions of Illinois which is common across all the states, Frattaroli said. Which is they temporarily prohibit possession. But they also temporarily bar new gun purchases. We have found (this) needs to be better understood. Use uneven, unclear Of the 228 firearms restraining orders issued in Illinois, DuPage County has led the way with 70, according to state police data. Advertisement Illinois is not unusual in these numbers, Frattaroli said, noting the difference between DuPage and the rest of the state. This variation to me signals there is work that needs to be done in order to allow for these to be part of the infrastructure of gun violence safety. People need to engage in these laws. Law enforcement needs to be knowledgeable. They need to know how to use them. In a statement to the Tribune this week, the Illinois attorney generals office acknowledged that the firearms restraining order law rolled out without any funding for training. When the Illinois Firearm Restraining Order Act became law in 2019, it did not provide a process or funding mechanism for training, the statement reads. In early 2020, the office developed training and materials to raise awareness and has since trained law enforcement agencies, states attorneys offices, crime victims organizations, gun safety groups and veterans service providers, the statement read. Advertisement DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin said after reviewing the red flag legislation in 2018, he immediately added the topic to his annual training for law enforcement. He has also assigned an assistant states attorney to help with the filing of the orders, and he met with the countys chief judge to set up a process to handle the filings, which are all heard in the same courtroom. We knew it would be effective, Berlin said of the law. We got out in front of it. DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin at the DuPage Courthouse Annex in Wheaton on Jan. 13, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Frattaroli, the Johns Hopkins expert, pointed to a similar outcome in Maryland, where Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin led training and education efforts not only in his county but across the entire state. Before Marylands law went into effect in 2018, Popkin said, law enforcement had few options for keeping guns away from people experiencing mental health problems. Advertisement This one was a common sense approach to what to do when somebody was an immediate threat to themselves or others and had access to firearms, said Popkin, whose county is located outside of Baltimore. Popkin, who sits on the commission working to improve implementation of the Illinois law, said he was part of a group that put together regional programs for law enforcement to train the trainer in order to more quickly educate some 17,000 law enforcement officers throughout Maryland on how that states law works. About 60% of the red flag petitions have been filed by law enforcement, and the remaining cases have been filed by health care professionals, family members or someone close to the gun owner, he said. He said law enforcement often gets pulled into cases through 911 calls. Family members of a gun owner or someone close to the person might become alarmed by a threat of violence or signs of a mental health crisis. Thats why the training of law enforcement was so incredibly important, Popkin said. The story is similar in California, where training has been key to increasing the use of the law, said Veronica Pear, a University of California at Davis professor. Advertisement After fewer than 100 red flag orders were filed in each of the first two years the states law was in effect, the city attorney in San Diegoled an effort to increase awareness and coordinate the response of courts and police, and filings there increased, Pear said. While Popkin wouldnt say whether he thinks Illinois red flag law could have prevented the Highland Park shooting, he said there were great similarities to cases hes seen in Maryland, with similar types of behaviors attributed to mental health and people in crisis. Berlin, the DuPage states attorney, said hes not aware of any cases where the Illinois law has been used to prevent someone who isnt already a gun owner from getting firearms. The Highland Park shooting, however, demands a closer look at whether the law could be used more proactively, he said. I am absolutely convinced we saved lives by using this law, Berlin said. I think, obviously, with what has happened in Highland Park and in places across the country that this is an opportunity to educate the public and the police that the law does allow for an order to prevent someone from obtaining a gun. Highland Park case Crimo in February 2020 purchased the rifle he allegedly used to fire from a rooftop onto the parade. He bought the rifle at a federally licensed gun dealer in the Chicago area. Whether there was an opportunity, based on Illinois laws, to prevent that purchase or remove firearms from his possession once he had them is far less certain. Advertisement In the months before getting approved to carry an Illinois gun permit, or FOID card, Highland Park police made two visits to Crimos home. Neither resulted in an arrest, however. But there were signs of trouble documented in police reports released by Highland Park. A painting apparently depicting a person holding a rifle is visible on the back of the Highland Park home of the mother of Robert Crimo III on July 7, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) The first contact was in April 2019 when police responded to a report that Crimo had allegedly attempted suicide, according to the reports. Officers determined that the matter was being handled by a mental health professional. Five months later, police returned to the home, this time to investigate a report that Crimo made threats to kill everyone, according to the records. Police spoke with Crimo, who admitted to being depressed on the day he allegedly made the threat. The reports notes also that he was not forthcoming as to the language that he used ... nor was his mother. Police removed more than a dozen knives from his bedroom closet. His father, who did not live in the home, said they were his. No arrests were made, but Highland Park police did submit a Clear and Present Danger report to Illinois State Police. Advertisement Such a report is required of law enforcement and school officials when they determine someone might pose an imminent threat of harm to themselves or others and should therefore have a FOID card revoked or denied. Crimo, at that time, did not have a FOID card or an application for one. State police reviewed the case anyway and determined he was not an immediate threat. Then, under the agencys interpretation of the Clear and Present law at the time, they purged Crimos record. Since the shooting, state police have implemented new rules that will allow the agency to retain and expand the use of such reports. How and whether a firearms restraining order could have been used is a completely separate matter. But its also an essential question in the wake of the tragedy, experts and law enforcement officials said. Advertisement Highland Park police and Lake County authorities pointed to several reasons why, despite those 2019 police interactions, a restraining order was not sought. For one, there were no weapons in the house and no firearm-related threat. Police on the scene did not observe any violence or hear a threat. In an interview in July prior to a judge issuing an order sealing investigation materials and forbidding prosecutors and defense attorneys from disclosing them Highland Park police Chief Lou Jogmen said the department understood the Clear and Present Danger report to be the most robust and immediate action they could take to protect the public at the time by making sure Crimo couldnt get a gun. The police department said it has filed more than 400 of those orders since 2017. Jogmen and other law enforcement authorities also told the Tribune that the Illinois red flag law has not been commonly understood by police to stop a first-time purchase But they also emphasized that they do not think, even with this understanding, that the circumstances of the police visit would have met the legal standard to obtain a firearms restraining order. Advertisement Robert E. Crimo III, leaves the courtroom after a hearing in Lake County Circuit Court on Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan. Crimo III, accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more in a shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park pleaded not guilty Wednesday. (Nam Y. Huh/AP) The family also had the authority under the law to seek a firearms restraining order. The Tribune contacted the Crimo family attorney to ask whether law enforcement ever made them aware of the option. My understanding is that that was never discussed, the attorney said. State officials have reported that the family helped Crimo secure his permit and ability to purchase guns. In 2020, his father sponsored him for his FOID application because of his age. Advertisement Potential fixes Even before the shooting, the Illinois General Assembly had already targeted the restraining order law for an overhaul. Legislators last year amended state law to promote awareness and better training for police on how to implement the orders, leading to the launch in June of the statewide task force meeting where Kelly spoke. In addition to working to improve implementation and awareness of the law, the commission is tasked with developing a policy for relinquishing guns in a timely manner, whenever a firearms restraining order is issued. . Advertisement The amendment, which also made ex-spouses and parents who share minor children eligible to file red flags, was sponsored by Stoneback, the former gun safety advocate who was elected to the House in 2020. In states where this type of law is implemented, petitions have been filed to prevent mass shootings, hate crimes, domestic violence gun crimes and suicides, Stoneback said during the May 2021 debate over her legislation on the House floor. She pointed to a case in Washington where authorities used the states red flag law to disarm the leader of a hate group and to a study that examined 21 cases in which Californias law was used in efforts to prevent mass shootings. The law is not effective unless people are informed and empowered to use it, and it has been underutilized in Illinois, Stoneback said during the debate. Advertisement Lawmakers are expected to return to Springfield, possibly as soon as next month, for a special session on protections for abortion rights, but theres also been discussion about addressing gun laws as well. House Democrats have created a working group, led by state Rep. Bob Morgan, a Deerfield Democrat who was marching in the Highland Park parade, to work on gun-safety legislation, including potential fixes to the red flag law. Everything is on the table, said Democratic Rep. Maura Hirschauer of Batavia, another gun safety advocate turned lawmaker appointed to the working group. asweeney@chicagotribune.com Advertisement jgorner@chicagotribune.com dpetrella@chicagotribune.com This story has been updated to note the Illinois Attorney Generals office in early 2020 developed training and materials to raise awareness about firearms restraining orders for law enforcement. A previous version stated those materials were developed in late 2020. Max Contract and driver Andy Miller were forced to survive a Judges inquiry en route to capturing the $92,300 Shady Daisy, which looked a bit like a demolition derby in deep stretch. With Andy Miller aboard, Max Contract was hustled off the gate and battled with longshot Sweet Treasure to the quarter pole in :26.1 before the favourite brushed to the top. The parked out Boudoir Hanover then muscled her way to the lead after parking around the first turn, and once she cleared she went on to post middle fractions of :53.2 and 1:21.3. Gotthegreenlight applied first-over pressure on the leader around the final turn before tiring, and that left Max Contract desperately looking for room in the lane. Miller tried pushing his way out of the pocket, and after briefly trading paint with Gotthegreenlight it was Max Contract who then appeared to hit that foes wheel with her right hind leg. Miller then dropped his charge inside of the leader Boudoir Hanover, just as Smuggle Tina did at the pylons. Max Contract accelerated through an opening in deep stretch and managed to out-sprint a rallying Sweet Treasure to the line for the 1:49.3 decision. Sweet Treasure was a lapped-on runner-up, with third prize going to Treacherous Dragon. "I thought I was in a great spot and then Todd's filly kind of come up empty and I was searching for room," said driver Andy Miller. "Unfortunately she got slowed down there turning for home but once she got clearance she took off again. She's pretty versatile, I think." The three-year-old daughter of Huntsville-Big Mcdeal extended her winning streak to four-in-a-row for the partnership of Steve Heimbecker, Andy Miller Stable Inc and Jean Goehlen. It was the sixth career tally for the Julie Miller trainee who increased her lifetime earnings to $164,750 with the victory. "I have to give a lot of credit to my owners, Jean and Steve," said Julie. "They believed in me when I told them I think this filly could be special at three, and they let me prove it to them." Check out all the recaps from 2022 Hambletonian Day here. Political parties of various countries firmly support China in safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity Xinhua) 09:43, August 07, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Political parties of various countries have in recent days lashed out at the visit by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to China's Taiwan region and voiced oppositions to U.S. attempts to connive at "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. In messages addressed to the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the political parties also voiced their firm commitments to the one-China principle as well as support for China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, said Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region is totally unacceptable. U.S. politicians should stop their hostile actions against China and fully grasp the meaning of the Chinese proverb that says "those who play with fire will perish by it," said Zyuganov. Adem Farah, deputy president and general secretary of the Prosperity Party of Ethiopia, said Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region is a clear violation of the one-China principle. Ethiopia respects the Chinese government's conduct of military exercises around the Taiwan Island, which is China's internal affairs, Farah said. Penildon Silva Filho, member of the Executive Committee of the Workers Party of Brazil, said in disregard of China's strong opposition, Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region, sending a very wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The sinister intentions of the United States in attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and provoke a "new Cold War" are obvious, he said. Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee's commission for external relations said in a statement that Laos firmly supports the efforts of the CPC and the Chinese government in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Laos always pursues the one-China policy and opposes any move to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," said the statement. All India Forward Bloc said in a statement that Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region and her related remarks are in violation of the Resolution 2758 adopted by the UN General Assembly. All India Forward Bloc supports the Chinese government in taking measures to safeguard sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, said the statement. Syria's Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party condemned Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region in a statement, and said it will firmly support the CPC and the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Patriotic Front in Zambia said in a statement that in disregard of oppositions of China and other peace-loving countries, Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region. The move is aimed at suppressing China and aggravating the tension across the Taiwan Strait, said the Patriotic Front, while urging the United States to stop any provocative action that might trigger conflict. The Party of the European Left said in a statement that Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region in disregard of China's strong opposition has seriously undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. In the meantime, other political parties including Pakistan's National Party, Iran's Islamic Coalition Party, the Independent Nasserite Movement in Lebanon, the Yemeni Socialist Party, Jordan's Communist Party, the Communist Party of Peru (Red Fatherland), the Communist Party of Belarus, the Communist Party of Tajikistan, Greece's Coalition of the Radical Left, the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus, and the Communist Party of Australia, among others, also issued statements supporting China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Canadian star Beach Glass claimed the second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown, the $258,300 Cane Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings, on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands. Returning to the scene of his coveted Meadowlands Pace triumph from three weeks ago, Beach Glass was the 2-5 favourite and didn't disappoint his backers, holding off his main threat Mad Max Hanover for the 1:49 victory for trainer Brent MacGrath and the Schooner II Stable of Truro, N.S. Coming off a runner-up finish in last Saturday's Adios, driver Yannick Gingras settled the celebrated son of Somebeachsomewhere off the pace while his rivals scrambled for early position. Mad Max Hanover (Tim Tetrick), the 8-5 second choice and Meadowlands Pace runner-up, touched down on top briefly before Fourever Boy (Mike Wilder) took over, with Night Hawk (David Miller) in pursuit from the outermost post eight through a :27.2 first quarter. Night Hawk cleared to command but his lead was short-lived as Mad Max Hanover removed to the front. Gingras then made the winning move with Beach Glass, rushing up alongside that rival from fifth and taking charge as they raced past the half in :54.3. Beach Glass continued to lead to three-quarters in 1:22 with Fourever Boy going first-up after the leader. However, the favourite turned for home with a two-length lead and withstood the pocket-popping challenge from Mad Max Hanover in deep stretch to win by half a length. Night Hawk rounded out the top three finishers. "I really didn't want to have him on the front, I was trying to get away like fourth or fifth but, you know, :27.2 first quarter, it was going to be :55 and change half probably so I had to make a move and make things happen." Beach Glass, who has finished top two in all eight of his sophomore starts, paid $2.80 to win. He now boasts five wins this year and eight victories lifetime with $844,900 in earnings from 13 starts. "It was five tough weeks, and they didn't give him anything," stated MacGrath. "I'm very happy. He does need a week off. I thought about the going to the Milstein and actually told [Northfield Park] I was planning on it but I'm not going. He needs a week and I want to Pocono with him. "Next will be the the Max Hempt and then a few weeks off and we'll go into the Simcoe and then on to Lexington." The winner of the first leg of the Triple Crown, Messenger Stakes champion Pleaseletmeknow, was not eligible to the Cane Pace. Check out all the recaps from 2022 Hambletonian Day here. With many of harness racings biggest names in action on Saturday (August 6) during the star-studded Hambletonian Day card at The Meadowlands, two of the sports top reinsmen were watching the action from the sidelines. Trot Insider caught up with Matt Kakaley and Scott Zeron to see how they are both doing after the accident they were both involved in a couple of weeks ago at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The incident happened in the sixth race on July 26 causing the race to be a no contest. The horses involved walked off the track on their own power. Kakaley came out of the incident with what he described as a mild AC joint separation, otherwise hes in good spirits. Im feeling really good. What happened the other week really sucked, but with the circumstances of how it all happened Im thankful its not worse than it is. Kakaley is currently in the top five in North America in both wins (340; fifth) and earnings ($5,842,140; fourth) and will look to add to those totals when he resumes activity on Tuesday (August 9) at Pocono. Zeron had first appointment since the wreck to receive updated news on Thursday (August 4). He suffered a three-inch crack in his pelvis and a small fracture in his wrist. The location of the fracture is in a unique spot where blood does not have the best access to it, and it might take longer than the pelvis injury to heal. The injuries could take anywhere from four-six weeks to heal. Zeron is also in good spirits and is slowly starting to see improvements. The pain was very minimal. Now the swelling has gone down, Ive become fairly mobile. Id still rather get pushed around in a wheelchair, but I can walk. Zeron, who boasts 119 wins and $3.4 million in earnings this season, also discussed his injuries during his broadcast stint with The Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day. That interview is available below. Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing both drivers a full recovery and a speedy return to the races. ( A Trot Insider exclusive by Trey Colbeck) Just back in the states, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger spent last week visiting Central America as part of a bipartisan House delegation focused on American border security and tackling illegal migrations root causes. The Virginia congresswoman was joined in El Salvador and Guatemala by Reps. Lou Correa, D-Calif.; John Katko, R-N.Y.; Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.; and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas. Meeting with those countries civil society and business leaders, the lawmakers discussed boosting the regions response to migrant smuggling and human trafficking, cracking down on transnational criminal groups, addressing poverty and migration, and strengthening U.S. ports of entry. The delegations visit focused on congressional oversight of the Biden administrations actions to stem irregular migration from, and via, Central America to the United States, Spanbergers office said in a statement Friday. In both nations, the legislators also met with U.S. Foreign Service, U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Agency for International Development officers to discuss their work implementing the administrations strategy to address migrations causes. To better understand the challenges coming from Central America and how they impact the security of the United States, its important to meet directly with officials, business leaders and law enforcement on the ground, Spanberger said. Formerly, as a federal law-enforcement officer and CIA case officer, she worked narcotics-trafficking cases. The trip gave lawmakers an opportunity to learn more about how the United States can bring order to its southern border and work in partnership with these countries to prevent further humanitarian crises in the region, Spanberger said. The delegations members talked with leaders about how irregular immigration affects their societies and economies, the challenges they face in trying to build opportunities for their countrymen and to mitigate peoples motivations to migrate. They discussed how the U.S. government can support those efforts, at home and through international engagement, the congresswomans office said. Spanberger thanked the governments of Guatemala and El Salvador for their cooperation during the fact-finding mission. I look forward to continuing my work in Congress related to the security of our borders and the long-term stability of our neighbors in Central America, she said. In both countries, the delegation toured near-shoring facilities, including an El Salvador technology company that runs training programs to create opportunities for Salvadorans at home and Guatemalan manufacturing facilities that leverage U.S. investment to create stable jobs. In El Salvador, Spanberger and the delegation visited the headquarters of the Joint Border Information Group, which assembles law enforcement and immigration authorities from seven countriesplus Interpolto share data on transnational criminal activities, especially migrant smuggling and human trafficking, Spanbergers office said. In El Salvador, Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco and Ambassador Milena Mayorga welcomed the delegation for bilateral discussions at the Foreign Ministry about migrations economic, political and social impacts on El Salvador. In Guatemala, the House members met with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, Ambassador Alfonso Quinonez and Cabinet members to discuss the same issues. In the last session of Congress, then-President Donald Trump signed into law Spanbergers bipartisan legislationwhich she led with Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texasto crack down on Central American trafficking and smuggling networks and strengthen U.S. border security. Last month, a bipartisan House majority voted to pass the Virginians bipartisan legislation to combat fentanyl trafficking on Americas southern border. The bill was based on provisions in Soanbergers bipartisan Securing Americas Borders Against Fentanyl Act, which she also introduced last month, her office said. With the approach of the fifth anniversary of the violent and deadly Aug. 12, 2017 Unite the Right rally that shook the city and the nation, several individuals and groups are hosting or organizing events to recognize its local impact and celebrate community. An exhibit that began July 18 at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Theres Just Us, presents a photo exhibit by Alec Hosterman. The Longwood University professor captured photos of the deadly protest in 2017. For Hosterman, the exhibit presents the struggle he saw during the weekend when the community fought back against hate. The photos will be on display until Dec. 30. The Soul of Cville is returning this year from Aug. 12 to Aug. 14 and is free of charge. The festival showcases Black culture, dance, music, fashion and more. The opening event of the festival will be a free screening of Spike Lees movie Do the Right Thing. The festival is still accepting applications to highlight Black-owned businesses. A curated photo exhibition called Witnessing Resistance and featuring photos from 2016 and 2017 by Charlottesville photojournalist Eze Amos is running at The Jefferson School. The free event began on July 1 and features 18 printed photographs showcase people peacefully protesting at the white supremacist rally. Amos said he hopes the photographs will spark meaningful conversations to start healing within the community. The exhibit will be open until Sept. 16. Amos is also the creator of The Story of Us exhibit featuring three dozen large photographs mounted on trees along the Downtown Mall. Each photo will have a QR code to link viewers via smartphones and the internet to a 3-minute recording of the person in the photo describing their experience during the violent rally. The photos will be installed on Aug. 9 and 10. Amos will lead two community events, free of charge and open to all. The first will be on Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m., where he will explain the genesis and rationale behind The Story of Us exhibit. He will also offer attendees a chance to share emotions and memories of their experiences during that weekend. Amos second event will be on Aug. 13 at 11 a.m. when he will lead a walking tour of the photos. The tour will meet at the Downtown Mall water fountain at 2nd Street NE. On the First Floor Gallery in Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, the building will start hosting the No Unity Without Justice: Student & Community Organizing During the 2017 Summer of Hate exhibition. It will be available for a visit until Oct. 29, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., but closed on Sundays. The exhibition is centered around the work of UVa students and Charlottesville community racial justice activists who organized demonstrations and events which resulted in significant anti-fascist victories. The curators are Kendall King, UVa alum and community organizer along with Jalane Schmidt, a scholar-activist and community organizer and the Director of the UVa Democracy Initiatives Memory Project.{p dir=ltr}{span}On Aug. 12, Coming to the Table of Cville is organizing two events in collaboration with the Charlottesville Clergy Collective, Congregate Cville, and the African American Pastors Association. The first event is The Walking Vigil of Remembrance from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., {/span}{span}followed by a Unite the Light Interfaith Service held at 7:30 p.m.{/span}{p dir=ltr}{span}The events serve as an opportunity to recognize the ways the community fought hate five years ago while acknowledging the trauma and recommitting to Martin Luther Kings vision of a beloved community. A discouraging wheat harvest has been nearly wrapped up across Nebraska at 92% complete, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending July 31. With the year we had, like everybody else, this crop wasnt anything fantastic, Ryan May, a Banner County wheat farmer, said. We had a lot of variables that were going into play this year. With the freeze and the bacteria that was going around, and then, add the drought on top of that. I am just thankful that we could at least harvest something. He said there were some findings of a disease in the Banner County wheat fields, further contributing to the struggling crop. We heard, after the fact, that there was a bacteria or disease that was going around that affected the yield as well, nobody knew about it, Ryan said. The farm cut down yielded less than half of what is typical and weights were unpredictable across the May farm. Our yields were low, they were probably 75% less than what were used to, Ryan Said. The weights were all over the board. We had some that was normal and some that was pretty light. It didnt really follow suit to figure out why that was. Basically, we had some ground we thought was better and some that wasnt. Tom May, owner of May Farms, primarily a wheat fallow farmer in western Banner County, found the harvest came to a close in about half the time it would usually take, finishing in eight days instead of two weeks, because there was half a crop to cut down. It wasnt good. Between the freeze and the drought, it was half a crop for us, he said. But we had better wheat than some. Tom Mays planted four wheat varieties and sold some loads on contract before storing the remainder on the farm. We had four different varieties but that just didnt seem to have too much of an impact on our yield, he said. I possibly saw a couple of varieties that fared a little better than the rest, but maybe it was the soil type also. So you cant really say for sure, in this year if that made a difference. Tom operates the farm with his son, Ryan, and daughter, Randa, helps out by operating one of the combines during the harvest. Tom said if it wasnt for Ryan returning to the family farm, he would be in a position to have to downsize. Hes great and we got a good working relationship and I probably would have been downsizing if Ryan wouldnt have come back to the farm, he said. Hes just a great kid and we need more young farmers like him, for sure. But times are pretty tough and, hopefully, we can continue on and keep the family farm running. Ryan returned to farming in 2017 after venturing to Casper College, earning an associate degrees in agri-business and geographic information systems (GIS). From there, he continued on to the University of Nebraska-Kearney to complete a bachelors degree in geography with an emphasis on GIS. Ive been farming my own operation since 2017, while helping dad maintain his operation, Ryan said. But Ive been a farm kid my whole life. He returned to farming after college and the May Farm because carrying on the tradition meant a great deal to him. Its right there and the family farm is a part of me. Its hard to explain growing up in farming and just being around that atmosphere just means a lot to me, Ryan said. I went to college but it was the farm, I just couldnt get away and it kept calling. The livelihood of it made me come back and wanting to carry on that tradition for our family. While Tom remains true to growing wheat, Ryan usually operates with a three-crop rotation. He switched that up this year because of conditions. On my own ground, I have been doing a three-crop rotation between wheat and corn, but the way the drought was going, I decided not to grow any corn, he said. With the input costs on corn, I knew I was for sure going to lose money this year so I took a different approach with millet. I feel like Im going to come out better for it this year. A rotation crop may boost Ryan a bit past the aftermath of this wheat harvest, inflated prices continue to plague farmers. Knowing your boundaries, slow down and really analyze how everything is going to work out versus just doing what you are used to, Ryan said. So basically, you cant stray away from where you are and what you do, but you have to find the little areas that you can pull your bootstraps up and really analyze it. Somehow, figure out a way to reduce the cost while staying true to what you do, basically keeping your head above water. The proprietors of the May Farm will continue with grit and determination to continue farming wheat into the next year, gambling with less fertilizer and unpredictable wheat harvest. You cant base one year off of what you do so you just keep doing what youre doing, Tom said. Farmers totally depend upon Mother Nature. With the fertilizer prices higher and chemical prices higher, its pretty tough right now. 1872: The largest Nebraska apples on record were said to have been grown by Perry Walker of Plattsmouth in the states oldest orchard. 1882: A tornado did considerable damage to property and fields in Little Salt Precinct north of Lincoln. 1892: Tom Cook completed a school census showing 5,730 boys and 5,812 girls between the ages of 5 and 21 in Lincoln. 1902: The Prohibition state ticket included S.T. David of Otoe for governor and Isaiah Lighten of North Platte for lieutenant governor. 1912: The Havelock Booster Club, accompanied by the Havelock band and male quartet, toured the county by auto to promote the upcoming Havelock Gala Days. Lincoln aviator Robert G. Fowler was scheduled to make two flights during the celebration. 1922: Hypnotic shows were declared unlawful in Nebraska and Illinois, and showmen were advised to cancel engagements in the state. 1932: A federal grand jury indicted 59 people in an Omaha liquor syndicate probe. Charles W. Wallace, former University of Nebraska professor with a worldwide reputation as a Shakespearean scholar, died in Wichita Falls, Texas. 1942: Perus four organized churches were left with only one minister when two resigned and a third was called as a World War II Army chaplain. City officials were considering a curfew for Lincoln girls as a morals situation grew steadily worse. 1952: A threatened strike that would have delayed the reopening of Lincoln Air Force Base was postponed. 1962: The Army Reserve 162nd Medical Battalion of Lincoln returned home after being on active duty for 10 months at Fort Riley, Kan. 1972: The first Apollo spaceship command module was put on outdoor display at the University of Nebraska State Museums new Behlen Gallery of Space. 1982: Actor Henry Fonda, who was born in Grand Island and raised in Omaha, died at age 77. 1992: Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Philip Schoo turned down a 1.6 percent pay raise in light of the current budget constraints. Marie Reichenbach, a 1914 graduate of the University of Nebraska, bequeathed $5.7 million to Tabitha Inc. of Lincoln, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Boys Town. 2002: Temperatures near or above 100 degrees and minimal rainfall resulted in continued deterioration of crops during the past week, according to the Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service. Irrigation systems continued in full use where water allocations permitted. In some cases, they were not able to keep up with crop demands. Buffalo County Attorney Shawn Eatherton said Friday that his office did not have strong enough evidence to prosecute Innis or anyone else involved in the case. In a letter sent to Innis on Thursday, Eatherton told Innis he was not required to appear in court on Aug. 10. Based on the information this office received and a review of the evidence, please be advised our office has decided NOT to file a case against you at this time, Eatherton said in the letter. Therefore, you do not need to appear in court on Aug. 10, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. Innis, of Crete, could not be reached for comment Friday. He was arrested after he tried to enter the convention center and was stopped by security staff, leading to a scuffle that prompted staff to call the police, the Nebraska Examiner reported. One staffer alleged that Innis lunged at him and assaulted him, though Innis claimed he was shoved or grabbed by someone and he defended himself, not knowing it was security. In a social media post, Innis disputed the account by security staff, writing that when someone came forward stating a video shows the head of security was lying about the initial incident, the security people were then removed, the person they claimed was such a threat was allowed into the convention, and the convention continued without any security on site. Eatherton said his office reviewed video footage and witness testimony among the evidence of the incident. Innis, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump who hasnt been afraid to criticize fellow Republicans, was one of six Republicans who had their credentials revoked so they could not serve as delegates at the convention. Some said they had their credentials revoked because they had vocally criticized or directly challenged Republican leadership or nominees, including Gov. Pete Ricketts and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen. Innis, along with at least one other delegate who was denied entry, Fanchon Blythe, arrived at the convention center to challenge the decision. Their removal was the subject of one of many heated debates that day. Some delegates argued that revoking their credentials was an attack on free speech. After Innis arrest, the remaining delegates voted to reinstate his credentials, along with four of the other delegates, including Blythe. Innis later returned to the convention center to serve as a delegate. Later that day, a majority of delegates voted to fire GOP Chairman Dan Welch and elected Eric Underwood as the new chairman. Days later, Innis and Blythe both attended a media event at GOP headquarters where Underwood weighed in on the partys goals and direction going forward. Efforts to revitalize Mount St. Helens has more support now that a nonprofit outdoor group got a federal permit to help develop outdoor camping, learning and stargazing opportunities at a visitors center overlooking Coldwater Lake. Dennis Weber said he remembered the summers up in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest before the 1980 volcanic eruption that reshaped the landscape around Mount St. Helens. Silver and Coldwater lakes offered places to fish, swim and hike that was plentiful and enjoyed by Weber, now a Cowlitz County commissioner, and his family. In the years after the volcano blew its top, visitor centers attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Weber, a city council member at the time, said they were advised to add more amenities in the area or the novelty of the explosion would soon dissolve. You see the volcano, you see the damage, (but) theres a limited number of trails, Weber said. Theres no sense in increasing access if theres nothing to do. In the decades since the eruption, tourism in the area has waned. The volcanic monument gets about one-third the visitors of Mount Rainier, Weber said. Many businesses that used to line the drive on Spirit Lake Memorial Highway have shuttered. The nearest overnight camping spots are miles from the mountain. The U.S. Forest Service is also thinking of raising fees in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest as a result of outdated and deteriorating facilities. The three visitor centers Coldwater Ridge, Hoffstadt Bluffs and Johnston Ridge Observatory saw fewer people as years passed. The county sold Hoffstadt Bluffs in 2017, with Weber telling The Daily News at the time of the sale Hoffstadt had become a money pit for the county. Coldwater Ridge shut its doors to the public in 2007 and now serves as the Mount St. Helens Lodge & Education Center operated by the Mount St. Helens Institute. Many say its long overdue to bring more amenities and recreational opportunities to the mountain. The U.S. Forest Service manages the monument and recently gave the Mount St. Helens Institute a 30-year permit that will help redevelop the Coldwater site into a fully fledged public camping, learning and recreational experience. Theres been a long-term need for people to be able to stay up here, said Ray Yurkewycz, executive director of the Mount St. Helens Institute. The process of getting the right permits and utilities stalled ambitious plans for years, he said. Those plans include adding what Yurkewycz calls much-needed amenities. They want to add three 40-person timber lodges and 10 four-person camping rooms for adults and families as well as an amphitheater, expand kitchen capacity, modernize electrical systems and add more programs like guided stargazing. Yurkewycz said they have considered adding a welcome center near the front gate, complete with a local shop and cafe. Yurkewycz said they also want the center to stay open year-round, as compared to Johnston Ridge Observatory which is open only during the warm months. The plan is in its early stages, but Yurkewycz said it will likely cost $35 million and could bring in 10,000 to 15,000 more tourists to the area per year. The process will likely take years, though Yurkewycz said he hopes it will be ready by the 50th anniversary of the eruption in 2030. While they can ask for federal and local financial assistance, most of it will come from donors. They also plan on collaborating with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Yakama Nation during the design and construction phases, according to the institutes master plan report. Greg Drew, owner of Drews Grocery Store, has worked on Spirit Lake Highway since before the eruption. Before 1980 the entire area buzzed with tourist and recreation activities, which all changed once the landscape did. We were really disappointed as some of the activity fell off, Drew said. Drew said the Toutle grocery store which recently reopened a temporary storefront after a March fire depends on people passing through to get to the mountain. When theres more activity up toward the mountain, we definitely see that, Drew said. The hope is to draw people from Cowlitz Countys neighbors in Portland and Seattle, Weber said. More visitors could help the local businesses and hotels in nearby towns like Castle Rock and Toutle. The impact on Longview-Kelso will be pretty indirect, Weber said. Having another visitor center would stand as a net plus to the entire community, Drew said. Outdoor learning A law passed by the state Legislature this year could also help bring more people to the mountain. Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year signed a bill that will fund an outdoor learning experience for fifth- and sixth-grade students. The bill outlines how schools can get grants to send students to daytime or overnight trips focused on environmental topics like geology, ecology and wildlife. It gives them that hands-on learning experience, Yurkewycz said. With some students in Washington now guaranteed to have at least one outdoor learning experience, Yurkewycz said its the perfect chance to expand Coldwater Ridge. Yurkewycz said this means working with local astrology groups and educators to set up night sky-watching and camping events. They also hope to renovate and expand their kitchen so it can provide regular and healthy meals. We see this as an opportunity to expand our program, Yurkewycz said. Theres a variety of impacts that could come from this. China's mid- and long-term loans to industry saw steady expansion in the first half of the year (H1), a report from the People's Bank of China shows. By the end of June, the balance of the loans in yuan and foreign currencies stood at 15.25 trillion yuan (about 2.26 trillion U.S. dollars), surging 21.2 percent year on year, with a pace 10.4 percentage points faster than the overall growth of loans, according to the report. In H1, China's mid- and long-term industrial loans increased 1.81 trillion yuan, up 218.1 billion yuan from the same period last year. The data also shows that outstanding mid- and long-term loans to the tertiary sector in yuan and foreign currencies totaled 53.3 trillion yuan as of the end of H1, up 9 percent year on year. In 2019, the Port of Ridgefield began planning for a 42-mile dark fiber loop in its district. A lot has changed since then. The ports plans evolved as everything else evolved, said Randy Mueller, Port of Ridgefield CEO. Dark fiber is fiber-optic infrastructure for broadband internet service that is not yet in use. Because fiber-optic networks use pulses of light to move information, they are significantly faster than DSL or cable. On the web For more information about the Port of Ridgefield's broadband project, go to https://portridgefield.org/projects/broadband. Mueller said access to high-speed internet has become even more important to residents and businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic, when more people started working and shopping from home. A lot has happened. COVID happened, and I think everyone found out how important broadband was, Mueller said. We discovered all those meetings could be done with a Zoom call. According to the Pew Research Center, which began tracking internet usage in early 2000, 93 percent of American adults were online by 2020. As the county has grown, so has access to broadband internet at least in some areas. Residents and businesses can now choose from Comcast, CenturyLink and others. Despite the improved access, Mueller said outlying areas like Amboy, Yale and Cougar still have few, if any, providers. We want to meet those unmet needs the folks that arent being taken care of, Mueller said. Thats where the ports dark fiber network can help. As private companies, internet providers often wont install needed infrastructure in rural areas because theres not enough profit to pay for the network costs. Using a combination of loans and grants, the port installs the network, then leases it to retail internet providers. If it was water infrastructure, the port is just building the pipe and other people are putting the water in it, Mueller explained. The port is putting fiber between this point and that point, and were leasing the infrastructure to a private provider. Rather than one single fiber-optic line, Mueller said the port has numerous pieces of line throughout the region. Whenever a new road or building project is underway with an open trench or conduit being installed, he said the port partners with the builder or agency to take advantage of the open ground, making installation far less expensive. One outcome of the dark fiber project was the launch of Petrichor Broadband, a publicly owned corporation formed by six public ports: Ridgefield, Kalama, Skagit County, Bellingham, Pasco and Whitman County. Petrichor works with other ports, tribes, counties, cities, public utility districts, industrial development zones as well as the Washington State Broadband Office to expand broadband access to underserved communities. Retail providers like Comcast then lease the companys infrastructure to provide internet service to residents and businesses. Mueller said the company was formed, in part, because at the state level, there was a need for advocacy for publicly operated broadband. Even before the port could get its dark fiber project off the ground, it had a major hurdle to overcome. State law at the time limited development of broadband infrastructure to public ports in counties with fewer than 100 residents per square mile. After working with state legislators, other ports and service providers, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that gave all state port authorities the opportunity to develop open-access broadband infrastructure for lease. Infrastructure challenge Since then, the Legislature adopted several bills to increase access to broadband, allocated $260 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for infrastructure grants and authorized a 0.05 percent local sales and use tax for rural county public facilities. A hold-up at the federal level in late 2021 on an infrastructure bill and allocation obstacles at the state level made broadband development a challenge for ports. According to the Port of Ridgefield, legacy carriers dont want to see broadband networks in the hands of the public. But with areas like Ridgefield growing rapidly, Mueller said there is still much the port can and is doing. In June, a project was started to connect WSU Vancouver to its fiber optic line. That starts at Interstate 5 and 179th Street ... then we go down 50th Avenue and connect to the east side of campus, said Ethan Perry, director of operations at the port. We already have conduit on the ground into campus because we partnered with Clark Regional Wastewater when they were putting new infrastructure in. Perry said installing the fiber-optic line this way can reduce costs from $30 per linear foot to $8 to $10 per linear foot. The port is considering extending its existing fiber optic line from La Center to Yale. In June, the port announced it had received a $50,000 grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board to conduct a feasibility study on extending the line from La Center east through Fargher Lake, Amboy, Chelatchie and across the Lewis River to Yale along state Highway 503. The extension would be done through a partnership between the Port of Woodland and Port of Ridgefield. Mueller said after the Port of Woodland received a grant to install fiber optic line toward Cougar, the idea came up to connect the two lines to serve more customers in the far north end of the county. Thats what the study is. Is that feasible? How many people live along that route? How many people will use it? Would it even pencil out? Mueller said. Perry said the study should take about a month to complete. Apple may delay the launch of the iPhone 14 series! Heres what the latest leak suggests. The iPhone 14 launch is just around the corner! Or is it? While several reports and rumours have hinted at the possible launch of the next Apple iPhone lineup on September 13, the latest leak suggests that Apple fans may have to wait longer than expected! This may happen because of the growing China-Taiwan tensions. The problem stems from the visit of Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives recently, which was objected to by China. But how is it related to the upcoming launch of the iPhone 14? The chip-maker TSMC is the top supplier for Apple's iPhone and the company delivers chips in China, where a major segment of the iPhones are assembled. And the on-growing tensions between China and Taiwan have made the Chinese Communist Party come up with new regulations to prohibit any mention of "Taiwan" or "Republic of China" in shipping documents, GSMArena reported. This in turn means that some, if not all, of the hardware, could be returned back to Taiwan and delay the iPhone 14 production as a result, the report added. What makes it even worse is that Pelosi was spotted with Pegatron's vice chairman and senior TSMC executives during the visit, raising the possibility that this is just the start of a more fierce trade war between China and Taiwan, in which Apple and other US-based businesses will be trapped in the middle. According to the GSMArena report, Apple has asked that all labelling with "Made in Taiwan" or "Republic of China" be removed or replaced. This comes after Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that for the first time, the company is planning to ship the iPhone 14 from India in addition to China. "My latest survey indicates Foxconn's iPhone production site in India will ship the new 6.1" iPhone 14 almost simultaneously with China for the first time in 2H22 (India being one quarter or more behind in the past)," Kuo Tweeted. If this is true, then the Apple iPhone will come with the Made in India tag for the first time. Besides that, several rumours suggest some quality production issues with the displays and the camera lenses of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. But when is it expected to launch? It is as yet uncertain. NASA celebrated 10 years of Curiosity rover landing on Mars and has shared the rover's dusty selfie. Everything we see around us including space, oceans, planets, among others, hold many secrets. In order to know more, scientists and researchers are making continuous efforts to ensure the well-being of humanity. One such effort includes knowing more about the planet Mars and NASA had sent Curiosity rover for the same purpose to the Red Planet in August 2012. The research organisation on August 5 celebrated 10 years since the Curiosity rover landed on Mars. Since its landing, Curiosity has been trying to find out how Mars has evolved from a wet, habitable planet to a cold desert environment. And now, NASA has shared an image where Curiosity shot a self-portrait at Gale Crater on SoI 2082 (June 15, 2018) using the Mars Hand Lens Imager, or Mahli. Informing about the same, NASA on August 5 said in a report, "Today marks 10 years since the Curiosity rover landed on Mars. Since August 2012, Curiosity has been exploring 3-mile-high Mt. Sharp in Gale Crater. The rover has climbed more than 2,000 feet (612 meters), reaching progressively younger rocks that serve as a record on how Mars has evolved from a wet, habitable planet to a cold desert environment." Also Read: Forget asteroids, comets, solar storms, NASA is EXCITED about this According to the information provided by NASA, the rover has analyzed 41 rock and soil samples, relying on a suite of science instruments to learn what they reveal about Earth's rocky sibling. And it's pushed a team of engineers to devise ways to minimize wear and tear and keep the rover rolling: In fact, Curiosity's mission was recently extended for another three years, allowing it to continue among NASA's fleet of important astrobiological missions. Also Read: Can near-Earth object be DANGEROUS? Here is how NASA wants to stop scary comets, asteroids It can be known that the rover's radiation sensor lets scientists measure the amount of high-energy radiation future astronauts would be exposed to on the Martian surface, helping NASA figure out how to keep them safe. But most importantly, Curiosity has determined that liquid water as well as the chemical building blocks and nutrients needed for supporting life were present for at least tens of millions of years in Gale Crater. The crater once held a lake, the size of which waxed and waned over time. Each layer higher up on Mount Sharp serves as a record of a more recent era of Mars' environment. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy WASHINGTON The Supreme Court ruling expanding gun rights threatens to upend firearms restrictions across the country as activists wage court battles over everything from bans on AR-15-style guns to age limits. The decision handed down in June already has led one judge to temporarily block a Colorado town from enforcing a ban on the sale and possession of certain semi-automatic weapons. The first major gun decision in more than a decade, the ruling could dramatically reshape gun laws in the U.S. even as a series of horrific mass shootings pushes the issue back into the headlines. The gun rights movement has been given a weapon of mass destruction, and it will annihilate approximately 75% of the gun laws eventually, said Evan Nappen, a New Jersey gun rights attorney. The court battles come as the Biden administration and police departments across the U.S. struggle to combat a surge in violent crime and mass shootings, including several high-profile killings carried out by suspects who purchased their guns legally. And given the sheer number of cases now working through the courts, a lot more time will be spent in courtrooms no matter who wins. We will see a lot of tax dollars and government resources that should be used to stop gun crime being used to defend gun laws that are lifesaving and wildly popular, said Jonathan Lowy, chief counsel and vice president at Brady, the gun control group. Congress broke through years of deadlock to pass a modest gun violence prevention package weeks ago, and the House voted to renew a ban on high-powered semi-automatic weapons, though that effort is likely doomed in the Senate as Republicans push back on firearms restrictions and say recent spikes in gun violence should be met with a stepped-up police response. The Supreme Court decision struck down a New York law requiring people to demonstrate a particular need to get a license to carry a concealed gun in public, saying it violates Second Amendment rights. Several other states including California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island have similar laws expected to be directly impacted by the ruling. In Massachusetts, for example, police chiefs can no longer deny or impose restrictions on licenses just because the applicant doesnt have a good reason to carry a gun. New York quickly passed a new concealed-weapon law, but Republicans there predict it also will end up being overturned. In its New York ruling, the high courts conservative majority also changed a test lower courts had used for evaluating challenges to gun laws. Judges should no longer consider whether the law serves public interests like enhancing public safety, the opinion authored by Justice Clarence Thomas said. Instead, they should only weigh whether the law is consistent with the Second Amendments text and historical understanding. Basically, the Supreme Court has given an invitation for the gun lobby to file lawsuits against virtually every gun law in America, Lowy said. The Supreme Court has ordered lower courts to take another look at several other cases under the courts new test. Among them: laws in California and New Jersey that limit the amount of ammunition a gun magazine can hold and a 2013 ban on assault weapons in Maryland. Gun rights groups are also challenging similar bans in California, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The rifles at issue in this case are the sorts of bearable arms in common use for lawful purposes that responsible and peaceable people across the United States possess by the millions. And they are, moreover, exactly what they would bring to service in militia duty, should such be necessary, a New Jersey lawsuit brought in June by the Firearms Policy Coalition says, referencing the language of the Second Amendment. The ruling also has come up in challenges to restrictions on gun possession for 18- to 20-year-olds in Texas and Pennsylvania. And it has been cited in a case challenging a federal ban on gun possession for people convicted of nonviolent crimes punishable by more than a year behind bars, as well as a prohibition on concealed guns on the subway in Washington, D.C. In addition, a gun rights group is suing Colorado over the states 2013 ban on magazines that hold more than 15 rounds, saying the high court ruling reinforces the groups argument that it infringes on Second Amendment rights. And the ruling has public defenders in New York City asking judges to drop gun possession cases. Not all those lawsuits will necessarily be successful. The Texas attorney general, for example, argues the Supreme Court ruling doesnt affect the states age limit law, and more state and local governments can certainly defend their gun laws as being in line with U.S. history. Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and policy director at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, predicted that when the dust settles, only laws along the margins will eventually be struck down. Most judges are going to see these for what they are, which is overreaching and lacking in any merit, he said. Backers of gun restrictions can also look to a concurring opinion from Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, Kavanaugh stressed that the Second Amendment does allow for a variety of gun regulations. He cited the use of background checks and mental health records as part of a licensing process to carry a gun and noted that states can forbid the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings. But the Colorado decision handed down last month, while still early in the process, was a rosy sign for gun rights groups. U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Moore, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, said he was sympathetic to the towns goal of preventing mass shootings like the one that killed 10 people at a grocery store in nearby Boulder last year. But Moore said he didnt know of historical precedent for a law banning a type of weapon that is commonly used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, so the gun rights groups have a strong case against the ordinance. Encouraged by that decision, Taylor D. Rhodes, the executive director of the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, told The Associated Press that his group was considering going after other gun measures in Colorado, where Democrats hold the majority in the state legislature and the governors office. Referring to the Supreme Courts ruling, Rhodes said: The Bruen decision gave us a 4-ton wrecking ball. No one should have been surprised when a jury on Thursday ordered far-right radio host and conspiracy guru Alex Jones to pay $4.1 million to the parents of one of the victims of the terrible Sandy Hook school shooting on Dec. 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut. On Friday, the jury awarded $45.2 million in punitive damages to Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, parents of Jesse Lewis, one of the victims of the Newtown massacre. Prior to Thursdays verdict, Jones had been ordered to pay $1.5 million to the pair. Whether Lewis and Heslin will receive any money is unknown. After taking millions of dollars out of his company over the years, Jones has declared bankruptcy. Other parents of the murdered children have filed suit against Jones in Connecticut. For years, Jones had been saying that the shooting that took 20 beautiful first-graders and six adults was a hoax, a fraud perpetuated on a gullible American public. There was no shooting, Jones repeated loudly and often. The victims were crisis actors paid to pose as dead children. Their parents, he said, were actors, too. How cruel. How awful it must be for a parent to lose a child to violence and then have some yahoo in Austin spouting gibberish that that child never existed. Most people thankfully understood that the real hoax was Jones bizarre claim. Sadly, though, millions of misguided, uninformed Americans believed Jones and, no doubt, many still do. Why? Why in the world? In his trial last week, Jones said he and his followers simply had doubts, and many questions about the shooting. Questions are fine. Many of us have doubts about a wide variety of subjects. Most of those doubts are legitimate and deserve exploration. But there should be no doubt about things such as Americans walking on the moon or the death of John F. Kennedy. No, Kennedy is not living in a convalescent home in upstate Michigan with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. And, no, JFK Jr. was not going to lead the Jan. 6 insurrection. Many of us believe that Lee Harvey Oswald alone assassinated President Kennedy from the sixth floor window of the Texas School Book Depository. There still are people who are convinced Oswald did not act alone and, despite all evidence to the contrary, that there was a shooter on the grassy knoll. Thats OK, but at least even they dont deny that JFK was murdered in Dealey Plaza. Jones denied that the Newtown shooting ever happened. That is far different far more dastardly. Whats worse, for the past decade, quite a few of Jones followers have been harassing the Newtown parents, in some cases threatening their lives. Despicable. Weve never understood why so many people are so paranoid, so convinced that our government is lying, is hiding the truth about so many things. Of course, there are many in the government who would prefer that we not learn about certain topics, but eventually, we believe, everything comes out, not in a way that our government might like. One of the most persistent conspiracy theories one that has been denied by all evidence is that President Donald Trump easily won the 2020 election. He did not. The winner, Joe Biden, received 81.2 million votes 51.3%; Trump received 74.2 million 46.9%. On Jan. 6, 2021, as Vice President Mike Pence was attempting to carry out his constitutional duties, a crowd egged on by Trump tried to stop the count of the Electoral College by storming the Capitol, threatening lives, injuring numerous police officers and, it is clear, trying to overturn our constitutional government. After the riot had been quelled, Pence and the Senate returned to complete the count, giving Biden 306 votes to Trumps 232. Well save our great disappointment in President Biden for another time, but he did win, and he won in a free, fair election. Almost from the time the polls closed on Election Day, President Trump spread his belief that the election was fraught with chicanery and outright fraud that he easily had won. Despite recounts and probes, election officials Republican and Democrat found no evidence of significant voter fraud. Yet that hasnt stopped the former president, who continues to spread what has been termed the Big Lie that he really won in 2020. Sadly, many of his millions of followers believe him. And, in recent races, election-deniers, goaded by Trump, have won primaries across the country. The evidence those supporters have presented to back their claims has crumbled under the weight of the truth. Now, the only evidence of fraud they have is the spurious claims of the deluded former president. Adherence to the numerous conspiracies alive in this great country is damaging, not only to those who believe them, but to all of us who trust in the future of America. People dont have to accept the word of the government, but at some point, they have to accept the evidence. Otherwise, we all will be trapped in a quagmire of delusion. Franklin County Public Schools is introducing a division-wide cellphone use policy this school year. The Franklin County School Board approved the policy at its May 9 meeting and it goes into effect with the start of the 2022-23 school year in August. The cellphone use policy was developed by a committee of three principals, three parents, K-12 Curriculum Director Brenda Muse, Technology Director Tim Morrison and Blackwater District Representative Arlet Greer. They gathered input from school employees and reviewed policies from nearby divisions. The policy is divided into three sections, one covering all grade levels, one for kindergarten through eighth grade and one for ninth through 12th grades. (All) students may use their cellphones after school hours and to and from school while following the guidelines, Morrison said. The district-wide guidelines prohibit cyberbullying and inappropriate use of social media, vulgar pictures, text messages, videos, etc. during school activities and while a cellphone is on school property, including school transportation. Students are solely responsible for their cellphone. From 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., students in kindergarten through eighth grade may not use cellphones and other forms of electronic communication/tools. Even for instruction, Morrison said. They may use their Chromebook, and thats it. Kindergarten through eighth grade students who violate the policy will receive a warning and a referral on their first offense. A second offense will result in a referral and device confiscation, to be returned to the student at the end of the school day. Third offense consequences are similar, except a parent must pick up the device from the school office at the end of the day. On a fourth offense, the student will also receive a disciplinary action, which could range from detention to a stay at the Benjamin Franklin Middle Schools Secondary Learning Center (SLC) if the behavior continues. For older students, the cellphone policy codifies the high schools existing stop-light system, which seems to work well, Morrison said. The green zones are...the cafeteria, of course in the hallway during class transition time, Kobe Levisy, a student representative on the board, said. The yellow zones are more the classrooms, at the teachers discretion, and then the red zones are going to be the offices, student services, the restrooms. Caroline Horne, another student representative on the board, noted that high school teachers are usually more lenient as students get older and earn more trust. At the high school, cellphone policy violations will first be met with a warning from the teacher. On the second offense, the teacher will contact the students parent/guardian. Subsequent offenses will result in a referral coupled with time in detention, in school suspension and finally assignment to SLC. For all students, the number of cellphone policy offenses resets every school year. At the same meeting, the school board approved changes to the divisions dress code policy, including a clarification that all clothing must cover the stomach even when arms are raised and a requirement that clothing have 3-inch wide shoulder straps, unless covered by a jacket or sweater. Also, students in grades eight and under may not wear headgear or head apparel unless permitted for religious, medical or extenuating circumstances approved by administration. You are here: Business China's foreign trade of goods jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 23.6 trillion yuan (about 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first seven months of the year, official data showed Sunday. Aerial photo taken on July 29, 2022 shows the Qianwan Container Terminal in Qingdao Port, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Exports rose 14.7 percent year on year to 13.37 trillion yuan, while imports increased 5.3 percent from a year ago to 10.23 trillion yuan, according to the General Administration of Customs. During the period, China's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the United States, expanded by 13.2 percent, 8.9 percent and 11.8 percent from a year ago, respectively. From January to July, China's trade with Belt and Road countries and other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) soared by 19.8 percent and 7.5 percent year on year. In July, trade with RCEP partners reached 1.17 trillion yuan, up 18.8 percent year on year, boosting the overall foreign trade growth by 5.6 percentage points, said Li Kuiwen, spokesperson for the GAC. Academic honors Erin M. Brockmeier of Grand Island was named to the Deans List for the spring semester at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis. To qualify for the Deans List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average. Brockmeier is a junior in the College of Liberal Arts. Graduates Two Central Nebraska students were among the more than 60 nursing graduates honored during the College of St. Marys annual nurse pinning ceremony July 16 in Omaha. They are Alexis Rozendal of Grand Island and Callie Gorecki of Boelus. Each Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate in the Class of 2022 received a pin as a symbolic welcome into the nursing profession. Pinning is a time-honored tradition in the nursing field, and every school designs its own unique pin for its students. CSMs pin incorporates the shape of a cross bearing the gold letters BSN and CSM, and represents the virtues of worthiness, constancy, truth, loyalty, knowledge and courage. Nebraska Cancer Specialists has opened a new clinic on the second floor of the Prairie Commons Medical Office building. It is the second Nebraska Cancer Specialists cancer center in Grand Island and the third in the Tri-Cities. Since Aug. 1, 2021, Nebraska Cancer Specialists has operated at the CHI Health St. Francis campus in Grand Island and the Landmark Center in Hastings. The St. Francis location is at the CHI Health Regional Cancer Center. The local board-certified medical oncologists and hematologists are Drs. Ryan Ramaekers, David Crockett, Pornchai Jonglertham and Sarah Creamer. Those physicians rotate between the three cancer centers. The four physicians joined our existing group of 12 board-certified medical oncologists, combining just under 300 dedicated oncology professionals, says Kelly Horn, director of marketing for Nebraska Cancer Specialists. The new Grand Island clinic, which totals 5,000 square feet, is a full-service treatment center, including exam rooms, an infusion suite, pharmacy, genetics counseling and clinical trials. There are also opportunities for volunteers to help, Horn said. We are excited about the new location which allows us additional flexibility in serving our patients and referring providers from any facility in central Nebraska, Ramaekers says in a statement. The people behind Nebraska Cancer Specialists point out that the cancer centers are independent of any health system. Not being tied to any health system allows for transparency and flexibility for patients, Horn said. Patients are able to see their preferred provider regardless of which health system that provider is with. We just think it allows them flexibility to be able to see what providers theyre most comfortable with, Horn said. Nebraska Cancer Specialists, which is privately owned, is a community oncology practice. Our physicians and team work in collaboration with referring providers, allowing for the availability of second opinions and access to research and clinical trials, Horn said. Independent community oncologists, like the physicians at Nebraska Cancer Specialists, are in private practice and offer highly personalized and immediate care, according to a news release. Our oncologists are on the medical staff of the local hospitals and personally follow our patients when they are admitted to the hospital, the news continues. Like other community oncology practices, Nebraska Cancer Specialists has the staff and resources to provide the needed treatments, in a personal, local and convenient setting. The majority of community oncologists time is spent in direct patient care. By bringing community oncology to the residents of the Grand Island area, patients and caregivers have access to state-of-the-art oncology care and treatment, more clinical trial options than ever before, and more flexibility and options in specialists referrals and appropriate care. Nebraska Cancer Specialists says it has the regions largest community oncology research department, offering phase 1 through phase IV trials. Nebraska Cancer Specialists has locations in Omaha, Papillion and Fremont, with outreach locations in Aurora, Henderson, Superior and West Point. The people at Nebraska Cancer Specialists care for our patients as if they were our own family and friends, Horn said. Our independent practice model has allowed us to provide care in a wide variety of settings over the years and has allowed us to adapt to the needs of our patients and colleagues, NCS President Dr. Robert Langdon said in a statement. One way Nebraska Cancer Specialists is bringing more opportunities to the community is through a newer treatment option called Theranostics, Horn said. Theranostics uses Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), which is targeted radiation used to kill cancer cells from within. Adults with neuroendocrine and prostate cancer tumors are among the first patients who can benefit from PRRT. The new Grand Island location is yet another way Nebraska Cancer Specialists is growing to meet the needs of patients and families across the state, NCS Practice Administrator Danielle Geiger said in the news release. Our focus has always been to offer patients compassionate and cutting-edge care, in a convenient outpatient setting. We think this philosophy of care resonates well with the Grand Island community and we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional cancer care in the area. Island Oasis manager Diane Miller grew up in a swimming pool, basically. Thirty seasons later, Grand Island Parks & Recreation celebrated her service to the water park and the community. When growing up, Miller had an idyllic small town lifestyle. We could ride our bikes or walk to the swimming pool, or our folks would drop us off, Miller recalled. I was, I was a pool rat thats what we call them. I just love to swim; I love water. Eventually Miller became a junior lifeguard (Now they dont even offer it), then a senior lifeguard, on to becoming a water safety instructor. Since 1983, Miller has worked for Grand Island Parks & Recreation, starting as a lifeguard. She said years later, then-Grand Island Parks & Recreation Director Steve Paustian tossed a couple tickets to Florida on a desk in front of Miller. Miller was going to be the new pool manager. Why me? Miller asked Paustian. Youre the girl for the job, Miller said to her. I like your people skills. Miller didnt even have to apply. Yes, there had been applicants, but none seemed to fit as well as Miller, she said Paustian told her. As for the tickets? Paustian wanted Miller to accompany him to Florida to look at ideas for a Grand Island water park. At the time, Miller was still teaching at Grand Island Public Schools. Hed already okayed (the trip) with my school principal to fly to Florida, she said. It was during the school year. We went down to Cape Coral to look at their waterpark; they also had a community funded waterpark. They snapped pictures at Cape Coral, Florida, of everything pool features, signage Then we put our heads together. I thought, well, I guess Im gonna do this, Miller said. It was the beginning of an eventful 30 years in the water. It was the blind leading the blind, she said. We didnt know. We thought we went to Cape Coral for a tutorial But nothing could prepare Miller and her Grand Island Parks & Recreation family for the overwhelming success. She remembers Island Oasis reaching its 2,000-person capacity every day opening week. Miller has never forgotten the water parks particulars, she said. Oasis is my baby. Im very picky how its cleaned and what things are done to it. She also has high standards for her staff, the majority being local high school students. Once in a while they fall a little short of Millers expectations, she indicated including when it comes to restroom cleaning duties. Theres clean, she explained, Then theres Diane Clean. If the job wasnt up to snuff, shed let the employee know and offer a tutorial. If you didnt clean it good enough, Id clean it. Im pretty picky. But I love my staff. Ive had terrific kids, good staff to work with. Im not doing this alone. Ive had good people. For a time a rumor circulated only teachers kids could get jobs at Island Oasis. Its not entirely untrue, Miller said unapologetically. A lot of them I hand-picked. I knew they were good kids. They were going to work for me and they were going to show up every day. Over the years, staffing has sometimes been a struggle, Miller said, and gets very attached to her kids. They call me mom. she said proudly. But its not about managing the pool. Its about our relationships with people. Her kids laughed at her, she said, because she seemed to know everyone or made a connection with them. People from California have dove into Island Oasis. Oh, you heard about our wonderful beach? Miller says to out-of-state guests. I just kind of play around. I tried to have a conversation with everybody that comes in, and when theyre leaving, I say thanks for coming. Besides out-of-state swimmers and the generations of Island Oasis pool rats, Miller has a few mermaids, too. Oh, the ladies the Vintage Mermaids! Theres three or four ladies that come in and we call them the Vintage Mermaids. They come in every weekday if its nice. Theyre just delightful women. When the pool was open from noon to midnight, mermaids seemed to be in short supply, Miller remembers. We got a lot of riffraff in late at night. We got a lot of drunks. Since then, there have been schedule adjustments, staff shifts and maintenance. Miller wants more change in Island Oasiss future. I want to see improvements made. Im glad that theyre trying to get something new designed here because they need another attraction. Im all for them fixing it up more. However, in todays waterpark world, improvements and maintenance dont come cheap, she explained. Its hard, because were not making the money we used to make. Pools cost a lot of money: chemicals, shipping charges and just paying staff. After 30 years with Grand Island Parks & Recreation, the Waterpark Queen, as her coworkers call her, will hang up her crown. This is my last year at the waterpark. I have some health issues. Im tired, I dont have the stamina and I dont feel I can do the job I used to do and thats not fair. After a little time off from manager duties, the former pool rat will be back to splashing, just this time not as The Waterpark Queen. Having a good experience as a as a waterpark doesnt necessarily mean the facilities are great I mean, they are here but having personal connections and being welcoming in a pool thats maybe not as nice as Island Oasis Is that a bigger factor than the facility? Having a welcoming, personal atmosphere is far, more important, her work has indicated, but dont expect Miller to be out of the welcoming water for long. This time around, shes trading her Waterpark Queen crown for a fish tail. Shes been invited to swim among the Vintage Mermaids. Paris, TX (75460) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. 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: You are here: China China has received data from its newly launched terrestrial ecosystem carbon monitoring satellite, scientists in charge of receiving the satellite data said. The satellite was carried into space on Thursday by a Long March-4B rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province. Since Thursday night, ground stations located in Beijing and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have tracked and received the data from the satellite in three tasks, which lasted 25 minutes with a total size of 306 GB, said the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Tasked with obtaining information on forest carbon sinks, the satellite will boost China's carbon peaking and neutrality efforts, offering support and services in fields such as forestry, grasslands and the ecological environment. Everything happens for a reason is the storyline for junior marketing major Zyah Cephus' experience at South Carolina State University. Cephus was elected last spring as president of SC States Student Government Association (SGA). But her path to leading the campus student body was not a straight line. Cephus visited Orangeburg from her hometown of San Diego with the intent to get a taste of what neighboring Claflin University had to offer. What was initially an accident turned into a lifestyle. I actually ended up on SC State campus looking for Claflin crazy enough it just so happened to be during homecoming, she said. It was dead at Claflin because everyone was at SC States homecoming. So I was like What is going on across the gate? I gotta go see. She asked her Claflin tour guide which school was next door. It was a done deal for Cephus when she entered Bulldog Country. The instant I went over there, I was like, Oh my gosh, I wanna go here, she said. Cephus knew she wanted to attend an HBCU (historically black college or university), as she was looking for diversity after attending grade school in a predominantly white neighborhood. California is diverse, but where I grew up, it is not, she said. She toured Hampton University and Howard University during her college search, but the environment did not give off the hospitable and euphoric feeling that SC State did. Cephus grew fond of the culture at the smaller HBCU campuses. She believes the accessibility to making connections and the opportunity to grow intimately was greater. She hit the ground running as her college career began. Cephus has been a member of SGA since her freshman year as the class president and her sophomore year as Executive Board attorney general. Anything that I could get my hands on to join I did. Especially with me being an out-of-state student, she said. Cephus also has been involved in the following clubs and organizations: Kinks and Curls NAACP Why Not Young Lives American Marketing Association D.O.L.L.S. Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College Beta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She is an older sister to a younger brother. Cephus also enjoys reading and singing in her church choir in her free time. Cephus keeps in mind that all eyes are on her while taking on her newest leadership role. I think my inspiration what drives and motivates me is the need to be the best version of myself, she said. Also knowing that there is always somebody watching me, like the same way I watched my predecessors and E-board. Its the same for incoming freshmen or external people who are watching me. After college, Cephus plans to work as a marketing executive for a company, with the intent to create her own marketing firm, which will specialize in catering to Black-owned businesses. I know a lot of African Americans have great businesses, but we don't have the resources to market our businesses the way we should, she said. I want to use my skills and my degree to put our people on an even playing field. Although born and raised on the west coast, Cephus seeks to start her enterprise in the South. I don't want to live on the west coast, she said. Its too expensive, and it's different when you're from somewhere vs. touring. I can see myself in Atlanta or maybe Houston. As the newly elected SGA president, Cephus encourages and welcomes students to just come in and talk regardless of what the topic of conversation is. I think there's a stigma around SGA being snobby or unapproachable. I just want everyone to know we have an open-door policy. We are working on getting our SGA email up and running, Cephus said. For more SGA-related information contact Zyah Cephus, president, at zcephus@scsu.edu. COLUMBIA The South Carolina Department of Public Safety held induction ceremonies both virtually and with guests to formally induct 14 officers into the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. This years ceremony recognized 14 officers, with three being historical inductees dating as far back as 1874. Of the remaining 11 officers inducted into the Hall of Fame for 2021, seven died of complications from COVID-19; two died in collisions; one was struck and killed by a vehicle; and one died by vehicle assault. 2021 was another difficult time for the law enforcement community in South Carolina as we laid to rest 11 officers across our state, said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV. The ceremony today recognizes each of those officers, along with several from many years ago, and allows us to come together with the families and the departments to remember and honor their service and contributions as they are formally and rightfully inducted into the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. The ceremony brings the total number of South Carolina officers who are honored in the Hall of Fame Memorial Room to 418. The following were inducted for the 2021 calendar year. Private Henry Bluford Newberry Police Department End of Watch: Oct. 19, 1874 (Shooting death) Sheriff John McRoy Dozier Marion County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: Sept. 27, 1917 (Stroke) Officer Charles Harvey Birt Barnwell Police Department End of Watch: Dec. 24, 1971 (Heart attack) Sgt. Gordon William Best North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety End of Watch: Jan. 1, 2021 (Motor vehicle collision) Deputy Jonathan David Price Marion County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: Jan. 6, 2021 (Motor vehicle collision) Lance Cpl. Melton Foxx Gore Horry County Police Department End of Watch: Jan. 12, 2021 (Struck by vehicle) Detective Sgt. Edward John Marcurella Jr. Colleton County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: Jan. 16, 2021 (COVID-19) Sgt. Tommy Wayne Cudd Union County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: Jan. 28, 2021 (COVID-19) Officer Kevin Daniel Simmons Aiken Department of Public Safety End of Watch: Aug. 15, 2021 (COVID-19) Officer Dustin Michael Beasley North Augusta Department of Public Safety End of Watch: Aug. 30, 2021 (COVID-19) Officer Stephen Unique Jones Barnwell Police Department End of Watch: Sept. 12, 2021 (COVID-19) Lt. John Stewart Lake City Police Department End of Watch: Sept. 17, 2021 (Vehicle assault) Lt. John Christopher Brophy Dorchester County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: Oct. 10, 2021 (COVID-19) Team Leader Justin Barrett Gillespie S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services End of Watch: Dec. 31, 2021 (COVID-19) Former Orangeburg County Councilman Willie B. Owens Sr. died on Friday. He was 83. He made a difference, a big difference, and will be missed, Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said on Saturday. He was outspoken about his beliefs, Wright said. When he didnt like something, hed tell me. I always respected him highly, he added. Owens represented Orangeburg County Councils District 7 for 15 years. Back in February, Owens announced hed be stepping down as councilman, citing health concerns. His resignation was effective on June 30. Just two days before he left council, county and community leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Whittaker Community Center, located at 2020 Whittaker Street. The community center was made possible through Owens vision and efforts. At the event, Owens said, I want to thank everybody who has worked with me through the years that made this community center possible. It should be able to serve its people and be able to provide the kind of activities that make our community grow not just here in Orangeburg, but in other areas of our city and county. The event also gave county and community leaders an opportunity to publicly thank Owens for his years of public service. Im thankful we gave him his flowers when he was alive, Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said on Saturday. Owens was serving on the Regional Medical Centers board when Young first met him. But he took off his hospital hat and put on his councilman hat when he began serving on Orangeburg County Council, Young said. Owens began serving on council during a time when it needed leadership, he said. In the months prior to his resignation taking effect, Young and Owens talked several times. Young said Owens didnt want his efforts to be forgotten. I told him, I will be here to protect your legacy, Young said. He went out of his way to help people, Young said. Its amazing to see what all he did. Im a jokester at heart and I cant tell you how many times he and I laughed at stuff, he added. He was outspoken, great to work with and always talking about different projects, Young said. Owens led the effort to develop the monument dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which is situated beside the Orangeburg County Courthouse. He spearheaded the Martin Luther King monument, purchased through the Capital Projects Sales Tax, Young said. Orangeburg County Councilwoman Deloris Frazier knows personally the efforts Owens made in the civil rights movement. She and Owens were active members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People together. All of the civil rights activities in Orangeburg, he was part of it, Frazier said. She recalled how she and Owens went door-to-door in Orangeburg to register residents to vote and even took them to the polls to cast their ballots. He wanted to help people, Frazier said. He was dedicated to his alma mater, then-S.C. State College. He graduated from there with a degree in agriculture in 1960 and then with a masters degree in 1966. Frazier recalled on one occasion, she and Owens were asked to assist freshman students moving into S.C. States campus one fall. A student from Augusta, Georgia arrived on campus. S.C. State didnt have a place where he could move at that time. Willie said, Ill take him, Frazier said. She noted the student lived with Owens for a week until S.C. State could finalize his residency arrangements on campus. Serving alongside him on Orangeburg County Council, Frazier said she always supported Owens efforts. She told him, Willie B., whatever you do, let me know and Ill support you. And she did. He was very good to work with, she said. Long-time Orangeburg County Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith said, We lost an icon. Willie was dedicated to his family, his church, the students he taught high school campuses and college, Cooper-Smith said. He was just a well-liked person, she said. He didnt mind speaking his mind. Hes definitely going to be missed, not only by his family, but by anyone who knew him or knew about him, she said. Its just sad, Cooper-Smith added. He was a very special person; a person that will not be easily replaced, she said. Also on Saturday, S.C. State University President Alexander Conyers issued a statement about Owens passing. The South Carolina State University campus community is saddened by the loss of loyal alumnus Willie B. Owens Sr. Mr. Owens was a vocal and staunch advocate for his alma mater. As a two-time graduate, he served the university with distinction in active membership with the Orangeburg Chapter of the SCSU National Alumni Association, including his time as the chapters president. He also supported the universitys scholarship fund in his fundraising efforts as a member of the S.C. State Class of 1960. Mr. Owens was both a champion educator and a true servant-leader in the community. Countless young people and all residents of Orangeburg County have benefited from his dedication. Agatha and I join the S.C. State campus community in offering our deepest condolences to Mr. Owens family and friends. He will be missed, his statement continued. Owens was born in Branchville in 1938. He graduated from Wilkinson High School in 1956. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees at South Carolina State and his educational specialist degree from The Citadel. He also did graduate work at Clemson and the University of South Carolina. Owens served as principal in Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School from 1977 to 1993. He served as assistant vice president for academic affairs at Voorhees College, now Voorhees University, in Denmark and later became assistant vice president for professional and continuing studies at Claflin University. In 2001, he returned to Voorhees as the director of the S.C. Regional Community Development Corp. Owens was married to Arminta Owens. They have two sons. Owens Funeral Home of Branchville is handling his arrangements, which are incomplete at this time. COLUMBIA For the past three decades, South Carolina lawmakers have chipped away at abortion access, requiring ultrasounds, parental consent and 24-hour waiting periods, and banning the procedure early in the pregnancy: first after 20 weeks, then after six. But now that the U.S. Supreme Court has cleared a path to ban abortion entirely in the state, some are taking a step back. Politicians, mostly Republican, are noting what happened this month in Kansas, where nearly 60% of voters rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed the state's conservative Legislature to ban abortion. Republican Donald Trump received 56% of the 2020 presidential vote in Kansas. Trump won 55% in South Carolina. "The Kansas vote affirms what most of us know," said Sen. Sandy Senn, the only Republican senator to vote against the six-week abortion ban that passed 18 months ago. "It's the people in my party, most all of them men, yelling the loudest that women should have zero choice from the moment of conception." Senn says that while she personally believes "all babies should be born," she also thinks people should be able to decide for themselves whether to continue a pregnancy during the first few months. South Carolina lawmakers are also watching other Republican-dominated legislatures. Indiana passed a nearly total abortion ban Friday after several days of debate, while West Virginia's House and Senate couldn't immediately agree on further restrictions. A total abortion ban with exceptions only if the life of the mother is in danger has just started its way through the South Carolina General Assembly. Committee hearings and floor debates in the House and Senate will have to take place before any bill lands on Republican Gov. Henry McMaster's desk. Republican legislative leaders agreed to the special session after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. But instead of a rehash of the arguments lawmakers had in early 2021, when they passed a ban on abortions after cardiac activity is detected at about six weeks some Republicans have begun to reevaluate their positions. "It's like you are playing with live ammunition right now. What you are deciding is going to have immediate effect on a lot of South Carolinians," said Republican Rep. Tom Davis, who voted for the cardiac-activity abortion ban last year after exceptions were added for pregnancies caused by rape and incest and those that put the pregnant person's life at risk. Davis said he is now rethinking the whole issue, weighing the rights of a fetus to live against the rights of someone to control their own body. He says he also will consider the views of people in his well-off coastal district around Hilton Head Island. And he plans to introduce measures to improve prenatal care and give people more emotional and financial support during and after pregnancies. Rep. Bill Taylor stood just behind McMaster as he signed the six-week ban into law. Last month he sent an email to his constituents with the all-caps title "WHAT'S THE RUSH," saying South Carolina shouldn't hurry to pass a full ban now. Instead, the state should step back for a few years to see how its new law banning the procedure after six weeks works, the Republican lawmaker said. South Carolina should also examine what happens in states that now have a total ban and others that allow abortions later into pregnancies and study the foster care and other social service programs to see what can be done to help them handle an influx of births, he said. About 6,300 abortions were performed in South Carolina in 2021. "So many questions, so few answers, and solutions," Taylor wrote in the email, which also included the statement: "I treasure God's amazing gift of life. I readily accept the label pro-life." One reason some abortion opponents don't want to wait to pass a stricter abortion ban is McMaster, who is up for reelection in November. His Democratic opponent, Joe Cunningham, has promised to veto any bill restricting abortion further. Republicans are a few votes short of the two-thirds needed to override vetoes in both the House and Senate. Abortion opponents have followed a long path to get South Carolina where it is. Lawmakers first rallied in a significant way in the late 1980s, then ramped up their actions even further in the following decades. In 1990, they passed a bill requiring the consent of either a parent or judge before a minor could have an abortion. In 1994, they enacted strict requirements for abortion clinics. And in 1997, they passed a law banning partial birth abortions, which are rare. In 2008, a law required mothers to sign a form that they were told they could look at an ultrasound before an abortion and in 2010, a 24-hour waiting period was passed. A ban on abortion after 20 weeks, which proponents say is the point that a fetus can feel pain, passed in 2018. Prior to its June ruling, the Supreme Court had never allowed states to ban abortion before the point at roughly 24 weeks when a fetus can survive outside the womb. Republican Sen. Larry Grooms, who has made ending abortion one of the biggest issues of his 25 years in the Senate, said he wants a full ban because his goal is to "save every life he can" but he isn't going to demand a certain bill because "when you make it all or nothing, you can end up with nothing." "Every pro-life bill we've passed over the past 25 years has helped people understand the humanity of the child," Grooms said. Democrats in the legislature say it's too late for reflection, given the Supreme Court's decision and the fact that the state has already restricted abortion so severely. They fear anything is on the table, including criminalizing women who seek abortions in some way. "I think we will land between crazy and insane," Democratic House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford said. "Where that line is won't make any sense. And we shouldn't be in this position in the first place." A professor at South Carolina State University is preparing to release a book documenting historic cemeteries in Charleston. Patrick Harwood, a communications instructor at SC State, has written four books previously. His upcoming release, "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston, documents the burial grounds of 13 churches and one synagogue in Charlestons historic district in 228 large-format, full-color pages. Thousands of people from the late 1600s through the 1800s and beyond are interred in these graveyards and cemeteries, Harwood said. My book attempts to reveal and examine the lives and deaths of many of these early Charlestonians to tell the bigger picture of Charlestons trials, tribulations and triumphs. Harwood said Charleston is unique not only due to being one of the oldest and best preserved historic cities in the country, but also because of the religious freedom exercised in the city from its beginning as a British colony. Many other American colonies were more restrictive of religious practices. Harwood called the colony a melting pot with unprecedented religious freedom, which he said was used as an incentive to attract colonists. Indeed, the historic cemeteries featured in his newest book include Anglican, Episcopalian, Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Huguenot (French Protestant), Jewish, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Unitarian congregations. Harwood spent five years teaching a College of Charleston course on old cemeteries, Beyond the Grave: What Old Cemeteries Tell and Teach the Living. He said his interest in the city's cemeteries began in 2008 when he first visited the historic Magnolia Cemetery. Harwood wrote two books on the birds and the history and beauty of Magnolia Cemetery, published in 2011 and 2014, respectively. My students and I visited a number of Charlestons graveyards and cemeteries, so I got to know these burial grounds, Harwood said. I learned a lot also from the various guest speakers we had in class. So this became a goal of mine to write a comprehensive book with my photography to take readers on a tour of Charlestons burial grounds and tell hundreds of stories about the people interred in these grounds. Harwoods previous books have sold nationwide on Amazon, so he knows there is demand outside of Charleston for history and photographs of the city's historic beauty. Harwood said Charleston is home to some of the countrys most unique, creative and artistic gravestones. These commentaries can tell us how people in Charleston in the 1700s and 1800s mourned and thought about lost loved ones, according to Harwood. Often their sadness and mourning were combined with the desire to honor their lost family member with a grave marker that showed style and grace by how it was designed, with thoughtful epitaphs, symbols and artistic touches, Harwood said. This is in contrast to modern cemeteries, which Harwood called cookie cutter, with limited space for families to be creative in their farewells. Nothing memorable about todays burial grounds, Harwood said. Its kind of sad. Harwood not only writes but also provides all the photography for his books. He said he has built off the technical and researching skills from his previous Magnolia Cemetery books while writing his new work. This is his fourth book hes put together in Adobe inDesign. I do it all myself, Harwood said. Word by word, photograph by photograph, and page by page. Stories of the Churchyard: The Cemeteries of Charleston focuses on the 13 large churches and one synagogue in the historic district that still have their graveyards. It also examines what happened to the many Black burial sites in Charleston. Harwood said some of these were moved, while many others were lost to road and building construction over time. Harwood expects to receive the first book from the printer in early September. It will be available on Amazon.com and through his website, mybirdseyeviews.blogspot.com, or via email at birdseyeviewspublications@gmail.com. He said he will also be working to put copies into stores and libraries around the state and will be setting up talks and book signings this fall, including in Orangeburg. (TBTCO) - Thi truong chung khoan hom nay co them mot phien xanh vo o long. Ap luc ban a ro hon trong phien hom nay do khong co nhom co phieu nao noi bat dan dat, viec thi truong con giu uoc thanh qua trong phien la do luc keo tu cac co phieu tru, voi cong au en tu VIC. In its recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court denounced judicial resort to the doctrine of substantive due process to pour the foundation for the fundamental right to access contraceptives, abortion and same-sex marriage. Since then, the reading public, to borrow from James Madison, has expressed deep interest in the origins of the doctrine. A search for the early development of substantive due process will reveal the Courts landmark ruling in 1905, in Lochner v. New York. In Lochner, the Court declared the existence of the liberty of contract doctrine, a fundamental right protected by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. The Courts pronouncement of liberty of contract, derived from substantive due process, undercut at the turn of the 20th century, the authority of states to exercise their police power to promote the health, morals, welfare and safety of its residents. Lochner was not the first case in which the Court had employed substantive due process, but it represented a historic moment for its influence on constitutional law for the next three decades. The Court had first resorted to the use of substantive due process in 1856, but Lochner cemented the practice. Joseph Lochner had been convicted for violating a New York law by requiring a worker in his bakery to work more than 60 hours in one week. The statute prohibited bakery employees from working more than 10 hours per day or 60 hours per week. Lochner challenged the statute as an unconstitutional exercise of the states police power to regulate the health, morals, welfare and safety of the people. Lochner v. New York proved to be a difficult case for the Court. Initially, the justices voted by a bare majority to uphold the law. Justice John Marshall Harlan was assigned to draft the opinion. Justice Rufus Peckham wrote a strong dissent. Before the Court finalized its opinion, one of the Justices likely Chief Justice Melvin Fuller switched his vote. Peckhams dissent became the opinion of the Court and Harlans opinion became a dissent. Fuller concluded that the maximum working hour law was an exercise in featherbedding, that is, paternalistic and depriving both the worker and the employer of fundamental liberties. It has been suggested that Justice Joseph McKenna, whose father owned a bakery, persuaded Fuller to switch his vote on the ground that bakeries posed no health threats, which meant that the laws premise was a sham. Justice Peckham, who viewed state regulation of the economy as an exercise in socialism, agreed that employment in bakeries represented no danger or health threat, wrote for a 5-4 majority, that the statute unconstitutionally interfered with right of contract between the employer and the employee. The liberty protected by the 14th Amendment, he said, included the right to purchase and sell labor. Thus, any statute interfering with the right would be invalid unless there are circumstances which exclude that right. A valid circumstance would be reflected in a valid exercise of the police power but the statute, in Peckhams view, was devoid of any health concern and thus represented little more than a labor regulation. The majoritys opinion ignored the wealth of evidence collected from health professionals by a legislative committee that demonstrated numerous diseases and other health threats to workers who toiled in bakeries beyond the limits imposed by the legislature. In essence, the Court substituted its own medical expertise for the testimony of health professionals, which led critics of the opinion to accuse the Court of behaving like a super-legislature. In time, this practice earned the opprobrium of Lochnerizing. The Courts infusion of substance its own sense of justice and fairness into procedural aspects of due process of law when deciding whether the state could regulate business and labor, opened the floodgates to judicial activism. The Lochner brand conservative judicial activism would govern for the next three decades until the Courts composition changed with appointments made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As the reading public knows, the introduction of substantive due process to assist and defend conservative versions of economic liberties would, in time, give way to judicial defense of more progressive or liberal values emphasizing personal liberties. This practice would support, for example, judicial rulings that upheld the fundamental right to contraceptive devices, reproductive decisions and same-sex marriage. Observers of this practice might well conclude that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Lochners invitation to judges to impose their own views, values and preferences economic, social and political proved galling to Peckhams colleagues, including Justices John Marshall Harlan and Oliver Wendell Holmes. They filed historically famous dissents that proved influential in the development of other constitutional law doctrines. We turn next week to those dissents. There is a paradox in Wyoming politics concerning voter participation. We live in a state that is dominated by one political party, which makes the primary election often more important than the general in deciding who will take office. Consider that Gov. Mark Gordon slogged through a tough Republican primary in 2018 only to coast to victory in November 2018. And every election, there are state legislative races with several Republicans battling in the primary, only for them to run unopposed in November. Despite the primarys importance here, considerably fewer voters participate in it. Since 2000, voters have cast 2.46 million ballots in Wyomings general election compared with 1.35 million in the primary. The elections that matter the most sometimes have dramatically less turnout. This year, its all the more critical for voters to not wait until November to make their voices heard. The Aug. 16 primary early voting has already begun will decide one of the most watched congressional elections in the nation: the battle between Rep. Liz Cheney and natural resources attorney Harriet Hageman. Theres also a gubernatorial primary, a race for secretary of state that lacks an incumbent and a slew of legislative contests that have been influenced by the redistricting process. We hope, as the election approaches, that voters arent swayed from participating in the democratic process by misleading claims about election integrity. Our state has long had a reputation for fair and efficient elections, with results often coming soon after the polls closed. Unfortunately, some politicians are stoking fear and doubt in our elections system. Their ranks include Rep. Chuck Gray, who is running for secretary of state. That post oversees elections in Wyoming, and past officeholders, including Republican Ed Buchanan, have dispelled voter fraud falsehoods while encouraging turnout. Gray says hes running to stop voter fraud, though the practice is exceedingly rare here. Since 2000, theres been four cases in 3.81 million votes. Gray says he will ban ballot drop boxes in Wyoming, but there is no evidence that their use has caused problems in Wyoming. Gray, while he was running for U.S. House, also made a point of visiting a partisan Arizona recount that sought to rehash unfounded claims about the stolen 2020 presidential election, but in the end, only reaffirmed Joe Bidens win. Gray is not alone. Hageman has for some time refused to acknowledge that Biden was legitimately elected. Then on Wednesday, she went even further, claiming the election was rigged to make sure Trump could not be reelected. That message is not only inaccurate. Its proving corrosive, according to interviews with voters who now believe without a shred of actual evidence that the system here is suspect. Those unfounded fears have even driven a movement in Park County to implement a hand-counted ballot system. Mark Armstrong, another Republican secretary of state candidate, is also making unfounded claims about absentee balloting and voter fraud. But none of the people who are worried about election integrity in Wyoming can point to an actual election in our state where voter fraud has come anywhere close to changing the outcome. Ask yourself: Why are politicians who are sowing doubt in our elections system not concerned that their own election victories are valid? Why arent they citing a clear case of fraud or abuse in Wyoming? Its because our system is safe and secure. Early voting has already begun, and in a matter of days, people will head to the polls for Election Day. When they fulfill that sacred process of choosing our next leaders, voters should not be deterred by fears of fraud. All the evidence suggests we have a system that voters can feel confident participating in. Your vote counts. Dont let anyone suggest otherwise. Editor: Dear Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board members: I write today to urge you to put the decisions you are making on charter schools in Wyoming on hold until the following issues can be discussed by all of the stakeholders and a report issued to the public. 1. An analysis of the broader effects that charters will have on schooling systems as a whole in the state of Wyoming. 2. The lack of regulation charters will have when local control has been removed. 3. The level of political influence (Powerful Political Players) charters will attain when the states elected officials are the decision-makers regarding these schools. 4. What academic, financial, and facilities impacts a potential charter would have on existing schools and districts within our rural state. 5. The legality of religious prayer at public meetings regarding the establishment of a charter school within the state and its Constitution. 6. The depth and quality of oversight; evaluation of teachers and facilities; and assessment of equity among all students when decision-making is put in the hands of centralized elected officials. I have not included Superintendent of Public Schools Brian Schroeder in this communication because I believe he is not a public school advocate. I tried to read the entire bill on wyoleg.gov but found the red lettering on a white background extremely difficult to follow and blatantly unfriendly. This is not a time to gamble with Wyoming schools. Please postpone your final decision-making until the items listed above can receive a thorough analysis. Thank you. THE recent, and perhaps ongoing, difference of opinion between Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) and the Tobago House of Assemblyover the limitations on the national air carriers service on the Tobago routeled me to question whether CAL needs to be responsible for the domestic airbridge. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE: Frederick Bolageer, Security Policy and Assistance Co-ordinator at the US Embassy in Port of Spain. The public is advised that as at 1:05 a.m., with the exception of a small segment at St Luci The magical charm of the Manzanilla-to-Mayaro vista is not the only gift of nature that could be lost to future generations. Natural phenomena combined with the human-induced impacts of climate change are already altering our lives, and are projected to do so in even more drastic and dramatic ways within the lifetimes of most people alive today. Question: I dont have solar panels for my home, but I heard about powering my small electronics with solar chargers. How does that work? Answer: Yes, you can power electronics without a full solar array (system). Considering the recent thunderstorms and blackouts, you may want to pick up a couple of solar chargers and other rechargeable devices. Here are some options, uses and reasons you will want to have them available when the power goes out. Solar chargers These devices can power up your cell, laptop, camera and lights while the power is out. They are also helpful when you are enjoying outdoor adventures. Some can charge external batteries. Many are lightweight and can be folded to fit inside a backpack. Some are waterproof, too. Priced at $50 on up. Look for one with an auto-optimization feature that can recover lost power from shading. This way you wont have to worry about your cell phone staying charged. Speaking of a backpack, check out the Birksun Solar Backpack. With its built-in lithium-ion battery, it can charge your devices at an output of 2.4 amps, which is as fast as a wall charger. Solar generators There are small solar generators that can power small medical devices or a tiny refrigerator. Note that this type of device cant replace your main source of electricity during a power shortage. If you have medical devices such as an oxygen tank or CPAP machine, consider installing a full solar system, with a battery backup generator. Solar-powered radio Solar-powered radios are a must-have in the event of an emergency. Solar eliminates the need to replace batteries. You will need access to up-to-date information when the power goes out. Solar flashlights Flashlights with a built-in battery can be charged by using a solar panel. The Simpeak Hand Crank Solar Powered Rechargeable LED Flashlight ($23) is powered up by absorbing light from strong light bulbs or using a hand crank. Portable table or desk lamp Plugless table lamps that use LED bulbs and are powered by solar panels will turn on automatically when darkness falls and turn off when exposed to bright light. Look for models designed for reading or mood lights on an outdoor table. Sunnytech has a portable LED lamp with its own solar panel and a USB port for charging your phone if it needs power. The lamp folds up to form a flat package for ease of transportation. It also has batteries once solar power runs out. Some reviewers said the lights were weak and eventually died. This lamp and several similar brands are on the market. Prices vary. Check out the reviews if looking at less expensive options. Solar keyboard On its own, a computer draws a lot of power. A solar-powered, wireless keyboard when fully charged, could last as long as three months. Logitech has a wide range of wireless keyboards that connect to a computer via a USB receiver plugged into your laptop. Again, prices vary. Solar cooker Look for models where the solar panel surrounds a pot with shiny flaps that focus sunlight on whats cooking. Solar parabolic cookers look like giant rooftop TV dishes. Solar cookers work best in places with consistent sunlight and hot, dry temperatures like Arizona. Manufacturers of the various devices claim that you can boil, steam and even pasteurize using solar cooking devices. Some bake bread or a pizza. Learning how to get the best results with a solar cooker requires patience over many attempts. Better units can range from $150 to $300. Solar-powered lantern Avoid tripping around the inside and outside of your home with a solar lantern. With just two hours of full sunlight charge, a solar lantern with an LED bulb could last up to eight hours. Solar landscape lighting Dont trip while outside. There are countless solar landscape lights for walkways, posts, flood and security use on the market. Solar pool pumps and filter Monsoon dust can quickly turn a clear blue pool into something the Loch Ness Monster would find habitable. Keep the pool pump and filter working with solar power. While it can be costly in the beginning starting at $1,500 for an in-ground pool you will recoup that cost in utility bill savings down the line. Better pumps claim to have a 10-year life expectancy. The filter and pump are wired to a separate solar panel in your yard. Other considerations Products with improved solar and rechargeable technology are continuously being added to the marketplace. Read the comments from other buyers because some of these products can be limited in their performance. Solar-powered and rechargeable devices are not only useful when the power goes out, they can also conserve energy, thus saving you money on your utility bills. A 73-year-old woman walking in the road early Saturday morning was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash, Tucson police say. Saundra Bridgeford Lewis was walking in the southbound lanes of North Country Club Road near East Broadway about 2:30 a.m. when she was struck, police said in a news release. She died at the scene. The driver fled after the crash and police continue to search for the vehicle, believed to be a small white pickup truck. Anyone with information is asked to call 88-CRIME, the anonymous tipster line. Photos: 2022 monsoon around Tucson Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Watch now: Lightning strikes over Tucson during latest thunderstorm Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Watch now: Time lapse of intense thunderstorm, lightning over Tucson Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Watch Now: Monsoon sunset Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoons 2022 Monsoons 2022 Monsoons 2022 Monsoons 2022 Monsoons 2022 Monsoons 2022 Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Wash, flooding, 2022, Tucson Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Watch Now: The leading edge of flood waters fills the Tanque Verde Wash near Wentworth Road. Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon, Tucson, 2022 Watch Now: Time lapse shows Monsoon storm over Tucson Monsoon 2022 Monsoon 2022 Monsoon Monsoon, 2022 Sand bags Canyon del Oro Wash Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Watch Now: Monsoon clouds over a Convair B-36J Peacemaker at Pima Air & Space Museum monsoon 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoon, 2022 Monsoons 2022 The city of Tucson has reached a $30,000 settlement with the mother and daughter who were involved in a physical confrontation with an off-duty Tucson police officer in the parking lot of a midtown restaurant last November. According to a statement from the City Attorneys Office, Michelle Aloisi, 61, and Brittany Aloisi-Wiles, 39, received $15,000 each after they filed a Notice of Claim seeking damages arising out of the incident that happened at the Culinary Dropout parking lot. Under Arizona law, a Notice of Claim is a necessary precursor to a lawsuit against a city or a public employee, and it provides an opportunity for the city to evaluate claims prior to the start of litigation, the statement said. In this instance, the city and the claimants negotiated a settlement under which the city paid each claimant $15,000, and the claimants released the city and any of its employees from any further claims or lawsuits. The agreement provides that the settlement is not an admission or acknowledgment of fault or liability by any party, and it resolves the matter without the costs, time and risk of litigation. Officer Robert Szewleski was also disciplined with a major misconduct 20-hour suspension following the incident, a Tucson Police Department spokesman said. I dont feel that there was enough accountability on the part of Officer Szewleski, Aloisis daughter, Nicole Whitted said. A 20-hour suspension just doesnt seem enough to fit the magnitude of what he did to my sister and my mother. On Nov. 14, 2021, Aloisi, Aloisi-Wiles and Whitted were walking from the restaurant to their car as the Szelewski family arrived in the parking lot in their truck. An argument ensued, resulting in a physical confrontation that led Szelewski to physically restrain Aloisi and Aloisi-Wiles, while Whitted videotaped the incident. Aloisi-Wiles, who was seen being restrained by Szelewski by kneeling on her neck, was cited for a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct. Those charges were dropped as part of the settlement, Whitted said. Six months after the incident, the Pima County Attorneys Office announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Szelewski. Right when everything started, we retained an attorney for possible civil litigation, and when the Pima County Attorneys Office didnt press charges, that was really when we knew we were moving forward with that, Whitted said. I was very disappointed that they didnt press charges against him. I spent hours and hours and days and days of watching all the footage, watching body cam footage, listening to interviews, and its difficult for me to understand why they didnt bring charges against him. Whitted said they initially came forward and released video footage of the incident because they wanted accountability on both Szelewskis and TPDs part. It was never about the money, per se, it was about change coming about and making Officer Szelewski and the Tucson Police Department accountable for their actions, Aloisi said. Prior to the parking lot incident, Szelewski, who was hired in June 2004, served two suspensions 40 and 10 hours during his first three years on the job, the Arizona Daily Stars Tim Steller previously reported. The longest was for misusing his firearm. When a fellow officer shined a flashlight at him, Szelewski pointed his gun at the colleague and lit him up with the guns light, Steller reported. The other was for wrongly detaining a juvenile in a closed room. Szelewski has also received complaints from people claiming he was rude and unnecessarily aggressive, Steller reported. Aloisi commended Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar for taking the incident seriously, saying he has tripled mental health resources at TPD and mandated staff training. Its going to be a long road, Aloisi said. We wish it had gotten farther, but I feel changes being made, and I guess its baby steps to get it done. Hopefully no one else gets hurt in the process. After seeing a recent interview with Kasmar, Whitted also believed he is taking accountability for his officers and is making positive changes to the department when it comes to mental health help. After nearly a year since the incident happened, both Aloisi and Whitted feel a sense of relief that the case is over, and they can finally move on. I felt like we all kind of have to move on, Aloisi said. I myself have been receiving some therapy to deal with it. I have some trust issues now and a fear and anxiety that I never had before, so that has been very troubling. Other than that, Im glad there is change and that hopefully can continue, and the community and the police department can form a better, more trusting bond with each other. Middle school girls from Sunnyside Unified School District spent a portion of their summer vacation delving into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as they participated in a camp hosted by the Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation. The Applied Career Exploration in STEM (ACES) Camp, which was held July 11-15 at no charge to participants, is designed to let students explore a wide variety of careers and spark their interest in higher education in STEM fields. It also underscores that women are essential in every career, SARSEF organizers said in a news release. This year, the camp hosted a total of 40 campers who visited STEM centers throughout Tucson to engage in immersive, hands-on tours and activities. Some of the tours included the Pima Community College Downtown Campus, the University of Arizona and Sonora Quest Laboratories. The campers also visited an autopsy room, where they were able to examine human organs preserved for educational purposes. And to combine entrepreneurship with the STEM activities, the students engaged in a Shark Tank activity in which they explored the process of designing, creating and financing a new product made of recycled materials. After running for more than a decade, the ACES Camp has served more than 500 participants, some of whom have become engineers or scientists. To learn more about the ACES Camp, visit https://sarsef.org. Applications for education award The application cycle for the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award is open through Sept. 12. The program recognizes and rewards Pima County teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who are achieving outstanding classroom performance, demonstrating leadership in their schools and communities, and supporting their peers. The judges will evaluate the applications, narrow them to 12 finalists and ultimately choose four awardees: one representing pre-kinder, one for grades K-5, another for grades 6-8, and the last representing grades 9-12. The four winners will each receive a $2,500 cash prize, and an additional $2,500 in matching gifts will be presented to each winning teachers respective school. The finalists will each receive $500. To find the eligibility requirements and application materials for the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award, visit https://TucsonValuesTeachers.org. New principal named Casey Robinson was named high school principal for Desert Christian Schools, a private institution on Tucsons east side. Robinson has more than 20 years experience in education, according to a news release. She obtained a bachelors degree in education from the University of New Orleans and a masters degree in education leadership from Northern Arizona University. Most recently, she served as director of admissions for Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. Educating the next generation is an honor and a privilege, Robinson said in the Desert Christian Schools news release. My desire is to see our students grow in their discernment; to be able to evaluate what they are learning and to think critically as they move into adulthood. Desert Christian was founded as a high school in 1986 and has since grown to include a second campus for preschool through eighth grade. The Republican Governors Association is going to put at least $11 million into commercials to ensure that Arizona Gov. Doug Duceys successor is of the same political party. But dont look for that money to be spent extolling the virtues of Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for governor. Instead, given the organizations record, the commercials are more likely to be unapologetic, no-holds-barred attacks on Democratic gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs. Perhaps no one knows that better than Ducey, and not just because hes the RGA president. He was the beneficiary of RGA money and its attack ads on his Democratic foes in his two gubernatorial runs. More to the point, he publicly acknowledged that having the RGA say all those nasty things about his opponents freed him up to instead campaign with more positive messages and to deny any knowledge or responsibility for what was being said on his behalf. Arizona got its first taste last week, even before the Republican nominee was known, as the RGA put up two ads in the Phoenix market targeting Hobbs. One, using a mother of five and video of people climbing a fence, links sex trafficking with President Bidens border policies, says Hobbs will side with Biden, calls her reckless and irresponsible, and says its women and children who will pay the price. The other features Frank Milstead, the retired chief of the state Department of Public Safety, speaking about creation of the Border Strike Force, how weve rescued children from sex trafficking, and contending Hobbs supports amnesty and sanctuary cities. Familiar playbook These are straight out of the playbook used to elect and then reelect Ducey. In his first race in 2014, against Democrat Fred Duval, Duceys own spending was dwarfed by more than $7 million in commercial financed by outsiders, notably the RGA. And the message of those ads was decidedly negative, decrying lobbyist Duval and blaming him for higher university tuition in his role as a member of the Arizona Board of Regents. Ducey insisted he had nothing to do with that. But he also did not disavow any of what was being said on his behalf. Yet just three years later, as governor, he defended the tuition being charged at the states three universities against a lawsuit by Attorney General Mark Brnovich that the rates were unconstitutionally too high. In fact, Ducey later tapped DuVal for a new term on the Board of Regents. The situation repeated itself in 2018 when Ducey was seeking a second term, this time against Democratic challenger David Garcia. And there was nothing subtle about the RGA-sponsored commercials. One began by telling viewers about 7,000 pounds of heroin seized, 4,800 criminal arrests for gang-related activity, and young girls rescued from sex trafficking, all by Immigration and Customers Enforcement. But now David Garcia and other radicals are demanding we abolish ICE, it said, saying such a move would mean more drugs across our border and more gang members in our neighborhoods. And if that wasnt enough to get the message across, the commercial featured a sinister-looking black-and-white video of someone in a hoodie carrying what appeared to be a gun. The commercial was based on a comment Garcia made about replacing ICE with some other agency, not to simply eliminate it and what it does entirely. But it gave the RGA the ammunition to go after him. Firewall for Ducey Asked about the RGA-funded anti-Garcia ad, Ducey pointed out he was legally precluded from coordinating with any outside group that is making independent expenditures on his behalf. The governor, however, also said he had no particular problem with what RGA told Arizona voters on his behalf. My opponent did reckless things, he said. And the people spoke. Ducey praised the RGA and the business executives and lobbyists who fund it for financing the attacks. Speaking after the election at an RGA meeting, Ducey told the donors that a lot of the credit for his being able to save his own donations to tell his positive story was due to the money they had provided to the association. It was the RGA that was the firewall for me that allowed me to make the case on what we had accomplished, and what we were going to accomplish in the future and create that separation to keep Arizona red, he told them. That firewall was the $8 million spent by RGA in Arizona more than Duceys campaign spent on his behalf which went not into positive ads promoting the incumbent governors agenda but instead into attacking Garcia. RGA sees this as its job Jon Thompson, the RGA spokesman at the time, defended the tone of the ads. I wouldnt say they were designed to scare, he told Capitol Media Services. And what of the images, like the criminal in a hoodie and a hypodermic needle dropping into a pile of white powder? I dont think it was over the top, Thompson said. I think it was meant to make sure voters understood what was at stake in the election. As for today, A lot of times, we do negative advertising, said Will Reinert, the RGAs current regional press secretary. But thats not all we do. Still, he said, its what the RGA is supposed to do. Our mission is to elect Republican governors, Reinert said. And a lot of times we are charged with informing voters about the dangers of our Democrat opponents. Democrats might do it, too Thats not to say the Democratic Governors Association is likely to play any nicer in 2022 in Arizona. Hours after Lake clinched the GOP nomination late Thursday, DGA Executive Director Noam Lee called her a diehard MAGA extremist who has centered her campaign on far-right conspiracy theories and dangerous policies. He also pointed out that Ducey, who had endorsed Lakes Republican rival Karrin Taylor Robson, went after Lake during the primary, accusing her of misleading voters with no evidence. Shes been tagged by her opponents with a nickname, Fake Lake, which seems to be sticking and actually doing some damage, Ducey said on CNN last month. So far, though, there have been no ad buys in Arizona by the DGA. Yet in May the organization announced more than $70 million in initial television reservations in seven states, including $23 million in Michigan, $21 million in Wisconsin, $10 million in Nevada and $2.5 million in New Mexico. The Verde Mining district grew to become one of the greatest copper producers in Arizona from 1883 until 1992. Two primary mines produced more than 99% of the districts copper production: the United Verde and the United Verde Extension, also known as the UVX. The district, located on the northeastern slope of the Black Hills (Mingus Mountain), has an intricate geologic history dating back 1.74 billion years. Its abundant mineralization was formed by metal rich black smokers, classified as hydrothermal vent chimneys, along the seafloor. This is in contrast to many of Arizonas copper deposits to the south, which are classified as porphyry copper molybdenum deposits, formed less than 180 million years ago by hydrothermal fluids originating from an underlying magma reservoir. The volcanic massive sulfide deposits of the Verde Mining district are described as small, compact and exceedingly rich ore bodies compared to the large, low-grade disseminated qualities of the porphyry copper molybdenum deposits. The Verde Valley has a long history of mineral exploration and mining dating back over 1,000 years ago to the Indigenous people affiliated with the ancient Tuzigoot pueblo, located 7 miles northeast of the present town of Jerome, who were attracted by surface mineral outcroppings. Small excavations along with stone hammers were evident and recorded in the area, as noted by Spanish explorer Antonio de Espejo in 1582, who was guided there by local Native Americans. Diego Perez de Luxan, a member of the expedition, noted the prevalence of copper with no traces of silver. Another visit in 1599 by Spanish explorer Capt. Marcos Faran de los Godos described the vein as wide and rich with many outcrops composed of ores. Average depth was described as three estados (one estado, according to Spanish explorers, represented the height of a man). The prevalent blueish green copper minerals were used for personal adornment and coloring for blankets and pottery by Native Americans. Despite these discoveries, the Spanish did not have the resources involving labor or capital, along with a viable market based upon the technology at the time, necessary to exploit the deposit for profit. Several hundred years later, after the Mexican War culminated in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the United States government acquired jurisdiction over the area. The emergence of Prescott 35 miles to the southwest as both territorial capital and supply hub in 1864 increased mining activity in the region. Al Sieber, a renowned prospector and chief Army scout, was noted for having located one of the first mining claims in the Verde area in 1876. Christened Verde because of the rocks green carbonate stain, the area attracted other prospectors around the same time. These included Morris Andrew Ruffner, John Dougherty, John D. Boyd and Josiah Riley, who were credited with having discovered what became known as the original United Verde Claims comprised of the Eureka and Wade Hampton, located around the upper reaches of Bitter Creek Gulch north of the present town of Jerome. Ruffner obtained capital from financial partners George and Angus McKinnon to develop the mine until they sold their interests to territorial governor of Arizona Frederick A. Tritle, whose mining ventures were in turn sponsored by financial interests in New York which included James A. McDonald and Eugene Jerome. The district was visited by James Douglas, a metallurgist, on behalf of the interests of two Philadelphians, J.P. Logan and Charles Lennig, in 1880. Douglas, though impressed with the mineral potential of the property, noted its remoteness regarding ore transport from the nearest railroad 180 miles distant and advised against the purchase. Douglas would later partner with Phelps Dodge to develop copper mines in Morenci and Bisbee in Southern Arizona. Lennig would proceed to purchase the Eureka claim. The United Verde Copper Co. was incorporated in 1883 with James A. McDonald its president. That year, the town of Jerome was established on the steep northeastern slope of Cleopatra Hill at an altitude of 5,435 feet. It was named after New York banker Eugene Jerome, who invested $200,000 to develop the property. Mining operations commenced at large scale under the lease held by Tritle with the erection of the first reduction furnace. A wagon road for supply transport by mule team costing $19,000 was financed by the Yavapai County government and built 60 miles north to Ash Fork, an access point along the Atlantic Pacific Railroad completed the year before. Douglas again visited the mine in 1887, recommending its purchase to Phelps Dodge, which had acquired an option on the property. Purchase efforts were stymied by lengthy monetary negotiations with Lennig, the mines principal creditor, which included a last-minute $300,000 increase in price wherein the option was dropped. The property was immediately snatched up under a two-year purchase option by William A. Clark, who purchased its entirety in 1890. Since the early 1870s, Clark was already an established copper king in Butte, Montana, having held mining properties that included the Travona silver mine, Colusa, Gambetta, Mountain Chief and Original. He became interested in the United Verde Mine while serving in the capacity of commissioner representing Montana at the New Orleans exposition in 1885. It was there that United Verde Mine mineral samples were on display and Clark noted their assays which included gold and silver associated with copper. It was under his guidance that the mine finally prospered. Clark monopolized the mines stock during his 37-year ownership with the exception of James A. McDonald (former president of the United Verde Mine), who owned the remainder until it was purchased by Clarks heirs years later. Joseph L. Giroux, superintendent of Clarks Montana mining operations, was sent to Arizona to survey and make improvements to the property which included transport and ore processing. A new smelter consisted of several 160-ton, 48-inch-by-240-inch blast furnaces that treated 1,000 tons of ore per day. In addition, a reverberatory furnace was added to treat gold and silver values from flue dust and ores along with adjacent mine shops and offices all built over the ore body (determined to be 800 feet wide and 1,000 feet long) valued at 20% copper glance (chalcocite). Mining operations would continue to prosper into the 20th century despite challenges such as fires, unstable ground, transition from underground operations to open pit, and competition from other mining interests in the district that sought to discover neighboring ore bodies or exploit an extension of the United Verde. Read about those in the Stars next Mine Tales column, on Sept. 12. If you've been itching to explore more of Southern Arizona but don't know where to start, we're here to help. There's the history engraved in Tombstone, the charm of Bisbee, the color of Nogales pick a spot and we'll give you some ideas on where to eat and things to do. Bonus: All these cities are less than 100 miles from downtown Tucson. Mount Lemmon Let's start with the closest option for many Tucsonans, and the spot that many of us consider our personal getaway. Mount Lemmon, with the charming town of Summerhaven at the top of the mountain, is typically 20 degrees cooler during summer and offers snowy vibes in winter that we can't normally find in Tucson. Things to do: Things to eat: Nogales, Arizona On a recent trip to Nogales, Arizona smaller than Nogales, Sonora #ThisIsTucson food reporter Ellice Lueders fell in love with the city. She even considered, "Could I do my job remotely from here?" Things to do: Things to eat: El Zarape Ellice said if she could marry a restaurant, it would be this one. Mexican food including birria, tacos and menudo. Finitos Locals will say it's "like Eegee's, but better." Cocina La Ley Mariscos, birria and cabeza. Rancho Grande Mexican food from pozole and menudo to enchiladas, burros and breakfast items. Bisbee Bisbee has a charm that's easy to fall in love with. You might walk through the historic Erie Street, or maybe Main Street, with the white "B" on the mountain behind you, as you explore antique shops and the Copper Queen Library, all while making the hard decision how the heck are you going to decide where to eat? One thing's for sure though: Like every other city on this list, simply spending time walking through Bisbee and enjoying the sights is a must-do activity in itself. Things to do: Things to eat: Patisserie Jacqui While it's closed until Labor Day, you can't miss this patisserie with its hot pink building and neon sign shaped like a croissant. Screaming Banshee Pizza Wood-fired pizza, plus you can build your own calzone! Thuy's Noodle Shop Vietnamese restaurant serving pho, curries and pork bun. PussyCat Gelato Throwback interior alongside assorted gelato flavors. Cafe Roka For a more fine dining option, Cafe Roka has a changing menu based on available ingredients. Currently on the menu: lobster-stuffed ravioli, short rib and steamed mussels. Old Bisbee Brewing Company Bisbee is home to an area called Brewery Gulch so naturally we have to include a brewery on this list. (Brewery Gulch is also home to dive bar St. Elmo, which was established in 1902!) Tombstone and Benson area For a Western adventure, Tombstone is your place, where notorious folks like Wyatt Earp once walked. It's the town too tough to die. On the way there is Benson, a small town founded when the Southern Pacific Railroad came through Southern Arizona. The two towns are less than 30 minutes apart, with St. David in between. Things to do: Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Things to eat: Elgin, Sonoita and Patagonia area You're in wine country now. If you were to Google "what to do in Sonoita," much of what you'd find is winery after winery after winery. But we aren't complaining. Sonoita and Elgin are less than 10 miles from each other, and Patagonia is also nearby, to the south. Things to do: Wine tours It should come as no shock that wine tours are at the top of this list. Check out Arizona Winery Tours for details. Empire Ranch Foundation The ranch house dates back to 1870. Tours are available of the headquarters, or check out the foundation's event calendar. Tucson Audubon Society's Paton Center for Hummingbirds Celebrate the area's hummingbirds in this spot that has reported 213 bird species. Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve If birding's your thing, this is your place. Patagonia Lake State Park Swim, boat, fish and camp at this park with a lake. Parker Canyon Lake Dubbed Arizona's year-round mountain playground about an hour south of Sonoita, this lake offers kayaking and fishing. Things to eat: Tubac, Tumacacori, Rio Rico and Green Valley area Tubac, and the nearby Tumacacori, is historical and funky, packed with a lot of character. It's where you'll find cute stores carrying artsy imports from Mexico and handmade jewelry from Indigenous artisans. Close to Tubac and Tumacacori are Rio Rico and Green Valley for more activities and eateries south of Tucson. Things to do: Things to eat: Moqah Coffee & Beyond A cafe that got its start in Rio Rico, and has sweet and savory crepes, bistro classics and showstoppers like a matcha drink in the colors of the Mexican flag. Wisdom's Cafe The first item on the menu is the fruit burro, made with flour tortillas and your choice of fruit, deep-fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar with vanilla ice cream on the side. One of our readers says Wisdom's has the best margaritas! Elvira's If you miss when Elvira's was in downtown Tucson, its flagship is in Tubac. Contemporary Mexican dishes and five different moles. Longhorn Grill & Saloon There's a giant steer skull outside that has long been an attraction for passersby. Burgers, sandwiches, steak. Manuel's Mexican Restaurant Customer favorites include fish tacos, enchiladas and grilled chicken breast topped with chiles and cheese. Oracle and Catalina area Heading north of Tucson, and north of Marana and Oro Valley, are Oracle and Catalina. Depending on traffic, Oracle and Catalina are about 20 minutes from each other. This time of year, Oracle is about 10 degrees cooler than Tucson and in winter, the town may even get snow. Things to do: Biosphere 2 Stepping inside Biosphere 2 means you're stepping into scientific research. It's the "world's largest controlled environment dedicated to understanding the impacts of climate change." Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm When lavender is blooming around June, this farm invites visitors for festivals, workshops and more. Stay tuned for more events from the farm this fall! Arizona Zipline Adventures Zipline across Sonoran Desert scenery. Oracle State Park Take a tour of the Historic Kannally Ranch House, enjoy a picnic, go stargazing or hike through the 15 miles of trails. Things to eat: Licks Catalina This new ice cream shop has bubble waffle cones and cereal blends. Casa Rivera Mexican-American spot with breakfast plates, burritos, tacos, enchiladas and combo plates. Oracle Patio Cafe Cafe menu with breakfast, soups and sandwiches, plus wine and beer. Catalina Craft Pizza Pizza options alongside live music. Honorable mentions Sierra Vista's cooler temperatures and scenic Huachuca Mountains could make a great extension to your day trip when it's a little too hot to go hiking in Tucson. Check out Brown Canyon Trail, indoor aquatic park The Cove, German deli Deutsches Eck, and Ramsey Canyon Preserve in nearby Hereford. If you're into history, Willcox may be worth the trip. While you're there, you can pick your own produce at Apple Annie's, take a wine tour, and pay a visit to the incredible rock formations at the Chiricahua National Monument. When you get hungry, enjoy barbecue favorites at Big Tex BBQ or Mexican dishes at La Unica Restaurant and Torilleria. In nearby Dragoon, there's Native American art, history and culture museum Amerind, plus the mysterious roadside attraction The Thing. North of Tucson is Eloy, which is known for skydiving. If you're feeling a little adventurous, check out Skydive Arizona. Q: British Airways canceled my recent flight from Boston to London. The airline said it canceled the flight because of operational constraints. British Airways sent me an email promising to do everything (they) can to get you where you need to be. I asked the airline for a refund, but instead, I received another email that accused me of being a no-show for my flight and refused a refund. Ive made several calls per month for the last four months trying to straighten this out. Finally, I received an email from British Airways that said per its fare rules, it could not offer a refund. But, British Airways canceled my flight, so doesnt it owe me a refund? Carrie Christensen, Pittsfield, Massachusetts A: It most certainly does. If an airline cancels a flight, it owes you a full and prompt refund under its fare rules and federal regulations. British Airways cant keep your money under any circumstances. Im kind of shocked that your refund request dragged on this long. I reviewed the correspondence between you and British Airways. The facts were clear: You received an email from British Airways that said, Were sorry your flight has been canceled due to operational constraints. And you sent that email to the airline when you requested your refund. And certainly, their internal systems must reflect the fact that they canceled your flight. How much more do they need? You did a terrific job of keeping all of your records with the airline. If only British Airways had paid attention to its records, then you wouldnt have a complaint at all. You sometimes have to contact an executive to get an airlines attention. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of several British Airway executives on my consumer advocacy site at www.elliott.org/company-contacts/british-airways/. I think a quick, polite message might have gotten this resolved. A multibillion-dollar aerospace and technology company with a Tulsa facility plans to finalize the building and configuration of at least six specialized aircraft for the military here beginning this fall. With an initial government grant of $170 million, L3Harris will equip and make flight-ready at least six AT-802U Sky Warden planes in Tulsa. The manned, single-engine, turboprop aircraft is designed for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as missions in extreme combat environments. It is designed to perform in austere, disaggregated combat environments with limited infrastructure. It has unparalleled range and endurance, weapons, sensor and communication capabilities, the company said. The contract, for now, has a cost ceiling of $3 billion. I was ecstatic, Luke Savoie, president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for L3Harris, told the Tulsa World last week, when asked about news of the grant. This is very personal to me. Savoie is a former Air Force pilot of the AC-130 gunship and other aircraft, and had a large role in designing and developing the Sky Warden platform. Many of the Sky Wardens features are proprietary, and its capabilities depending on its individual specifications for the military are not available publicly, Savoie acknowledged. However, he said, depending on the aircrafts sensors, a pilot would be able to pinpoint a specific point where an enemy is firing. I can look out the window, and I can see someone shooting. And I can sit there on the throttle and hit a button, and drop a point of where I was looking at. I saw someone shooting a weapon I drop a point right there, he said. And I can go over here and hit another button, and the auto-pilot based on what I was just looking at will now automatically put the aircraft into orbit around that point. I hit another button ... and now the fire control is targeting that position. So I have a sensor looking at it, the fire control has updated that thats what it should be targeting and now I can just roll in, and put a shot off and engage that, and never have had to sit there in tight coordinates or do all these weird mouse clicks and all this other stuff (at a distance, with drone military aircraft), Savoie said. Its fairly tightly integrated and digitally controlled. And thats the greatest thing about the weapons system is how tightly that all works. He declined to say the cost range for each aircraft, depending on its specific weapons and sensor configuration, but a news release by the company said the Sky Warden is affordable. The planes intended use is for close combat support by the Air Force, Savoie said, but could also potentially be sold to U.S. allies. Sky Warden has a demand out there. If youre a nation state that deals with violent extremists if youre either budget constrained or youre infrastructure constrained, or you need things to be multi-role ... this provides options for those potential types of customers, he said. Im honored to be part of this program and provide this capability to customers. We look forward to growing ... and expanding our presence in the state, and look forward to supporting the state of Oklahoma, he said. U.S. Special Operations Command selected L3Harris and Air Tractor Inc.s Sky Warden system for its Armed Overwatch program. With an initial program contract award of $170 million, the program could include delivery of up to 75 aircraft. Production of new, fully modified, Armed Overwatch mission-configured aircraft will begin in 2023 at L3Harris Tulsa modification center, the company said in a news release, following initial production at the Air Tractor Inc.s Olney, Texas, aircraft manufacturing facility. Air Tractor is a manufacturer of aircraft for agricultural, firefighting and utility applications. Olney is about 130 miles northwest of Dallas and 40 miles south of Wichita Falls. In Tulsa since 1974 and at Tulsa International Airport since 2013, L3Harris develops, maintains and operates airborne missile tracking systems in support of the Missile Defense Agency Airborne Sensor Program. The Melbourne, Florida-based company is a technology supplier for military, government and commercial partners. L3Harris employs 306 people in Tulsa and, with the contract, is looking to expand with about 100 new positions including engineers and mechanical and electrical installers, Savoie said. In November, the company announced an expansion of operations in Tulsa, with plans to create at least 80 new jobs. Weve been a strong supporter of L3 in wanting to put them in a position to be successful by providing world-class facilities for them to do their work, just like we do with so many other rapidly growing companies out there at the airport, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said at the time. This is really, in my mind, this is one of our greatest opportunities for growth as it relates to Tulsas economy. Its the industrial cluster that we have right here at the airport, Bynum said. People in the Tulsa area could see the planes flying from Texas to L3Harris facility at Tulsa International Airport as soon as this fall, Savoie said. The Sky Warden design reflects our commitment to Americas national security, and the AT-802U will be equipped with everything weve learned manufacturing aircraft over the past 46 years, Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch said in a statement. The L3Harris team is an excellent partner, and our production and engineering staff are ready to immediately deliver this world-class product to our nations special forces, Hirsch said. L3Harris has more than $17 billion in annual revenue and 47,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries, according to its website. Sky Warden will bring powerful and affordable close air support, precision strike, armed ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), and command and control capabilities directly to special operations forces in the battlefield, Sean Stackley, president of integrated mission systems for L3Harris, said in a statement. You are here: World Flash A fuel storage tank at a supertanker port near the port of Matanzas in Cuba exploded Saturday morning following a blaze, which has left at least 17 people missing and 67 injured, according to the Cuban presidency. The tank was engulfed in huge fire after it was struck by lightning at 7:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Friday, which caused the explosion, local media reported. The fire is still spreading on Saturday morning. Local residents have already been evacuated from the area. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited the scene 100 km east of Havana, the country's capital. Cuba is suffering from lack of electricity due to fuel shortages. The explosion at the supertanker port could make the country's power supply further deteriorated. Just before his third "nay" vote this summer on a bill to expand medical benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, U.S. Sen. James Lankford told Facebook Live viewers that the so-called PACT Act (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxic bill) is "a good bill with a lot of extra stuff that's not good tacked on." The "not good" stuff, he said, included longer waits for care provided by Veterans Affairs and $400 billion in new spending on things not related to the VA or treatment of veterans with cancers and other ailments caused by exposure to "burn pits" and other hazardous materials. Representatives of the Heritage Foundation and Club for Growth, a pair of conservative advocacy organizations, have also spoken against it. Among other things, the bill's opponents say it is structured such that it permits uncontrolled spending in future years. Democrats and a majority of Republicans did not agree, or at least did not disagree enough to vote no again and face the wrath of angry veterans and biting sarcasm of celebrity advocate Jon Stewart. The Honoring Our PACT Act, or S. 3373, was approved 86-11 on final passage last week after Republicans stalled what was expected to be a routine vote a few days earlier. First District Congressman Kevin Hern also voted against the measure when it passed the House 342-88 last month. Lankford's argument is that S. 3373 does not sufficiently account for an increase in new patients at VA facilities. The White House suggests 5 million new patients could become eligible for benefits; according to one report, 70% of those applying for VA services related to burn pits and other toxic hazards are rejected. Currently, those applying for benefits must show some connection between their service and their condition or ailment. S. 3373 removes that requirement. All that must be proved is that the applicant served in one of the theaters or locations designated by the bill. This bill will add more delays to service-connected veteran care by increasing care requirements for complications that may not be service-connected," Lankford said in a press release after last week's vote. "The bill does not increase community care for veterans or increase beneficial information from community care. It simply expands eligibility without increasing capacity. All veterans should be evaluated by medical professionals to determine their ongoing treatment needs relating to their service." Lankford also maintains that the bill does not come with sufficient oversight. This claim, pushed by Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, is based on legislative language that says no funds appropriated to the Cost of War Toxic Exposure Fund "shall be counted as discretionary budget authority." Montana Democrat Jon Tester, the bill's primary author, said that is to make sure appropriated funds are spent as intended. He notes that all appropriations to the fund must be approved by Congress. Toomey said that's not good enough, and Lankford seems to agree. None of the past two weeks' dramatics would have occurred but for a "technical error" that had to be fixed in the House. This dealt with tax issues surrounding contract buyouts of VA health care professionals. Lankford apparently objects not to the fix itself but to the fact that the matter is in the bill at all. Besides its basic subject, the bill also deals with VA medical facility leases and recruitment of staff in rural areas, the latter of which involves the tax issue. These seem to be some of the "unrelated stuff" to which Lankford refers. Lankford also wanted provisions that would allow rural veterans to use local providers for treatment. One complaint of some conservative commentators is that the bill expands use of government-operated medical care. S. 3373 originally passed the Senate in June, 84-14, with Lankford voting against it and U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe voting for it. The error, corrected by a House amendment, necessitated a second Senate vote, even though the bill had not substantively changed. In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin unexpectedly worked out a budget reconciliation bill, which angered Senate Republicans, who had allowed a vote on an unrelated measure because they believed the reconciliation bill was dead. On July 27, when S. 3373 came back to the Senate, 42 Republicans including Inhofe voted no, keeping the measure from getting the 60 votes needed for passage. Most Republicans said the switch had nothing to do with the sudden appearance of the reconciliation bill, but Democrats said they didn't believe it, since the language had not changed since the June vote. Video: Jon Stewart blasts GOP senators for blocking veterans' health legislation Growly: University of Tulsa President Brad Carson, a two-term Democratic congressman from Oklahomas 2nd District and unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate in 2004, offered a gloomy assessment of the countrys politics during a Thursday appearance at the Tulsa Press Club. Im pretty bearish about it, Carson said. My disenchantment comes from the fact that I maybe dont share what my parents taught me anymore, which is that politics is the most important way to change the world. Our culture today, the norms, higher education, these are actually I tell my own son, Pursue those. You can change the world, still. Thats important. Those are better avenues than politics, he said. Whats happening in American politics or even state politics across the country, not just in Oklahoma Im not sure is the way to make a difference much anymore. Stashed cash: The books closed on fiscal year 2022 with the state boasting $2.8 billion in reserves, including a record $500 million in the so-called 1017 education fund. Gov. Kevin Stitt said the surplus leaves the state in a definitive position to deliver real relief read: tax cuts to Oklahomans. Campaigns and elections: The Libertarian Party doesnt win many elections in Oklahoma, but it did win the drawing for the top spot on the Nov. 8 general election ballots. Republicans will be listed second, Democrats third. New state Republican Party Chairman A.J. Ferate hasnt been bashful about rapping the knuckles of GOP candidates he believes are out of line. Ferate, a longtime political operative, publicly scolded U.S. Senate candidates Markwayne Mullin and T.W. Shannon for perpetuating the notion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, and he did the same with 2nd Congressional District candidate Avery Frix, who has made loyalty to Trump the basis of his campaign. Former Congresswoman Kendra Horn, the Democratic nominee in the election to succeed U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, issued a new video after last weeks television debate that again plays on the idea that Mullin is an extremist out of step with the average Oklahoman. This ad highlights a May interview Mullin did with New Tang Dynasty Television, an outlet that mainly caters to Chinese exiles and devotees of Epoch Times, an organization favored by election deniers and Trump enthusiasts. During the interview, Mullin said companies that dont like Oklahomas laws on abortion should leave. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jason Bollinger announced a series of campaign rallies leading up to the Aug. 23 runoff election. Dates, times and locations for Tulsa-area rallies are yet to be determined. Employment: The number of unemployed in the state grew by about 11,400 during June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics household survey, while the workforce shrank by about 1,200. Tulsa added about 3,200 unemployed, which seems in line with seasonal trends. Both the state and the city remain well below unemployment totals of a year ago. The survey, based on data collected from employers, put statewide employment at 1.69 million, up about 2,500 from the previous month and almost 43,000 from the same month a year ago. Tulsas employment was unchanged from May at 458,800 and up about 15,000 from June 2021. Meetings and events: The Tulsa Press Club, 415 S. Boston Ave., in the first-floor arcade of the Atlas Life Building, hosts two public candidate forums this week. Republican state superintendent candidate April Grace will speak at 5:30 p.m. Monday, and Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Jason Bollinger at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Both are free and open to non-members. Bottom lines: Yes. every kid., an advocacy group associated with the Koch political organization, has hired former state Rep. Tom Newell as its vice president of government affairs. Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor said the state is joining a national Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World Featured video: Last week, Oklahomas two Republican U.S. senators, James Lankford and soon-to-be replaced Jim Inhofe, spit in the face of every American veteran, voting against the Honoring Our PACT Act (House Resolution 3967). Ironically, this bill passed that same legislative body 84-14 in June, but was sent back for language revision and then rejected by 25 Republicans for what they called "administrative reasons." The resolution would have addressed health care, presumption of service-connection, research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. In Lankfords case, he has never served an ounce of time as an armed forces member and it's ironic he enjoys the spoils of freedom our combat vets, both living and dead, have afforded him. By turning their backs on those of us who served our nation as members of the armed forces, these two so-called public servants displayed their true colors. They are a disgrace to the people they purport to serve and are perfect examples of what the Republican Senate has become: a collection of out-of-touch partisan do-nothings who could care the less about ordinary American citizens and the health consequences they endure. Editors note: In a second vote last Tuesday, Inhofe voted for the resolution while Lankford voted against it. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter. About ten years ago, when rivers in Vietnam's Mekong Delta started to run low on fish and shrimp, dozens of local households left the region for the Central Highlands in an attempt to eke out a living by fishing in reservoirs. The fishing skills of the Mekong Delta fishermen were easily adapted to the Se San Reservoir in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, where 34 households, mostly from An Giang and Hau Giang Provinces in the Mekong Delta, have been coping well with the uncertainty of their new lives in the mountains. Fishing on a mountain Dang Van Thuoc, a 40-year-old man, was one of the first Mekong Delta fishers to leave southern Vietnam for Kon Tum. He currently earns a living fishing in the Se San Reservoir. A woman sits on a floating house on the Se San Reservoir in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tran Hoa / Tuoi Tre Thuoc and his relatives first settled by a small reservoir in nearby Dak Lak Province but they soon realized competition for fish was fierce with other domestic migrants, particularly those from Binh Dinh and Phu Yen Provinces. Moving to the much less populated Se San Reservoir seemed like a much better option. There was no one [living at Se San Reservoir] when I moved there, Thuoc said. My relatives and I were the first, but more and more people have moved there over the past 12 years. In 2010, when Thuoc and his family first came to the reservoir, they were amazed by the age-old trees that filled the water. Though fishing at night could be dangerous because of the trees, the difficulties were worth the bounty of fish in the water. It was worth the move as well. I could only earn a good income [in the Mekong Delta] during the three-month flood season," he said. The rest of the year there were fewer fish but just as many fishermen. Fish farmers werent affected, but people like me really struggled. Moving to the Se San Reservoir also meant giving up life on land. Thuoc and his family, just like dozens of others who relocated to the area from the Mekong Delta, found themselves living on four-to-five-sqaure meter rafts right on the water. Few, if any, had permanent homes. A new life on both water and land Floating houses litter the Se San Reservoir. A local dries anchovies on her floating house on the Se San Reservoir in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam. Photo: Hoang Loc / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Thanh Nhan, a 41-year-old born in Tri Ton, An Giang has lived on the reservoir with his wife for the past five years. In 2015, Kon Tum established Ia HDrai District and created policies allowing each of the 29 households in the fishing village to receive a 400-square-meter land plot and VND50 million (US$2,147), Nha recounted. The support was integral in helping the fishermen and their families build houses on dry ground. Many have kept their homes on the water to support their fishing. If the district had not developed such policies, we would have lived uncertain lives and our kids would have not been able to go to school, Nhan said. The local government also helped stock the reservoir with a variety of fish breeds, including lamprey, red tail catfish, and red tilapia. Local households have begun offering tourism services. Ha Thi Diem Nhung, Nhans wife, now earns up to VND15 million ($644) per month during the peak tourism season, enough for the couple to cover their kids tuition fees, though their new work has meant no time to fish. Aside from raising fish and offering tourism services, dozens of households in the fishing village still make a living by fishing," Nhung said. "Our dried anchovies and anchovy rice paper are specialties favored by tourists." Anchovies dry under the sun. Photo: Tran Hoa / Tuoi Tre Fishermen at heart The fishermen of the Se San Reservoir head out for their fishing journey at sunset, hoping to reel in a big catch, but the dead trees that litter the waterway are a constant cause for concern. I catch around 20 kilograms of anchovies each night, I typically earn about VND300,000 [$13]," Nhan said. "But if I get lucky, I might make VND400,000-500,000 [$17-21.4] for my catch." Years ago, Nhan was able to catch more than 70 kilograms of anchovies each night, but that number has since dwindled. Still, Nhan and fishers like him are happy to have houses and, hopefully, bright futures ahead. Helping fishermen settle Vo Anh Tuan, chairman of the Ia HDrai Districts People Committee, said Kon Tum Province has enabled fishermen on the Se San Reservoir to settle in the district. Tuan added that the districts biggest desire is to ensure schooling for the children of these fishers. So far, their efforts have been successful and most children in the district are able to attend school. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A massive oil-fed fire burned for a second day on Saturday near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, as Mexico and Venezuela sent teams to help fight the inferno and Cuba accepted a U.S. offer of unspecified "technical advice". On Friday evening, lightning struck one of eight storage tanks at the facility 60 miles east of Havana. Heat from the blaze reached a second tankon Saturday and the wind blew flames dangerously close to a third. "We express deep gratitude to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Chile ... which have promptly offered material aid in the face of this complex situation," tweeted Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. "We also appreciate the offer of technical advice from the US," he said. A helicopter prepares to throw water over fuel storage tanks that exploded near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. Photo: Reuters Cuban authorities said at least 121 people were injured in the second blast, of which 36 remained hospitalized, five in critical condition. One person was listed as dead and 17 firefighters were unaccounted for. More than 1,000 civilians were evacuated from the area. "There was a very big explosion yesterday around 8 p.m. and today at 5 a.m. a second explosion so big it lit up the area like the sun," local resident Alfredo Gonzalez said. Fire is seen over fuel storage tanks that exploded near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. Photo: Reuters Diaz-Canel visited the scene around midnight, then returned to spend Saturday coordinating the response as state-run television broadcast live coverage of the unfolding disaster. Before the second blast, Diaz-Canel posted on Twitter that first responders were "trying to avert the spread of the flames and any spill of fuel" into the Matanzas bay. A vintage car is parked in front of a fire over fuel storage tanks that exploded near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. Photo: Reuters Military helicopters were dumping seawater on nearby storage tanks as smoke reached Havana and residents were warned to avoid acid rain. Cuba has been suffering daily blackouts and fuel shortages. The loss of fuel and storage capacity is likely to aggravate the situation which has led to small local protests in the last few months. People take pictures of a fire over fuel storage tanks that exploded near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. Photo: Reuters Jorge Pinon, director of the University of Texas at Austin's Latin America and Caribbean Energy and Environment Program, said the area had eight big tanks each with a capacity of 300,000 barrels. "The area is a transshipment point for fuel to various thermo-electric plants, not just the one nearby, so this could be very bad news for the power grid," he said. A doctor at the emergency department of a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was recently attacked by a family member of a patient, just about 10 days after another medical practitioner at the same facility was assaulted. Police in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City confirmed on Saturday they were working with 29-year-old V.H.H. to verify his alleged attack on a doctor at Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital. H. said he took his mother, who suffered severe respiratory failure, to the infirmarys emergency department at around 6:00 am on the same day. On breathing support, H.s mother needed to go to the toilet. However, doctors stated that it would be dangerous to let the patient go to the toilet in such a condition. Although a nurse had brought necessary sanitary equipment to the bed, H. underlined that he would take his mother to the restroom. A doctor tried to talk to H. once again, but the conversation then escalated to a row. H. left the room and later returned with a nail clipper having a metal nail file, before attacking the doctor with the pointed object. The action was quickly stopped by other bystanders. The metal nail file V.H.H. used to attack the doctor at Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Dan Thuan / Tuoi Tre An official of Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital confirmed that H. had attempted to stab the doctor with the nail file, but the latter managed to dodge the attack. Other doctors immediately sounded the alarm, and the situation was put under control shortly after, the official stated. The incident was later reported to police officers. On the night of July 27, another doctor at the emergency department of Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital was pushed against the wall and strangled by the father of a 10-year-old girl. The young patient was admitted to the infirmary with a fish bone stuck in her throat. Doctors examined her and told her to wait for about 10 minutes for her treatment. The father demanded that his daughter receive treatment right away, even though the doctor repeatedly explained that she was not in a dangerous state. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: COVID-19 Updates -- The Ministry of Health documented 1,609 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising the national tally to 11,346,137, with 9,964,533 recoveries and 43,094 deaths. Society -- Police in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City confirmed on Saturday they had launched an investigation into a case where two university students died and six others were hospitalized due to suspected alcohol poisoning. -- Another doctor at the emergency department of Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was attacked by a family member of a patient on Saturday. -- Many Vietnamese people have donated money to a 39-year-old Russian man in south-central Nha Trang City who is unable to afford the surgery for his broken femoral neck fracture. -- A 36-year-old man from north-central Ha Tinh Province has turned himself in after a video clip of him hanging his 11-year-old daughter against the ceiling and beating her was posted on social media. -- Police in central Quang Nam Province on Saturday rescued a group of 23 high school students and teachers who were stranded during a field trip to a local stream following a heavy rain. -- A low-pressure area is currently located above the East Vietnam Sea and is expected to strengthen into a tropical depression over the next one or two days, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Business -- Vietnams total newly registered and adjusted capital together with capital contributions and share purchases by foreign investors surpassed US$15.54 billion in the first seven months of 2022, equivalent to 92.93 percent year on year, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the Ministry of Planning and Investment as saying. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Ho Chi Minh City have launched an investigation into a suspected case of methanol poisoning that occurred at a local restaurant, affecting eight young people, of whom two died, officers said on Saturday. Among the eight victims, six are employees of Mr Bao Restaurant in Thu Duc City, including a woman, while the other two are outsiders, both female, local police said. These victims, aged 19 to 24, opened a party at the restaurant late on Wednesday evening, after the facility closed, N.D.B., the owner, reported on Saturday. They ate food bought from outside and drank a can of five liters of alcohol available at the restaurant during the feast which ended at 4:00 am the next morning. B. said his restaurant, which started operations on June 1, recently bought five 5-liter cans of bottled water from a supplier but one of them was later found containing alcohol. This can had been kept in the eaterys storage until it was consumed at the party, B. said, adding that the victims had mixed the alcohol with soft drinks in red color before drinking. Thu Duc police have asked the restaurateur to provide them with the address of the water supplier and documents related to the delivery of the said five cans. Earlier on Thursday afternoon, one of the six employees, aged 24, was found dead at a rented room in Thu Duc after showing signs of fatigue and cyanosis, police informed B. the same day. One day later, the five others, after suffering serious health conditions, were taken to Thu Duc-based Le Van Viet General Hospital for examination, B. said. One of them died at the hospital later the same day while the remainders were transferred to Gia Dinh Peoples Hospital in Binh Thanh District for further treatment. Friday also saw the last two victims admitted to Thu Duc General Hospital with symptoms of vomiting, fatigue, severe headache, and cyanotic lips. Tests by the hospitals showed that the blood methanol levels of the patients ranged from 1.34 mg/dL to 246.46 mg/dL. Methanol, commonly known as industrial alcohol, is used in paints or as solvents among different uses, but this substance is extremely toxic to the body, doctors said. Consuming methanol is detrimental to the heart, brain, and respiratory system while it also causes kidney failure, cardiovascular collapse, and blindness, they warned. The restaurant, which has a business registration certificate but has yet to obtain a certificate of eligibility for food safety, shut down by itself after the incident. Local police are continuing their investigation into the suspected methanol poisoning case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation has used 14 types of solvent to remove vandalizing paint on the newly-opened Thu Thiem 2 Bridge but that effort has proved fruitless, its deputy director Bui Hoa An said at a meeting on Thursday. The bridge, officially opened to traffic on April 28, has been smeared with paint and graffiti. The vandalism is taking place at not only the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge but also many other structures across the city, including metro line No. 1. In order to restore the new bridge to its original state, the municipal transport department used 14 types of solvent to remove the paint and graffiti. But the substances failed to dissolve them. The department is thus considering covering the bridge with a new coat of paint, according to An. The price of the paint the department intends to buy, however, is as expensive as VND300,000 (US$13) per square meter. The Thu Thiem 2 Bridge is smeared with vandalizing paint in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre The transport department also plans to beef up patrol efforts and raise peoples awareness in order to prevent such vandalism on other intact structures. Le Manh Ha, an official at the municipal Department of Public Security, said that his agency has handled seven people in four different cases of vandalism in Thu Duc, a district-level city in Ho Chi Minh City, in the first half of this year, imposing a fine of VND1.5 million ($64) on each violator. Anyone who covers public buildings with spray paint or graffiti without permission from local authorities are subject to a penalty of VND1-2 million ($43-85), according to Ha. The violators must also restore the vandalized structures to their original condition. Ha noted that besides the vandals, some street artists have decorated public construction works around the city with artistic paintings. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many Vietnamese people have donated money to a 39-year-old Russian man in south-central Khanh Hoa Province who is unable to afford the surgery for his femoral neck fracture. Roman Borodachev, 39, a Russian national living in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, suffered a femoral neck fracture after a fall about two months ago but could not afford a surgery due to unstable income and the lack of health insurance. Anna Los, another Russian citizen in Nha Trang, sent a letter to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday to seek help for Borodachev. According to Los, Borodachev fell on the bathroom floor and broke his hip on June 12. The Russian man was then taken to the hospital, with doctors concluding that he would need to undergo a surgery. As the surgical operation is too costly and Borodachev does not have a health insurance policy, he decided to try other alternatives, but none seemed to be effective. Los said she had also sent letters to the Russian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh and the Khanh Hoa Department of Foreign Affairs to ask for assistance. I needed to deposit VND100 million [US$4,200] prior to my surgery, but I only have VND12 million [$513], Borodachev told Tuoi Tre. I am an engineer, and the COVID-19 pandemic in the past two years has caused my income to drop significantly. Borodachev does not have any relatives in Russia, he said, adding that his parents had passed away. Roman Borodachev lies on his bed due to his femoral neck fracture in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Photo: Anna Los An official of Khanh Hoa General Hospital confirmed that the Russian man was admitted to the infirmary on July 30. He was diagnosed with a fracture of the left femoral neck, loss of function of the left hip joint, and atrophy of the left thigh muscle. The patient is in stable health but requires a femoral neck replacement surgery. After hearing about Borodachevs story, many Vietnamese citizens have decided to offer their help, with donations having totaled VND30 million ($1,280) so far. Kim Dinh, who works at a pharmacy in Nha Trang, said a foreign friend told her about Borodachevs condition. I have wired VND500,000 [$21] to his account, Dinh stated. Hopefully he will soon undergo the surgery. Borodachev said he has received a lot of phone calls and encouragement after his story was shared in some groups on social media. I am very happy to know that many people are by my side and appreciate the love from my Vietnamese friends, he said. Benefactors can offer their support to Borodachev at Khanh Hoa General Hosptial at 19 Yersin Street, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. They can also contact him via +84 94 980 16 34 or send their assistance to Roman Borodachevs bank account No. 0587 7405 000 at TPBank. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Flash Twelve people were killed and at least 30 were injured in a traffic accident when a bus with a Polish licence plate skidded off a highway in northern Croatia, according to the authorities. The accident happened at around 5:40 a.m. local time when the bus veered off the A4 highway in the direction of the country's capital Zagreb. "Eleven people died (on the spot), and 32 people were admitted to hospitals in Varazdin, Zagreb and Cakovec. One more person died while admitted for hospital treatment," Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said at a press conference held in front of the Varazdin hospital, adding that there are a lot of passengers with "severe trauma." Bozinovic said that the bus, with all 43 Polish passengers on board, left from Poland's capital Warsaw and planned to go on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, a popular site of Catholic pilgrimage in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Tomo Medved has expressed his condolences to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the families of the victims, Bozinovic said, adding the cause of the accident is still under investigation. In the first episode of Great Southern Landscapes art lover and actor Rachel Griffiths travels to the Hawkesbury River to find the exact spot where Arthur Streeton painted his 1896 masterpiece. In this stunningly visual episode, art lover Rachel Griffiths travels to the Hawkesbury River to find the exact spot where Arthur Streeton painted his 1896 masterpiece, The Purple Noons Transparent Might. Along the way, she gate-crashes a masterclass of modern-day Streeton-ites and armed with paint brushes and an easel, Rachel channels her inner Streeton in the very room at the Victorian Artists Society where the young artist made his magic alongside fellow Impressionists Fredrick McCubbin and Tom Roberts. While in Melbourne, she eyeballs the original at the National Gallery of Victoria and learns how one curator spent his lockdown returning the painting to its former glory after 100 years of cigar smoke! In Sydney, she visits Bradleys Head, discovering that Streeton was ahead of the curve an early environmentalist who painted a protest painting, Cremorne Pastoral, in 1895 in a bid to prevent a coal mine being opened on Sydney Harbour. And then its off to the Hawkesbury, where Rachel meets a flood victim whose love affair with the river is at breaking point. She then jumps in a tinny to learn how the First Nations Darug people have co-existed with its waterways for millennia, how early settlers were warned about the floods and how the rivers traditional name, Dyarubbin, is making a long overdue comeback. Travelling by horseback, as Streeton did during the summer of 1896, Rachel approaches the lookout, finally arriving at X marks the spot. Production credit: A Mint Pictures production in association with Magdalene Media. Principal production investment from Screen Australia and the ABC. In association with Screen NSW. Series Director Ariel White. Field Producer Kirrilly Brentall. Series Producer Dan Goldberg. Executive Producers Adam Kay, Rachel Griffiths & Ariel White. ABC Commissioning Editor Julia Hanna. Acting Head of Factual and Culture Richard Huddleston. 8pm Tuesday on ABC. Russian President Vladimir Putin with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in April 2019. ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images North Korea has offered Russia 100,000 troops to help defeat Ukraine, according to Russian state media. A Russian pundit said North Korean troops could bring useful experience with counter-battery warfare, per reports. North Korea is also reportedly prepared to send workers to help rebuild the Donbas region for Russia. North Korea has offered 100,000 "volunteer" troops to the Kremlin to help Russia win the war against Ukraine, according to Russian state media. "There are reports that 100,000 North Korean volunteers are prepared to come and take part in the conflict," said the Russian military pundit Igor Korotchenko on Channel One Russia, per the New York Post. Korotchenko praised the North Korean military's "wealth of experience with counter-battery warfare," the newspaper reported. Effective counter-battery warfare is of increased importance to the Russian military following the US decision to donate a dozen HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) to Ukraine, military magazine 1945 reported. A military expert told Insider's Sinead Baker last month, that the long-range, high-precision rockets have made "a massive difference" to Ukraine's war efforts. Korotchenko went on to argue that Russia should welcome the North Korean troops and their counter-battery expertise. "If North Korea expresses a desire to meet its international duty to fight against Ukrainian fascism, we should let them," he said, according to the New York Post. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets troops who have taken part in the military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army KCNA via Reuters North Korea's military is the world's fourth largest, with nearly 1.3 million active personnel, according to the New York-based Council for Foreign Relations. A further 600,000 serve as reserve soldiers. Defense experts say it operates with aging equipment and technology, said the CFR. According to the South Korean newspaper Daily NK, North Korea has also offered up workers to assist Russia in rebuilding a post-war Ukraine. Citing Russian sources, Daily NK reported that North Korea is planning on sending more than 1,000 workers to the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine if Russia wins the war. "Considering that the war isn't over yet, the government is planning to send workers at an appropriate time while monitoring the situation on the ground," a North Korean source said, per Daily NK. Read the original article on Business Insider Taiwan has responded after China appeared to take part in military drills that simulated an attack following a major US official visiting the island. China has now ended a number of live-fire military drills across seven zones around Taiwan in response to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island - one that infuriated Chinese officials. However, there was an escalation on Sunday, with Taiwanese warships retaliating to the drills, sailing in close quarters to Chinese ships in the Taiwan Strait. A source told the Reuters news agency that some Chinese ships crossed the median line - an unofficial buffer which separates the two sides. They added the Taiwanese side monitored Chinese ships as they "pressed" the line, in an effort to deny them the chance to cross. "The two sides are showing restraint", they said, describing the manoeuvres as high seas "cat and mouse". "One side tries to cross, and the other stands in the way and forces them to a more disadvantaged position and eventually return to the other side." In a press release, Taiwan's defence ministry said China was using ships, aircraft and drones to simulate attacks on the island, adding it had dispatched aircraft to respond "appropriately". Taiwan added its land-based anti-ship missiles and its US-made Patriot surface-to-air-missiles were on stand-by. On Saturday, China said the drills near the island had a focus on land and sea strike capabilities. A White House spokesperson said the exercises were an escalation, adding: "They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation. "They are also at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is what the world expects." The US has numerous naval assets in the area, but the Biden administration has said it remains committed to the one-China policy, which recognises Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations and defence ties with Taiwan. The administration discouraged but did not prevent Ms Pelosi's visit. In continued retaliation to Ms Pelosi's trip, China has imposed sanctions on her, and it has cut off defence talks with the US. Four ships carrying Ukrainian foodstuffs set sail from Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Sunday as part of a deal to unblock the country's sea exports, Ukrainian and Turkish officials said. The four bulk carriers were loaded with almost 170,000 tonnes of corn and other foodstuffs, Ukraine's sea ports authority said on Facebook. The body overseeing the operation said on Saturday evening that it had authorised the departure of a total of five new vessels through the Black Sea corridor: four vessels outbound from Chernomorsk and Odesa, and one inbound. The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) said that in total, the outbound ships would carry more than 161,000 tonnes of corn and food products to Turkey, China and Italy. Their progress will be monitored to Istanbul, where they will be inspected offshore before sailing through the Bosphorus. With these new departures, Ukrainian grain exports are gradually finding a regular rhythm. "Schedules may be affected by preparations and weather conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances," the JCC said in a statement. At the same time, the centre has given permission for the MV Osprey cargo ship to sail, empty, to Chernomorsk as soon as it has been inspected on Sunday off Istanbul. The JCC is established in Istanbul under the terms of the international agreement signed on 22 July between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations. This agreement frees up Ukrainian grain exports blocked by the war since 24 February and Russian agricultural products, despite Western sanctions. On Saturday evening, experts completed the inspection of the Navistar, which left Odesa on Friday for Ireland. Two other ships that left at the same time will be inspected on Sunday, the JCC said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the revival of Ukrainian agricultural exports by sea. "Our Black Sea ports are working," he said in his address to Ukrainians on Saturday evening. "But the main risk, security, remains. The danger of Russian provocation and terrorist acts remains. Everyone must be aware of this. But if our partners fulfil their obligations and guarantee the security of deliveries, this will solve the global food crisis," he added. Flash Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a press conference for Chinese and foreign media to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference for Chinese and foreign media on Friday afternoon after attending the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation. "I would like to expound on China's position on the Taiwan question. Considering that the U.S. side has just spread a lot of false information and untrue words in this regard, it is even more necessary for us to clarify the facts and set the record straight," said Wang. He said that in disregard of China's resolute opposition and repeated representations, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a blatant visit to China's Taiwan region, with the actual connivance and facilitation of the U.S. government. This retrogressive act seriously infringed on China's sovereignty, acutely interfered in China's internal affairs, severely violated the commitments made by the U.S. side, and gravely undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he noted. "It is only natural that China should respond resolutely," he said. "Our position is legitimate, reasonable and lawful. Our measures are resolute, strong and proportionate. Our military drills are open, transparent and professional, which are in line with our domestic law, international law and common international practice, with an aim of warning those perpetrators and disciplining the 'Taiwan independence' forces," Wang said. "We will firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolutely deter the U.S. from 'using Taiwan to contain China', and resolutely shatter the Taiwan authorities' illusion of seeking independence by relying on U.S. support," he said. "Meanwhile, we are also upholding international law and the basic norms governing international relations, especially the norm of non-interference, the most important international norm as stipulated in the United Nations Charter," Wang said. He stressed that if the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign states is ignored or abandoned, the world will be dragged back to the law of the jungle, and the United States will become even more unscrupulous in bullying other countries, particularly small and medium-sized countries, from its so-called "position of strength." "We must not allow such things to happen, and all other countries should stand in unity to stop such things from happening and not allow the human civilization to regress," Wang said. He said that is why more than 100 countries have publicly stood up and reaffirmed their firm adherence to the one-China policy, and their understanding of and support for China's legitimate position. Noting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has clearly stressed that the United Nations will continue to uphold the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, Wang said that the core of the resolution is the one-China principle, which states that there is only one China in the world, and the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China. These are the voice of justice from the international community, he added. Calling the U.S. attempt of "using Taiwan to contain China" just a fantasy, Wang said that it cannot stop the historical trend of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and cannot stop the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The ploy of the "Taiwan independence" forces to "seek independence by relying on U.S. support" is no more than a fantasy and is destined to hit a dead end, he said, adding that the noose around their necks will only get tighter. In response to the U.S. excuse of a previous visit to Taiwan by a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Wang said former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich's visit to Taiwan was a serious mistake, which the Chinese government strongly opposed at the time. The United States has no right and is not in any position to make the same mistake again, and it cannot use the past mistakes as excuses and justifications for repeating them today, Wang said, questioning is the United States preparing to redo all its wrongdoings and dirty tricks in its history. Responding to the U.S. claim that China has changed the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Wang said it is nothing but a rumour and slander. Taiwan has never been a country. There is only one China, and both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country. This has been the status quo of Taiwan since ancient times. The China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations issued in 1978 clearly emphasizes that the government of the PRC is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan is part of China, which has been the status quo across the Taiwan Strait for decades, Wang noted. But such status quo has indeed been broken. The destroyer is not China, but the United States and Taiwan separatist forces, Wang said. "In 2000, the U.S. side placed its unilaterally-concocted 'Taiwan Relations Act' ahead of the three China-U.S. joint communiques. Isn't that changing the status quo? A few years ago, the U.S. side brazenly put the so-called 'Six Assurances,' which was kept in secrecy, into its one-China policy statement. Isn't that changing the status quo? Isn't it hollowing out the one-China policy?" Wang asked. He suggested the U.S. politicians in power have a good look at the three joint communiques, saying that then they will know what the real status quo across the Taiwan Strait is, and who have changed it. The same is true of those in Taiwan, Wang said. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came into power in Taiwan, it has been continuously pushing forward "incremental independence," going all out to promote "de-sinicization," and trying to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" on various occasions. "Isn't it blatantly changing the status quo? If Dr. Sun Yat-sen knew it, he would have pointed at the nose of Tsai Ing-wen, and called her an unworthy descendant," Wang said. On reports saying the United States is increasing its military deployment in the region, Wang called on all sides to stay highly vigilant. It is an old trick of the U.S. side to stir up troubles first and then take advantage of them to achieve its own goals, Wang said, adding that such practices will not work in front of China, and the Chinese side seriously warns the United States not to act recklessly and create a bigger crisis. In response to the remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the meeting that the U.S. side hopes that international law is abided by and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries are maintained, Wang said it has been long since the U.S. side last made such remarks, and the U.S. has done the opposite in multiple cases over the years. If the U.S. side can really mend its ways, China will encourage it, but the key is for the United States to walk the talk, Wang said, noting that it should first of all fulfill its commitment on the Taiwan question and respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop conniving at or supporting the "Taiwan independence" forces. HA NOI The Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK will continue to coordinate with Vietnamese and British agencies to identify victims in a blaze in Greater Manchester on May 7. The ministry said that necessary measures would be taken to organise funerals for the victims after they are verified, noting that Viet Nam has asked the British side to investigate the cause of the incident, ensuring the rights of Vietnamese citizens. Over the past few days, the department has coordinated with domestic agencies and localities to identify the families of the four Vietnamese workers who were reported missing in the fire. The embassy has also maintained contact and provided British police with the necessary information to accelerate identification. British police on August 4 asked Viet Nam to support and coordinate the verification of victims. On the same day, Greater Manchester Police officially announced the identity of the four Vietnamese citizens, comprising Chu Van Cuong (39), Nguyen Van Uoc (31), Nguyen Van Duong (29) and Le Thanh Nam (21). Their families had lost contact since May 7 and may have been in the fire. The four were reported missing to GMP on Thursday, July 21, 2022. Cuong arrived in the UK in June 2019. He maintained regular contact with his wife and children, but they have not heard from him since Saturday, May 7 2022. Uoc also maintained regular contact with his wife, but she had not heard from him since Saturday, May 7 2022. Duong arrived in the UK approximately 12 months ago. He last contacted his family about three months ago, saying he was residing in an abandoned house whilst looking for work. Nam arrived in the UK in January 2022. He last contacted his family on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, when he said he was residing in a derelict house in Dam, believed to be Oldham, whilst looking for work. Lewis Hughes, senior investigator and head of GMPs identification team, said that police have contacted relatives of the four and will make every effort to ensure that they are updated with information and fully supported. Though we have reason to suspect that Cuong, Uoc, Duong and Nam may have been in the mill during the fire, we are keeping an open mind with regards to how many people were present and their whereabouts. I, therefore, appeal to them or anyone with information about their whereabouts before or after the fire to contact us. I stress that their safety and welfare is our number one priority," the officer noted. We also continue to appeal for information about the fire or activities at the mill beforehand. VNS For one, the oil and gas industry is under immense pressure to improve operational efficiency, productivity, and worker safety; maintain cybersecurity; and, simultaneously, reduce environmental impact. In order to solve these challenges, oil and gas companies are accelerating their digital transformation. Denis Brunetti, President, Vietnam and Myanmar Ericsson As they adopt use cases around automation, smart safety and environmental monitoring, the oil and gas industry is increasingly looking to advanced cellular connectivity to help drive efficiencies, while being more environmentally sound. The industry is expected to meet the global goal of net-zero carbon by 2050. According to a McKinsey study, the use of advanced connectivity to optimise drilling and production throughput and improvements in maintenance and field operations could add up to $250 billion of value for oil and gas upstream operations by 2030. Digitalisation enabled by cellular connectivity can change the outlook for oil and gas companies in many ways. With high-performance, low-latency private cellular networks, the oil and gas industry can leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to meet its challenges. Oil and gas facilities are complicated operations and will likely always have a mix of technologies. A strong cellular 3GPP-based network, on 4G or 5G, can act as the primary network, supporting and linking things like Wi-Fi or hard-wired systems together into a cohesive unit. Cellular networks are cost-effective and scalable while providing superior coverage. Thus, reliable, secure connectivity will accelerate innovation in the sector. Connected devices like phones, tablets, and sensors, as well as wearables, will allow workers to have up-to-the-minute information like schematics and maintenance records at their fingertips, enabling them to complete jobs faster. Sensor networks powered by private cellular networks can prevent environmental hazards by tracking fugitive emissions, methane leaks, and corrosion. According to an Ericsson and Arthur D. Little study, a digitally enabled workforce is 8.5 per cent more productive and there is 48 per cent less loss from health and safety incidents. Overall, companies experience an 8 per cent reduction in operational spending due to the increased effectiveness of a digitally enhanced worker. Conducting manual site inspections of oil platforms is one of the most hazardous tasks in the industry. With a cellular network to provide increased performance and reliability, high-resolution video drones and automated guided vehicles can easily perform surveillance tasks with maximum precision and accuracy and remove humans from potential danger. Drones can reduce inspection times by 90 per cent and downtime costs caused by manual inspections by 65 per cent. Health and safety incidents also decrease, resulting in 35 per cent less cost to the operator, according to an Ericsson Study. 4G/5G wireless networks driving digitalisation across industries, illustration photo Digital transformation will harness cellular connectivity to optimise business operations of the oil and gas industry through data-driven insights for safer and efficient use of existing resources. To transform the industry, networks need to be reliable, powerful, and secure. Ericssons private cellular network solutions for the industry are enabling major safety and efficiency improvements and uncovering business value for oil and gas. Meanwhile, with revenues in excess of $500 billion, the mining sector represents a major component of the global economy. The rising demand for fuel and rare minerals needed for our technology is igniting expansion in the industry. Along with higher productivity, though, mining organisations are under pressure to achieve better safety, improve sustainability, lessen environmental impact, and reduce operational costs. Solving these multiple challenges is driving the evolution of the smart mine that harnesses data, automation, autonomous machines, and advanced technologies to achieve new efficiencies and capabilities. The realisation of the vision of the smart mine, though, requires a strong foundation: ubiquitous mobile connectivity. Ericssons connectivity solutions for the mining industry have been enabling significant productivity improvements and uncovering business value for both the mining industry and mobile telecom service providers. Our 5G-ready private networks have been successfully deployed by mining companies around the world. In one example, Ericsson and mining giant Boliden, along with other partners, have co-created a mine of the future at Aitik. Ericssons high-performance mobile communications have enabled Boliden to automate drill rig operations. Automation has saved approximately 1 per cent of Aitiks total annual costs and eliminated the need for two more drill rigs. The next step in the rollout is fully automated or remote-controlled trucks that will deliver smoother transport flow and lower fuel consumption and emissions. Elsewhere, Ericsson and Canadian-based Ambra partnered last year to deliver the worlds deepest underground LTE network for the Agnico Eagle mining complex, LaRonde, in Quebec. Located 3.5km below the surface, the 4G LTE private network provides data and voice services across the LaRonde mine site and enables several IoT use cases to improve safety and mining operations. The benefits of installing a private 4G LTE network included real-time communications across the mine, a safer workplace, more efficient operational activities, and more sustainable mining. Only robust wireless connectivity can handle the huge amounts of data and voice communications that are mission-critical to smart mining. A 5G-ready private cellular network introduces high-speed connectivity, low latency, and strong performance, optimised for IoT and required in a mines high device density environment. Ericssons connectivity solutions for the mining industry have been enabling major productivity improvements and uncovering business value for both mining and mobile telecom service providers. As we are seeing across the oil and gas industry, as well as the mining sector globally, we expect secure and reliable connectivity with 4G and 5G will drive a strong wave of digitalisation in Vietnam as well. In the updated draft national master plan for the rest of the decade and with orientations to 2050 that was released last week, the section on the nations urban and rural network highlighted that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are continuing to promote their effectiveness and spillover effects. It is hoped that they will develop dynamically and creatively in order to compete internationally. Vietnams planning orientation for the next few years aims to push development of satellite towns, Le Toan At last weeks conference on the national master plan held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi, Tran Hong Quang, director general of the ministrys Vietnam Institute for Development Strategies (VIDS), revealed that the two biggest cities will focus on developing high-quality and high-value-added services in sci-tech, health, training, and IT, as well as restricting processing and manufacturing industries that use a lot of land and labour. We should push the development of satellite towns for the mega-cities to reduce the stress on them and strengthen regional links, said Quang. It is hoped that in the coming decades, the capital of Hanoi will be developed into a rich living environment and landscape, featuring socio-cultural characteristics along with modern development trends. In the draft plan, the greater Hanoi area will accelerate the development of the Red River Delta and the northern midlands and mountains, as well as develop provincial and specialised cities that will play a driving role in the region. This will be carried out on the back of strengthened transport links and the effective exploitation of belt roads 4 and 5, along with the utilisation of economic corridors such as Lao Cai-Hanoi-Quang Ninh, Hanoi-Haiphong-Quang Ninh, and Lang Son-Bac Giang-Hanoi. Meanwhile, provincial cities and specialised urban centres in the south will also prove crucial in the region on the basis of strengthening links and effectively exploiting belt roads 3 and 4, as well as economic axes and corridors from Ho Chi Minh City to other localities. We will focus on developing the industrial chain of Moc Bai urban area to Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port in association with the Trans-Asian economic corridor, as well as pour research into Long Thanh International Airport, said Quang. In addition, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and the central city of Danang will also be important areas for the future, according to the draft national master plan. Can Tho will become a regional centre for trade services, tourism, processing, high-tech agriculture, education and training, specialised healthcare, sci-tech, culture, and sports. Meanwhile, Danang and its surrounding area will be orientated towards becoming a centre for entrepreneurship, innovation, tourism, commerce, finance, logistics, IT, high-quality education, and hosting regional and international events. In the view of Pho Duc Tung, an expert from the World Bank Group, the two key urban areas of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will eventually cover a population of 50 million people and contribute about half of the countrys total GDP. However, the most important aspect is developing inner strategic transport to connect other localities and the central cities to take advantage of the spillover effects. Unless the areas links are ensured, people will gather in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Citys centres and cause overloading and other environmental issues. Moreover, the two economic corridors of Moc Bai-Ba Ria Vung Tau and Lao Cai-Haiphong-Quang Ninh would not be able to reap the full benefits, said Tung. To overcome the issues of population increase and pollution, Tung suggested developing connections between these cities and their urban satellite towns. Meanwhile, satellite provinces and cities should be ready for a huge area of clean land and infrastructural development to build big industrial zones and urban industrial zones, Tung added. Quang from the VIDS also emphasised developing urban and rural areas in accordance with the distribution and development level of production. This will help to meet the requirements of industrialisation, modernisation, and the international economic integration of Vietnam, allowing the country to develop a dynamic and sustainable economy by 2030. The draft national master plan highlighted developing and adequately distributing urban networks throughout the country, creating balanced and harmonious development among regions based on the carrying capacity of the environment, as well as focusing on urban-rural links. It is necessary to ensure that the urbanisation and formation of growth poles are suitable for the advantages of each region, promoting the role of major and megacities for the whole country while also remembering the importance of smaller regions and medium urban areas in each locality, the master plan outlined. At a meeting with the leader of the southern province of Binh Duong last week, chairman of Sharp Corporation Yoshihiro Hashimoto revealed an expansion plan in the locality. Investors already with factories in the country are demonstrating that they trust the business climate here, Photo: Le Toan Sharp Group is exploring opportunities in the southern provinces of Vietnam, including Binh Duong, to move the supply chain away from the Chinese market, promoting market diversification and distribution, according to Hashimoto. In the coming time, Sharp will continue to expand and build one more large-scale factory, oriented to develop high-tech and advanced products, he said. Binh Duong is assessed as a locality with an attractive investment environment, in line with Sharps criteria. The group has two production factories located in Vietnam, at Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) I and an extended VSIP II. Sharp hopes to be supported in construction land, labour, and connected transport infrastructure, as well as enjoying tax incentives and construction costs. Sharps factory will manufacture and process electrical products, electronics, high-tech components, smartphones, and feature production of household electronics, household electrical appliances, and healthcare items. Processing and manufacturing has always been the hottest industry for foreign direct investment (FDI) in this country over the past 30 years. In addition to luring a huge amount of funding, this is also the favourite of big industrial corporations like Samsung, LG, Canon, Honda, and Toyota, which continue expanding facilities in Vietnam. South Korean giant Samsung is the biggest example, having set foot in Vietnam 14 years ago. It started with a smartphone manufacturing complex in the northern province of Bac Ninh before scaling up its interest in Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, and Ho Chi Minh City, eventually reaching almost $20 billion in total investment in Vietnam. Singapores Fujifilm Business Innovation expanded its factory by $492 million in Ho Chi Minh City in the first months of the year, in addition to the millions-of-dollars capital expansion of factories in Bac Ninh, Nghe An, and Haiphong for manufacturing electronics, network equipment, and multimedia audio products. A report in June from HSBC said that Vietnams economy continues to brighten and is becoming an emerging manufacturing hub for the globe, making up a significant market share in numerous sectors like electronics, textiles, and footwear. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), in the January-July 20 period, the processing and manufacturing industry saw $10 billion of FDI capital in Vietnam. Accumulated as of July 20, $254.36 billion has been registered in this industry, four-fold of the second-biggest industry of real estate. Additionally-registered FDI in the January-July 20 period was $7.24 billion, a rise of 59.3 per cent on-year, and share-purchases funding was $2.58 billion, up 25.7 per cent on-year. In the context that global FDI has yet to recover totally, the signs are positive for foreign inflows in Vietnam. Foreign investors are continuing to expand into Vietnam, meaning that they trust in the economy and investment climate of Vietnam, said Do Nhat Hoang, director general of MPIs Foreign Investment Agency (FIA). However, newly-registered investment into Vietnam is still declining. During the January-July 20 period, $5.72 billion was poured into 927 newly-licensed projects, a slight decrease of 7.9 per cent in the number of projects and a sharp reduction of 43.5 per cent in value. Hoang explained that the newly-registered funding is still suffering the impacts of the pandemic, so some investment promotion conferences have not been held, and some investors have not yet been able to visit Vietnam. However, the on-year decrease has been improving on a month-by-month basis, Hoang said. We should prepare more carefully to take advantages of relocating global supply chains. The Korea and Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association (KOVECA) and the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, along with ministries and localities, last week jointly held two Vietnam-Korea cooperation forums in both the northern and southern regions with the participation of 30 associations and 50 enterprises from South Korea. PM Pham Minh Chinh greets representatives of the RoK's associations and businesses at the dialogue in Hanoi on July 30. (Photo: VNA) The associations and enterprises are looking for investment opportunities in terms of urban and transport infrastructure, hospitals, renewable energy, high-tech, and career training. Previously, in the framework of a conference connecting the northern province of Thai Binh and South Korea in early July by Thai Binh Peoples Committee, coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Embassy to Vietnam, an investment registration certificate was granted to South Koreas SMT Company for the JinYang Electronics Vina factory project in Lien Ha Thai Industrial Zone. The provincial leader also signed an MoU on cooperation with the Korean Business Association in Vietnam to foster bilateral investment activities. Besides that, businesses of the two countries signed agreements on principle to boost bilateral cooperation. These events are a part of the activities on the occasion of celebrating the 30th year of diplomatic ties between both nations. Kwon Sung-Taek, deputy chairman of KOVECA, said Vietnam is among the top investment destinations for foreign groups moving away from China. South Korean enterprises have advantages in terms of capital, technical skills, technology, and experience, while domestic manufacturers have strengthened thanks to a young workforce and digital transformation, Sung-Taek said. Thus, they are also interested in doing technology transfer with domestic enterprises. However, in order to exploit thoroughly the investment capital inflows from South Korea, Vietnam needs to be more transparent in its policies. Fostering bilateral investment capital inflows is a leading priority of the two governments. In a phone conversation between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo on July 4, the two parties emphasised the importance of promoting the investment activities in the schedule to raise the two-way trade to $100 billion next year and $150 billion by 2030. They will also facilitate the import of Vietnamese agricultural produce, fruit, and seafood to South Korea and push for more South Korean funding in Vietnam in the fields of digital technology, electronics, renewable energy, and infrastructure development. South Korea has remained in the top three largest foreign investors in Vietnam for many years. In the first seven months of 2022, investors from the country poured in $3.26 billion, accounting for 21 per cent of the total capital inflows to the country. Although there is much potential for South Korea, many there are still concerned about the transparency of the legal framework and unclear investment attraction policy. Choi Jeong Pil, CEO of JP Investment, commented that Vietnam needs to specify the national list of projects calling for foreign investment in the 2021-2025 period in order that foreign funds and investors can more easily evaluate the potential of each project. South Korean investors expect that the local authorities will clarify the detailed information about the incentive in administrative procedures, the general licensing, and land clearance. Everything needs transparency to avoid the impact on the investors implementation schedule, making them lose trust in the business environment in Vietnam, he said. In November 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh signed Decision No.1931/QD-TTg promulgating a list of 157 national-level projects calling for foreign investment for the period. Pil also added that the government should create more favourable conditions for foreign investment funds to join in Vietnamese state-owned enterprises equitisation process. The foreign funds can be in charge of improving capacity and productivity, making opportunities for domestic businesses to join deeply in the global supply chain. PM holds dialogue with RoK enterprises Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a dialogue with the Republic of Korea (RoK)s Ambassador Park Noh-wan and representatives of Korean associations and businesses in Vietnam in Hanoi on July 30. RoK expects to cooperate with Vietnam in human resources training, technology transfer The Republic of Korea (RoK) wishes to collaborate with Vietnam in high quality human resources training, technology transfer as well as in mineral exploitation and processing, said RoK Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang during talks with visiting Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien in Seoul on August 2. Flash A Palestinian inspects the rubble of a house after an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Aug. 6, 2022. At least 15 Palestinians have been killed and 125 injured as Israeli warplanes are continuing to strike military targets throughout the Gaza Strip for the second day on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) At least 15 Palestinians have been killed and 125 injured as Israeli warplanes are continuing to strike military targets throughout the Gaza Strip for the second day on Saturday. A woman was killed in the afternoon when an Israeli warplane struck a car in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, bringing the total death toll in two days of Israeli airstrikes to 15, including a 5-year-old girl, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. The ministry also warned that its medical services could stop within 72 hours because of the lack of fuel needed to operate the generators. During a press conference, Ashraf al-Qidra, the ministry spokesman, announced the suspension of outpatient services and scheduled surgeries in all hospitals to ensure emergency operations for the injured in the "aggression." The pharmaceutical situation in Gaza is going through its "worst" time in years, al-Qidra warned. Kenneth Chan, senior director of Market Development at Renze Textile JSC, under Texhong Group, has unveiled a new process to monitor origin-tracing. A tracing system is slated to be put into operation in August for the subsidiaries of Texhong Group, after Chan informed the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association and the American Cotton Association (CCI) at a meeting earlier in June. This US has made major decisions on cotton origin-tracing that affects Vietnam and beyond, Duc Thanh Renze, one of eight Texhong member companies, is using American cotton for its products to ensure product quality and comply with strict requirements for export to the United States and EU. From March, customers were able to access the Texhong cotton tracing system to trace the details of their orders. Chan noted that Renze is focusing on sustainability and transparency. He also informed the companys partners about key development trends as well as viable solutions for Vietnamese suppliers to meet the evolving demand. The supply chain has been closely monitored with an increasing focus on transparency. Many brands also set a target to source sustainable cotton materials for all of their products by 2030. According to a survey by Cotton Incorporated a non-profit organisation funded by cotton growers in the US, 91 per cent of consumers believed that cotton and natural fibres are safe for the environment, compared with 45 per cent for polyester. Research by the CCI showed that 61 per cent of customers pay attention to sustainable development when purchasing clothes. Two-thirds of them will make more efforts to purchase sustainable-labelled products. According to Vo Manh Hung, representative of the CCI in Vietnam, cotton origin-tracing presents a problem for any textile exporters wishing to penetrate the global supply chain. In light of the rising demand for transparency and origin-tracing, the US Cotton Trust Protocol has set a new standard for sustainably grown cotton. Origin guarantee will help address traceability challenges facing the global cotton industry, including reducing the risk of partners mixing cotton with lower quality materials. Hung added that the US protocol was designed to set a new standard in more sustainably grown cotton, ensuring that it contributes to the protection and preservation of the planet, using the most sustainable and responsible techniques. It provides quantifiable, verifiable goals and measurements, and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics for American cotton. Tran Nhu Tung, chairman of Thanh Cong Textile Garment Investment Trading JSC, said that joining the US Cotton Trust Protocol offers various merits to many businesses. The annual fee of $500 is relatively low and, along with being certified for using American cotton, Thanh Cong also receives technical support and an annual assessment of its weaknesses from the protocol to improve the quality of its supply chain. On the same note, Cao Trung Hieu, general director of Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, said that the US remains the largest market for Vietnams textile industry, followed by the EU and South Korea. The upcoming challenge is to meet the requirements related to environmental and social responsibility, which have become the main concern for both buyers and customers in the import market. Hieu added that in the next three years, buyers will request sellers to meet more requirements like adopting the traceability of materials and using more recycled and regenerative materials. Other requirements are reducing the carbon footprint and chemical use of products and measuring the environmental impact of the production process, as well as ensuring a living wage and a safe working environment for workers. In addition to the US, Hieu also cited the challenge of exporting textile products to the EU market. Accordingly, exporters have to meet requirements related to product safety and the use of chemicals. This requirement restricts the use of chemicals in clothing and decorations, including azo dyes, flame retardants, water- and stain-resistant chemicals, and nickel. In addition, importers may request social responsibility from sellers in compliance with the EUs General Product Safety Directive. These regulations are always under strict control by customers thus, Vietnamese businesses have no choice but to comply. After a rocky start in the Waco area, AMR has adapted, improved response times and responded to local needs even while facing daunting challenges of the pandemic, area police and fire officials said as the EMS provider enters the fifth year of its five-year local contract. Negotiations are getting started for American Medical Response to extend its contract with McLennan County and seven area cities, said Bret Crook, chair of the McLennan County EMS Committee and Woodways public safety director. An AMR official said the company plans to stick around long term. We have had no complaints to the committee from the cities in the past two years, that I am aware of, Crook said Friday. During a two-month span after AMRs contract started Aug. 1, 2018, first responders logged 54 notations in an EMS committee internal database created to collect complaints or concerns, the Tribune-Herald reported at the time. AMR provides emergency medical services and transport to Bellmead, Beverly Hills, Hewitt, Lacy Lakeview, Robinson, Waco, Woodway and most unincorporated areas of McLennan County. It took over the job from East Texas Medical Center, which had served the area since 2003. The agreement between the cities and AMR requires response to priority one calls, indicating life-threatening emergencies, in less than nine minutes. It require response to priority two calls, indicating emergencies that are not life-threatening, in less than 13 minutes. From Jan. 1 to July 31 this year, our average response time for both Priority 1 and Priority 2 calls combined is under 8 minutes, AMR area operations manager Heather Schmidt said in statement Friday. Schmidt said her company plans to remain in the community now and long into the future. What Schmidt did not say, but Crook did is that hospitals in McLennan County, and across the country, added significant patient admitting protocols in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID, an ambulance could just drop a patient of at a hospital, hand over care and turn for the next call, Crook said. Now, they have to follow COVID-19 protocols for admission. Sometimes an ambulance could be there for 15 to 30 minutes. Crook said that at the height of the pandemic admission protocols could have taken an hour or two. AMR worked on ways to improve response times and meet the minimum requirements, Crook said. They added trucks and brought in more (EMTs and paramedics), so that even if one ambulance crew went through a lengthy hospital admissions process for a patient, another truck could take a call. Schmidt said that despite the strain the pandemic put on the health care system, her company raised wages for frontline employees and implemented generous signing bonuses in response to a national workforce shortage. Robinson Police Chief Rich Andreucci said he does not recall any issues or concerns with AMR since he started serving in Robinson in January of last year. A spokesperson for the Waco Police Department and a spokesperson for the Waco Fire Departments each said their personnel have great working relationships with AMR. Bellmead City Manager Yost Zakhary, who has worked as a police officer or city manager for Woodway and more recently Bellmead since 1979, said in an email that AMR has provided top-notch service with the latest equipment and technology. The supervisory team in our market is not only supportive but extremely responsive to our needs, Zakhary wrote. This company employs a team of skilled professionals, and its patient care is superb, he said. Schmidt said her colleagues and staff appreciate working with forward-thinking local leaders to help modernize the EMS system. For example, AMR deploys paramedics in quick response vehicles to partner with EMTs on ambulances, she said. This helps maximize overall capacity, Schmidt said. Next, AMR plans to work toward a true tiered response system, Schmidt said. Tiered systems help maximize valuable paramedic-level responses and add resources back into the community. A rocky start All of the praise for AMRs performance during the pandemic comes after a rocky start after its contract took effect Aug 1., 2018. One of the dozens of early complaints against AMR involved a local police chief driving a pregnant woman who was in labor to an area hospital himself in his police cruiser, after no ambulance responded to her request, the Tribune-Herald reported at the time. When problems came across, they worked to improve, Crook said. He said the company did not make excuses, but owned the situation and found ways to improve. There are always struggles bringing a new organization on board, he said. By November of 2018, AMR had increased the number of ambulance crews in service at any given time and had brought response times into compliance the service contract, officials said at the time. They have adapted well, and he is pleased with their progress, Crook said. Schmidt said her company is proud of the service it has provided. We appreciate the relationships we have in Central Texas and look forward to continuing to serve the region for many years to come, she said. Free legal clinic Monday Greater Waco Legal Services will have its First Monday Legal Clinic from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at El Calvario Presbyterian Church, 3100 N. 19th St. For more information, call 254-733-2828 or email staff@greaterwacolegalservices.org. After-school camps Waco community centers will offer after-school camps from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for kids ages 5 to 13 starting Aug. 22. The monthly rate is $65. Kids will participate in after-school tutoring and recreational activities. Space is limited. To register, call Bledsoe-Miller at 254-750-8684, Dewey at 254-750-8677 or South Waco at 254-750-8650. Homespun Quilters Guild The Homespun Quilters Guild will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at New Road Church of Christ, 3100 S. New Road. The program will be a College Night to offer three tutorials. Visitors are always welcome. Newcomers RSVP Monday is the deadline to register for the Aug. 17 Waco Newcomers and Neighbors lunch, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Baylor Club in McLane Stadium, 1001 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. To make a reservation, call 719-210-7928 or email reservationsnnn@gmail.com. Medicare enrollment class A Medicare educational meeting for new enrollees will start at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 23 at the Area Agency on Aging, 1514 S. New Road. In addition to answering questions about the Medicare program, there will be information about Social Security, supplemental insurance and Medicare Advantage. For more information, call Jan Enders at 254-292-1843. WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration on Tuesday approved two massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help them defend against Iran. The more than $5 billion in missile defense and related sales follow President Joe Bidens visit to the Middle East last month, during which he met with numerous regional leaders in Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been hit in recent months with rocket attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen. Although Tuesdays approvals are for defensive weapons, they may be questioned by lawmakers who had supported Bidens decision last year to cut Saudi Arabia and the UAE off from major purchases of offensive U.S. arms because of their involvement in the war in Yemen. The new sales include $3 billion for Patriot missiles for Saudi Arabia specifically designed to protect itself from rocket attacks by the Houthis, and $2.2 billion for high-altitude missile defense for the UAE. The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias capability to meet current and future threats by replenishing its dwindling stock of PATRIOT GEM-T missiles, the State Department said in its notice informing Congress of the sale. These missiles are used to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias borders against persistent Houthi cross-border unmanned aerial system and ballistic missile attacks on civilian sites and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia," the department said. For UAE, the department said the sale would support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important regional partner. The UAE is a vital U.S. partner for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East. Early in his administration Biden had pledged to cut off or cut back weapons sales to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE because of their actions in Yemen. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The parents of a 6-year-old killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting described being put through a living hell of death threats, harassment and ongoing trauma over the past decade as they confronted conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who has used his media platforms to push claims that it was all a hoax. The parents led a day of charged testimony Tuesday that included the judge scolding the bombastic Jones for not being truthful with some of what he said under oath. Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was killed at the school in Newtown, Connecticut, took the witness stand Tuesday on the final day of testimony in the two-week defamation damages trial against Jones and his media company Free Speech Systems. They are seeking at least $150 million damages. In a gripping exchange, Lewis spoke directly to Jones, who was sitting about 10 feet away. Earlier that day, Jones was on his broadcast program telling his audience that Heslin is slow and being manipulated by bad people. I am a mother first and foremost and I know you are a father. My son existed, Lewis said to Jones. I am not deep state ... I know you know that ... And yet youre going to leave this courthouse and say it again on your show. At one point, Lewis asked Jones: Do you think Im an actor? No, I dont think youre an actor, Jones responded before the judge admonished him to be quiet until called to testify. Lewis continued trying to impress on Jones that the Sandy Hook shooting and trauma inflicted in the decade since then was real. It seems so incredible to me that we have to do this that we have to implore you, to punish you to get you to stop lying, Lewis said. I am so glad this day is here. Im actually relieved. And grateful ... that I got to say all this to you. Jones visibly shook his head several times while Scarlett Lewis was addressing him. Heslin and Lewis are among several Sandy Hook families who have filed several lawsuits alleging that Sandy Hook hoax claims pushed by Jones have led to years of abuse by Jones and his followers. Heslin and Lewis both said they fear for their lives and have been confronted by strangers at home and on the street. Heslin said his home and car have been shot at. The jury heard a death threat sent via telephone message to another Sandy Hook family. I cant even describe the last nine and a half years, the living hell that I and others have had to endure because of the recklessness and negligence of Alex Jones, Heslin said. Scarlett Lewis also described threatening emails that seemed to have uncovered deep details of her personal life. Its fear for your life, Scarlett Lewis said. You dont know what they were going to do. Heslin said he didnt know if the Sandy Hook hoax conspiracy theory originated with Jones, but it was Jones who lit the match and started the fire with an online platform and broadcast that reached millions worldwide. What was said about me and Sandy Hook itself resonates around the world, Heslin said. As time went on, I truly realized how dangerous it was. Jones skipped Heslins morning testimony while he was on his show a move Heslin dismissed as cowardly but arrived in the courtroom for part of Scarlett Lewis testimony. He was accompanied by several private security guards. Today is very important to me and its been a long time coming ... to face Alex Jones for what he said and did to me. To restore the honor and legacy of my son, Heslin said when Jones wasnt there. Heslin told the jury about holding his son with a bullet hole through his head, even describing the extent of the damage to his sons body. A key segment of the case is a 2017 Infowars broadcast that said Heslin didnt hold his son. The jury was shown a school picture of a smiling Jesse taken two weeks before he was killed. The parents didnt receive the photo until after the shooting. They described how Jesse was known for telling classmates to run! which likely saved lives. An apology from Jones wouldnt be good enough, the parents said. Alex started this fight, Heslin said, and Ill finish this fight. Jones later took the stand himself, initially being combative with the judge, who had asked him to answer his own attorney's question. Jones testified he had long wanted to apologize to the plaintiffs. I never intentionally tried to hurt you. I never said your name until this came to court," Jones said. "The internet had questions, I had questions. Later, the judge sent the jury out of the room and strongly scolded Jones for telling the jury he complied with pretrial evidence gathering even though he didnt, and that he is bankrupt, which has not been determined. Plaintiffs attorneys were furious about Jones mentioning he is bankrupt, which they worry will taint a jury decision about damages. This is not your show, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble told Jones. Your beliefs do not make something true. You are under oath. Last September, Guerra admonished Jones in her default judgment over his failure to turn over documents requested by the Sandy Hook families. A court in Connecticut issued a similar default judgment against Jones for the same reasons in a separate lawsuit brought by other Sandy Hook parents. Heslin and Lewis suffer from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder that comes from constant trauma, similar to that endured by soldiers in war zones or child abuse victims, a forensic psychologist who studied their cases and met with them testified Monday. Closing arguments were expected Wednesday after more testimony from Jones, who has portrayed the lawsuit against him as an attack on his First Amendment rights. At stake in the trial is how much Jones will pay. The parents have asked the jury to award $150 million in compensation for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury will then consider whether Jones and his company will pay punitive damages. The trial is just one of several Jones faces. Courts in Texas and Connecticut have already found Jones liable for defamation for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax. In both states, judges issued default judgments against Jones without trials because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents. Jones has already tried to protect Free Speech Systems financially. The company filed for federal bankruptcy protection last week. Sandy Hook families have separately sued Jones over his financial claims, arguing that the company is trying to protect millions owned by Jones and his family through shell entities. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report. CEDAR FALLS Mass shootings are often planned to catch victims off guard. But if you are prepared with the right game plan in mind, there is hope the narrative can be changed to one with less carnage. The Cedar Falls Public Safety Department has hosted two summer educational training sessions, A Citizens Response to Active Shooter Situations. The last was Thursday and two more are scheduled in the days before school starts. After the May shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were killed by a shooter, Cedar Falls Acting Police Chief Mark Howard felt his department had to do what it could change the script if such a horrific event were to ever happen in the Cedar Valley. Before the department decided to put out an invite to the public, businesses and organizations approached officers about setting up a seminar. Lt. Dennis ONeill, a 25-year veteran in law enforcement with 22 years of experience at Cedar Falls, has led these sessions. Hes served on the citys SWAT team for 18 years. Its a short one here, but it gets that motor going, said ONeill. The 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado has been the benchmark, ONeill said. It taught law enforcement agencies valuable lessons, one being how they were taking too much time to respond, and instead should be heading directly to the threat. Theres been a pendulum shift in which more people are wounded than are being killed. Something is working, according ONeill. But there is still work to be done, especially in citizen response. He said the last time 10 children died in a school fire was 1958, but it doesnt take a person a long time to come up with the last time that was the end result of a shooting in a school. A Citizens Response to Active Shooter Situations hopes to slow down and prevent carnage and increase the chances of survival lessons the department believe can be spread by word of mouth. Law enforcement cant stop these on our own, but a community can, said Howard. Its a very informative hour. If it gets people talking, then thats what we want. See something, say something. High body counts are happening because shooters are firing lots of ammunition as quickly as possible at victims who make the challenge too easy. Cedar Falls announces The Falls will close Aug. 14, a week earlier than anticipated With seasonal employees departing for school activities and already limited staff, The Falls will not be able to remain open until the previously stated date of Aug. 21. ONeill reflected that during the Columbine shooting one teacher ordered students to remain under tables for more than seven minutes when they could have used each minute more productively. One of ONeills goals has been to make attendees feel as at ease talking about an uncomfortable topic as possible. Lots of points are driven home in an hour. But at no point will anyone be put on the spot and expected to answer questions. ONeill even throws in a joke every once and awhile to lighten the mood. Often, victims are surprised, theyre not defeated, he said. If a person knows more about what it means to run, hide and fight, he believes that can help lower the body count. Run is the preferred choice, said ONeill. Keep running, while keeping a motivator in the back of the mind a killer wont find you if you get as far away from the situation as possible. No matter the age or ability even if shot and injured a motivated person can run or walk fast and far. When it comes to hiding, think about how many tables, chairs, and other items could be stacked in front of the door or in the entrance. A person can eventually get through any door. The key word is eventually, because the harder the challenge the more likely the shooter will give up, said ONeill. How often have shooters shot three people and then given up when there are many more people in front of them? The answer is never. One of ONeills messages was they continue killing until it gets more challenging. And that was the point ONeill drove home when talking about the last possible option: to fight. You dont need to win, you need to survive, he said. Attendees are taught to try to disrupt the shooters OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) when operating a firearm, so that the perpetrator has to reset and begin from the first step in the process. That disruption can be as simple as throwing a water bottle at the perpetrator. ONeill welcomes any organization or business to set up a training session. It will be catered to the audience, crafted to the available time and could include a simulation if desired. The summer sessions are full at this time, and any future ones in the fall will be announced by the department. Each one is open to about 15 people as the preference is to keep them smaller. The department has emphasized these sessions shouldnt be used as a time to discuss or debate gun laws or the role mental health plays in these shootings. Its to build a community response. Additional information and knowledge is always powerful, said attendee Barb Lyman-Kluck, a retired teacher. Its good to learn about what to do as an individual, she said. It fleshed out the concept of run, hide and fight and reinforced a concept she was taught when she was a teacher. I didnt know anything, so I learned a lot, said Linda Brooks, another attendee and retired teacher who left the profession before the Columbine shooting in 1999. I guess we were oblivious. Both agreed theyll be looking more intently at the possible exits in a building whenever inside one, and will try to keep the mindset of being the victor, not the victim. Its currently a prevalent situation in our area and really the whole country, said another attendee, Destiny Miles. This type of event will raise awareness, and make people feel more confident in what to do. WATERLOO Police arrested a 17-year-old boy who allegedly fired a handgun outside Saturday evening in the 200 block of Reber Avenue, said Sgt. Jordan Ehlers. The boy was charged with reckless use of firearm, minor carrying dangerous weapons, persons ineligible to carry dangerous weapons, and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said Sunday. Officers responded to the shots fired call at 227 Reber Ave. at 7:22 p.m., or what was the first of two calls that evening when evidence of gunfire was found. On this occasion, police found one spent shell casing. The teen, who police have encountered before in response to previous incidents, was found with a 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and arrested at 8:03 p.m. One arrested in May shootout outside Waterloo nightclub WATERLOO One person has been arrested in connection with a shootout outside a Waterloo nig There were no injuries or property damage. Why exactly the teen fired the gun was not stated in the latest update. Ehlers said its believed to have been an isolated incident, and the public is not in any danger. About a mile away and a little more than three hours later, at 10:31 p.m., police responded to another shots fired call at 915 Grant Ave. Sgt. Melissa Ludwig said officers found four spent shell casings and damage to the back side of a house, but no weapons or people in the vicinity. Within the past five days, police have responded to the same address on two occasions, once for a weapons violation and the other for a drug violation. Another arrest in money laundering investigation WATERLOO Bond has been set at $100,000 for the latest person to be arrested in an investig WATERLOO The public can bring its input to the Board of Education on Monday regarding a project for one of East High Schools parking lots. The board meets at 5 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St. A public hearing will take place at the beginning of the meeting to discuss the transformation of East Highs east parking lot. The project includes asphalt overlay and patching; improvements to the concrete ramp, stairs and sidewalks; lighting upgrades; and a trash enclosure. A bid for the project is also expected to come before the board during the meeting. ISG Architects recommends accepting the sole bid from Failor Hurley Construction Inc. of Waterloo for $433,200 plus $120 per square yard for patching. The engineers estimate was $345,456 plus $120 per square yard for patching. The architect said in a board memo that the 25% higher estimate is due to material and labor shortages. Other business coming before the board includes: The purchase and installation of preschool playground equipment for Poyner Elementary School from Boland Recreation of Marshalltown at a cost of $39,994. According to a board memo, two preschool classrooms will open at the building this fall but theres no age-appropriate playground equipment which is a recommendation for such programs. The proposed playground has a climbing tunnel, stump perches, a crawl tube, three slides, a ladder and a small climbing wall. The equipment would be purchased this fall and installed in summer 2023. A $6,585 change order for the $28 million Central Middle School remodeling and Waterloo Career Center expansion project to add to add insulation to the underside of the bridge connection between the expansion building and the middle school. The project, approved in March 2021 and funded with the districts portion of the statewide 1% sales tax for schools, is aiming to bring the number of career and technical programs at the center up to 30. Completion is slated for . An agreement allowing Union Community School District students to enroll in career center classes. Union Schools will be charged tuition of $450 per semester for each block a student is enrolled. The $190,594 purchase of more than 400 Chromebook laptop computers for nine elementary schools that didnt receive devices last year. Money comes from the Emergency Connectivity Fund, which was awarded in July. Through this, the district can be reimbursed up to $400 per device. Each device costs $435, making the districts cost $26,994. Accepting donations of $10,000 and $3,377 for West High School. The Sunshine Charitable Foundation gave $10,000 to benefit students pursuing a higher education. The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, on behalf of the John and Marge Young Family Fund, gave $3,377 to support students and programming. FARLEY Authorities have released the names of the two people who were killed when a vehicle rear-ended a sanitation vehicle Tuesday on U.S. Highway 20 near Farley. Miranda Held, 20, and Samuel Linck, 21, both of Cedar Falls, were killed in the crash. According to the Iowa State Patrol, Held was driving with Linck east on U.S. Highway 20 near mile marker 300 around 5:15 p.m. when she attempted to pass vehicles by entering a turning lane and rear-ended an eastbound sanitation vehicle driven by 32-year-old Adam Linden of Sherrill that was waiting to turn north onto Olde Castle Road. A Waterloo man who was shot and killed by police Saturday after pointing what appeared to be a pistol at them has been identified. View of prehistoric site Shimao ruins in NW China Xinhua) 09:48, August 07, 2022 An archeologist works at the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 6, 2022. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) An archeologist shows a needle made of bone excavated from the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 6, 2022. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Aerial photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows a view of the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Aerial photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows a view of the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows a view of the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Yang Yimiao) Aerial photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows a view of the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows needles made of bone excavated from the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) An archeologist cleans recently-excavated stone carvings at the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 6, 2022. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows stone carvings excavated from the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Yang Yimiao) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows the reinforcing wall at the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Archeologists measure a recently-excavated stone carvings at the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 6, 2022. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Photo taken on Aug. 6, 2022 shows part of the Shimao ruins, an important prehistoric site in Shenmu City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shimao ruins, located in Shenmu of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were a neolithic city built about 4,300 years ago and abandoned roughly 300 years later during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), the first dynasty in China described in historical chronicles. Over the past 10 years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts and a 230-foot-high stepped pyramid. "The site's early date and peripheral location were surprising since Chinese civilization was thought to have first developed in the Central Plains around 500 years after Shimao's founding," read an article in the Archaeology journal. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Flash A Chinese expert has rebuked United States' Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry's criticism that China's suspension of Sino-US climate talks "punishes the world", saying the statement is "deceptive" and "does not make any sense". "Firmly upholding its climate commitment, China has offered consistent support to developing countries," said Zhang Jianyu, executive director of the BRI Green Development Institute. Kerry's remark came on Friday following the announcement that China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was to suspend China-US talks on climate change as one of the eight countermeasures in response to the visit of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, to Taiwan. The suspension is "disappointing", Kerry said. "Suspending cooperation doesn't punish the United States -- it punishes the world, particularly the developing world." Zhang said the US indeed undermined China's core interest on Taiwan question. It's thus understandable for China to take the countermeasures. He said, however, he expects climate issues will provide impetus for the resumption of China-US cooperation. China has included climate talks into the countermeasures together with military dialogue and fighting crimes. This shows that climate issues have been considered by Chinese government as one of the cornerstones in China-US cooperation, he said. He said, in the long run, China and the United States will surely resume cooperation. He believes climate issues will play a key role in helping bring the cooperation back on track. WAVERLY Theres never a day Marianne Waldstein isnt being a role model. Even as she was being honored with the Leading Life Award from LeadingAge Iowa on Friday, she was collecting soda can tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House and pulling plastic cups out of the trash can to ensure they got recycled instead of going to the landfill. Oh for heavens sake. Oh my gosh, I dont know what to say, said Waldstein, 92, who was surprised at 4 p.m. during a social hour at the Eichhorn Haus in the Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly. Most of the couple of dozen neighbors in attendance at first were puzzled by the commotion caused by two news cameramen in the room and were later in awe when realizing the significance of the occasion. The Bartels resident held her hands near her face in shock as she was recognized with colorful balloons and a pink laced cake. It was only a few years ago she was named a Courier Eight Over 80 recipient. Shes just always helping others and making things better and easier for other people, said Audrey Lage, a longtime friend and now neighbor. The Leading Life Award is given to those who have an extraordinary attitude and resilience as they have grown older and have transformed the views on aging through their continued learning, engagement and contributions. This a great faith-based community, said Marianne Waldstein. Its overwhelming. I was totally surprised. There are many other people who have done a lot of great things. A lot of the information ascertained about her life for her award nomination was collected by her son, Fred Waldstein, a Bartels board member. Met with lots of chuckles was her exclamation to him that afternoon: I thought all that information was for my obituary. Lage says the Waverly womans character came as a result of being a teacher for decades, many spent teaching the first and second grades. The widow of former state Sen. Arne Waldstein has led an impressive life full of travel. Her biggest highlight perhaps was when she was the oldest person at age 90 to go zip lining in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Bremer County Supervisors express disapproval of proposed carbon pipeline On Monday morning, the supervisors unanimously approved sending a formal letter to the Iowa Utilities Board to express its opposition to the 'Navigator Heartland Greenway' project. It was her second time. She previously tried it in Panama at age 80. I wouldnt mind sky diving someday too, she said. In the near term her focus is on her work with Cedar River Readers, a theater troupe she helped found. She is looking forward to next week performing a bit involving a word being used in about 100 different ways. Also touted Friday was her work with the Philanthropic Education Organization and how she helps raise money for womens scholarships through sponsorships with American flags that are displayed throughout the community. Additionally, Waldstein is passionate about spending time with the younger generation and being physically fit. She has a positive attitude and is always encouraging others, said CEO Paula Geise. Her caring is genuine, and she shows her love of life every day and to everyone. The Mississippi Valley Fair grandstand was already filling up with country fans when the news came the Jimmie Allen concert was canceled. The country music star took to social media to explain the situation, and ask the guilty party to start cutting some checks. In a video posted to Twitter Thursday evening, Allen explained that his flight from Pennsylvania to Illinois was canceled due to weather after a couple of hours waiting on the plane. "American Airlines, didn't your parents teach you that communication is key?" Allen asked in the video. The artist's band and crew were already in Davenport, Allen said, but they had no frontman to perform with. He asked the airline company to write some checks to reimburse the fans that were disappointed at the cancellation. "I've still got to pay my band and crew, so y'all figure it out," he said. Since the headliner couldn't make it to the fair, Angela Meyer decided to bring together some musicians and put on a show of their own. Meyer was supposed to sing the National Anthem in the grandstand Thursday evening, but pivoted to hold a small concert for fairgoers. After they started gathering tip money, Meyer decided to take what they made and donate it to the local 4-H chapter. "People were just really excited," Meyer said. "I don't think they're always aware of the ways that they can donate to 4-H unless they have a 4-H kid. So it was really cool to be able to open this up to the public that they could just swing by and give a few bucks." The "cow barn jamboree" featured music and some auction items, and ended the night with $1,200 in donations, all of which went to 4-H. As someone who used to show animals of her own at the fair, Meyer said she was happy to give back to the kids who put their time and effort into taking care of and showing animals. The artist will perform 2-5 p.m. at the Shed in the fair. "The kids that are in our program are super hardworking," said Scott County 4-H Youth Coordinator Emily Lyon. "They have a great drive and work ethic and it's really exciting to have someone come back in our community and be willing to not only donate that money ... but that they see the value in the program as well." Alexander Vinnik, whom the United States accuses of cybercrime, was given by Greece to the United States without any due process. Well, the due process was, Greece was told to give him up and they did and didnt care if there is any truth to the situation at all Greece is a full puppet state of the Empire of Lies and Chaos ~~ But but but the Empire never lies about Nuffing! ~~ WtR Afghan authorities have not found a body at the site of a US missile attack on al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul Taliban official. Earlier, the Taliban said they had no information about the whereabouts of Ayman al-Zawahiri The Empire of Lies and Chaos says, We sliced and diced him! Afghan authorities say, We cant find the pieces! ~~ Wow he vaporized ~~ WtR Superintendent Scott Elder appeared downright peppy Thursday, welcoming students back to school. The second-year leader of Albuquerque Public Schools has cause to be chipper and optimistic. Elementary, middle and high school teacher vacancies at APS are down in the double digits, quite an improvement from this time last year when there were around 200 vacant positions for teachers. As of last week, APS had 94 open positions for elementary, middle school and high school teachers (the district has 200 schools including charters). The district needs special education teachers as usual, and long-term substitute teachers will plug the teacher vacancies. Still, the states largest school district appears to be in a better position heading into this school year. Were looking pretty good; Im excited, APS Human Resources Chief Todd Torgerson said of the districts staff vacancy rate. Normally, our vacancy rate is significantly higher than we are now. The district cut more than 200 positions after Legislative Finance Committee analysts said in April APS had hundreds more teachers and staff than it should after losing 5,500 students in a year. Teachers have been moved around and students consolidated into larger classes in a right-sizing we know wasnt easy. Thanks to all involved for their patience this had to be done in light of declining enrollment and budget cuts. Masks Students and staff throughout New Mexico will not start the school year under mask and social distancing mandates, allowing them to better communicate and interact. Gone, at least for now, are sporting events that required panting players to wear face coverings. Secretary of Education Kurt Steinhaus says school districts will be able to make more decisions of their own related to the pandemic. Elder called the lack of a mask mandate fabulous. Its a decision that will affect 71,000 students at APS. However, the district is on standby should the pandemic surge again: Students will still need to report positive tests of COVID-19 and schools will continue their test-to-stay programs, meaning anyone whos been exposed to the virus will need to test negative and not show any symptoms in order to keep coming to school. Enhanced COVID-safe practices such as outdoor learning and lunchtime and limiting who can visit schools could return if schools reach certain positivity rates. Steinhaus says school boards may implement mask requirements on their own if infection rates climb quickly. Thats their choice, he said. Thats what this is all about: safety for the kids and the staff. Extended learning Extended learning began last week for some thanks to the dedication and commitment of teachers. State lawmakers in 2019 expanded the data-driven K-3 Plus program into the K-5 Plus program, extending the school year by 25 days at participating elementary schools. Lawmakers also fully funded the program so every New Mexico public school student is eligible. (Lawmakers also created the Extended Learning Time program, adding 10 instructional days per school year to middle and high schools that applied.) Twenty-nine of APS 88 non-charter elementary schools will have extended academic calendars this school year heres to them sharing their results and getting more campuses on board. Tax holiday A tax holiday this weekend offers parents and students significant savings through midnight tonight. Qualifying back-to-school items like backpacks, shoes and clothing are tax-free. Eligible supplies include clothing and shoes priced at $100 or less, school and classroom supplies that are less than $30 each, computers up to $1,000 and computer hardware up to $500. And theres also help getting students supplies, including the LIBRE Institutes free K-12 backpack-filled-with supplies event from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Casa Del Rey at 2500 Corona Drive NW. Normalcy APS officials say the district is in a better place than it has been in some time heading into the new school year. Schools will be back to normal in-person learning for the first time since the pandemic hit in March 2020. The challenge will be translating that return to normalcy into measurable classroom improvements at APS and across other school districts in the state. And weve nowhere to go but up based on state rankings. Security There are also real concerns for the safety of students and staff after tragic school shootings, including two fatal shootings on or near Albuquerque schools last school year. Officials seized 10 firearms students had brought to eight different APS campuses. APS has since made significant security upgrades on campuses, and a school resource officer will be at every school this year. APS begins its traditional school year Wednesday. Hats off to all school employees who persevered through the pandemic and are staying in the profession thats central to communities across New Mexico. Back-to-school is always an exciting time for students and school staff. After two-and-a-half years of pandemic-related restrictions and uncertainty, this years normalcy promises to be something special. Be prepared A list of tax-free qualifying items is at tax.newmexico.gov/news-alerts/tax-holiday/. Price limits apply; retailers can opt out. APS lists of back-to-school supplies is at www.aps.edu/schools/supplies APS calendars are at www.aps.edu/schools/school-calendars-and-grading-periods This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Part one of a two-part series After 45 years in the business, Luis Terrazas is finishing up perhaps his worst construction project ever. At age 77, the Silver City homebuilder is literally doing the job himself. He cant get anybody to come to work, said his son, state Rep. Luis Terrazas. Hes always like this is my last one. But this made it for sure the last one. His struggle with a lack of employees has made sure hes going to retire. The younger Terrazas, a Republican from Silver City, tells of his brother, a roofer who is re-roofing a 30,000-40,000-square-foot supermarket with only two workers. He cant get employees. This isnt just our family, Terrazas told the Journal last week. On his travels around New Mexico as a legislator, hes seen the signs of the states low worker participation rate the third-lowest in the country at 56.8%, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. There is a variety of explanations and the decline did not happen overnight, but recent data from the state Legislative Finance Committee shows more than 480,000 working-age New Mexicans are not employed. Not that there isnt a demand. Restaurants are closing early on weekends or resorting to takeout only. Hotels tell patrons their rooms wont be cleaned on a daily basis due to housekeeping shortages. But higher-paying jobs are also going unfilled for example in engineering services, computer system design and higher education. Even employment placement agencies cannot find employees. The health care worker shortage is so acute that one New Mexico hospital has temporarily stopped delivering babies because of the shortage of doctors and nurses. At one Albuquerque nursing home earlier this year, patients were unable to get to the bathroom because no staff members were available to take them and one man resorted to using a water bottle as a urinal. Earlier this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic lingering, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham asked the National Guard to volunteer as substitute teachers. School districts have struggled to hire bus drivers, due in part to the overall problem attracting people who have a commercial drivers license. Its part of this thing called The Great Resignation,' Rio Rancho schools chief operating officer Mike Baker told the Rio Rancho Observer last month. Its my understanding a lot of people willingly left the workforce and are not coming back they left during COVID and theyre not coming back. State Legislative Finance Committee staff reported recently, If New Mexico had the same workforce participation as the rest of the country, the state would have close to 100,000 more workers. New Mexicos unemployment rate remains higher than in surrounding states, even though it dropped to just under 5% last month. But online job openings have soared over the past year, with more than 23,000 new postings than last year at this time, state records show. Worker participation rates in most New Mexico counties have rebounded after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 and led to temporary shutdowns or in-person curtailment of business operations, schools and all but essential services, according to data released by the states Department of Workforce Solutions. But seven counties Otero, Lea, Curry, Eddy, McKinley, Cibola and Torrance had lower worker participation rates in May 2022 than before the pandemic hit in 2019, the data shows. Two counties, Taos and Roosevelt, have remained roughly at the same pre-pandemic levels. Across sectors, the state is in need of every worker it can get, especially teachers, nurses, social workers and service industry workers, states a recent report by the state Legislative Finance Committee. Improving participation in the labor force is a key strategic goal for the state to recover from the pandemic, meet long-term needs and address labor shortages. The Legislature recently devoted more than $137 million to shore up the workforce, including a $10 million appropriation for reemployment services and youth apprenticeships, and more than $100 million to higher education institutions for teaching endowments for nurses and social workers. Some businesses have received government aid to hire new workers in the hospitality and tourism sectors. In two New Mexico cities, teens were offered up to $200 to get a summer job. The program also required training sessions. But theres no simple fix. I dont think this is a partisan issue, Terrazas told the Journal. I think everybody wants to go back to normal, we want to enjoy our favorite restaurants again, to enjoy our beautiful state. We just need to resume back to normal. Why so low? Nationally, as in New Mexico, the labor force has been shrinking over the past two decades since an all-time high seen in 2000. But just under 57% of New Mexicans 16 and older were in the labor force in June, compared to 62% nationally, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The labor force participation of men in their prime working age 25 to 34 fell by nine percentage points in New Mexico from 1999 to 2021, while the U.S. rate was down 5.6%. The rate of participation in that group was 82% in 2021, compared to the national rate of 91%, according to the state Department of Workforce Solutions. The workforce participation of men aged 45 to 54 in New Mexico was nearly twice the decline of the national rate. And, in 2021, New Mexico had the fourth-lowest workforce participation for women, after West Virginia, Mississippi and Alabama. One reason cited for the low rate is that workers are leaving New Mexico; more than 29,000 more people left the state from 2010 to 2020 than who relocated here. Dr. Michael ODonnell, director of the University of New Mexicos Bureau of Business and Economic Research, or BBER, said the migration of working-age adults from New Mexico may not necessarily be driven by economics. It could be that some New Mexicans are just more willing to fly the nest and leave home in a way that, historically, people from the state had not been willing to do, he said. The states population is also getting older, at a faster rate, than the rest of the country, and retiring, according to an April report by Rachel Moskowitz, a bureau chief at the state Department of Workforce Solutions. Another factor is the rise in the number of working-age people receiving disability benefits, which DWS Deputy Secretary Yolanda Cordova told the LFC at a meeting last month was definitely surprising to us. The number of people in New Mexico receiving benefits from the Supplemental Security Income program, for instance, increased by 45.1% from December 1999 to December 2020, Moskowitz reported. Nationally, there has been a debate about the impact of government social programs on the countrys declining labor participation rate. For instance, one 2011 study published in the American Economic Review found that growth in the Social Security Disability Insurance program over several years came as employment opportunities for lower-skilled people declined. Moreover, changes in the eligibility process have made it easier to obtain benefits based on conditions sometimes difficult to identify clearly in medical terms alone, such as back pain or depression, the study stated. Moreover, as of June 2021, nearly half of all New Mexicans were enrolled in at least one income support or health program from the state Human Services Department, according to the LFC. That level of enrollment underscores the states chronically high poverty rate. Under such government programs, a household can lose income support benefits if its income increases, the LFC reported, so, the value of the increased income may not outweigh the loss in benefits, which can create work disincentives. Terrazas, who works in the funeral industry, told the Journal that he has had employees tell him, I cant make any more or I will lose my benefits. Everything is a balance, he added, Id like to see something where they are slowly weaned off that. Were here to help them, but we also need to allow them a way to get back on their feet. Lifting them up is great, but, if were not careful, we can also hurt a person and make them dependent. At an annual job fair last month sponsored by Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, about 115 employers tried to fill some 6,000 jobs. Eloy Padilla, a senior distribution manager with Creamland, was at the Albuquerque event hoping to hire about 16 new employees, with pay averaging about $20 an hour. But Padilla told the Journal he believes some people have gotten used to not working because of the benefits they received early on during the pandemic and some they receive now. It was hard to get in with us, Padilla said of hiring at Creamland prior to the pandemic. And now its totally the opposite. More information Top groups not participating in New Mexicos labor force: *Men ages 25 to 34 *Women ages 35 to 44 *Those with less than a bachelors degree *Women with children ages 6 to 17 years old Source: NM Legislative Finance CommitteeTop reasons for low workforce participation rate: *Workers are leaving the state *New Mexicans are getting older and retiring *More people are receiving government disability benefits Source: Labor market review, NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions Top groups not participating in New Mexicos labor force:*Men ages 25 to 34*Women ages 35 to 44*Those with less than a bachelors degree*Women with children ages 6 to 17 years oldSource: NM Legislative Finance CommitteeTop reasons for low workforce participation rate:*Workers are leaving the state*New Mexicans are getting older and retiring*More people are receiving government disability benefitsSource: Labor market review, NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions What is the Labor Force Participation Rate? An indicator of the states economic health, it measures the percentage of the civilian population 16 years and older that is working or actively looking for a job. A high rate reflects a healthy economy because a large proportion of the working-age population is able to financially support themselves and their families. A larger labor pool makes it easier for employers to find workers. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Editors note: An earlier version of this story contained a graphic that described the number of job postings in New Mexico related to different industries. The graphic gave an incorrect year to characterize when those postings were made. The graphic has been removed. Health care vacancies, especially at New Mexico hospitals, are plentiful and that is a top concern. We are in a very dire situation, said Troy Clark, executive director of the New Mexico Hospital Association. In speaking with the states hospital leaders, Clark said,staffing is their No. 1 concern. While COVID-19 used to fill some hospital ICUs beyond capacity, now the pandemic is exacerbating staff shortages because workers testing positive are out sick or contagious. Moreover, given New Mexicos chronic nursing shortage, hospitals had to pay contract agency nurses, or travelers, who commanded premium rates higher than nurse employees, to fill vacancies. But hospitals are running out of savings to continue that practice, he said. One New Mexico hospital, announced earlier ths month it was temporarily closing its obstetric unit for labor and deliveries because there arent enough doctors or nurses for the unit. That means patients and their families must drive to Grants, Farmington or Albuquerque for such care. And it doesnt bode well for other smaller rural hospitals in the state, which may have to send patients to hospitals in bigger cities for some specialty care, Clark said. So even though they may have the technical ability to take care of you, they may not have the staff to take care of you, Clark said. Now whats going to happen, is for things that you normally would not need to be transferred for, youll need to be and that puts more stress on the larger hospitals. Across the country, medical staff shortages are spurring hospitals to make decisions about the closure of services that they lose money on, he said. That hasnt happened here, except for Rehoboth. But there is some good news. Hospitals are starting to see an uptick in applications, and some nurses are deciding to come back from retirement or give up the life of a traveling nurse working outside the state. We now have probably a more difficult time finding radiology technicians and respiratory therapists than we do nurses, Clark said. The shortage is pretty much every position in the hospital. Flash Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the latter's request on the sidelines of meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation, with both sides agreeing to maintain strategic coordination and deepen practical cooperation. Wang gave a comprehensive elaboration on China's legitimate position on the Taiwan question, and appreciated Russia's immediate reiteration of firm support for the one-China principle and opposition to any act that infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which testifies to the high-level strategic coordination between the two sides. China stands ready to work with Russia to safeguard in a more vigorous way the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law to achieve more effectively lasting security and sustainable development, Wang said. Wang said that under the current situation, China and Russia should jointly promote regional development, calling for boosting mutually beneficial cooperation with regional countries in the fields of fighting COVID-19, health, connectivity, digital economy, as well as green and low-carbon development and building stable and reliable regional industrial and supply chains. China and Russia should support that the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific adheres to independence, ASEAN leadership and the ASEAN approach, Wang said. It is also important to guide countries in the region to pursue a vision of true security that is common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, rather than the false security of seeking supremacy and confrontation, and uphold a genuine order based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and oppose a fake order based on hegemony and bullying, Wang said. China and Russia should strengthen the alignment and cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, and forge a bigger synergy with the Greater Eurasian Partnership, so as to jointly promote unity, development and prosperity of the Eurasian continent, pool efforts to jointly uphold the norms governing international relations, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, and lead the world development in the right direction. Lavrov said the United States has a habit of bullying around. Its hegemonic policies run counter to international consensus and are doomed to have no future. Russia is ready to work with China to uphold international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Lavrov said. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as BRICS cooperation, the Iranian nuclear issue and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Four people from southern New Mexico are suspects in the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old from Las Cruces who was found last month in the mountains outside Boulder, Colorado. Arrest warrants have been filed for Jaime Moore, 31, Cody Hobirk, 43, Ashley Provine, 18, and Elizabeth Griffin, 23, in the July 23 death of Alexis Baca. Moore and Hobirk are facing charges of murder and aggravated robbery, and Provine and Griffin are facing charges of accessory to murder. All four have been booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center. Investigators believe Baca was stranded in Colorado when her driver got arrested, and asked the four for help getting home, according to court records. Deputies said the group robbed Baca after they realized she had money and drugs, shooting her in the head and leaving her body near a popular hiking trail. Relatives said Baca, who went by Lexi, was a mother to a beautiful little girl, according to a GoFundMe started for her funeral expenses. We come to you with broken hearts, as we have tragically lost our Lexi She will FOREVER be loved and missed, the page said. If you cant help, we ask for prayers to help us get through this nightmare. Those are worth so much. The family declined to speak with the Journal. According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Boulder County District Court: A Boulder County Sheriffs Office deputy responded around 10 a.m. after hikers found Bacas body near Realization Point trailhead, southwest of Boulder. Deputies said Baca had cigarette burns across her body and had been shot in the head. Deputies found a July 20 police report where a Colorado state trooper arrested a driver on parole violations and the vehicle was left with Baca, who was a passenger. The driver told deputies Baca came along for a road trip to Montana to buy a motorcycle. He said there was $20,000 and two guns in the car, and he asked Baca to wait for him to bond out of jail. Detectives found surveillance video of Baca driving the mans vehicle around Boulder, often with a white pickup truck close behind. Deputies said the license plate on the truck came back to Moore and detectives drove to Las Cruces to interview him. Deputies detained Moore and his fiancee Provine, and found a rifle and pistol in the truck with them. Provine told deputies she, Moore and Hobirk drove to Colorado to help Baca get home, and they met in a hotel. She said once Moore and Hobirk learned of the money Baca had, they told her to follow them in a separate vehicle. Provine told deputies they drove into the mountains and Moore told Provine to take a long walk and to not come back until he called her. She said that, when she came back, Moore and Hobirk were alone and Baca was nowhere to be found. Provine told deputies they stayed at a Double Tree hotel in Denver and drove back to Las Cruces. Moore told deputies Baca said she would give him $2,000 to get her back home. He said he, Hobirk, Provine and Griffin met Baca at a hotel, and Hobirk repeatedly floated the idea of robbing her. Moore told deputies Baca led them to a parking lot in the mountains, where she fired a gun at him. He said he shot her in the head, left her body and drove both vehicles to a hotel in Denver. Moore told deputies they all washed blood from the vehicle Baca had been in and wiped away fingerprints. He said they found two guns, $6,000 and 5,000 pills in the vehicle, and tossed the guns out the window on the trip home. Moore told deputies they tried to get rid of the pills and gave away cash to people in New Mexico. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque Public Schools is going back to the drawing board on a controversial parents rights policy after the school board saw a flood of public outcry over the past month or so. The proposal, tabled July 7, stated that parents would have the right to access all educational records concerning their child, including things told to school staff in confidence. Some advocates say making some of those records available would out certain LGBTQ+ students and make them unsafe. As a (transgender) man who began questioning who I was within the halls of Sandia High, this policy poses a danger to queer and (transgender) students by potentially outing them to a homophobic or transphobic family, Tobias Godwin said at a July 20 board meeting. Over the next two months, the board will consult with the community in revising the proposal. Board members are planning listening sessions with several groups, including counselors, parent-teacher associations and students. Theyll also work with such community organizations as GLSEN Albuquerque, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group that was particularly outspoken about the policy. The board plans to come up with a revised policy to present in October, with the idea of holding a final vote in November so they can have it in place in next years student handbook. Board member Josefina Dominguez emphasized the need to be more mindful about how to word the revised policy. Lets pay attention to the tone that words communicate, she said. They should be respectful and compassionate. The boards plan is ambitious, GLSEN Albuquerque Co-Chair and Policy Coordinator Damon Carbajal says, but he feels reassured theyll follow through on it. I am a little nervous, it seems a little rushed, to be honest, to really get educator, communities, student and parent (voices), and really solidify that into a whole new policy, he told the Journal. If they put in the work its a timeline thats feasible. Board Secretary Courtney Jackson, lead author of the proposal, said in a statement that it doesnt grant any rights to parents or guardians that they dont already have in APS. Instead, she said, it just consolidates those rights into one accessible place. She said she based the idea for the proposal on community members reaching out with questions, which she herself had a hard time finding answers to. It occurred to me that there should be a singular policy that was very easy for parents to find, so that they could receive answers quickly, she said. She noted that students not feeling safe at home is a problem the community needs to face and said that parents shouldnt be cut out of that process. Carbajal acknowledged that much of the proposal is currently in APS policy, but said the problem was in the way the proposal was drafted and how it failed to factor in all the practices in place to protect students. Yes, there are these different things in APS policy, but its not how they were stated prior, Carbajal said. This was the first time that they were put in a way that could be construed where (parents) had access to everything, in a way that was unproductive for students. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT; 4:30 p.m. EDT). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would respond strongly if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft had pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Forty-three Palestinians were killed over three days, including 15 children and four women, and 311 were injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Israel said some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. Gazas ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye, said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed al-Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, al-Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. During the funeral for Mansour, Israeli air strikes hit what the military said were suspected rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel said some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was struck by an errant rocket. Israels Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza hit the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans daily. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the halls entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihads commander for northern Gaza. Israel said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. In a statement Sunday, Lapid said the military would continue to strike targets in Gaza in a pinpoint and responsible way in order to reduce to a minimum the harm to noncombatants. Lapid said the strike that killed Mansour was an extraordinary achievement. The operation will continue as long as necessary, Lapid said. U.S. President Joe Biden said he welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza-based militants. Over these last 72-hours, the United States has worked with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and others throughout the region to encourage a swift resolution to the conflict, he said in a statement. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday on the violence. China, which holds the council presidency this month, scheduled the session in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab nations on the council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway. We underscore our commitment to do all we can towards ending the ongoing escalation, ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population, and following-up on the Palestinian prisoners file, said U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas. Israel estimates its airstrikes killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its arsenal. Both groups call for Israels destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. Hamas had a strong incentive to avoid another war. Last years Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Over the past year, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting another 2,000 permits. In a sign of the broad immediate impact on the Gaza population, the territorys lone power plant ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans could use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed. Albuquerque police say a man was shot to death at an apartment complex in the 500 block of Tramway NE early Sunday morning. Officers responded to a call about a shooting in the Copper Ridge Apartments around 6:30 a.m. When they arrived, officers found an adult male who had been shot, said Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. He died on scene as a result of his wounds. The victim was involved in a physical altercation with other individuals at the apartment. The victim was shot during the altercation, he added. Police have not identified the suspect or the man who was killed, but Gallegos said there is no reason to believe this incident is related to APDs investigation of the Muslim men who were killed. On Dec. 14, 2012, a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut resulted in the deaths of 20 children and six staffers. Alex Jones, a controversial far-right talk show host, called the Sandy Hook massacre a U.S. government hoax, staged using crisis actors, to serve as a pretext for gun control. Parents of one of the slain children filed a defamation suit against Jones, claiming that followers of Jones had harassed them and sent them death threats for years in the false belief that they were lying about their son's death. Jones's defense was his right to free speech and that he was not responsible for the harassment. He lost. The jury awarded the parents $45.2 million in punitive damages on top of $4.1 million in compensatory damages another example of outrageous damage verdicts that plague the legal system. The opinion of this writer is that the verdict was wrong and that Jones's statements do not satisfy the legal requirements for defamation, which must involve damage to the reputation of the plaintiff. How did Jones's statement damage the parents' reputations? Jones said that the government, not the parents, was responsible for what he deemed to be a hoax. If third parties threatened the parents, that is not Jones's doing. The parents should sue the people who threatened them. Jones's contention that the massacre never took place was false, but it also was an opinion that is protected free speech. If the parents were offended by what Jones said, that does not constitute damage either to their person or their reputation. Jones himself explained it: "if questioning public events and free speech is banned because it might hurt somebody's feelings, we are not in America anymore. They can change the channel. They can come out and say I'm wrong. They have free speech." The verdict in the Jones case is another in a long line of assaults on the First Amendment. Freedom of speech is coming under attack based on the existence of a new "right": the right not to be offended. It is claimed by many on the left that the right not to be offended is more important than the right to free expression. Our colleges and universities have fallen victim to this new "right." The feelings of students often constitute sufficient justification for campus censorship. If a conservative speaker offends some of the students, that speaker can be denied a platform. "The belief that free speech rights don't include the right to speak offensively is now firmly entrenched on campuses and enforced by repressive speech or harassment codes," wrote attorney Wendy Kaminer in The Atlantic. The problem is spreading to the mainstream. In the 2010 case of Nurre v. Whitehead, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld lower court rulings that school authorities can deny students' rights to free speech just to keep other students from being offended. The courts are "allowing schools the discretion to let an offended minority control a cowed majority," constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead wrote in the Huffington Post. "There is no way to completely avoid giving offense," he said. "At some time or other, someone is going to take offense at something someone else says or does. It's inevitable." In a democratic republic, there can be no right not to be offended. If anyone can claim that another person's speech is offensive and ought to be prohibited, there is no limit to the restrictions that can be placed on free expression. As the late author Christopher Hitchens said, "[f]reedom of speech must include the license to offend." Wherever it is sanctioned, the "right" not to be offended invalidates the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. The difference between the U.S. and Cuba has to do with the right to say and think whatever you like, even if someone is offended by it. "Nobody has the right to not be offended," said Salman Rushdie, the author targeted for murder by Islamic authorities who were offended by his novels. "That right doesn't exist in any declaration I have ever read. If you are offended it is your problem, and frankly lots of things offend lots of people." In a well publicized media interview, Canadian psychology professor Jordan B. Peterson was asked why his right to freedom of speech should take priority over a person's right not to be offended. "Because," he answered, "in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive." The basis for the "I'm offended" movement lies in two flawed concepts: political correctness and "emotional reasoning." Political correctness is a way of stifling free expression in favor of socially controlled thought. Emotional reasoning is where feelings determine the interpretation of reality. If someone is upset, that proves that something is wrong. It doesn't matter that you intended no disrespect. The subjective reaction of the other person determines the outcome. Under this doctrine, supported by the left, free speech is an outdated concept. A new attempt to silence dissent has been leveled by the transgender community. In a recent Senate hearing, Sen. Josh Hawley was accused by a Berkeley law professor of doing violence to members of the trans community when he refused to agree that men can bear children. The message was that the right of transgender people not to be offended supersedes Hawley's right to free speech. The good news is that in the 2017 case of Matal v. Tam, the Supreme Court defended free speech. The unanimous decision was written by Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the dissent in the Nurre case. "Speech may not be banned on the ground that it expresses ideas that offend," Alito wrote. "Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express 'the thought that we hate.'" There may be hope for the First Amendment after all, but not for Alex Jones. Ed Brodow is a conservative political commentator and author of nine books, including his new Amazon #1 bestseller, AMERICA ON ITS KNEES: The Cost of Replacing Trump with Biden. His website is www.edbrodowpolitics.com. Image: Sean P. Anderson via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (cropped). Throughout the 1800s, the world's dominant philosopher was Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (17701830). He thought the universe was a logical machine, like a steam engine. Hegel and his contemporaries agreed that Nature contains an underlying structure. The Hegelian dialectic was all the rage for a century. These philosophers wanted to sound scientific and mathematical. First thesis meets second thesis, producing third thesis. Karl Marx (18181883) absorbed this thinking and concluded that history itself is a logical machine, like a cash register. Events do not happen randomly. There are laws and Marx alone could explain them. For Marx, the big predictions were about capital i.e., money. He probably wrote a thousand pages, but his answers came down to a simple diagram. Capitalism works almost too well. Industrialists could acquire fortunes, but that is the trap. Capitalists are greedy bloodsuckers who reduce workers not just to poverty, but to starvation and desperation. Inevitably, according to Marx, workers rise up in righteous wrath, kill the industrialists, and divide the money among the workers, ushering in a communist paradise. The problem for communism is that Marx had a flimsy theory to promote, and he could be reckless about it. Almost everything done in his name, as we'll see, was dishonest. He hacked his own history machine. Karl Marx laid down an important parameter from the get-go. To have a proper communist revolution, you need a successful industrial country, like the U.S., England, Germany, France and...that's about it. Obviously, you couldn't have a Marxian revolution in agrarian backwaters like Russia, China, and Cambodia, as you would simply divide poverty among impoverished peasants. Ergo, all the big communist revolutions were illegitimate and could not have been caused as Marx prescribed. The next problem was that despite Marxian analysis and predictions, the capitalists were spreading the wealth. Almost any entity with excess money will invariably build parks, public housing, schools, museums, handsome municipal buildings, etc. One of the richest industrialists in American history (Andrew Carnegie) personally built 1,600+ libraries! This inevitability is captured in the phrase "trickle-down economics." Marxists use this phrase sarcastically so maybe people won't realize that it points to the central truth. Here's where the story gets really interesting. There was a lot of agitation in the 1820s and 1830s, especially in England, demanding that the government raise standards and protect workers. In fact, change was happening. Governing bodies passed new laws every year. So what did Marx and his polemical partner Friedrich Engels do? Paul Johnson, author of the splendid book Intellectuals, devotes a chapter to illuminating how Marx and Engels complained that society was getting worse each day, even as their own evidence revealed the opposite. They had an Armageddon mindset and didn't want to give it up. Rich swine must swing from every lamp post. Johnson comments: It is not always clear whether Engels's misrepresentations are deliberate deception of the reader or self-deception. But sometimes the deceit is clearly intentional. He used evidence of bad conditions unearthed by the Factories Enquiry Commission of 1833 without telling readers that Lord Althorp's Factory Act of 1833 has been passed, and had long been in operation, precisely to eliminate the conditions the report described. Johnson elaborates elsewhere: Marx cannot have been unaware of the weaknesses, indeed the dishonesty, of Engels's book since many of them were exposed to detail as early as 1848 ... in a publication with which Marx was familiar. The Wall Street Journal calculates that communism is responsible for more than 100,000,000 deaths over the last hundred years. Communists always stress the peace on Earth that communism will give us as the state withers away. Everybody, we are promised, will get exactly what he needs. Clearly, there is a glorious revolution to push through, and the end justifies the means. Ruthless behavior might be required. Stalin mildly observed that a death may be a tragedy, but a million deaths is only a statistic. Mao chastised his followers: "A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay. ... A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another." My impression is that communism makes people violent because it's such a volatile mix of religious certitude and utter amorality. Or the kind of people attracted to the free-for-all that is communism at the top seem to be vicious people at the outset people like Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and (it's a safe bet) the leaders of today's CCP. Finally, there is a constant need for sophistry, propaganda, and manipulative language. These vices corrupt everything they touch, as we see now throughout our society. Marx himself was a bossy academic adventurer, rarely scientific but always insisting that he was Science. Compare Fauci. Paul Johnson has a field day quoting what contemporaries thought of Marx: There are many descriptions, mainly hostile, of the furious Marx in action. One close observer even wrote a poem about him: "Dark fellow from Trier in fury ranting, / His evil fist is clenched, he roars interminably, / As though ten thousand devils had him by the hair." ... Annenkov, who observed him in court, described his "thick black mane of hair, his hairy hands and crookedly buttoned frockcoat"; "he had no manners, was proud and faintly contemptuous"; his "sharp, metallic voice was well suited to the radical judgment he was continually delivering on men and things"; everything he said had a jarring tone. Marx himself did not reject violence or even terrorism. Addressing the Prussian government in 1849, he threatened: "We are ruthless and ask no quarter from you. When our time comes we shall not disguise our terrorism." In the testimony about Marxist political aims and behavior, from a variety of sources, it is notable how often the word "dictator" crops up. "An unusually intelligent Prussian police agent who reported on him in London noted: 'The dominating trait of his character is an unlimited ambition and love of power. ... He is the absolute ruler of his party. ... He does everything on his own and he gives orders on his own responsibility and will endure no contradiction.'" Johnson also quotes Mikhail Bakunin: "Marx does not believe in God but he believes much in himself and makes everyone serve himself. His heart is not full of love but of bitterness and he has very little sympathy for the human race." Now, 150 years later, that's the malevolent Marxian DNA we are left to endure. The Democrat party discarded most of its moderate members and should be renamed the American Communist Party. If Hubert Humphrey, Adlai Stevenson, and John F. Kennedy showed up at a conference today, they would probably not be admitted. If they were, they would feel dirty. Bruce Deitrick Price's new novel is Frankie, about a harmless robot designed to have meaningful conversations with humans. What can go wrong? (Visit Frankie.zone.) Image via Pixabay. Project Veritas's whistleblower materials revealing that the FBI views the Gadsden and Betsy Ross flags, the Liberty Tree, and a smorgasbord of other Revolutionary War symbols as evidence of domestic terrorism are just further proof that the feds' secret police force no longer bleeds red, white, and blue (although it does probably give new recruits hammer and sickle tattoos). A federal agency with both intelligence-gathering and law enforcement functions is dangerous enough to any free society, but one that openly views the spirit of 1776 as a threat to the Republic has lost any vestige of a more noble purpose to defend the country from its enemies. Something is surely rotten at the Bureau when it is more than willing to "take a knee" in a Marxist show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter anti-American anthem protesters but denigrates pro-American emblems as evidence of violent extremism. Independence Day celebrations each year must be grueling for federal agents trying to protect the nation from its own rebellious past. Now that patriotic displays of affection for the country have been relabeled as potential signs of domestic terrorism, hot dogs and fireworks require a new national security threat assessment. All agents, be on the lookout for Americans engaging in too much fun on the Fourth of July. Be advised: children with patriotic face paint, persistent Liberty Bell ringing, and unexpected outbursts of support for freedom may warrant further investigation. Should you encounter any reference to the 1773 Boston Tea Party, the modern Tea Party Movement, or strong distaste for tea, in general, immediately call for backup. This much is clear: when the FBI honors America-haters and vilifies American patriots, love for America is perceived as not only suspect, but also dangerous to the Deep State. That says a lot about our current predicament. Chalk up the FBI's hatred for Betsy Ross's needlework as yet another instance of a federal institution subverting its own mission directives to safeguard the country by somehow turning ordinary Americans into the bad guys. For those desperately trying to follow the feds' new classification system and avoid arrest, Christians are now "patriarchal white supremacists," America First voters are xenophobic "fascists," free speech proponents are "threats to democracy," and gun-owners brazen enough to believe in self-defense and the Second Amendment are straight-up "murderers." Basically, if you pray to God, cherish the Bill of Rights, despise communism, respect national borders, or would defend freedom at any cost, you're a suspect. Hide your copy of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and don't get caught flying the Bunker Hill Flag on your lawn (It includes St. George's Cross, for Heaven's sake!). Forget Paul Revere; you never knew the man, and he certainly never rode past your home in the middle of the night! And if anyone asks, "Don't Tread on Me" has something to do with a tire commercial. This is how absurd America's self-immolation has become. Ridiculous! Have you noticed that hating America is, more or less, a job requirement for high office these days? Clueless Joe Biden and the commiecrats regularly disparage America as a racist, sexist, genocidal land of evil. The "woke" military brass push Marxist Critical Race Theory, transgender drag shows, and climate change dogma down troops' throats. Obama spent his presidency traveling the world apologizing for all the Americans who lost their lives these last two and half centuries in defense of foreigners' liberation. The State Department seems to specialize in cozying up to the worst communist dictators and authoritarian hacks around the globe. The Intelligence Community has decided that hunting down American patriots as domestic terrorists makes more sense than hunting down Islamic supremacists as foreign terrorists. And when they're not toppling historic statues and memorials, removing the names of Founding Fathers from public buildings, stamping "trigger warnings" on the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, or rewriting America's story for their own nefarious Marxist purposes, the America-haters controlling the vast federal bureaucracy dedicate their time and taxpayer-funded resources to lecturing Americans about why they've always been so darn awful. What absolute insanity! Shouldn't the people who "run" America actually, oh, I don't know, like America? Is that really too much to ask? No nation dedicated to despising itself can long endure. No government that treats its citizens as suspects can last. No society that attacks patriotism as if it were a cancer while injecting multiculturalism as if it were some universal cure can expect to survive. When common purpose and shared identity disintegrate, countries simply do not persist. They fade away or perish. Sheesh, it's almost as if the Soviet Union actually won the Cold War, and we're now suffering through the uncomfortable "re-education" period of a depressed and conquered state. That says a lot, does it not? All of this leads to a remarkable truth: when battling the "Great Reset" globalists working feverishly to demolish America and build a Davos slave state in its wake, defending America's history is a strikingly effective way of fighting for America's future. Pride in America is like kryptonite to America's communist class, so never forgo an opportunity to be patriotic. How many times have you heard a celebrity mouth-breather express astonished annoyance at having traveled across the country only to see Old Glory waving prominently from every rural home and pickup truck throughout red-state America? How many times have you endured the morally insipid and intellectually deficient musings of some professional athlete insisting that the National Anthem is a defense of racism or some such bollocks? How many times have you heard some loony leftist politician or pundit claim that "freedom" is really code for "white supremacy" or that "individual rights" are "systemically racist"? I hear that rubbish all the time, and two thoughts go through my head: (1) the lib-labs sure have taught the morons how to speak commie quite well, and (2) rejecting all of America's great historical accomplishments to appeal to a hateful minority with daddy issues only makes America's defenders stronger. I know I'm biased because unlike the FBI I actually love America, but when we "own" all the pro-America ideological battleground because Chuck Schumer's commie friends can't stomach "land of the free" language, then we get all the valuable real estate in America's glorious past by default. The battles ahead of us will be fought tooth and nail for the hearts and minds of Westerners everywhere. The war is between freedom and control. It is a contest pitting State authority against enduring personal liberty. It is the latest attempt to drop a new totalitarian Iron Curtain (now in Great Reset form) down around us all. And it is for all the marbles. We choose American freedom; they choose Stalinist slavery. We choose the Declaration of Independence; they choose the Communist Manifesto. We seek expansive liberty; they seek total compliance. In essence, we wholly embrace America's history, while our enemies reject it. I like those dividing lines. They're firm and easy to understand. People will know exactly why they're fighting. For all of these reasons, I suspect that's why our compromised FBI decided to turn Betsy Ross into a terrorist. After all, communism can't take hold without first purging inconvenient history. And America's historical fight for freedom is entirely inconvenient. How do we fight back against those who hate America? Two words: be patriots. Image via Max Pixel. A May 2022 The Hill article entitled Here Is A List of 27 School Shootings That Have Taken Place This Year underscores the fear many have regarding gun ownership. But why is protecting one's person, family, property, etc. in the face of evil threatening and not prudent? After all, isn't peace most ensured when strength is most projected or, as Reagan put it, "peace [comes] through strength"? In other words, doesn't common sense inform us that criminals exploit vulnerability? The arguments for gun control are familiar to most. The anti-gun stance is that no guns means no mass shootings at schools less violent crime generally. In support of this position, the figure of fewer deaths by guns in nations where guns have been banned is often cited, while violent deaths by other means are typically ignored. Alternatively, the pro-gun position draws attention to 1) declining violent crimes in America for nearly three decades (Antifa/BLM riots, state D.A. criminal leniency, federal prison purges, etc. are altering this trend); 2) armed citizens for criminal deterrence; and 3) on-the-scene armed citizens preventing crime and apprehending criminals before police arrive. Think of the recent Indiana mall "good Samaritan." In this article, we'll explore the anti-gun side. To underscore the U.S.'s unhealthy obsession with violence, anti-gun activists are aghast to learn that more guns exist in America (400M) than Americans (330M) as if large numbers of inanimate objects somehow animate them. It would be akin to shuddering over the number of chainsaws in hardware stores for fear that one might somehow self-start and kill someone. What anti-gun activists don't shout from their rooftops is that as the number of modern sporting rifles (MSRs) sold in America has increased over the past quarter-century to include high-capacity-magazine, automatic high-powered rifles, etc., which they argue pose the greatest threat the number of violent crimes has declined. At this point, more savvy anti-gun activists claim that the issue isn't firearms for self-defense, but firearms that kill children. Sandyhookpromise.org's #1 factoid reads: "Each day 12 children die from gun violence in America." Recognizing that a number without context is pretext, 4.4K (12x365) annual firearm-related deaths in a sea of 83M American "children" (aged 0 to 19) means 0.0053%, or 53 in out of 1 million, die annually. To appreciate these odds, National Safety Council (NSC) 2019 data report that a person's lifetime odds of dying from cancer are 1 in 7. Stated differently, the average person's chance of dying from cancer is 2,695 times greater than a "child" dying from a firearm. A New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) May 2022 article entitled "Crossing Lines A Change in the Leading Cause Of Death among US Children" is the source for the above sandyhookpromise.org factoid. It uses CDC WISQARS fatal injury data to purportedly prove that guns kill more children annually than motor vehicles. NEJM authors assert that decades of successful governmental intervention to curb vehicular accidents among children should be applied to curb firearm deaths. What's curious is that the CDC data referenced include 24-year-old adults with a higher risk profile (for just about anything) than a 6-year-old. For this faux child group, firearms unseated motor vehicle fatalities for first place in 2017. Yet, when the CDC numbers are re-run for children (aged 0 to 19) from 2001 to 2021, motor vehicular fatalities exceed deaths by firearm by nearly two to one and for those aged 0 to 14, by four to one. From this, it seems difficult to assert that American children are being killed en masse by firearms. While the anti-gun crowd may view such logic as heartless despite the fact that optics for national public policy should be based upon national, not individual prevalence it's compelled to pivot to a final assertion: no guns means no violent crime, as proven in places like Europe. In the 1950s, the U.K. banned concealed weapons, followed by shotguns in the '80s. After a couple of high-profile school shootings, all handguns were banned in the late '90s. What's curious is that while licensed firearms have declined in the U.K. since 1996, violent crime has increased. igeek.com puts it this way: "[e]ach time the UK ... stiffened gun laws, they saw an increase in murder rates." Per criminaljusticedegree.hub, violent crime in Britain and Wales is 898 per 100K, or 2.3 times higher than in the U.S. at 387 per 100K. If gun control is the right solution, how is it that America, a nation with more guns than people, has half the rate of violent crime of the U.K., which banned guns over two decades ago? Given that many European nations have adopted a similar approach, there must be one nation where removal of guns from law-abiding citizens has vanquished violence committed by criminals, who aren't law-abiding. Right? Sweden is exalted as the civilized world's poster child for democratic socialism a place where egalitarianism provides cover for government's ever-expanding role in the lives of its citizens. Has gun confiscation from law-abiding citizens resolved Sweden's violent crime? A December 2018 Spectator article entitled "Violent Crime In Sweden Is Soaring. When Will Politicians Act?" by Paula Neuding reports that Sweden ranks first for hand grenade violence of countries not at war. Per the Gatestone Institute, the rise in crime has little to do with guns: "40 years after the Swedish parliament unanimously decided to change the formerly homogenous Sweden into a multicultural country, violent crime has increased by 300% and rapes by 1472%. Sweden is now #2 on the list of rape countries, surpassed only by Lesotho in S. Africa[.]" A March 2019 Washington Times article entitled "A Late Education For Sweden" echoes the same: "Sweden's social democracy, often cited by Europeans and like-minded Americans as the model society, is in deep trouble. Sweden is no longer a low-crime country[.]" In some areas of Sweden, the national police commissioner has publicly warned that Swedish police are no longer able to "uphold the law." The bottom line is, fortunately, easy to find: when intent to harm exists, guns are irrelevant. After all, Cain got by with a stone. Regardless of your view of the Bible, it claims what reasonable people know to be true: the source of violence is not the weapon used, but the person who uses the weapon "for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder ..." (Mt. 15:19). How foolish to combat crime by confiscating guns from law-abiding citizens when crimes are committed by criminals who don't obey the law which is of course why they're referred to as criminals. The missing puzzle piece in the U.K., Sweden, and a host of other nations should have been the first: proper identification of the criminal. In closing, the gun debate in America is simple to resolve: keep your guns. It's the smartest and freest choice smartest because the I.Q.-heavies of 1776 deemed it necessary to maintain a free nation, and freest because freedom was their aim. If you fear guns, the choice is equally simple: don't own one. You have that choice. However, if you support gun confiscation, you remove that choice from your fellow citizen, leaving him more vulnerable. If your fellow citizen is victimized by a criminal, morally speaking, the policy you supported spilled his blood. By the way, did you catch the irony? By making hundreds of millions of law-abiding citizens more vulnerable, anti-gun activists embolden criminals to commit more, not less, crime. Talk about a miss. Image via Pixabay. There has been much talk of food shortages recently. You aint seen nothing yet. Or so say folks like Stephanie Nash, a fourth generation dairy farmer. She and many other farmers are warning that President Bidens new climate plans will jeopardize our food supply and eventually force many of them out of business. Deliberately. This at a time when food prices are rapidly rising and food processing plants are rapidly disappearing. Does it make sense to punish the people who grow our food? Especially when there are already shortages? This is not your grandfathers Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. If Democrats had integrity, they would drop the F and L from DFL. (And if pigs had wings, they could fly.) A truer acronym for their party would be PEA, for Pandering-Elitist-Authoritarians. The PEA Party has a nice ring to it, doesnt it? Fitting. Democrats are rabidly pro-abortion. Their policies foster violent crime. They tend to favor assisted suicide. And the legalization of even hard and hallucinogenic drugs. They were/are all-in on vaccine mandates. Apparently, they never met a population control measure they didnt like. So, its not surprising they want to curtail our food supply. Hell, too many Americans are overweight, anyway, right? Taking meat and dairy away from them will be a blessing in itself. And it will help stop climate change! A twofer! But farmers are revolting in the Netherlands over some comparable policies. Perhaps those in Canada and the U.S. will join them soon. This has the makings of an Atlas Shrugged situation. Who could blame farmers if they eventually said the hell with it and walked away. Teachers are often said to be the real heroes. But, for my money, the people that work dawn to dusk all year long-- fighting through bad weather to feed us-- trump those who are trying to groom our kids and tell them they should consider switching sexes, while teaching them to hate the United States based on faux history. But maybe thats just me. Speaking of bad weather, do you really think farmers would be against policies that would likely dramatically lessen the chance that they would suffer through more droughts, floods, and violent storms? (The global warming hucksters dont really believe what theyre saying, either, else they wouldnt continue winging around the world in private jets, buying up coastal and island properties.) I have a big beef with those who would restrict the raising of livestock-- and the production of crops. The fertilizer that comes spewing out of the mouths of the elite globalist snobs is far less usefuland more toxicthan anything made by C.F. Industries or Monsanto. So why do so many people purport to support leftist policies that are so obviously and demonstrably damaging? Why do roughly half of Americans vote for hypocritical, condescending buffoons? Some are just ignorant. (Not the same as stupid.) Many are swept up in groupthink. Others are afraid of the possible consequences of deviating from acceptable thought and action. (Say, didnt this used to be America? Didnt we used to be Americans?) In a tragic irony, most of our leaders, and the experts pushing these policies, know that these measures will devastate farmersand regular folkswithout helping to alleviate or lessen climate change. Instead, these policies help them to get even richer and consolidate their power. As Ive stated here before, you have to give them credit for one thing: they are brilliant at being evil. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License On Friday, Indiana enacted a law banning abortion except in cases of rape, incest, risk to the mothers life, or a deadly fetal abnormality. One day later, Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company founded in Indiana in 1876, announced that it no longer sees a future in Indiana because the lack of abortion access will harm its ability to obtain good employees. The press release states as follows: Lilly recognizes that abortion is a divisive and deeply personal issue with no clear consensus among the citizens of Indiana. Despite this lack of agreement, Indiana has opted to quickly adopt one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the United States. We are concerned that this law will hinder Lillys - and Indianas - ability to attract diverse scientific, engineering and business talent from around the world. While we have expanded our employee health plan coverage to include travel for reproductive services unavailable locally, that may not be enough for some current and potential employees. As a global company headquartered in Indianapolis for more than 145 years, we work hard to retain and attract thousands of people who are important drivers of our states economy. Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state. According to the Financial Times, Eli Lilly plans to continue to honor current commitments to Indiana, although its not entirely clear whether that means it will maintain the status quo and not grow, or if it will work to pull out of all operations there over time. Image: Eli Lillys Indianapolis headquarters, ca 1919. No matter how you look at it, this massive Big Pharma company just announced that, out of the entire population of people currently living in Indiana or willing to move to Indiana, it can no longer be assured that it will get good people if it doesnt promise that its female employees can get rid of babies that might interfere with their employment. Or maybe thats just a convenient lie. According to the Daily Mail, in April, David Ricks, Eli Lillys CEO was complaining about the quality of Indiana workers. Maybe this FU under the banner of abortion is just a virtue-signaling way to do what it wanted to do all along. But on the subject of abortion, as conservatives have said, corporations arent interested in womens reproductive rights; theyre interested in the corporate bottom line, and pregnant employees and mothers are expensive employees. At least Eli Lilly is being honest about it. Id love to add some wisdom or analysis here, but I really dont know what to say beyond the obvious: In the pursuit of baby death, this company will jettison its 146-year relationship with the State of Indiana. Theres just no way to view this as anything other than morally distasteful, and thats putting it mildly. The Daily Mails Josh Boswell is a strong and disciplined man. Why do I say this? Because he continues to work his way through the contents of Hunter Bidens hard drive. On Friday, the Daily Mail delivered Boswells latest findings: Joe Biden, when Vice President, met with two Chinese energy executives who had worked with a client of Hunters partnership. Also, the Daily Mail printed the email it received from Hunter Bidens lawyer. When you read the email, youll see that the lawyer fits well into the world of Hunter and Joe Biden. As always when it comes to Hunters dealings, you must unwind things a little bit to understand what was going on. He always had a lot of balls in the air, making it hard to track any individual ball. But here, very briefly, is what seems to have gone on: In September 2008 (when Obama and Joe Biden were shoo-ins for the White House), Hunter created a consulting company called Seneca Global Advisors. The promise was that he would help companies expand in foreign markets. In 2009, Hunter, Devon Archer, and Christopher Heinz founded Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment and advisory firm. In 2012, GreatPoint Energy, a Seneca Global Advisors client, partnered with Wanxiang, a Chinese Energy company, to work on a $1.25 billion natural gas plant in China. The deal was so important that then-Vice President Xi Jinping attended the signing ceremony. Wanxiang has also partnered with North Korea for a copper mining venture. At some point before 2013, Rosemont Seneca Partners invested in Fisker, a luxury car company. Fisker went bankrupt in 2013. Hunter was listed as a creditor. In 2014, Wanxiang bought Fisker. Also, Hunter bought himself one of the Fisker cars for $142,300. Image: Joe Biden. YouTube screen grab. In July 2014, on just one days notice, Pin Ni, Wanxiangs American president, was able to get a meeting with then-Vice President Joe Biden in the West Wing. Also at the meeting was Youhong Han, the president of Wanxiang Resources Co. Four days after the meeting, Ni wrote a letter to Hunter, offering to fix a problem with Hunters Fisker car: It would be our honor to get your Fisker fixed he wrote. He added, It would be our great honor to welcome you to visit Fisker or Wanxiang at any time. Why does all this matter? Because Biden has repeatedly denied having any contact whatsoever with Hunters business dealings. I guess its just a coincidence that, as Josh Boswell has worked his way through Hunters hard drive, hes discovered 15 times that Joe met with Hunters business associates. Boswell has already detailed meetings with Mexican billionaires, Kazakhstan politicians and oligarchs, and Chinese (government-connected) oligarchs, among others. Who knows what else Boswells efforts will uncover? By now, weve come to expect more proof that Joe was lying when he said he had no connection whatsoever to Hunters business dealings. What made this article a little unusual was what happened when Boswell contacted Chris Clark, a Latham and Watkins who is Hunters criminal defense lawyer, asking for his comments regarding Hunters relationship with Wanxiang. What Boswell got in response was stunning: Please quote me. Josh you are a parasite who lives of other peoples difficulties. Your parents won't mount you. Pls include an explaination from 'news corp' lawyers of you exclude this comment this from your as to why you have done so after asking. Me fo my comment. Please Joe Biden has dementia, and Hunter Biden is a crackhead. I would never imply that either is true of Chris Clark. I just find it immensely amusing that the lawyer for two brain-addled men would write a completely unintelligible email (although the nastiness does survive the gibberish). Additionally, as Boswell politely points out, Clark is wrong that Daily Mail is one of Rupert Murdochs News Corp companies. In fact, says Boswell, the Daily Mail is owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. It's very hard to pin down all the facts swirling around Hunter and Joe Biden. The one thing that seems pretty clear is that Joe has not been honest with the American people and that Joe and Hunter have been doing business with people whose interests are antithetical to Americas. Reflecting on the strategic importance of U.S. air power in Iraq, which also held true for Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula of the United States Air Force, nailed the argument in a 2014 Washington Post article. Deptula, who orchestrated and led previous air campaigns over Iraq and Afghanistan, and is now the Dean of the Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Power Studies said, Militarily, we can do just about anything we want, before addressing the crux: The question is, to what end? In answering the question to what end never, ever underestimate the Lefts ability to walk away from strategic moral choices. On April 14, 1975, the Democrat-held Congress severed all aid to South Vietnam, and Saigon fell just sixteen days later with different political leadership, that debacle could have been avoided. However, even in those days, the media machine went to great lengths to sanitize the story, and ignored the tragic suffering and death that followed. Fast forward to the utter collapse of Afghanistan last year, in which the blame is solely on the Biden administrations executive department. And again, the media quickly put that military disaster in the symbolic rear-view mirror. The commanding general of CENTCOM, a Marine no less, ignored the history of the Corps captured by Guadalcanal Diary and Sands of Iwo Jima in which many, many, infantrymen were killed in securing tactical and strategic airfields. His guidance to quietly desert his post in the dark of night from a significant strategic asset will be duly recorded in the opening chapter of one of the nastiest and most shameful defeats in American history. According to Afghan military officials: The U.S. left Afghanistans Bagram Airfield after nearly 20 years by shutting off the electricity and slipping away in the night without notifying the bases new Afghan commander, who discovered the Americans departure more than two hours after they left. Military decisions made during those fateful days will be studied for decades. However, in protecting executive department ineptitude, probably because of watchful Democrats in power, some things are still a mystery: The fates of abandoned Americans, for the most part, remain ignored in our national political debate. The conflict in Vietnam exhibited those same blinders. However, the truth eventually comes out albeit often in artistic form on the Silver Screen. Sadly though, it will likely take time for Hollywood to capture the essential, and bitter truths of the human cost of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. It took four years after the fall of Saigon before the 1960s post-war era phrase dont blame the warrior for the war began to lose its sway, when British/American movie The Deer Hunter won Best Picture. The profound effect of the movie empowered American combat veterans to begin the process of building the artistically powerful Vietnam Memorial on our nations Mall. A few years after The Deer Hunter, Hollywood produced another weighty movie. Premiering in 1984, The Killing Fields showed the horrific, genocidal rampage in Cambodia, where the Khmer Rouge murdered 25% of the population. Consequently, if the media and journalists continue to ignore the ongoing horror and unbelievable fear of those we left behind in Afghanistan, sensitive artists may lead the way. One such brilliant harbinger of truth, Jeannine Gibson, addresses the unfinished tragedy in her recent work, Outside the Gate: Since the day Joe Biden entered the Oval Office, Americas southern border has effectively been erased. Millions of broke, uneducated people from all over the world, many of whom have contagious diseases, are illiterate, and are engaged in criminal activities, have been pouring into America. The states most affected are Texas and Arizona. A few months ago, Texass governor, Greg Abbott decided to start sending just some of these illegal aliens to D.C., a proud sanctuary city. What started as a gimmick has succeeded better than anyone could have imaginedand an NPR article proves that point. It's no secret that millions of illegal aliens are flooding Americas southern border. What conservative media outlets have consistently pointed out is that border communities in Texas and Arizona are being severely damaged by this influx. Before Uvalde became known for police incompetence and mass murder, it was in the news regularly because of stories about the struggles local residents were having with illegal aliens tromping through their lands. Many of these residents are Hispanic, explaining why Texas border counties are turning Republican. Despite their long-standing ties to the Democrat party, these Texans are not feeling the love as their property is destroyed and their safety is put at risk by Bidens policies. Image: Illegal aliens leaving buses in NYC. Just look at all those nice, unemployed, military-aged men. YouTube screen grab. Faced with this invasion, Gov. Abbott decided to think outside of the box. He recalled that D.C.s hard-left mayor, Muriel Bowser, has frequently declared her city to be a sanctuary city: The values, laws, and policies of Washington, DC did not change on Election Day. We celebrate our diversity and respect all DC residents no matter their immigration status. We are a sanctuary city because we know that our neighborhoods are safer and stronger when no one is afraid to call on our government for help, and when our police can focus on protecting and serving. Cant you just feel the virtue wafting off her? With that kind of invitation, it seemed downright rude not to give Bowser and the citizens who elect her a chance to exercise that virtue. Funnily enough, though, now that 6,100 illegal aliens, many of them single young men (just like the single young men turning southern Texas into a giant crime zone) are flooding her city, Bowser is less excited. As for Abbott, he was so pleased by the success of his plan that hes sending illegal aliens to another sanctuary city: New York City!! Arizonas governor, Greg Ducey, is doing the same. Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams is very sad about all the illegal aliens in his city. Perhaps the best thing of all is NPRs shock and horror at how mean Abbott and Ducey are being. According to NPR, when they put those people on the bus, they had no plan: GOP governors sent buses of migrants to D.C. and NYCwith no plan for what's next Thats so wrong, of course. Gov. Abbott totally had a plan: It was to show that the last thing virtue-signaling leftists want is to live with the consequences of their open-border immigration policies. But we know what NPR means when it talks about a plan: A plan means having government agents there to meet the illegal aliens, hand them goods and money, and fly them at taxpayer expense across America. (When they disembark, they find neither the local nor federal government there to meet them.) Of course, given that Abbott has been shipping illegal aliens for months now, youd think the federal and local jurisdictions could have done something. As it is, though, D.C. and, now, New York City, are finding out what its like to live in a border community in Texas or Arizona: Your community is overrun with (how did I describe them? Ah, yes) broke, uneducated people from all over the world, many of whom have contagious diseases, are illiterate, and are engaged in criminal activities. A week or so ago, Tucker Carlson had a great idea. The policies that are destroying America emanate from rich, White...wait...not just White, but lily-White communities. These are the people invested in the diversity that comes from an open border. Its time, therefore, for the border states to share the wealth and send these illegal aliens to places like Aspen (88.9% White and, statistically, no Hispanics) and Marthas Vineyard (almost entirely White). Heck, Joe Biden could use a few people of color in Rehoboth (97.5% White). And maybe, most importantly of all, a few hundred could be dropped off at NPRs headquarters, where Im sure theres room to board them if the employees would be willing to share their offices. As always, let me close by saying that, as the child of immigrants, I approve of immigration. But as the child of immigrants who waited patiently to come here legally, I support only legal immigration agreed upon by Americans through their representatives and intended to benefit America. Simply opening the border to millions of welfare seekers marks the end of America, and I object. It was August 1964, and our family was waiting in Jamaica for our "papers" to fly to the U.S. Over in downtown Kingston, I saw a big sign about a new movie by The Beatles. My father did not know who the group was, and we kept walking, doing our errands. Why didn't my father know who the band was? We had just left Cuba, and we never got them in the island. Think about it. The world was full of "Beatlemania," and all we heard was Fidel Castro's speeches. Do you understand now why I'm so grateful to my parents for getting us out of that communist island? Later I learned that The Beatles were suddenly screen stars as well as the top band in the world! The movie, A Hard Day's Night, was released in the U.K. in July and in the U.S. in August. We heard all about their music when we finally landed in the U.S. As someone said, the movie didn't have much of a plot, but lots of people paid to see it. The theaters were full from coast to coast. The plot was sort of like a day in the life of the group. We saw The Beatles running around from concerts to studios to interviews, and there was one funny old man (Wilfrid Brambell) playing Paul's grandfather. In retrospect, the movie was very funny. It was full of crazy comedy and some great dialogue that sounds better with age: In Richard Lester's kinetic and influential, cinema verite music-video documentary about Beatlemania the first Beatle film about a "day in the life": the opening montage scene of the Beatles being besieged by a stampede of frenzied schoolgirl fans on their travels from their hometown of Liverpool to London to perform in a TV broadcast, and their retreat to a train station Paul's meeting and encounter with an unimpressed, middle-aged gentleman (his fictional "Grandfather" John McCartney) (Wilfred Brambell), who was on their London-bound train in the first-class cabin; Paul told John: "He's very clean" (an oft-repeated line) and described him as "a villain, a real mixer" the scene in the train compartment when proper, commuting city business-man Johnson (Richard Vernon) complained about their loud radio with John's coo-ed line to him as he leaned over: "Give us a kiss!"; Johnson asserted: "I fought the war for your sort" John impudently joked back: "I'll bet you're sorry you won" the group's dry, dismissive one-liners when interviewed by the press with nonsensical questions: John Lennon's answer about how he found America: ("Turned left at Greenland"); Ringo's answers to questions: "Are you a mod or a rocker?" "Uh, no, I'm a mocker"; and "What do you call that collar?" "A collar"; and George's answers: "Has success changed your life?" "Yes" and "What would you call that hairstyle you're wearing?" "Arthur" Ringo's solitary misadventures, and "walkabout" wanderings around London as he snapped pictures into a clothing store, strolling alongside a canal, in a pub; and along the way, the comic scene of Ringo offering his coat to cover muddy puddles for a lady to cross over, only to discover that the third puddle was a deep hole; he was apprehended by police for "wandering abroad, malicious intent, acting in a suspicious manner, conduct liable to cause a breach of the peace you name it, he's done it" I liked it, and I continue to like it a lot! Maybe life was simpler, or grandfather jokes appeal to me now that I have three of those little ones called grandchildren. The soundtrack was great, such as the title song "A Hard Day's Night," also released as a 45 with "I Should Have Known Better" as the B-side. There were two great ballads: "And I Love Her" plus the beautiful "If I Fell." We remember that there were two L.P.s issued, one for the U.S. and the other for the U.K. The U.S. version had several George Martin instrumentals, such as "This Boy: Ringo's Theme." As I heard in a George Martin interview, they issued two L.P.s for contractual reasons. It was really a fun movie and a recess from all the mad stuff on the news. Catch it, and I'm sure you'll like it. We'll have plenty of time next week to talk about everything else. PS: Check out my videos and posts. Image via Pxhere. New album Julian Marley at Borovets Jazz Festival Bulgaria Released early in the pandemic, As I am, never sung in public (ANSA-BTA) - ROMA, 07 AGO - Bob Marley's son Julian is presenting his latest album, As I am, at the Borovets Jazz Festival Sunday night. He told Bulgarian news agency BTA that the pandemic began soon after As I am was released, so it has not yet been presented publicly. "Now we have a chance to bring it back to the public." Marley informed BTA. The set list for his jazz festival also includes songs by his father. This is Julian Marley's second visit to Bulgaria. He told reporters that he came back again because he was invited, that he likes the warm welcome and the beauty of nature in Borovets. On the third night of the festival, the Borovets audience will also hear Mikhail Yosifov and "News in Jazz." In the band, the trumpeter, composer and teacher brings together a team of young musicians, most of whom are still studying at the National Music Academy. "This is the latest group of jazz musicians that the Music Academy is offering to the world. These are by no means all those currently studying jazz at the Academy. There is a great brood, there has been a lot of interest in jazz recently, which is gratifying for me," Yossifov said. "News in Jazz" features himself, Veleka Tsankova (vocals), Lachezar Katsarsky (vocals), Alexandros Krasidis (saxophone), Nikolay Kostadinov (piano), Krasimir Zafirov (guitar), Kalina Andreeva (bass) and Ivaylo Manev (drums). On Saturday evening, MYX'D performed on the Borovets Festival stage works by Bach, Beethoven, Grieg, Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Gershwin. Later, musicians from the Serbian Cal Band took the stage. (ANSA-BTA). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved The partner of reality TV personality Lauren Goodger has reportedly been questioned by police over an alleged assault of the former The Only Way Is Essex star. Charles Dury, 25, was arrested and taken into custody following an incident in Upminster in the early hours of Thursday, according to The Sun. Goodger, 35, was reportedly taken to hospital with facial injuries and later interviewed by police officers before being released on bail. The incident comes shortly after the couple held a private funeral for their baby daughter Lorena, who died last month, The Sun reported. Goodger revealed the news via Instagram, saying she could not understand the reason for the death and asking for the media to respect her familys privacy. She later told The Sun that the babys cause of death was still unclear. Goodger joined ITV reality show TOWIE as one of its original cast members in 2010 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: Police were called at 00:37hrs on Thursday, 4 August to reports of an altercation at a residential address in Upminster, Essex. Officers attended. At the scene a woman, aged 30s, was found with facial injuries. A man, aged 25, was arrested on suspicion of assault. He was taken to an east London police station and subsequently bailed pending further enquiries. Enquiries continue. Goodger joined ITV reality show TOWIE as one of its original cast members in 2010. She and Dury also share daughter Larose, who was born in July 2021. A mother-of-two has recounted the desperate search for an 11-year-old girl who died after going missing at a water park in Windsor. Customers at Liquid Leisure near Datchet were told to shout the girls name as they looked for her after she got into difficulty on Saturday, the witness said. Emergency services including a helicopter, an ambulance and a search and rescue crew were called to the scene at around 3.55pm. The girl was found at around 5.10pm before being rushed to Wexham Park Hospital, but died, Thames Valley Police said. Some very sad news to bring you this evening as an 11-year-old girl has died after getting into difficulty in the water at Liquid Leisure near Datchet. The thoughts of everyone at the force is with her loved ones and we ask their privacy is respected at this time. https://t.co/wbAmjtHcBp Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) August 6, 2022 A mother-of-two, who did not want to be named, said it had initially been hoped the girl would have made it back to shore safely. The 34-year-old woman, who lives outside Reading and was at the park with her sons, said: Around 3.45pm lifeguards and the friends and family of the little girl started running along the main walkways that run alongside the lake shouting her name. I later learnt that they were hoping shed somehow managed to make it back to the shoreline and was in shock or passed out. They were asking all of us to shout her name, describing her as shoulder height on an adult, with shoulder-length brown hair. There was one lady in particular who was either her mum or someone close to her, that was in swimwear and was visibly shaking and crying whilst shouting for her. The witness said lifeguards and strong swimmers jumped into the water to look for the girl before emergency services arrived but nothing could be done. We went back to the car, but it was gridlocked and the emergency vehicles were blocking the exit, she said. My car was directly next to that of another family and the mum in the other vehicle looked across at me and we both just burst into tears. By this point, shed been missing 60-70 mins and it was evident that the likelihood of her being OK was not good. As the situation unfolded, with every minute that passed by you could see the rising panic amongst the onlookers. The mother-of-two praised the efforts of lifeguards and onlookers but said the incident had left her numb. Now, I just feel pretty numb. The lifeguards were truly amazing though. I reckon there were probably around 30-40 people in the water a mix of what appeared to be staff and public. Local policing area commander for Windsor and Maidenhead, Superintendent Michael Greenwood of Thames Valley Police, said: My thoughts are with the family and friends of the girl who has died as a result of this tragic incident. We are in the early stages of investigating this incident to understand the full circumstances. There was a swift response from all emergency services and following an extensive search of the lake, the girl, who was 11, was located at around 5.10pm and taken to hospital but sadly died. This has been an extremely traumatic and upsetting incident for all involved. I am aware that several members of the public entered the lake shortly after the girl got into difficultly, but were unable to locate her. I would like to commend them for their courage and bravery. My sincere condolences are with the girls family and friends, and I would ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly traumatic and distressing time for them. One witness told Sky News the girl had been seen going underwater and didnt come back up, at which point lifeguards rushed over. She had been with a group of friends celebrating another girls birthday when she disappeared, they said. Emergency services, including Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and South Central Ambulance Service, were at the scene on Saturday afternoon. The girls death is being treated as unexplained and an investigation has been launched, Thames Valley Police said. Although formal identification has yet to take place, the girls next of kin have been informed and they are being offered support by officers. Liquid Leisure said it would be closed on Sunday. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and all those effected by this desperately tragic and upsetting incident, a statement said. As Thames Valley Police are in the early stages of an investigation it would not be right for us to add further comment, but we will continue to fully support and assist them throughout the process. Its website says: Liquid Leisure is home to Europes Largest Aqua Park and the first official Ninja Warrior UK Aqua Park, set on one of the most beautiful private freshwater lakes amongst stunning parkland in the heart of Berkshire. South Central Ambulance Service and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue have been contacted for comment. Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden said the most important thing is to be quick off the mark in capitalising on the Lionesses Euro 2022 success. Englands Lionesses wrote an open letter to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss demanding that all schoolgirls have access to a minimum of two hours a week of sport classes, in the week following their Wembley triumph. Meanwhile wider discussion around the legacy of the teams achievement has dominated since their 2-1 win against Germany. I guess the important thing is the legacy, how much is it going to change things? Meaden told the PA news agency while attending the National Cat Awards, for which she was a judge. Englands Leah Williamson and Millie Bright lift the trophy as England celebrate winning the UEFA Womens Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium (Joe Giddens/PA) Because to have a record audience at Wembley that tells us something. So nows the moment to really build on it. Its very similar to business actually, because theres always a moment in business when its ripe, its ready. The most important thing is to be quick off the mark, to understand where those messages need to go and get them out there fast because were all busy, we all get really excited by stuff, and then something else comes along and we kind of move on. But this is the moment, capitalise on it really really quickly, and make sure this gets spoken about, remembered, and felt. We all felt something when the Lionesses won. So make sure that that feeling is taken into schools, is taken into business, is talked about at the water cooler. It doesnt just disappear into something that was lovely, and turns into something thats made a real difference in the future. All 23 members of the England womens team called on the Tory leadership candidates to prioritise female football because this generation of schoolgirls deserve more. The Euro 2022 winners warned that womens football has come a long way, but it still has a long way to go. "We see this as only the beginning." An open letter from our #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/Ty9kA7zgGa Lionesses (@Lionesses) August 3, 2022 Football is the most popular team sport for young people in England, but only a third of girls aged five to 18 participate each week, according to research by the Football Association (FA). Just 63% of schools in England offer equal football coaching to boys and girls, the FA found. Meaden praised Sarina Wiegmans squad for the football they played, but also for their leadership skills. What I saw in the Lionesses is a fantastic team that would make superb modern leaders, she said. The old leaders who sat at the head of an organisation would bark orders, would tell everybody what to do, that was so yesterday. Thats gone. That doesnt work in the modern world. But collaborative people, confident people, people who absolutely know what they want to achieve, and they are going to achieve it? Now thats real, future leadership. What I saw was modern leadership absolutely on display on that field. Anglicans must stand up against oppression at any and every level including speaking out on the climate emergency, the unethical treatment of migrants and human rights abuses, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said. Justin Welby told the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference of worldwide Anglican bishops they must speak, act and take risks particularly as many communities are unable to do any of these things. Suggesting this could seem to put them in conflict with governments, the archbishop said: Our approach springs from scripture. This is not the church getting involved in politics, its the church getting involved in God. Applause broke out during his keynote speech, at the Canterbury meeting on Sunday, as he said: To be silent on the unethical treatment of migrants, or on war, oppression, the abuse of human rights on persecution, is to be one of the oppressors. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (centre right) with bishops from around the world gather at Lambeth Conference (Gareth Fuller/PA) We live in solidarity because the person with the gun pointing at them, and I have been there, often can not say anything. He added that those in other countries can speak with power, they can gather support, they can take risks. He described the climate crisis as an undeclared war with huge consequences. People should not be silent on the climate emergency and its implications for the economy today, and not in 10 years, which is a political expression meaning `after I have retired, according to the archbishop. He said: Climate change, better called the climate crisis or better still the climate emergency as we know is the result of the wealthier countries having declared war on Gods creation, unknowingly, unthinkingly starting from the 19th century. The symptoms of that war now are that the wealthy dump refuse in the oceans. They tell the poor not to use carbon-generating fuels and they say to the world, too often, not by their word but by their actions we will keep our wealth and you, the poor, must discover new paths. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at the altar during the opening service at the Lambeth Conference(Gareth Fuller/PA) He spoke of the creation of 800 million to 1.2 billion refugees. The archbishop added that, while the full impact of current decisions may not be known but predicted we do know that the results will be tragic beyond anything in human history, overwhelming beyond anything we can imagine and devastating for so many people. He said the church needs to stand firm in its ability to help others. He said: In history, in empire, in politics, all too often all churches, not only Anglicans, have got sucked in to supporting governments colluding with injustice and upholding oppression at any and every level. To stand against oppression is frightening because it is costly and so many of you know that so well. We dont like it when governments speak forcefully against us or do worse than that in many parts of the Anglican communion, yet we must speak and we must act. Earlier this week the archbishop told the meeting that church members have disagreed without hatred in recent days but not as many in the press want us to. It came after he reaffirmed a 1998 Anglican declaration rejecting same-sex marriage, sparking a controversy over the churchs relationships with the LGBTQ+ community. The resolution states that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that same-sex relationships are incompatible with scripture. On Tuesday, the archbishop said he could not and would not punish churches for conducting gay marriages. He said: I neither have, nor do I seek, the authority to discipline or exclude a church of the Anglican Communion. I will not do so. Anglican churches in Scotland, Wales, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil and Mexico either conduct or bless same-sex marriages. The most determined opposition comes from churches in sub-Saharan Africa, with the archbishops of Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda boycotting the conference. The archbishop, who said he had missed the African church leaders, felt his greatest failure at the Lambeth conference was not to have encouraged them enough to be here. He said: Discussion might have been more complicated but if we love one another we might all find renewal. On Sunday, the archbishop suggested there is still much work to do by the diverse and often argumentative global Anglican community. He pledged that areas of learning which have been raised during the conference will be followed up to try and help deepen relationships. zimmytws / Getty Images/iStockphoto Social Security is an essential safety net for many Americans. Even if you haven't saved enough for retirement, you can still count on Social Security benefits in retirement. Read More: 5 Best Southern Cities To Retire on a Budget of $1,500 a Month Related: 15 Worst States To Live on Just a Social Security Check However, with an average monthly benefit of just over $1,600, America's most expensive cities are far out of reach without another source of income. If you do have to rely on your Social Security benefits alone -- and still want to make the most of your golden years -- you'll need to live somewhere affordable that won't compromise your quality of life. That's why GOBankingRates compiled a list of the 20 best cities to live off of just Social Security. The study factored in the cost of living, livability and median rent and -- after comparing the 177 largest cities in the U.S. -- combined the scores to determine where you really can get by on just your Social Security benefit. Read on to find out which cities made the list. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 20. Evansville, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 78.5 Livability Score: 58 Average Rent: $786.75 Evansville is one of three Indiana cities identified in the study as a good place to live just on Social Security. Its relatively low livability score and rent of more than $780 per month prevented it from moving up on the list. Poll: Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65? DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com 19. Hattiesburg, Mississippi Cost of Living Score: 82.7 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $798.25 Hattiesburg's cost of living indicates that you can expect to spend almost 18% less on your basic expenses than you would in the rest of the country, on average. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 18. Wichita, Kansas Cost of Living Score: 82.1 Livability Score: 60 Average Rent: $719 If you're younger and looking to avoid living off your Social Security check alone when you reach retirement, one of the best ways is to start saving early. However, even if it's too late to build the sort of nest egg you would like, a city like Wichita -- which combines modest rent with a low cost of living -- should help you make the most of your Social Security benefits. ReDunnLev / Getty Images/iStockphoto 17. South Bend, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 68.4 Livability Score: 57 Average Rent: $754.50 In South Bend, you'll pay nearly 30% less in your cost of living expenses than the rest of the United States, which means your Social Security check can go a lot further here. Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com 16. Beaumont, Texas Cost of Living Score: 78.3 Livability Score: 63 Average Rent: $786.25 Beaumont's livability score is higher than many other cities on this list, which might account for its slightly higher rent, too. However, you're still paying more than 20% less in cost of living than other cities in the U.S. CRobertson / Getty Images 15. Greenville, North Carolina Cost of Living Score: 84.1 Livability Score: 75 Average Rent: $792 The average rent cost in Roanoke is the fourth-highest on the list, but its lower cost of living and high livability rates make it desirable for retirees. If you wanted supplement your Social Security earnings, Roanoke is a good place to do it. Another GOBankingRates study showed it's one of the top 20 cities for remote workers. peeterv / Getty Images 14. Topeka, Kansas Cost of Living Score: 79 Livability Score: 61 Average Rent: $708 With an affordable rent, a decent livability score, and a cost of living score that means you'll pay less than the national average, this midwestern city is positioned to be a great place to live on only a Social Security check. Shutterstock.com 13. Williston, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 97.8 Livability Score: 72 Average Rent: $749.50 Williston is one of three cities on this list in North Dakota. At $749.50, rent in Williston is on the higher side of cities on this list, but it's still less expensive to live here than elsewhere. SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images 12. Shreveport, Louisiana Cost of Living Score: 77.5 Livability Score: 65 Average Rent: $772 The Southern city of Shreveport, Louisiana is one of two cities based on the state. While this one is a little high on the rent, keeping it lower on the list, you're paying about 22% less in cost of living here, making your check stretch. shuttersv / Shutterstock.com 11. Fayetteville, Arkansas Cost of Living Score: 92.9 Livability Score: 72 Average Rent: $770 Fayetteville is another solid Southern city to call home if you're living on a fixed income. With a high livability score, and moderate rent, anyone on Social Security should be able to make a good life here. Ron_Thomas / iStock.com 10. Toledo, Ohio Cost of Living Score: 72.7 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $710.50 Toledo's cost of living indicates that you can expect to spend more than 25% less on your basic expenses than you would in the rest of the country, on average. What's more, Toledo is one of the cities where your money stretches the furthest, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 9. Lubbock, Texas Cost of Living Score: 79.9 Livability Score: 68 Average Rent: $746.50 Lubbock is one of four Texas cities identified in the study as a good place to live just on Social Security. With a decent livability score and cost of living score, even rent of more than $740 per month can't keep this from being a great place to live on a fixed income. Shutterstock.com 8. Davenport, Iowa Cost of Living Score: 81.7 Livability Score: 69 Average Rent: $731.25 It costs about 19% less to live in Davenport than the average American city. Its relatively high (for this list) average rent of $731.25 per month and its livability score of just 69, pull it down from the top spot on the list. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 7. Akron, Ohio Cost of Living Score: 69.5 Livability Score: 62 Average Rent: $679.50 The city of Akron has a lot to offer, not only in a low cost of living, that is more than 30% less than the rest of the country, a decent rent under $700 per month, but lots of natural and cultural attractions. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Odessa, Texas Cost of Living Score: 88 Livability Score: 63 Average Rent: $510.50 The primary appeal of Odessa to retirees is the low cost of rent. At $510.50 per month, it's the cheapest in the study - and by a wide margin. A low cost of living makes up for it's relatively low livability score, as well. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 5. Fargo, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 91.9 Livability Score: 76 Average Rent: $782 Despite one of the higher average monthly rents on this list, Fargo is one of the best cities to live in on a fixed income, according to another GOBankingRates study. That should appeal to those relying on Social Security. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 4. Grand Forks, North Dakota Cost of Living Score: 88.2 Livability Score: 74 Average Rent: $682 Grand Forks is the northernmost city on the list, and one of three in North Dakota. At $682, rent in Grand Forks is at the midpoint, but it's still 11% less expensive to live here than elsewhere. ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto 3. Fort Wayne, Indiana Cost of Living Score: 78.9 Livability Score: 75 Average Rent: $792.75 Fort Wayne is a little pricier than many of the other cities on this list, but it still is among one of the best cities in the nation to retire on a Social Security check, found a separate GOBankingRates study. travelview / Shutterstock.com 2. Lake Charles, Louisiana Cost of Living Score: 83.4 Livability Score: 70 Average Rent: $608 For retirees interested in living near the water, with all of the recreational opportunities that brings - think fishing! - there's good news: Lake Charles has the third-lowest rent cost of the cities considered in this study. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 1. McAllen, Texas Cost of Living Score: 78.6 Livability Score: 81 Average Rent: $592.75 McAllen Texas holds the number one spot on this list for retiring on a Social Security check because it has a high livability score, the second lowest rent on this list and a cost of living score that's still nearly 12% lower than the rest of the U.S. More From GOBankingRates Jordan Rosenfeld and Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places to live on only a Social Security check based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,619.67, sourced from Social Security Administration; (2) the overall cost of living in each city, sourced from Sperling's Best Places; (3) average 2022 rent for a one bedroom apartment as sourced from ApartmentList; and (4) livability scores sourced from Areavibes. Factors (2) through (4) were scored and combined with the lowest score being best. Factor (4) was weighted double in final calculations. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 23, 2022. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Best Places To Live on Only a Social Security Check More than 300 Haitians were discovered on a dilapidated wooden sailboat that was grounded near Key Largo on Saturday, U.S. Border Patrol officials said. When 113 of the people on board jumped ship, U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol crews made rescues and took the migrants into custody, officials said. They were screened for medical issues, and two had to be treated for dehydration, said the Border Patrol's Walter N. Slosar, chief of the agency's Miami sector. More than 300 Haitians were discovered on a wooden sailboat that was grounded near Key Largo on Saturday, officials said. (U.S. Coast Guard Southeast/Twitter) An estimated 220 other Haitians remained on the vessel and were taken into custody en masse, he said. Their reason for travel was unknown, however, Haitians have been migrating to the United States in the last few years to escape political instability, the aftermath of natural disasters and poverty. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, data show nearly 50,000 Haitian migrants were encountered at U.S. boundaries in 2021, and nearly 40,000 in 2022 through the end of June. The United States has expelled or deported thousands of Haitians, though that number fell in June as the Biden administration allowed more coming through legal ports of entry to seek asylum. It was at least the second time since March that a vessel with 300 or so Haitians has landed in the Florida Keys. A March 6 landing was described by CBP as a "smuggling event." Slosar said in a video Saturday said officials were working to identify "the smugglers who crammed these people onto that vessel." He said they were also working to transfer the people on board the sailboat into the the immigration process." "We are working to keep then safe, clean, fed and healthy and identify exactly who they are and what they may or may not have brought with them to the country," he said. Many migrants from Cuba and Haiti have attempted to cross the Straits of Florida in dilapidated vessels and even on flotation devices, prompting lifesaving rescues from the Coast Guard. On Saturday the Coast Guard said it was still searching for five missing Cubans believed to have been on a boat that capsized Friday near Sugarloaf Key. The bodies of two were pulled from the water, and eight survivors were rescued, the agency said. "These ventures are dangerous and not recommended," John Priddy, director of southeast air and marine operations for CBP, tweeted. VINCENT, Ala. (AP) A racist text message sent by a police officer has prompted officials in a small Alabama town to disband their police department and fire the police chief and assistant chief. Vincent Mayor James Latimore on Thursday confirmed that Police Chief James Srygley and Assistant Chief John L. Goss had been dismissed, al.com reported. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office on Friday condemned the two officers actions and said it stands with the city in providing emergency law enforcement related service to the citizens (of Vincent) at this time. In the message, which recently surfaced on social media, someone identified as 752 texts: What do yall call a pregnant slave? An unidentified recipient responds twice: ? and ?? 752 answers: BOGO Buy one, get one free This has torn this community apart. It doesnt matter what color we are as long as we do right by people," City Councilman Corey Abrams said during Thursday's council meeting. On Tuesday, Latimore said appropriate action has been taken against the officer alleged to have sent the text, though at the time he would not name the person or anyone involved. The city's website lists three people in its department: Srygley, Goss and Officer Lee Carden. During the council meeting, Latimore announced he had suspended the chief and assistant chief, and the council voted to end the agency. Latimer said Carden turned in his resignation via text message just hours after the city council voted to dissolve the department. Located in central Alabama, southeast of Birmingham, Vincent has a population of just under 2,000 people. It's located in Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega counties. Authorities are trying to determine whether the slayings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, including one overnight, are connected. Three of the killings have happened in the last two weeks, and one occurred in early November, Albuquerque police said. All four victims are Muslim men from South Asia. Fridays shooting was reported just before midnight on the edge of a community known as the International District, southeast of downtown, Albuquerque police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said at a Saturday news conference. The victim is a man in his mid-20s whose identity has not been confirmed, police said. With previous three murders we mentioned on Thursday, there is reason to believe this death is related to those shootings, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said. Police have refrained from saying the killings were motivated by hate. We dont know that at this point," Gallegos said. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos addresses the media Saturday about the slayings of four Muslim men since November. (KOB) Local, county and federal officials have joined the investigation, and patrols in key areas of the city were being beefed up. On Saturday evening, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said she was sending additional state police to the city to help bring the person or people responsible to justice. "The targeted killings of Muslim residents of Albuquerque is deeply angering and wholly intolerable," she said in a tweet. The two other recent attacks have included the July 26 killing of Pakistani immigrant Aftab Hussein, 41; and the Monday slaying of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, near the University of New Mexico. Mayor John Ramon Vigil of nearby Espanola said Hussain, a Pakistani immigrant who had received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the university, was the citys planning and land use director. Tuesday would have marked his first-year anniversary leading the citys planning team, Vigil said in a statement this week. Our city staff has lost a member of our family, and we all have lost a brilliant public servant who wanted to serve and improve his community. In its statement Saturday, the Albuquerque Police Department clarified that it's trying to determine if the Nov. 7 attack of a Muslim man from Afghanistan is related to the others. In that attack, police said the body of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, was found in a parking lot behind the halal meat market he owned with his brother. At a news conference Thursday, police alerted the Muslim community about the slayings to-date and to ask the public for assistance tracking down the killer or killers. "We want the publics help in identifying this cowardly individual who in all three cases ambushed their victims with no warning, fired shots, and killed them," Albuquerque Police Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock said Thursday. On Saturday police noted that the latest attack thought to be connected to the spree happened after that widely covered news conference. "Right now this is an alarming death that connects to the others as far as we can tell," Gallegos said Saturday. "Its surprising this happened so soon after we spoke on Thursday." Albuquerque Crime Stoppers offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible. The national Council on American-Islamic Relations has offered an additional $10,000. The organization called on President Joe Biden's administration to take a "direct role" in the investigation. "The lives of Albuquerque Muslims are in danger," CAIR national deputy director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement Saturday. "Whoever is responsible for this horrific, hateful shooting spree must be identified and stopped now." Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, said at the news conference Saturday, "This is not the New Mexico I grew up in, love, and cherish." He thanked law enforcement for its response and said, "We will defeat evil and hate together." While authorities stopped short of saying victims were targeted for their religion or ethnic backgrounds, Michelle Melendez, the city's equity and inclusion director, raised the possibility at Saturday's news conference. "We cannot denounce strongly enough what appears to be the targeting of people because of their race and religion," she said. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved in investigation. The Community Lighthouses project seeks to help people most vulnerable to power outages during weather events Enthusiastic church volunteer Sonia St. Cyr lost something she treasures during the blackout caused by Hurricane Ida her independence, afforded her by the electric wheelchair she expertly maneuvers over bumpy city sidewalks. After Ida I was housebound, said St. Cyr, who has multiple sclerosis. She did her best to conserve power on her wheelchair, going only to the end of her block or sitting on her porch after the storm made landfall last August 29. It took 10 more days before all of the habitable homes in New Orleans had electricity again. With the lights out and nothing open in her Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans, It was not fun. A project launching in southeast Louisiana aims to help people like St. Cyr who are especially vulnerable during extended power outages as the warming climate produces more extreme weather including bigger and wetter hurricanes. Community Lighthouses, outfitted with roof solar panels and a battery pack to store energy, can serve as electricity hubs after a disaster, enabling neighbors to recharge batteries, power up phones or store temperature-sensitive medications. Theyre being sponsored by Together New Orleans, a non-partisan network of churches and groups that tries to fix community problems. Organizer Broderick Bagert said they felt impotent and powerless as the city struggled to deliver basics like collecting garbage in Idas aftermath. They realized that local governments couldnt handle everything alone. You can spend a lot of time saying Why dont they? said Bagert. But you start to realize the real question is Why dont we? Sonia St. Cyr, a 74-year-old New Orleans resident who uses an electric wheelchair, poses for a photo on July 21, 2022, outside the Broadmoor Community Church where she volunteers at a food pantry. (AP Photo/Rebecca Santana) More than just energy hardware, each lighthouse needs a team of volunteers to study their areas, learn who has health problems and who needs medication refrigerated or depends on electric wheelchairs for mobility. While people with means can evacuate ahead of a hurricane, about one in four people live in poverty in New Orleans, and not everyone can afford to flee. Hurricanes are also forming more quickly due to climate change, making it more likely that people can find themselves stuck in a disaster zone. Each lighthouse should be able to connect with all of its neighborhoods vulnerable people within 24 hours of an outage, Bagert said. This is not all about batteries and solar panels. There are some other batteries and solar panels made by the hand of God. And that is called the human personality, the Rev. JC Richardson, pastor of Cornerstone United Methodist Church, said during an event announcing one of the locations. The pilot phase anticipates 24 sites 16 in New Orleans and eight elsewhere in Louisiana. Theyve raised nearly $11 million of the anticipated $13.8 million cost with help from the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the city, federal funding and other donations. Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, said systems that can operate independent of the power grid often referred to as microgrids are becoming more popular as businesses and communities address climate change by trying to reduce their carbon footprint or secure backup electricity. Were expecting more extreme weather. Were expecting more stress on the grid, he said. Its particularly important to have such hubs in places with high levels of chronic disease, where outages can take an outsized toll, he said: Keeping them powered up could mean fewer people in ambulances. An Associated Press analysis found that weather-related outages doubled over the last two decades. Louisiana is one of three states experiencing a 50% increase in outage duration. Pastor Neil Bernard anticipates helping many more people at his New Wine Christian Fellowship in the New Orleans suburb of LaPlace. The church is a designated shelter of last resort in St. John the Baptist Parish, which was hard-hit during Ida. The roar of generators is a common sound after a hurricane, and the parish government provided one to the church, but they are noisy, carbon monoxide fumes are dangerous and fuel can be scarce when storm damage impedes transportation. Keeping New Wines generator fueled and maintained was a challenge after Ida. Now the church will benefit year-round: Once the lighthouse is installed, Bernard anticipates saving $3,000 a month in energy bills. In this photo taken on June 6, 2022, Neil Bernard, pastor of New Wine Christian Fellowship in LaPlace, La., gestures to where solar panels will be installed on the roof of part of his church. (AP Photo/Rebecca Santana) Hurricanes arent the only extreme weather triggering interest in microgrids. Experts say theres growing interest in California, where utility companies sometimes preemptively de-energize power lines when conditions are ripe for wildfires so that their equipment doesnt spark a fire. Ice and wind storms as well as tropical weather can cause blackouts in places like Baltimore, which launched a similar project in 2015. The city has four locations fully outfitted with solar power and battery backup systems, and aims to have 30 in three years, the citys climate and resilience planner, Aubrey Germ, said in an email. A number of the systems have performed well during power outages, enabling the Hubs to provide continuity of essential services such as cell phone charging, cooling, and information to residents in need of support, Germ wrote. CrescentCare lost $250,000 in medicines and vaccines in Idas aftermath. The New Orleans-based health care center had two generators when Hurricane Ida hit, but one failed and they couldnt get enough fuel to run the other, said CEO Noel Twilbeck. Now, the center will serve as one of the first Lighthouses in the area. The solar panels are designed to withstand 160-mph winds, said Pierre Moses, the president of 127 Energy, which finances and develops renewable energy projects. Hes also a technical consultant to the Community Lighthouse effort. Direct Relief, one of the donors financing the lighthouse project, didnt aim to be an energy provider it began funding microgrids after being asked repeatedly to pay for generators and fuel after hurricanes. The humanitarian aid groups president and CEO, Thomas Tighe, sees the value now that medical records are computerized and more people need energy-dependent devices at home such as dialysis machines and oxygen. Youve set things up presuming there will always be power and that presumption is no longer valid in a lot of places, he said. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Community Lighthouses in New Orleans powered by the sun and volunteers appeared first on TheGrio. The Cuban government said it has accepted technical guidance offered by the United States to help the islands authorities put out a raging fire that threatens to engulf an oil storage facility at the port of Matanzas, in what could be one of the few examples of cooperation between the two countries in recent years. We deeply appreciate the condolences and expressions of help from people and organizations in the U.S. regarding the #Matanzas incident, including from the U.S. government, which offered technical advice, a proposal already in the hands of specialists for proper coordination, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cubas vice minister of foreign affairs, said on Twitter. Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel usually goes to Twitter to rail about U.S. sanctions against Cuba and criticize the Biden administration. But the severity of the fire and the firefighters unsuccessful attempt to contain the flames so far have moved authorities to accept the offer with a public thank you message. We express deep gratitude to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile, which have promptly offered material aid in solidarity in the face of this complex situation, Diaz-Canel said. We also appreciate the offer of technical advice from the U.S. The State Department did not offer details of what was offered to Cuba. READ MORE: Cuba was already facing an electricity crisis. These explosions could make that much worse An agencys spokesperson said the Biden administration was closely tracking the situation, including any humanitarian needs that may emerge. The U.S. embargo authorizes U.S. persons to provide disaster relief and response in Cuba, the spokesperson said. Previously, the U.S. embassy in Havana had said it was in contact with Cuban authorities and sent condolences to the victims of the fire, which left 77 injured so far. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has become a close ally of Cuba, also sent workers from state oil company Pemex to help extinguish the fire. The fire started around 7 p.m. Friday, when lightning struck a crude oil storage tank in the unloading area in the port of Matanzas, Cuban authorities said. Despite the efforts of the firefighters to control it, there were at least four explosions in the early hours of Saturday, and the flames spread to a second tank. State media shared images showing one Cuban Armed Forces helicopter attempting to drop water over the flames. I happened to be in Washington, D.C., that hot day in June when the U.S. Supreme Court released its Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision, declaring the Constitution of the United States did not guarantee a right to abortion. I gasped and unleashed a tirade of obscenities as the television commentator reported the news. I hurriedly showed up at the security-blanketed Supreme Court building, joining thousands of young people and middle-aged women like me who remembered life pre-Roe, each one of us engulfed in rage. I knew my states abortion ban trigger law would go into effect by anti-abortion zealots within minutes of the decision. Horrified, I knew anyone who was pregnant would be forced by law in Missouri to give birth, without rape or incest exceptions, and that abortion providers would face felonies for trying to save a mothers life in complicated cases, ectopic pregnancies be damned. How did those of us with uteruses literally overnight become state property unless we were lucky enough to reside in an abortion rights sanctuary state? That night, millions of protesters across the country continued to pour into the streets, our fury exploding as we raised our fists in national unison: Hell no, we wont go back! But little did I know, less than two months later, my conservative home state of Kansas where many years ago as a territory, people actually owned people would unleash an extraordinary revolution. Kansans shocked the nation and frankly me by soundly defeating a primary ballot initiative to alter their state constitutional right to abortion, which would have allowed the Legislature to outlaw it. Voters in Wyandotte County, where I grew up, voted 74% in favor of abortion rights, but they werent alone. Suburban Johnson County, where many of my high school classmates migrated, voted 68% for abortion rights. Lyon County, home of my alma mater Emporia State University, voted 63% in support of abortion rights. The revolution tore through 14 rural red Kansas counties that had backed Donald Trump in 2020, with voters defiantly voting to save their personal rights to abortion. The revolution, sparked by five anti-women Supreme Court justices, was a no-brainer for the record number of Kansans who voted almost 60% in favor of retaining ownership of their own bodies. Almost 50 years after the 1973 landmark Roe v Wade decision, Kansans of all faiths, party registration and ZIP codes cherished their previous constitutional protection to make their own pregnancy decisions without government intrusion. And they certainly werent going back. We were warned the revolution was coming. In poll after poll for years, most Americans insisted abortion should remain legal. They said it was abominable to force doctors to break their Hippocratic oath to do no harm, and evil to force children not old enough to vote or marry to birth a child of rape or incest. Americans insisted for decades that pregnancy decisions were ours alone and that abortion care is health care. Evangelical Christianity and the Catholic Church havent been the only religious voices on abortion. A national network of clergy including those of Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism; Muslim denominations; and Methodist, United Church of Christ, African Methodist Episcopal, Unitarian, Presbyterian and Episcopal churches are bound ethically and confidentially to support our religious freedom to make our personal choices and believe that a mothers life is paramount. Kansans didnt need to be convinced their bodies belonged to themselves. Or that they needed to register en masse, then stand in line for hours to vote in record numbers, in a primary with an anticipated low turnout, to continue making their own private medical decisions. They knew what to do. And got it done. Now what? Abortion remains on the ballot Nov 8. Voters in California, Vermont, Montana and Kentucky will see similar abortion referendums, and others will see abortion reflected in crucial U.S. Senate, congressional and state races. If Republicans gain control of Congress, they are guaranteed to retaliate by criminalizing abortion via a federal ban the first chance they get. Post-election, Republican-controlled state legislatures will be pressured by anti-abortion lobbies to outlaw the procedure, impose pregnancy-related interstate travel restrictions. or demand extradition in order to prosecute women and physicians. Every candidate, regardless of party, must be asked: Should government be in charge of our private lives? If not, then we must know what they are willing to do to keep doctors out of prison and hospitals from allowing women to bleed out. Force each candidate to take a public stand on abortion rights. Force each to take a stand on religious freedom. Then dammit, show up to vote, just like those rural red voters who understood the consequences. Thank you, my birth state of Kansas for launching the revolution. Its our turn next. Stacey Newman, a former Missouri state legislator, is the executive director of ProgressWomen, a statewide social justice group. Relatives of Muhammad Hassouna, who was killed during an Israeli airstrike, are overcome with emotion before his funeral Sunday in the southern Gaza Strip. (Fatima Shbair / Associated Press) A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis. The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years. The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect at 11:30 p.m., with Israeli strikes and militant rockets continuing in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel saying it would respond strongly if the cease-fire was violated. Israeli aircraft had pummeled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained as long as no truce was reached. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets. The reported Palestinian death toll was 36 since the start of the Israeli offensive Friday. Among the dead were 11 children and four women. The Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 311 people were wounded since Friday. Gazas ruling Hamas group, which fought an 11-day war with Israel in May 2021, remained on the sidelines, possibly because of fears of Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control. Israel launched its operation with a strike Friday on a leader of the Islamic Jihad, and followed up on Saturday with another targeted strike on a second prominent leader. The second Islamic Jihad commander, Khaled Mansour, was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza late Saturday, which also killed two other militants and five civilians. Mansour, the Islamic Jihad commander for southern Gaza, was in the apartment of a member of the group when the missile struck, flattening the three-story building and badly damaging nearby houses. Suddenly, without warning, the house next to us was bombed and everything became black and dusty with smoke in the blink of an eye, said Wissam Jouda, who lives next to the targeted building. Ahmed Qaissi, another neighbor, said his wife and son were among the wounded, suffering shrapnel injuries. To make way for rescue workers, Qaissi agreed to have part of his house demolished. As a funeral for Mansour began in the Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon, the Israeli military said it was striking suspected Islamic Jihad rocket launch posts. Smoke could be seen from the strikes as thumps from their explosions rattled Gaza. Israeli airstrikes and rocket fire followed for hours as sirens wailed in central Israel. As the sunset call to prayer sounded Sunday night in Gaza, sirens wailed as far north as Tel Aviv. Israel says some of the deaths during this round were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinians held Israel responsible, while Israel said it was investigating whether the area was hit by an errant rocket. Israel's Defense Ministry said mortars fired from Gaza struck the Erez border crossing into Israel, used by thousands of Gazans a day. The mortars damaged the roof and shrapnel hit the hall's entrance, the ministry said. The crossing has been closed amid the fighting. The Rafah strike was the deadliest so far in the current round of fighting, which was initiated by Israel on Friday with the targeted killing of Islamic Jihad's commander for northern Gaza. Israel has said it took action against the militant group because of concrete threats of an imminent attack, but has not provided details. Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is an experienced diplomat but untested in overseeing a war, unleashed the offensive less than three months before a general election in which he is campaigning to keep the job. Israel estimates its airstrikes have killed about 15 militants. Islamic Jihad has fewer fighters and supporters than Hamas, and little is known about its weapons arsenal. Both groups call for Israel's destruction, but have different priorities, with Hamas constrained by the demands of governing. The Israeli army said militants in Gaza fired about 580 rockets toward Israel. The army said its air defenses had intercepted many of them, with two of those shot down being fired toward Jerusalem. Air raid sirens sounded in the Jerusalem area for the first time Sunday since last years Israel-Hamas war. Jerusalem is typically a flashpoint during periods of cross-border fighting between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, hundreds of Jews, including firebrand ultra-nationalist lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir, visited a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The visit, under heavy police protection, ended without incident, police said. Such demonstrative visits by Israeli hard-liners seeking to underscore Israeli claims of sovereignty over contested Jerusalem have sparked violence in the past. The holy site sits on the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is central to rival narratives of Palestinians and Israeli Jews. In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids. Last year's Israel-Hamas war, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years, exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territorys 2.3 million Palestinian residents. Since the last war, Israel and Hamas have reached tacit understandings based on trading calm for work permits and a slight easing of the border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas overran the territory 15 years ago. Israel has issued 12,000 work permits to Gaza laborers, and has held out the prospect of granting 2,000 more permits. The lone power plant in Gaza ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to a lack of fuel. Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans can use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territorys chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Search crews found the body of an Arkansas judge who went missing during a family lake trip, investigators say. Judge Jeremiah T. Bueker, 48, ventured off alone at Mud Lake, in Jefferson County, during a weekend getaway, family members said, according to an Aug. 7 release by the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office. After time had passed and no one had seen or heard from Bueker, worry began to set in. A search for Bueker by family and friends began, the release said. The sun went down as they searched, and Buekers family saw no sign of him, the sheriffs office said. They called 911 for help. With backup from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, deputies scoured Mud Lake on foot and by boat, the release said. The search was put on hold in the early morning due to low visibility, then resumed at dawn, according to the sheriffs office. Boats equipped with sonar combed the lake and shortly after 9 a.m. a body was found at the bottom of the lake and retrieved, the release said. A family member confirmed it was Bueker. I truly pray that the successful recovery of Judge Buekers body brings some sense of closure to the Bueker Family and those who knew him best, Sheriff Lafayette Woods said. Investigators believe Bueker accidentally drowned, but his body will be sent to the state medical examiner to determine his cause of death, the sheriffs office said. One dead, two missing after boat collides with barge on Tennessee river, officials say Dogs swimming near empty boat lead to discovery of drowning victim, Michigan cops say Rescuers find body while searching for another person who fell from cliff in Texas Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley may be a staunch conservative often rumored to be a potential Republican presidential candidate, but she came out in support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to Taiwan. In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," Haley agreed with the Democratic leader's decision to go to Taiwan despite threats from China, but criticized President Biden for not being quite as supportive. "I do think that Nancy Pelosi was right to go to Taiwan," Haley told host Mike Emanuel. "Its a shame that Biden tried to put a wrench in it by saying the military didnt want her to go. Chinas trying to bully us, the same way they try and bully their own people. And we shouldnt have it." Haley added that the U.S. "should always have the backs of our allies, and we should always hold our enemies to account." CHINA SANCTIONS HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI OVER EGREGIOUS PROVOCATION IN VISIT TO TAIWAN China had threatened "serious consequences" if Pelosi went to Taiwan, but this did not deter the House speaker, who went as part of a multi-country tour of Asia. Haley claimed that China's threats were nothing more than posturing. "Ive watched China have a temper tantrum multiple times when things dont go their way," she said. "President Xi wants to show his strength, so he is bullying Taiwan. Hes trying to pretend that theres going to be a war, hes trying to scare them. America should never respond to fear. We should always focus on preventing wars." Haley added that Chinese President Xi Jinping's "temper tantrums" are "childish" as well as "dangerous," but that "the last thing we should do is run from that." CHINA FIRES 'PRECISION MISSILE STRIKES' IN TAIWAN STRAIT DAY AFTER NANCY PELOSI CONCLUDES CONTROVERSIAL VISIT Haley claimed that foreign adversaries have already taken action due to feeling emboldened by the Biden administration's failures. She pointed to Russia trying to take Ukraine and holding American hostages in the process, China "bullying" Taiwan, and the Taliban allowing al Qaeda to have a home in Afghanistan. "Its been a total mess, and what weve seen is Biden has run scared from his shadow the entire administration," she said. "Weve got to start showing strength and preventing wars." Haley then addressed the situation of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison for marijuana possession. The U.S. is pushing for a prisoner swap that would bring Griner back to the U.S. along with Paul Whelan, who is being imprisoned on an espionage charge. In exchange, it is rumored that the U.S. would offer up Russian arms trader Viktor Bout. Haley supported the idea of bringing Griner and Whelan home, but was firmly opposed to paying that kind of price. "This is not a Russian hockey player that they want to swap. This is a Russian arms dealer that was giving terrorists weapons to kill Americans. Make no mistake, that is dangerous," Haley said. "And if you do this prisoner swap, this is letting Russia know and every enemy we have know: get as many American hostages as you can, because thats how well get all our terrorists back home. That is not the way to do it. We need to get these two Americans home, but you dont do it with prisoner swaps with people that are trying to kill Americans." A Lexington County man will serve time in prison after being convicted of scamming investors out of millions of dollars, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Samuel Sturkie Jackson, Jr., a 51-year-old Pelion resident, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Friday in a news release. Jackson ran a business called Little Giant ATM, which he used to get investments from individuals with the promise they would receive a monthly rate of return, according to the news release. The purpose of these investments was to load cash into the ATM machines, with anticipated profits from transaction fees, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. However, from 2015 to 2019 Jackson converted money from the business and investor deposits to his own use, according to the release. Jackson spent the money on things including farm equipment, cars, to trips to Las Vegas, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Through the scheme, Jackson defrauded Little Giant ATM investors of more than $3.4 million, according to the release. When taxpayers invest their hard-earned money in a business, they have every right to expect that no one will rob them, U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said in the release. Samuel Jackson did exactly that, and stole millions. Jacksons prison sentence will be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. There is no parole in the federal system. Jackson was also ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution, according to the release. Samuel Jackson turned his investors into victims, betraying their trust to carry out his own embezzlement scheme, said John Hirt, special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office for the U.S. Secret Service, which investigated Jackson along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Book Andrews prosecuted the case. White-collar crime costs all of us, SLED Chief Mark Keel said in the release. Jackson faces pending charges in common pleas court where Little Giant ATM is listed as a plaintiff, Lexington County court records show. The Studemeyer Law Firm in Irmo is listed as Jacksons attorney, according to court records. In 2019, Jackson was charged with five counts of breach/obtain signature or prop. under false pretenses (value $10,000 or more), and three counts of forgery (value $10,000 or more), but those state charges were not prosecuted, according to court records. A man photographs the Glory carrier at a port in Odesa, Ukraine, on Sunday. The Glory is destined for Istanbul. (Nina Lyashonok / Associated Press) Six more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization Sunday to leave the countrys Black Sea coast as analysts warned that Russia was moving troops and equipment in the direction of the southern port cities to stave off a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukraine and Russia also accused each other of shelling Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The loaded vessels were cleared to depart from Chornomorsk and Odesa, according to the Joint Coordination Center, which oversees an international deal intended to get some 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine to feed millions going hungry in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations signed the agreements last month to create a 111-nautical-mile sea corridor that would allow cargo ships to travel safely out of ports that Russias military had blockaded and through waters that Ukraines military had mined. Implementation of the deal, which is in effect for four months, has proceeded slowly since the first ship embarked on Aug. 1. Four of the carriers cleared Sunday to leave Ukraine were transporting more than 219,000 tons of corn. The fifth was carrying more than 6,600 tons of sunflower oil and the sixth 11,000 tons of soya, the Joint Coordination Center said. Three other cargo ships that left Friday passed their inspections and received clearance Sunday to pass through Turkeys Bosporus Strait on the way to their final destinations, the Center said. However, the vessel that left Ukraine last Monday with great fanfare as the first under the grain exports deal had its scheduled arrival in Lebanon delayed Sunday, according to a Lebanese Cabinet minister and the Ukraine Embassy. The cause of the delay was not immediately clear. Ukrainian officials were initially skeptical of a grain export deal, citing suspicions that Moscow would try to exploit shipping activity to mass troops offshore or send long-range missiles from the Black Sea, as it has done multiple times during the war. The agreements call for ships to leave Ukraine under military escort and to undergo inspections to make sure they carry only grain, fertilizer or food and not any other commodities. Inbound cargo vessels are checked to ensure they are not carrying weapons. In a weekend analysis, Britain's Defense Ministry said the Russian invasion that started Feb. 24 is about to enter a new phase in which the fighting would shift to a roughly 217-mile front line extending from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson. That area includes the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, which came under fire late Saturday. Each side accused the other of the attack. Ukraines nuclear power plant operator, Energoatom, said Russian shelling damaged three radiation monitors around the storage facility for spent nuclear fuels and that one worker was injured. Russian news agencies, citing the separatist-run administration of the plant, said Ukrainian forces fired those shells. Russian forces have occupied the power station for months. Russian soldiers there took shelter in bunkers before Saturdays attack, according to Energoatom. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recently warned that the way the plant was being run and the fighting going on around it posed grave health and environmental threats. For the last four months of the war, Russia has concentrated on capturing the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have controlled some territory as self-proclaimed republics for eight years. Russian forces have made gradual headway in the region while launching missile and rocket attacks to curtail the movements of Ukrainian fighters elsewhere. The Russians are continuing to accumulate large quantities of military equipment in a town across the Dnieper River from Russian-held Kherson, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. Citing local Ukrainian officials, it said the preparations appeared designed to defend logistics routes to the city and establish defensive positions on the rivers left bank. Kherson came under Russian control early in the war and Ukrainian officials have vowed to retake it. It is 141 miles from Odesa, home to Ukraines biggest port, so the conflict escalating there could have repercussions for the international grain deal. The city of Mykolaiv, a shipbuilding center that Russian forces bombard daily, is even closer to Odesa. The Mykolaiv regions governor, Vitaliy Kim, said an industrial facility on the regional capitals outskirts came under fire early Sunday. Over the past day, five civilians were killed by Russian and separatist firing on cities in the Donetsk region, the part of the Donbas still under Ukrainian control, the regional governor, Serhiy Haidai, reported. He and Ukrainian government officials have repeatedly urged civilians to evacuate. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Editors note: This feature is part of a weekly focus from The Star meant to highlight and remember the lives of Black Kansas Citians who have died. If a telemarketer called Donna Gray on her home landline, she fell back on a skill she didnt like to flaunt but would deftly employ when necessary: She spoke in Russian. The person on the other end, baffled, hung up in defeat. They underestimated their target. Gray enjoyed teaching herself foreign languages French, Spanish, Hebrew, Italian, German and even some Japanese from her time as the valedictorian student of Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri into her adulthood as an endlessly curious educator and mother. She would write out equation after equation around her two children, trying to prove complex theories like the mathematical existence of God, a passion project of hers. Her daughter, Dana Pryor, of Kansas City, could never make sense of her pages of scribbled calculations. Grays intent was always to share her bountiful knowledge with others. That desire led her to teach math and computer science for 15 years in Kansas City schools, with a keen ability to break down complicated concepts for students and make them understandable. At age 52, when Gray decided to go back to school to become a nurse, she prepared study guides for the other students of color in her classes. She felt there were cultural biases in the questions. I think shes just a teacher at heart, Pryor said during a phone call this week. The way people of color understand things that are taught to the majority may not necessarily be understoodShe felt she could help. Gray, whose reclusive nature belied an analytic mind churning with big thoughts, questions and theories she often committed to paper, died on July 2, about a month after suffering a seizure, the family said. She was 80. Donna Gray is pictured in a family photo. The word invariably used by friends, family, and former colleagues to describe Gray was brilliant. And it was apt, Pryor said. She had a photographic memory, able to read through a book and be able to recall it to someone. Her love of reading was matched only by her love of writing, feverishly working on projects even up until recently, as she was researching the French-Jewish side of her family. But, Pryor recalled, she could also be a comedy of contradictions. She worked hard to become a nurse, but never wanted to go to the doctor. She strongly believed in science, even getting a minor in chemistry, but didnt get the coronavirus vaccine. She looked after others before looking after herself. Her actions, no matter what they were, came from a place of stern conviction, family said. She was going to get things done her way. There was a time she paid for groceries with $41 she had saved up in pennies, carefully removing each one from neatly packed rolls as her daughter could only look on in muted embarrassment. Though she was only about 100 pounds, Gray considered herself something of a body builder in her middle age, hitting the gym to lift weights with fierce dedication, her son, Howard Gray, recalled. Movies couldnt hold her attention but she loved music, especially the soulful singing of Andrae Crouch, a gospel artist she saw in concert too many times to count. They had floor seats at his show whenever he was in town, to the point where he started to recognize her in the crowd. She met him and his family in Los Angeles once. If Gray was interested in something, she really committed herself to it, Howard said. She was always successful at whatever she started, he said. And she was always that consummate learner. You just keep moving forward Born on July 23, 1941, Gray was the oldest child of six, and showed intellectual prowess even as a young child. Her father read to her from magazines instead of childrens books, bypassing fanciful tales for the news of the world. Pretty soon the tiny girl was devouring books on her own. She garnered a reputation in school for sitting with a book underneath her nose until the moment the lesson began, when she promptly closed it shut. She listened with rapt attention and processed new concepts faster than classmates, sometimes feeling like she knew more than the teachers, Pryor said. But though her grades were the best in the class every year, she didnt think too seriously about going to college. Her father had joined the Navy right out of high school, never attending college, and her mother hadnt gone either. Money was tight. A biology teacher was the one who saw the talent inside her and suggested she apply to colleges where they might want to pay for her education. She got into Lincoln University in Jefferson City on a full-ride academic scholarship. After she graduated, receiving Summa Cum Laude honors, she went on to get her masters in mathematics from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She never abandoned her spot at the top of the class. She was valedictorian of grade school, high school, college, even her masters program, Pryor said. She would get an assignment and complete the assignment that day, and study the assignment until the next class. Her first job out of college was for Southwestern Bell, but it was when she began teaching in Kansas City schools a short time later that she found her passion and her calling. One of her students who had stayed close with her and the family always discussed how her desire to never stop learning was infectious, Pryor said. Though Grays two children were from two marriages, both of which ended in divorce, she was a doting, full-time mother to both of them, and the two lived under the same roof for several years. Donna Gray is pictured in a family photo. She is survived by her son, Howard Gray, and her daughter Dana Pryor. It could be intimidating, they said, to have the high-achieving teacher as their mother. She asked every day about the status of homework and inspected report cards with a critical eye, zeroing in on any Cs even if they were accompanied by As. She didnt get angry or punish them, though. She simply reminded them school was their job. When Howard was 12, his mother told him, bluntly, he wasnt a kid anymore. He was now an adult. Theres no more, Hey, I was a little kid, Howard said with a laugh. You will be held accountable for all your actions. She also took every opportunity she got to teach them something, helping them feel like they had a leg up on all of their peers. An early believer in computers, she had the primitive, block-shaped TRS-80 released in the 1980s, and showed her kids what it meant to code. The main values she preached were manners and integrity, as well as never letting anyone or anything get in the way of your dreams. She didnt talk much about race but Howard recalls he once came home and told her how kids at his school had called him the N-word. That wasnt his problem, she told him; it was theirs. It didnt concern him. All he needed to do was what she had been doing her whole life. You just keep moving forward and you prove people wrong, Howard said, recounting his mothers advice. I just make it a point based on my upbringing, looking back at it of saying, Hey, I dont care what you have to say. Never stop learning Gray was 54 when one of her legs went limp and her speech became slurred. She had been ignoring the symptoms until her brother, able to see she needed help, forced her to go to the hospital. The diagnosis wasnt good: She had suffered two strokes, one month apart. Her neurologist concluded she couldnt handle working anymore, Pryor said, so she had to give up being a nurse. Her brain, however, stayed busy. She continued doing the things she loved, like reading books, writing papers and playing the organ she kept in her home. She still wanted to learn, to improve. Donna Gray, left, is pictured in a family photo with her son, Howard Gray. In January of this year, she caught COVID, which coupled with advancing dementia caused her health to take a much steeper decline. She walked slower and her typically sharp head was foggy, clouding her memories and her innate curiosity. Howard looked after her for about a year before she passed, the most time he had spent with her since he joined the Navy in 1987. Their conversations werent as robust or thought-provoking as they once were, he admitted. But he was still able to learn new facts about a woman who had quietly led a remarkable life. There were a lot of things she forgot but it was just that time to get to know my mom, Howard said. Things were talking about now I did not know growing up. The U.S. drone strike that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri has weakened the group but has not reduced the threat of terrorist attacks, according to a U.S. intelligence report obtained exclusively by Yahoo News. The death of overall amir Ayman al-Zawahiri coming after the losses of several senior leaders since 2017 will deal a significant blow to al-Qaida, further stressing the viability of the groups global leadership structure and threatening its position in the global jihadist movement, stated an assessment circulated on Aug. 3 by the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center and marked Not Releasable to the Public or Foreign Governments. Zawahiris removal, however, is unlikely to change the overall threat posed by al-Qaidas regional affiliates, which continue to exploit areas of reduced CT pressure [counterterrorism pressure] and take advantage of local grievances to gain access to resources, recruits, and targets, the assessment continued. The greatest al-Qaida threat to the U.S. comes from the terrorist networks affiliate groups, the report stated. Counterterrorism pressure during the last two decades has forced the group to shift operations targeting the Homeland and the West from being centrally managed by senior leaders to being augmented and then largely supplanted by the groups affiliates external plotting efforts, it said. The assessment identified Al-Qaidas affiliates in Yemen and Africa as those that pose the main threat from the organization in that they continue to wage attacks on US and Western interests in the regions where they operate. Al Jazeera TV broadcasts Ayman al-Zawahri's reports in 2001. (Maher Attar/Sygma via Getty Images) The U.S. National Counterterrorism Center declined to comment. Zawahari [sic] was the emir of al-Qaida and we assess that his death deals a significant blow to Al Qaidas leadership structure, strategic plans and ongoing operations, a spokesperson for the National Security Council replied when asked to respond to the intelligence assessment obtained by Yahoo News. This operation eliminated a serious threat. We will continue to be vigilant as necessary to defend our nation against terrorist threats, and take action to bring terrorists to justice and remove them from the battlefield like we did this weekend. On Monday, President Biden announced that al-Zawahri, a longtime al-Qaida leader and a mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had been killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, in a CIA drone strike. People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer, Biden said in a televised address to the nation. The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken followed up those remarks by declaring that The world is a safer place following the death of Zawahiri. President Biden confers on July 1 in the White House Situation Room with CIA Director William Burns, left, and other CIA and National Security advisers about al-Qaida leaders and their locations. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) But according to the U.S. intelligence assessment obtained by Yahoo News, the U.S. government believes that his death wont significantly reduce the threat of terrorism posed by al-Qaida and its affiliates. Its more a symbolic victory, an important one for sure, but what does this really change? Is al-Qaida even relevant anymore? said a senior intelligence official involved in tracking threats from the terrorist group. [Zawahris] been mostly irrelevant to the West this past decade, and Im not sure his death makes him more significant, said Marc Sageman, former CIA officer and current independent scholar, adding, What is happening in the Middle East, Africa and Asia is far more complicated and intertwined with local politics. This intelligence bulletin comes as federal agencies are warning police nationwide that the greatest threat stemming from the death of al-Zawahri is from lone offenders and al-Qaida sympathizers unknown to law enforcement who are already inside the U.S. We assess that the primary terrorist threat to the Homeland stemming from the death of al-Zawahiri is from lone offenders inspired by foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). While homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) generally have not conducted attacks in response to singular events, including senior foreign terrorist deaths, it is possible that some individuals may draw additional inspiration from the US operation against al-Zawahiri, a joint intelligence bulletin sent to local, state and federal law enforcement earlier this week stated. While DHS, FBI, and NCTC have no indications of current al-Qaida plotting in the United States, al-Qaidas associates and its global affiliates may attempt to accelerate previously planned efforts to attack the West, possibly in order to counter perceptions that the loss of their leader has weakened the organization, said the Aug. 3 report, a copy of which was obtained by Yahoo News. Osama bin Laden, left, sits with his adviser Ayman al-Zawahri for an interview published Nov. 10, 2001, in Karachi, Pakistan. (Visual News/Getty Images) Al-Qaida probably is not postured to quickly launch new operations specifically designed to avenge him, the report continued. Any response from al-Qaida in the United States would most likely involve attempts to conduct operations using ties to individuals with a pre-existing presence in the United States. The joint bulletin notes that no retaliatory attacks were carried out in response to the U.S. 2011 operation in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, but it urges law enforcement to be on the lookout for indicators associated with pre-attack planning. DHS, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center are monitoring the groups key affiliates for signs of plotting that could potentially result in attacks on US interests and citizens abroad, the bulletin says. And the young Fisherman grew pale and clenched his hands and cried, She was a false Witch in that she told me not that. At last the lama returned. A hillman walked behind him with a wadded cotton-quilt and spread it carefully by the fire. Only those who have passed through all the exceeding tribulations of youth, who have seized on all the chimeras with two white pinions, the nightmare fancies at the disposal of a fervid imagination, can realize the horrors that seized upon Gaston de Nueil when he had reason to suppose that his ultimatum was in Mme. de Beauseant undivided respectso much so that, whenever the sounds of the nose reached that menial, I can carry enough for two, said Sam defiantly Some way up the road he passed under a vermilion archway and went up a flight of stone stairssthat promised to bring him earlier to the crest. What ho Woman ia thing of glass; But her brittlenes I know not, said Dick, colouring a littlefor his guardian had changed sides continually in the troubles of that period, and every change had brought him some increase of fortune. I know not, said Dick, colouring a littlefor his guardian had changed sides continually in the troubles of that period, and every change had brought him some increase of fortune. What ho I have told you that Mr. Blessington generally chose this hour of the day for his exercise. He came in shortly afterwards and passed upstairs. An instant later I heard him running down, and he burst into my consulting-room like a man who is mad with panic. Only those who have passed through all the exceeding tribulations of youth, who have seized on all the chimeras with two white pinions, the nightmare fancies at the disposal of a fervid imagination, can realize the horrors that seized upon Gaston de Nueil when he had reason to suppose that his ultimatum was in Mme. de Beauseant He looked at the beaming faces, at the beautiful table with Jeans great pagoda cake in the centre, the dates, 1893-1906, in evergreen; at the flowers everywhere; at the dishes,they usually ate from vine leaves at their out-of-door feasts,at the paper napkins folded fantastically and hovering over the table like gay butterflies. His eloquent face told his surprise, his gratitude, his delight. He opened his mouth to speak some fitting word, but it wouldnt come. He tried again, for he felt the occasion called for something formally appreciative. But only a whimsical idea flitted into his mind; and he sang back He looked at the beaming faces, at the beautiful table with Jeans great pagoda cake in the centre, the dates, 1893-1906, in evergreen; at the flowers everywhere; at the dishes,they usually ate from vine leaves at their out-of-door feasts,at the paper napkins folded fantastically and hovering over the table like gay butterflies. His eloquent face told his surprise, his gratitude, his delight. He opened his mouth to speak some fitting word, but it wouldnt come. He tried again, for he felt the occasion called for something formally appreciative. But only a whimsical idea flitted into his mind; and he sang back I have told you that Mr. Blessington generally chose this hour of the day for his exercise. He came in shortly afterwards and passed upstairs. An instant later I heard him running down, and he burst into my consulting-room like a man who is mad with panic. And since when has Mapuhi, my son, denied his old mother? the voice went on. Woman ia thing of glass; But her brittlenes I can carry enough for two, said Sam defiantly Good heavens, Holmes And he poured out a torrent of epigrams on certain political personages, of whom the best known gives us, in this century, a new edition of Moliere And he poured out a torrent of epigrams on certain political personages, of whom the best known gives us, in this century, a new edition of Moliere So it isI believesaid Sanchoexcept the affair of the blanketwhich came to pasin reality by ordinary means. Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force This incident gives zest to our investigation, however, and I only trust that our little friend will not suffer from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk down to Doctors Commons, where I hope to get some data which may help us in this matter. At last the lama returned. A hillman walked behind him with a wadded cotton-quilt and spread it carefully by the fire. honest face was twitching with anxiety. He knew only too well the immense risks taken by Holmes and was well aware that what he said was more likely to be under-statement than exaggeration. Watson was always the man of action, and he rose to the occasion, What ho For the last four months, that poor man has been wanderingaround Europe, looking for you Not having found you yet,he has made up his mind to look for you in the New World,far across the oceanHow far is it from here to the shore? asked Pinocchio anxiously What ho house, had disappeared in the vehicle, the old woman standing under the trees, sustained by the mayor and the captain, exclaimed:, They were strange and improbable adventures in which the romancing spirit of the sportsmen delighted. Some of them were memorable stories and were repeated regularly. The story of a rabbit that little Vicomte de Bourril had missed in his vestibule convulsed them with laughter each year anew. Every five minutes a fresh speaker would say: I wish Queens never asked questions, Alice thought to herself They waded the stream, and hurried over a wide open space, rush grown and treeless, on the further side Beyond that they came again to a belt of trees: tall oaks, for the most part, with here and there an elm tree or an ash The ground was fairly level, and there was little undergrowth but the trees were loo close for them to see far ahead The leaves blew upwards in sudden gusts of wind, and spots of rain began to fall from the overcast sky Then the wind died away and the rain came streaming down They trudged along as fast as they could, over patches of grass, and through thick drifts of old leaves and all about them the rain pattered and trickled They did not talk, but kept glancing back, and from side to side Caleb placed his empty pipe in one pocket, fished in another and drew out a plug of Radiant Star chewing tobacco. He took a generous bite from one corner of the plug and champed it meditatively. Opera, a tall, young man passed him, whose face he fancied was familiar. He followed him, repeating: Where the deuce have I seen that fellow? Billy frowned. Who? what I wantand no mistake about it said Sancho. That I beg your pardon, he exclaimed again presently. twenty years younger than you, and don, Caleb placed his empty pipe in one pocket, fished in another and drew out a plug of Radiant Star chewing tobacco. He took a generous bite from one corner of the plug and champed it meditatively. I beg your pardon, he exclaimed again presently. Alas yes, said Frodo I saw him fall into the abyss The rector said: Those people who are God fearing dont The change in the wizards voice was astounding Suddenly it became menacing, powerful, harsh as stone A shadow seemed to pass over the high sun, and the porch for a moment grew dark All trembled, and the Elves stopped their ears Do you choose successsin worldly terms? Do you choose more money? Good. Then choose it. Really. Fully. Not half-heartedly. Do you choose successsin worldly terms? Do you choose more money? Good. Then choose it. Really. Fully. Not half-heartedly. I wish Queens never asked questions, Alice thought to herself Alas said Frodo That was indeed Boromir as I knew him For the golden belt was given to him in Lothlurien by the Lady Galadriel She it was that clothed us as you see us, in elven grey This brooch is of the same workmanship He touched the green and silver leaf that fastened his cloak beneath his throat To which Don Quixote returnedI know not what more there ito be said; I only guide myself by the example set me by the great Amadiof Gaulwhen he made hisquire count of the Insula Firme; and sowithout any scrupleof conscienceI can make a count of Sancho Panzafor he ione of the best squirethat ever knight-errant had. Those people who are God fearing dont They were strange and improbable adventures in which the romancing spirit of the sportsmen delighted. Some of them were memorable stories and were repeated regularly. The story of a rabbit that little Vicomte de Bourril had missed in his vestibule convulsed them with laughter each year anew. Every five minutes a fresh speaker would say: They were strange and improbable adventures in which the romancing spirit of the sportsmen delighted. Some of them were memorable stories and were repeated regularly. The story of a rabbit that little Vicomte de Bourril had missed in his vestibule convulsed them with laughter each year anew. Every five minutes a fresh speaker would say: Opera, a tall, young man passed him, whose face he fancied was familiar. He followed him, repeating: Where the deuce have I seen that fellow? Alas yes, said Frodo I saw him fall into the abyss Those people who are God fearing dont I wish Queens never asked questions, Alice thought to herself house, had disappeared in the vehicle, the old woman standing under the trees, sustained by the mayor and the captain, exclaimed:, Toward morning I was overcome by fatigue and fell asleep. I got up late and did not go downstairs until the late breakfast, being still in a bewildered state, not knowing what kind of expression to put on. The cursewhich both housekeeper and niece poured out on the bachelor were past counting; they tore their hairthey clawed their facesand in the style of the hired mournerthat were once in fashionthey raised a lamentation over the departure of their master and uncleaif it had been hideath. Samson Well, well what is this? Ye must go the long way about, Master Shelton, he saidround by the bridge, for your life ,xa0 Get your good lordship where ye gomake you strong friendslook to it,xa0 And think ever a pater-noster-while on Bennet Hatch,xa0 There are worse rogues afoot than Bennet,xa0 So, God-speed And, look ye, master, added Hatch, with a certain embarrassment, if this Amend-All should get a shaft into me, ye might, mayhap, lay out a gold mark or mayhap a pound for my poor soulfor it is like to go stiff with me in purgatory. Well, well what is this? As Frodo clung upon his back, arms loosely about his neck, legs clasped firmly under his arms, Sam staggered to his feet and then to his amazement he felt the burden light He had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring But it was not so Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit child pig a back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire He took a deep breath and started off When was your missis took worse? Bulletin de l'union pour l'Action Morale, September, 1894. When was your missis took worse? life was entirely and solely consecrated to entomology, The point issthat it issthe rich and powerful who support such social structuressand staunchly resist any real effort to change them. They stand against any political or economic approach which seekssto provide true opportunity and genuine dignity to all people. Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. Once back in the inn, they did not know what to do with themselves. Even acrid words were exchanged about insignificant matters. The silent dinner did not last long and each went upstairs to bed, in the hope of sleeping the time away. Once back in the inn, they did not know what to do with themselves. Even acrid words were exchanged about insignificant matters. The silent dinner did not last long and each went upstairs to bed, in the hope of sleeping the time away. Taking down another bookthe barber saidThii Then they all talked about something else, until it was time for Pooh and Piglet to go home together At first as they stumped along the path which edged the Hundred Acre Wood, they didnt say much to each other but when they came to the stream, and had helped each other across the stepping stones, and were able to walk side by side again over the heather, they began to talk in a friendly way about this and that, and Piglet said, If you see what I mean, Pooh, and Pooh said, Its just what I think myself, Piglet, and Piglet said, But, on the other hand, Pooh, we must remember, and Pooh said, Quite true, Piglet, although I had forgotten it for the moment And then, just as they came to the Six Pine Trees, Pooh looked round to see that nobody else was listening, and said in a very solemn voice: Piglet, I have decided something As Frodo clung upon his back, arms loosely about his neck, legs clasped firmly under his arms, Sam staggered to his feet and then to his amazement he felt the burden light He had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring But it was not so Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit child pig a back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire He took a deep breath and started off scrawl unless you just happened to have the key to it. Well, Elsie learned some of our ways, but she couldn, A fearful man, all in coarse gray, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briarswho limped, and shivered, and glared, and growledand whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin. When was your missis took worse? As Frodo clung upon his back, arms loosely about his neck, legs clasped firmly under his arms, Sam staggered to his feet and then to his amazement he felt the burden light He had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring But it was not so Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit child pig a back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire He took a deep breath and started off As Frodo clung upon his back, arms loosely about his neck, legs clasped firmly under his arms, Sam staggered to his feet and then to his amazement he felt the burden light He had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring But it was not so Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit child pig a back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire He took a deep breath and started off And sing the more that thou hast one. Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. Taking down another bookthe barber saidThii Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. He turned Shadowfax off the Road, and the great horse leaped the green dike that here ran beside it and then at a cry from Gandalf he was gone, racing towards the Barrow downs like a wind from the North A very good attitude of mind. If indulged in, in moderation. But when your wondering issover, you will begin to see that I am right. Hm? Ah Isnt that my Lord Barralonga and hissFrench acquaintance? It is. Inhaling the morning air. I think with your permission I will go on and have a word with them. Which way did you say Father Amerton was? I dont want to disturb hissdevotions. Thissway? Then if I go to the right belong to any one now. But we haven, self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one, Youd better take this, sir, he said casually. He set it down beside him, picked up a pile of papers and returned to his own desk. be what someone else wantssyou to be, the absence of rulessor guidelinessmight indeed make thingssdifficult. He knew it, said Rastignac. My dear doctor, said he, kindly, pray accept my apologiesViewing the matter as an abstract problem, I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to youI assure you, however, that I never even knew that you had a brother until you handed me the watch. self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one, Aragorn sped on up the hill Every now and again he bent to the ground Hobbits go light, and their footprints are not easy even for a Ranger to read, but not far from the top a spring crossed the path, and in the wet earth he saw what he was seeking Youd better take this, sir, he said casually. He set it down beside him, picked up a pile of papers and returned to his own desk. It was made on the model of the dwarf song that started Bilbo on his adventure long ago, and went to the same tune: Yes, said Mother. Now it, be what someone else wantssyou to be, the absence of rulessor guidelinessmight indeed make thingssdifficult. With her head on my waistcoat, said Eugene. Her heart beat with pleasure, and she murmured: He knew it, said Rastignac. self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one, There was the true light, which lights every man that comes into the world. With her head on my waistcoat, said Eugene. be what someone else wantssyou to be, the absence of rulessor guidelinessmight indeed make thingssdifficult. think George ought to do anything that would have a tendency to make him sleepier than he always was, as it might be dangerous,He said he didn belong to any one now. But we haven, Yes, said Mother. Now it, May Nell didnt understand, but thought it best to answer in the affirmative. Beyond that she said nothing, but trudged along by his side till they came to the road and turned toward the haunted house, when he took her suddenly in his arms and walked on in the deepest of the dusty ruts. notes were protested, but Florine obtained from the Court of commerce an extension of twenty-five days in which to meet theThus pressed, Raoul looked into his affairs and asked for the accounts, and it then appeared that the receipts of the newspaper covered only two-thirds of the expenses, while the subscriptions were rapidly dwindling. The great man now grew anxious and gloomy, but to Florine only, in whom he confided. She advised him to borrow money on unwritten plays, and write than at once, giving a lien on his work. Nathan followed this advice and obtained thereby twenty thousand francs, which reduced his debt to forty thousand, Next morning each one, without rousing his neighbor or seeking companionship, set out again on his way, with that selfishness which made our rout one of the most horrible dramas of self-seeking, melancholy, and horror which ever was enacted under heaven. Nevertheless, at about seven or eight hundred paces from our shelter we, most of us, met again and walked on together, like geese led in flocks by a child, Aragorn sped on up the hill Every now and again he bent to the ground Hobbits go light, and their footprints are not easy even for a Ranger to read, but not far from the top a spring crossed the path, and in the wet earth he saw what he was seeking Never, says IIve tried to, but I couldnt manage it. Next morning each one, without rousing his neighbor or seeking companionship, set out again on his way, with that selfishness which made our rout one of the most horrible dramas of self-seeking, melancholy, and horror which ever was enacted under heaven. Nevertheless, at about seven or eight hundred paces from our shelter we, most of us, met again and walked on together, like geese led in flocks by a child, be what someone else wantssyou to be, the absence of rulessor guidelinessmight indeed make thingssdifficult. O mother, he began, excitedly, and stopped. Only lately had he called her mother in his serious moments, and the name gave her pain as well as pleasure, for it was one more announcement of the coming man. The emotion of an impassioned heart, the melody of a rich and manly voice were in his words, and no man, though he should hate the fellow for his wrong-doing, could have doubted his sincerity whilst listening to his speech. Add to this his superb figure, his handsome face glowing with feeling, the hereditary dignity of his demeanour; but these were expressions of his meaning which she would not raise her eyes to witness. Why are you marrying. Flossie? Joan asked him. She thought his point of view would be interesting. About you. Armed militia occupied the square. All the citizens had gathered around this troop awaiting developments. Even neighboring villagers had come to look on. Armed militia occupied the square. All the citizens had gathered around this troop awaiting developments. Even neighboring villagers had come to look on. understand what you can find to talk about, When Sam got back he found the whole village roused Already, apart from many younger lads, more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes, and heavy hammers, and long knives, and stout staves: and a few had hunting bows More were still coming in from outlying farms dictation, and he usually spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next day, understand what you can find to talk about, Frodo was roused by Sam He found that he was lying, well wrapped, under tall grey skinned trees in a quiet corner of the woodlands on the west bank of the Great River, Anduin He had slept the night away, and the grey of morning was dim among the bare branches Gimli was busy with a small fire near at hand They used the influence of the German Officers, with whom they had become acquainted, and a special permit was secured from the General in Chief. Now then, a large four-horse coach having been engaged for this trip, and ten persons having had their names booked with the driver, it was decided to leave on a Tuesday morning, before daybreak, to avoid attracting any crowd. The butler shall show you out. Oh, quite, said Mr. Barnstaple. Quite. And all thingssconsidered, it issreally very convenient for ussthat there should be thissmethod of transmission. For otherwise I do not see how we could have avoided weekssof linguistic bother, first principlessof our respective grammars, logic, significs, and so forth, boring stuff for the most part, before we could have got to anything like our present understanding. dictation, and he usually spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next day, Armed militia occupied the square. All the citizens had gathered around this troop awaiting developments. Even neighboring villagers had come to look on. Where to seek the easy and the pleasant seemssinstinctive --and instinctive it appearssto be inmanany deliberate tendency to pursue the hard and painful asssuch and for their own sakessmightwell strike one asspurely abnormal. Nevertheless, in moderate degreessit issnatural and even usualto human nature to court the arduous. It issonly the extreme manifestationssof the tendency that canbe regarded assa paradox. Oh, quite, said Mr. Barnstaple. Quite. And all thingssconsidered, it issreally very convenient for ussthat there should be thissmethod of transmission. For otherwise I do not see how we could have avoided weekssof linguistic bother, first principlessof our respective grammars, logic, significs, and so forth, boring stuff for the most part, before we could have got to anything like our present understanding. They waited anxiously for him to go on Well, the farmer continued, approaching his point with slow relish, he came riding on a big black horse in at the gate, which happened to be open, and right up to my door All black he was himself, too, and cloaked and hooded up, as if he did not want to be known Now what in the Shire can he want? I thought to myself We dont see many of the Big Folk over the border and anyway I had never heard of any like this black fellow Oh, quite, said Mr. Barnstaple. Quite. And all thingssconsidered, it issreally very convenient for ussthat there should be thissmethod of transmission. For otherwise I do not see how we could have avoided weekssof linguistic bother, first principlessof our respective grammars, logic, significs, and so forth, boring stuff for the most part, before we could have got to anything like our present understanding. The lama never raised his eyes. He did not note the money-lender on his goose-rumped pony, hastening along to collect the cruel interest; or the long-shouting, deep-voiced little mob still in military formation of native soldiers on leave, rejoicing to be rid of their breeches and puttees, and saying the most outrageous things to the most respectable women in sight. Even the seller of Ganges-water he did not see, and Kim expected that he would at least buy a bottle of that precious stuff. He looked steadily at the ground, and strode as steadily hour after hour, his soul busied elsewhere. But Kim was in the seventh heaven of joy. The Grand Trunk at this point was built on an embankment to guard against winter floods from the foothills, so that one walked, as it were, a little above the country, along a stately corridor, seeing all India spread out to left and right. It was beautiful to behold the many-yoked grain and cotton wagons crawling over the country roads: one could hear their axles, complaining a mile away, coming nearer, till with shouts and yells and bad words they climbed up the steep incline and plunged on to the hard main road, carter reviling carter. It was equally beautiful to watch the people, little clumps of red and blue and pink and white and saffron, turning aside to go to their own villages, dispersing and growing small by twos and threes across the level plain. Kim felt these things, though he could not give tongue to his feelings, and so contented himself with buying peeled sugar-cane and spitting the pith generously about his path. From time to time the lama took snuff, and at last Kim could endure the silence no longer. When Sam got back he found the whole village roused Already, apart from many younger lads, more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes, and heavy hammers, and long knives, and stout staves: and a few had hunting bows More were still coming in from outlying farms Mrs. Hackit had a vague notion of a town life as a combination of dirty backyards, measly pork, and dingy linen. Had a fall, Billy? Every one knew the boy. O mother, he began, excitedly, and stopped. Only lately had he called her mother in his serious moments, and the name gave her pain as well as pleasure, for it was one more announcement of the coming man. He sat down and stared at the spectacle of the sea. The sun came out, increasing the sultriness of the day, while the dead calm still held. The seas continued to increase in magnitude. The butler shall show you out. dictation, and he usually spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next day, dictation, and he usually spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next day, She stooped and kissed the little withered face. time a figure came out that I scarcely recognized. Only his gimlety, hungry eyes were the same. He was shaved clean, his hair was parted in the middle, and he had cut his eyebrows. Further, he carried himself as if he had been drilled, and was the very model, even to the brown complexion, of some British officer who had had a long spell in India. He had a monocle, too, which he stuck in his eye, and every trace of the American had gone out of his speech, I understand, said John. Ill send some one for you. He was gone from the room. humility had made short work of many doubts and plenty of difficulties. Was it possible not to feel twice tenderly towards this friend, who by the way of friendship had come to think the very thoughts that he, Lucien, had reached through ambition? The aspirant for love and honors felt that the way had been made smooth for himthe young man and the comrade felt all his heart go out towards his friend, Rather fine, Watson, is it not? said he. There are points in it which please me. I think that you will agree with me that an interview with Mr. Arthur Harry Pinner in the temporary offices of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, Limited, would be a rather interesting experience for both of us. Rather fine, Watson, is it not? said he. There are points in it which please me. I think that you will agree with me that an interview with Mr. Arthur Harry Pinner in the temporary offices of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, Limited, would be a rather interesting experience for both of us. listening at the door he can hear everythingYou, Sold out of geese, I see, continued Holmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble. The attorney clapped his hand into the Colonel Sold out of geese, I see, continued Holmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble. humility had made short work of many doubts and plenty of difficulties. Was it possible not to feel twice tenderly towards this friend, who by the way of friendship had come to think the very thoughts that he, Lucien, had reached through ambition? The aspirant for love and honors felt that the way had been made smooth for himthe young man and the comrade felt all his heart go out towards his friend, time a figure came out that I scarcely recognized. Only his gimlety, hungry eyes were the same. He was shaved clean, his hair was parted in the middle, and he had cut his eyebrows. Further, he carried himself as if he had been drilled, and was the very model, even to the brown complexion, of some British officer who had had a long spell in India. He had a monocle, too, which he stuck in his eye, and every trace of the American had gone out of his speech, The attorney clapped his hand into the Colonel Lucy Acton made her way towards Old Harbour Town by a lane that struck down off the road used by the coaches and post-chaises. This lane was broad and in places steep and rugged, with long spaces heavily flanked with tall and spacious trees. Elsewhere the low hedge revealed the sloping meadow or ploughed field whose margin where it sank low was defined against the blue water of the ocean. Mr Lawrence viewed his father with astonishment, Miss Lucy with a smile whose beauty was radiant with applause, Miss Acton with an expression of awe, whilst Captain Acton burst out: Upon my word, Admiral, forgive me for saying so, but I never could have believed such thinking so expressed was in your line of mind. I believe St Vincent would be very pleased did he possess your powers of delivery. Mr Lawrence viewed his father with astonishment, Miss Lucy with a smile whose beauty was radiant with applause, Miss Acton with an expression of awe, whilst Captain Acton burst out: Upon my word, Admiral, forgive me for saying so, but I never could have believed such thinking so expressed was in your line of mind. I believe St Vincent would be very pleased did he possess your powers of delivery. And what signs didst thou find with him? she criedBare he not upon his neck a chain of amber? Was not round him a cloak of gold tissue broidered with stars? I have told you before: all attack issa call for help. And what signs didst thou find with him? she criedBare he not upon his neck a chain of amber? Was not round him a cloak of gold tissue broidered with stars? Mr Lawrence viewed his father with astonishment, Miss Lucy with a smile whose beauty was radiant with applause, Miss Acton with an expression of awe, whilst Captain Acton burst out: Upon my word, Admiral, forgive me for saying so, but I never could have believed such thinking so expressed was in your line of mind. I believe St Vincent would be very pleased did he possess your powers of delivery. listening at the door he can hear everythingYou, I have told you before: all attack issa call for help. What would be the end of those poor little people up above there? Their hold on life wasseven more precarioussthan hissown, for he might lie and starve here slowly for weekssbefore hissmind gave itsslast flicker. But they had openly pitted themselvessagainst the might and wisdom of Utopia, and even now the ordered power of that world must be closing in upon them. He still had a faint irrational remorse for hissbetrayal of Catskillssambush. He smiled now at the passionate conviction he had felt at the time that if once Catskill could capture hisshostages, earth might prevail over Utopia. That conviction had rushed him into action. Hissweak criesshad seemed to be all that wassleft to avert thissmonstroussdisaster. But suppose he had not been there at all, or suppose he had obeyed the lingering instinct of fellowship that urged him to fight with the otherswhat then? Sold out of geese, I see, continued Holmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble. She stooped and kissed the little withered face. humility had made short work of many doubts and plenty of difficulties. Was it possible not to feel twice tenderly towards this friend, who by the way of friendship had come to think the very thoughts that he, Lucien, had reached through ambition? The aspirant for love and honors felt that the way had been made smooth for himthe young man and the comrade felt all his heart go out towards his friend, The attorney clapped his hand into the Colonel He very politely pointed out a seat to her, time a figure came out that I scarcely recognized. Only his gimlety, hungry eyes were the same. He was shaved clean, his hair was parted in the middle, and he had cut his eyebrows. Further, he carried himself as if he had been drilled, and was the very model, even to the brown complexion, of some British officer who had had a long spell in India. He had a monocle, too, which he stuck in his eye, and every trace of the American had gone out of his speech, Well, that is not unknown among stepmothers. A posthumous jealousy, we will say. Is the lady jealous by nature? horns and baying dogs disturbed his sleep during his illness, he only said, Ah Don Juan has come back again. Never on earth has there been a father so little exacting and so indulgentand, in consequence, young Belvidero, accustomed to treat his father unceremoniously, had all the faults of a spoiled child. He treated old Bartolommeo as a wilful courtesan treats an elderly adorerbuying indemnity for insolence with a smile, selling good-humor, submitting to be loved. My medicine was good for you, after all, wasnt it?Good indeed Boys ought to know, after all, thatmedicine, taken in time, can save them from much painand even from deathNext time I wont have to be begged so hard Illremember those black Rabbits with the black coffin ontheir shoulders and Ill take the glass and poufCome here now and tell me how it came about thatyou found yourself in the hands of the AssassinsIt happened that Fire Eater gave me five gold piecesto give to my Father, but on the way, I met a Fox and aCat, who asked me, Do you want the five pieces to becometwo thousand? And I said, Yes And they said,Come with us to the Field of Wonders And I said,Lets go Then they said, Let us stop at the Inn of theRed Lobster for dinner and after midnight well set outagain We ate and went to sleep When I awoke theywere gone and I started out in the darkness all alone On the road I met two Assassins dressed in black coal sacks,who said to me, Your money or your life and I said,I havent any money for, you see, I had put the moneyunder my tongue One of them tried to put his hand inmy mouth and I bit it off and spat it out but it wasnt ahand, it was a cats paw And they ran after me and Iran and ran, till at last they caught me and tied my neckwith a rope and hanged me to a tree, saying, Tomorrowwell come back for you and youll be dead and yourmouth will be open, and then well take the gold piecesthat you have hidden under your tongueWhere are the gold pieces now? the Fairy asked That is just as well, said Legolas But nonetheless it has suffered harm There is something happening inside, or going to happen Do you not feel the tenseness? It takes my breath I know that, cried the Admiral. But whatever the sum, it is good money and honestly earned, made not as you could make it in this place, and better a hundred pounds gained by toil which a man's conscience approves and applauds, than one hundred thousand fetched from the pockets of others by the crime of gambling. He held it up and tapped on it with his long, thin fore-finger, as a professor might who was lecturing on a bone. Well, that is not unknown among stepmothers. A posthumous jealousy, we will say. Is the lady jealous by nature? He held it up and tapped on it with his long, thin fore-finger, as a professor might who was lecturing on a bone. I envy you such a charming talent. Do you know, I have no ear; I cannot hum the smallest tune, and I delight in music so. Is it not unfortunate? But I shall have quite a treat while I am here; Captain Wybrow says you will give us some music every day. Surely that cant be a step upward. It was not nice about the spit in the woman Go and do the other half, said Holmes. at least, am not prepared to prevent you. That is just as well, said Legolas But nonetheless it has suffered harm There is something happening inside, or going to happen Do you not feel the tenseness? It takes my breath Footnote 8: Anastasia, daughter of Garassim But Eugene had submitted so lately to that solemn self-questioning, and Vautrin He had hardly finished speaking when one of the cedar trees opened, and a veiled figure all dressed in white stepped from it Well, that is not unknown among stepmothers. A posthumous jealousy, we will say. Is the lady jealous by nature? It was not nice about the spit in the woman horns and baying dogs disturbed his sleep during his illness, he only said, Ah Don Juan has come back again. Never on earth has there been a father so little exacting and so indulgentand, in consequence, young Belvidero, accustomed to treat his father unceremoniously, had all the faults of a spoiled child. He treated old Bartolommeo as a wilful courtesan treats an elderly adorerbuying indemnity for insolence with a smile, selling good-humor, submitting to be loved. Surely that cant be a step upward. You are very inquisitive, Mr. Holmes. Alas I have no ruby now, said the Princemy eyes are all that I have leftThey are made of rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years agoPluck out one of them and take it to himHe will sell it to the jeweller, and buy food and firewood, and finish his play. That is just as well, said Legolas But nonetheless it has suffered harm There is something happening inside, or going to happen Do you not feel the tenseness? It takes my breath Alas I have no ruby now, said the Princemy eyes are all that I have leftThey are made of rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years agoPluck out one of them and take it to himHe will sell it to the jeweller, and buy food and firewood, and finish his play. horns and baying dogs disturbed his sleep during his illness, he only said, Ah Don Juan has come back again. Never on earth has there been a father so little exacting and so indulgentand, in consequence, young Belvidero, accustomed to treat his father unceremoniously, had all the faults of a spoiled child. He treated old Bartolommeo as a wilful courtesan treats an elderly adorerbuying indemnity for insolence with a smile, selling good-humor, submitting to be loved. Footnote 8: Anastasia, daughter of Garassim I know that, cried the Admiral. But whatever the sum, it is good money and honestly earned, made not as you could make it in this place, and better a hundred pounds gained by toil which a man's conscience approves and applauds, than one hundred thousand fetched from the pockets of others by the crime of gambling. It was not nice about the spit in the woman horns and baying dogs disturbed his sleep during his illness, he only said, Ah Don Juan has come back again. Never on earth has there been a father so little exacting and so indulgentand, in consequence, young Belvidero, accustomed to treat his father unceremoniously, had all the faults of a spoiled child. He treated old Bartolommeo as a wilful courtesan treats an elderly adorerbuying indemnity for insolence with a smile, selling good-humor, submitting to be loved. deceive me, Constable MacPherson, said Lestrade, with dignity. No doubt you thought that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a mere glance at that drugget was enough to convince me that someone had been admitted to the rooIt, mother but he did not dare to raise his eyes to Wells Oh, certainly, if it would give you any pleasure. He put out his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. mother but he did not dare to raise his eyes to Wells Yet thisskind of help issan aphrodisiac which seducessthe weak. And the unclean spirit, tearing him, and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. Legolas gazed ahead, shading his eyes from the level shafts of the new risen sun I see a white stream that comes down from the snows, he said Where it issues from the shadow of the vale a green hill rises upon the east A dike and mighty wall and thorny fence encircle it Within there rise the roofs of houses and in the midst, set upon a green terrace, there stands aloft a great hall of Men And it seems to my eyes that it is thatched with gold The light of it shines far over the land Golden, too, are the posts of its doors There men in bright mail stand but all else within the courts are yet asleep Oh, trust me, and do what I tell you, said the foxI know it will bring you luck So the boy got up and picked some of the ripest pears and put them into a rush basket The fox thanked him, and, taking the basket in his mouth, trotted off to the kings palace and made his way straight to the king room, and he could not control his feeling of amazement at the contrast between the den in which the father lived and the costume of the daughter whom he had just beheld. The window was curtainless, the walls were damp, in places the varnished wall-paper had come away and gave glimpses of the grimy yellow plaster beneath. The wretched bed on which the old man lay boasted but one thin blanket, and a wadded quilt made out of large pieces of Mme. Vauquer Have I not told you thissbefore? Oh, trust me, and do what I tell you, said the foxI know it will bring you luck So the boy got up and picked some of the ripest pears and put them into a rush basket The fox thanked him, and, taking the basket in his mouth, trotted off to the kings palace and made his way straight to the king deceive me, Constable MacPherson, said Lestrade, with dignity. No doubt you thought that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a mere glance at that drugget was enough to convince me that someone had been admitted to the rooIt, But Jesusstook alcohol But Jesusstook alcohol Why, he didn't go. He's in the liquor-shop settin' a trap for that rat, Pa. mother but he did not dare to raise his eyes to Wells Yet thisskind of help issan aphrodisiac which seducessthe weak. The operetta opened with a weird winter scene, when the Sower (Harold) sowed his grain, and the gnomes and elves set upon him; and evoked Storm King (Jimmy), Wind (Bess), and Frost (Jackson). He was the comedy of the little drama; and dressed all in black, covered with silver spangles and diamond dust, he made a joke that the wine-growers appreciated, for it is the black frosts of April they fear. Yet thisskind of help issan aphrodisiac which seducessthe weak. All this about the Orcs of Barad dyr, Lugbz as they call it, makes me uneasy, said Aragorn The Dark Lord already knew too much and his servants also and Grishnbkh evidently sent some message across the River after the quarrel The Red Eye will be looking towards Isengard But Saruman at any rate is in a cleft stick of his own cutting What? said the Colonel. Is not my word enough for you? room, and he could not control his feeling of amazement at the contrast between the den in which the father lived and the costume of the daughter whom he had just beheld. The window was curtainless, the walls were damp, in places the varnished wall-paper had come away and gave glimpses of the grimy yellow plaster beneath. The wretched bed on which the old man lay boasted but one thin blanket, and a wadded quilt made out of large pieces of Mme. Vauquer He thought of that great free world that he was parted from, the world that was his own, and he had a vision of those further slopes, distance beyond distance, with Bogota, a place of multitudinous stirring beauty, a glory by day, a luminous mystery by night, a place of palaces and fountains and statues and white houses, lying beautifully in the middle distance. He thought how for a day or so one might come down through passes drawing ever nearer and nearer to its busy streets and ways. He thought of the river journey, day by day, from great Bogota to the still vaster world beyond, through towns and villages, forest and desert places, the rushing river day by day, until its banks receded, and the big steamers came splashing by and one had reached the sea--the limitless sea, with its thousand islands, its thousands of islands, and its ships seen dimly far away in their incessant journeyings round and about that greater world. And there, unpent by mountains, one saw the sky--the sky, not such a disc as one saw it here, but an arch of immeasurable blue, a deep of deeps in which the circling stars were floating . . . . deceive me, Constable MacPherson, said Lestrade, with dignity. No doubt you thought that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a mere glance at that drugget was enough to convince me that someone had been admitted to the rooIt, Myriads, though bright --if he whom mutual league, room, and he could not control his feeling of amazement at the contrast between the den in which the father lived and the costume of the daughter whom he had just beheld. The window was curtainless, the walls were damp, in places the varnished wall-paper had come away and gave glimpses of the grimy yellow plaster beneath. The wretched bed on which the old man lay boasted but one thin blanket, and a wadded quilt made out of large pieces of Mme. Vauquer Have I not told you thissbefore? Relieved of M. Dupont, Mr. Barnstaple stood back and surveyed the little group of Earthlingssin the centre of the hall and the circle of tall, watchful Utopianssabout them and rather aloof from them. Mr. Burleigh wassbeing distantly cordial to Lord Barralonga, and Mr. Hunker wasssaying what a great pleasure it wassto him to meet Britainssforemost statesman. Mr. Catskill stood in the most friendly manner beside Barralongathey knew each other welland Father Amerton exchanged commentsswith Mr. Mush. Ridley and Penk, after some momentssof austere regard, had gone apart to discusssthe technicalitiessof the dayssexperience in undertones. Nobody paid any attention to Mr. Barnstaple. All this about the Orcs of Barad dyr, Lugbz as they call it, makes me uneasy, said Aragorn The Dark Lord already knew too much and his servants also and Grishnbkh evidently sent some message across the River after the quarrel The Red Eye will be looking towards Isengard But Saruman at any rate is in a cleft stick of his own cutting And she planted herself in front of the bed, with her hands on her hips. I told him how matters stood, and he begged me to go and see the girl, Not so with politicians. Even if theyve failed, they talk. In fact, sometimessthe more they fail, the more they talk. At thipoint they came in sight of thirty forty windmillthat there are on plainand asoon aDon Quixote saw them he said to hisquireFortune iarranging matterfor ubetter than we could have shaped our desireourselvesfor look therefriend Sancho Panzawhere thirty or more monstrougiantpresent themselvesall of whom I mean to engage in battle and slayand with whose spoilwe shall begin to make our fortunes; for thiirighteouwarfareand it iGod And she planted herself in front of the bed, with her hands on her hips. I told him how matters stood, and he begged me to go and see the girl, arm, and ran on ahead, saying: I will show you the way, and ran upstairs while the invited guests followed more slowlyand, when they got upstairs, she stood on one side to let them pass, and they rolled their eyes and turned their heads in all directions to admire this mysterious and luxurious dwelling. ?owyn, ?owyn ?omer What joy is this? For they said that you were slain Nay, but that was only the dark voices in my dream How long have I been dreaming? Without a word he made off at top speed, and I proceeded to take the matter in hand, while Stackhurst, dazed at this tragedy, remained by the body. My first task naturally was to note who was on the beach. From the top of the path I could see the whole sweep of it, and it was absolutely deserted save that two or three dark figures could be seen far away moving towards the village of Fulworth. Having satisfied myself upon this point, I walked slowly down the path. There was clay or soft marl mixed with the chalk, and every here and there I saw the same footstep, both ascending and descending. No one else had gone down to the beach by this track that morning. At one place I observed the print of an open hand with the fingers towards the incline. This could only mean that poor McPherson had fallen as he ascended. There were rounded depressions, too, which suggested that he had come down upon his knees more than once. At the bottom of the path was the considerable lagoon left by the retreating tide. At the side of it McPherson had undressed, for there lay his towel on a rock. It was folded and dry, so that it would seem that, after all, he had never entered the water. Once or twice as I hunted round amid the hard shingle I came on little patches of sand where the print of his canvas shoe, and also of his naked foot, could be seen. The latter fact proved that he had made all ready to bathe, though the towel indicated that he had not actually done so. Not so with politicians. Even if theyve failed, they talk. In fact, sometimessthe more they fail, the more they talk. I think you will find, said Sherlock Holmes, that you will play for a higher stake to-night than you have ever done yet, and that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, the stake will be some 30,000and for you, Jones, it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands. Not so with politicians. Even if theyve failed, they talk. In fact, sometimessthe more they fail, the more they talk. At thipoint they came in sight of thirty forty windmillthat there are on plainand asoon aDon Quixote saw them he said to hisquireFortune iarranging matterfor ubetter than we could have shaped our desireourselvesfor look therefriend Sancho Panzawhere thirty or more monstrougiantpresent themselvesall of whom I mean to engage in battle and slayand with whose spoilwe shall begin to make our fortunes; for thiirighteouwarfareand it iGod You would not believe, Monsieur, with what struggles the most wretched man will cling to life. Truly, I longed to die; and the happiest thing which could happen to me would be to end it all with one blow. Something, however, rejoiced me at Hadgi-Stavros threat. I blessed the extension of my time. Hope sprang up in my heart. If a charitable friend had offered to blow out my brains I would have looked twice at him. Ted Hoyt evidently had wasted no time in carrying out Bobs plan, for he did not show up at breakfast. His chances of success worried Bob all morning and once or twice Mr. Whitney had to call him down for some inattention to the business at hand. But when the day passed and Ted had not returned, Bob was reasonably certain that the cattleman had not refused to take in his son. That was a help. It has never occurred to you, said Madame de Watteville, that this decision cost me thirty thousand francs handed over to Chantonnit. That peasant would take nothing elsehe sold us peace.--If you give away les Rouxey, you will have nothing left, said the Baroness. You would not believe, Monsieur, with what struggles the most wretched man will cling to life. Truly, I longed to die; and the happiest thing which could happen to me would be to end it all with one blow. Something, however, rejoiced me at Hadgi-Stavros threat. I blessed the extension of my time. Hope sprang up in my heart. If a charitable friend had offered to blow out my brains I would have looked twice at him. Well, there Never fear, little daughterI know the country as well as I know my pocket. For that is not my errand Speed only we ask Let us pass, and then come Why? said Piglet What we are talking about At thipoint they came in sight of thirty forty windmillthat there are on plainand asoon aDon Quixote saw them he said to hisquireFortune iarranging matterfor ubetter than we could have shaped our desireourselvesfor look therefriend Sancho Panzawhere thirty or more monstrougiantpresent themselvesall of whom I mean to engage in battle and slayand with whose spoilwe shall begin to make our fortunes; for thiirighteouwarfareand it iGod And she planted herself in front of the bed, with her hands on her hips. I told him how matters stood, and he begged me to go and see the girl, In the morning the eagle returned and saw traces of a fight below the tree, and here and there a handful of yellow mane lying about, and here and there a hard scaly substance when he saw that he rejoiced greatly, and hastened to the nest arm, and ran on ahead, saying: I will show you the way, and ran upstairs while the invited guests followed more slowlyand, when they got upstairs, she stood on one side to let them pass, and they rolled their eyes and turned their heads in all directions to admire this mysterious and luxurious dwelling. For that is not my errand Speed only we ask Let us pass, and then come Your works? ?owyn, ?owyn ?omer What joy is this? For they said that you were slain Nay, but that was only the dark voices in my dream How long have I been dreaming? 1. The meeting of basic needs. Ted Hoyt evidently had wasted no time in carrying out Bobs plan, for he did not show up at breakfast. His chances of success worried Bob all morning and once or twice Mr. Whitney had to call him down for some inattention to the business at hand. But when the day passed and Ted had not returned, Bob was reasonably certain that the cattleman had not refused to take in his son. That was a help. I smiled and shook my head. I can quite understand your thinking so. I said. Of course, in your position of unofficial adviser and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is strange and bizarre. But hereI picked up the morning paper from the groundlet us put it to a practical test. Here is the first heading upon which I come. A husbands cruelty to his wife. There is half a column of print, but I know without reading it that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is, of course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of writers could invent nothing more crude. And when the courtiers heard them they looked at each other and whispered, saying: Surely he is madfor what is a dream but a dream, and a vision but a vision? They are not real things that one should heed themAnd what have we to do with the lives of those who toil for us? Shall a man not eat bread till he has seen the sower, nor drink wine till he has talked with the vinedresser? Only five have passed. This must be he. The Company were footsore and tired but they trudged doggedly along the rough and winding track for many miles The sun turned from the noon and began to go west After a brief halt and a hasty meal they went on again Before them the mountains frowned, but their path lay in a deep trough of land and they could see only the higher shoulders and the far eastward peaks talk about things you know nothing about. A woman who has no other reason for loving you will not love you long. All the little coquetries which make them so exquisite when they do not definitely belong to us cease as soon as they become ours. And thenthe respectable womenthat is to say our wivesareare notin fact do not understand their profession of wife. Do you understand?, Dear Father Goriot, calm yourself. There, there, lie quietly and restdon, I smiled and shook my head. I can quite understand your thinking so. I said. Of course, in your position of unofficial adviser and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is strange and bizarre. But hereI picked up the morning paper from the groundlet us put it to a practical test. Here is the first heading upon which I come. A husbands cruelty to his wife. There is half a column of print, but I know without reading it that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is, of course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of writers could invent nothing more crude. Dear Father Goriot, calm yourself. There, there, lie quietly and restdon, She resumed: Ye was old, Hugh. It was the little cry again. But the Rohirrim made a great burning here yesterday, said Gimli, and they felled trees for the fire, as can be seen Yet they passed the night after safely here, when their labour was ended And when the courtiers heard them they looked at each other and whispered, saying: Surely he is madfor what is a dream but a dream, and a vision but a vision? They are not real things that one should heed themAnd what have we to do with the lives of those who toil for us? Shall a man not eat bread till he has seen the sower, nor drink wine till he has talked with the vinedresser? But what could it do, if any danger came? Alice asked Look He is very high He seems to be flying now away, from this land back to the North He is going with great speed Look But the Rohirrim made a great burning here yesterday, said Gimli, and they felled trees for the fire, as can be seen Yet they passed the night after safely here, when their labour was ended It clatteredand at that signal, through the dusty glass door behind the painted deal counter, Mr Verloc would issue hastily from the parlour at the backHis eyes were naturally heavyhe had an air of having wallowed, fully dressed, all day on an unmade bedAnother man would have felt such an appearance a distinct disadvantageIn a commercial transaction of the retail order much depends on the sellers engaging and amiable aspectBut Mr Verloc knew his business, and remained undisturbed by any sort of sthetic doubt about his appearanceWith a firm, steady-eyed impudence, which seemed to hold back the threat of some abominable menace, he would proceed to sell over the counter some object looking obviously and scandalously not worth the money which passed in the transaction: a small cardboard box with apparently nothing inside, for instance, or one of those carefully closed yellow flimsy envelopes, or a soiled volume in paper covers with a promising titleNow and then it happened that one of the faded, yellow dancing girls would get sold to an amateur, as though she had been alive and young. The Company were footsore and tired but they trudged doggedly along the rough and winding track for many miles The sun turned from the noon and began to go west After a brief halt and a hasty meal they went on again Before them the mountains frowned, but their path lay in a deep trough of land and they could see only the higher shoulders and the far eastward peaks The Company were footsore and tired but they trudged doggedly along the rough and winding track for many miles The sun turned from the noon and began to go west After a brief halt and a hasty meal they went on again Before them the mountains frowned, but their path lay in a deep trough of land and they could see only the higher shoulders and the far eastward peaks But the Rohirrim made a great burning here yesterday, said Gimli, and they felled trees for the fire, as can be seen Yet they passed the night after safely here, when their labour was ended She sighed a little. I like folks, she said. But what could it do, if any danger came? Alice asked Daddy, she cried, running over to kneel beside him. It was selfish of me to leave you alone. brought up in the way of , remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before God and our Father Why, old shrew, said Hatch, there be no men nearer us than Sir Daniels, at Kettleyy are as safe as in London Towerand ye raise scares upon a man for a few chaffinches and sparrows brought up in the way of , remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before God and our Father Do says I to her like that. But the Rohirrim made a great burning here yesterday, said Gimli, and they felled trees for the fire, as can be seen Yet they passed the night after safely here, when their labour was ended Did you ever see me before? asked Cherokee. Hold your tongueyou know I have forbidden you clock was it? she asked. But what is the good of all these vague theories, cried the banker impatiently, when I have told you that I saw Arthur with the coronet in his hands? Mr. Follenvie undertook again to convey the message, but he came down almost immediately. The German, who knew human nature, had kicked him out of his rooHe meant to keep everybody as long as his wishes had not been complied with. But upon the icy slab lay a womans glove still warm and fragrant. t know what ithe good of such prudery; if it ifor honour Did you ever see me before? asked Cherokee. What are you going to do? asked Stanhope. In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, invested it, and came up by leaps and bounds. 17. According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one But what is the good of all these vague theories, cried the banker impatiently, when I have told you that I saw Arthur with the coronet in his hands? He gripped his spade still tighter and advanced down the meadows towards the place of habitations, and directly he moved they converged upon hiI, clock was it? she asked. If you are in a group whose consciousnesssdoessnot reflect your own, and you are unable at thisstime to effectively alter the group consciousness, it isswise to leave the group, or the group could lead you. It will go where it wantssto go, regardlesssof where you want to go. 17. According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one But upon the icy slab lay a womans glove still warm and fragrant. If you are in a group whose consciousnesssdoessnot reflect your own, and you are unable at thisstime to effectively alter the group consciousness, it isswise to leave the group, or the group could lead you. It will go where it wantssto go, regardlesssof where you want to go. At once they went on again They crossed the Bridge in safety, hearing no sound but the water swirling against its three great arches A mile further on they came to a narrow ravine that led away northwards through the steep lands on the left of the Road Here Strider turned aside, and soon they were lost in a sombre country of dark trees winding among the feet of sullen hills I took it. I returnedI raised it like a club, and with one blow of the edge I cleft the fisherman A crew who, under names of old renown-- In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, invested it, and came up by leaps and bounds. clock was it? she asked. If you are in a group whose consciousnesssdoessnot reflect your own, and you are unable at thisstime to effectively alter the group consciousness, it isswise to leave the group, or the group could lead you. It will go where it wantssto go, regardlesssof where you want to go. I took it. I returnedI raised it like a club, and with one blow of the edge I cleft the fisherman What are you going to do? asked Stanhope. Billy had the excitable musical temperament. He spent his forces lavishly, and it was because of this that he was a leader; could think and act quickly in emergencies, as when he saved the operetta from failure. Edith and her mother knew that he had lived hard through the past few weeks, that next to Edith herself he had carried the entertainment, though Jean had been a host also. So it pleased Mrs. Bennett that afternoon to see Billy start off alone for the country. heart, than on account of the reflections to which his narrative gave rise, as to the changes that have taken place in the French woman since the fateful revolution of July, Mr. Follenvie undertook again to convey the message, but he came down almost immediately. The German, who knew human nature, had kicked him out of his rooHe meant to keep everybody as long as his wishes had not been complied with. He had an inspiration and, turning to Pommel, he ordered: Lieutenant, go get me the bust of the ex-emperor which is in the meeting room of the municipal council, and bring it here with a chair. He had an inspiration and, turning to Pommel, he ordered: Lieutenant, go get me the bust of the ex-emperor which is in the meeting room of the municipal council, and bring it here with a chair. of the planet. Why should it occur now? After a long rest the march was resumed. The old man whom they had captured acted as guide. Yes, I am I feel I need a holiday, a very long holiday, as I have told you before Probably a permanent holiday: I dont expect I shall return In fact, I dont mean to, and I have made all arrangements nurse, and I had heard him speak of her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked alsoa gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel himself whom I barred,We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture Beam Be the first to smile. Let your smile reflect yourattitude. ye donna set up your bristles at every bit o, There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of humanity, that Mr. Shelby could not help laughing in company. Perhaps you laugh too, dear readerbut you know humanity comes out in a variety of strange forms now-a-days, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people will say and do. nurse, and I had heard him speak of her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked alsoa gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel himself whom I barred,We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture Mr. Simson fidgeted. The quiet of the room, broken only by Marys ministering activities, evidently oppressed him. nurse, and I had heard him speak of her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked alsoa gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel himself whom I barred,We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture He had an inspiration and, turning to Pommel, he ordered: Lieutenant, go get me the bust of the ex-emperor which is in the meeting room of the municipal council, and bring it here with a chair. ye donna set up your bristles at every bit o, What of the often-heard statement that those who think they are going to escape their predicament, or end their con-dition, with suicide only find that they are facing the same pre-dicament or condition in the afterlife, and therefore escaped and ended nothing? One of the Englishmen exclaimed: Ah He was quivering with delight, with satisfied curiosity and joyous impatience. The other, who still kept his watch in his hand, seized Dubuis, nurse, and I had heard him speak of her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked alsoa gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel himself whom I barred,We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture Beam Be the first to smile. Let your smile reflect yourattitude. Yes, I am I feel I need a holiday, a very long holiday, as I have told you before Probably a permanent holiday: I dont expect I shall return In fact, I dont mean to, and I have made all arrangements It was ten miles across the lagoon to the farther ring of sand. Here, tossing tree trunks, timbers, wrecks of cutters, and wreckage of houses, killed nine out of ten of the miserable beings who survived the passage of the lagoon. Half-drowned, exhausted, they were hurled into this mad mortar of the elements and battered into formless flesh. But Mapuhi was fortunate. His chance was the one in tenit fell to him by the freakage of fate. He emerged upon the sand, bleeding from a score of wounds. What of the often-heard statement that those who think they are going to escape their predicament, or end their con-dition, with suicide only find that they are facing the same pre-dicament or condition in the afterlife, and therefore escaped and ended nothing? There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of humanity, that Mr. Shelby could not help laughing in company. Perhaps you laugh too, dear readerbut you know humanity comes out in a variety of strange forms now-a-days, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people will say and do. nurse, and I had heard him speak of her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked alsoa gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel himself whom I barred,We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture apartment in the Passage Sandrie. Raoul himself was to encamp in the house where the office of the new journal was established, Ce grand malheur, de ne pouvoir etre seulLa Bruyere. Okay, Ive waited long enough. Tell me about them. returned John Baptist, closing his eyes and giving his head a most vehement toss. The word being, according to its Genoese emphasis, a confirmation, a contradiction, an assertion, a denial, a taunt, a compliment, a joke, and fifty other things, became in the present instance, with a significance beyond all power of written expression, our familiar English Okay, Ive waited long enough. Tell me about them. He had an inspiration and, turning to Pommel, he ordered: Lieutenant, go get me the bust of the ex-emperor which is in the meeting room of the municipal council, and bring it here with a chair. Honor and reverence and good repute be with them all now, wheresoever they may labor or rest. We think sometimes we have heard Cyril and Polycarp among them. The young mans eyes grew largerat the way before him.... And to the glosssof civilisation had been added the glosssof Christianity. The Emperor had believed, when other help wassfailing, that in the might of the Crossshe might still conquer. The sign wassindeed there, but it wassmarked upon the standard, not written upon the hearts, of those rulerssof the world. They saw not what it meanthow it interpreted and crowned all that had been great in their history hithertohow it separated the real great from the real littlehow it sanctified all those feelingssof obedience, duty, reverence for unseen law, self-devotion,[211] by which the city had risen from nothinghow it poured contempt upon dominion, except assan instrument by which the highest might serve the lowest, upon glory, except assit grew out of humiliation, and wassthe exaltation of man above himself. The civilised Christian Roman had lost the heart, the reverence, the faith which belonged to hissrude Pagan ancestorsthat Christianity and civilisation might be victorious, the miserable patronssof both were swept away.[189] Ah, Diana he exclaimed, teasing themso you are going to show the moon-dogs the good habits of the dogs of the earth If ever we do come down again, I will bring a cross type of `moon-dogs, And to the glosssof civilisation had been added the glosssof Christianity. The Emperor had believed, when other help wassfailing, that in the might of the Crossshe might still conquer. The sign wassindeed there, but it wassmarked upon the standard, not written upon the hearts, of those rulerssof the world. They saw not what it meanthow it interpreted and crowned all that had been great in their history hithertohow it separated the real great from the real littlehow it sanctified all those feelingssof obedience, duty, reverence for unseen law, self-devotion,[211] by which the city had risen from nothinghow it poured contempt upon dominion, except assan instrument by which the highest might serve the lowest, upon glory, except assit grew out of humiliation, and wassthe exaltation of man above himself. The civilised Christian Roman had lost the heart, the reverence, the faith which belonged to hissrude Pagan ancestorsthat Christianity and civilisation might be victorious, the miserable patronssof both were swept away.[189] Guy was shocked and surprised to hear him speak so lightly, and, without more ado, left him, and going to Mr. Harwood, told him how grieved he was for his disobedience, and begged him to forgive him, and restore him to his confidence again. I should not go so far as to say that, Watson. They will at least show our people what is known and what is not. I may say that a good many of these papers have come through me, and I need not add are thoroughly untrustworthy. It would brighten my declining years to see a German cruiser navigating the Solent according to the mine-field plans which I have furnished. But you, Watsonhe stopped his work and took his old friend by the shouldersI At present hissmind wassclear and calma bleak serenity like a clear winter sky possessed him. There wasssuffering ahead, he knew, but he did not believe it would be intolerable suffering. If it proved intolerable the canyon yawned below. In that respect thissshelf or rock wassa better death bed than most, a more convenient death bed. Your sick bed presented pain with a wide margin, set it up for your too complete examination. But to starve wassnot so very dreadful, he had readhunger and pain there would be, most distressful about the third day, and after that one became feeble and did not feel so much. It would not be like the torture of many cancer casessor the agony of brain feverit would not be one tithe assbad assthat. Lonely it would be. But issone much lessslonely on a death bed at home? They come and say, There and do little serviceable thingss but are there any other interchanges? . . . You go your solitary way, speech and movement and the desire to speak or move passing from you, and their voicessfade. . . . Everywhere death issa very solitary act, a going apart. . . . We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess, said Gollum, still twisting and grabbling at his ankle It hurts us Swear? said Frodo Morissot interrupted him: The young mans eyes grew largerat the way before him.... No. There issno such thing assa karmic wheel. Not the way you have imagined it. Many of you have imag-ined that you are on, not a wheel, but a treadmill, in which you are working off the debtssof past actions, and trying valiantly not to incur any new ones. Thississwhat some of you have called the karmic wheel. It issnot so very different from a few of your Western theologies, for in both paradigmssyou are seen assan unworthy sin-ner, seeking to gain the purity to move on to the next spiritual level. And we also have few Now would the coming of Rohan be in the nick of time, said Denethor Perhaps a word or two about the business premises may be said here. The printing-house had been established since the reign of Louis XIV. in the angle made by the Rue de Beaulieu and the Place du Murierit had been devoted to its present purposes for a long time past. The ground floor consisted of a single huge room lighted on the side next the street by an old-fashioned casement, and by a large sash window that gave upon the yard at the back. A passage at the side led to the private officebut in the provinces the processes of typography excite such a lively interest, that customers usually preferred to enter by way of the glass door in the street front, though they at once descended three steps, for the floor of the workshop lay below the level of the street. The gaping newcomer always failed to note the perils of the passage through the shopand while staring at the sheets of paper strung in groves across the ceiling, ran against the rows of cases, or knocked his hat against the tie-bars that secured the presses in position. Or the customer, I should not go so far as to say that, Watson. They will at least show our people what is known and what is not. I may say that a good many of these papers have come through me, and I need not add are thoroughly untrustworthy. It would brighten my declining years to see a German cruiser navigating the Solent according to the mine-field plans which I have furnished. But you, Watsonhe stopped his work and took his old friend by the shouldersI No one doessanything that isswrong, given their model of the world. If you think Hitler acted insanely and all the while knew that he wassinsane, then you under-stand nothing of the complexity of human experience. Corn-cockle. The owner wrote us that the storm had thrown the ship so far ashore that it was impossible to float her and that they had to remove everything which could be detached with the utmost possible haste. Nevertheless I must examine the situation of the wreck, estimate what must have been her condition before the disaster and decide whether all efforts had been used to get her afloat. I came as an agent of the company in order to give contradictory testimony, if necessary, at the trial. And to the glosssof civilisation had been added the glosssof Christianity. The Emperor had believed, when other help wassfailing, that in the might of the Crossshe might still conquer. The sign wassindeed there, but it wassmarked upon the standard, not written upon the hearts, of those rulerssof the world. They saw not what it meanthow it interpreted and crowned all that had been great in their history hithertohow it separated the real great from the real littlehow it sanctified all those feelingssof obedience, duty, reverence for unseen law, self-devotion,[211] by which the city had risen from nothinghow it poured contempt upon dominion, except assan instrument by which the highest might serve the lowest, upon glory, except assit grew out of humiliation, and wassthe exaltation of man above himself. The civilised Christian Roman had lost the heart, the reverence, the faith which belonged to hissrude Pagan ancestorsthat Christianity and civilisation might be victorious, the miserable patronssof both were swept away.[189] When they had finished, Mr. Whitney was very much excited. Well have to make a report of your find to Washington at once and, if possible, get a bill brought up in the next Congress to authorize us to make a preliminary survey. We can do it next summer. Burglary This is more interesting. Let me hear the details. Any two people can have wildly different attitudestoward the same set of experiences. However, whentwo people react to the same experience with the sameattitude, they share a powerful natural bond. Attitudeshave the tendency to be infectious, and because theyare rooted in emotional interpretation of experiences,they can be distorted and shaped; they can be woundup or wound down. Burglary This is more interesting. Let me hear the details. We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess, said Gollum, still twisting and grabbling at his ankle It hurts us Swear? said Frodo You must knowthenthat the above-named gentleman whenever he waat leisurewhich wamostly all the year roundgave himself up to reading bookof chivalry with such ardour and avidity that he almost entirely neglected the pursuit of hifield-sportsand even the management of hiproperty; and to such a pitch did hieagernesand infatuation go that he sold many an acre of tillageland to buy bookof chivalry to readand brought home amany of them ahe could get. But of all there were none he liked so well athose of the famouFeliciano de Silva Marie had already heard that name from the lips of the watchman Quilletit now shot like a flash of lightning through her soul. Artagnan, that you suspect that impertinent gentleman? When they had finished, Mr. Whitney was very much excited. Well have to make a report of your find to Washington at once and, if possible, get a bill brought up in the next Congress to authorize us to make a preliminary survey. We can do it next summer. We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess, said Gollum, still twisting and grabbling at his ankle It hurts us Swear? said Frodo Since two Hindus have filed the complaints, it would be pertinent to ask: Is Hindu culture really so prudish? Actor Ranveer Singhs recent bold photo shoot for Paper magazine has led to FIRs being registered against him. One Lalit Tekchandani, who runs an NGO called Shyam Manoranjan Foundation in Mumbai, has complained that these photos have hurt the sentiments of women in general and insulted their modesty. The FIR adds that India has a good culture and such photos harm it. A Mumbai lawyer, Vedika Chaubey, has filed a similar FIR. Since two Hindus have filed the complaints, it would be pertinent to ask: Is Hindu culture really so prudish? Hinduism must be one of the most pragmatic and balanced religions of the world. In the Hindu world-view, the four highest purusharthas or goals of life are dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Collectively, they emphasise a balanced view of life, based not on arbitrary or unrealistic exclusion, but of inclusion in proportion, so that ultimately an individual could attain, after living a full life, peace and happiness, which is moksha. The inclusion of kama among the four highest purusharthas is hardly indicative of Hindus being squeamish about sensuality. Kama, the god of love, akin to the Greek Eros, or the Roman Cupid, has been exalted in a hymn of the Atharva Veda as a supreme god and creator: Kama was born the first. Him neither gods, nor fathers nor men have equalled. The Rig Veda pays similar homage: May Kama, having well directed the arrow, which is winged with pain, barbed with longing, and has desire for its shaft, pierce thee in the heart. According to the Taittiriya Brahmana, Kama is the son of Dharma, the god of justice, and Shraddha, the goddess of faith. By another account he sprang from the heart of Brahma, and there are other texts which assert that he is atmabhu or self-existent. The Harivamsha states that Kama is the son of Vishnu and Lakshmi, and this appears to be the more accepted view. According to the Puranas, Kama was asked by Brahma himself to distract Shiva from his deep meditation by arousing in him amorous thoughts for Parvati. This was necessary because the great demon Taraka could only be destroyed by a son of Shiva, and Shiva could not have a son until he broke his meditation. The Saurava Purana says that when Brahma asked Kama to perform the deed, the latter declared: There is no hero, no proud woman, no learned man too powerful for me. I pervade the whole universe, moving and still, beginning with Brahma the Creator. In Tulsidas Ramcharitmanas, there is a description of the powerful impact of Kama as he made his way to Shiva. Restraint, fortitude, knowledge, renunciation, devotion and wisdom ran helter-skelter as Kama approached; the scriptures hid in the mountains; all creation awakened to his touch; rivers swelled to reach the ocean; rivulets, ponds, creeks sought to merge with each other, trees bent towards each other; even the sanyasis and yogis could not resist his influence. The story goes that Shiva, angered by the disruption in his meditation, burnt Kama to ashes. He then requested Parvati to ask for a boon, and she answered: Now that Kama has been killed, what will I do with your boon? For, without Kama there can be no emotion between man and woman which is like ten million suns. When emotion is destroyed how can happiness be attained? Parvati asked that Kama be brought to life again, and so Kama was reborn, this time, according to the Bhagwata Purana, as Pradhyumna, son of Krishna and Rukmini. Another version is that Shiva said that he could not revive him in the same form as he was before. He agreed, however, to revive him in spirit, formless but still ubiquitous in his influence. The cosmological acceptance of Kamadeva led to the emotions he personified love, desire, sensuality to be given a place among the four highest purusharthas of human life. That is why, all the major gods in the Hindu faith have got consorts, and neither the gods nor the goddesses are described as celibate recluses. That is why too, there is a scintillating sensuality in the arts Kalidasa (fourth century CE), one of the greatest playwrights of Indian literature, had a great deal of sensuality in his works. The verses of Bhartrihari, the philosopher poet of the fifth century CE, were uninhibitedly erotic, as were those of Bilhana, 12th century CE. The love lore of Krishna, and his ethereal and passionate romance with Radha, inspired decidedly carnal devotional outpourings, triggered by Jayadevas Gita Govinda in the 12th century CE, and enthusiastically followed by a whole range of bhakti poets, like Chandidasa, Vidyapati and Bihari. The same interface between spirituality and sensuality is seen in many Hindu temples, most famously in Khajuraho and Konarak, where there is a profusion of erotic images. The fact that these images are displayed on the walls of a temple is proof that desire was considered in the Hindu world view as a part of the immense canvas of divinity. But this was not a prescription for uncontrolled licentiousness. The sage Vatsyayana, in his book, The Kamasutra, has an imaginary interlocutor ask him: Why do we need this book? His summarised reply is that if dharma, artha and kama are pursued in proportion, and none in exclusion, they automatically lead to the fourth, moksha. The essential point is that there was a philosophical acceptance of desire, with eroticism as its natural attribute, even as there was no bar on those who wished to overcome desire, with asceticism as it deviational attribute. It is ironical that the influence of Islamic conservatism, and British Victorian morality of the colonial period, has made the marauding Hindutva moral police totally oblivious to their own tradition of the balanced but enthusiastic celebration of desire. They harass young couples in parks to protect their good culture without knowing what that remarkable culture is. And, they feel that women are emotionless commodities whose modesty they must protect if Ranveer displays his body. During the Angelus, the Holy Father expressed sadness over the death of pilgrims involved in a road accident on their way to Medjugorje (Croatia). He blessed the European Youth Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. In the Marian prayer, the pontiff mentioned the two exhortations addressed by Jesus: "Do not be afraid! and Be ready!" to overcome paralysing fears and the temptation of a passive, slumbering life. Vatican City (AsiaNews) In todays Angelus, Pope Francis spoke again about Russias war against Ukraine, saying: I want to welcome with satisfaction the departure of the first ships loaded with grain from the ports of Ukraine. The blockade of Ukrainian ports is a serious issue since it involves a key player in the worlds grain market. The agreement demonstrates that it is possible to dialogue and to reach concrete results for everyones benefit. For the pontiff, such a sign of hope could mark end fighting and bring a just and lasting peace. The pope also mentioned the victims of yesterday's road accident in Croatia, which involved a group of Polish pilgrims heading to Medjugorje. About 12 people were killed and 18 injured, some of them seriously. May Our Lady intercede for all of them and for their relatives, he said. The pontiff also blessed the participants and organisers of the European Youth Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, who today marked the high point of the journey. The event was postponed last year due to the pandemic, so that the Holy Year of Compostela was extended to the whole of 2022. May your lives always be a journey, Francis said, a journey with Jesus, a journey toward God and toward your brothers and sisters, a journey in service and in joy! In introducing the Marian prayer, the pontiff referred to today's liturgy in which Jesus addresses the disciples "to reassure them of any fear and to invite them to be vigilant. The two exhortations Do not be afraid, little flock and "Be ready are "key words" that can help overcome the fears that paralyse us and "the temptation of a passive, slumbering life". Francis explained that Christ sought to encourage his disciples by emphasising that there is no need to worry and fret for our lives are firmly in Gods hands ". Sometimes, we may feel distrust and anxiety " for our inability to carry certain projects, be happy, not be recognised and loved. The endless quest for security, goods, and riches ends up making us live anxiously and constantly worrying ". In this sense Jesus "reassures us, saying Do not be afraid! Trust in the Father for this is "the certainty that your hearts should be attached to! Yet, the pope warns that the Lord's gaze does not entitle us to slumber, to let ourselves succumb to laziness! On the contrary, we must be alert, vigilant." For him, to love means being attentive to the other, being aware of his or her needs, being willing to listen and welcome. This means, in short, being ready, which is todays second exhortation. The pontiff cites Shakespeares Hamlet when he says in various situations of life "being ready is everything, an attitude that sums up what he calls "Christian wisdom". Jesus repeats this invitation in three parables about the master of the house. [I]n the first, [he] returns unexpectedly from a wedding banquet; in the second, [he] does not want to be surprised by thieves; and in the third, [he] returns from a long journey. The message in all of them, the pope warns, is that it is necessary to stay awake, not to fall asleep, that is, not to be distracted, not to give in to inner idleness, because the Lord comes even in situations in which we do not expect him. As Saint Augustine put it: I am afraid that the Lord will pass by and I will not notice. Thus, to be vigilant means being responsible" and administering goods faithfully, taking care of the inheritance the Lord has left us. Brothers and sisters, let us walk without fear, in the certainty that the Lord accompanies us always. And let us stay awake lest we be asleep when the Lord passes by. [. . .] May the Virgin Mary help us, who welcomed the Lords visit and readily and generously said, Here I am. South Korea is debating the closure of large residential facilities that still house 25,000 patients. Parents fear their children might lose the care and assistance they need. For Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, all situations are not all the same. The most appropriate solutions should be provided for each. Seoul (AsiaNews) - How to really offer care, assistance, and dignity to people suffering from a severe form of disability is an issue that South Korea has been dealing with for some years now, looking for a new path. Public opinion has increasingly rejected the large residential facilities built in the 1970s and 1980s to deal with the problem. To this end, the South Korean government has prepared a plan to deinstitutionalise approximately 25,000 patients who still live in such places. However, the families of many disabled are afraid that this route, instead of being a true show of respect for the dignity of the most fragile people, will prove to be an ideological recipe that will not provide adequate alternative paths for the most vulnerable but end up abandoning rather than assisting them in the best possible way. For this reason, Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul met on Wednesday with a delegation representing 400 families at the Archbishops Residence to listen to their concerns regarding this issue and offer them the closeness of the South Korean Catholic Church. "Our society has gone through many changes, the prelate told them. With the passage of time, the limits of the great facilities caring for the disabled have come to light, sparking a debate on the need to protect the human rights of the disabled and arrive at alternative solutions. However, situations are not all the same for everyone. Depending on the type of disability, the approach towards the disabled and their families must be different. What we need is a care system that is open with specific paths for people with the most serious disabilities. An indiscriminate policy of deinstitutionalisation would be absurd. The Church understands and shares your pain, he said. Archbishop Chung Soon-taick ended his address with an eloquent embrace for the families of the disabled. ECCLESIA IN ASIA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO ASIAS CHURCHES. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY SUNDAY, CLICK HERE. One of the things that Japan is notorious for is the limited space for urban development. With a huge percentage of its landmass represented by mountains and forests, this countrys metropolitan centers became very crammed. Some have described it as a nation obsessed with making things as small as possible, so its micro dwellings (from apartments and homes to hotels) became famous around the world.Today, theres a frenzy to build off-grid yet comfy tiny homes in remote, natural areas, as far away from civilization as possible. But it seems to be even more challenging to build a similar home in a very busy urban center, surrounded by larger buildings, with very little space available. This is what this awesome tiny house accomplished.The plot of land that was available was not only small but had a difficult triangular shape, yet this house turned out to be a beautiful home thats perfectly comfortable for a small family, with a bright and spacious interior, a versatile loft, a charming terrace, and even an integrated parking spot.Architect Kota Mizuishi from the Mizuishi Architect Atelier designed this unusual house in Horinouchi, in west Tokyo, a decade ago. From the outside, especially from a bird's eye view, the dwelling looks incredibly narrow, and its almost hard to believe that a couple and their daughter could live comfortably inside. But the asymmetric design and sharp lines reveal a surprisingly spacious layout, with all the amenities of a modern home. The Horinouchi tiny house is also called The River Side House because it overlooks a river, and Mizuishi imagined this space in relation to that river. Built on a triangular plot of land, the two-story house only covers 55 square meters (594 square feet).Unlike typical tiny homes, this one has the master bedroom on the ground floor, while the kitchen and the living area are upstairs. The bedroom is luminous and minimalistic, and the bathroom is big enough to include a bathtub.A staircase leads to the upper floor, where the kitchen, the living area, and a spare room are integrated into an open space design. The kitchen is well equipped, and it includes a large fridge and plenty of storage space. Theres also a large dining table for the entire family. The living room is different than the standard Western concept, as it doesnt feature a cozy couch or a lounging area. Furniture was kept to a minimum, with no tall pieces that would make the space seem crammed. On the contrary, the large windows make it appear even larger than it really is.The large glass areas were specifically chosen to offer beautiful views, a lot of natural sunlight, and warmth. Theres also discrete air conditioning throughout. Although equipped with modern amenities, the house exudes a traditional Japanese minimalistic style with natural colors and materials.Due to this remarkable open space layout , where doors were apparently not welcome, you can get a great view of the loft from both the kitchen and the living space. Thats very convenient because the small loft was designed as a playroom for the familys little girl, so the parents could easily keep an eye on her. But the loft with high-vaulted ceilings is also versatile enough to be used as an office room.Unlike American homes, Japanese houses dont typically have space for patios or garages. But the Horinouchi tiny house cleverly included both a terrace and a small parking spot. Large sliding glass doors in the living area provide access to a narrow terrace with metallic railings for uninterrupted views.The homes unusual geometry was also used to create a small, sheltered parking spot outside, at the tip of the triangle-shaped plot of land. Yes, its only big enough for one vehicle, but its impressive considering the limited surface that was available and the homes positioning.A surprising tiny construction in the urban jungle, with a head-turning design, the Horinouchi tiny house is inspirational to this day. It proves that modern design and traditional style can be used to turn even an oddly-shaped space into a comfortable home. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. DALLAS Irving-based family entertainment chain Chuck E. Cheese is developing a new approach to cultural sensitivity after a mascot in New Jersey ignored a Black child at one of the franchises locations. On July 30, Natyana Muhammad visited the companys Wayne, New Jersey, restaurant with her 2-year-old. As the mouse mascot was approaching a group of children, he high-fived multiple white children, but ignored Muhammads little girl. Muhammad took to Twitter to tell her story. The tweet has over 82,000 likes. On July 30 at Chuck E Cheese in Wayne, NJ, my 2yo was racially discriminated against, her tweet said. As you can see, he gives all of the yt kids hi-5s & PURPOSELY ignored my black baby. When confronted, he ignored me as well. The manager, Angie Valasquez, made excuses for him. David McKillips, Chuck E. Cheeses president and CEO, and senior leadership will visit the Wayne location to discuss the incident, the stores performance and the companys plans for improving experiences for guests, the company said Friday. Kanarys, a Dallas-based diversity startup and the franchises partner since 2021, will lead employee engagement sessions next week and work with the company on culture and sensitivity training. First on the companys list will be implementing training at the Wayne location and surrounding locations, then it will expand out to all of the U.S. locations. We are grateful for the opportunity to improve our experience in every aspect of our business and welcome guests to continue to provide feedback to better inform our processes, the company said in announcing the training. As always, our mission is to provide a fun and safe place where families can make life-long memories and to ensure that every guest leaves happy, each and every day. Just last week, a Maryland family sued a Sesame Street theme park in Pennsylvania for $25 million alleging that multiple characters at the park ignored their 5-year-old Black daughter and other Black guests, the Guardian reported. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) The past three years have been sweet for Leroys LipSmackn Lemonade. The business got its start in 2012 when Leroy Hayward III, then 6 years old, participated in Lemonade Day Louisiana, an annual event that teaches children to be entrepreneurs. Sherilyn and Leroy Hayward Jr., Leroys parents, had just found out he was autistic and wanted to find things their son could do. They decided to set up a lemonade stand in their front yard, let Leroy sell drinks and give some of the profits to his doctors at Childrens Hospital New Orleans. He loved the idea of handing out his lemonade, Sherilyn Hayward said. And then he really liked taking the money to the hospital. It made him feel good about himself. After a few years of selling drinks out of tents at festivals and in front of stores, the Haywards started selling lemonade by the gallon three years ago. Leroys lemonade can now be found in 36 local stores, including Rouses, Tonys Seafood, Hi Nabor, Calandros and Bet-R. The business also has kiosks in Tiger Stadium, the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and Alex Box Stadium. I had Tiger Stadium on Leroys vision board, Hayward said. We were like, If we get in there, think of all the money we could give to the people at Childrens Hospital. So I sent an email out. Hayward didnt have any contacts with LSU; she just sent an email to the concessions department. A few months later, she got a call from the concessions director, asking for a meeting. They asked us if we had a kiosk, she said. The Haywards dipped into Leroys college fund to buy a kiosk. Theyve grown from one location in the stadium in 2017 to five. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the family started selling 16 ounce bottles of lemonade. We had to stay afloat, Hayward said. Gallons are expensive, so we figured if we could do something inexpensive, people could get it and go all of the time. The family now sells about 300 gallons and 500 cases of lemonade a week. All of the drinks are made, bottled and stored in a small office off Industriplex Boulevard in Baton Rouge thats decorated with pictures of Leroy and houses all kinds of items with lemon prints. Leroys lemonade is all natural, made with water, sugar and fresh-squeezed lemons. The quality of the drink, along with the businesss purpose, is what has allowed it to grow. We donate to Childrens Hospital. We help children like Leroy with special needs, Hayward said. Lemonade is the thing we are using to make this happen. The business has grown from about $30,000 in revenue in 2019 to $213,000 in 2021, Hayward said. Theyre on track to do $660,000 this year. The business has grown from being staffed just by the family to 12 employees. We do a lot now trying to inspire parents with special-needs kids, Hayward said. I do a lot of speaking to different organizations and tell a mom that has a special-needs child or a child on that autistic spectrum to never give up on them. I never wouldve dreamed Id be doing that. The success of the business has brought opportunities to the Haywards. The family was invited to participate in a small business pitch competition sponsored by the National Urban League. Hayward won the event last month and collected a $10,000 cash prize. The plan is to use the money as a down payment on two refrigerated trucks. This will enable Leroys lemonade to be sold in New Orleans and other states, including Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. Weve already got some grocery stores that want it in those locations, Hayward said. Rouses has given us a list of some locations as well. That would enable the business to double the amount of lemonade it sells. Hayward said she hopes the expansion will happen early next year. Plans are also in the works to move Leroys to a new location in north Baton Rouge. Leroy has also been helped by the business. Hayward said hes now open to talking and interacting with people. One of the big moments was when he first went to see the kiosk in Tiger Stadium and had people approaching him. The crowd of people didnt treat him like he was different. I believe thats when it clicked in his mind that he said he was just like everybody else, she said. The business has done wonders for Leroy, and if nothing else happened, that would be enough for me. 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. Editor's Note Berkshire Eagle reporter Greta Jochem is providing dispatches from a trip north on the Massachusetts section of the Appalachian Trail. She hit the trail Monday, Aug. 1, at the Connecticut line. One of the first hikers she encountered told her: Backpacking, you get to see a lot of the world you normally wouldnt see. Jochem's journey, and reports from the field, continue this week. I came upon Sherry Cook on a quiet stretch of Jerusalem Road in Tyringham, where she was setting up a tent next to her parked car. The open trunk revealed donuts, a cooler and snacks. She had driven from North Reading, in northeastern Massachusetts, to offer hikers food and cool drinks and to meet up with her 26-year-old daughter, who is hiking the trail and about 10 miles south. In 2019, Cook, known on the trail as TeeBeeDee, hiked the whole AT. She started hiking in her 20s, and then heard about this route. "You can get on a trail in Georgia and walk all the way to Maine?" she recalled thinking. She wondered if she could do it, and decades later, when her son went to college, she decided to try. She turned 57 on the trail and summited Mount Katahdin in Maine with a group of hikers all above age 40. "As a collective we called ourselves the gray walkers," she said. Before she left on her hike, she read a lot about it. One book said if you have lost faith in humanity, then hike the Appalachian Trail. "My experience is that's a truth." She saw kindness from strangers, like when she hitchhiked "I really stunk and they put me in their car," she said. While hiking, she met people she would not have normally connect with. "I'm a white-haired suburban mom," she said. On the trail, she'd find herself sitting around a fire with a tattooed 20-something. People have lots of reasons for going on the expedition, but, in her view, all have one thing in common: "Some crazy thing makes you think this is a good way to spend five months." "It made me more open to strangers," she said. Getting up from a camp chair, about 34 miles into my 90-mile trip along the trail's Massachusetts section, I felt self-conscious of the smell and sweat I was leaving behind and apologized. "Embrace the stink, sister," she said, offering me a bag of candy for the road. I happily accepted. As I walked across the street back to the trail, I saw two other hikers reach TeeBeeDee. "I'm Bed," one said. "And I'm Breakfast," the other said. "And together we're Bed and Breakfast." Alone in, well, not quite a crowd up here I expected to feel alone, but so far that hasnt been the case. Though I am mostly walking by myself, theres a steady stream of people on and around the trail. Sometimes we exchange a hello and "happy trails." If it aligns during a break, we stop and chat. A few days in, my "trail legs" not quite in place, I was walking north about 10 miles a day in the heat, passing ponds and over streams. Through grassy fields. Through Beartown State Forest. Hiking up and down inclines in the trees. 'Wheels' is yet another angel of the trail About a mile down the trail after crossing Main Road, I found Debbie Cranwell sitting in the shade with water, bananas, apples and ramen noodles. For the past few years, she, like others, has been coming here to support hikers. She goes by "Wheels," and it is fitting. She offers, for free, to drive hikers' backpacks several miles down the road and then meet them there, just to ease their loads. She will also give rides to people to Lee, several miles away. "It's a long haul," she said. Though Wheels lives nearby in Lee and had driven past spots where the trail crosses the road, she did not know a lot about it until a few years ago when she started watching Craig Mains, a hiker who makes regular YouTube videos. She started hiking parts of the trail and helping hikers. Since then, she's gotten good at spotting them. Once, when she was in the grocery store, she saw a guy who looked like a hiker and asked if he needed a ride back to the trail. How did you know?" he asked. After refilling my water bottle from a jug she had, Cranwell warned me there was a bit of a climb up ahead on the way to Upper Goose Pond several miles away. I moved slowly, and two hikers doing the whole trail passed me, and told me, in the nicest way possible, I was doing great for not having my "trail legs" yet. I was sweating, as usual, as I walked uphill in the heat. What kept me moving was thinking about jumping into Upper Goose Pond. It takes a village to keep my phone charged To keep my news flowing, in text messages and photos to an editor at The Eagle, I hit the trail with gear that lets me charge my cell phone. Last week, even that was running low, so the Eagle mother ship sent a co-worker, Matt Martinez, to bring me a fresh battery pack. We picked a spot where the trail crosses a main road. By that time, I was low on power, so when he got turned around, we had no way to talk. I didnt mind taking a break. I was surprised to see Matt get out of a car driven by a man I didnt know. Matt had gotten lost and began to search the trail for me. He managed to enlist help from a family from Georgia who, somehow, knew the way. They offered him a ride to our rendezvous point. Bears, Lone Wolf and life's challenges Have you seen a bear? I got that question from a hiker walking fast in the opposite direction. I come on a sign on the trail near Beartown Mountain Road that alerts hikers that a bear and cubs have spotted this summer. Miles later, I arrive at the trail's Shaker campsite, and find another bear warning. I have seen more bears in my old neighborhood in Northampton three than I have when hiking just one, years ago. Still, when two other hikers show up and set up their tents, I'm relieved to think I won't be alone if a bear does visit. Erin Wolf, 41, had been hiking with Camilla Orr, 39, for the past 100 miles or so. I like the physical challenge," Wolf told me. She's known up here as Lone Wolf. The sun was going down at the Shaker campsite, about 42 miles north of the Connecticut line. We talked at a picnic table over dinner. Also, it's freeing to be outside, she told me. Setting your schedule. Being away from the rhythm out there in the non-trail world. This is the third long-distance trail she's hiked. Wolf took on the Pacific Crest Trail, a more than 2,600-mile route on the west coast. Also the Continental Divide Trail, a trek from the U.S. border with Mexico to Canada. It's satisfying for her to see how strong she can be. One of the more stressful parts: Money, Wolf said. Things are costing more that's been a big challenge for me. It's also stressful, she says, to think about coming home and having "no room to spare" in her bank account and knowing she needs to find another job. Before setting out on this hike, she worked in crisis management. Being present is also a challenge. She finds her thoughts pulled into the past and future, replaying conversations. "It's work to be present, she said. It's hard not to investigate every corner of your mind on a long-distance hike, Orr adds. She too hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT didn't solve my problems, she said, warming ramen noodles on a camp stove. It gave me time to work out some things. Now that's what I call a convenience store Out of nowhere: A small trail stand comes into view selling Pop-Tarts, Gatorade and other snacks for hikers. It's all on the honor system. This trio makes three for the road Sitting on the side of the trail, three young hikers are talking about their plans to get a ride into Great Barrington to re-supply. I asked one of them, Will Leslie, about his trip. He told me he's been preparing for years. "I've been saving since I was 16," he said. Maybe that explains his trail name: Psyched. Growing up in Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains, he hiked a lot and prepared for this more than 2,000-mile trek. "Everyone is willing to give you the skin off their back to get through," he said The trio met while hiking and have been traveling together. "It all happened naturally out here," said Logan Giroux (Yogi). "Now we're just really good friends," added Peter Miler, 24. Miler, who goes by Flapjack, was working in a Japanese restaurant in Portland, Maine, and looking for a break. He has hiked in Baxter State Park, which includes Mount Katahdin, the end of the trail. "I'd see people finish their thru-hike, " he said. "Just the wild emotions they experience up there." Though determined to reach the end of the trail, they've also been having fun. A guy they met in Virginia bought them food and let them cool off in his pool. "You can't predict the people you'll interact with," Flapjack said. "You can't script that." A few miles later, some hikers saw these guys and greeted them. Word passed that they'd been interviewed by a journalist. News travels fast on the trail. Monkeypox keeps spreading fast in U.S. with government response remaining sluggish Xinhua) 09:53, August 07, 2022 * With the largest number of confirmed cases in the world, the United States has become a major epicenter of the global monkeypox. The virus has been spreading at a faster pace across the country over the past days, exacerbating its ongoing health crisis that results from the still-ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. * After repeated warnings from health experts, the U.S. government on Thursday declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Several states have also made their own emergency declarations over the virus. * However, the measures taken by state and federal governments have been blamed by many as too late. There is a prevailing fear that the monkeypox outbreak will turn into another public health disaster. LOS ANGELES, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- During the past days, monkeypox has been spreading at a faster pace across the United States, exacerbating the country's ongoing health crisis that results from the still-ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. government has declared monkeypox a public health emergency, and several states have also made their own emergency declarations over the virus, hence more tests and vaccines to be ensured. However, experts have complained that the governmental responses are too sluggish and inadequate, warning of the government's more possible blunders in the face of the new public health threat. MONKEYPOX ON OFFENSIVE Last month, the World Health Organization officially declared that the current multi-country monkeypox outbreak outside of the traditional endemic areas in Africa has already turned into a public health emergency of international concern. With the largest number of confirmed cases in the world, the United States has become a major epicenter of the global monkeypox outbreak. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of Friday, 7,510 monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases have been reported across the country this year. A man sanitizes his hands at a monkeypox vaccination site in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, July 30, 2022. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) The curve of the national caseload is worrying as the number of infections has spiraled from dozens of cases a week to hundreds a day. Mounting concerns over the outbreak have forced the authorities to take further measures. After repeated warnings from health experts, the U.S. government on Thursday declared monkeypox a public health emergency. "We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously," Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told reporters during a briefing. On Monday, the U.S. states of California and Illinois both declared monkeypox emergencies, following an emergency declaration made on July 29 by the state of New York. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in a statement, saying: "California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach." Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker declared the monkeypox virus a statewide public health emergency, and the state a "disaster area" regarding the disease. On July 29, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency due to the growing monkeypox cases in the state. The three states have altogether reported nearly half of all confirmed cases in the country. SLACK RESPONSES On the federal level, a public health emergency can trigger grant funding and open up more resources for various aspects of a federal response. It also allows the HHS secretary to enter into contracts for treatments and other necessary medical supplies and equipment, as well as support emergency hospital services, among other things. Doses of monkeypox vaccine are pictured in Chicago, the United States, July 25, 2022. (Photo by Vincent Johnson/Xinhua) The states' own emergency declarations will also provide them with more resources to handle the outbreak. In California, the emergency declaration will help the most populous U.S. state to get an additional 72,000 doses of vaccine against monkeypox from the federal government, and enable emergency medical services personnel to administer vaccines, along with deployment of vaccine clinics through local and community organization partnerships. The state of emergency in Illinois, which came into effect immediately and will be in place for 30 days, will allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to utilize resources for coordinating logistics across state agencies, and quickly and efficiently aid in the distribution of vaccines and in the prevention and treatment of the disease. However, the measures taken by state and federal governments have been blamed by many as too late. Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), disclosed in a recent New York Times story that the CDC should expand testing for monkeypox in May, but the agency did not take this measure until late June. The CDC should lead America's response to viral exigencies, he said, but the agency lacks the infrastructure to mobilize a rapid response and is too hidebound and process-driven to move quickly. In a letter dated July 29 and sent to the HHS, Carolyn Maloney, chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, said, "the federal government must take every step possible to mitigate the threat monkeypox poses to the health of people in the United States before it is too late." Health care workers assist people waiting to be vaccinated at a monkeypox vaccination site in New York, the United States, July 14, 2022. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) ANOTHER PANDEMIC? Actually, as early as late July when the virus infected only 3,000 Americans, health experts warned the United States was running out of time to contain the monkeypox outbreak. "We're losing daylight," Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology at the Fielding School of Public Health of the University of California, Los Angeles, said last month. "Every day that we aren't continuing to push forward on all fronts, the less likely it is that we will be able to contain it," she has said. U.S. officials have already started to expand testing and make more vaccines available. But limited supplies have not matched the demand, health experts said. "We are way behind in a lot of aspects, including rapid testing and access to treatment for those patients who might need treatment," Preeti Malani, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan, told the National Public Radio. A medical worker gives a dose of monkeypox vaccine to a recipient in Chicago, the United States, July 25, 2022. (Photo by Vincent Johnson/Xinhua) Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent, blamed the government's incapability of mounting a significant response to an emerging outbreak, including COVID-19 and monkeypox, on the so-called "cavalry culture," in which the administration waits for the cavalry to rescue instead of taking smaller preventive steps and acting early to head off the outbreak in the first place. "The medical system is set up for the cavalry to come in with expensive medications and high-tech interventions, instead of providing equitable access and incentives for preventative care," he wrote in a recent story. Given the government's botched COVID-19 responses, there is a prevailing fear that the monkeypox outbreak will turn into another public health disaster. "This outbreak has grown to be a public health crisis in America. We are still in a very chaotic situation at the state and local level ... ," David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, told The Guardian. Gottlieb, the former FDA official, said there are more parallels between the authorities' systemic failings to combat COVID and monkeypox, which both rest with political leaders' poor planning, lack of urgency and clumsy execution and the bureaucracy charged with countering these threats. "Our country's response to monkeypox has been plagued by the same shortcomings we had with COVID-19. Now if monkeypox gains a permanent foothold in the United States and becomes an endemic virus that joins our circulating repertoire of pathogens, it will be one of the worst public health failures in modern times not only because of the pain and peril of the disease but also because it was so avoidable," Gottlieb warned. (Web editor: Xue Yanyan, Bianji) Visitors watch an exhibit at a China-Dutch art exhibition held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands in The Hague, the Netherlands, Aug. 6, 2022. Co-organized by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and Pulchri Studio, the exhibition features 50 artworks with artists from each country contributing 25 pieces of art. The artworks included traditional and contemporary paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and art installations. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) THE HAGUE, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Dutch artists held an art exhibition here on Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands. Co-organized by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and Pulchri Studio, the exhibition features 50 artworks with artists from each country contributing 25 pieces of art. The artworks included traditional and contemporary paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and art installations. "An artistic work is valuable ... I believe art can bring people closer -- people from the east and west, people from developing and developed countries, Chinese and Dutch," Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Tan Jian said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. The ambassador hoped that the exhibition would bring closer the two nations and promote exchanges and cooperation between the artists of the two countries. The organizers of the exhibition have overcome the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and spent a year preparing for it, the exhibition's curator Zhou Lesheng told Xinhua. Dutch artists are very interested in the works of Chinese artists, Zhou said, expressing the hope that more similar exhibitions could be held in the future to further promote exchanges between Chinese and Dutch artists. Bob Bonies, a renowned Dutch artist and art educator, told Xinhua that he was very happy to appreciate the works of Chinese artists, which reflect Chinese cultural heritage and the accomplishments of the artists. Bonies said that he has visited China several times and is impressed by the "amazing and fantastic" development of modern Chinese art, which holds "very high international standards." A visitor watches exhibits at a China-Dutch art exhibition held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands in The Hague, the Netherlands, Aug. 6, 2022. Co-organized by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and Pulchri Studio, the exhibition features 50 artworks with artists from each country contributing 25 pieces of art. The artworks included traditional and contemporary paintings, calligraphy, sculptures and art installations. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) Urges name change from Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) to Department of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) on behalf of the Indian Medical Device Industry has written to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi requesting a Department of Medical Devices and a Ministry of Life Sciences / Healthcare Products. Highlighting the urgent need for a separate department for medical devices, the letter from AiMeD requested the PM to change the name of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) to Department of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices or to have a separate Department of Medical Devices so that, the manufacturers will be assured that the government is taking this sector seriously as medical devices are not pharmaceuticals, though both may be medical products. The current name reflects the focus on the mature sector of pharmaceuticals and the ignored 80 per cent import-dependent sector of medical devices. The current team needs to be supported with the required expertise by at least four persons i.e. one each from a background in Medical, BioMedical Engineering, Product Development & Marketing with experience from DST / DBT / BIRAC / DHR / MOH&FW / BCIL / NHSRC / EEPC / IBEF may be considered, said the letter. The remodelled department will facilitate the creation and development of clusters for medical devices, creation of laboratories and service centres under PPP & Skill Development of Personnel in the field of manufacturing, sales, service and regulations. The letter suggested that the department could be placed in the Ministry of Health as its extension with a Ministry of Health Care Products or Ministry of Life Sciences. Partners with Dr. O.P. Gupta Imaging Centre Fujifilm India with Dr OP Gupta Imaging Center, Meerut, recently organised a programme to raise awareness about the early detection of breast cancer. As part of the partnership with the centre, Fujifilm India has installed its cutting-edge Amulet Innovality, a highly advanced breast cancer diagnostic tool which enables women to experience early detection of breast cancer. The company held a seminar addressing the main problems and potential solutions in digital mammography breast imaging while also highlighting the clinical relevance of technology. In India, breast cancer cases are on the rise. The country has the sixth highest breast cancer rates in Asia and the tenth highest in the world compared to other population registries. One in 22 women get breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Despite the innovations in treatment, the risks associated with breast cancer continue to rise. The biggest reason for this is lack of awareness amongst patients, and only reaching the doctor during their last stage of the disease. Understanding this problem, Fujifilm strives to educate people and take the early detection technology across India to save lives. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gave China the rights to a green battery capable of powering an entire house for decades which cost millions of tax dollars to develop, according to a new report. Designed at a U.S. government lab near Seattle, the vanadium redox flow battery was manufactured by a company in Washington state called UniEnergy Technologies until last year, when a DOE license transfer effectively sealed its fate to a Chinese company. The revelation comes from NPR, which investigated the matter in partnership with the Northwest News Network. They found that the DOE violated its own licensing policies. This is technology made from taxpayer dollars, Joanne Skievaski, chief financial officer of Forever Energy, one of several U.S. companies that have been trying to obtain the license, told NPR. It was invented in a national lab. [Now] it's deployed in China, and it's held in China. To say it's frustrating is an understatement. Rainwater everywhere on Earth contains so much cancer-causing forever chemicals that it should be classified as unsafe to drink, a new study has warned. The chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that spread in the atmosphere, and can now be found in rain and snow in the worlds remotest places. The chemicals are produced by industry, and are extremely persistent in the atmosphere, the researchers warn. As scientists have understood more about the toxicity of these chemicals, the guidelines for safe levels have become more and more strict - meaning that rainwater would now be classified as unsafe. Lead author Professor Ian Cousins, of Stockholm University, said, There has been an astounding decline in guideline values for PFAS in drinking water in the last 20 years. For example, the drinking water guideline value for one well known substance in the PFAS class, namely the cancer-causing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has declined by 37.5 million times in the U.S. Based on the latest US guidelines for PFOA in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink. The government intended to advance and vote on the Online Safety Bill last month, but the scheduled vote was postponed until a new Prime Minister of the UK can be chosen. Members of Parliament should take this opportunity to insist that the bill be tossed out entirely. Subjective Standards for Censorship If the Online Safety Bill passes, the UK government will be able to directly silence user speech, and even imprison those who publish messages that it doesnt like. The bill empowers the UKs Office of Communications (OFCOM) to levy heavy fines or even block access to sites that offend people. We said last year that those powers raise serious concerns about freedom of expression. Since then, the bill has been amended, and its gotten worse. People shouldnt be fined or thrown in jail because a government official finds their speech offensive. In the U.S., the First Amendment prevents that. But UK residents can already be punished for online statements that a court deems grossly offensive, under the 2003 Communications Act. If the Online Safety Bill passes, it would expand the potential scope of such cases. It would also significantly deviate from the new E.U. internet bill, the Digital Services Act, which avoids transforming social networks and other services into censorship tools. Section 10 of the revised bill even authorizes jail timeup to two yearsfor anyone whose social media message could cause psychological harm amounting to at least serious distress. The message doesnt even have to cause harm. If the authorities believe that the the offender intended to cause harm, and that there was a substantial risk of harm, thats enough for a prosecution. Theres also a separate crime of transmitting false communications, punishable by fines or up to 51 weeks of imprisonment. The problem here should be obvious: these are utterly subjective criteria. People disagree all the time about what constitutes a false statement. Determining what statements have a real and substantial risk of causing psychological harm is the epitome of a subjective question, as is who might have a reasonable excuse for making such a statement. The apparent lack of legal certainty casts doubt on whether the UKs Online Safety Act meets international human rights standards. The few exceptions in the section appear to be grants to large media concerns. For instance, recognized news publishers are exempt from the section on communications offenses. So is anyone showing a film made for cinema to members of the public. The exceptions are telling. The UKs new proposed censors at OFCOM are making it clear theyll never enforce against corporate media concerns; its only small media creators, activists, citizen journalists, and everyday users who will be subject to the extra scrutiny and accompanying punishments. Online platforms will also face massive liability if they dont meet OFCOMs deadlines with regards to removing images and messages relating to terrorism or child abuse. But it is extremely difficult for human reviewers to correctly discern between activism, counter-speech, and extremist content. Algorithms do an even worse job. When governments around the world pressure websites to quickly remove content they deem terrorist, it results in censorship. The first victims of this type of censorship are usually human rights groups seeking to document abuses and war. And whilst the bill does require online service providers consider the importance of journalistic freedom of expression, the safeguards are onerous and weak. Another Attack on Encryption The bill also empowers OFCOM to order online services to use accredited technologyin other words, government-approved softwareto find child abuse images (Section 104). Those orders can be issued against online services that use end-to-end encryption, meaning they currently dont have any technical way to inspect user messages. This part of the bill is a clear push by the bills sponsors to get companies to either abandon or compromise their encryption systems. Unfortunately, weve seen this pattern before. Unable to get public support for the idea of police scanning every message online, some lawmakers in liberal democracies have turned to work-arounds. They have claimed certain types of encryption backdoors are needed to inspect files for the worst crimes, like child abuse. And theyve claimed, falsely, that certain methods of inspecting user files and messages, like client-side scanning, dont break encryption at all. We saw this in the U.S. in 2020 with the EARN IT Act, last year with Apples proposed client-side scanning system, and this year we have seen a similar system proposed in the E.U. These types of systems create more vulnerabilities that endanger the rights of all users, including children. Security experts and NGOs have spoken clearly about this issue, and asked for the anti-encryption sections of this bill to be withdrawn, but the bills sponsors have unfortunately not listened. If it passes, the censorious, anti-encryption Online Safety Bill wont just affect the UKit will be a blueprint for repression around the world. The next UK Prime Minister should abandon the bill in its entirety. If they wont, Parliament should vote to reject it. In more evidence that the LGBT movement is enabling pedo predators, video has emerged of LGBT groomers teaching children how to dance on a stripper pole in Pennsylvania. The footage comes from a Pennsylvania pride event where perverted gawkers cheered on children as they were shown how to dance erotically on a pole similar to nude dancers in strip joints. Libs of TikTok posted the uncensored video: A pride event in PA featured a stripper pole where they taught kids how to pole dance pic.twitter.com/IRBE07lp3q Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 4, 2022 The scene was derided as grooming by a refrain of angry individuals on Twitter: The sickness keeps on multiplying. Alguien Nadie (@mdelmerwi) August 4, 2022 Are you EFFING kidding me (@BoyMamaCyn) August 4, 2022 I am not tolorant anymore cryptofanatic (@Cryptof69260077) August 4, 2022 Dang-it, I had stripper poles listed for degenerate behavior in 2023. So does this mean by Christmas Drag Shows will be teaching full on intercourse in it's various positions to children, in the name of PRIDE & LGBTQIA+ inclusion? Leave the kids out of your perversions pic.twitter.com/F7En75Vqb9 Chris (@NightGuardian34) August 4, 2022 Not sure who is more grotesque: the adults actively enabling and participating, or the parents who happily encourage their kids to not only attend these vulgar Pride carnivals, but debase themselves during the attendance. Brad R. Torgersen (@BradRTorgersen) August 4, 2022 These people are evil pic.twitter.com/wJYqF6EohH Lee (@TrellyCee) August 4, 2022 It should come as no surprise that Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf wrote a letter celebrating this pride parade where children were groomed in public. Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania is a time to unite and denounce discrimination and violence toward LGBTQ+ individuals, to promote self-affirmation, dignity, and equality, and to mobilize communities, Wolf wrote. For thirty years, the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania has been challenging oppressive norms, uniting the community in hope and solidarity. I am confident that this example of conviction, compassion, and camaraderie will inspire others for many years to come, he added. Big League Politics has reported on the targeting of children with sexual propaganda by LGBT groomers nationwide: Shocking new video has emerged of children dancing at a drag queen show in Miami, Fla., which shows how youth are being targeted for induction into the LGBT lifestyle. Social media influencer Angela Stanton-King drew attention to the drag show that took place at the Palace gay club in Miami involving little girls. Amidst escalating military tension between China and Taiwan, the latters defense ministrys deputy head Ou Yang Li-hsing was found dead in a hotel room on Saturday morning. The body of Ou Yang Li-hsing, who served as the deputy head of military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, was recovered from a hotel room in southern Taiwan. Investigation regarding the cause of his death is underway. As per media reports, Ou Yang was on a business trip to the southern county of Pingtung. Earlier this year, he had assumed the deputy heads post to supervise various missile production projects to strengthen Taiwans military combat power amid growing threat from the Chinese counterparts. It is worth mentioning here that China had fired missiles over Taiwan for the first time on Friday, thus escalating the tensions in the region after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosis arrival in Japan. Pelosi met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for discussions on the Taiwan Strait. Earlier, China had fired missiles only in waters surrounding the democratic island. GAZA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 Palestinians have been killed and 215 injured as Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) continued their exchange of fire for the second day. The fatalities include six children and two women, the Gaza health ministry said on Saturday in a press statement sent to Xinhua. The Israeli air force on Saturday night targeted a house in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah without warning, killing two Palestinians and wounding more than 30 others, Palestinian security sources told Xinhua. Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee said in a statement that the raid targeted Khaled Mansour, the commander of the southern brigade of PIJ. PIJ didn't confirm the death of Mansour, but announced the killing in the raid of Ziad Al Mudallal, one of its members. Meanwhile, at least five people, including four children, were killed and 15 others injured on Saturday night by an explosion in the refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza, according to Palestinian sources. Israel denied being responsible for the explosion, saying that a rocket misfired by the PIJ militants caused "the tragic killing of the children" in Jabaliya. The British left or what passes for it today briefly pretended to care about free speech this week. Which was kind of cute. It was all sparked by Tory leadership no-hoper Rishi Sunaks bonkers suggestion that people who vilify Britain should be put on the Prevent anti-radicalisation programme, alongside all the Islamists and fascists. Who are the real snowflakes?, thundered one left-wing commentator. Fascism creeps ever closer, warned Richard Murphy, a one-time adviser to Jeremy Corbyn, as he wondered out loud if he might soon end up in some camp of Sunaks choosing for re-education. Such principled expressions of horror, over an insanely authoritarian policy that almost certainly will never be implemented, might have had a bit more weight had the exact same people not studiously ignored a very real incident of state censorship and attempted re-education that went viral last week. Im referring, of course, to Hampshire Polices arrest of 51-year-old army veteran Darren Brady, all because he posted an offensive meme, which arranged four Progress Pride flags to resemble a swastika a clumsy commentary on the authoritarianism of the contemporary LGBT movement. The details chillingly echo Richard Murphys tweeted fever dream. Reportedly, the police had visited Brady 10 days before they tried to arrest him, informing him that he had committed an offence by posting the flag meme. They offered him a deal: pay for a 60 community-resolution course and theyd downgrade his offence to a non-crime hate incident, which would still appear on an advanced background check. Brady refused and contacted Harry Miller, leading campaigner against thoughtpolicing, who was present at the arrest and spent a night in the cells himself for trying to obstruct the cops. Going by the footage, now seen around the world, the (several) officers who attended Bradys home had no idea what offence he was supposed to have committed, saying only that he had caused anxiety. So, state censorship? Yep. Threats of re-education? Yep. The police showing up at someones door for no other crime than expressing an opinion? Big yep. Just because it was done in a Keystone Cops sort of fashion doesnt make the treatment of Brady any less sinister. And yet there hasnt been a peep of protest from the left-leaning intelligentsia. The armed wing of the state is going about harassing and arresting people purely for upsetting someone on the internet. And yet the people who pass themselves off as liberal, progressive, radical even, are clearly not the tiniest bit bothered about it. Brady isnt an isolated case, either. Britain is fast becoming a warning to the Western world about caring censorship, about trying to quite literally police hurtful speech. According to one investigation, nine people a day are arrested in the UK over offensive things they post on the internet. On top of that, more than 120,000 people have had so-called non-crime hate incidents recorded against their name. These alleged incidents neednt be investigated or even be credible to be recorded. So much so that an Oxford professor once managed to get a hate incident recorded against then home secretary Amber Rudd, for a speech she gave about immigration that he later admitted he hadnt even listened to, let alone witnessed in person. There has been significant pushback against all this in recent years, the absurdity of it all brought into sharp relief by the polices failure to get a grip on violent crime. But the problem remains deeply entrenched. Tory ministers have repeatedly slammed the thoughtpolice, but have done nothing to stop them. The governments Online Safety Bill, alongside other censorious provisions, plans to change the notorious Section 127 of the Communications Act, which criminalises grossly offensive online speech, only to replace that prohibition with a harmful communications offence, criminalising those who send a message that is intended and likely to cause serious distress. This is more of an exercise in rebranding than reform. Whats more, non-crime hate incidents continue to be recorded despite a series of successful legal challenges against them. Harry Miller, who in 2019 was visited by the police over his own gender-critical tweets, successfully took the cops to court. A High Court judge ruled that Humberside Police unlawfully intervened in Millers freedom of expression when they logged his tweets as a hate incident, called him up to check his thinking and showed up at his place of work. The Court of Appeal later ruled further in Millers favour, slamming the existing College of Policing guidance on hate incidents as unlawful. But the judges didnt rule out the practice per se and so they stagger on. Last week, the College of Policing issued new guidelines in response to these rulings, insisting that non-crime hate incidents should not be recorded where they are trivial, irrational or if there is no basis to conclude that an incident was motivated by hostility. The guidelines also seek to exempt those who are commenting in a legitimate debate and ensure that, when they are recorded, incidents are recorded in the least intrusive way possible. But this of course still gives the police a wide latitude to interpret what speech is and isnt trivial, irrational, baseless or legitimate. As ever with freedom of speech, the question is who decides?, and the answer is the same police who thought investigating Millers gender-critical Twitter limericks was a legitimate use of their time and resources. The rise of Britains thoughtpolice is not just about the letter of the law. Indeed, non-crime hate incidents were introduced by the College of Policing in 2014 in response, it says, to the recommendations of the Macpherson report. And so tens of thousands of people have been quasi-criminalised without an act of parliament being passed. The job of policing speech, especially that which is presumed to offend minorities, is a role the police have embraced with gusto. Desperate to overcome a history of discriminatory behaviour they have ended up not only cracking down on genuine bigots which would be illiberal in itself but also those merely airing views that dissent from the elite orthodoxy on issues like gender or immigration. We saw that in Bradys viral arrest. The officers werent at all clear on what law they were supposed to be enforcing. The point was that someone had been caused anxiety by an anti-woke meme and so something had to be done about it. Last year, officers from Merseyside Police set up an electronic billboard outside an Asda, declaring that being offensive is an offence. After a backlash, superintendent Martin Earl had to put out a statement clarifying that this isnt actually the case. This authoritarian freelancing on the part of the cops shows how entrenched censorious woke orthodoxy is within the British state, even the more traditionally politically incorrect section of it. Which brings us back to the deafening silence of the left. Leftists insist there is no free-speech crisis. They dismiss cancel culture as a myth, while tacitly supporting it. They call it a right-wing confection, even though gender-critical feminists are one of the primary targets of it. They argue No Platforming on university campuses isnt censorship because only the state can censor. Meanwhile, they completely ignore the vast apparatus of state censorship that has emerged in recent years a system which has, quite possibly, given the endlessness of the internet and the broad scope of our speech laws, led to more Brits being criminalised for speech than ever before. Who owns the world? Well, Im about to tell you And no, its not Oprah. Now Im going to drag out the suspense of who owns the world for this entire BLACKROCK! Its BlackRock! (Damn it Shouldve dragged it out longer.) BlackRock is the largest asset management firm on the planet. Its essentially a shadow bank. And I dont know what a shadow bank is other than what my uncle would always say the Greek guy at his construction job had. (Seemed vaguely racist but I couldnt put my finger on it.) BlackRock is enormous! However big youre picturing, multiply it by the size of, like, a Toyota Sequoia. Side note: why are giant SUV monster trucks always named after the thing they kill? Your dumbest friend is always like, Yeah, I own a Nissan Polar Bear. But Im thinkin of tradin it in for the Chevy Our Grandchildrens Future. It has 18 cup holders and two cub holders for any bear cubs you run over with it. BlackRock literally has more assets than the gross domestic products (GDP) of every single country except China and the U.S. So picture India with their 1.4 billion people. BlackRock has more than their annual GDP! Its ridiculous. BlackRock holds somewhere around 9 trillion dollars. Thats a tenth of the whole worlds yearly economic activity. Here, this will put it in perspective. If you make $60,000 a year (after taxes), then youre doin pretty well. But in order to grab up $9 trillion, youd need to work for 150 million years. Youd have to work for the entire length of the existence of the dinosaurs. (And thats if your stegosaurus boss paid you on time, which, you know how they are.) And BlackRock is by far the biggest wealth fund or shadow bank in the world. The grand total of the sovereign wealth funds managed by over 91 such funds across the world is projected to be worth approximately 8.2 Trillion US Dollars. Thats right, 91 other such funds dont have as much as BlackRock has. So what do they do with all this money? Ill tell you what they own everything. But especially horrible shit. Theyre like that friend you have who always goes, Man, if you get a prostitute, Ill pay for it. Seriously. But that guys not offering to pick up the tab for your kids daycare. No way. They dont care about that. BlackRock is a huge investor in oil and they hold $85 billion in coal despite their pledge to sell fossil fuel shares. About that pledge BlackRocks CEO and founder, Larry Fink yes, his name in the dictionary literally means an unpleasant or contemptible person. (Were living in a stupid simulation, and its not even trying to hide it anymore. The next president will be named Daniel Yourfucked and were supposed to keep acting like everythings fine?!) In a public statement, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink announced that he would begin holding the companies they invest in accountable for being responsible corporate citizens. A responsible corporate citizen? That doesnt even make sense. Thats like a fun STD. But even so, that statement by Fink made some of BlackRocks investments companies that do things like pump fossil fuels to destroy the planet nervous. They thought, Oh shit. BlackRock might start funding good stuff, like electric public transportation, free community health centers, or bringing back Beanie Babies . Everybody loves Beanie Babies . So BlackRock then wanted to reassure everyone they arent actually changing. They wrote a letter stressing their commitment to destroying our future. In the letter, BlackRock reported its investment in fossil fuel companies totaled $259 billion globally [proudly touting] that it is perhaps the worlds largest investor in fossil fuel companies. For the rest of this analysis of the people who own the world, please watch the full video above. Lee Camp is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and activist. Camp is the host of Behind The Headlines new series: The Most Censored News With Lee Camp. He is a former comedy writer for the Onion and the Huffington Post and has been a touring stand-up comic for 20 years. Washington has backtracked from the dissimulation by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan that Washington had intelligence suggesting Iran was preparing to provide Russia with several hundred drones to use in Ukraine, with training sessions set to begin in July. On July 26, NSC spokesman John Kirby, clarified his boss remark by admitting to Al Arabiya, Weve seen no indications of any sort of actual delivery and/or purchase of Iranian drones by the Russian Ministry of Defence. Interestingly, Al Arabiya buttonholed Kirby at all. For, Sullivans fake news (probably based on Israeli disinformation) came at his special briefing on President Bidens visit to Jeddah. Al Arabiyas dogged downstream pursuit of the fake news suggests that Riyadh knew Sullivan making a crude attempt to to hustle the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in directions that would have made Bidens trip a roaring success. Biden had three overlapping objectives: one, to rally Saudi leadership behind his containment strategy against Russia and China; two, to break up the OPEC+ alliance between Saudi Arabia and Russia so that a coordinated counterpoint ceases to be in the world oil market that is beyond American control; and, three, to assemble an anti-Iran military military alliance of Gulf states and Israel to give verve to Abraham Accords which has patently lost its fizz. Biden drew blank on all three counts: Saudis will pursue their friendly relations with Russia and China and its normalisation with Tehran. Prince Mohammed spoke with President Putin within the week of Bidens visit where they discussed further expansion of trade and economic cooperation and significantly, also underscored the importance of further coordination within OPEC+. Traditionally, Saudi actions speak far better than words. So, when the OPEC+ held a virtual meeting last Wednesday, it concluded that: There is severely limited availability of excess capacity among oil producing countries resulting from chronic underinvestment in the oil sector; It is a matter of particular concern (that) insufficient investment into the upstream sector will impact the availability of adequate supply in a timely manner to meet growing demand beyond 2023. The importance of maintaining consensus and the cohesion of OPEC and OPEC+ (that is, OPEC plus Russia principally) cannot be overstated. Plainly put, it rejects the July 3 G7 Foreign Ministers Statement on Energy Security, which envisages imposing comprehensive embargo on all services for transportation of Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products globally unless Moscow sells oil at a price to be agreed in consultation with the West. Simply, the West is once again contemplating a crackdown on a major oil producing country for geopolitical reasons, which would have profound impact on the world oil market. The paradox here is that, unlike in the case of Iran or Venezuela, the West desperately needs Russian oils continued flow into the world oil market but is capping the price at which Moscow can sell so that its income from oil exports cannot sustain the special military operations in Ukraine. Indeed, the West is acting in the spirit of George Kennans famous dictum in the early 1950s that oil belongs to us because it lubricated the Wests prosperity. The G7 statement is no doubt precedent-setting. As the pressure on worlds resources becomes more acute, this predatory approach harkens back to the colonial era (when India was frog-marched by Imperial Britain to supply cotton to the textile mills in Britain and buy back textiles at prices determined by the colonial master.) It can extend to resources other than oil as well. China, for example, produces roughly two-thirds of the worlds lithium-ion batteries, whereas, the US only produces 1% of global lithium supply and 7% of refined lithium chemicals versus Chinas 51% and is about 70% dependent on imported lithium (which has such critical uses in industries ranging from mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles to aircraft, high-speed trains and satellites. To be sure, the G7 move to seize control of Russias oil exports rings alarm bells all across the oil-producing countries of the Gulf region. The geopolitical message is: Fall in line, or else. Now, this comes at a time when the EU is desperately eyeing access to cheap and reliable supply of oil. (Japan just announced that its sanctions from hell against Russia will not apply to the Sakhalin 2 gas and oil project!) Against such a tumultuous backdrop with the industrial powers inclining toward brandishing their latent colonial instincts of a bygone era, the Gulf states become highly vulnerable. The Gulf states already are shell-shocked about the banditry that the EU and US resorted to against Russia by confiscating its reserves in the Western banking system and appropriating the private assets of wealthy Russians. There is also an added dimension. Tomorrow, what prevents the Collective West from resorting to such pressure tactics to enforce regime change in the Gulf region on the pretext of advancing democracy and human rights? After all, it is no secret that the former Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef was Washingtons preferred choice to succeed King Salman. Make no mistake, Bidens fist bump with Prince Mohammed is not the last word on Saudi succession. Indeed, Prince Mohammeds suggestion (while Biden was still in Jeddah) that Saudi Arabia and Iran should now step up their contacts to the political level becomes highly significant. Even more so, Saudi Arabias interest in SCO membership (so soon after Irans admission to the grouping.) Along with Saudi Arabia, a host of other West Asian countries have approached the SCO for membership. The Russian daily Izvestia reported on Thursday that the SCO plans to sign memoranda on granting dialogue partnership to Egypt, Syria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at the forthcoming summit in Samarkand. Interestingly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to the event. According to Izvestia, as an exception, the UAE has sought SCO membership on an expeditious basis, although the groupings established practice so far has been to start with a dialogue partner. Izvestia quoted a source close to the SCO organising committee that the SCO has had consultations internally and the main understanding that dominates is that the SCO is interesting, the SCO attracts, and therefore the most important thing for us is not to wallow in bureaucracy, but to find solutions that will allow us to respond adequately And react by adapting the rules to new conditions. Clearly, Bidens offer of a military alliance not only had no takers in the Arab world but they seem petrified. If as the Bible says, there are three brands of deception vanity, flattery, and blasphemy and Satan uses all three, Bidens offer contains elements of all three. And if the SCO offers an antidote to the poisoned chalice, why not? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that he would like to discuss his countrys war against Russia with the leader of Russias closest ally, Xi Jinping, directly, and invited China to help rebuild Ukraine once the war is over. Zelenskys discussion with the Morning Post, a Hong Kong newspaper, was the first with an Asian news outlet since Russia escalated its eight-year-old war against Ukraine into a full-scale invasion in February. Zelensky used the opportunity to request a personal discussion with Xi, a genocidal communist dictator who is largely bankrolling the invasion of Ukraine through large purchases of cheap Russian oil and gas. Ukraine is a member of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global program to trap poor countries in predatory loans to China that they cannot afford. The loans are nominally meant to pay China for massive infrastructure projects. China was also Ukraines top trading partner prior to the war. Last year, Zelensky said he hoped that Ukraine would become a bridge to Europe for Chinese influence in his last conversation with Xi. While welcoming Chinese financing and failing to criticize China for maintaining a strong alliance with Russia throughout this years invasion, Zelensky has been slightly more critical of the Chinese Communist Party than his predecessors, unilaterally sanctioning the worlds second-largest economy last year after a Chinese company tried to buy a key Ukrainian defense corporation. In conversation with the Morning Post, Zelensky expressed hope that China would help put the Russian Federation [in] a certain place economically and said he would personally like China to review its attitude regarding Russia. Its a very powerful state. Its a powerful economy So (it) can politically, economically influence Russia. And China is [also a] permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, the newspaper quoted Zelensky as saying in a 40-minute interview. This is a war on our territory, they came to invade. China, as a big and powerful country, could come down and sort of put the Russian Federation [in] a certain place. The Ukrainian president reportedly expressed frustration with the inaction regarding the invasion of his country on the part of the Security Council, which China serves on as a permanent member with veto powers. Why should we have the Security Council at all, if any country or several countries in the world, could simply decide to violate the rules militarily? he asked. Zelensky noted that Xi had visited Ukraine personally in the past and said he believed that a direct conversation with him rather than Chinese diplomats could benefit Kyiv. I would like to talk directly. I had one conversation with [President] Xi Jinping that was a year ago, Zelensky recalled. Since the beginning of the large-scale aggression on February 24, we have asked officially for a conversation, but we (havent had) any conversation with China even though I believe that would be helpful. Zelensky also expressed hope that China would play a role in the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war ended, inducing China, Chinese businesses to enter the Ukrainian market. I really would like the whole world to [unite] over this process. Its very hard for us to overcome this, the president was quoted as saying. Zelenskys comments to the Morning Post echo remarks he made on Wednesday in an event with students in Australia, according to a report in the government outlet Ukrinform. Today, I would like China to join the united international position regarding Russias tyranny against Ukraine. I would like them to. It hasnt happened so far, Zelensky was quoted as saying. China is standing aside. Today, China is balancing, retaining neutrality. I will say honestly, this neutrality is much better than China joining Russia. Zelensky emphasized it was important to Kyiv for China not to help Russia, claiming that Beijing was attempting to remain neutral. Zelensky similarly justified Chinas role in the war nominally not supporting Russia but in practice keeping its economy afloat in comments in May. China has chosen the policy of staying away. At the moment, Ukraine is satisfied with this policy. It is better than helping the Russian Federation in any case, Zelensky said in a message to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Xi Jinping has largely focused on promoting Chinese business and the BRI more specifically through the past year. To the extent that he has commented on the Ukrainian war, the Kremlin claimed in June that the dictator told his Russian counterpart Putin that he affirmed the legitimacy of Russias invasion. Chinese officials neither confirmed nor denied the claim. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying addressed the request for a conversation with Xi Jinping during her regular briefing on Thursday, offering little clarity. China maintains close communication with Ukraine and other parties of the Ukraine crisis, Hua said, without elaborating. The vast majority of Huas time on the podium on Thursday and every other briefing this week was dedicated to condemning the United States after Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taipei, Taiwan, this week, a sovereign nation China falsely claims as its own. China is currently engaging in missile firings and an unofficial blockade of the neighboring country, claiming that Pelosi being present anywhere in Taiwan is a violation of Chinese sovereignty. China has no legal authority over Taiwan and the country has never in its history been governed by any regime based in Beijing. Russias upgrade of its invasion of Ukraine, which began with the colonization of Ukraines Crimea region in 2014, prompted many comparisons around the world between that situation and a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Zelensky has not remarked extensively on the comparison but, in an interview in June, urged the world to defend Taiwan before the invasion begins, rather than extend support in the aftermath, as it had done with Ukraine. We must not leave them behind at the mercy of another country which is more powerful in financial terms, in territorial terms and in terms of equipment, Zelensky told the Washington Post. And therefore, if there is a way out diplomatically, we need to use the diplomatic way. But it must be a preemptive way, not the one that comes after the war has started. The Chinese Communist Party largely condemned the Washington Post for interviewing Zelensky following the publication of those comments without personally attacking Zelensky. BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- As China demonstrated the strong resolve and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, anti-China politicians using Taiwan to contain China will be nothing more than "a mantis trying to stop a chariot," as the Chinese proverb goes. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited China's Taiwan region earlier this week despite China's strong opposition. Her trip was made to seek personal political gains, build her so-called "political legacy" and divert public attention from her family scandal. It is also the latest demonstration that anti-China politicians in the United States are using Taiwan as a pawn to strategically contain China. The Chinese people and international community have long seen the sinister intentions of Pelosi and others, which are bound to be shattered. In response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China has taken a series of firm and forceful countermeasures against "Taiwan independence" separatist actions and external interference. China announced on Friday sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members and eight other countermeasures. The Chinese People's Liberation Army has organized joint combat exercises and training in the waters and airspace off Taiwan. Looking through the past century, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China has neither backed down in the face of oppression and bullying by foreign powers nor given in to external interferences. Any attempt to obstruct China's complete reunification, delay or even block the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will only make the Chinese people more united. Looking to the future, China will tackle all the obstacles with the utmost determination, confidence and endurance. China must be reunified, and will surely be reunified, as is determined by the historical trend of the Chinese nation. The Taiwan question, which arose from national weakness and chaos, will be solved amid national rejuvenation. All the Chinese across the Taiwan Strait will share the glory of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. No one and no force can stop this. History will prove that the despicable actions taken by anti-China politicians and attempts to rely on the United States to seek "Taiwan independence" are against the general trend of history. This is equivalent to a mantis trying to stop a chariot. JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Sunday the military offensive in Gaza will continue "as long as necessary," as the exchange of massive Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian rocket barrages entered the third day. In a joint statement with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Lapid said the military had struck "targets and operatives and to thwart rocket-launching squads" belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. For his part, Gantz warned that Israeli forces "will continue to operate against the Islamic Jihad until we restore peace and remove the threats to the children living in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip." Palestinian authorities in the Gaza Strip reported that at least 31 people were killed in the airstrikes since Friday. The fighting began on Friday afternoon when the Israeli air force killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander in the coastal Palestinian enclave, triggering rocket fire by militants with the group. The escalation came after Israel arrested a leader of the group in the occupied West Bank, sparking threats of revenge. The importance of multiculturalism is really evident, he said. The vibrancy of the inner city is evident. The casino is extremely evident. And Melbourne is finally coming to grips with the AFL as a national competition. Melbourne turned on a typical four-seasons-in-a-day welcome for playwright David Williamson yesterday and he didnt mind a bit. His latest, and most personal play, the cringingly comic After the Ball, opens tonight and he was happy to see that the city had gone through almost as many changes as he has. Loading This was the town he grew up in. The town where he suffered schoolyard torment for being a two-metre-tall teenager. The home where he was an observer on the Bentleigh battlefield of his mismatched parents. The early-1970s environment in which he dropped engineering and teaching to take up playwriting, beginning with The Coming of Stork, The Removalist and Dons Party. Williamson left Melbourne for Sydney in 1979 with the cries of traitor ringing in his ears. Now that hes travelled further north to Queenslands Sunshine Coast, hes hearing the same braying about betrayal from the harbor city. Lifes too short to worry about such niggling, Williamson decided after witnessing his mothers last breath in a Perth hospice in October 1995, a year after losing his father. When you see someone die in front of you in a graphic way, you start to think about what you really want to be doing with the rest of your life, he said. While I didnt have to necessarily write about it, the death of my mother started me thinking about the forms and manners of personal politics rather than societal power plays and trying, as I had been (with Dead White Males and Heretic), to blend the theatre of ideas with the theatre of personal interaction. China hits back at critics amid tensions in Taiwan Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss China issues fierce statement to Australia Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss A Sydney high school has seen a dramatic decrease in behavioural issues and a boost in physical activity and students talking to each other just two months after it tightened restrictions on mobile phone usage. Davidson High School principal David Rule said there had been significant changes since students in years 7 to 10 were banned from using mobile phones at school. Davidson High School year 10 students Daniel Kenny and Annika Hore with the pouches used by the school to limit phone usage during school hours. Credit:Janie Barrett Classrooms have effectively become phone-free and this has allowed staff to focus on educating students, he said in a school newsletter. Finally, in eight weeks of the policy, there has been a 90 per cent reduction in behavioural issues related to phones in the school. The high school in Frenchs Forest requires students to put phones in a pouch that, once closed, cannot be reopened without breaking a lock. Liquidators are investigating after F45 co-founder and celebrity trainer Luke Istomins gym company went bust owing more than $2.6 million, including an estimated $363,000 to employees. Liam Bailey, a partner at OBrien Palmer insolvency and business advisory firm, is examining the circumstances that led to the downfall of Re:Union Operations, including whether there is any evidence of insolvent trading and breaches of directors duties. Celebrity trainer Luke Istomin set up Reunion Training after leaving F45, the company he co-founded. He told creditors he intended to report any evidence he had identified to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Bailey is also investigating whether Istomin, the sole director of Re:Union Operations, engaged in phoenix activity by creating a new company to avoid paying creditors, including the wages and superannuation of employees. The only point of regulation is at registration and accreditation, and there appears to be very little in between, Brian said. It is a major risk to patient safety. Marg and Brian Moylan and the mountain of paperwork they have amassed as they try to find out what happened to their daughter. Credit:Simon Schluter The mystery of how this could happen in 2017 in Melbourne prompted Moylans parents, Brian, a former GP of 40 years, and Marg, a retired nurse, to investigate. Their daughters death left them taking on and exposing a private hospital system they feel was more concerned with protecting its profits than coming clean about its failures. The sample showed she had contracted sepsis, a potentially lethal but treatable blood infection. But the results did not come back until 24 hours after Moylan had first gone to hospital, and six hours after her grief-stricken parents had agreed to switch off her life support. With early antibiotics, both she and the baby would most likely be alive today. The courier followed the hospitals instructions, unaware he had been directed to the wrong pathology lab. As a result of this misdirection, and a cascading series of other errors that followed, Moylan and her unborn child both died. Usually a parcels courier, the driver had been asked to collect a small Esky from Holmesglen private hospital in Moorabbin and drive it to a pathology lab in Wantirna. The Esky contained the blood sample of a young pregnant woman, Annie Moylan. The driver from Golden Messenger courier company couldnt have known it, but on the night of August 14 five years ago, he had a life in his hands. A few months earlier, her father had received a visit at his GP practice from representatives of Holmesglen Private. They handed out glossy brochures as they spruiked their new hospital and its 24-hour emergency department, claiming it had the latest technology and equipment. The hospital had just been opened with much fanfare by then federal health minister Greg Hunt. Antoinette Moylan, known to all as Annie, was a successful lawyer, wife and mother of a 14-month-old boy. But on that August night in 2017, at 37 years old and 18 weeks pregnant, she started to feel unwell. Marg says: And we know that relevant information has been withheld. There has been a cover-up, says Brian. Information has been very hard for us to obtain. He and Marg were initially told everything had been done to save their daughters life, and they believed it. At Annies funeral, they even praised the doctors. They no longer feel this way. Even so, in all likelihood, antibiotics at this stage would have saved Annies life. I would be pretty certain they had got a bad infection, Finfer says. Professor Simon Finfer, a sepsis expert from the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, says with those symptoms, it would be incredibly rare to be anything but sepsis. In fact, Annie had the early signs of sepsis. Its the bodys extreme response to an infection and can lead to organ failure and death if not treated early enough. At 7.27pm, Annie arrived at the Holmesglen emergency department. Her symptoms were recorded as chills, sweating, a temperature of 40.3 degrees, elevated heart rate, vomiting and diarrhoea. The doctor saw Annie and diagnosed gastroenteritis. She was not given antibiotics. It was the first mistake. So, with Annie feeling increasingly unwell, Brian rang the hospital to check it could handle a pregnancy. He was assured it could. Brian says: It transpires that [Holmesglen] had no obstetricians on their staff or on call. At 11.30pm, Annie began to miscarry. Holmesglen then made the extraordinary decision to transfer her to St Vincents Private Hospital in Fitzroy. Instead, Annie was given morphine because she was writhing in pain. A 37-year-old woman with no underlying health problems would have an excellent chance of survival if she was treated with antibiotics and other supportive care. If someone has sepsis, clearly has sepsis, they should receive antibiotics as soon as possible, definitely within an hour. And if youre unsure, then you give what we call a broad spectrum antibiotic, which treats all possible causes; you can change that later, Finfer says. Annie arrived just after midnight. As a patient needing urgent medical intervention, she had been designated a critical-one urgent transfer, as paramedics describe it. But no one was there to meet them in the ambulance bay. The paramedics had to wheel Annie, who was in immense pain and miscarrying, through the front entrance and to the reception desk on a stretcher. In records seen by The Age and 60 Minutes, Holmesglen says it was assured that Annies obstetrician would be waiting for her at St Vincents. When paramedics arrived to pick her up, they saw Annie was critically ill. They sped across the city under lights and sirens to St Vincents Private. A nurse at Holmesglen called triple zero requesting an urgent ambulance, and a call was put through to St Vincents Private and Annies obstetrician. I feel rather deceived ... and I feel somewhat responsible because I directed Annie to that hospital, he says, his voice breaking. I feel terrible about it, but thats the reality. Despite their assurances to him on the phone, they werent equipped to deal with a pregnancy complication. I relive that night all the time, Marg says. Youd wonder how frightened she would have felt. We can see it in the notes we obtained from Ambulance Victoria. She was distressed at being wheeled to a front reception desk, and they didnt know where to take her. Professor John Wilson, who was a senior doctor at The Alfred hospital for 30 years, has never heard of such a scenario. I dont think I can imagine a situation where the medical staff would not be aware of the serious nature of the presentation, he says. Missing truths There would be many more failures in Annies last hours. After being taken to a labour ward, Annie was not seen by a doctor for another hour and 16 minutes. In an internal review conducted by St Vincents Private, it is claimed the hospital was not aware the patient was arriving as a critical-one transfer, so Annie waited in pain. The patient notes show she was distressed and buzzing for help. The truth is missing somewhere, says Brian. We cant determine who told the ambulance officers that the obstetrician was waiting, but its there in the record. And then the obstetrician wasnt waiting. Under Ambulance Victorias guidelines, Annie should have been taken to a hospital with an emergency department that has obstetric capabilities, not St Vincents Private. The Ambulance Victoria review says the reason the paramedics went against their own guidelines was that they were told the obstetrician would be waiting. Ambulance Victoria declined to comment for this story. Brian arrived at St Vincents but had no idea how catastrophic the situation was because, at this point, Annie still had not been properly diagnosed. She said, Dad, go home youve got work in the morning, Brian says. They were her last words to him. Annie was running out of time but, Professor Finfer says, given she was conscious and talking at this point, she still could have been saved. The earlier someone gets the antibiotics and the less organ dysfunction or failure they have at the time you administer treatment, the better their chances of survival are, he says. At 1.32am, the obstetrician finally saw Annie. St Vincents internal review claims she diagnosed sepsis immediately, but still, it was more than an hour before Annie was given antibiotics. By then it was too late. Annie had lost the baby and was in multi-organ failure. She was put on life support and her family was called to the hospital to say goodbye. On August 15, at 1.55pm, Annie was taken off life support. The cause of death: sepsis. St Vincents Health Australia offered its sincere and deep condolences, and said it would not pre-empt or complicate the findings of a pending coronial inquest by commenting publicly. In response to [Annies] death and the familys wishes, we have made several practical changes at St Vincents Private Hospital Fitzroy, the statement said, adding that the hospital would accept in full all findings of the coroner. In a statement, a spokesman from Holmesglen owner Healthscope acknowledged Annies was a tragic case but said it was unable to discuss an individual patients condition or treatment. The organisations treatment protocols are regularly reviewed, the statement said, adding Healthscope would participate in the coronial process. Where is the blood test? The cascade of errors began at Holmesglen but was only slowly unveiled as Brian and Marg picked away at the medical systems defences. They found that when Annie was first admitted to Holmesglen, blood cultures a crucial test for bacteria in the blood were ordered. The hospitals brochures advertised onsite pathology but failed to mention that the lab shut at 5pm, so Annies blood cultures had to be taken offsite for analysis by Australian Clinical Labs (ACL). But instead of calling a specialised pathology courier, Holmesglen called Golden Messenger, a parcel service. The courier collected Annies samples at either 8.04pm or 9.08pm. ACL cant determine which, even though, as part of its registration, it is required to trace blood samples at all times. Instead of heading straight to ACLs Clayton lab, where blood cultures are analysed, the samples were taken to another ACL lab in Wantirna, 17 kilometres away. And there they sat overnight. Finally, the next morning, they were driven back to Clayton, arriving at 10.08am. For reasons that are still unclear, according to an ACL internal review, the samples were not analysed until nearly six hours later, at 3.55pm. Annie had been dead for two hours. Marg says she and Brian just melted when they found out. Marg and Brian Moylan: Only their doggedness has revealed what happened to their daughter. Credit:Simon Schluter The blood test showed the early signs of sepsis. Had the system worked, Holmesglen doctors could have known at midnight that Annie needed antibiotics. A spokesperson for ACL said it would not comment as the coronial inquest was pending. It made you doubt, says Marg, and doubt always leads to lots of questions. We knew we needed to examine the records from the hospital. But when the Moylans asked for Annies patient records, St Vincents left out notes written by a nurse who looked after her when she arrived. That nurse was traumatised by the events of that night and has since left the profession. She will give evidence at the upcoming coronial inquest and is unwilling to speak publicly before then. The doctor who switched off Annies life support also gave the Moylans her number at the time, so she could answer any questions they had about Annies care. I tried to contact this specialist over three days, says Brian. Id say eight or 10 times, leaving messages, ringing her mobile, ringing her workplace. To this day, Ive had no response. Doctors reviewing themselves The state government promised the Moylans a thorough review through a Safer Care Victoria investigation. Jill Hennessy, the health minister at the time, wrote to the Moylans in January 2018. Holmesglen, St Vincents Private and ACL all promised the Moylans they would co-operate fully with the review, but none of them handed over their primary records because they were not compelled to do so. Instead, the hospitals and the lab investigated themselves and handed over their own findings. Holmesglen included on its review panel the doctor who treated Annie that night. The Safer Care report says this is not in line with recommended practice in incident investigation in health care. Premier Daniel Andrews said he was not aware of any problem with the review process, adding last week: My expectation and experience is if [Safer Care Victoria] needed further powers or resources, then they would come forward and seek that. He expressed deepest sympathy to the family. Annie with her parents, Brian and Marg. The Moylans went all the way to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, the body that sets the standards every hospital in Australia must comply with to be registered. The chief medical officer of the commission at the time, Dr Robert Herkes, provided what he called a genuine apology to the Moylans, but no action was taken against either hospital. The commission declined a request for an interview. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency wont confirm or deny whether the two primary doctors involved in Annies care have been investigated. In 2016, according to a state government review, Targeting Zero, just seven bureaucrats were responsible for the oversight of 171 private hospitals in Victoria. The Department of Health wont say whether that has changed. Wilson believes that is inadequate. One would guess that that would be well short of the mark to be able to assess performance in a large number of private hospitals, and particularly when the private hospitals themselves become responsible for governance, he says. We are relying on them to be good citizens. Private hospitals do not appear to be under the same regulation and same stringency as public hospitals. Andrews said he had no advice to say private hospitals were not appropriately regulated. As of July 2018, private and public hospitals are compelled to report what is known as sentinel events to Safer Care Victoria. Broadly, these are adverse patient events that could have been avoided which resulted in serious harm or death. But hospitals and other agencies still dont have to participate in a government review; they are only told that they should. The Moylans say this change is not enough. It has taken five years and a mountain of paperwork for the Moylans to uncover some of the truth about what happened to Annie, and to reveal a health system in crisis well before COVID-19. But it has taken a toll. Its the cruellest thing for any parent to have to relive the events of that night over and over and over again, says Marg. Annies case will be examined in a coronial inquest beginning on August 15. But the crucial pathology issues will not be included in the scope of the inquest, which has disappointed the Moylans. Loading They are now helping to drive a new program designed to assist doctors in hospitals around the country in diagnosing sepsis. But its only the beginning. They have bought a motorhome which now has Annie written above the windshield in big bold letters to drive around the country using their story to advocate for change. They say they wont rest until there is an overhaul of how private hospitals are regulated in Victoria and across Australia. The distressing part is that there seems to be no will to fix the situation, says Brian. Will we see it change? I dont know. I hope so. Were desperate for change; we want a safe system. Marg says: Annie is just beating away. That is whats kept us going. Annie is in front and were behind. Shes driving it. To watch the 60 Minutes program, head to 9Now. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Journalist, author and federal press secretary David Barnett has died in Canberra at the age of 90. Barnett was press secretary to Malcolm Fraser in opposition and in government at the height of the 1975 crisis and its aftermath, when Fraser led the Liberal Party in challenging then-prime minister Gough Whitlam and blocking supply in the Senate. Pru Goward and David Barnett on their wedding day with Prus daughters Kate Fischer,12, right and Penny, 11. Credit: He served as press secretary for seven years after Fraser won the 1975 election before returning to journalism in the press gallery of Parliament House in Canberra. He was a tremendous worker, he said of Fraser in an ABC interview in 2015. He didnt spare us much either. His hair turned grey in the job and so did mine really. Even when Amanda Rishworth knew she wanted to get into politics, she was intent on doing a helping profession first. While many of her now colleagues entered federal parliament through the tried and tested way of a law degree, Rishworth instead decided to become a clinical psychologist. Amanda Rishworth says the Howard governments policies made her focus on politics at university. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen I always wanted to do a helping profession. When I was young, I wanted to be either a nurse or social worker and my mum convinced me that I wanted to be a psychologist, the social services minister tells the Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age from her office in Parliament House after an eventful first two weeks of sitting. At Flinders University in Adelaide, Rishworth became interested in politics after disagreeing with many of the policies of the Howard government including changes to industrial relations laws and cuts to university funding. JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Some 2,000 Israelis, mainly ultra-nationalist activists, visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Sunday, sparking verbal clashes with Palestinians worshipers, the Israeli police said. The Jewish visitors, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, a lawmaker and the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, entered the compound in the morning under heavy police guard to mark the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av. At least six Palestinians were arrested, the Israeli police said in a statement, adding that two of them were detained for spraying pepper gas at Israeli visitors. Video footage on social media showed several Jews starting to pray in defiance of Israeli regulations that allow Israelis to visit the holy site but not to pray there. Police officers were seen removing them from the area as Muslim worshippers shouted in protest. A handful of Jewish visitors were detained for violating the terms of the visit by loudly praying, the Times of Israel reported. Several Arab countries condemned the visits. Jordan, the custodian of the site, urged Israel to respect the sanctity of the compound and to "halt measures aimed at altering the historical and legal status quo." Jordan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Haitham Abou Al-Foul on Sunday stressed that these violations represent a dangerous trend and irresponsible behavior that exacerbates tension and pushes the situation into a continuous cycle of violence, according to a statement by the ministry. The Palestinians consider these visits to the site, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews, as provocative and insulting. The visits came amid a major flare-up in the Gaza Strip as Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the besieged Palestinian enclave have been exchanging fire since Friday. The fighting killed at least 31 Palestinians, including six children and four women, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Israel seized East Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital," in a move that has never been recognized by most of the international community. Clashes at the site fueled the war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers in May 2021. The past two weeks of debate in the federal parliament provided a glimpse of the spirit of co-operation that will be needed to deliver fundamental progress on climate change. The ALP, the Greens and teal independents joined on Thursday to pass a bill through the House of Representatives which enshrines in law the ALPs election campaign pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to 43 per cent below 2005 levels. Loading Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was an opportunity to end the climate wars, the bitter battles between the Coalition and other parties and within the Coalition itself, which have stymied effective action for a decade. The bills target is clearly inadequate if Australia is to play its part in stopping the dangerous rise in global temperatures, already evident in events such as the unprecedented heatwaves and droughts in Europe this summer. Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping may not have been able to stop Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan, but he ordered his countrys military to rehearse a much more aggressive step: a blockade crucial to taking the island by force, security experts say. Chinas military planners have long discussed a blockade of Taiwan, but until now most likely saw practicing such a move as too provocative, security experts say. A Peoples Liberation Army member watches military exercises, with Taiwans frigate Lan Yang in the background. Credit:Xinhua But after US House Speaker Pelosis visit, Chinas military for the first time fired missiles over Taipei, flew waves of drones over Taiwans offshore islands, sailed warships across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and surrounded the self-ruled island in what Taiwans military said amounted to a practice blockade. These first actions in effect changed the status quo of Taiwans security, said Li Mingjiang, an associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. To them, a safe haven surrender is a sign that a woman fell through the cracks of existing systems. They may have concealed their pregnancies and given birth without prenatal care, or they may suffer from domestic violence, drug addiction, homelessness or mental illness. The adoptions themselves could also be problematic, with women potentially unaware that they are terminating parental rights, and children left with little information about their origins. Demonstrators on both sides of the abortion issue outside the US Supreme Court after it struck down federal abortion rights protections. Credit:Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times If a parent is using a safe haven, theres been a crisis, and the system has already in some way failed, said Ryan Hanlon, president of the National Council for Adoption. Boosting the movement Safe haven surrenders are still rare. The National Safe Haven Alliance estimates that 115 legal surrenders took place in 2021. In recent years, there have been more than 100,000 domestic adoptions annually and more than 600,000 abortions. Studies show that the vast majority of women denied an abortion are uninterested in adoption and go on to raise their children. But the safe haven movement has become much more prominent, in part because of a boost from a charismatic activist with roots in anti-abortion activism, Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Firefighter Ben Krieg at the station where a baby was left in its Safe Haven drop-off box in April. Credit:Kaiti Sullivan/The New York Times With Kelsey and allies lobbying across the country, states like Indiana, Iowa and Virginia have sought to make safe haven surrenders easier, faster and more anonymous allowing older babies to be dropped off or allowing relinquishing parents to leave the scene without speaking to another adult or sharing any medical history. Some who work with safe haven children are concerned about the baby boxes in particular. There are now more than 100 across the country. Is this infant being surrendered without coercion? asked Micah Orliss, director of the Safe Surrender Clinic at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Is this a parent who is in a bad spot and could benefit from some time and discussion in a warm handoff experience to make their decision? Kelsey is a former medic and firefighter, and an adoptee who said she was abandoned at birth by her teenage mother, who had been raped. She first encountered a baby safe a concept dating back to medieval Europe on a 2013 trip to a church in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was on a pro-abstinence speaking tour. She returned home to Indiana to found a nonprofit, Safe Haven Baby Boxes, and installed her first baby box in 2016. To use one of Kelseys boxes, a parent pulls open a metal drawer to reveal a temperature-controlled hospital bassinet. Once the baby is inside and the drawer is closed, it locks automatically; the parent cannot reopen it. An alarm is triggered, and the facilitys staff members can access the bassinet. The box also sends out a 911 call. Twenty-one babies have been left in the boxes since 2017, and the average amount of time a child is inside the box is less than two minutes, Kelsey said. She has raised money to put up dozens of billboards advertising the safe haven option. The advertisements feature a photo of a handsome firefighter cradling a newborn, and the Safe Haven Baby Box emergency hotline number. Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Credit:Kaiti Sullivan/The New York Times Kelsey said she was in contact with legislators across the country who wanted to bring the boxes to their regions, and she predicted that within five years, her boxes would be in all 50 states. We can all agree a baby should be placed in my box and not in a dumpster to die, she said. Because of the anonymity, there is limited information about the parents who use safe havens. But Orliss, of the Los Angeles safe haven clinic, performs psychological and developmental evaluations on some 15 such babies annually, often following them through their toddler years. His research found that more than half the children have health or developmental issues, often stemming from inadequate prenatal care. In California, unlike in Indiana, safe haven surrenders must be done face to face, and parents are given an optional questionnaire on medical history, which often reveals serious problems such as drug use. Loading Still, many children do well. Tessa Higgs, 37, a marketing manager in southern Indiana, adopted her 3-year-old daughter, Nola, after the girl was dropped off at a safe haven just hours after her birth. Higgs said the biological mother had called the Safe Haven Baby Box hotline after seeing one of the groups billboards. From day one, she has been so healthy and happy and thriving and exceeding all developmental milestones, Higgs said of Nola. Shes perfect in our eyes. Legal grey areas For some women seeking help, the first point of contact is the Safe Haven Baby Box emergency hotline. That hotline and another maintained by the Safe Haven National Alliance tell callers where and how they can legally surrender children, along with information about the traditional adoption process. Safe haven groups say they inform callers that anonymous surrenders are a last resort, and give out information on how to keep their babies, including ways to get diapers, rent money and temporary child care. When a woman is given options, she will choose whats best for her, Kelsey said. And if that means that in her moment of crisis, she chooses a baby box, we should all support her in her decision. But Kelseys hotline does not talk about the legal time constraints for reunifying with the baby unless callers ask for it, she said. In Indiana, which has the majority of baby boxes, state law does not specify a timeline for terminating birth parents rights after safe haven surrenders, or for adoption. But according to Don VanDerMoere, the prosecutor in Owen County, Indiana, who has experience with infant abandonment laws in the state, biological families are free to come forward until a court terminates parental rights, which can occur 45 to 60 days after an anonymous surrender. Because these relinquishments are anonymous, they typically lead to closed adoptions. Birth parents are unable to select the parents, and adoptees are left with little to no information about their family of origin or medical history. Hanlon, of the National Council for Adoption, pointed to research showing that over the long term, birth parents feel more satisfied about giving up their children if biological and adoptive families maintain a relationship. And in safe haven cases, if a mother changes her mind, she must prove to the state that she is fit. According to Kelsey, since her operation began, two women who said they had placed their infants in boxes have tried to reclaim custody of their children. Such cases can take months or even years to resolve. Birth mothers are also not immune from legal jeopardy and may not be able to navigate the technicalities of each states safe haven law, said Lori Bruce, a medical ethicist at Yale. Loading While many states protect surrendering mothers from criminal prosecution if babies are healthy and unharmed, mothers in severe crisis dealing with addiction or domestic abuse, for example may not be protected if their newborns are in some way affected. The idea of a traumatised, postpartum mother being able to correctly Google the laws is slim, Bruce said. With the demise of Roe, we know we are going to see more abandoned babies, she added. My concern is, that means more prosecutors are going to be able to prosecute women for having unsafely abandoned their children or not following the letter of the law. On Friday, the Indiana governor signed legislation banning most abortions, with slim exceptions. Putin: His Life and Times Author: Philip Short Publisher: Henry Holt Price: $40 Pages: 864 In the days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Moscow suddenly felt different. My wife and I were overwhelmed by expressions of sympathy and solidarity. Russians we had never met faxed condolence letters. A teary-eyed stranger stopped me on the street brandishing a picture of herself at the World Trade Centre from a trip years earlier. The outside of the American Embassy was carpeted with flowers, icons, crosses, candles and a note that said, We were together at the Elbe, we will be together again. A young master of the Kremlin named seemed to take that to heart, pledging steadfast support for the United States. For a heady moment, it seemed as if the planets two dominant nuclear powers would rekindle the World War II alliance that led Russian and American troops to meet at Germanys Elbe River in 1945. But now as then, it would not last. The sense of goodwill soon evaporated, and the illusion that Putin was a Western-oriented moderniser was shattered. Two decades later, Russia and America are facing off in a twilight struggle in Ukraine arguably as dangerous as the Cold War. Was that Putins fault or ours? Was it inevitable that Putin would come to see himself as a latter-day Peter the Great seeking to re-establish the czarist empire or could we have done more to anchor a post-Soviet Russia in the community of nations? Now weighing into the debate is the British journalist Philip Short, with his expansive new biography, which sees the rift between East and West largely through the eyes of its protagonist. Shorts account is both perfectly and unfortunately timed, arriving just when we most need to understand Putin, yet missing the chapter that may yet define his place in history. The invasion of Ukraine does not take place until Page 656 of a 672-page text, having erupted just as Short was completing eight years of research and composition. But if the story is unavoidably incomplete, Shorts version nonetheless offers a compelling, impressive and methodically researched account of Putins life so far. He plumbs an array of sources, including his own interviews, to reconstruct the tale of a street brawler from a bleak communal apartment in postwar Leningrad who embarks on a mediocre career as a mid-level KGB officer in East Germany only to make a stunning leap to power in Moscow following the chaos of 1990s post-Soviet Russia. Short, a former journalist with the BBC, The Economist, and The Times of London, adds to the library of insightful about the Russian autocrat. But unlike those Russia specialists, he comes to his subject as a chronicler of some of historys biggest villains, having written biographies of Pol Pot and Mao Zedong. As critics observed about those volumes, Shorts determination to present a fully realised portrait of Putin may strike some as excessively sympathetic. The purpose of this book is neither to demonize Putin he is more than capable of doing that himself nor to absolve him of his crimes, Short writes, but to explore his personality, to understand what motivates him and how he has become the leader that he is. In fact, he does absolve Putin of several crimes. Short opens with an extended examination of the never-solved apartment bombings of 1999 that were blamed on Chechen terrorists but suspected of being a government conspiracy to cement Putins path to power. Short exonerates Putin. It is a curious way to start a book about an autocrat who is currently bombing plenty of other apartments in Ukraine. Yet Shorts book is no hagiography. He extensively covers the dark moments of Putins career the levelling of Grozny during the second Chechen war, the reckless handling of the Moscow theatre siege, the cynical exploitation of the terrorist attack on a school in Beslan to consolidate power, the crackdown on dissent at home, including the poisoning and imprisonment of Alexei A Navalny. The Putin of Shorts book is not someone you would invite to dinner; he is crude and cold, arrogant and heartless. He is unmoved when his wife is in a serious car accident or when his dog is run over. His wife, a believer in astrology, once said he must have been born under the sign of the vampire. She is now, not surprisingly, his ex-wife. There are small errors Short writes, for example, that Start II was still unratified by the U.S. Congress in 2010 when the treaty was ratified in 1996 but these invariably slip into any work of this size and scope. More debatable may be some of his conclusions. Every Russian outrage is likened to some Western perfidy. Short advances the Russian argument that America betrayed a promise by Secretary of State James A Baker III in 1990 that NATO jurisdiction would not move one inch to the east. In fact, Baker floated the idea during negotiations over reunification of Germany but later walked it back, and no such commitment was included in the resulting treaty that did extend NATO to East Germany with Moscows assent. By contrast, Short makes no mention of an actual promise Russia made in a 1994 agreement guaranteeing Ukraines sovereignty and forswearing the use of force against it, an accord Putin has obviously broken. It may be that the moments of Russian-American friendship were all exceptions to a generational struggle destined to be waged for decades to come. Putin seems to think so. Short recounts Putins memory of his meeting with Vice President Joe Biden in 2011. Dont be under any illusion, he told the future president. We only look like you. Russians and Americans resemble each other physically. But inside we have very different values. Certainly, Biden would agree with that today. The claim of providing choice of multiple service providers to power consumers in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, is "misleading" and will make state-run loss making entities, according to AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey. The Electricity Amendment Bill 2022 is scheduled to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has demanded that the bill be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy for wider consultation. When asked about the government's claim of providing consumers choice like mobile phone sim cards in the name of multiple distribution licensees, Dubey told PTI, "the very claim is misleading". "As per the bill, only government will have universal power supply obligation therefore private licensees will prefer to supply electricity in profit making areas only i.e. industrial and commercial consumers." Thus profit making areas will be snatched from government and government discoms by default will become loss making and in the coming days will not have money to purchase electricity from generators, he said. "The government discoms network will also be handed over to private licensees at throw-away prices," he feared. As per the bill, "the continuing as well as new challenges of sustainability of the power sector, contract enforcement, payment security mechanism, energy transition and the need to provide choice (of multiple service providers) to consumers in order to promote competition and the like, it has become necessary to make certain amendments in the Electricity Act". The bill seeks to amend section 42 of the Act to facilitate non-discriminatory open access to the distribution network of a distribution licensee. Further, the bill seeks to amend section 14 of the Act to facilitate the use of distribution networks by all licensees under provisions of non-discriminatory open access with the objective of enabling competition, enhancing efficiency of distribution licensees for improving services and ensuring sustainability of the . Thus discoms will be able to use the power distribution network of other licensees. The bill also provides for inserting a new section 60A in the Act so as to enable management of power purchase and cross-subsidy in case of multiple distribution licensees in the same area of supply. Dubey explained that "Cost of electricity includes 85 per cent cost of power purchase agreements. Since power purchase agreements are for 25 years therefore the cost of electricity is not going to be reduced. Therefore the promise of competition and cheaper electricity to consumers is a farce". He further explained that 85 per cent consumers are farmers and domestic consumers and all these consumers are getting subsidized electricity. "There cannot be any competition in such loss making subsidized consumers. Therefore multiple licensees will not be the consumers' choice. Actually this will be the suppliers' choice. Private licensees will be operating only in profit making areas," he pointed out. The bill also seeks to amend section 62 of the Act so as to make provision regarding graded revision in tariff over a year and for mandatory fixing of maximum ceiling as well as minimum tariff by the Appropriate (electricity regulatory) Commission. The draft law also provides for amending section 166 of the Act so as to strengthen the functions to be discharged by the Forum of Regulators. The bill will also amend section 152 of the Act so as to facilitate decriminalisation of offence as it would be mandatory to accept compounding. It will also amend section 146 of the Act to convert the rate of punishment from "imprisonment or with fine" to "fine". (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.) Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd (TPEML), a subsidiary has bought the Ford Indias manufacturing plant situated at Sanand, Gujarat, including entire land and buildings, vehicle manufacturing plant along with machinery and equipment for a consideration of Rs 725.7 crore, said in a late night notification to the stock exchanges. The two signed a unit transfer agreement (UTA) for the same on Sunday. As part of the agreement all the eligible employees at the unit will be transferred to . will continue to operate its powertrain manufacturing facility by leasing back the land and buildings of the powertrain manufacturing plant from TPEML on mutually agreed terms. TPEML has agreed to offer employment to the eligible employees of FIPLs Powertrain Manufacturing Plant in the event of FIPLs cessation of such operations. The plant offers 3,043 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs. Ford Indias vehicle assembly plant is spread across 350 acres while the engine-manufacturing plant has 110 acres. The closure of the transaction will be subject to the receipt of relevant approvals from the government authorities and fulfilment of customary condition precedents. The government of Gujarat, TPEML and FIPL executed a tripartite MoU on 30th May 2022 to support all relevant approvals for the above transaction. With Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle's manufacturing capacity nearing saturation, this acquisition is timely and a win-win for all stakeholders. It will unlock a state-of-the-art manufacturing capacity of 300,000 units per annum which is scalable to 420,000 units per annum, the company said in the statement. TPEML would make the necessary investments to reconfigure the plant to adapt to Tata Motors' existing and future vehicle platforms. The unit is adjacent to the existing manufacturing facility of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd at Sanand, which should help in a smooth transition. The agreement with FIPL signed today is beneficial to all stakeholders and reflects Tata Motors strong aspiration to further strengthen its market position in the passenger vehicles segment and to continue to build on its leadership position in the EV segment, said Shailesh Chandra, managing director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility said. It will accelerate the growth and development of the Indian auto industry by taking a progressive step forward towards building a future ready Atmanirbhar Bharat, he added. Steve Armstrong, Transformation Officer of Ford Motor Company said the announcement marks an important step forward in Fords ongoing business restructuring in India, which is part of our Ford+ plan for strategic transformation. With the transfer of employment for eligible vehicle manufacturing employees included in the agreement, this milestone also highlights our best effort in caring for those impacted by the restructuring, he said. The 45th annual general meeting (AGM) of (RIL) will be held virtually on August 29, the company has informed stock exchanges. While the AGM notice and the annual report for 2021-22 (FY22) have not been released yet, some experts believe that new energy and will be in the spotlight at the meeting. At last years AGM, RIL had announced a Rs 75,000-crore investment over three years in green energy as part of its new energy push. Deven Choksey, managing director at brokerage KRChoksey, says this investment could be enhanced in view of growing competition and the shift to sustainable sources underscored by the government. The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, tabled in Parliament last week, proposes a mandatory threshold for consumption of green fuels such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, and biomass in all industries. RIL had said earlier it would bring down the cost of green hydrogen to $1 per kilogram in under a decade. Choksey believes this target could be advanced as rivals, such as Adani New Industries, plan to invest over $50 billion (Rs 3.9 trillion) in the next 10 years in green hydrogen. On 5G, Reliance Jio is considering plans to offer services in nine cities in the country by January 2023, starting with Delhi and Mumbai. Rival Bharti Airtel has already indicated it will roll out services by the end of August, increasing competitive intensity. Analysts expect a slew of announcements by RIL pertaining to enterprise and consumer mobility solutions at its upcoming AGM. At the same time, the company may spell out its future plans for its retail and telecommunication (telecom) businesses. The two verticals operate as separate units, namely Jio Platforms and Reliance Retail Ventures, respectively. While brokerage JPMorgan had said recently it did not expect the company to give concrete timelines on initial public offerings of its retail and telecom businesses, it could offer some roadmap for the future. ALSO READ: Reliance Jio's purchase of 700 MHz likely to give it edge over rivals Analysts also believe the company may revive plans for an oil-to-chemicals (O2C) demerger, which was shelved last year. RIL had decided against proceeding with the demerger of its O2C business last year. But the company could revive the plan this year, says Chokkalingam G, founder, Equinomics Research & Advisory. While crude oil prices have corrected recently over global slowdown concerns, tight supplies remain in focus, he adds. In an earnings call after its June quarter results last month, the RIL management had said that oil demand would average 99.2 million barrels per day in 2022. This would be higher by 1.7 million barrels per day versus last year, keeping refining margins high, even as overall refining capacity across the world remains constrained. RIL had benefited from this trend of high refining margins in the April-June period, which had touched $22-25 per barrel in the quarter for RIL - more than double the average of around $10 per barrel the company had done in previous periods. Gross refining margin is what a company makes from turning every barrel of crude into fuel. In the past few weeks, this benchmark of profitability for crude oil refiners has fallen sharply, bringing most oil companies, including RIL, into sharp focus. The benchmark Brent crude price, too, has fallen below $95 to a barrel amid demand concerns. But analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights see this as a short-term blip, since spare refining capacity is low. This trend will benefit refiners like RIL, observe analysts. RIL, for the uninitiated, derives close to 60 per cent of its revenue and nearly 50 per cent of its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) from its O2C business. This includes refining, petrochemical, and fuel retail. Retail and telecom account for 34 per cent of revenue and nearly 45 per cent of Ebitda, according to its financial results for the financial year ended March 31, 2022 (FY22). FY22 also saw RIL surpass gross revenue of $100 billion (Rs 7.9 trillion) on the back of its performance in the O2C, telecom, and retail segments. made investments to the tune of nearly Rs 30,000 crore in FY22 and added 2,500 new stores and 11.1 million sq. ft. of warehousing space during the year, the company said in its annual report. The countrys largest retailer made the investment in its retail business in organic growth, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. During the year further strengthened its sourcing ecosystem, working closely with producers, MSMEs, service providers, local and international brand companies, the company said in its annual report. Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries said in its annual report, Braving the intermittent COVID restrictions, the Retail business continued to expand offline, as well as online. He added, The business posted all time high revenues and EBITDA with steady improvement in profit margins. Growth was seen across all product categories from consumer electronics to grocery to apparel & footwear. Even the relatively smaller segments of jewellery, pharma and furniture & home decor, and new businesses like Freshpik and Milkbasket, witnessed rapid growth. In FY22, the company acquired a majority stake in Just Dial, entered into a master franchise agreement with 7-Eleven, Inc. for the launch and rapid scale-up of 7-Eleven convenience stores in India, acquired Milkbasket, a subscription based daily micro delivery platform, acquired stakes across Indian designer brands including Ritu Kumar, and Manish Malhotra. It also acquired Acquired Amante and Clovia in the intimate wear brands space, Kalanikethan to strengthen ethnic wear portfolio and Jaisurya, a grocery retail chain in the southern market and picked up majority stake in Addverb Technologies that provides warehouse automation solution and robotic systems for automated material handling. It also invested $ 200 million in Dunzo, a quick commerce and last-mile fulfillment player. The company also said that it built on its portfolio of brands, offering a superior value proposition and differentiated products to customers. Its merchant partnerships and digital commerce now contribute nearly 17 per cent of revenues compared to 10 per cent in the preceding year. Its revenue from operations stood at Rs 1,75,015 crore in FY22 compared to Rs 1,39,136 crore in FY21. Its EBIDTA margins in the year was stagnant at 7.1 per cent in FY22. The company expects Indias retail sector to rebound and record a compounded growth rate of 11 per cent to become a $1.2 trillion market by 2025 as the impact of the pandemic reduces and consumer demand starts to pick up steam. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, further consolidated its leadership position and continued to be Indias largest, most profitable and fastest growing retailer, the company said in its report. It added, All time high revenues were recorded in fashion & lifestyle and grocery consumption baskets with strong growth momentum in consumer electronics. Overall a well rounded growth driven by highest ever store sales and sustained growth momentum in digital and new commerce channels. Reliance Retail total store count stood at 15,196 covering 41.6 million sq ft at the end of the year. Also, its merchant partners grew 3X YoY while digital commerce orders grew 2.5x YoY. The registered customer base grew 24 per cent to 193 million. During the year, it opened 75 per cent of its new stores in tier II and below towns and also opened over 1,000 fashion & lifestyle stores. It also witnessed 2X YoY increase in sales from tier II and below cities. It also opened over 1,000 grocery stores in the previous financial year. BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this week despite Beijing's strong opposition and stern representations. Out of her self-interests, Pelosi staged such a pure political stunt. Insisting on going to the island, she apparently does not care about harming China-U.S. ties, or putting peace across the Taiwan Strait on the line. This unscrupulous farce has only laid bare in front of the international community the nature of Washington politicians: a bunch of egoists, opportunists and hypocrites, who prioritized their own political calculations ahead of and above everything else. It is certainly not that Pelosi was not clearly aware of the fallout ahead. She just wanted to make global headlines. She has no regard for Washington's promises or due responsibilities in global affairs. The sneaky visit has already stirred sharp criticism both inside the United States and around the world. For sober minds worldwide, the move is merely a political gamble for the scandal-ridden Pelosi herself, and for the Democratic Party, whose outlook in the coming midterm elections does not augur well. The China Times, a Taiwan-based Chinese-language daily, commented recently that Pelosi is using Taiwan as a bargaining chip for the Democratic Party's midterm race, which is "not only immoral, but also likely to generate terrible war risks." "The intention of directly roasting Taiwan on the stove regardless of Taiwan's interests is really sinister," it argued. U.S. media have analyzed that with a visit to Taiwan, Pelosi intends to turn the tables for Democrats and deflect popular attention from the scandal of her family. Her husband Paul Pelosi has recently come under fire for a stock insider trading scandal and involvement in a drunk driving accident. An experienced opportunist, Pelosi is clear-eyed about an anti-China countercurrent surging in U.S. politics. She knows all too well how she can cash in on China-bashing or CPC-bashing for political gains. Pelosi's provocative visit capped her three decades as a veteran China hawk, who has been at the forefront of Washington's anti-China campaigns. In 2008, she urged then U.S. President George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. In 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a so-called bill on Tibet-related issues, a gross interference in China's internal affairs. In 2021, she picked up the same old trick again by boycotting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. During her sneaky visit to Taiwan this time, she rehashed the unfounded "human rights" and "democracy" charges against Beijing. As the third highest-ranking U.S. government official, Pelosi has been bent on finding fault with other countries while turning a blind eye to the backsliding democracy and deteriorating human rights conditions back in her own country. What a ruthless hypocrite! Within its borders, the United States has been plagued by ever rampant and bloody gun violence, a botched COVID-19 response leading to the death of more than 1 million Americans and deeply entrenched racism that can arbitrarily take away the lives of people like George Floyd. Beyond, bloody wars and conflicts pushed by Washington have wreaked appalling havoc on Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, among other regions. The world will not forget how back in 2019, she thumbed up to the disruptive, violent activities in Hong Kong as "a beautiful sight to behold," seeking to whitewash the illegal demonstrations and cheer up the anti-China rioters. In fact, many in Taiwan are well aware of her hypocrisy and evil intentions. The local United Daily News reported that a recent poll showed 63 percent of Taiwan netizens clearly did not welcome her to the island. Throughout her conscienceless political career, Pelosi believes nothing but political showmanship. In her eyes, politics is just a business. Although Washington does not lack such politicians, she is so much more prominent for being an egoist, opportunist and hypocrite at the same time. While she was betting on her visit to Taiwan as a highlight moment of her political career, the world has already seen through the preposterous stunt as well as the true and ugly face of her and her like. While millions of smartphone and internet users in the country anxiously wait for better speed with 5G roll-out, the country equally needs higher efficiencies in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, education, agriculture, financial inclusion and many others to accelerate the process of digital transformation, which can best be achieved only through the use of private captive 5G networks on the premises. Private 5G captive networks are about the deployment of high speed, enhanced data capacity, and ultra-low latency applications inside a closed manufacturing unit, hospital, airport and shipping port, among others. Such networks are single end-users (the enterprise itself) in the given location, unlike a vast number of users in public networks. According to Neil Shah, Vice President of Research, Counterpoint Research, such private 5G networks are going to be self-serving networks ideally suited for large enterprises with huge campuses, premises such as factories, ports, mines, and universities. 'These enterprises will benefit from efficiently using their own spectrum to connect multiple internet of things (IoT) applications -- from surveillance cameras, million dollar sensor-integrated machines for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, shop-floor digital twins, automated cranes, vehicles or forklifts,' Shah told IANS. This will provide secure, high-speed and low-latency broadband connectivity to enterprise devices such as smartphones, tablets, PCs and augmented reality (AR) glasses for driving up productivity and efficiency. 'The whole business case of enterprise building on private networks is driven by self-designed, service level agreement (SLAs) cost structure, as spectrum is not a public-shared resource anymore, in addition to offering cellular-grade security and data sovereignty with data ideally not leaving the premises,' Shah explained. The Department of Telecom, in its notice inviting applications (NIA) for the auction of spectrum in various bands, provided explicit clarity on the subject of Captive Non-Public Networks (CNPN), or private 5G captive networks. Section 2.4 of the NIA on CNPN laid down the principle that a CNPN can be set up in any of the four possible ways, including the one where CNPNs for non-telecom verticals may obtain the spectrum directly from DoT and establish their own isolated network. According to TV Ramachandran, President of the Broadband India Forum (BIF), a public telecom network set up by a telecom licensee would necessarily have to be one which optimises the various needs of the masses. 'It would not be in a position to meet specific enterprise higher and specific SLAs (service-level agreements) that are characteristic of specific industry verticals. For example, the needs and requirements would be quite different for a Maruti-Suzuki automotive factory from that of an Apollo Hospital or of an IIT Delhi campus, and so on,' he mentioned. The regulatory authority in Germany said recently that for many enterprises, operating a campus network is linked to introducing new, digital business processes. 'The provision of numbers represents a key contribution to the spread of digital technology. It benefits both large industrial enterprises as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) wanting to operate private campus networks with their own broadband spectrum assignments and numbers,' the German regulator noted. With private 5G networks, enterprises will use licensed cellular spectrum instead of open-for-all unlicensed Wi-Fi spectrum. However, according to industry experts, it is still not clear if it is lucrative enough for enterprises to build their own licensed spectrum-based captive cellular network or lease the spectrum from mobile network operator (MNO) or buy a network slice from the MNO. 'It will take at least four-to-five years, looking into the scale of devices connected to the private network and efficient spectrum utilisation, to determine if its prudent enough to deploy your own captive private network,' Shah told IANS. India will initially see several deployment scenarios in the market and depending on the size, requirements and execution of an enterprise, it will be clear which scenario is suitable and viable. (Nishant Arora can be reached at nishant.a@ians.in) --IANS na/bg (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.) Adding a new, strategic dimension to the burgeoning Indo-US military partnership, Ship (USNS) Charles Drew arrived at L&Ts Katupalli Shipyard at Ennore, near Chennai, on August 07 for undertaking repairs and maintenance. This will be the first time that a ship is being repaired in an Indian shipyard. According to senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials, New Delhi had proposed during the 2 + 2 dialoge in April that the could avail of the services and expertise of Indian . Enabling the repair of US Navy vessels in Indian was the conclusion of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. The LEMOA eases the exchange of goods and warlike stores between the two navies. The Indian side offered that, with the US pivot to the Indo-Pacific, there would be 200-250 US Navy vessels at any given time in the Indo-Pacific. These could be serviced in Indian shipyards, rather than sail all the way to American in the Pacific. The USNS Charles Drew will be at Kattupalli shipyard for 11 days and undergo repairs in various areas, said the MoD. After the Indian offer, US Navy teams visited Indian shipyards and evaluated their potential for handling US warships. A short-list of suitable shipyards was prepared, in which Mazagon Dock (MDL) in Mumbai and L&Ts Katupalli shipyard were short-listed for this task. Given the size of the 41,000-tonne USNS Charles Drew, L&Ts massive shipyard at Katupalli was awarded the contract. The event signifies the capabilities of Indian shipyards in the global ship repairing market. Indian shipyards offer wide ranging and cost-effective ship repair and maintenance services, using advanced maritime technology platforms, said a MoD press release on Sunday. The US was already using Indo-Pacific bases at Diego Garcia and Singapore for maintenance and ship repair. It will now have the option of a third base. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar described the arrival of USNS Charles Drew for repairs as the harbinger of a maturing Indian shipbuilding industry. Today, India has six major shipyards with turnover of nearly $2 billion. We are making ships not only for our own requirements. We have our own design house capable of making all kinds of state-of-the-art ships. The countrys first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant, is a shining example of the growth of the Indian shipbuilding industry, stated the MoD. Pointing out the high technology levels of Indian shipyards, Kumar said: Under the new innovation ecosystem, vessels capable of undertaking autonomous missions have been built by Goa Shipyard Limited and some of our start-ups. The shipbuilding industry today is not just carrying out conventional things, but is also amalgamating the latest technologies with it, he said. The Defence Secretary asserted that US-India ties have been expanding and are based on common values and beliefs in an open, inclusive and rule-based order in Indo-Pacific and rest of the global commons. Indian defence exports have seen a massive increase in the last four-five years. Exports, which were worth about ~1,500 crore in 2015-16, have now grown by 800 per cent to around ~13,000 crore. A major destination for Indian exports is the US, said Ajay Kumar. Rear Admiral Michael Baker, who is the Defence Attache at the US Embassy at New Delhi, said: Our shipping industries positively contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific by partnering to deliver effective, efficient, and economical repair of military vessels. Yuan Wang 5, the Chinese research and Survey vessel, en route to the Hambantota Port in has sent alarm bells to Colombo as country's Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry said that has informed of "sending ship for surveillance". Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry media spokesman Colonel Nalin Herath also expressed similar sentiments saying that the country will allow the vessel to dock since it is a non-nuclear platform. However, he said that they are aware of India's concerns, Daily Mirror reported. " informed us that they are sending their ship for surveillance and navigation in the Indian Ocean," he said. The Chinese vessel is all set to arrive in on August 11. The Sri Lankan government has responded to the concern and said that there is no military motive behind the visit by the vessel, Daily Mirror reported. Notably, the Yuan Wang 5 is a dual-use spy, research and survey vessel which is employed for space and satellite tracking and with specific usage in intercontinental ballistic missile launches, according to reports. This vessel is in control of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) under its Strategic Support Force(SSF) unit. The SSF focuses on space, cyber, and electronic warfare. A Sri Lankan consulting firm, the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, said on its website that the Yuan Wang 5 is likely to leave on August 17 after replenishment. It further said Yuan Wang 5 would be in Hambantota for a week and "conduct space tracking, satellite control and research tracking in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean region through August and September". Designated as a research stroke survey vessel, Yuan Wang 5 was built in 2007 and has a carrying capacity of 11,000 tonnes. The survey vessel departed from Jiangyin, on July 13 and is currently sailing close to Taiwan where China is conducting live-fire drills as an aggressive posture against Taipei for allowing US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit the self-ruled island. Since the beginning of 2022, has experienced an escalating economic crisis and the government has defaulted on its foreign loans. The United Nations warned that 5.7 million people "require immediate humanitarian assistance." While Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, China has turned a blind eye to the crisis and shifted the blame to the borrower, a media report said. Amid the pandemic, the country was trying to rebuild its economy, but the tourism industry was hit badly, an article in the Global Strat View think-tank read. Tourism in Sri Lanka supports 10 to 15 per cent of the economy. The effect of the COVID-19 crisis, the loss of tourists, high government expenditure and tax cuts depleting state revenues, and the use of money for initiatives with minimal returns have all contributed to Sri Lanka's economic meltdown. Russia is the third largest market for Sri Lanka's tea exports. As a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia was blocked from the SWIFT global payments system making the country unable to pay Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka turned to China for help and asked for USD 1 billion loan to meet repayments, and a USD 1.5 billion credit line to buy Chinese goods, however, no progress was attained even after months of negotiations. . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has issued orders to make modifications at various test tracks, in view of the rising number of instances of people flunking their tests, officials said on Saturday. The Transport Department had constituted a committee to look into the matter which recommended making some modifications. These modifications will come into effect from August 8. "There were rising instances of people failing their driving tests due to things that were not concerned with driving. For instance, the width of the last circle on which two-wheeler drivers had to do spiral maneuvering was smaller than the other two circles, which meant that for safety purposes, people had to put their feet to the ground. This meant they would flunk their test," explained an official. With candidates failing their driving tests, the pendency was also going up. "Usually, if a person fails a driving test, they get a new date of the next week, but with the rising instances, the pendency was also going up," he said. Now, the width of the last circle will be made similar to the width of the previous two circles, and people will be allowed to use their feet, he added. "Earlier, women would face great difficulty in this and they have stopped applying for licenses," he added. Another thing that would be part of the new rules is that the candidates will have to be informed in advance that they have to wear a seat belt while appearing for the driving test. "Many times, candidates did not wear seat belts while giving driving tests and they would be failed. Now it is made mandatory that they will have to be informed in advance that they have to wear seat belts while giving the test," he said. A test track comprises six sections eight formations (driving in a corridor built in the shape of digit eight), overtaking, stopping at a traffic junction, stopping at the ramp and moving forward without it rolling back, S formation in 120 seconds and parallel parking in 90 seconds. (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 fake traffic officer was nabbed when he was levying fine on violators along with real on-duty personnel in Sonitpur district of Assam, officials said on Sunday. According to a senior officer, the man posing as a traffic officer came from Guwahati on a bus and got down at Paruwa Chariali in Tezpur city on Saturday. "Immediately, he called the traffic policemen present there and started checking vehicles that were violating rules. He started collecting fines. This led to suspicion to the other junior officers and they called their seniors," he added. When senior officials reached the spot, the truth came out and he was arrested immediately. "During the investigation, we came to know that he has applied the same trick in other places such as Rangia and Nagaon to collect money. He studied till lower levels and always dreamt of becoming a police officer. So, he started posing as a cop wearing the uniform," the officer 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.) At the time of inception, the governing council was billed as a forum for cooperative federalism between the Centre and states. As Prime Minister chairs the seventh meeting of the council, sparks have started flying between the two. The governing council of comprises the prime minister, the chief ministers of all the states and UTs with legislature, and others. On Saturday, Chief Minister decided to boycott the meeting, alleging states are not being treated as equal partners. He also said that important issues are not discussed in such meetings. In response, the termed his allegations as "unfounded" and said 30 meetings had been held between state chief ministers and top NITI officials on various issues in the last year alone. It said the agenda for today's meeting was prepared in consultation with states. Other chief ministers of Opposition-ruled states are also expected to discuss various contentious issues. As the meeting gets underway in a short while, it's high time to look at the major discussion points in the previous six NITI Aayog governing council meetings chaired by Prime Minister Modi. The agenda for NITI Aayog governing council meetings so far First meeting (Feb 08, 2015): Three sub-groups of chief ministers on rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, skill development, "Swacch Bharat Abhiyan" constituted. In addition, task forces on agriculture and poverty elimination were also formed. Second meeting (Jul 15, 2015): Council held consultations on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. Third meeting (Apr 23, 2017): NITI presented a 15-year vision for India, a 7-year strategy, and a 3-year action agenda. Fourth meeting (Jun 17, 2018): It discussed measures taken to double farmers' incomes and progress made under the flagship schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan etc. Fifth meeting (Jun 15, 2019): Council discussed issues related to rainwater harvesting, drought situation and relief measures, aspirational districts programme, APMC acts and EC Act. Security-related issues and LWE districts were also raised. Sixth meeting (Feb 20, 2021): On the agenda were issues such as accelerating human resources development, improving service delivery at the grassroots level, health and nutrition, among others. Seventh meeting (Aug 07, 2022): Ongoing Chhattisgarh Chief Minister on Sunday urged the Centre to increase the state's share in the central and duties, citing rising burden on its resources, an official said here. Baghel raised the issue in the NITI Aayog's seventh Governing Council meeting being chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, he said. The meeting is being held physically for the first time after July 2019. The chief minister demanded an increase in the state's share in the central taxes, citing that the burden on the resources of the states has been rising, the official from the state public relations department said in a statement. Speaking on the issue of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation, Baghel sought a five-year extension for the compensation paid to the state beyond June 2022, claiming that the state was facing a revenue shortfall due to the new tax mechanism, he said. The chief minister also urged the Centre to revise the royalty rate for major minerals, including coal, the official said. As per the statement, Baghel sought a refund of the money deposited by the state government towards the National Pension System (NPS) since November 2004 along with accruals in the interest of government employees. The Centre was asked to reimburse to the state Rs 12,000 crore spent on the central security forces deployed for eradication of the Maoist menace in Chhattisgarh, it said. Apart from this, Baghel requested the Centre to expand the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in rural areas located near cities and in towns with a population of less than 20,000, it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adoption of by travellers in the country has recorded a significant rise following the declaration of all lanes of fee plazas on Highways as Lane. Recent data from the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways showed that penetration surged from nearly 16 % in 2017-18 to 96.3 % in 2021-22. The total toll collection during 2017-18 was Rs 21,948 crore including Rs 3532 crore collected through fastag. However, in 2021-22, toll collection through increased sharply. While the total toll collection was Rs 34,535 crore, toll collected through fastag stood at Rs 33,274 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has declared all lanes of Highways fee plazas as "FASTag Lane of fee plaza" with effect from midnight of 15th/16th Feb 2021. Any vehicle not fitted with functional FASTag shall be charged twice the applicable user fee at NH toll plazas. "As per reports available from various Highway user fee plazas, approximately 97% of user fee is being paid through fastag only. At present, six fee plazas on are allowing user fee payment through cash mode, citing viability and low traffic flow," said a government official. Moreover, various measures have been undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India from time-to-time to reduce and eliminate occurrence of any incorrect deduction through fastag at user fee plazas. Like, to enable near-real time processing of fastag transactions at fee plazas on National Highways, the authority mandated for implementation of Interface Control Document (ICD 2.5) at all fee plazas. As per an Impact Assessment study in the year 2021, use of fastag has resulted in estimated fuel savings of around 35 crore litres per year equivalent to more than Rs 2,800 crore per year in fuel savings due to reduced idling of vehicles at fee plazas. As per the Impact Assessment study, an estimated 9,78,200+ tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission has been reduced through adoption of fastag at fee plazas along National Highways and selected State Highways. Recently, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said in Parliament that the government is looking at new technologies to replace toll plazas in the country. The ministry of road transport is now searching for two options -- a satellite-based toll system where the GPS will be in the car and the toll will be directly subtracted from the driver's bank account. The other option is through number plates. The minister said that the government has not taken any final decision on this yet and the best available technology will be selected for this. In the number plate technology, there will be no toll plaza, instead, there will be a sophisticated computerised digital system and it will also help in getting rid of long queues. Gadkari said that to implement such a system the government will have to also introduce a Bill in Parliament to enforce penalties when road users fail to pay toll. As per the Impact Assessment study on the fastag programme, fee transaction processing time has reduced by 56% due to implementation of the fastag system at fee plazas which is enabling a fee plaza operator to process 148 additional vehicles per hour per lane translating to a 130% increase in productivity compared to the manual fee collection system. Officials said that all fee plazas including identified high traffic plazas are regularly monitored through live video feeds from these fee plazas at the Command and Control Center set up at the NHAI headquarters. --IANS kvm/bg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) and Rajasthan, which have low rainfall and have faced droughts, have many stepwells, and the ancient water storage methods can still be useful today. Considered to be a fine example of Gujarati architecture, Vav or stepwell is not only an ancient site but also has a cultural tradition associated with it. Amritalingam's book 'Ecological Traditions of India' states: "Wells and stepwells have played a very important role in the history of Indian . "Even in the ruins of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, the existence of Vav and wells could be seen. Vav is also mentioned in the Vedas and is believed to be the God of water and a form of blessing, as it provides water in times of drought. As mentioned in the book, it is estimated that the step wells existed in the western-eastern regions of India since 600 BC. "Eight hundred years ago, a beautiful and magnificent Vav was built. The tradition continued even during the Mughal period and the British era. Since Vav is mostly formed in areas with low rainfall, it is more abundant in Rajasthan and ." Purnima Mehta Bhatt, in her book 'Her Space, Her Story - Exploring the Stepwells of Gujarat', writes: "Women who were usually busy with household chores could go out on the pretext of drawing water and experiencing freedom. They could interact with the outside world. And could feel at peace in the artistic and cool environment." "Centuries ago in the water-scarce region, life and agriculture survived and flourished due to such water storages. The role of women is important in creating a system that binds together the three types of worlds -- earthly, subterranean, and divine. Usually a vav was built in memory of a wife, mother, local Goddess, or lover. It is a place for women to gather and show the interrelationship of women, water, and religion." Kapil Thacker, a history and lover of Ahmedabad, has taken up the challenge of restoring these places to their former glory and importance. He has been running a magazine called 'Atulya Varso' on water body tradition and architecture for a long time with a special focus on architecture and culture. Thacker, founder of Atulya Varaso, recently adopted a stepwell and a well. He spoke to IANS about this. He said, "we have adopted Vav in Uwarasad near Gandhinagar and Halisa Lake near Dehgam. In 2018, we adopted the stepwell of Uwarasad village. Then it was redeveloped by funding with the help of the government. It was renovated in 2019 and we did various activities there. In 2021 we handed over this site to Uwarasad Gram Panchayat. But if there is no public participation and people are not proud of the architecture of their village, even after repairs, the architecture cannot be maintained. For that purpose we have again adopted this Vav. This time our project is 2022-25. We also have plans to start our Stepwell Interpretation Center and Stepwell Museum. Since these sites come under the Gram Panchayat, the adoption process is easy. Otherwise it would have been tough for us if the sites were under ASI. We met with the village panchayat president and members and explained to them that we do not give or take money". About the idea of adopting a historical monument, Thacker said, "Our priority is to recharge the wells and vavs. Can't we recharge the architectures that were built thousands of years ago in the 22nd century? But no such attempt has been made. It is still possible in villages. If the wells are recharged, the groundwater level will also rise. We want to plan a long-term plan where locals can connect with and take pride in this architecture, rather than just the development of the surrounding area. So, we organised various programmes together with the villagers in Uwarasad's Vav. Also we started village walks. "A programme has been started in which students from the city visit the village to understand the culture of the village and also visit the stepwell. Such efforts will keep the architecture like Vav alive and also increase their pride among the locals. Villagers will maintain these places only if they see their benefit. We can see almost 60 percent change in the perspective of Uvarsad's people. Last year 15,000-20,000 people including students, researchers and photographers visited the place." --IANS asmita/bg (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.) Superstar Mohanlal has expressed his gratitude after he visited Vikrant, the country's first indigenously built . The 62-year-old actor visited the soon-to-be-commissioned with filmmaker Major Ravi on Thursday. Mohanlal shared photos from his visit to the aircraft on Twitter Saturday and called it a "true engineering marvel". "Honoured to be onboard India's 1st Indigenous (IAC), soon to be commissioned as Vikrant, built in Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Kerala. She is a true engineering marvel that further fortifies @indiannavy and showcases India's shipbuilding capabilities. "I express my heartfelt gratitude for this matchless opportunity, especially to the Commanding Officer, Commodore Vidhyadhar Harke, VSM, and Mr. Madhu Nair, the Chairman & Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited, for their warm reception," the actor wrote. Mohanlal, who was inducted into the Territorial Army of India in the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2018, said the "unmatched peculiarities of this mean machine" makes him "triumphantly salute all the people behind IAC Vikrant, the wonder". "May she always be victorious at sea!" he added. The aircraft carrier, built at a cost of around Rs 20,000 crore, is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres. Its construction began in 2009. The took delivery of the aircraft carrier from its manufacturer, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, in July and it will be commissioned into the force this month. (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.) GAZA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) active in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday evening that it has reached a cease-fire agreement with Israel. Israel earlier confirmed that the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire with the PIJ would take effect at 11:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT), ending the deadly Israeli airstrikes and the barrage of Palestinian rockets for three days. The cease-fire agreement includes an Egyptian follow-up on releasing Palestinian prisoners, including Bassam al-Saadi, a PIJ senior leader who was arrested last week from home in the West Bank, and Khalil Awawda, whose health is deteriorating after months of hunger strike, said Mohammad al-Hindi, head of the PIJ political department. It also includes easing the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007 and transporting fuel to the power station whose recent shut down for lack of fuel has influenced the health system in the coastal enclave. In a press release, Egyptian mediators said they have intensified contacts with all parties to contain the escalation, call for a "comprehensive and mutual cease-fire" and will "work to have Awawda released and transferred for treatment, and work to have Saadi released as soon as possible." Meanwhile, both warring parties said they reserve the right to re-use force even with the cease-fire. The PIJ said in a statement welcoming the cease-fire that "we emphasize our right to respond to any Zionist aggression." Lior Hayat, head of Israel's National Public Diplomacy Directorate, said "if the cease-fire is violated, Israel reserves the right to respond forcefully." At least 44 Palestinians, including 15 children, have been killed, and 360 injured since Israel began an offensive on the Gaza Strip on Friday, according to a statement released by the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza late on Sunday. Among the 44 dead were two top military commanders of the PIJ, who were killed in two separate airstrikes on Gaza city and the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Israeli media reports said at least eight Israelis were injured by rockets fired by PIJ militants from Gaza into southern and central Israel. An analysis of India's first two monkeypox cases by an institute of the Indian Council of revealed that the duo who returned from the UAE were infected with the virus strain A.2 -- different from the one causing the outbreak in Europe. The A.2 strain, which was detected in the US last year, has not been linked to major clusters. The current outbreak is being driven by the B.1 strain of monkeypox virus, Dr Pragya Yadav, a senior scientist at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and lead author of the study, said. The findings of the study have been published in the Research Square, a pre-print server, and have not been peer reviewed. India has reported nine cases of monkeypox and one death so far. The foreign returnees from the United Arab Emirates presented with fever, myalgia, and vesicular lesions on the genital area with cervical lymphadenopathy. The oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab, EDTA blood, serum, urine, lesion samples from multiple sites were collected from both the cases on the ninth post onset day of illness. The clinical specimens of both the cases were tested with real-time PCR for orthopoxvirus, monkeypox virus (MPXV). "The complete genome sequences obtained from skin lesions of cases 1 and 2 showed similarity of 99.91 and 99.96 per cent respectively with MPXV_USA_2022_FL001 West African clade. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two cases were infected with monkeypox virus strain A.2 which belong to hMPXV-1A lineage of clade 3 (West African clade)," the study by the NIV under the found. The West African and Central African (Congo Basin) are the two known clades of the monkeypox virus, of which Congo basin strain causes more severe illness, 011 per cent mortality and increased transmissibility. "The West African clade is found to be circulating in the current ongoing outbreaks of 2022 in non-endemic countries. It is which is less severe than Congo lineage reported earlier," Dr Yadav said. On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern considering the global outbreaks in all the six regions in multiple countries. The cases found to occur mainly due to the imported infections from endemic countries and due to further community transmission. The study mentions the details of both the cases -- two men aged 35 and 31. The 35-year-old man had developed low-grade fever and myalgia on July 5. He developed multiple vesicular rashes in the oral cavity and lips followed by single lesion on the genital organ. He also had rashes on both hands. He was advised the screening for monkeypox. "However, he travelled from UAE to his hometown in Kerala on July 12. On his return, he developed sore throat along with worsening of oral lesions for which he visited a hospital in Kerala. Considering his history of contact with suspected monkeypox case and pustular lesions, he was referred to Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram," the study stated. The 31-year-old man had developed dysuria and genital swelling on July 8. He travelled from Dubai to his hometown in Kerala on July 13. He visited a government hospital locally and on the suspicion as monkeypox case, he was isolated on July 16. The study said the infection starts with a febrile illness with average incubation of 513 days with lymphadenopathy, myalgia, and headache, followed by deep-seated umbilicated vesicular/pustular rashes. The rash primarily starts from the face (oral), genital or perianal region and then distributed in centrifugal manner to other parts of the body and progresses over time to scab. (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.) With the centre's Har Ghar Tiranga campaign gaining pace across the country, Chief Minister said that all preparatory activities have been completed and the programmes on the Har Ghar Tiranga from August 13 to 15 will be a big success. "The Kudambasree Self Help Groups have started producing the flags in their local area in a decentralised manner, assessing an initial requirement of 26.25 lakh flags as on August 1 with a priority to manufacture in khadi and cotton materials. All preparatory activities are completed and the programmes on the Har Ghar Tiranga from August 13th to 15th will a big success," said CM Vijayan. He also highlighted that commemorating the 75th anniversary of India's Independence is a tribute to the persons who sacrificed everything for attaining the freedom of this Nation. "The State celebrates the 75th year of Independence to uphold the value of Democracy, Secularism and Social equality," he added. In Kerala, departments of local self-government and general education have been entrusted as nodal departments and District Collectors have been instructed to ensure the timely completion of the distribution of flags. Chief Minister spoke while addressing the 3rd Committee meeting of Azadi ka Amritmahotsav held at the Culture Centre in Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital. Har Ghar Tiranga' is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India's independence. The program 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. (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.) will contribute USD 550 billion towards making India a $ 5 trillion economy, Chief Minister said on Sunday. His remarks came at the seventh NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. In 2019, PM Modi envisioned making India a USD 5-trillion economy and global powerhouse by 2024-25. To make Bharat a 5 trillion dollar economy, MP will contribute 550 billion dollars, Chouhan was quoted as saying in an official release. He said is keeping in mind the vision of PM Modi regarding the march of 'aatmanirbhar' or self-reliant India of the 21st Century. The chief minister said NITI Aayog has a major role in the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' programme- which aims to enhance interaction and promote mutual understanding between people of different states/Union Territories through the concept of state/UT pairing. He said the Aayog has become the strength of states and MP was an example. Chouhan said the state government charted a self-reliant map in 2020 and has achieved a 19.74 per cent development rate in 2021-22 as it is marching ahead on the economic front. He said the state's priority was to generate employment and one lakh government jobs will be provided in the next one year. Speaking on the execution of the Education Policy, the chief minister said Madhya Pradesh has taken a giant leap and achieved the fifth spot in the country, according to the Achievement Survey. Chouhan said 18,500 teachers were hired to improve school education in the last fiscal. Madhya Pradesh is stressing to impart teaching in the mother tongue, he said, adding that the MBBS course is conducted in Hindi in Bhopal-based Gandhi Medical College in the 2022-2023 session. (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 Sunday heralded the collective efforts of all the States in the spirit of cooperative federalism as the force that helped India emerge from the Covid pandemic. Addressing the seventh meeting of the Governing Council (GC) of NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister said:, Every State played a crucial role according to its strength and contributed to Indias fight against Covid. This led to India emerging as an example for the developing nations to look up to as a global leader. This was the first physical meeting of the Governing Council since the onset of the pandemic, with the 2021 meeting held via video conferencing. The meeting was attended by 23 Chief Ministers, 3 Lieutenant Governors and 2 Administrators and Union Ministers. The meeting was moderated by Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh. In his inaugural address, the Prime Minister said Indias federal structure and cooperative federalism emerged as a model for the world during the Covid crisis. He said that India had sent a powerful message to the developing nations of the worldthat it is possible to overcome challenges with resilience despite resource limitations. The PM said that the credit for this goes to the State Governments, which focused on grassroots delivery of public services to the people through cooperation across political lines. The Prime Minister highlighted that the seventh meeting was a culmination of months of rigorous brainstorming and consultations between the Centre and States to identify national priorities. For the first time in Indias 75 years of independence, all of Indias Chief Secretaries met together in one place and deliberated issues of national importance for three days. This collective process led to the development of the agenda for this meeting, the PM said. This year, the Governing Council discussed four key agenda items: (i) crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in pulses, oilseeds and other agri-commodities; (ii) implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) in school education; (iii) implementation of National Education Policy in higher education; and (iv) urban governance. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of all of the above issues, especially the need for India to focus on modernized agriculture, animal husbandry, and food processing to become self-sufficient and a global leader in the agriculture sector. He said rapid urbanization can become Indias strength instead of weakness by leveraging technology to ensure ease of living, transparent service delivery, and improvement in the quality of life for every citizen of urban India. The PM also spoke about Indias G20 presidency in 2023 and called it a unique opportunity to show the world that India is not just Delhiit is every State and Union Territory of the country. The PM said we should develop a mass movement around G20. This will allow us to identify the best talent available in the country. He also said there should be a dedicated team for G20 in the States to derive the maximum possible benefit from this initiative. Speaking about this, the Union Minister of External Affairs, Shri S. Jaishankar, said, The G20 Presidency presents a great opportunity and a great responsibility. For the first time in the history of G20, India will host the G20 meetings over the year, not only in Delhi, but in every State and Union Territory. While highlighting several initiatives undertaken to boost learning outcomes, capacity-building of teachers, and skilling, Union Minister of Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, thanked and requested further support of the States for the successful implementation of the National Education Policy. Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Suman Bery, reiterated that Indias transformation has to take place in its states. He reaffirmed the need for the combined efforts of the Centre and States to realize the vision of a resurgent India post the pandemic. Every Chief Minister and Lt Governor present at the meeting addressed the meeting, highlighting the priorities, achievements, and challenges of their respective States and Union Territories with a special focus on the four key agenda items. In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister said that each state should focus on promoting its 3Ts, Trade, Tourism, Technology, through every Indian Mission around the world.He said the States must focus on reducing imports, increasing exports and identifying opportunities for the same in every state. We should encourage people to use local goods wherever possible, he said. Vocal for local is not the agenda of an individual political party but a common goal, he said. The PM said even though GST collection has improved, our potential is much more. Increasing GST collection requires collective action by the Centre and States. It is crucial for strengthening our economic position and becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, he said. Speaking on the National Education Policy, the PM said the NEP has been formulated after considerable deliberations. He said we should involve all stakeholders in its implementation and develop a clear, timebound roadmap for the same. He expressed his gratitude to the CMs and LGs for participating in the meeting and sharing their views and experiences. He said NITI Aayog will study the states concerns, challenges, and best practices and subsequently plan the way forward. He said the issues discussed in this meeting will define the national priorities for the next 25 years, adding that the seeds we sow today will define the fruits reaped by India in 2047. Prime Minister will chair the seventh meeting of the Governing Council of at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in the capital on Sunday. This would be the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019. The agenda of the meeting includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the Education Policy-school education; implementation of the Education Policy-higher education; and urban governance. In the drive toward building a steady, sustainable and inclusive India, the seventh governing council meeting of the government think tank is expected to pave the way for synergies towards a new era of collaboration and cooperation between Centre and states and union territories. As India commemorates 75 years of Independence, it is the need of the hour for the states to be agile, resilient and self-reliant and move towards 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' in a spirit of cooperative federalism, an official statement said. As part of preparations for this meeting, the National Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in Dharamshala in June 2022 which was the culmination of the six-month-long rigorous exercise by the Centre and States. The conference was chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, along with senior officials of the Central and State Governments. The statement said that the meeting is particularly important as the country enters Amrit Kaal against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of India hosting the G20 Presidency and summit next year. The meeting would also lay emphasis on the importance of the Presidency for India for the federal system and the role that states can play in highlighting their progress at the G-20 Platform. The governing council comprises the Prime Minister of India; Chief Ministers of all the states and union territories with the legislature; Lt Governors of other UTs; Ex-Officio Members; Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Full-Time Members, NITI Aayog; and Union Ministers as Special Invitees. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has boycotted the meeting. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President has congratulated Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected as the country's 14th . She said the country will benefit from his long and rich experience in public life. "Congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected the of India. The nation will benefit from your long and rich experience of public life. My best wishes for a productive and successful tenure," the President said in a tweet. Dhankhar, who was NDA's vice presidential candidate, won the election by 346 votes after defeating Opposition candidate Margaret Alva. He secured 528 votes against Alva who got 182 votes. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Dhankhar and congratulated him. "Meeting the newly elected of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar ji and congratulated him for his new responsibility. I am confident that he will play an important role in strengthening constitutional values and democratic traditions," Birla said in a tweet. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated Dhankhar. Amit Shah said he is confident that Dhankhar will as Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha prove to be an ideal protector of the Constitution. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Dhankhar's deep understanding of people's issues will benefit the nation. "Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar on winning the Vice Presidential elections. His long public life, wide experience and deep understanding of people's issues will certainly benefit the nation. I am confident that he will make an exceptional VP and Rajya Sabha Chairman," Singh said in a tweet. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also congratulated Dhankhar, who is a former West Bengal Governor. (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.) Out of five states affected by lumpy skin disease, is the most affected with 11 districts reporting a surge in such cases, Union Animal Husbandry Minister Purushottam Rupala said on Saturday. He also cautioned against drinking milk of the affected cows and said such animals should be isolated. Rupala was here with a central team to take stock of the disease affected areas. "Out of five affected states in the country, is the most affected with 11 districts reporting cases of lumpy skin disease," he told reporters. The minister said the central and state governments are making serious efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in cattle and will soon be able to control it. He said the infected animals should be kept separate from healthy animals and the vaccination of healthy animals should be done. Dedicated isolation centres should be set up for this purpose, he said. He further said goat pox vaccine is completely effective to prevent this disease. Use a dose of 3 ml of this vaccine to the most affected area and 1 ml in the least affected and unaffected area, he said. Rupala assured to give priority funding along with ensuring the availability of vaccines and medicines. He said the state government should start using SDRF with immediate effect and where permission is required from the Centre, the proposal should be sent soon. He also appreciated the initiative taken by the state government to create a separate Department of Animal Husbandry and the schemes being run for cow protection and promotion. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appealed to donors, social workers, public representatives, personnel and all sections of the society to cooperate financially for the prevention of lumpy skin disease spreading among animals of the state. On the instructions of the chief minister, a bank account has been opened in State Bank of India's Jaipur Secretariat branch with account number 41180075428 and IFSC code SBIN0031031. Contributors can transfer the contribution amount to this account by cash, cheque and electronic means. In the meeting with the Union minister, Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria said availability of medicines has been ensured in the affected area and medical teams are reaching the spot and treating the ill cows. (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.) member and scientist V K Saraswat on Sunday suggested that the government should focus on setting up small modular reactors as it would help meet the country's energy needs and also in replacing aging thermal power plants. Saraswat also said nuclear projects which have been set up under the fleet mode production, should be accelerated, so that India is able to meet base load requirements at the earliest. "We are suggesting that in future we should go for small modular reactors which will be able to meet this (energy) requirements in a distributed manner. "And we are also thinking that it will be the best approach for replacing the aging thermal power plants," he told PTI in an interview. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. Under the fleet mode, a nuclear is expected to be built over a period of five years from the first pour of concrete. According to Saraswat, the advantage of an advanced modular reactor is that it is factory fabricated and can be operated by any agency and there could also be a larger participation of the private sector in that. Currently, India operates 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6,780 MW in operation. Last year in December, Minister of State in the Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh had said the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 3.1 per cent in 2020-21. "The net-zero targets are expected to be met through a combination of various clean energy sources, including nuclear power. In this context, the present nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW is planned to be increased to 22,480 MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction. More nuclear power reactors are planned in future," Singh had said. Replying to a question on India's energy security, Saraswat, a former chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation said,"Our energy security per se has improved drastically as we are not an energy starved nation any more." He asserted that today India is meeting all its energy demands domestically. "As far as power generation is concerned, we are better off. We have solar power, which is almost the cheapest in the world...And the cost of setting up a solar plant has come down," Saraswat noted. Asked to respond to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's allegation that the Centre is forcing states to import coal for thermal power stations, Sarasawat said these statements need scrutiny. " Coal import is going on, in case of coastal power plants. It is cheaper for coastal power plants to import coal compared to transporting across states for example from Odisha to down south in Karnataka," he argued. Asserting that coal has been made available to all thermal power plants, Saraswat said, "Landlocked states which already have thermal power plants, are supplied coal even when loads have gone up." For example, he recalled that during this summer, the loads peaked up and there was hue and cry over coal availability for power plants. "And by working with the Railways in tandem, we were able to provide coal (to power plants across states). So managing, what is called increased demand has been done in a very efficient manner," Saraswat said. Recently, Rao had alleged that the BJP-led NDA government is corrupt, and the government at the Centre would be replaced and there would be inquiry on the misdeeds' such as coal import pressure on states. (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.) Sculptors in have been observing an increase in demand for small idols of Lord for installation at home during the 10-day festival, which they attribute to the steady rise in the number of Maharashtrians settling in the state of late. Artists say that natives of usually opt for idols of the elephant-headed god that are average two feet in size, while people from - those who have made the state their new home - want idols sized less than a foot. There is a growing trend of people from Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai, settling in after the pandemic broke out and made work-from-home the new normal. Like Maharashtra, Goa has a rich tradition of celebrating the festival, which is known as Chovoth' here. This year, the festival will start on August 31. Ritesh Chari, an artist, who is taking ahead his family business of making idols, says there has been a perceptible rise in the demand for smaller idols over the past couple of years as compared to the pre-pandemic period. There has been an increasing trend of demand for small idols - as tiny as 10 inches. This was never witnessed in the past, said Chari, who keeps the Ganesh idols in a makeshift structure in Margao town for display and sale. He said that his unit makes Ganesh idols in Ponda town in North Goa district, his native place, from where they are transported to Margao in South Goa. The buyers of smaller Ganesh idols are mostly Marathi-speaking, which indicates that they are not natives of Goa, Chari said, adding that Goan families usually prefer idols that are two feet or more in size. Another idol maker, Ramakant Amonkar, who is from Marcel village in North Goa, said, There is tradition in Mumbai to install and worship smaller Ganesh idols at home during the festival, whereas the idols in Goa are bigger in size. He said that the demand for smaller Idols is across Goa, especially in the urban areas like Panaji, Margao, Ponda and Mapusa. Many families have shifted to Goa during COVID-19, especially those who are retired are preferring to make home in Goa, away from the fast-paced and crowded city like Mumbai, he said. Many families have stopped going to their ancestral villages and prefer to celebrate the Ganesh festival at their home in Goa, due to which they prefer to have smaller idols, Amonkar said. Smaller idols can also be easily transported for immersion, he added. The art of making Ganesh idols has been preserved by many families in the state. Chari, 29, recalls how he learnt this skill from his uncle and would like to pass it on to the future generation. He said the rise in the prices of raw material has forced them to increase the rates. The cheapest idols are priced at Rs 800, while the expensive ones are valued at Rs 12,000. Average middle class family buys Idol costing Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,800, which is a price of two foot Ganesh, he said. Chari has made 200 clay idols this time. Rajendra Deshpande, a photographer by profession, is among the rising number of people who have made Goa their new home after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. Deshpande, who will be celebrating Chovoth with his family members here, said lower real estate prices and the option to work-from-home made him shift his base to Goa from Mumbai. Life in Goa is very peaceful. We shifted here when COVID-19 was at its peak. Now we have settled here permanently, he said. Goa Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte said the government is promoting the state as a destination where people from outside can come and work. (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 states on Sunday used the forum of the governing council of NITI Aayog to raise the issue of their dwindling resources. They demanded that the Centre increase their share in central and extend goods and services tax (GST) compensation to them. The council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was, however, boycotted by Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). This move by KCR was a mark of protest against the NDA government for not giving states the flexibility to design and modify schemes based on their needs. NITI Aayog is mandated to boost cooperative federalism in the country. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who runs the NDA government in the state, also did not come to the meeting citing health reasons. However, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a critic of the Modi government, joined after successive boycotts in the past. Banerjee emphasised that the Centre should look into the demands of state governments more seriously. She also said that no policies should be forced on them. The Chhattisgarh chief minister (Bhupesh Baghel) demanded an increase in the state share in central taxes, citing that the burden on the resources of states has been rising, an official said in a statement. Baghel sought a five-year extension for the to the state beyond June 2022. He said that the state was facing a revenue shortfall due to the new tax mechanism, the official added. The chief minister also urged the Centre to revise the royalty rate for major minerals, including coal, he said. According to the statement, Baghel sought a refund of the money deposited by the state government towards the Pension System (NPS) since November 2004 along with accruals in the interest of government employees. The Centre was asked to reimburse to the state ~12,000 crore spent on central security forces deployed for tackling the Maoist menace in Chhattisgarh. Apart from this, Baghel requested the Centre to expand the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in rural areas. These are for areas located near cities and towns with a population of less than 20,000, it added. Sources said other states also raised issues related to inadequate devolution of funds and lack of resources. These complaints were taken note by NITI. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Centre should not go against the federal structure of the Constitution. It should legislate on subjects listed in its concurrent list in consultation with states. Earlier Kerala finance minister K N Balagopal had accused the Centre of violating the Constitution by factoring in borrowings by state entities and public account liability while fixing borrowing limits of states. New NITI Aayog chief executive officer (CEO) Parameshwar Iyer said the West Bengal chief minister raised several issues pertaining to her state. According to him, Banerjee said her state will come forward in making G20 a big success and realise its full potential. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said NITI Aayog can take up the role of an ombudsman. It can resolve disputes between states and the Centre in the implementation of central schemes. Patnaik said, We all accept that the state and central governments are political entities and sometimes there are disputes in the implementation of central schemes. NITI Aayog can resolve these issues like an ombudsman. He added that Odisha has been historically neglected in the subjects that are on the central list such as telecom, railways and banking. We have the lowest density in crucial infrastructure and I would urge the central government to give special focus to Odisha, Patnaik said. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said in a tweet that he espoused the case of food growers by underlining the need for making MSP a legal guarantee and ensuring a foolproof marketing system for alternative crops. Warplanes of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct operations during joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 7, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. (Photo by Gong Yulong/Xinhua) NANJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. The air force under the theater command deployed multiple types of warplanes, including early warning aircraft, bombers, jamming aircraft, fighter-bombers and fighter jets, to conduct drills on such combat missions as joint reconnaissance, airspace control operation, strikes on ground targets, and air support and cover. Supported by naval and air combat systems, the air strike forces, together with long-range multiple launch rocket systems and conventional missile troops, conducted drills of joint precision strikes on targets. Multiple bomber formations flew across the Taiwan Strait from north to south and from south to north, while several fighter jets conducted joint drills with destroyers and frigates. The operation has tested the tactics of systems warfare under information-based conditions, and honed and improved the capabilities to destroy crucial island targets with precision strikes, said Zhang Zhi, an air force officer of the PLA Eastern Theater Command. Warplanes of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct operations during joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 7, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. (Photo by Wang Xinchao/Xinhua) A warplane of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) takes off during joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 7, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. (Photo by Fu Gan/Xinhua) Warplanes of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct operations during joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 7, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. (Photo by Li Bingyu/Xinhua) Warplanes of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct operations during joint combat training exercises around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 7, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. The focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking long-range air targets. (Photo by Xu Shaodu/Xinhua) Bank financing for mining projects such as Adani and Tatas in Indonesia is expected to revive with almost two-thirds of the in making a sharp recovery and recording the highest amount of coral cover in nearly four decades. Foreign banks were earlier hesitant to lend to the coal mining projects citing potential damage to the a UNESCO-protected area. As per a report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a government agency, over the past 36 years of monitoring by it, the coral reefs in the region have shown an ability to begin recovery after disturbances. In the past, the has suffered from widespread and severe bleaching because of rising ocean temperatures. Environmentalists had cited these events to lobby against the coal mining projects in and foreign banks had stopped financing these projects. But with the sharp recovery of the reef and changed geo-political events like Europe re-opening their coal-based power projects after Russia stopped gas supplies, the financing for mining projects may revive, say bankers. Tata Power will import coal worth Rs 14,000 crore from Indonesian mines this year and owns a 30 per cent stake in the coal mine. Adani Australia started exporting coal from its Carmichael mine from this year onwards. The projects would be able to attract insurance cover also as re-insurance companies keep a close eye on climate change reports such as the Australian Institute of Marine Science. In the first half of the current calendar year, global insured losses from natural catastrophes were $35 billion. Climate change is clearly a major risk for banks and reinsurance companies but due to changed geo-political reasons and mining of lithium for electric vehicles and coal for energy security picks up pace, the financing for such projects will also pick up, said a banker. Days after a US drone strike killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, another drone fired missiles in the Andaro area of Ghazni Province in and it seems that this one is also a HVT (High Value Target). A High-Value Target (HVT) is a target (a person or resource) that an enemy requires for completion of a mission. The term has been widely used in the media for Osama Bin Laden and high-ranking officers of Al-Qaeda and are considered essential to the completion of enemy operations. Taliban seems to have no information regarding the same. In a tweet, Sumaira Khan, a defence analyst of a media outlet wrote, "Reportedly another drone fired missiles aiming at high profile foreign-hailing target at Andaro area of Ghazni Saturday evening. The Taliban said there is no info on the nature of target." Another journalist Mushtaq Yusufzai confirmed the incident citing Taliban sources. "Taliban sources in said a drone fired missiles and hit a target in Andaro area of Afghanistan's Ghazni province on Saturday evening. Taliban said there is no information about the target but believed to be foreigners," he wrote. US President Joe Biden in a televised address on Monday announced that Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in an air strike by the United States stating that "Justice has been delivered." al-Zawahiri was one of the world's most wanted terrorists and a mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks was killed in a drone strike carried out by the US in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday. "On Saturday, at my direction, the United States successfully conducted an airstrike in Kabul, that killed the emir of al-Qa'ida: Ayman al-Zawahiri. Justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more," Biden said in a video address from the Blue Room Balcony at the White House. "He will never again, never again, allow Afghanistan to become a terrorist safe haven because he is gone and we're going to make sure that nothing else happens," he added.Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon was deeply involved in the planning of 9/11 and he also acted as Osama Bin Laden's personal physician. In a background call to reporters, a senior Biden administration official said Zawahiri had been killed on the balcony of a house in Kabul in a drone strike, and that there had been no US boots on the ground in Afghanistan. The strike was conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was carried out by an Air Force drone. The official claimed that al-Zawahiri was the only person killed in the strike and that none of his family members was injured.Senior members of the Taliban and Haqqani Network were aware of al-Zawahiri's presence in Kabul before the drone strike, said the senior administration official. In fact, Haqqani Network members attempted to conceal that al-Zawahiri had been staying at the safehouse in the hours after he was killed. When asked about Al-Zawahri's killing and could he have been in the safe house without the direct knowledge of Pakistan's ISI, the official said: "What we know is that senior Haqqani Taliban were aware of his presence in Kabul and I can't comment further on other countries involvement." Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States who is now with the Hudson Institute, said that this operation shows that the US can still find identified terrorist leaders in Afghanistan. "The question now would be, whether Taliban enabled Zawahiri's elimination or the US did it without assistance. His presence in the Afghanistan-Pakistan area confirms that the region is still home to terrorist groups," Haqqani told ANI. "We will have to wait to find out whom the Americans believe to have helped keep Zawahiri in business from within the region," the former ambassador further added. Zawahiri's killing comes a year after the US' military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country. The official noted that Zawahiri's presence in the Afghan capital Kabul was a "clear violation" of a deal the Taliban had signed with the US in Doha in 2020 that paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. (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.) Chinas embassy in Colombo has sought an urgent meeting with senior Sri Lankan authorities after Colombo sought a deferment of the planned docking of a high-tech Chinese research vessel at the strategic Hambantota port over which India raised concerns, sources said. The Chinese space and satellite tracking research vessel Yuan Wang 5 was scheduled to dock at the Hambantota Port from August 11 to 17, weeks after witnessed a major political turmoil following massive mass protests over the countrys worst economic crisis in decades. A third-person note from Sri Lankas Foreign Ministry to the Chinese embassy in Colombo dated August 5 says the ministry wishes to request that the arrival of the vessel Yuan Wang 5 in Hambantota to be deferred until further consultations are made on the matter. The Chinese embassy in Colombo sought an urgent meeting with the higher Sri Lankan authorities to discuss the issue after receiving the note from the Foreign Ministry seeking a delay in the visit, sources here said. Some Sri Lankan news portals also reported that Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe held a closed-door meeting with Chinas Ambassador Qi Zhenhong after Colombo sought a deferment of the planned docking. But the Presidents Office denied the media reports over the meeting. On July 12, amid the political turmoil in Sri Lanka, the then government approved the Chinese vessels docking at the Hambantota port. The Chinese vessel was expected to dock at the Sri Lankan port for refuelling and replenishment and will conduct satellite control and research tracking in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean region through August and September. The southern deep-sea port of Hambantota is considered strategically important for its location. The port, located in the hometown of the Rajapaksa family, has been developed largely with Chinese loans. According to local media reports, India informed that the docking of the high-tech Chinese research vessel could pose a threat to its national security. received strong messages of protests from India as the ship was said to have the capability to track satellites and intercontinental ballistic missiles, the report said. India has said it carefully monitors any development having a bearing on its security and economic interests. We are aware of reports of a proposed visit by this vessel to Hambantota in August, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi when asked about the reports of a proposed visit by a Chinese vessel. "The government carefully monitors any development having a bearing on India's security and economic interests and takes all necessary measures to safeguard them," he said last month. New Delhi is concerned about the possibility of the ship's tracking systems attempting to snoop on Indian installations while being on its way to the Sri Lankan port. India has traditionally taken a stern view of Chinese military vessels in the Indian Ocean and has protested such visits with Sri Lanka in the past. The ties between India and Sri Lanka had come under strain after Colombo gave permission to a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine to dock in one of its ports in 2014. is the main creditor of Sri Lanka with investment in infrastructure. Debt restructuring of Chinese loans would be key to the island's success in the ongoing talks with the Monetary Fund for a bailout. India on the other hand has been Sri Lanka's lifeline in the ongoing economic crisis. India has been at the forefront of extending economic assistance of nearly USD 4 billion to Sri Lanka during the year as the island nation is grappling with the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. As the new Sri Lankan president looks at pulling the country out of its economic crisis, India has said that it will continue to assist the island nation and support its people in their quest for stability and prosperity. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena last week said Sri Lanka was looking forward to settle the issue of the vessel's visit with an "approach of friendship". India's concerns have been focused on Hambantota port in particular. In 2017, Colombo leased the southern port to Merchant Port Holdings for 99 years, after Sri Lanka was unable to keep its loan repayment commitments, fanning fears over the potential use of the port for military purposes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese and Taiwanese warships played high-seas "cat and mouse" on Sunday ahead of the scheduled end of four days of unprecedented Chinese military exercises launched in reaction to a visit to by the U.S. House speaker. Nancy Pelosi's visit last week to the self-ruled island infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over the island's capital for the first time and the cutting of some communication links with the United States. About 10 warships each from China and sailed at close quarters in the Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the median line, an unofficial buffer separating the two sides, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The island's defence ministry said multiple Chinese military ships, aircraft, and drones were simulating attacks on the island and its navy. It said it had sent aircraft and ships to react "appropriately". As Chinese forces "pressed" the line, as they did on Saturday, the Taiwan side stayed close to monitor and, where possible, deny the Chinese the ability to cross, said the person with knowledge of the situation who declined to be identified. "The two sides are showing restraint," the person said, describing the manoeuvres as high-seas "cat and mouse". "One side tries to cross, and the other stands in the way and forces them to a more disadvantaged position and eventually return to the other side." Taiwan said its shore-based anti-ship missiles and its Patriot surface-to-air-missiles were on stand-by. The defence ministry said its F-16 jet fighters were flying with advanced anti-aircraft missiles. It issued photographs of Harpoon anti-ship weapons being loaded on another. Taiwan said on Saturday its forces scrambled jets to warn away 20 Chinese aircraft, including 14 that crossed the median line. It also detected 14 Chinese ships conducting activity around the Taiwan Strait. LIFTING RESTRICTIONS The Chinese exercises, centred on six locations around the island that China claims as its own, began on Thursday and were scheduled to last until midday on Sunday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported last week. There was no announcement from China on Sunday on whether the exercises were ending and Taiwan said it is unable to verify whether China had stopped them. Nevertheless, Taiwan's transport ministry it was gradually lifting restrictions on flights through its airspace, saying notifications for the drills were no longer in effect. But Taiwan would continue to direct flights and ships away from one of the drill zones off its east coast until Monday morning, it said. China's military has said the sea and air joint exercises, north, southwest and east of Taiwan, had a focus on land-strike and sea-assault capabilities. The United States called the exercises a significant escalation in China's efforts to change the status quo. "They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation," a White House spokesperson said. "They are also at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." 'POLITICAL STUNT' China says its relations with Taiwan are an internal matter and it reserves the right to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary. Taiwan rejects China's claim saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. China has warned the United States not to "act rashly" and create a greater crisis and the state-run Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary Pelosi had staged a "political stunt" out of self-interest. "Insisting on going to the island, she apparently does not care about harming China-U.S. ties, or putting peace across the Taiwan Strait on the line," it said. Taiwan's foreign ministry condemned China's "aggressive and provocative" exercises and urged it "to immediately stop such tension-escalating behaviours that have endangered the common good of the region and the world". As part of its response to Pelosi's visit, China has halted communication with the United States through various channels, including between military theatre commands and on climate change. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China of taking "irresponsible" steps and moving away from prioritising peaceful resolution towards the use of force. Pelosi, a long-time China critic and a political ally of President Joe Biden, arrived in Taiwan late on Tuesday on the highest-level visit to the island by an American official in decades, despite Chinese warnings. She said her visit showed unwavering U.S. commitment to supporting Taiwan's democracy. "The world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy," she said. She also stressed that her trip was "not about changing the status quo in Taiwan or the region". Taiwan has been self-ruled since 1949, when Mao Zedong's communists took power in Beijing after defeating Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang nationalists in a civil war, prompting their retreat to the island. Speaking during a visit to the Philippines, Blinken said the United States had been hearing concern from allies about what he called China's dangerous and destabilising actions but Washington sought to avoid escalating the situation. (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 fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled in the Cuban city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing. Cuban authorities said a unidentified body had been found. Firefighters and other specialists were on Saturday still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighbourhood closest to the fire. The government said it had asked for help from experts in friendly countries with experience in the oil sector. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernndez de Cosso said the US government had offered technical help to quell the blaze. On his Twitter account, he said the proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination. Minutes later, President Miguel Daz-Canel thanked Mexico , Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. A support flight from Mexico arrived on Saturday night. The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers toward Havana. Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks trying to keep them cool in hopes of preventing the fire from spreading. Cuba's Health Ministry reported that 121 people were injured with five of them in critical condition. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 people missing were firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread. Later on Saturday, the Health Ministry said in a statement that a body had been found and officials were trying to identify it. The accident comes as struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants. I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies, resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. The city has a strong smell of sulfur. He said some people also decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm than Dubrocq. Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay. Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana. That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long, Pila wrote on his Twitter account. (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 Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has praised India for its and payment systems and said that it is a "clear opportunity" for the country. In Saturday's statement after his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Cambodia, Balakrishnan noted two basic areas including certain strengths which India has and economic integration. "India has certain strengths - FinTech, digital finance, digital inclusion, and what they have done with and payment systems, is a clear opportunity for us," the Foreign Minister said. "In Singapore, of course, we have all those systems as well, but for the rest of Southeast Asia, to explore how we can interconnect our payment systems, our financial systems, in order to facilitate payments and expand opportunities for small businesses across the subcontinent and across into Southeast Asia," he added. Furthermore, Balakrishnan stated: "We are reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement to facilitate trade to facilitate customs clearance and to reduce the friction for the movement of goods between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. We have got quite a lot of work there." The Foreign Minister also said that he had the chance to meet Jaishankar twice in the last couple of months and there will be more meetings. India- relations are based on shared values and approaches, economic opportunities, and convergence of interests on key issues. Political engagement is regular. The defence relations are particularly strong. Economic and technological ties are extensive and growing. Additionally, the cultural and human links between both nations are very vibrant. There are more than 20 regular bilateral mechanisms, dialogues, and exercises. There is great convergence on a broad range of issues and both are members of a number of forums, including the East Asia Summit, G20, Commonwealth, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) and IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium). Singapore is India's 6th largest trade partner (2020-21) with a share of 3.2 per cent of India's overall trade. In 2021-22 (April - September 2021) bilateral trade stood at USD 14.2 billion. In 2020-21, bilateral trade stood at USD 21.98 billion. The cumulative FDI inflows from Singapore to India stood at USD 118.39 billion (April 2000 -June 2021) which is 22 pc of total FDI inflows in India. Singapore was the largest source of FDI in India in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. During the second wave of the pandemic, Singapore's position as a logistic hub enabled both the public and private sectors to source emergency relief supplies such as oxygen- tanks, cylinders, concentrators, and ventilators among from Singapore to India. Till the end of June 2021, 26 Indian Air Force sorties and 4 Indian Navy Ships transported substantial quantities of these items from Singapore to India. The close ties between India and Singapore have a history rooted in strong commercial, cultural and people-to-people links across a millennium. India and Singapore added new momentum and direction to their Strategic Partnership in 2018, anchored in the official visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore from May 31 to June 2, and his second visit on November 14-15 for attending the ASEAN-India and related Summits. . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has reaffirmed its commitment to the One- policy, but said that it would not issue any official statement on it, according to local media reports. Answering media queries, the Foreign Ministry of the country stressed on Maldives' commitment to the "One China" policy. However it added that the Ministry will not issue an official statement on the matter, reported Avas.mv. The Maldives, a key neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region occupies a special place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. However, under the pro- ex -president of the Maldives, Abdullah Yameen, who launched the "India Out" movement, the two nations' ties were severely strained. When Abdulla Yameen Yameen was the president of the Maldives, and the country established strong ties. Yameen was ousted from power in 2018, with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih becoming the new President. Notably, India's relations with have significantly grown under Solih and have been multi-dimensional, largely cordial and cooperative. In recent years, both sides assert that the partnership has witnessed rapid growth in most areas of cooperation, especially in the field of development. Recently, President Solih visited India from August 1-4 for the third time since assuming office and was accompanied by a high-level official delegation. The meeting resulted in the announcement of a number of key agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) exchanged. Meanwhile, earlier, the Pakistan and Sri Lankan government had also reaffirmed their commitment to the One China policy. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Saturday urged the US to recognize the Islamic Emirate of . The acting Minister of Defence, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, in an interview with NPR, said that the recognition of the current government is in the interest of the because there is no other regime to deal with, reported Tolo News. "This is obvious," he said. "There are many countries that are more against America than us, but they recognize them officially," he said. "There are more countries in the world that pose more danger than to America, but still America recognized them officially. I think that recognition is a positive step toward a bigger change," said Mujahid. The acting Minister of Defence also said that the issue of closed girls' schools is a serious matter, but some improvements have been made in this regard, reported Tolo News. "This is a serious issue for us. There is some development, and hopefully, there will be more about it. We have a discussion about these issues, and we are hoping that soon the ground will be prepared for that," Mujahid added. Meanwhile, the has not completed the conditions for recognition which was offered by the community. "The countries have made very clear demands and conditions for the recognition of the . Unfortunately, during this time, no positive steps have been taken to meet their demands. An inclusive government has not been established, and girls' schools are still closed," said Ghulam Sakhi Ehsani, a university lecturer. While discussing the situation in and the increasing hunger crisis in the country, the EU Ambassador to Afghanistan, Andreas Von Brandt said that there is a consensus on the non-recognition of the Taliban government in the western world. According to Brandt, the world is trying to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, not to the government which came to power by means not provided for in the country's constitution, Khaama Press reported. Meanwhile, political analysts believe the current situation in Afghanistan could get worse if the Taliban leadership do not consider an inclusive government, saying such could also pave the way for the community to offer formal recognition to the group. "The community and the people of Afghanistan want the current government to include diverse layers of educated youth and representatives from different ethnic groups," another political analyst, Ahmad Monib Rasa said. The Taliban's claim of creating a peaceful atmosphere for men and women is so ironic to the real picture. Women are denied their basic rights like education and even freedom of speech, which was seen and condemned by the whole world but still the Taliban makes false claims. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US has accused Beijing of "provocative" and "irresponsible" actions after said China rehearsed an attack on the island. said it responded to the Chinese drills, now in their fourth day, by deploying aircraft and ships on Sunday, the BBC reported. The heightened tensions follow a trip to by a US delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China views the visit as a challenge to its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, which sees itself as distinct. Taiwan's defence ministry said Chinese ships and planes carried out missions in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, with some crossing the median line, an unofficial buffer separating the two sides, the BBC reported. Speaking to reporters in Taipei, premier Su Tseng-chang accused China of "arrogantly" using the exercises to disrupt regional stability and appealed for restraint from the Chinese side. Beijing has not commented on the latest exercises, but its four-day long series of military drills in the air and seas around Taiwan are expected to finish on Sunday. Washington has accused China of escalating tensions. "These activities are a significant escalation in China's efforts to change the status quo. They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation," a White House spokesperson said. "They are also at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is what the world expects." China said Pelosi's visit "seriously threatened" peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. --IANS san/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States, and have urged to immediately cease its military exercises launched following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, as they reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Strait. Pelosi, 82, was the highest-profile US official to visit in 25 years. Pelosi's visit on Wednesday and her meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and other leaders has infuriated China, which views the self-governed democratic island as its territory that should be reunified with the mainland, even by force. fired a barrage of ballistic missiles into the waters around as it launched large-scale military exercises in response to her visit to Taipei. A joint statement was issued by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa after their in-person meeting in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, on the margins of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The Secretary and the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the statement said on Saturday. Sharing the region's desire for diplomacy to avoid the risks of miscalculation, they expressed their concern about the People's Republic of China's (PRC) recent actions that gravely affect peace and stability, including the use of large-scale military exercises. They condemned the PRC's launch of ballistic missiles, five of which the Japanese government reported landed in its exclusive economic zones, raising tension and destabilising the region. The Secretary and the Foreign Ministers urged the PRC to immediately cease the military exercises, said the joint statement. "They appreciated ASEAN's statement about the importance of deescalating tension in the Taiwan Strait," according to the statement. Southeast Asian countries on Thursday called for maximum restraint and urged the global community to avoid actions that could destabilise the region and eventually lead to miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts, and unpredictable consequences among major powers. The Secretary and the Foreign ministers reaffirmed their resolve in supporting ASEAN centrality, and the importance of the Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) as partners in the region, said the statement. The PIC network is composed of 14 countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. There is no change in the respective 'one China' policies, where applicable, and basic positions on Taiwan of Australia, Japan, or the United States, they said. "The Secretary and the Foreign Ministers expressed their commitment to deepening the trilateral partnership among Australia, Japan, and the to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region," the statement said. They highlighted that their partnership rests on the unshakable foundation of shared interests and values, including a commitment to freedom, rule of law, human rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, and freedom of navigation and overflight. Several world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region. claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Blinken, during a joint press availability with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, said maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait was vital, not just for Taiwan but for the Philippines and many other countries. What happens in the Taiwan Strait affects the entire region. In many ways, it affects the entire world because the strait, like the South China Sea, is a critical waterway. Almost half the global container fleet, nearly 90 per cent of the world's largest ships, pass through the Taiwan Strait this year, he said. Since their missile launches, Beijing has taken an irresponsible step of a different kind: They've shut down eight different areas where our two countries have been able to work together, Blinken 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.) BEIRUT, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian ambassador to Lebanon said on Sunday that UN organizations should deliver their financial support to Syria to encourage the home return of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. "We have called on UN organizations several times to offer their financial support for Syrians inside their home country, instead of in Lebanon, to encourage their return to Syria," Ali Abdel Karim Ali told TV channel Aljadeed News. Syria is offering incentives for overseas Syrians to return, such as exemption from military service and other legal obligations, Ali added. Lebanon hosts the world's largest number of refugees per capita, with a government estimate of the Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million. Having been struggling with a worsening financial crisis since late 2019, Lebanon says the influx of refugees has weighed heavily on the country's economy and infrastructure. has given its nod to 28 companies to raise funds totalling Rs 45,000 crore through initial public offerings (IPOs) in April-July period of 2022-23 which has already seen 11 debutantes raising over Rs 33,000 crore. Among the firms that have secured the regulator's clearance include Lifestyle retail brand FabIndia; Bharat FIH, a subsidiary of FIH Mobiles and a Foxconn Technology Group; TVS Supply Chain Solutions; Blackstone-backed Aadhar Housing Finance; Macleods Pharmaceuticals and Kids Clinic India, which operates super-specialty mother and babycare chain Cloudnine. These firms are yet to announce the launch date of their IPOs and are waiting for the right time to float their issues as current market conditions are challenging, merchant bankers said. "Current environment is challenging and companies with approvals in hand are waiting for the right window of opportunity to launch the initial share-sales. In fact, many of them have concluded the roadshows and are waiting for the right time," Prashant Rao, Director and Head Equity Capital Markets, Anand Rathi Investment Banking, said. Going by the (Sebi) data, total 28 companies obtained the regulator's clearance to tap the IPO route for fundraising during April-July 2022-23. Together, these firms are expected to mop up Rs 45,000 crore. So far in current fiscal year, 11 companies have gone public to garner Rs 33,254 crore. Of these, a lion's share (Rs 20,557 crore) was raised by the public issue of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). All these companies hit the primary market during April-May and not a single public issue was launched after May, suggesting a dry spell in the IPO market. This came after as many as 52 companies tapped the primary market to raise a record Rs 1.11 lakh crore in the entire 2021-22. The impressive fundraising could be due to a slew of public issues from new age loss-making technology startups, strong retail participation and huge listing gains. The lack of appetite for the IPO in current fiscal year could be attributed to sharp correction in the secondary market, disastrous performance of new digital companies, like Paytm and Zomato, and poor post listing performance of LIC negatively impacting the sentiments, VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said. Anand Rathi Investment Banking's Rao also said that due to the volatility in the and certain issues facing pricing performance, investors were wary of new issuances. However, Abhijit Tare, MD and CEO, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors, is of the view that have just recovered from mathematical low and more importantly a sentimental low seen in the last quarter and few companies will try to approach . A few of the IPOs will get through in the next 2-3 months based on the merit of their proposals, Tare said adding that a good amount of fundraising is expected to happen in the remaining part of the fiscal year. "With good quarter results and some favourable economic data, we feel the second half of this fiscal year might give a few windows for issues to happen and may present an opportunity for good quality companies that have been priced reasonably to launch their IPOs," Rao said. Interestingly, there is a sudden rush among companies for filing preliminary IPO papers with in the last two months. During June-July, total 15 companies, including Sula Vineyards, Allied Blenders and Distillers, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, and Sai Silk Kalamandir, approached with their draft papers to garner funds through initial share-sales. "There are a lot of discussions happening in the private domain. Many promoters from small towns and cities who have done a fantastic job of growing their business but have never thought of monetising their efforts are now gearing up for the move. Hence we see many applications being filled with the regulator," Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors' Tare 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.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. 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Digital Editor The has planned to expand its base among the Yadavs, Jatavs and Pasmanda Muslims as part of its strategy to win all 80 seats in the 2024 general election. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and former state president Keshav Prasad Maurya had also dropped a hint in a recent tweet, saying Yaduvanshi (Yadavs), Ravidasiyo (Jatavs) and Pasmanda Muslims will be brought closer to the so that the lotus "blossoms" in every booth in UP. After the party's victory in the Azamgarh and Rampur bypolls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had claimed that it will win all 80 seats in next general election. While OBC Yadavs and Muslims form the Samajwadi Party's "MY" vote bank, Jatavs have been siding with the BSP led by Mayawati so far. SP's secretary Rajendra Chaudhary trashed Maurya's assertions and said his party doesn't believe in of casteism. "Our ideology is based on socialism and social justice," Chaudhary told PTI. Sources in the BJP said the party has planned to launch a comprehensive mass contact campaign to reach out to Yadavs, Jatavs and Pasmanda Muslims in course of its "Tiranga Yatra" week from August 11 to 17. Of 1.70 lakh booths in the 80 seats in UP, the BJP feels it has comparatively lesser influence on 22,000. According to sources, most of these booths are dominated by Yadav, Jatav and Muslim voters. They said on state secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal's instruction, BJP MPs and MLAs had recently undertaken mass contact programmes to increase the party's footprint. The BJP has 64 MPs from Uttar Pradesh while its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has two. The BSP has 10 MPs while the Samajwadi Party's tally came down to three after it lost Azamgarh and Rampur seats to the BJP in the bypolls held recently. Sonia Gandhi is the sole MP of the Congress. She represents the Rae Bareli seat. According to experts, Yadavs form 11 per cent of the UP's population. Dalits are around 21 per cent of the population and Muslim's presence is estimated at 18 per cent. Among the Dalits, Jatavs are numerically strong. Seventeen Lok Sabha seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes in UP. Yadav and Muslim voters decide in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies each. A senior BJP leader Santraj Yadav told PTI that a "majority of the Yadavs no longer want to stay with the SP while they don't see any hope in the Congress and the BSP is not of their liking". "So, the BJP is the best option for them where they are getting better opportunities and importance," he said. Yadav, who is also the chairman of the UP state cooperative bank, pointed to the BJP sending Sangita Yadav of Gorakhpur to the Rajya Sabha and Subhas Yadav of Sant Kabir Nagar to the state legislative council and the victory of Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' from Azamgarh in the bypolls to prove his point. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spared time from his busy schedule to virtually attend a programme held to mark the 10th death anniversary of Harmohan Singh Yadav in Kanpur on July 25. Harmohan Singh Yadav had served as the president of the Yadav Mahasabha. His son Sukhram Singh Yadav, a former Rajya Sabha MP, lavishly praised the PM. Sukhram's son Mohit Yadav has already taken the membership of the BJP. SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav had joined the BJP on the eve of the assembly elections while senior socialist leader Shivpal Singh Yadav is at odds with his nephew Akhilesh. His proximity to the BJP was clearly visible in the recent presidential elections where he voted for NDA's candidate Droupadi Murmu. The BJP is also giving prominence to Jatavs. Changing its track, the BJP, which earlier gave more importance to Kori, Dhanuk, Khatik and Passi sections among the Dalits, concentrated on the Jatavs in the Assembly polls. Former Uttrakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya after winning elections was made a cabinet minister in the current UP government led by Yogi Adityanath. She earlier served as Agra mayor, where Jatavs have sizeable presence and BSP supremo Mayawati often launches her poll campaign from this region. A leader of the state BJP SC morcha said, "Our interest is safe in the BJP only. The double dose of ration during the coronavirus pandemic, houses and Rs 5 lakh medical cover have been provided to everybody by the Modi government. In Modi rule, nobody sleeps hungry." The BJP is also trying to win over Pasmanda Muslims. The party gave place to Danish Azad Ansari in Adityanath's cabinet. He has been made the minister of state for minority affairs. Mohsin Raza, the lone Muslim minister in the previous term, is a Shia. Post-poll surveys indicated that the BJP's vote share among Muslims rose to 8 per cent, one per cent rise vis--vis 2017 election. State BJP minority cell chief Basit Ali told PTI, "There are several beneficiaries from Muslims in welfare schemes launched by the Modi government. The party is in touch with them. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Lok Janshakti Party chief on Sunday hit back at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which has accused him for its own debacle in the 2020 assembly polls. Paswan came out with a flurry of tweets in response to allegation of "Chirag model at work" by president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan at a press conference here. "I practise of positivity and do not represent any model. Those who had engineered infights are now themselves faced with internal strife. They would do well not look for causes out on the streets," Paswan tweeted. The allusion was to the rebellion by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, which led to a split in the LJP founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, and turmoil in the following former national president RCP Singh's resignation. He also took a veiled dig at Kumar over speculations of yet another political volte face, drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata. "Like Kansa, he is trying to kill every child of Devaki. First, it was my turn. Now it is of RCP. But he is not aware of the incarnation of Krishna, his political slayer. Even jumping ship will be of no help this time," Paswan added in a cryptic tweet. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the May disclosure that the privacy-focused online browser DuckDuckGo permits to track scripts on external sites, the platform now claims to begin banning those as well. The platform said it was announcing more privacy and transparency around DuckDuckGo's web tracking protections after community backlash. "Over the next week, we will expand the third-party tracking scripts we block from loading on websites to include scripts from in our browsing apps (iOS and Android) and our browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera), with beta apps to follow in the coming month," the platform said in a blogpost. DuckDuckGo said this expands its 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection, which blocks identified tracking scripts from Facebook, Google, and other companies from loading on third-party websites, to now include third-party tracking scripts. This web tracking protection is not offered by most other popular browsers by default and sits on top of many other DuckDuckGo protections. To further deliver on its commitment to transparency, the privacy-focused online browser said it has posted a new help page that offers a comprehensive explanation of all the web tracking protections we provide across platforms. "Users now have one place to look if they want to understand the different kinds of web privacy protections we offer on the platforms they use," the platform said. --IANS vc/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.) PRI GEN INT .EDINBURGH FGN10 AUTISM- Wearable can change autistic people's lives if they're involved in designing it By Lauren Gillies-Walker, PhD researcher/Associate lecturer, University of the West of Scotland and Naeem Ramzan, Professor, University of the West of Scotland Edinburgh (UK), Aug 7 (The Conversation) Many autistic people experience difficulties in expressing their emotions. This can result in increased anxiety, depression, anger and physical health problems. Research shows autistic adults are significantly more likely to experience depression an than their peers. Imagine a future, where could help people regulate their emotions and alert them to sensory overload before they became overwhelmed. An increasing number of technological solutions, that aim to help people regulate their emotions are being developed for autistic people. And some autistic people are adapting technology such as digital heart rate monitors to try and track their stress levels. Many studies have explored autistic people's use of wearable technology, such as smart watches, virtual reality (VR) or brain-computer interfaces (BCI) to regulate their emotions. BCIs are a direct communication pathway between the brain's electrical activity and an external device, commonly a computer or robotic limb. Speaking to the community But before our study no one asked the autistic community for their views on how useful the technology is. Poor usability is a longstanding problem for autistic users of this technology because developers lack of awareness of their needs. A recent study found only 10 per cent of wearable technologies for autistic people addressed their needs and 90 per cent viewed autistic traits as shortcomings that need correcting. Our recent study explored the autistic community's thoughts on any technology they had previously used to help them regulate their emotions and their views on what they need from technology. Thirty-four autistic individuals and their allies (family, health and social care professionals and college staff) took part in focus groups. We presented information on how emotional regulation technology could be used. For example, smart watches that detect physiological stress signals and prompt users to start coping techniques. We found the autistic community was keen to use technology to help regulate their emotions but it often cost too much, was difficult to use without training and wasn't well adapted to their needs. Our focus group results showed wearable technologies could be uniquely beneficial to autistic people, if they are involved in the design process. Life with autism One participant shared how their daughter deals with emotional challenges: She looks perfectly fine and she's behaving perfectly fine. Except she's not. She hides it so well, the and everything that we haven't got a clue! Sometimes the prodding can lead to a big explosion. Meanwhile care staff spoke about how important it was to understand how autistic people are feeling: You want to get in before the behaviour starts. Before it escalates. We could go in before to offer reassurance, a distraction. For other people it's withdrawal. give them their own space. Another care worker said: We know there might be a pattern but we just can't see it. Participants told us technology could make all the difference. A relative of an autistic person said: I'd like something that he can self regulate, tell people how he's feeling. Something that's an app that somehow connects with a colour, so he can pick a picture that says how he's feeling and people know without it being a big song and dance. Some autistic participants felt there is a shortfall of support for those with higher IQ. One told us: You feel like you kind of walk between the two worlds almost. You're not quite severe. So you're not at that point on the spectrum where you need a lot of support that you'd get if you were. Help me, don't fix me Most research has been based on out-of-date theories about autism, such as the idea it is a medical illness that can be cured or treated. Recent breakthroughs in the neuro-diversity movement triggered a call for autism research to focus on empowering autistic people and their unique communication styles instead of trying to fix them. Autistic participants agreed technological designs should promote independence, rather than try to mask autism. Many participants were reluctant to use technology due to lack of confidence in their ability to use it, especially within community care settings. Other barriers included cost or lack of awareness about existing technology. Our study results emphasised the importance of strategies that take an individual's life goals into consideration. Although a lot of money is spent on developing new technologies, both researchers and healthcare organisations often fail to consider how it will be implemented in practice. As one autistic person, said: If you're going to make something for someone ask them what they want. Don't just spit out something and go here's what I made. The amount of papers where people claimed to have made something for learning disabilities. Have you ever had it tested? Have you ever used it with anyone?" Technology companies must create their products alongside the autistic community. And products should aim to adapt the environment according to individual needs, rather than trying to change the person. Autism is simply a different way of seeing the world. Not only would this new approach help develop useful technology based support strategies, it would help to create more inclusive environments for everyone. (The Conversation) PY PY 08071010 NNNN (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.) NAIROBI, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc on Sunday launched its election observer mission to monitor national polls in Kenya slated for Tuesday. Mulatu Teshome, the head of IGAD short-term Election Observation Mission (IGADEOM) told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya that 24 short-term observers will be deployed to various constituencies across eleven counties in the country. "The deployment of an IGADEOM in Kenya is in line with IGAD's mandate of promoting good governance, democracy, human rights, and rule of law in the IGAD region," Teshome said. Kenya alongside Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda are members of IGAD which was formed in 1986 to foster regional peace, development, and environmental sustainability. Teshome, also former president of Ethiopia said that the deployment of observers will be guided by relevant continental instruments such as the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Government He revealed that preceding their deployment, the observers including representatives of electoral bodies and diplomats drawn from six IGAD member states were taken through a two-day orientation program. "The orientation covered the political context of the general elections including relevant national and international legal frameworks; the IGAD code of conduct for election observers as well as IGAD's election observation methodology and tools," added Teshome. He stressed that the objective of the observer's mission was to make an independent, objective, and impartial assessment of the Tuesday polls in Kenya in accordance with national, regional, and international standards for democratic elections. Two major political alliances, Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) headed by sitting Deputy President William Ruto, and Azimio la Umoja (Resolution for Unity) which is led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga with backing from President Uhuru Kenyatta will compete for the top seat in the land during Tuesday's polls.